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Commodore Lawal and the Pursuit of Excellence at the Military Pension Board

by with No Comment By Amos BalogunSecurity

Commodore Saburi Abayomi Lawal was appointed the Chairman of the Military Pension Board (MPB) in September, 2020. Until that appointment, he was the Director of Finance at the Defence Intelligence Agency. He hit the ground running immediately, focusing on improving the welfare of the retired Military personnel and also maintaining cordial relationship between the Military Pensions Board (MPB) and veteran bodies of military retirees in Nigeria.

Surrounded by wonderful staff, he has been working tirelessly to achieve ease for military pensioners while he has also been able to keep the integrity of board intact since he came into office. His focus is on achieving excellence to keep retired military men happy. In this way more morale and patriotism will be built in serving officers and men of the armed forces of Nigeria.

The Military Pension Board is charged with the responsibility of administering pensions of military retirees, payment of death benefits to next-of-kins of deceased personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria through funds allocated to it by the National Assembly. And since its creation, the welfare of the retired Military personnel has remained a priority.

To continue the existing cordial relationship between the retired service men and the MPB, Commodore Lawal met with  stakeholders as soon as he settled in office. He held a maiden interactive session with representatives of 14 veteran bodies at the MPB Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday 6 October 2020.

In his welcome address, he emphasized the importance of dialogue and exchange of ideas between the Board and the veteran bodies. According to him, there wouldn’t have been a MPB if there are no military pensioners. He added that the cooperation of all veteran bodies was key to his vision of taking the Board to higher levels, saying he would do all in his power to sustain prompt payment of all entitlements of military retirees or their NOKs in a transparent and accountable manner and to uphold principles of fairness and service to humanity in the discharge of the Board’s mandate. He assured that the MPB would ensure that the welfare of military retirees receive needed attention as the Board would do everything possible to ensure better welfare for all military retirees.

He appreciated the leaders of the veteran bodies who attended the meeting, disclosing that he had instructed that the processing of monthly pensions should be completed by 22nd of every month in anticipation of release of funds by the Federal Government. According to him, this would help ensure prompt payment and early crediting of retirees’ bank accounts before the end of the month.

Leaders of the various groups present at the event were happy and commended the coordination of activities that culminated in the successful maiden interaction between Veterans Associations and the MPB. According to one of the representatives, “this is a significant leap ahead of his predecessors in his administration aimed at building a very friendly and purposeful relationship between the veteran community and the Board. He is definitely moving in the right direction”.

The 14 veteran bodies present at the event include the Nigerian Legion, Ex-Servicemen Pensioners Association, Ex-Servicemen & Family Welfare Association, Retired Army, Navy and Air Force Officers Association (RANAO), Retired Member of the Armed Forces (REMENAF),  Association of Ex-servicemen Pensioners, Committee of retired Generals and Equivalent in Lagos and the Foundation for Care of Retired Military Personnel. Others are Coalition of Concerned Veterans, Veteran Federation of Nigeria, Foundation for the Support of Nigerian Veterans, Ex-Service Men Mando, Green Heroes Foundation, and the Ex-servicemen Welfare Association Masak.

Early in November 2020,   Commodore Lawal, appeared before Senate Committee on Defence, to defend Military Pension Board 2021 budgetary estimates, where he called on the committee to favorably consider the MPB 2021 budget estimates.

“We appeal to your committee to kindly increase the military pensions board overhead and capital cost allocations to accommodate the rising inflationary trend in the society and to enhance infrastructure development of the board.”

 

He said the annual budgetary allocations to the MPB are divided into pensions, gratuities, death benefits, allied cost, overhead cost and capital expenditure.

Some days after that, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) Department of Defence Transformation and Innovation (DTI)  visited  Commodore Lawal and expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Military Pensions Board (MPB). This was due to its compliance with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Strategic Directive 01 of 2019. ) Air Vice Marshal HE Eze, the Director of Monitoring and Evaluation (DME), gave the impressive assessment, during the DTI’s second transformation sensitization/evaluation visit to the Military Pension Board in Abuja.

Speaking during the visit, Air Vice Marshal HE Eze noted that the DTI team was delighted by the level of compliance witnessed at the MPB. According to him, the Board has been able to perform at a commendable level which is worthy of emulation by other DHQ establishments.

In his remarks, Commodore Lawal thanked the DHQ Team for the commendation, assuring them that the Board would continue to ensure efficient service delivery in the execution of its mandates. He stated that in compliance with the CDS Strategic Directive 01-2019, the Board has been able to complete the construction and equipping of a composite indoor sports complex and the construction of 4 blocks of transit accommodation for officers and men.

That visit was followed by that of the National Executives of the Nigerian Legion who visited the Military Pensions Board (MPB sometime in November 2020.  Commodore Lawal received the Chairman in his office in Abuja, where they decorated Commodore Lawal with the 2021-Armed Forces Remembrance Day emblem

He assured the delegation that the Board would sustain prioritizing the welfare needs of all military pensioners in the country. He assured them that the Board will continue to prioritize prompt payment of monthly pensions as the government continues to release funds on time.  Lawal told them that under a proposed electronic verification, pensioners would not go through the ordeal of traveling from their respective villages or communities to state capitals. “They will only have to visit any of the accredited banks with their BVN and be screened”, he added.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, Brigadier General Adakole Jones Akpa (rtd), lauded the Board for the new innovations introduced in the payment of pensions of retired Military men, adding that the era of collapsing while waiting to be paid is gone for good. He, therefore, charged the Board to sustain the feat and ensure that the welfare of the retired Military men remains a priority.

