APC: Without Tangible Evidence, EFCC Will Not Go After Tinubu, Amaechi

Tinubu and Amaechi

Warns PDP that being in opposition is not immunity from prosecution

By Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

In a pointed response to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, All Progressives Congress said yesterday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission would not act against leaders of the ruling party except it has solid evidence.

APC was reacting to calls by PDP for the probe of the ruling party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, director-general of the Buhari campaign organisation, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and others alleged to have funded President Muhammadu’s campaign at the last general elections.

APC also warned that being in the opposition does not grant PDP members immunity from prosecution, in an unmistakable answer to the opposition party’s allegations about a witch-hunt against its members by EFCC.

PDP had yesterday said its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, had been under incessant and unnecessary attacks by those it called anti-PDP forces seeking to scare him off his statutory role as mouthpiece of the party. The former ruling party had been accusing the EFCC of bias against PDP members in its anticorruption campaign and challenging the commission to also beam its searchlight on APC chieftains, especially, those believed to have financed the party at the last elections.

PDP reiterated its allegations recently during a visit to the party’s national secretariat by leaders of its senate caucus in the 8th National Assembly led by the Minority Leader, Chief Godswill Akpabio. The acting national chairman of PDP, Chief Uche Secondus, drew the attention of Buhari to alleged one-sided arrests and prosecutions being conducted by EFCC.

However, the APC national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said yesterday that there was no justification for PDP’s allegations about a one-sided anticorruption campaign, dismissing the opposition party’s call for probe of APC leaders as cheap blackmail.

“Didn't the EFCC arrest Governor Murtala Nyako and other politicians who are members of the APC?” Mohammed wondered, stressing, “So I don't think the EFCC has been one-sided. There is no truth in what the PDP and the senators are saying. This is nothing but cheap blackmail.”

The APC spokesman said, “With what evidence will the EFCC go after Tinubu or Amaechi. What were they accused of? Why will they go after them if there are no petitions against them? If they have any evidence, let them show such evidence or petition against any of these people. They cannot just ask the EFCC to go after someone without concrete evidence of indictment against the person.”

On the allegation that EFCC was using scare tactics against Metuh for exposing wrong-doings of the ruling party, Mohammed said PDP was merely crying wolf. He said the APC government had no reason to persecute anyone on account of his or her political affiliation, adding, however, that no one can cheat or flout the law of the land and expect to hide under the cover of opposition party membership to evade justice.

“Why would he be complaining that someone is after him? As a matter of fact, no one is above the law and being in an opposition does not give anybody immunity from prosecution over corrupt practices,” APC spokesman said.

The statement yesterday signed by Metuh’s special assistant, Mr. Richard Ihediwa, alleged a coordinated assault by anti-PDP forces on the PDP spokesman for daring to speak out against the APC-led administration. But it said the opposition spokesman remained undaunted.

Ihediwa stated, “A credible intelligence information available to us has shown that apart from instigating some unsuspecting persons within our party to peddle lies and insults against Chief Metuh, there is a well-coordinated assault by anti-PDP forces who have engaged heavily paid consultants masquerading as writers and columnists, in addition to social media hirelings, some of who use pseudonyms to attack him for daring to speak out against the undemocratic actions and tendencies of the APC-led administration.”

Buhari had affirmed during an exclusive interview on July 21 with CNN's Christiane Amanpour that he will not cover up acts of corruption even among his party members, saying any of his associates found guilty of corruption will face the full weight of the law.

“If any of my associates or party members is indicted of corruption, they cannot escape justice. There is not going to be any APC member or any close personality found guilty that would escape justice,” he said.

Adeola at 46: From Omoyayi to distinguished senator

Senator Adeola

He took to the political scene by storm a few years ago, starting out as a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly. He crossed over to the House of Representatives. Today he is a senator. This is the political odyssey of Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly known as Yayi. Kayode Odunaro writes.

