DEFENCE
New Commander Takes Over ‘Operation Safe Haven’ in Jos
By Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Special Task Force saddled with the responsibility of maintaining peace in Plateau State, Southern Kaduna and some parts of Bauchi State code named Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) has a new Commander, he is Major Gen. Chukwuemeka Okonkwo.
Maj.
The development is coming on the hills of the recent Nigerian Army posting and appointment of it’s officers across the country in rekindling the spirit of professionalism in the nation’s Army as released by the Acting Director Army Public Relations.
General Agundu took over the helm of affairs at the Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) Headquarters Jos in July 2018 and has spent 20 months in pursuance of peace in his area of assignment.
The Army General described the over 20 years crisis promoted by some religious leaders and few traditional rulers within the area of operation especially Plateau and Southern Kaduna State as unfortunate adding that it has only created “more orphans, widows as well as pains, anger and hate that often led to the destruction of innocent lives and properties.”
Agundu sated this in his farewell message during the handing over of the Command to the incoming Commander Maj. Gen.Okechukwo Okonkwo at the Headquarters of Operation Safe Haven(OPSH) located beside Hill Station Hotel in Jos the Plateau State capital.
“I assumed Command of Operation Safe Haven at a period of myriad of security uncertainties especially in the aftermath of the gruesome killings that took place Gashish District of Barkin Ladi that led to the death of almost 200 vulnerable people. With a semblance of uneasy stability in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State just as Southern Kaduna has its own fair share of intense security challenges.
“The inability to resolved even inconsequential and local issues between and across tribal divides due to age-long animosity and hatred has worsened the crises for almost 20 years. Worse still, some grassroots community and religious leaders are often culpable in promoting ill-tolerance that has further fuelled the many years of crises yet till date there is no winner.”
He added, “unfortunately, the crises on the Plateau and Southern Kaduna have only been able to generate orphans, widows, pain, frustration, fear and anger. There are fee individuals within the communities who indulge in acts of lawlessness as a way of life by unleashing mayhem on innocent law abiding citizens with the theater.”
The outgoing Commander thanked the Governor of Plateau State, Kaduna and Bauchi for their relentless support stressing that the successes recorded could have not been possible without their shared support as well as some stakeholders who ensure that criminal elements in their domain were identified and isolated.
Considering the fact that, “internal security operations are quite challenging primarily because troops are confronting small groups of miscreants who are also living within law abiding citizens which often required public cooperation and supply of vital security information.”
While addressing troops as he exit the Command, General Agundu charged them to be professional and operate within the line of engagements, urging them to give the incoming Commander the needed cooperation in ending the protracted conflict within the areas of operation to enable them reunite themselves back home with their families.
The ceremony witnessed the commissioning of the Divine Mercy Chapel built at the STF Headquarters followed by the display of some recovered small and light arms and ammunitions at the STF Headquarters among others respectively.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working to set up a counter terrorism force to tackle security threats within the sub-region.
The Commissioner Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, stated this at the opening of a three-day consultative meeting of Commandants of the three designated ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence.
The three centres of excellence are the National Defence College, Nigeria, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Ghana, and Ecole de Maintien de la Paix Alioune Blondin Beye, Mali.
The consultative engagement is a bi-annual event coordinated by the Directorate of Peacekeeping and Regional Security of ECOWAS.
It is to support training, capacity building, research and development of the ECOWAS Standby Force, and the general peace and security within the sub-region.
Reports says that Mali which is housing one of the training centres of excellence was absent at the meeting.
This may not be unconnected with the recent move by the country alongside Niger and Burkina Faso to exit the ECOWAS community.
Musah said that terrorism was cascading across the region and there was need to have counter terrorism forces to contain its spread.
“This is the decision, and in the coming weeks, ECOWAS has already with the Chief of Defence Staffs, developed operational modalities, the concept of operations and everything for us to aggregate.