In his words, “we have observed that Military retirees are paid as at when due, the era when retired military men die or collapse while waiting to be paid is gone. I want to commend the Military Pension Board for doing a great job”.

Commodore Lawal also visited the Acting Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) in his office in Abuja to solicit for the speed-up of the process for the issuance of a new payment chart for military retirees incorporating the minimum wage policy of government . The two agencies therefore had an extensive

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AVM Muhammed Restoring Dignity, Trust and Efficiency in NEMA

by with No Comment Security

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Air Vice Marshall Muhammadu Alhaji Muhammed (Rtd.) as the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on 30th April, 2020, for an initial period of 4 years.  Since then NEMA has been undergoing a positive turnaround for the best in its disaster management mandate in Nigeria, shedding the toga of mismanagement and inefficiency with which it had been associated for a long while.

“In practical terms, disaster management will seek to mobilize resources of all relevant bodies and organizations, national or international, towards preparedness, prevention, mitigation, emergency response and recovery” So said the DG during his first media briefing on 21st May 2020.

AVM Muhammed is one of the most eminent generals who have helped sow the seeds of national development in the soil of this country. At NEMA, he has brought flexibility, innovation, creativity and culture of empathy to bear on the staff.  This has given rise to a culture of efficiency and prompt response to distress calls and disaster management. Within a short period this became noticeable, and led to the success in the management of the 2020 flood crisis. Today it reflects in the discipline ways things are handled NEMA.

The appointment of this brilliant Air Force officer, who did the profession a lot of good, was a milestone decision by President Muhammadu Buhari. And it remains one of the best decisions of the current administration in effort to restore confidence and credibility to the agency. For him, innovation and development at every level and in every field of human endeavor is necessary. Due to his foresight, in always giving priority to issues of safety and security, he has been able to bring NEMA out of the darkness and into the light in recent years. And that has brought to an end years of controversies and confusions in leadership of the agency.

AVM Muhammed came to NEMA with a vast wealth of experience and achievements to benefit the nation and disaster management. He was a former Chief of Policy and Plans at the Nigerian Airforce before his retirement. A holder of prestigious national and international flying licenses and recipient of several distinguished military service honours, he had also held other operational and strategic positions in the Nigerian Airforce that include the Air Secretary, Air Officer Commanding Tactical Air Command, Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command and Managing Director of Nigerian Airforce Investment.

He has flown several aircraft types which include: Air Force One (B737 BBJ), Alpha Jet, Gulf Stream 550, Dassault Falcon 900, Citation Jet, L39 ZA and Bulldog 123. His decorations include General Service Star (GSS), Pass Staff College(PSC) and Fellow Defence College among others.

This huge experience he has put on display at NEMA in its disaster management, making prompt response a priority under his leadership. Before his appointment, the President was obviously not happy with the ways emergency cases were being managed despite the increasing spate of disasters in Nigeria, with many lives often being affected, communities devastated and environments negatively impacted. Some of these include flooding, fire disasters, terror attacks, sudden collapse of houses. Then corruption cases of outright diversion of relief materials for victims of disaster were also in the dirty baggage.

Then it was established that disasters were made worse by lack of prompt response by NEMA  personnel. Then there comes the challenge of evacuation of victims to safer areas. These two issues made many to view the agency with contempt as being too slow and inefficient. The appointment of Air Vice Marshal Muhammed changed this perception of inefficiency, as he promptly restored trust and efficiency in NEMA.

Being aware of the problems in the agency, the DG took the responsibility to serve with altruism to restore its focus in the service to humanity. As soon as he assumed office, AVM Muhammed gradually began to re-establish the lost partnership of the agency with its critical stakeholders including the supervising ministry, National Assembly, States Emergency Management Agencies and the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). This is because he believes that timely rescue intervention could save a lot of precious lives.

He observed that there was a general lack of proper education and enlightenment and a near total absence of disaster management and response initiatives in many states of the county. This is  worst at the level of the local council as most of the 774 local government area councils have become dysfunction due to lack of disaster management structures at the grassroots level. This is especially so with fire and flood.

Of course, nearly all countries operate a reactive approach to fire, which a major concern is given the limited resources usually deployed to put out a fire.  But a lack of proper education and enlightenment on this makes matter worse in Nigeria. About 7% of Nigeria burns annually mostly caused by human actions. Unfortunately, there is very little capacity for fire monitoring and management in the country. Existing fire management approaches are ineffective and spatially limited. Trends in fire occurrence are poorly documented and this makes it difficult to assess changes in fire regimes and relate this to natural resource productivity in the region.

AVM Muhammed felt there was a need to put workable disaster management infrastructure into proper use for the benefit of the people. Training and capacity building is also important to him, since NEMA is responsible for the preparation of human resources. He ensured this in the six geo-political zones so that he could better coordinate the human resources development of the agency in addition to catering to the training needs of the stakeholders.

Thus he began to build synergy with the 36 states disaster management outfits. Then he deployed flood assessment and response teams to different states while collaborating with stakeholders.

The renewed rapport was responsible for the success in the management of the 2020 flood. For instance, the Nigerian Air force in collaboration with the agency used its specialized surveillance aircraft to conduct aerial assessments of the flood plains along River Niger from Kebbi State to Kogi State. The deployment of flood assessment and response teams comprising of NEMA and stakeholders staff to affected states was made easier because of the synergy with the various states’ governments and their respective emergency management agencies.