It is usual in social and political circles for leaders to be ascribed nicknames that to a large extent represent the attributes and virtues of the individual. For Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, his popular nickname is ‘Yayi’. Yayi is a sobriquet coined from the Yoruba name of ‘Omoyayi’ translating literally to “Distinguished Son”. Adeola is not only living a distinguished life, worthy of emulation and celebration but also a life positively impacting on many individuals and the development of Nigeria.

The Senator was born on August 10, 1969 at Lagos Island Maternity Hospital to Mr. Ayinde Adeola Ogunleye and Madam Abeeni Olasunbo Ogunleye (nee Akinola). His early childhood was at Alimosho where his parents brought him up to surmount many challenges of early life. Yayi began his education at State Primary School, Alimosho in Lagos State. On the successful completion of his primary education, he proceeded to Community Grammar School, Akowonjo, Lagos, for his secondary education. His quest for educational advancement in life took him to the prestigious Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo, now Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, where he bagged the Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting. A man with a mission to fulfill in life, Adeola became a Chartered Accountant at a relatively young age. He is a distinguished Chartered Accountant-Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, (ICAN), a member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation as well as a Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT).

Adeola variegated experience in both private and public sector finance started in “The Guardian Newspapers Limited”, where he put in almost 12 years of meritorious accounting service and rose to the position of Accountant. In a profession where experience in a professional firm is a key proof of competence, Yayi resigned from “The Guardian” and proceeded to Olatunji Omoyeni and Co where he led the audit team for several years and was later promoted to the position of a Senior Auditor. Having cut his teeth in the accounting profession through education and practice, working for others, Adeola later established his company, SOOTEM Nigeria Limited, where he was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in the firm that specialized in tax consultancy until his foray to serve the public through partisan politics.

Following his decision to join active politics, Adeola pitched his tent with the progressive arm of Nigerian politics by joining the then Social Democratic Party (SDP). In spite of daunting challenges relating to military government, Adeola bravely continued with his foray into politics at the dawn of the 4th Republic. He was nominated and won the primary of the then ruling Alliance for Democracy (AD) and was elected as a member to represent Alimosho State Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly from 2003 to 2007 and again from 2007 to 2011. A man of immense financial and political skills, he was appointed the Chairman of Finance Committee and Joint Chairman of Appropriation Committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly. In that position, he was reputed to be instrumental to the enactment of the law that strengthened the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service. The legislation and reforms laid the foundation that catapulted the revenue of the state from a paltry N5billion monthly to over N20billion presently! He was also part of the legislative team that passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Public Procurement Act of Lagos State, two laws that saw Lagos State qualifying to access developmental funds from international financial bodies like World Bank. Adeola can claim credit as part of the architects of the widely acclaimed recent development in Lagos State through the provision of legislative enactments and support for the executive arm of the state government in his 8 years stint as a state parliamentarian.

And in all his years as a legislator, Adeola set the standard for effective representation that saw his repeated re-elections. He is noted for his numerous personal and constituency projects in Alimosho. The people of Alimosho can never forget his developmental initiatives in the area of provision of water through boreholes, provision of electric transformers, regular free medical programmes and rehabilitation of roads. Other areas of life changing programmes that are the hallmark of Yayi’s representation include educational empowerment and support in the form of building classrooms with ancillary facilities, annual purchase of GCE/NECO forms and tutorials for indigent students as well as ICT training at NIIT for hundreds of youths in his constituency.

Without doubt, his sterling performance in public service of Lagos State naturally made him a first choice for promotion for national service. Adeola was nominated and elected to represent Alimosho Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives of the National Assembly in 2011. The tenure culminated in 12 years of unbroken legislative experience at both state and federal legislature. When the committees of the House of Representatives were to be appointed, he was selected as the chairman of the only constitutional committee of the House, the Public Accounts Committee. It was a feat that he got this important post usually reserved for ranking members as a first time member of the House.

His performance in that committee in relation to exposing corruption and sharp financial mal-practices of government agencies has attracted national attention. But for his effective oversight as the chairman, not many Nigerians would be aware of the “slush fund” called Service Wide Votes running into billions of Naira yearly. A serious move is on to abolish this from our budgetary system and curb the observed corruptive tendencies of what is a duplication of contingency fund in budgets of MDAs.

