Malam Garba Shehu, spokesman of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has accused ex-Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, of anti-corruption pretense.

In an interview with Adesua Giwa-Osagie, Adoke had commented on the corruption allegations pressed against him and former Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki.

Advertorial

“I have been a victim of corruption allegations by the immediate past government. The most incompetent government we’ve ever seen in this country; ran by the most incompetent President that this country has ever had and will never have again. And ran by a set of political morons,” he had said.

Reacting to some of his allegations, Shehu said the cases cited by Adoke as a reference point of corruption were cases that originated from a government in which he himself was the man responsible for the administration of justice.

He said Adoke’s record in office made him the wrong character for “this famous skit.”

The statement read: “Former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adokie has been enjoying a spotlight, masquerading as an anti-corruption character in a skit for which he is ill-suited. He neither has the track record nor the moral standing to accuse anyone of corruption, not least the former President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The fact that this character is a free man, walking away from the industrial-corruption their administration foisted on the 200 million-plus Nigerians is an Eighth Wonder. So vast was its scale, it is today a subject of international scrutiny. That should be a script for a Nollywood/Kannywood blockbuster all by itself.

“Most outrageously, the cases cited by Adokie as a reference point of corruption were cases that originated from an administration in which he himself was the man responsible for the administration of justice.

“The contract and incidental judgment in the Process & Industrial Developments (P&ID) were inherited by the Buhari administration. To his credit, President Buhari succeeded in staying its execution even when the previous administration that was responsible for the creation of the liability watched helplessly and exposed Nigeria to over $10bn dollars liability.

“Paris club saga that Adokie cited as an example of corrupt practices of the Buhari administration is not in any way different in origin and circumstances with the case of P&ID. It was rooted in administrations that predated that of President Muhammadu Buhari. Adokie was a product of the administration that planted the evil foundation and the judgments that resulted therefrom.

“The logical conclusion any reasonable person can make on P&ID, Paris Club and Ajaokuta is that President Buhari came on a rescue mission and effectively saved Nigeria from corrupt undertones that were planted to expose its economy to imminent collapse.

“The success of the Buhari administration in the direction of the fight against corruption is unprecedented. New legislations were introduced, major recoveries were made at home, stolen monies were repatriated from abroad, and they were judiciously deployed in infrastructure development. High profile convictions were recorded in unprecedented numbers, with enhanced percentages over and above the records in existence.

“It is in international recognition of these efforts that the African Union chose the former President as its African Continental Anti-Corruption Champion. Additional recognitions by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Corruption, UNODC among others were also lauded on the former president and his administration.

“Adoke also made some wild allegations in the aviation sector. The efforts of the Buhari administration in the aviation are known: They were visible in terms of capital infrastructure development, safety, and policy; they changed the face of the aviation sector into an attractive one for investment, resulting in new airlines coming on board. No major commercial airlines incident was recorded throughout this period.

“All Nigerians by right can say whatever they want of the Buhari administration. No one is offended by their actions, right or wrong. But when you come out with innuendos of corruption written all over your face and say that you want to moralise and pontificate, Nigerians in different walks of life will have problems with that.”

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has called for an urgent reform of the justice system in the country, saying it was worried that public confidence in the judiciary remained at very low levels.

The legal body, in a communique it issued to mark the end of its 63rd Annual General Conference, AGC, further demanded an upward review of the remuneration of judges across the federation.

Advertorial

It recommended that issues involving the remuneration of judicial officers should not only be separated from the public sector, but also removed from the purview of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC.

“Conference also recommended an independent salary scale for judicial officers. Conference recommends that urgent attention be paid to the plight of magistrates and other lower court judges,” the NBA stated in the communique that was read to newsmen yesterday by its National President, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, SAN.

NBA, which is the umbrella body of legal practitioners in the country, said it was noted during the conference, “that every aspect of the infrastructure of our justice system requires fundamental rethinking including our approaches to policing, adjudication, bail, sentencing and imprisonment.”

It said: “There was also a call for adherence to judicial decisions, adoption, and integration of technological advancements for the judiciary, and fostering improved relationships between the different branches of government.

