News
Taraba, Middle Belt say army panel report on Danjuma’s ‘window dressing’
The Taraba State Government and groups, including Middle Belt organisations, on Sunday rejected the report of a panel set by the Nigerian Army to investigate the allegation levelled against soldiers by a former Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (retd.).
The state government and groups stated this in separate interviews with The PUNCH, while commenting on the report submitted by the panel on Friday
Danjuma had, in March, advised Nigerians to defend themselves, saying soldiers were not neutral in the killings allegedly being perpetrated by armed Fulani herdsmen.
He said soldiers colluded with the bandits to kill people.
The 10-man army panel, which was inaugurated on April 9, by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, had dismissed Danjuma’s claims and asked the elder statesman to take caution.
The panel said in its report, “There was no collusion on the part of the army and units operating in Taraba State with any bandit as stated by Danjuma. There was good collaboration, synergy and cooperation between the army and other security agencies operating in the state.
“Most of the crises in Taraba are politically motivated and some persons are deliberately escalating the situation for selfish gains. With respect to the statement by Danjuma, it is clear that the allegations are not true. Hence, there is need to urge for caution on the part of the elder statesman, in view of the security implications of such comments.”
Army can’t be a judge in own case –Taraba govt
But the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Taraba State on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan-Abu, told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview that the state government rejected the report in its entirety.
Bala noted that what the army did was simply to take the position of a judge in its own case.
He stated, “The allegations were made against the army and what we expected them to do was to set up an independent panel to investigate the allegations and not to assemble their men to give them justice in their own case.
“The armed forces should set up a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations if they must be taken seriously.
“The allegation that the army is colluding with the armed herdsmen to kill Nigerians was not only made by retired Lt.Gen. T.Y. Danjuma and the Taraba State Government, but the Amnesty International too accused the Army of complicity in the killings, so they cannot deny that.
“The Army was the one that set up the committee, provided terms of reference and received the report from the panel. No one was invited to review the report of the panel. They sat on the report and came up with their findings, so what do you expect?” he asked.
Report, window dressing –Jukun group
On his part, the National Youth Leader of the Jukun Development Association, Mr. Zando Hoku, rejected the report, describing it as window dressing. He said it was meant to appease the powers that be.
“We, the Jukun, have rejected the report. However, we are not surprised because we saw it coming.
“The evidence of collusion is so glaring for all to see. We are on the ground and we knew all that had happened, but the Army was the judge in its own case and it did what was pleasing to it,” he said.
Army deceiving the world –Tiv Group
Reacting to the panel report, the President-General of the Tiv Cultural and Social Association Taraba State, Chief Goodman Dahida, said the army was deceiving the world.
According to him, the army was the one accused of colluding with bandits to kill Nigerians and wondered why it still presided over the investigation.
“We expected the army to have set up an independent joint civil and army committee to investigate the allegations to prove to Nigerians and the world the truth or otherwise of the allegations.
“We reject the report and call on the army to revisit the allegations which were not just in Taraba, but other states of the federation,” he said.
CD, CDHR back Danjuma, say army panel not thorough
Also, two civil society organisations, the Campaign for Democracy and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, knocked the army panel over its findings and for not being representative, noting that an “independent and judicial panel” ought to look at Danjuma’s claims.
The CD President, Usman Abdul, said, “The army will always be in a perpetual denial. Let us be clear and emphatic. Twelve or 11 soldiers were killed in Kaduna State and there was an initial denial. Look at what is happening in Taraba. How can the army claim that none of its personnel was involved in all the anomalies going on there?
“The person who made these claims was once a defence minister, a former Chief of Army Staff and we know he was not speaking from a position of ignorance. He is in the political circle and he has information on issues in the state.
“The panel to investigate the Taraba incident should not be an army affair. It should comprise the civil society organisations and other critical stakeholders in and outside the state.”
Also the CDHR President, Malachy Ugwummadu said, “Danjuma’s comments were a wake-up call and the army conducted itself rightly to set up a panel to verify those allegations. However, in doing that, they breached one of the pillars of justice which is that nobody can be a judge in his own affairs.
“The outcome of a predominantly military panel will always be suspicious. This is why the army is arousing the curiosity of Nigerians with their going into investigations without a genuine intention to get the details or facts of the matter. What would have been ideal in the Taraba matter is a judicial panel of inquiry which comprises professionals.” (Punchng.com)
News
Badaru on Operational Tour of 82 Division, other Military Installations in Enugu and Imo States
The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON mni is currently in Enugu on operational tour of 82 Division of Nigerian Army and other military platforms in Enugu.
He was received on arrival by the General officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army / Commander JTF SE of operation Udoka Major-General H.T Dada and other senior military officers.