In fulfillment of his core function as a legislator, Adeola sponsored and successfully pushed through to passage a bill that repealed the colonial Audit Act of 1956 and Re-Enact the Audit Act of 2014 on May 22, 2015. The new law when concurred to by the Senate will lead to the establishment of a Federal Audit Service Commission as well as grant autonomy to the office of the Auditor General of the Federation.

With the outstanding performance of his legislative responsibilities and effective representation of 12 years, the last four years being in the House of Representatives, it is small wonder that he was seen as the best leg forward for the vacant seat of senator for the Lagos West Senatorial District, the largest senatorial district in terms of population in Nigeria

Adeola won his closest rival with a margin of over 70,000 votes at the March 28, 2015 Presidential and National Assembly Elections. He indeed made history by moving through consecutive electoral victories from the State Assembly to the House of Representatives and to highest legislative body in Nigeria, the Senate.

Adeola, a Christian, is a believer in religious freedom for both Christians and adherents of Islamic faith. He is on record to have donated brand new buses to religious organisations of both faiths as well as sponsored several Christians and Muslims to Jerusalem and Mecca respectively on pilgrimage. The great philanthropist is happily married to his heartthrob, Mrs. Temitope Adeola, and the union is blessed with children.

At 46 years of age, Adeola is setting a worthy record of an experienced legislator par excellence. He is indeed a “Distinguished Son” that is now a “Distinguished Senator” of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.


–kayodunaro@hotmail.com

Borno sets condition for B’Haram negotiation with FG

Kidnapped Chibok Girls, Nigeria

Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha has Sunday described the speculated pleas by the Boko Haram in the media to negotiate with the Federal Government as an accepted welcome idea, on the condition that the Islamist militants be fully “committed to laying down their arms for peace” in the North East sub-region of Nigeria.

Mustapha set the conditions for negotiations yesterday to newsmen in Yola, the Adamawa state capital, while returning from the Burnt Bricks of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp that accommodates over 3, 000 returning Borno indigenes from Cameroon Republic.

Mustapha, who was accompanied by the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi to Mubi, said that he also heard and learnt of the speculated pleas in the media by Boko Haram for negotiations with federal government.

His words: “I heard and read from the media of the said pleas for negotiations by the insurgents, but sincerely speaking I do not know its source; no authenticity of the speculation. The insurgents are tired and they want true and sincere negotiations, it is left to the Federal Government to accept or reject their advances, depending on

the genuineness of their approach to this incessant insane massive killings and bombings in Nigeria including schools, markets and hospitals.”

Mustapha; while addressing the returnees camped in Mubi South said that 3, 488 have so far returned to Nigeria via Mubi a border town to Cameroon.

He said they had been refugees in Cameroon after the the Boko Haram attacks in Gambouru and Ngala communities of Borno state.

“The Borno state government will identify with the plights of these returnees,” pledged Mustapha, adding that the returning refugees would be evacuated from Adamawa after they must have been thoroughly screened by Immigration and Military personnel at the Sahuda entry border post.

He said meanwhile; they would be temporarily camped at Fufure and Malkohi designated camps in Adamawa State where they would be searched and screened by security agencies.

Meet The First Female African American Police Chief of New York

Call Her ‘Chief': Kim Royster Promoted to Highest Position Ever Held by Black Woman in NYPD

*Next month, New York Police Department Deputy Chief Kim Royster will be promoted to the highest ranking position ever held by an African American woman in the history of the NYPD: Chief.

This high-ranking position will move her from her current responsibilities as commanding officer of the NYPD’s Public Information Office to the NYPD Personnel Division, where she will be responsible for recruitment. In doing so, she will become only the 3rd black woman in NYPD history, according to the NY Post.

“She will oversee recruitment — how we go about getting the people, how we inform them of the process and how we get them through recruitment,” a high-ranking source said.

“This is a great opportunity to be part of Commissioner (Bill) Bratton’s plan to prepare our department to be the leaders of policing in the 21st century,” said Royster, who is keeping mum on any comments about the promotion itself.