AVM Muhammed recognizes the importance of media as a veritable tool in public sensitization on disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation and response in line with NEMA’s mandate on disaster awareness. He regularly tells NEMA’s staff to work smart and fast for the safety of lives and properties of Nigerian citizens. He also emphasizes the need for collectivism in disaster management, and always expresses the need for transparency in the management of the agency’s resources and assured that media would be actively involved to keep the public abreast of its activities.

Recall his inaugural media briefing on 21 May, 2020, where the DG sought to mobilize available resources on the fight against disasters. At that time, he assured of his commitment to uphold public trust and confidence as DG NEMA. He promised to effectively respond to disasters as they occur and even before they occur. “..little can be done to avert the occurrences of these disasters. What is important therefore is to effectively respond and mitigate the effect of disasters once they occur”.

At that time, He also said staff would be equipped with the requisite knowledge through trainings to ensure they give the best whenever called upon. Then the DG unveiled his roadmap to reinvent and reinvigorate disaster management in Nigeria. These included deliberate efforts on disaster awareness and risk reduction, targeting 100% of Nigerians. He promised to work with the States Government and other stakeholders towards the development of disaster resilience in communities through the implementation of the Sendai Framework of Action.

AVM Muhammed knows his briefs so much. And he understands the full weight of the challenges involved, imperative for human capacity, equipment as well as need for a culture of empathy on the part of staff. And practices like slow response to disaster issues or diversion of relief materials by officials have become things of the past, with a culture of transparency instituted.

In October 2020, NEMA distributed relief materials to 715 households ravaged by flood in Paikoro and Bosso local government areas of Niger State. Mrs Lydia Wagami, head of NEMA, Minna Operations Office, represented by Alhaji Hussaini Isah, head, Search and Rescue Unit, flagged off the distribution of the relief items at Maikunkele in Bosso local government secretariat.

Wagami, said the flood disaster which occurred in August, affected 715 households and farmlands in 57 communities of the two local government areas. She noted that the director general of NEMA, AVM Muhammed, directed the Minna operations office to assess the level of damage in order to provide relief assistance to the affected persons.

According to her, “It was based on the assessment report that President Muhammadu Buhari who is always passionate about reaching the grassroots approved the relief items for the affected persons.” She added that the relief items were to ameliorate the hardship caused by the flood on the people.

The retired military officer with vast experience and records of achievements as a fighter pilot, he understands the imperative for human capacity and proper use of equipment. Bringing this to bear, the Director General said he will ensure availability and workability of necessary search and rescue equipment that could be deployed whenever the need arises. He identified also as priority, the strengthening of institutions for Disaster Management at the lower level of Governance (states and local governments). This would translate into the much desired strengthening of collaboration and coordination with all humanitarian actors from Federal down to the community level.

The process for repositioning and re-invigoration of NEMA for better coordination and management of disasters to save lives in Nigeria have begun under the leadership of AVM Muhammed.

3652

Appointment of Service Chiefs: A Lift-off for Great New Benefits for Nigerians

by with No Comment By Akintunde OgohPowerSecurity

President Muhammadu Buhari has gone up with the appointment of some of the most intelligent and knowledgeable officers in the Nigerian armed forces as service chiefs early this year. On Tuesday, January 26, the president removed all the four former service chiefs, replacing them with young vibrant officers. These included General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt-General Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Air Marshall Oladayo Amao, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), and Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS).

As soon as this appointment was announced, commentators began to pour praises on the president for doing things right this time. He was praised by his critics, too. His new appointments are of high quality in terms of official announcements about their background. This was welcomed and pleasing to President’s critics who in the past had accused him of appointing only Northerners. President Buhari has also, apparently, balanced the appointment with respect to the region of origin.

Though the military is the only institution where national identity is stronger than ethnic and religious identities which tend to predominate in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has been facing criticisms for his failure to address security issues and, at the same time, especially in the predominantly Christian south, for choosing his military chiefs from among his own northern Muslim Hausa-Fulani community.

But with this recent appointment, critics and even sworn enemies of the president are saying he has done well. Nobody can accuse President Buhari again of appointing only his tribesmen as service chiefs. In the appointment of these service chiefs, two are Hausa and Fulani, one is Yoruba while one is Igbo. Hence the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria appear to be represented: Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Igbo

This is congruent with the principle of “Federal character,” which holds that government positions should be equally distributed across the federation. The new chief of defense staff, Gen.Lucky Irabor, is from Delta State in the South-south. The chief of army staff, Lt-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru is from Kaduna in the North. The chief of navy staff is Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, is from Kano in the North, and the new air force chief of staff is Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, from Osun state, South-west.

Meeting the new appointees at the President Villa, Abuja, the following day after their appointment, President Buhari congratulated them on their new roles while pledging his support to the armed forces. He charged them to be patriotic and serve Nigeria wholeheartedly. It was President Buhari’s first meeting with the service chiefs who were appointed on Tuesday.

They were led to the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, by the Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi, (rtd). According to a statement by presidential spokesperson, Mr Femi Adesina, the president urged the new appointees to be loyal to the country, adding that the country was in a state of emergency.

“We’re in a state of emergency. Be patriotic, serve the country well, as your loyalty is to the country,” President Buhari said.

“There’s nothing I can tell you about the service because you are in it. I was also in it, and I will pray for you. I also assure you that whatever I can do as Commander-in-Chief will be done so that the people will appreciate your effort,” he was quoted as saying.

