News

We don’t need mercenaries to end insurgency – NSA

Published

6 years ago

March 12, 2021

The Federal Government has ruled out hiring mercenaries to fight the insurgency war, saying the country has enough personnel and resources to fight insecurity.

It also foreclosed negotiations with bandits and terrorists, contending that doing so could suggest weakness and incapacity on the part of the government.

Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), stated that the services of mercenaries would no longer be required as the military has the firepower and expertise to defeat insurgents.

Monguno spoke following clamour that the federal government should enlist military contractors to bring a quick end to the anti-terror war.

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, rekindled the debate on the necessity of employing mercenaries to assist troops in combating the insurgency.

Zulum had also called on the federal government to seek the support of neighbouring countries in the fight against insurgency.

The governor in November 2020 had made a case for the employment of mercenaries as done by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Jonathan administration had used specialised tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection (STTEP), a South African company, to degrade the insurgents in the North-east, making it possible for the reclaiming of some towns and villages from the insurgents, which eventually paved the way for the conduct of elections in many areas in Borno State in 2015.

The governor, at the North-East Governors’ Forum meeting in Bauchi last week, restated his advocacy for the recruitment of foreign fighters in the fight against insurgency.

The House of Representatives, a week later, joined Zulum in demanding the recruitment of foreign mercenaries to assist in the fight against insurgency.

The House passed a resolution on Wednesday for the recruitment of foreign fighters following a motion moved by Hon. Abdulkadir Rahis, representing Maiduguri Metropolitan Federal Constituency.

But Hon. Manu Masur, representing Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, moved for an amendment of the motion and asked the federal government to consider foreign-paid fighters. The motion was adopted after it was put to a voice vote.

However, Monguno ruled out the FG seeking the help of mercenaries in the renewed onslaught against Boko Haram, revealing that troops have killed no fewer than 2,403 insurgents since the current administration took off in May 2015.

According to him, it is pointless re-engaging the mercenaries in the fight against Boko Haram since Nigeria has enough resources to deal with the situation.

He said, “The president’s view and the directive are that we will not engage mercenaries when we have our own people to deal with these problems. We have the personnel and resources, and the president has given a new lease of life to the armed forces.”

He stated that theFG would also deploy all necessary force to eliminate insurgents and bandits rather than opening talks with them.

“We can’t be singing the same song every day, and these people are unreliable. They are ignoble; they are ready to undermine whatever agreement we have had. So, because of that, if the opportunity avails itself, of course, we will talk with responsible people from the side of those people. I don’t even know how to categorise them because it’s not as if they are looking for something you can point a finger at; it’s not some kind of nationalistic situation – something you can actually identify and relate to,” he said.

Monguno described bandits and insurgents as a murderous group of individuals who are keyed up on drugs, adding that there is nothing to negotiate with them.

He said, “While the government is not averse to talking to these entities, these human beings, I have to be very honest, the government has to apply its weight, that force that is required because you can’t even talk with people who are unreliable, who will turn out to do a different thing and people who will continue to hurt society.

“So, basically, what the government wants to rely upon is to deal with this issue by using all the assets – military assets, intelligence assets to eliminate these people.

“If along the line, some of them are ready to come out and talk and negotiate, when the time comes, we will do that but for now, we can’t keep on dwelling on let’s dialogue.”

Monguno emphasised that negotiating with the criminals will suggest weakness and incapacity on the part of the government.

“Psychologically, it is not even good for us. It paints the picture of weakness; it paints the picture of incapacity, and I, just like what the governor of Kaduna State said, do not see any reason why we cannot, with what we have, deal with these elements.

“These are people, who are not looking for anything that is genuine or legitimate; these are people who are just out to perform atrocities, to take calculated measures to inflict pain, violence on people,” he said.

He stated that the new direction of government “is to come out with full force,” adding that the government will not allow itself to be blackmailed by any group or any individual “who thinks he can hide under the surface and use proxies to deal a fatal blow on innocent people. I want to assure you categorically and unequivocally, government is going to apply full weight to deal with these criminals until such a time that they vacate the shores of this country.”

The NSA explained that is difficult to quantify achievements in the security sector, as most successes are operational in nature “which can only be satisfactorily narrated to the people in the complete absence of panic, etc.”

On the achievements of Buhari’s administration in the security sector since it assumed office on May 29, 2015, Monguno said the security forces have killed 2,403 insurgents, sea pirates and freed 864 kidnapped persons.

He stressed the need for cooperation among the different arms of government to fashion out and apply new laws to deal with insecurity in the country.

He added that it makes no sense using 1958 laws to punish today’s offences.

He listed major issues impeding efforts at battling insecurity as personnel shortage and lack of equipment, adding that Buhari has now given the go-ahead to address the problems.

He also called on people to assist security agencies with Intelligence to overcome the asymmetric war as only locals can provide information to apprehend criminals among them.

Related Topics:insurgency mercenaries NSA

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International

Truly Depraved Rapist Jailed for 17 Years After Violent Attack on Woman

Published

11 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

A 24-year-old Nigerian national, Gift Oladele, dragged a young woman into woodland and violently raped her has been jailed for 17 years after a judge described his actions as “truly depraved”.