Although Bratton had promised more diversity in the ranks of the NYPD, a high-ranking source said it wasn’t Royster’s race that won her the well-deserved promotion.

“She was in Internal Affairs, she was a precinct executive, she worked in the Office of Management Analysis and Planning,” the source said. “She has a macro view of the department.”

A 30-year-veteran on the force, Royster, who came onboard in 1985 has been credited as a driving force behind the city’s gun buyback program.

Read more at http://www.eurweb.com/2015/08/call-her-chief-kim-royster-promoted-to-highest-position-ever-held-by-black-woman-in-nypd/#a8OVjbUzErK8fClk.99

Gov Ganduje declares war on Kwankwaso

The cold war between Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and his predecessor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has degenerated to full blown hostility following the threat by the former to exposed the latter’s stewardship in office.


Kwankwaso

Ganduje, who went for broke when he hosted the leadership of Kano students abroad under the aegis of General Association of Northern Nigeria Students, based in Egypt, alleged the distortion of the state scholarship programme.

The long-time Kwankwaso’s political soul mate declared: “For one year, Kwankwaso did not pay a single kobo as tuition fee for our students studying abroad.

“Right now, Kano State government owes those students N3 billion, and painfully, our revenue is dwindling and we would be cautious in handling the situation”.

The new Kano strongman revealed that the delay in the payment of the tuitions fee was caused by the Kwankwaso administration, even as he stressed: “For whatever reasons, the Kwankwaso administration distorted the scholarship programme”.

The enraged governor told the leadership of the students: “I’ve decided to let the cat out of the bag so that, as educated people, you would understand where your problems lies”.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that last Wednesday weekly state executive meeting, presided over by Ganduja, had condemned the failure of the Kwankwaso administration to fulfill financial obligation to the programme despite the allegation that huge amounts of money in foreign currency were allocated to it by the former regime.

Vanguard News

Newcastle's Chancel Mbemba turns up to game in tuxedo

Newcastle United defender, Chancel Mbemba, turned up to St James' Park for his Premier League debut dressed in a tuxedo.

Mbemba, signed on a five year contract from Anderlecht in the summer, was named in the starting XI for manager Steve McClaren's first game in chargeand appears to have listened to the ex-England boss' request that players turn up for games dressed smartly.

While most arrived in suits, the Congolese international wore a tux, as you can see in the videos and pictures which accompany this article informing you of the tuxedo that Chancel Mbemba wore to the match.

Mike Ashley is thought to be considering releasing a Sports Direct range of tuxedos in response to the demand this fashion statement will undoubtedly create. One particularly excited Sports Direct customer was heard saying "what the hell is a suit?".

SHOCKING: Man ordered by judge to marry his girlfriend or face jail

Death do us part or 15 days? Judge orders Texas man to marry his girlfriend or serve jail sentence after getting in fight with her ex

Josten Bundy, 20, appeared before Judge Randall Rogers in East Texas court to face assault charge after fight with Elizabeth Jaynes' ex-boyfriend

Judge Rogers ordered Bundy to get counseling and decreed he must write out bible verses in addition to marrying Jaynes as part of probation pact 

Bundy agreed to marriage within 30 days in lieu of serving 15 days in jail

Jaynes, 19, and Bundy had brief time to plan and got married at courthouse

The sentence might have been vacated by a higher court on appeal

Newlyweds are planning to have another ceremony after they save money

By EVAN BLEIER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

A judge's strange ruling led one man to agree to a life sentence in order to avoid a ball and chain...

A Texas couple were left with very little time to plan their big day after a Smith County judge ordered a man to marry his 19-year-old girlfriend as part of a probation pact or spend 15 days in jail.

Josten Bundy, 20, was appearing before Judge Randall Rogers in an East Texas courtroom to face an assault charge after getting in a fight with his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend back in February.

Bundy heard Elizabeth Jaynes' ex saying 'disrespectful things' to her, so he 'hit him in the jaw twice' after challenging the man to a fight.