“Achieving the desired justice system will be a process, not an event. Nevertheless, change must be accelerated to keep up with the expectations of Nigerians, particularly those of the poorest and most vulnerable communities. Such change must be properly planned and carefully managed.

“The importance of a strong, independent judiciary was emphasized.”

On economy, the NBA said it observed that Nigeria’s economic potential has been constrained by many structural issues, including inadequate infrastructure, tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade, fundamental obstacles to investment, uncertain government policies and reluctance of previous governments to take the necessary bold steps required to achieve sustained economic growth.

The legal body said it was disappointed over Nigeria’s paradoxical situation of having natural resources that are not adequately utilised for industrial development.

“Despite substantial gas reserves the nation is still unable to explore gas to achieve adequate electricity generation.

“Conference recognized Nigeria’s potential in terms of mineral wealth and human resources, emphasizing the enormous opportunities available. However, challenges like power shortages, oil theft, kidnapping, insecurity, and divisions among citizens have prompted the need for robust, long-term economic decisions to revive the economy.

“Conference resolved that sustained broad based economic growth and poverty reduction are critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and stability.

“Specifically Conference called on the Federal & State Governments to refocus efforts on infrastructure development, improve power generation, improve agricultural productivity, and expand jobs in rural areas.

“There should also be greater attention on youth employment through education and entrepreneurship skills training.”

The NBA, while lamenting the rising spate of insecurity in the country, identified the need for greater investment in the Military.

“Conference recommended practical strategies to address security concerns. These include community involvement in policing, youth engagement through job creation, enhanced regional cooperation, media sensitization, comprehensive police reforms, religious school regulation, strengthening the judiciary, and observance of human rights.

“The adoption of state security forces, proper land management, international resource acquisition, and meticulous implementation of approved plans were also suggested,” the communique further read.

As the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) continues to explore diplomatic channels to bring back ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, it is yet to rule out the use of force to send the coup leaders back to the barracks.

Since the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff said they were waiting for a green light to activate their standby force, a lot of questions have been raised, particularly on how practicable military solution would be in Niger.

Advertorial

Stakeholders, who spoke to journalists on Sunday queried the existence of any ECOWAS Standby Force, the readiness of member countries, availability of boots (population of officers), strength and capacity of such force, its operational and legal framework as well as the resources (financing) of the standby force.

Although by its original design, the regional bloc was set up to promote economic integration and cooperation among member states, it has intervened in peacekeeping missions in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, among others, through the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG), with the most recent in The Gambia.

However, the functionality of ECOMOG or any ad-hoc military arrangement had overtime and often been anchored by the Nigerian armed forces with sub-battalion strength units contributed by other ECOWAS members.

What is ECOWAS Standby Force?

President Bola Tinubu, who spoke recently at a meeting of the regional bloc, said the standby force meant the use of force as a last resort if diplomacy failed.

In the same vein, Paul Williams, a security policy expert, said, “The ECOWAS Standby Force is a part of the larger African Standby Force (ASF) structure which comprises five regional forces (Northern, Eastern, Western/ECOWAS, Central and Southern).”

However, what that force entails remains unclear as there has not been an official communication from the regional bloc about how it would be constituted or what its modus operandi would be.

In December, 2022, ECOWAS reached an agreement after a summit to establish a regional peacekeeping force aimed at countering terrorism and reinstating democratic governance following military coups.

The standby force is to be headed by the CsDS from member countries as the military unit of ECOWAS aims to tackle terrorism and coup threats as in Niger, Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso.

Tasks before ECOWAS

Experts and observers argue that the formation of ECOMOG in the past failed to meet the constitutional legal requirements of ECOWAS in the formation of a regional force.

While ECOWAS has been involved in several stabilisation missions in the sub-region, it is only in reaction to the recent trend of coups in the sub-region that ECOWAS leaders resolved to set up a regional force in the true sense of it.

On December 4, 2022, the president of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, was quoted as saying, “Leaders of the Economic Community of West African States have decided to act to take care of our own security in the region.

“They are determined to establish a regional force that will intervene in the event of need, whether this is in the area of security or terrorism, and restore constitutional order in member countries.”

‘It isn’t a ready-made organisation’

Explaining the concept of the ECOWAS Standby Force in an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday, a former Nigerian CDS, Gen Martin Luther Agwai (Rtd), said the force was not a ready-made organisation, adding that they were forces that would be drawn from military strength of each member country.

