Boko Haram: Let’s do what America did to Mexico — Nigerian serving in the US Army

MAJOR Wisdom Osagiede Ogbewekon-Osemwende is a Nigerian serving in the United States Army; he served in Iraq during the American/Iraqi war. A member of the Benin royal family, he is currently attached to the African Command in Germany. In this interview conducted by telephone, he spoke on the security challenges facing the country and how the Boko Haram insurgency can be tamed. Excerpts:
On security challenges in Nigeria
Terrorism is an enduring situation worldwide. In Nigeria, this is causing a lot pains to the people and the armed forces. The extreme ideology of the Boko-Haram sect and what is happening in the North is very disturbing.   Northern leaders such as the late Sarduana of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; Mallam Aminu Kano; the late Major Gen Joseph Garba; and many others who labored to make the North what it is today will never forgive the sect for what they have turned the region into and I know that average northerners are  good people and are not in support of what they are doing. I am however pleased with what President Jonathan is doing to curtail the insurgency and the Niger Delta militants and needs the support of all Nigerians.
On security challenges, the country needs to create special branches in the armed forces, that is, the army, navy and air force that would be given specialized training on how to handle terrorism; they should be able to fight on land, sea and in the desert. This special force should be deployed to the Gulf of Guinea to maintain peace in the area.
There should be combined operations involving the army, navy and the air force to curtail the activities of Boko Haram; it should not be left in the hands of the police or army alone.
Stability of operations
This follows after combined operations of the military. They must not leave the scene of operations immediately, they should stay to stabilize operations and return normalcy to the area.
Border patrol
A division that is made up of men and officers from all branches of the armed forces should be created  to join the Customs, Immigration and police to patrol our porous borders with  Cameroun, Chad, Niger, etc . They should effectively man the border points because this is where the Boko Haram people leave for Mali and Mauritanian for training. The Nigerian government should be prepared to spend money on technology, censors and radars should be mounted at sensitive border points to monitor what is going on.
The Federal Government can establish three central control divisions to man Nigerian/Cameroun, Nigerian/Niger, and Nigerian/Chad borders with radar installed to monitor the movements of people. The radar will send information to the central divisions and place those on patrol at alert. This is what the Boko-Haram people do and they move with ease in and out of the country to train in Mali and other countries. There is also the need to install underground sensors along the borders with our neighbours  that will send signals to the central control system which, in turn, calls for air support in cases of emergency. The security agencies should train dogs to sniff persons and cars coming into the country because terrorism takes time to plan. It is not done overnight.
They select targets to be attacked, they have good intelligence network and so, to counter them, you must have an intelligence gathering system that is superior to their own.
How to defeat terrorism
Government should allocate more funds for the education of youths in the North; by so doing terrorists would not be able to brainwash or indoctrinate them on their cause. Northern youths should be able to compete with their southern counterparts in every field of human endeavours once they get the right education.
Nigeria should subscribe to the African Military High Command to make her strong in the  continent; for training, special assistance, among others.

*Ogbewekon

The police should be properly equipped, they should have a rescue combat training and, above all, Nigerians should have faith in the police and know that they are serving their interest. I recall hosting some Nigerian police officers sent to the United States on community policing with another Nigerian U.S. army officer, Lt. Col. Oronsaye, and we tasked them to ensure that the training they received in the U.S should be well implemented while back in Nigeria. While I commend the Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar, for the innovation that he brought into the police, the men should be adequately funded, supported with adequate logistics provided, computerized vehicles for crime detection and arrests.
All Nigerians get national identity cards entered into a national data base. You must have records of people living in the country including foreigners.
The Federal Government should erect walls along our borders with our neighbours as the United States government did along its Mexican borders when it became clear that there were illegal aliens entering the country through its borders with Mexico.
The Federal Government should dialogue with religious leaders in the North especially Imams on the dangers of allowing Boko-Haram to keep weapons in the mosques. We discovered this in Iraq and we talked with them about the dangers of allowing them to do so.
The Boko-Haram sect and the Niger Delta militants should dialogue and embrace because there is no nation on earth that can survive two wars. Nigerians should give peace a chance.
Crisis in the Niger Delta and oil theft
It is regrettable that Nigeria reportedly lost about 191 Billion U.S. dollars to oil theft and vandalization. I commended the Joint Military Task Force set up by the government to tackle the issue. They should concentrate more efforts in tackling the issue and they should be properly equipped to provide security to Nigerians living in the region. The militants should embrace peace.