Josten Bundy, 20, appeared in court after getting in a fight with the ex of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Jaynes, 19


Judge Randall Rogers ruled that Bundy must marry Jaynes during sentencing in his East Texas courtroom




Judge Rogers asked Bundy if Jaynes was 'worth it' and if he was married to the young woman during his sentencing hearing.

When Bundy answered that he would probably do the same thing again, the judge issued his order.

He said, 'You know, as a part of my probation, you're going to have to marry her…within 30 days.'

In addition to marrying Jaynes, Judge Rogers also ordered Bundy to get counseling and decreed he must write out bible verses as part of his probation, according to KLTV.

Man ordered by judge to marry his girlfriend or face jail




Jaynes called the ceremony 'pieced together' and did not even have time to get a white dress for her big day


The couple consented to the union and applied for a marriage license, leaving them only 18 days to plan


Judge Rogers also ordered Bundy to get counseling and decreed he write bible verses as part of his probation

Jaynes, who was in the courtroom, was embarrassed when she heard the judge's prison proposal.

She said: 'My face was so red, people behind me were laughing.


The newlyweds plan to have another ceremony

'[The judge] made me stand up in court.'

In order to avoid Bundy being taken into custody, the couple consented to the union and applied for a marriage license.

As a result, they had only 18 days to plan for their courthouse wedding and many of their friends and family members were unable to attend the summer ceremony last month.

Jaynes called the ceremony 'pieced together' and did not even have time to get a white dress.

Bundy said: 'My father didn't get to go, and that really bothers me, I know he would have liked to be there.

'None of my sisters got to show up, it was such short notice, I couldn't get it together.'

It is possible that the sentence would have been vacated by a higher court on appeal.

The newlyweds are planning to have another ceremony after they have had time to save up money.

Despite the rushed ceremony, they do not regret getting married.

DailyMail UK

Fashola Didin't Pay Us N78million for his website.

It Firm Denies Receiving N78 Million For Fashola’s Website

It Firm Denies Receiving N78 Million For Fashola’s Website

By: Osigwe Omo Ikirodah

The IT firm named by the Lagos State procurement office as receiving N78 million for the upgrade of former Governor Babatunde Fashola’s personal website, has denied being paid the amount.

Info Access Plus Limited said its quotation for the job was N12.5 million, and that the state eventually spent N10 million.

The figure contradicts details released by the Lagos State procurement office, first reported by the budget analytic firm, BudgiT.

The listing shows N78 million was spent on the website.

Curiously, for a company that specialises on building and upgrading websites, a Google search for Info Access Plus, revealed that Info Access Plus Limited has no website of its own.
According to information technology experts, www.tundefashola.com, created by the firm for the former governor, is a WordPress website and an upgrade could not have cost more than N300, 000.
The news of the expenditure has elicited outrage from Nigerians, with many using their social media accounts to lambast Mr. Fashola, widely seen as one of few upright politicians who could be given a cabinet position by President Mohammadu Buhari.

Mr. Fashola’s spokesperson, Hakeem Bello, did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES’ request for comment.

In its reaction, the IT firm, Info Access Plus Limited, questioned the motive of the procurement office in releasing details of the spending.

The firm also denied that the website was for Mr. Fashola as an individual, saying it was for the “governor of Lagos State.”

It also denied receiving N78 million for the job, yet, the firm compared the website with other internet products delivered at millions and even billions of dollars.

Read the statement below:

Our attention is drawn to the twitter campaign alleging that the Lagos State Government (LASG), led by His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN spent Seventy Eight Million Naira (N78M) to upgrade the www.tundefashola.com web site, a site dedicated to giving citizens unfettered access to the Governor’s daily activities and open access to information. It is imperative to state here that, the website in question is not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website but an official website which reports and documents his official activities as a way of socially accounting for his stewardship to the people of Lagos State. This initiative of having an official website for the Governor was to build on the earlier commitment to open access which saw Governor Fashola being the first serving governor to publish his telephone number on the pages of newspapers. As pressure mounted on that number, the website and all of its social media handles became alternative platforms for people to directly engage with their elected governor.