“It will be something like an advance rapid reaction force of a battalion that will be able to confront terrorists’ bases.”
He explained that as part of the resolution of the authority of Heads of States, 2.4 billion dollars would be raised to fund the ECOWAS standby force to tackle the security challenges headlong.
“The Heads of States have decided that on the first year, we must raise about 2.4 billion dollars to support the operation of this force in order to face the terrorist.”
Musah said out of the amount, the Heads of States have directed member states contribute one billion dollars to commence the operation of the stand-by force.
He also explained that Ministers of Defence and Finance from the sub-region would be meeting to fashion out funding modalities for the force.
“This brings me to why this exercise is so critical today.
“If you look at our region, it is being ravage by terrorists. Today Burkina faso has overtaken Afghanistan as the most terrorised state on earth, and Africa has become home to terrorists organisations.
“Elsewhere in the world there are opportunistic terrorists attacks like we saw in some countries not too long ago.
“We are faced with the nightmare of having one of our member states being completely occupied by terrorist groups.
“If they set up a front base in one country then no country is safe, and we have already seen the impact of that on some of the coastal countries – Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’voir – over the past few years.”
The ECOWAS commissioner, however, said Nigeria has been able to degrade the Boko Haram terrorists.
“In Nigeria, thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian Government, Boko haram have been degraded to the extent that they do not post a sustainable threat to the peace and security of Nigeria.”
Earlier, the Commandant National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu while welcoming participants to the meeting, said West Africa was the only region that assigned training centres with special mandate.
He, therefore, urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity to exchange useful ideas to enhance operations against terrorist groups in the region. (NAN)
The Police Command in Katsina State, says within the month of April, it arrested about 22 suspected armed robbers, and 36 persons in connection to rape and sodomy cases in the state.
The Command’s spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed this while briefing newsmen on the command’s achievements within the month under review.
Sadiq-Aliyu said that 10 murder suspects were also arrested during the period.
He disclosed that 81 cases of major crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides, cattle rustling among others were reported.
“Within the period, 69 cases were charged to court, as a total number of 145 suspects were arrested in connection with these suspected cases.
“A total number of 58 suspects were arrested for various offences such as criminal force, intimidation, inciting disturbance, theft, and belonging to gang of brigands, among others.
“Also, the command has succeeded in neutralising 12 suspected bandits, rescued over 30 kidnapped victims, and recovered 492 rustled animals,” Sadiq-Aliyu said.
He further revealed that on May 5, the command successfully foiled a bandit attack on two commercial motor-vehicles at Unguwar Boka village, along Funtua-Gusau road, and rescued 52 passengers.
According to him, a luxurious bus conveying passengers from Onitsha en route Gusau, Zamfara State, and a Volkswagen Golf-3 en route Zaria from Gusau, were attacked by suspected bandits, forcing the driver to veer off the road into the nearby bushes.
“Upon receipt of the report, promptly, the DPO mobilised operatives and responded to the scene, where they engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel, successfully thwarted the kidnapping attempt, and rescued all the passengers unhurt.
“Efforts have been intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects. The investigation is still ongoing,” the police spokesman said. (NAN)
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), says it will conduct Range Classification Exercise for Cadets of 72 Regular Course , advising residents to avoid trespassing.
The academy’s Public Relations Officer, Maj. Mohammed Maidawa, made the announcement in a statement in Kaduna on Tuesday.
Maidawa said: “NDA wishes to inform the general public, especially inhabitants of Mando,Tsamiya, Kauya and Afaka general area that it will be conducting a Range Classification Exercise for cadets of 72 Regular Course .
”He said the exercise has been scheduled to be held from Wednesday to Thursday at NDA Open Range Afaka.
He said, “The NDA assures the general public that all necessary safety measures have been put in place for successful conduct of the exercise.
“However, the general public is advised to avoid trespassing in the general area throughout the period of the exercise.”(NAN)
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