He said, “The standby force doesn’t mean that there’s a force that ECOWAS has as an organisation standing by. No! The standby force is a force that member countries have pledged. It is based on the pledges by member countries that when they’re required they would be assembled.”

A professor of international relations and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Legislative Studies in Africa, Usman Muhammad, expressed skepticism on the availability of a charter that states ready-made protocols and rules of engagement for the officers that will be donated.

He said, “If the charter says that these countries (ECOWAS member states) would come up with a formula and a force to be reckoned with through contributions and go into any state that is either about to fall or has witness this type of coup in Niger, that means it is not a standby force, it is contributory and is voluntary also.

“Some other states might look at their economic purse, strength and weakness and say they will not be able to contribute, but there will be no offence since it is not obligatory. Even when you contribute forces, even if you are strong, there have to be some rules of engagement, there has to be some other protocols before you move in.”

Dr Umar Ardo, who has taught political history at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), said: ““No country or international body or organisation has any right of invading another country based on ideological differences without such invasion breaching stipulated international law.

“Besides, there is no universally acceptable definition of democracy. Every nation practices its own defined version of democracy, and so no nation or ideological bloc has the right to invade and impose its version of democratic practice on another.

“It is, therefore, preposterous for ECOWAS or the African Union (AU) or NATO or any other international ideological bloc to establish a standing military force for offensive against defensive purposes.

“In other words, international blocs can establish military forces for defensive purposes only; to protect themselves and/or their interests against external attack and interference.

“Nations don’t establish a continental or sub-continental military force to wage war against other sovereign nations on account of ideological differences. It should never be done anywhere in the world. Otherwise wherein lies the indomitable principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states as guaranteed by both charters of the UN and the AU?

“In addition, both charters of the UN and AU stipulate that every sovereign state shall have the inalienable right to independent existence! This presupposes that every nation shall determine its affairs howsoever it sees best if such affairs constitute no threat to the existence or well-being of another nation or to that of an international community or to that of humanity and its well-being.

“Neither military rule nor monarchy nor any such non-democratic governance constitute any such threat.”

Don’t donate our forces – Fani-Kayode

Commenting on the back and forth on deploying troops to Niger Republic, a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, counselled the federal government not to “donate” Nigeria’s military personnel to any standby force considering the present spate of insecurity in the country.

Fani-Kayode, who made the plea via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, said Nigeria could not afford to commit its meagre resources to such mission, claiming that the country had altogether about 200,000 personnel across the three services in the country.

He said, “ECOWAS doesn’t even have a combat-ready force. They will depend on Nigeria. Presently, Nigeria gives more than 80 per cent of the MNJTF funds. Again, Nigeria’s military is currently engaged in internal operations in all the six geo-political zones.

“We only have about 200,000 personnel in all ranks and for the three services. With the current economic crunch, where are the resources coming from? To depend on the Western countries that have their own interests to protect?

“Our IDPs and refugees are still in camps, we have not been able to resettle them for more than ten years, so how do we handle additional mass of IDPs and refugees that would definitely result from the crisis? Nigeria would be in deep sh-t if we go for this adventure.”

Niger’s military junta

Military personnel strength in ECOWAS countries

Checks by Daily Trust on Sunday showed that an estimate by Global Firepower puts the combined active military manpower in the West African sub-region at 335,000, with Nigeria accounting for the highest number of troops at 135,000.

With the decision of Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Cape Verde not to be part of any military intervention against the junta in the Republic of Niger, the military strength and the capacity of the ECOWAS troops have been further depleted to about 229,000 active troops.

Security experts and stakeholders, who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, expressed worry that Nigeria, being the largest economy in the sub-region, might be left to bear the cost of the military intervention in the Republic of Niger.

Speaking further, Gen. Agwai noted that while ECOWAS would have to think about the likely impact of military intervention before going ahead; it would equally be imperative to consider its readiness in terms of resources and other necessary considerations.

He said, “If there is a division, and people are not willing to go, it could then be the operation would be conducted by the willing forces. If there are those countries that are willing to go, then they can still operate under the umbrella and mandate of ECOWAS.