While we do not hold brief for the Lagos State Government, the selective loading of contracts awarded and executed by the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency is itself suspect and aimed at a pre-determined end. The statement of the Contract Line Item and the cost ascribed on the website of the agency are therefore misleading and mischievous.

For avoidance of doubt, we are by this medium therefore laying bare the facts for the public:
Introduction

The former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, set out to streamline easy access to himself, while in office and to document his activities for the citizens.

From 2008 and up till May 29, 2015, the www.tundefashola.com web site has processed thousands of press releases/speeches, more than 6 million pictures, thousands of videos to generate world class, content-rich online information collaterals for the former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN.

The same www.tundefashola.com web site provides great opportunities for the Lagos State Government, as it collates all activities of the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, and his government during his two terms.

What Did LASG Get For the alleged “N78M”?

• N12.5m was quoted for the upgrade of the www.tundefashola.com web site, which includes complete re-design of all the hundreds of page templates. Meanwhile, the LASG spent less than N10m on this and not N78M being bandied on the social around.

• Info Access Plus Limited will provide free technical support for the entire life cycle of the web site.
• Info Access Plus Limited will manage the contents of the site, which consist of press releases, speeches, photos, videos, etc for one year.

• Info Access Plus Limited developed and managed the first and only web-based 1-year Countdown Clock to May 29, 2015 on a 24-hourly basis off the back of this same service cost for a period of 1 year from 2014 to May 29, 2015.

• Info Access Plus Limited developed mobile apps for the top four platforms, namely Apple iOS, Google Play, Microsoft Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry World off the back of this same service cost.

• Info Access Plus Limited will provide free technical support throughout the life cycles of all these mobile apps also off the back of this same service cost.

For the Records

• In addition, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, personally paid for the www.brforg.org web site, even when he was the Lagos State Governor. He felt that www.brforg.org is the online presence of his Non-Governmental Organization, BRF Organization. Again, we state for the records, that the website in question is the official website of the Governor of Lagos State and not Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola’s personal website as being disparagingly alleged by the campaigners.

Quality Software Development Takes Serious Effort, Time and Resources

• According to Bloomberg, the Obamacare Enrollment System web site costs more than $2 Billion.

• According to the YCharts, the Annual Facebook Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $2.153B from revenue of $12.47B.

• According to the same YCharts, the Annual Twitter Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $446.31M from revenue of $1.403B.

• According to the same YCharts, the Annual Microsoft Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $33.04B from revenue of $93.58B.

• According to the same YCharts, the Annual Google Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $25.69B from revenue of $66B.

• According to the same YCharts, the Annual Apple Cost of Goods Sold for December 31, 2014, is $112.26B from revenue of $182.80B.

• All these private sector driven Operating Costs still run into several billions, while taking serious effort to reduce waste.

• It’s evident from these stated facts that good products take huge amount of planning, time and resources.

• Was the Facebook built and maintained with less than $500,000? Anyone making this claim is dubious.

Signed on Behalf of Info Access Plus Limited

Premium Times

INTERVIEW: How We Arrested Buhari During 1985 Coup - Col. Aminu (Rtd)

One of the officers who participated in the arrest of then Head of State, and current President, Muhammadu Buhari, during a military coup on August 27, 1985, Abdulmumini Aminu, has stated that contrary to claims, he and his colleagues never handcuffed Mr. Buhari upon arrest.

Col. A. Aminu (Rtd)DailyTrust Newspaper

Mr. Aminu, a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army, also said in an interview with Daily Trust on Sunday that contrary to believe, he was the one who led a team of three Army officers to arrest Buhari.

There are speculation that Mr. Buhari was arrested by the Immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, during the coup that saw the emergence of Ibrahim Babangida as military president.

“I must confess that I led that operation. I went to Dodan Barracks that time in company of two other officers – then Major John Madaki and Lawan Gwadabe. Three of us went, but specifically I was the one that went upstairs to bring Buhari,” Mr. Aminu said.