Europe to ban oil stolen from Nigeria

The European Parliament is set to stop the purchase of stolen oil from Nigeria in Europe.
Any crude oil meant to be sold in the European market is now to be accompanied with a certificate of origin.
This was one of the landmark decisions taken at the meeting of the members of the African, Caribbean, Pacific Parliaments and their European Union counterparts (ACP-EU) at the conclusion of their three-day regional meeting in Abuja last week.
Mitchell Rivasi (Acting Co- President ACP- EU) and Joyce Laboso (Co- Secretary General) told reporters that the need to stop the huge loss of Nigeria’s oil to organised syndicates of oil thieves necessitated the decision.
The Federal Government said last week after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting that 400, 000 barrels of oil, an equivalent of N7.3million, is lost daily to oil thieves.
Rivasi Said: “We want to ban European refineries from buying un-certificated oil. 400, 000 barrels a day is a huge loss. We need to get traceability of oil to avoid theft. The oil companies are involved in this and everybody is making big money.
“The bunkering tankers are better equipped than the Nigerian Navy, This is a huge international organised crime. We did it with diamond; we can also do it with oil.”
According to her, the country would have been better off if it had functional refineries. “Could someone please explain why you don’t have refineries in Nigeria?” She asked, describing Nigeria as a “paradox”.

“There is a paradox in Nigeria. There’s a seven per cent growth in the economy, but growth and employment are not going hand-in-hand. We need to respond to this paradox.”
Rivasi also said she would insist that the Boko Haram issue be included in the communique. “They kill people and burn churches. The international community has to help and this is something that is not reflected (in the communique). We must say that they should anticipate or pre-empt before the situation gets worse or deteriorate.”
Rivasi, who is from France, recalled that Boko Haram captured a French family. “This problem, we need on the one hand to use force because these are people that kill civilians and rob banks, attack police stations and steal arms. There is a high level of inequality in Nigeria; some are super rich and others live on less than two dollars daily. We must provide jobs.”
Responding to a question on the planned £3000 visa bond proposed by the United Kingdom, she said:
“We (Europe) have unemployment of more than 12 per cent; others 20 and Spain 57. We are trying to get you to develop in your own country. People should be able to develop in their own country.” According to her, this could be done by funding small-scale industries.
The communique issued at the end of the meeting reads: “With particular regard to the Nigerian oil industry, Members stressed the need to ensure that the revenues generated from the extractive industry are distributed transparently and equitably through the national budget in order to contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction.
“Members also expressed concern at the high rates of oil thefts, wastage and illegal bunkering which lead to substantial revenue losses and environmental degradation. Members called on the Nigerian government to put in place appropriate mechanisms and measures to fight against this organised crime.”
House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal solicited the support of the international parliaments in addressing oil theft.
He said: “We ask for you to support Nigeria’s effort in addressing the issue of oil theft. Here, we will come up with stiff legislation against it. But the oil is being taken out and is going to other places. If possible, we require very stiff legislation from the European Union and other countries that are destination for the oil. It has very high negative impact on the economy and by extension, the people.”
Tambuwal said West Africa had been facing a lot of security issues. “Here in Nigeria, we have taken extreme measures to ensure there is peace. As a parliament, we are supporting the executive through legislation, especially on the issue of funding.”
The ACP-EU meeting was attended by 20 lawmakers (12 from Africa and eight from Europe)

Ndi Igbo can bring Nigeria to a halt if… – AmaechI

ELDER Statesman and First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi is the last man standing in Southern Nigeria among the generation of nationalists who fought for the nation’s independence. He is also the only surviving minister from the South that served in the first post-independence cabinet. The quartet in that cabinet still surviving are Shehu Shagari, Shettima Ali Mungono, Inuwa Wada and Maitama Sule all from the North.
Amaechi’s place in history nonetheless, he notes the chasm between the values of the founding fathers and the current generation of leaders who he asserts are engrossed in rapacious looting of the country’s common wealth. In this exclusive interview, Amaechi also raises issues with the place of Ndigbo in the nation’s history noting what he describes as a systematic policy of undermining the presence and place of the Igbo race in the polity. Excerpts:
HOW has life in the village been?
I was born in the village here and then in my early life, I was taken out of the village to pursue secondary and higher education, then the struggle for independence began. I later moved to the public service as a parliamentary secretary and later minister.
Nigerians expect that those of you that fought for the country’s Independence should be consultants of some sort. Are you recognized by those at helm of affairs?
Not at all. Governments in Nigeria now are by-products of the military junta that destroyed the country and destroyed the dreams of the founding fathers of this country and the subsequent regimes have inherited the hostility of the military. The governments are hostile to history and many of them don’t want to know about the history, particularly the political history of the country.
That is why in many places, the politicians who founded the country, particularly from our side of the country, that is, the Igbo side, are not given their due recognition. In places like the North or the West, the nationalists are being honoured.  With a pointer to Anambra State in particular, it is either they are ignorant of the history or something else.