Gift Oladele carried out the attack in Wrexham, North Wales, in September last year after approaching the victim, who was 19 at the time, as she walked home from a night out.

Oladele was convicted of rape and sexual assault at Mold Crown Court in March. He was sentenced on Thursday.

How the Attack Happened

The court heard that Oladele approached the woman and her friends outside a takeaway in Wrexham city centre. He initially appeared friendly and flirtatious before offering to walk home with her.

According to prosecutor James Coutts, Oladele accompanied the woman until they reached an isolated area, where he grabbed her by the mouth and forced her into the woods.

He then carried out a violent rape.

“She described being terrified,” Coutts told the court. “She did what she thought she needed to do to get through the attack.”

Oladele threatened to find and harm the victim if she reported the rape. He also threatened to take photographs of her and post them online.

Despite the threats, the woman returned home and immediately told her parents, who contacted the police.

Oladele was arrested the following day at his cousin’s home in Wrexham. Officers said he had attempted to hide a mobile phone, which contained searches relating to sexual attacks.

The court heard that Oladele had a “fascination in forced sexual abuse and rape” and that he appeared to be acting out a fantasy shown in the videos he had searched for.

Victim Describes Lasting Trauma

In a victim impact statement, the woman told the court that she continued to wake up from nightmares in which Oladele had tracked her down.

“I’m petrified,” she said.

She also described taking medication to prevent HIV infection after the assault and suffering long-term emotional and psychological effects.

“I feel ashamed, and somehow damaged, since what he did to me,” she said.

“The emotional impact has been very significant.

“I can’t go anywhere on my own anymore.

“I feel unsafe.”

Judge Simon Mills praised the woman for her courage during and after the attack.

“You showed exceptional courage during the incident and afterwards,” he told her.

Previous Conviction and Deportation Appeal

At the time of the Wrexham attack, Oladele was already on bail over another rape allegation in Manchester dating from November 2024.

He had also been jailed in 2022 for a sexually motivated attack.

The court heard that Oladele was later due to be deported to Nigeria but successfully challenged the decision on human rights grounds.

An immigration tribunal judge described the deportation case as “finely balanced”, acknowledging the seriousness of Oladele’s previous offence and the public interest in deporting foreign criminals.

However, the tribunal also considered his ties to the United Kingdom, where he had grown up, and the consequences of relocating to Nigeria.

The Home Office made two attempts to appeal the decision, but both appeals were rejected.

Judge Calls Defendant Dangerous

During sentencing, The Judge described Oladele’s actions as “truly depraved”.

“You subjected her to a terrible violation,” he said.

“You are a dangerous offender.”

The judge said Oladele posed an exceptionally high risk of harm to young women and had shown “absolutely no remorse whatsoever”.

The Home Office described the case as horrific and said Oladele’s imprisonment was the right outcome.

The victim’s account has highlighted not only the brutality of the attack but also the lasting fear and emotional damage that sexual violence can cause long after the offender has been convicted.

News

Missing Billions: Lawmakers Summon NNPCL and 146 Marketers Over ₦432bn Downstream Debt

Published

13 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Nigeria’s federal lawmakers are putting the downstream energy sector under the microscope after audit records revealed that state oil firm NNPCL and private fuel marketers have piled up at least ₦432 billion in unpaid regulatory obligations.

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) confirmed the formal probe this week, following persistent warnings raised in the Auditor-General’s 2023 and 2024 annual reports.

Regulatory Levies Left Unpaid

The mountain of debt has accumulated over a six-year period from 2017 to 2023, remaining largely uncollected despite the country’s tight fiscal squeeze.

Audit records track a steep rise in default:

The 2023 audit initially captured ₦392 billion in total arrears, with NNPCL carrying over ₦162 billion and commercial marketers responsible for ₦230 billion.
The 2024 report revealed that private marketer debt alone had swelled to ₦432 billion, separate from state-owned NNPCL liabilities.
Regulatory data from the NMDPRA confirms that 146 companies affiliated with DAPPMAN and MEMAN owed ₦327 billion by 2025.

No Hiding Place for Defaulters

PAC Chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, made it clear that parliament expects compliance from corporate leaders, issuing a firm directive against corporate stonewalling.

Salam emphasized that the committee will scrutinize why statutory revenues were permitted to sit idle without vigorous enforcement from the NMDPRA. Defaulters will be forced to present audit trails detailing every transaction, outstanding balances, and proof of any remittances made to date.

For lawmakers, the objective is unambiguous: plug commercial leakages, enforce fiscal discipline, and recover every outstanding naira owed to the federation.

News

Fresh Blackout Hits Abuja as Apo Substation Transformer Trips

Published

13 hours ago

September 9, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Parts of the nation’s capital have once again been plunged into darkness following an early-morning equipment failure at the Apo Transmission Substation on Wednesday.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) confirmed the outage, attributing the disruption to the tripping of a 100MVA TR4 power transformer at its 132kV/33kV facility. Preliminary findings trace the failure to an oil spillage on the transformer’s red-phase High Voltage (HV) bushing, which forced four critical 33kV feeders, H31, H33, H35, and H37 offline.