The timing may have been a bit off, but the president was spot on with this strategic appointment and his charges to them. Since then many public affairs watchers and commentators have been praising President Buhari over the appointment of these sterling military officers. Prior to his making the appointment, there had been a groundswell of calls from stakeholders on him to change the former service chiefs. The appointment of these new service chiefs represents an exciting new development for the war against terror and banditry.

It is also a culmination of strident calls by stakeholders for a change of strategy in the conflict going on in the North-east Lake Chad Region, especially against the Boko haram insurgents, which has claimed over 100,000 lives since it started in 2009. Equally, data shows that 1000 military and security personnel were killed while about 3.7 million people have been internally displaced, according to the 2021 statistics of the Human Rights Watch.

In its own report, the United Nations Committee on Human Rights (UNCHR), says 30,000 refugees have fled the North-western part of the country to the neighboring Niger Republic in the last two months. According to the reports, “growing insecurity and atrocities across North-western Nigeria, most of it at the hands of armed gangs that rob, loot, rape and kill.”

But with the appointment of this new set of service chiefs and a change of strategy, analysts believe the war on terror and banditry would be won within a short while, judging by the antecedents of the service chiefs. Both Major-General Irabor and Major-General Attahiru have been theatre commanders of operation Lafia Dole, at different times.

And as Nigerians swim in the euphoria of this appointment, they want the roads to be free from kidnappers’ control. Nigerians pray for an end to the insurgency. In order to achieve all these, the citizens expect the new service chiefs to bring new ideas. They desire an entirely new approach to tackling terror and banditry. They spoke of their high expectations and what they believe the new service chiefs should do differently. Tackle Boko Haram, herdsmen from all fronts.

while many Nigerians are happy that this appointment will usher in great benefits for Nigeria. But  John Campbell, an American expert on political and security developments in sub-Saharan Africa has this to say: It remains to be seen whether the new team will be any more successful than the last. The military remains under-resourced. But the drivers of conflict, especially in the north and in the oil patch, are primarily (not exclusively) political. But no political initiatives are underway to address the widespread sense of grievance. Absent political initiatives, critics see the replacement of the service chiefs as reminiscent of “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.”

Does this observation by Campbell really contain some grains of truth? Truth is, there is absolutely none! A lot of Nigerians say reference to the Titanic is far off the mark and derogatory. While many agree that insurgency is like cancer, and fighting it is not an easy thing because it is nature, they believe that the service chiefs will succeed if they work as a team.

Commodore (Dr) Kunle Olawunmi, an associate professor of Criminology and Security Studies, doesn’t share Campbell’s view. He believes the service chiefs will succeed, though insurgency is difficult to fight. He says a soldier is trained to fight external war, not insurgency. That is why the war against insurgency is not a very easy thing. He says it is asymmetry warfare. You can’t easily recognize insurgents, they have no geographical territory, this keeps shifting. So insurgency is like cancer.

“You see, I was once a principal war officer. Who organize the logistics for these people? How come they have such firing power?  One thing to know is there are different dimensions to insurgency-economic, ideological, political dimensions. I would advise Irabor and his team to tackle these dimensions and bring down the center of gravity of insurgency. They can do this if they work as a team. They have what it takes to make Nigeria gainfully tread the path of peace, security and progress”. Says the retired Naval officer..

Many experts share a similar view with Commodore Olawunmi. Former Minister of Defence, Major General Godwin Abbe (retd) says  “For the new men, I think it is important they realize that fighting insurgency is like a team of doctors trying to cure a cancer patient. It is very unprofessional to predict that a cancer patient will be cured or that he will recover fully. That is what insurgency is, all you do is to approach the challenge from various dimensions that could bring the insurgency to submission. In the case of Nigeria, the new service chiefs should try and work together as a team because in unison they will certainly do much better and they should be more ruthless in their approach to acts of disloyalty.”

To Paul Oni, Nigerians will be at peace with the way life is panning out for them as a result of what the new service chiefs will achieve for them if they work as a team. There is also need to counter the ideology of the insurgents while dealing with other dimensions. “The new service chiefs truly have plenty to offer,” says Squadron Leader Paul Oni, (rtd).

“I think it’s important to always give your best in everything you do,” he says. Whatever you do give it your 100 per cent. “These generals will do that and help us achieve some sanity and confidence to move about.”

Indeed Oni seems right. This is because as soon as they were sworn-in by the president, the Chief of Defence Staff went on a visit to Borno state with the other service chiefs.

Little wonder Irabor is the go-to person for major stakeholders looking to up to how a change of strategy in the war against terror could be achieved.  So he has capacity to do things differently from what used to be. He has more experience, resources and intelligence than merely “rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic as asserted by Campbell. Rather he comes with ideas and innovation to build an entirely new ship with good materials. Having been battle-tested by being theatre commanders of operation Lafia Dole, at different times, underscores how experience will help General Lucky Irabor manage issues as Chief of Defence Staff, advancing the Nigerian armed forces. The same goes for Geneal Atahiru in terms of managing the army. Equally, Air Marshall Oladayo Amao and Rear Admiral Zubairu Gambo, too. Each of them has astounding ability of forecasting trends and solving problems. They will bring their experience to bear in making Nigeria safe and secure for all.

They have all studied and trained in various prestigious institutions across the world and have attended several military, leadership and transformational courses. These courses popular among the military and security personnel are not just about warfare or how to build war strategy  alone, but are also billed to develop peace-building, promote  a community-building ethic and a belief system that values life, rules of engagement, personal development, social responsibility, management  and strategic expression. There are a lot of ‘out of the box’ and different innovations they will bring to bear on the country’s armed forces, ensuring strategic disciplines and practices. So they have all what are needed to end insurgency in the country.