The retired colonel, who was also a one- time military administrator of Borno state, denied mistreatingMr. Buhari while arresting him.
He said he had and still has deep respect for Mr. Buhari and that he still remain an admirer of the President and could not therefore have shown him any disrespect.

“With due respect, I have been reading in the papers and listening to radio, people saying that we manhandled him, we disrespected him. That was not true. I and General Buhari are the only two who knew what transpired upstairs and there was nothing like that.

“We gave him his absolute respect as a superior, because even before that time, we had absolute respect for him, because of whom and what he was. We respect him a lot till today and there is no animosity between us and he knew it was a military assignment that we were carrying out from our superior. He even told me at one time.

“So for us, it is just like the other way round of when he came to power during the anti-Shagari coup. I was among those who played a major role in getting him to power. So, he knew the role I played. And even Buhari knew in 2003, I was arrested because of him. That time, I supported him. I worked for him at that time, without even him knowing anyway, but he later knew. You see, once you believe in somebody and you know he has the capability, you can do anything for him without even him knowing,” he said.

Mr. Aminu said it was a “blatant lie” reports that Mr. Buhari was handcuffed.

“It is a blatant lie. In an operation of that nature, we don’t carry handcuffs,” he said

He however, admitted that he did not salute the then Head of State at the time because the flag had been lowered.

“I did not salute him because according to military tradition and norms when the flag is lowered, you can only pay compliments the way you deem fit, not salutation.

“We met at 2 a.m. and at that time, we don’t salute because the flag is down, until 6 am again when the flag is up. To insinuate that he was handcuffed, that is far from the truth. We only accorded him all the respects he deserved. I still hold him in very high esteem,” he said.

The ex-military administrator also gave insight into the ongoing insurgency in the north east which began in Borno state where he was a Military Governor.

He blamed authorities for not tackling the incident at its preliminary stage and allowed it to fester, hence the difficualty in arresting the situation.

Mr. Aminu recalled that while he was governor in old Borno (comprising Borno and Yobe States) there was a security challenge caused by the proliferation of arms and ammunitions from the political uphealvals in nearby Chad Republic.

He said he brought together all security agencies in the state and adopted what he called an “unorthodox method” of dealing with the situation.

He said plain cloth security men use buses to infiltrate criminal gangs.

“I ordered the purchase of two buses used by security personnel in civil dress and unarmed. That was how we were able to check the insecurity.

“They would think that they were ordinary people and we arrested many of them, sometimes we killed some. And from there, we had a lot of information until we checked the criminals and that was how we eliminated them right from the beginning,” he said.
Mr. Aminu however, said the Boko Haram crisis had metamorphosed into a serious problem for the Nigerian government now.

He said it has gone beyond insurgency because al-Qaeda and ISIS are being alleged to be involved or supporting Boko Haram in Nigeria.

“They are using armoured vehicles, heavy machine-guns and sometimes helicopter. So it is not a child’s play. I’m happy that they have taken full military operation to bring to an end the problem of insurgency in the Northeast.

Mr. Aminu also said if the concept of National Gurad as put in place by the Babangida administration in 1993 was allowed to thrive, the unit would have checked and nip in the but most criminal activities including insurgency before they get out of hand,

“I recall that in early 1993, during Babangida’s administration, National Guard was established and I was the pioneer commander. When it was established, Abacha was vehemently against it, because the military, the police and other security agencies saw it as a rival organization.

“The military and politicians were not comfortable. Some say Babangida established the unit to enhance his stay in power but that was not the idea. Before it was established, I went to seven countries that established similar outfits. When I came back, we even started sending people for training, suddenly it was abolished.

“Believe me if that outfit was allowed to thrive, armed robberies, kidnappings and all these would not be, because we could have curtailed them from the onset. We could have had the intelligence to discover all these things. That was our mandate. No security outfit had that kind of mandate and our training was geared towards that. The essence at that time was to establish it as a fighting force as well, so that if there was any attack on Nigeria, it would be the National Guard who would take the first shot to stand the enemy. If it gets to the point that they cannot cope, then the military comes in,” he said.