“So, it does not necessarily mean that the whole countries must sign into and give troops. Some may sign on and say they have no troops to give. If ECOWAS feels that in her estimation and consideration, what they have already on the ground is strong enough to do that, she could still go ahead to do it.”

On funding of the military intervention in Niger, Gen. Agwai said, “Because of the dominance of the country (Nigeria) a lot is expected and the country is likely going to shoulder the highest percentage of the cost.”

He, however, noted that “ECOWAS has other means of raising funds. There are members of ECOWAS who could say we are donating money but we are not going to donate troops to honour our pledge of troops, but we will contribute to the logistics and the resources required for the operation.

“There are other organisations like the AU, the UN, the EU and other prominent countries. If they believe in the course of ECOWAS, they can contribute to do that, but I think that war is not a tea party. I am sure before ECOWAS will ever think of launching any troops into Niger, they have to think across the whole spectrum.”

In the same vein, Prof. Muhammad warned ECOWAS leaders against allowing themselves to be used by foreign powers, stressing that, “If France needs Nigeria to intervene and go into Niger, let France start.

“We cannot be used as cannon fodder, we are more than pawns. Nigeria is Niger and Niger is Nigeria. There’s no how war would not affect the entire part of Northern Nigeria.”

Kano State governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has appointed 115 new aides to serve in his government as Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Reporters, taking the tally of his aides to 196.

The latest appointments were announced on Friday and Saturday by Sanusi Bature, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, who revealed that 14 of the new appointees would serve as Special Advisers while 57 would serve as Senior Special Assistants, and the remaining 44, who are all social media activists, would serve as Senior Special Reporters and Special Reporters.

Advertorial

Before the latest appointments, the governor had appointed a total of 81 persons to serve as his aides with 52 of them appointed in a swoop on August 7 as Special Advisers (10) and Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants (42).

The governor on June 16 announced the appointment of 14 aides, including seven SSAs, three SAS and four Personal Assistants; while on July 18, 15 persons were appointed by the governor as Special Advisers.

In the latest appointment as announced by Bature, two of the most vocal social media supporters of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Abdullahi Ibrahim (known on X as Kwankwason Tuwita) and Hassan Sani Tukur (known on X as Noble Hassan) were appointed as Senior Special Assistants for Digital Media and New Media respectively.

Similarly, Bala Abubakar, one of the security aides to the presidential candidate the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was also appointed as a Senior Special Assistant on Security (Abuja) by the governor, among others.

Other portfolios assigned to latest appointees as SSA include: Political Awareness, Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), Kwankwasiyya Media Groups, Reformatory Schools, Teacher Training and Development, Askarawan Kwankwasiyya, Tourism, Butchers and Abbatoir, Environmental Sanitation, Urban Beautification, Grazing Areas, National Assembly Matters, and Women Mobilisation.

Thousands rallied Saturday in the Niger capital Niamey to demand that former colonial ruler France withdraw its troops as sought by a junta that seized power in June.

The protesters gathered near a base housing French soldiers following a call by several civic organisations hostile to the French military presence in the West African country.

Advertorial

They held up banners proclaiming “French army leave our country”.

Niger’s military regime had fired a new verbal broadside at France on Friday, accusing Paris of “blatant interference” by backing the country’s ousted president, as protestors held a similar protest near a French base outside Niamey.

President Mohamed Bazoum, a French ally whose election in 2021 had stoked hopes of stability in the troubled country, was detained on July 26 by members of his guard.

Relations with France, the country’s former colonial power and ally in its fight against jihadism, went swiftly downhill after Paris stood by Bazoum.

On August 3, the regime announced the scrapping of military agreements with France, which has some 1,500 soldiers stationed in the country to help fight jihadism in the region – a move that Paris has ignored on the grounds of legitimacy.

The agreements cover different timeframes, although one of them dating from 2012 was set to expire within a month, according to military leaders.

The military rulers have also announced the immediate “expulsion” of the French ambassador Sylvain Itte and announced it was withdrawing his diplomatic immunity. They said his presence was a threat to public order.

But French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday hailed Itte’s work in Niger and said he was in the country despite being given a 48-hour deadline to leave Niger last Friday.