Soon many people will recognise the benefits of their raft of collective efforts as Nigeria begins to reap the benefits of it. This is the opinion of Col Roberts Falola, (rtd).  “The mix of administrative, intelligence and combat actions on all fronts will render some favorable results. Field operations at the North-east theatre will see more success from now on. The western fringe will also see peace. ”

How do you predict that, The TELESCOPE asks Col. Falola

“I don’t have a crystal ball to peer into,” says the 70-something, with a laugh. “I’m able to visualise a day when a lot of things would improve with the activities of these service chiefs. Great services will be delivered to the nation. And confidence and hope would soon replace fear and despondency in different parts of Northern Nigeria. At the same time, the military will transform their operations to implement new global standards.”

He lists a few ‘signals’ that he noticed in different parts of the country. He describes this as coccoing: “People are tired and do not want to go farm and go out at midnight anymore. Restaurants are no longer  crowded on Saturday evenings. New services are not springing up to help them enjoy life any more.

Falola also sees some encouraging signs on the horizon. “We have seen somel improvement at the war against insurgents since the appointment of these generals in the last two months. Their logistics and routes have been destabilized, and  movements curtailed. This was mainly led by better trends in the military which continues to recover ground from the insurgents. This will be further supported by higher activities at the Defence Headquarters and the service chiefs,” he states.

For the time being, seat belts fastened and doing the right things seem to be the formula for future success, fully deployed by these service chiefs. And the Chief of Defence Staff General Irabor took the first step in this direction  when he and his team travelled to Borno state to see Governor Umara Zulum as soon as they assumed office.

These are dedicated, intelligent, outstanding and highly productive officers with good background in value and character.

 

General Leo Irabor is from Agbor in Delta State, he was a member of the Regular Course 39 of the NDA. He served as a Commander Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) of the Nigerian Army, Minna. Irabor also served as Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP), Defence Headquarters. He served as the theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole and headed the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as the Field Commander. He also served as the Chief of Staff to the Chief of Army Staff. He is a trained engineer.

Lt- General Attahiru Ibrahim until his appointment as the Chief of Army Staff, was the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigerian Army. He was appointed to lead the offensive against Boko Haram in the North-East in May 2017. He was, however, redeployed by the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai after a string of attacks by the insurgents, including after giving him a deadline of 40 days in July of that year to deliver Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau dead or alive.

Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao, the new Chief of Air Staff, , was born on September 14, 1965 at Enugu. He hails from Oshogbo in Osun State. He enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 1984, as a member of the 35 Regular Course of the Nigerian Defence Academy. He had previously served as Trainee/Squadron Pilot, NAF Unit 99 ACTG Kainji (1993-2004), Instructor Pilot/Squadron Pilot, 301 FTS Kaduna (2004-2007), Air Assistance to Chief of Air Staff, Deputy Defence Adviser, Nigerian High Commission London, Assistant Director of Operation Defence Headquarters, Director of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Air Force. Until his appointment, Amao was the Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre Lagos.

Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo was born on 22 April 22, 1966, and hails from Nasarawa Local Council in Kano State. He enlisted in the NN on September 24, 1984, as a member of Regular Course 36 and was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on September 24, 1988. He is an Underwater Warfare specialist with a sub-specialisation in Intelligence. The senior officer has attended several military courses, which include; Sub-Technical course and Officers Long course both at NNS QUORRA. He also attended Junior Division 48/89 and Senior Course 26 both at AFCSC Jaji.

Other courses attended include the National Defence Course at the South African National Defence College. Until his recent appointment as the CNS, he was the Director of Procurement at the Defence Space Administration. He holds a PGD in Transport Management and a Master’s degree in Transport Management (Logistics option), both from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology.

These brilliant trend-spotters and very patriotic officers would be opting for a strongly intelligence-infused operations which has become vital to boost performance. With them good times are here,  the ship of the state remains afloat and stifle away vitality from insurgency and banditry. That way, Nigeria can find the real treasures to stand on in the service chiefs.

police

Hakeem Odumosu: The Poster Boy of the Nigeria Police Force People can trust, How he makes Lagos Security system work for the People

by with No Comment Security

Hakeem Odumosu, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, is long known for his reputation of serving with dignity. He is one of the best officers when it comes to police operations around the country. And his discipline and humility are impressive. These, of course, make him the poster boy, the advertisement for the type of police force Nigeria needs and Nigerians can feel confident in and trust.
He has been one of the few police officers in the country that offer the youth and emerging officers, across the nation, a great model, inspiration, and a bedrock commitment to the nation. The futuristic and farsightedness of Odumosu’s stewardship as the commissioner of Lagos State Police Command is helping Lagos to become more secure and live up to its status as Nigeria’s business and investment beachhead, boasting of a majestic future.
A needle-threader extraordinaire who is aware of the police being the iconic operational face of the rule of law, Hakeem leads from the front to make Lagos state security system work for the people. This explains why Lagos police were easily re-mobilized to continue their duties of law enforcement and protection of trouble spots in the aftermath of the recent EndSARS protests.
On Thursday, December 3, 2020, Odumosu presented the report of the activities of his command to the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwool at the 14th Annual Town Hall Meeting on Security. The event was held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, with many dignitaries in attendance. These included the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Security Trust Funds ( LSSTF) Dr. AbdulRazaq Balogun and the AIG Zone II Nigeria Police-Alhaji…..
CP Odumosu, in his extensive report, said his men rose to the occasion of effectively combating crimes in Lagos because of constant logistics supplies from the State Government. He told the gathering that despite the trauma the police personnel went through during the EndSARS protests, the Command was able to promptly re-mobilize officers to guard troubled communities where police stations had been burnt and destroyed. Giving the breakdown of crimes recorded in Lagos from October 2019 to last September, Odumosu said the Command foiled 273 cases of armed robbery, arresting 1,181 robbers in operations. He said 27 robbers were killed in the encounter during the period. He added that the State recorded a sharp decline in kidnapping in the past year, an effort he linked to improved intelligence-driven operations. He, however, said cases of