The Minister is expected to meet with South East stakeholders on the way forward.
Details later…
Tinubu has granted full oversight responsibilities to Ministers of State over agencies under them amongst whom are Minister of State for Defence Dr. Bello Matawalle, Water Resources and Sanitation, Minister of State for Agriculture and others will henceforth enjoy full oversight responsibilities over such agencies.
President Bola Tinubu at FEC Meeting has approved that ministers of state be given full powers to supervise the agencies under them, the cable reported.
Until now, files pertaining to departments and agencies under their supervision were sent by their permanent secretaries to the senior ministers.
With the new dispensation, ministers of state can now grant all necessary administrative approvals on the governance process of these agencies and departments.
According to a source in the office of the head of service of the federation, “the president was not pleased with the prevailing governing framework in which ministers of states were just ministers in name”.
This, Tinubu reportedly said, led to the “underutilisation of the expertise and capabilities” of most ministers of state.
“The president believes ministers of state should have the right to make decisions and direct action within their areas of responsibility,” the official added.
According to the Cable report, the source said the idea, first mooted by Hadiza Bala Usman, special adviser to the President on policy coordination and head, central delivery coordination unit got an instant buy-in from the President.
With the new directive, the administration hopes “to unleash” the potential of all the ministers, the source added.
…It’s unprecedented to earn above minimum wage in Enugu- Labour
… We’ll commence implementation immediately- ALGON
Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has approved N80,000 minimum wage for the state’s work force, including local government workers, effective October 2024, noting a direct link between a motivated workforce and his administration’s vision of growing the state’s economy from $4.4bn to $30bn.
The new minimum wage covers all state employees, primary school teachers, and local government workers.
Organised labour has described the wage as unprecedented, as it was the first time that Enugu workers would be earning above the national minimum wage.
Mbah announced the new minimum wage on Thursday after a meeting with the Enugu State Minimum Wage Implementation Committee headed by the Head of Service, Kenneth Ugwu and labour leaders, including the state’s labour leaders.
Mbah said, “Few weeks ago, I inaugurated a committee with the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage in Enugu State. Today, I’m happy to announce a new minimum wage for workers in Enugu State, reflecting our fidelity to their welfare, in regard of which we have been resolutely committed.
“We have approved the sum of N80,000 as the new minimum wage in Enugu State. This underscores our commitment to bequeathing lasting legacies of improved living conditions.
“Our commitment to improved workers’ welfare runs deep, and is rooted in the firm understanding of the inextricable link between an inspired workforce and the audacious economic targets we had set our sights on.
“We clearly understood that reducing poverty to the barest minimum and achieving an unprecedented economic growth target were contingent on the output of the workforce. Therefore, for us, the best way to acknowledge that labour creates wealth is by ensuring that the workforce, which creates the wealth that oils the wheel of government, is sufficiently motivated.
“We have similarly demonstrated our commitment to workers welfare through the consistent payment of the wage awards, a gesture we had pledged to sustain until a new wage structure took effect.”
Speaking, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, thanked governor Mbah for always prioritising the welfare of workers, describing the new minimum wage as “a great one for Enugu workers.”
“In the past, when minimum wage is announced, it takes up to one or two years for anything to happen; and when it did, we took anything they gave us as we saw it. But today, you have even given us something much higher than national minimum wage.
“But I am not totally surprised because when other governors were paying N12,000 wage award, you were paying us N25,000. When others paid for some months and stopped, you continued paying it until the new minium wage as you promised. So, we have enjoyed wage award for 11 months and today you announced the minimum wage which is the first of its kind since my 32 years in service,” said.
Speaking to Government House correspondents, the Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, Comrade Ben Asogwa, said, “We are so happy. The governor did not just announce ₦80,000 minium wage, but said that it cascades down to even local government workers. He said that he does not want disparity in salary implementation in Enugu State anymore because we all go to the same market.
“This is the first time in history we are seeing the implementation of minimum wage above the approved amount by the federal government. Actually, when we entered into the negotiation, we were afraid because we know quite well that we are not among the states that share in dividends of oil money. We know quite well that we are at the back when it comes to federal allocation, but His Excellency actually surprised us.
“One thing we have seen is that he understands the impact of motivation on productivity. The governor has set a pace and we know that any other person coming after him will have the challenge to meet up with the target set by His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah.”
On his part, Chairman of the Association of Local Government Workers, ALGON, Enugu State, Hon. Okechukwu Edeh, pledged the commitment of council chairmen to implementing the new minimum wage.
“When you motivate workers, they become more productive. What I am promising on behalf of the Enugu ALGON family is that we are going to cascade the new minimum wage to the local government level. Implementation begins immediately,” he said.
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