Ndi Igbo can bring Nigeria to a halt if… – AmaechI

ELDER Statesman and First Republic Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi is the last man standing in Southern Nigeria among the generation of nationalists who fought for the nation’s independence. He is also the only surviving minister from the South that served in the first post-independence cabinet. The quartet in that cabinet still surviving are Shehu Shagari, Shettima Ali Mungono, Inuwa Wada and Maitama Sule all from the North.
Amaechi’s place in history nonetheless, he notes the chasm between the values of the founding fathers and the current generation of leaders who he asserts are engrossed in rapacious looting of the country’s common wealth. In this exclusive interview, Amaechi also raises issues with the place of Ndigbo in the nation’s history noting what he describes as a systematic policy of undermining the presence and place of the Igbo race in the polity. Excerpts:
HOW has life in the village been?
I was born in the village here and then in my early life, I was taken out of the village to pursue secondary and higher education, then the struggle for independence began. I later moved to the public service as a parliamentary secretary and later minister.
Nigerians expect that those of you that fought for the country’s Independence should be consultants of some sort. Are you recognized by those at helm of affairs?
Not at all. Governments in Nigeria now are by-products of the military junta that destroyed the country and destroyed the dreams of the founding fathers of this country and the subsequent regimes have inherited the hostility of the military. The governments are hostile to history and many of them don’t want to know about the history, particularly the political history of the country.
That is why in many places, the politicians who founded the country, particularly from our side of the country, that is, the Igbo side, are not given their due recognition. In places like the North or the West, the nationalists are being honoured.  With a pointer to Anambra State in particular, it is either they are ignorant of the history or something else.

Prince William's wife Kate has given birth to a baby boy.

Prince William's wife Kate has given birth to a baby boy.
Officials said Monday the baby was born at 4:24 p.m. and weighs 8 pounds 6 ounces.
The infant will become third in line for the British throne after Prince Charles and William.
Kate checked into a private wing at St. Mary's Hospital in central London early Monday morning.
William spent the long hours of labor at her bedside. This is the couple's first child.

Video: Stella Damasus condemns underaged marriage

UPDATES!

PayPal, an online payments broker, has admitted it mistakenly credited a man with $92 quadrillion (£60 quadrillion). The company quickly recognised the error and returned the customer's account to zero.


 Google has not done enough to address concerns it is unfairly stifling competition, according to an EU official. The company has made several proposals to change the way it displays some results to address the worries, but the European Commission competition chief says he wants the search giant to go further.


 And scientists have successfully used human

urine to charge a mobile phone.

Apple, Google and other tech giants demand spying openness

Apple, Google and dozens of other technology companies have urged US authorities to let them divulge more details about security requests.

The companies want to be able to report regular statistics about the nature and scope of what data is being asked for.
Whistle-blower Edward Snowden's revelations about US spying capabilities has left the tech firms keen to assert their independence.
Authorities are said to be considering the companies' request.
"We just want to make sure we do it right," said Gen Keith Alexander, director of the National Security Agency.
"We don't impact anything ongoing with the FBI. I think that's the reasonable approach."
Limited scope The companies sent a letter outlining their request on Thursday to Gen Alexander, as well as President Obama and Congress.
It was co-signed by some of the most influential companies in the tech world, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Campaign groups such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Human Rights Watch are also backing the action.
Companies are currently allowed to release limited data regarding security requests and their nature.
But as it stands those disclosures must be limited in scope, and in many cases require that the firms ask the courts for permission to make the information public.
Many users of popular services, particularly social networks, reacted angrily to the news that companies regularly make available information about users when requested to do so.
"They don't have a choice. Court order, they have to do this," Mr Alexander from the NSA said, suggesting that security authorities could be open to the idea.
"What they want is the rest of the world to know that we're not reading all of that email, so they want to give out the numbers.
"I think there's some logic in doing that."

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