 

cultism and drug abuse were on the rise, promising to beam focus to the issues.
Receiving the report of security activities across the State in the last 12 months from CP Odumosu, Governor Sanwoolu expressed his delight at the downward trend observed in sophisticated crimes, such as kidnapping and armed robbery, in the last one year.
“We must sustain the steady progress Lagos has recorded insecurity of lives and businesses. The issue of security is a shared mission. The more we are able to engage the citizens, the better we will become at nipping crimes in the bud. Our Government will continue to proactively engage all stakeholders as part of the ongoing exercise to address all security concerns.” The governor affirmed.
Sanwoolu is impressed with Odumosu’s performance. He is happy that the CP’s administrative capacity and operational competence for adequate policing are strong enough to cater to the security needs of Lagos state. No wonder his boutique of achievements.
But why and how was Odumosu able to achieve all these? His leadership style and communication strategy play crucial roles here. Back in his days at the Lagos State Task Force, Hakeem has demonstrated motivational leadership that gives hope to men and officers under him, boosting then morale to put in their best.

His biggest characteristics as a policeman are accountability, capacity for compassion, and logical reasoning as part of corporate governance within the force, he also understands the honors that come with the fruits of investing one’s time and effort at protecting and securing the human being, and understanding of the fact that law and order issues impact government processes, business operations and community activities throughout the country.
Odumosu is a leader, rather than a boss. He is so passionate about accountability, process, and procedure. That is why he is doing everything possible to ensure that Area commanders and DPOs and their staff perform as committed and honest public servants. If you take responsibility for your own actions, you show accountability and leadership in service delivery, creating the best possible opportunity to build public trust and deliver services efficiently. A government is accountable for decisions and laws affecting its citizens; while an individual is accountable for their acts and behaviors. Thus he leads from the front and maintains a hands-on approach to policy execution. CP Odumosu was posted to Lagos Police Command in November 2019. About a week into his redeployment, he made known his intention about making efficient traffic management a top priority. To realize the objective, he deployed over 1,000 policemen to join in tackling the gridlock that had made commuting unbearable in the state. The move has a two-pronged objective. Motorists in prolonged gridlock often become sitting ducks for armed criminals who are always lurking in the neighborhood. Valuables are routinely lost to the thieves who smash windows and, sometimes, bones in their heinous crime almost unhindered.

Then Odumosu mobilized his men for the task ahead. He convened a meeting of heads of all the critical units and departments in his command. In attendance were Deputy Commissioners of Police, Department of Finance and Administration, Department of Operations, Criminal Investigation Department, and Rapid Response Squad. Also in attendance were Area F Commanders, Area Operations Officers, State Traffic Officers, Divisional Traffic Officers as well as the chairman, Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, among others.

He introduced an innovative approach to the schedule of service personnel manning the roads. Rather than policemen leaving motorists to their fate at the peak of the crippling traffic having completed their beat, Odumosu reviewed the time schedule of traffic wardens to run between 10am and 10pm, while the second shift would run from 10pm to 10am to provide 24 hours coverage.

At that time, the then Lagos police spokesman DSP Bala Elkana, gave motorists assurance of safety, saying its men would all operate in their usual reflective jackets. The then PPRO said the measure would help in ensuring the free flow of traffic and would also curb the menace of traffic robbery.

An officer with the recognition of the three pillars upon which policing is built: peace and security, development, and human rights, CP Odumosu doesn’t joke with these. In the same way, he doesn’t joke about discipline issues within his command. No wonder he doesn’t fail to address human rights grievances that get to his desk, having upheld the conviction that respect for human rights is essential to crime prevention, the prevention of conflict, and the promotion of human development.

In November Odumosu introduced some innovations to further make the streets of Lagos very hot for criminals. These came up over the attack on a bullion van at Langbasa-Ajah area of Lagos State recently, where there was no adequate and/or official deployment of men for such movement. CP Odumosu was reported to have addressed police officers, over the incident, at the police command in Ikeja, where he frowned at the lackadaisical attitudes of banks and financial institutions to secure their facilities and cash in transit. There, he asked banks to fortify security in their facilities by installing more sophisticated CCTV cameras that have 100-day recording capacity so as to have a backup and source of evidence in the police investigation of any incident within their areas of responsibility.
According to a statement by Lagos State police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, “The two policemen allegedly on the escort movement were procured illegally and without the knowledge of the command. This kind of movement is condemned and unacceptable in totality.
According to the Lagos PPRO “The police boss also directed that Standard Operating Procedure on Species Escort (movement of valuables) must be sustained; noting that there must be minimum of two operational vehicles conveying fully armed policemen escorting a bullion van which must be fully armoured.
“Similarly, in compliance with traffic rules, the Commissioner of Police strongly warned them against driving on One Way and BRT corridors, driving of bullion vans without or with covered number plates, breaking of traffic light and reckless driving on highways.
“CP Hakeem Odumosu then ordered Area Commanders, DPOs, and Heads of Departments to henceforth stop and contravene any bullion van on movement without due compliance with the stipulated security arrangements and traffic regulations in the state.
“He also warned the Commanding Officers of Police Mobile Force in the state to desist from deploying men to banks and financial institutions without due approval of the Commissioner of Police.
At the end of that meeting, he formed a committee for the implementation of the rules and regulations of providing security to banks, financial institutions, and the movement of valuables (amounts of cash) within the state. The committee comprises the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, DCP Mohammed Ali, Officer in Charge of Bank Guards, Lagos State Command, two of the Chief Security Officers of the bankers, and two representatives of the Cash In Transfer firms
Opinions indicate that CP Odumosu is doing well, but some say he needs to do more on community policing and communication with the CDAs and CDCs. They say this will create long term preventive measures that are needed to fully eliminate some crimes, including the menace of urban cultism in Lagos state.
“Strengthening the system is the means to this end while the question remains can the people at the grassroots stay the course.” Says Squadron Leader Soji Oni, a retired Air Force officer. He observed that there is a lot of indifference and apathy among members of the public to security issues.
“Many people will agree that a lot of people are becoming their own worst enemies because they feel unconcerned with the security of their areas. They put everything on the police’s head. If a robbery occurs, they want police to fish out the robbers. If somebody is killed here, they all want police to find out the killer within a few hours, yet they are not doing their own bits. Do they think the police are spirits?
Apart from those supporting the police through the PCRC, many other people quietly look away on matters of security. Are cult boys not living in communities where people know some of them? What effort steps have landlords and neighbors taken to give police intellig­­­­­­orming the mindset to see and do things differently. We should develop great minds of people who can challenge the wrongs and disorderly conduct and create a solution path.”
It is an uphill battle, but it is not a dilemma experienced in Nigeria only. In many instances, the societies that have made headway in achieving peaceful, progressive, and harmonious existence are those that have strong and effective policing and a sound, fair justice system, and where citizens are bold enough to watch their neighborhood, and inform the police if they notice any unusual movement or strange faces in order to prevent crimes.”
Benson Edokpae, a researcher with Nexitier and security expert, is of the opinion that CP Odumosu’s performance can be rated as well above average, but added that serious efforts should be rolled out to achieve community policing security across Lagos state.
“I think CP Odumosu has achieved some remarkable things, Don’t forget, he was posted to Lagos when the security situation of the state was nothing to write home about.”
“He has done well since his arrival as CP Lagos state early this year. The state was in a security dilemma at that time. Now, he has made the streets of Lagos metropolis particularly hot for criminals of all sorts. He is also tackling the issue of urban cultism. He is aware if we don’t kick out crimes, investors will not come.”
Both administratively and strategically, Odumosu remains a fascinating role model for emerging youth as a true “leader and friend of all and an enemy of none, except criminals.

gana

Building Trust & Re-affirming Faith in Nigerian Security System and our Humanity The NSCDC under the Watch of Ibrahim Gana Muhammadu

by with No Comment Monthly PostSecurity

Alhaji Ibrahim Gana Muhammadu, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) can be described  a “great Nigerian” who believes in God, hard work, courtesy, service to community, and creativity. Being  a long-standing epitome of tolerance, peace  and creativity, he has been working on taking the corps to the next level since his assumption of office in 2015.

The Civil Defence is a para-military agency of rhe Federal Government under the Ministry of Internal Affairs mandated the Act of Parliament of 2003 as amended in 2007 with specific functions to protect critical national assets and infrastructure, register, train ,license and monitor private security guard companies in Nigeria, efficiently carry out disaster management through search and rescue, rehabilitation and mitigation among others.

And with growing security challenges, the corps involves in election assignments, help out in  monitoring examinations across the country. And where there security disturbances at the local level, the corps also helps calm the waters. Doing all these things have portrayed the corps as an agency that will help Nigeria achieve its future aspirations for a robust, thriving and sustainable economy.

These done, C-G Muhammadu  has also been  improving the relationship between the NSCDC and members of the public, building mutual confidence and putting the country’s security on a safer track.  He is keen to ensure that the NSCDC provide the highest levels of community happiness through providing the most innovative smart security services to the nation and members of the public. And true to his words, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps has been an example of relentless progress and the bedrock of trust in security and stability in the country.

Naturally, all human are into the aim of thriving our lives and security helps community live in peace as people want to have flourishing businesses and fulfilling lives, to nurture what is the best within themselves and improve their life experience. Creating assurance for people, civil Defence brings to our lives enormous benefits and that is what makes this security outfit as of pride and trust within the national security architecture. It is arguably the most trusted security outfit of government, with very disciplined and responsible officers, mostly credited with compassion. This has been the Nigerian Civil defence under C-G Muhammdu.

Appointed in July 2015 by President Muhammadu Buhari, Gana Muhammadu  embarked on agenda setting aimed at repositioning and re-defining the mandate of the corps in line with global best practices. His successes in NSCDC can be attributed to hard work and dedication to building symbiotic relationships which includes adding value to people, having the habit of giving and also working and partnering with the right people. Apart from these, his upbringing also plays a role in life and work.

Raised to be a God-fearing  family in a community of decent human beings, he has been taught early in life to believe in himself and value patience, which is why he is always grateful for all the experiences has had; the pleasant ones and the challenging ones, and all the people who have made an impact on him.

When you hear your parents talk about their values so often and you see them live those values, you tend to grow up internalizing those values as well. In his family, principles of forthrightness and fortitude were highly treasured. When he deals with colleagues and surbodinates, these ideals become quite useful, and every day he sees the results in the deep and long-term relationships he is able to build with partners and stakeholders.

Thus he focuses efforts on building the future of  NSCDC  based on a forward-looking vision that adopts global trends and developments, recruits  the brightest young minds  and supports officers,  encourages new innovations and creative ideas, and embraces advanced technologies to deploy security solutions to the nation. With these, NSCDC is fast becoming a defender of choice to the people.

In this context, it is important to look at the roles of the corps within the political-economy of Nigeria, especially when it relates to oil, emergency rescue and disaster mitigation. Refer to the fact that since oil is the backbone of the Nigerian economy, the NSCDC has the mandate of securing critical infrastructure. And it has been maintaining its leading role in the protection of oil pipelines and other critical oil assets across Nigeria with much integrity. And it has made significant progress in this area by reducing to the barest minimum incidences of pipeline vandalization and oil theft. Thus it is contributing a higher added value to the economy.

Another area of contributions of the NSCDC is in the area of building trust  and relationship with the civil populace.  The relationship between security agencies and the public has often been mired in crisis for much of the time. This is because many decision-makers  at the helm of affairs in the country security services believe that  building mutual confidence and putting relations with the public on  track will be a challenging long-term endeavour.

Communication with public seems to inch close to routine, deepening trust and making it more easy to reduce tensions and avoid miscalculation. The current state of affairs does serve the strategic interests of NSCDC and the country, and it puts national security  on a better footing.

This particular strategy has improved public perception of  the NSCDC under the watch of CG Muahammadu. Consequently, the significance of NSCDC in society has gathered more traction. And it is profoundly important to acknowledge, recognize and appreciate the roles of the civil Defence officers in helping to maintain peace and curtail sundry crimes such as rape, election violence and pipeline vandalism across the country.  As part of the security architecture of government, they help maintain law and order as well as promote the rule of law in security matters and enable justice to prevail. Their roles are significant and highly appreciated particularly in this era characterized by ethnic tension and large movements of people from one jurisdiction to another for various reasons.

Its officers are highly civil. Despite the fact that these officers deal with a wide range of, often complex and substantial issues, even outside tackling security problems, such as providing rescue  during emergencies. they display a high level of intellect, including honed emotional intelligence and the ability to master and deal with complex issues quickly. What matters most to them is fairness and justice. The public mood, political correctness and bias do not influence their decisions. They ensure that their decisions on the balance of probabilities are fair, sustainable and free from errors. They effectively approach their work with an open mind. When  they apprehend offenders, they scrutinize matters and evidences with a wider lens. And more importantly, they put service to the nation above self.

The recently concluded election in Edo state is a pointer to this. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had before that election disclosed that it deployed 13, 311 personnel and 60 sniffer dogs ahead of the Edo State governorship election to check electoral violence and ensure the safety of voters.

Commandant –General  Muhammadu, said the personnel were trained on COVID-19 pandemic safety guidelines for the election and to ensure that all electoral malpractices, violence, hooliganism and other vices that could affect the smooth conduct of the election were effectively checkmated.

He stated this during a meeting with chairmen of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja. Muhammadu said the agency would ensure that its personnel were well trained before being deployed to provide security anywhere in the country.

A statement issued by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the agency, Emmanuel Okeh, noted that the 13,311 personnel deployed to Edo State were drawn from the headquarters and neighbouring states of Kogi, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo to complement officers of Edo the State and Zonal Command in Benin

Despite the tumultuous episodes and frantic permutations preceding the Edo State governorship election, both the conduct and outcome of that election was not surprising to peace-loving Nigerians. Given the resources and goodwill expended, the election reflected some modest credibility and the peace, which well-meaning Nigerians didn’t anticipate.

Thanks to the forceful measures taken to ensure peace, the September 14 election experienced relative calm. Graciously, contrary to the initial expectations of many watchers of the event, the security agencies, especially NSCDC personified in Gana himself, did not succumb to the parochialism and corruption. At least to the average man on the street, the expected deployment of ‘‘federal might’’ to determine the outcome of the election was virtually absent. This too wasn’t expected.

The lesson expressed here is that when people are assured of safety and protection from harassment during elections, the electorate would  not fear to exercise their franchise. NSCDC members, as a result of their institutional culture on their own disregard the overtures of selfish and non-performing politicians and comport themselves with civility during elections. What is further revealed is the level to which misguided leadership has affected Nigerians. For a long time, critical political watchers have described elections in Nigeria as a hopeless situation, a travesty of democracy and a threat to the principles of good governance.  But with performance of institution like the NSCDC that perception is changing.

Salute to  CG Muhammadu, the management team  and  leaders of the NSCDC. The deep-rooted and benevolent values that are embedded in the structure of the organization have created a strong perception of trust for it, allowing members of the public to feel secure with the presence of its personnel.

 The leadership of the NSCDC is guided by a high degree of professionalism, mutual respect, efficiency and empathy, which should be a benchmark for all security agencies to emulate and follow all over. Whatever the crisis, the NSCDC personnel have always stepped forward to provide help and solace to those in distress. In this way, this security institution is helping the  government has put good governance into place and has left no stone unturned in improving the lives of the residents.

Nigerians are extremely helpful, humble and welcome people openly. Their hospitality is amazing, and this is due to the strong virtues they carry wherever they go. With a discipline institution like the NSCDC in place to assure security in a friendly atmosphere, people are happy and truly proud to move freely in this amazing country, and warmly cherish the experiences  they have with members of the civil defence..