Former Nigerian Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has expressed concerns over the country’s economic hardship, stating that it is “getting out of control.”

Abubakar stated this while receiving the leadership of the Campaign for Democracy and Human Rights, led by Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi, who visited his uphill residence in Minna, Niger State, on Tuesday.

He noted that many Nigerians struggle to afford basic needs like food and transportation.

“Everybody is crying about this hardship and it seems to be getting out of control, people cannot afford three square meals.

“The issue of transportation, the hike in fuel, the hike in school fees for the children and the lack of funds in everybody’s pocket is making life difficult for everybody,” the elder statesman observed.

General Abdulsalami Abubakar was the Head of state who organized the 1998 /1999 transition and return Nigeria to full blown Civilian Democracy on May 29 1999

Former National Vice Chairman, North West of the All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, has called on former military and civilian presidents in the country to seize the initiative and make concerted efforts to rescue Nigeria from what he called the present “government’s heartless and mindless policies.”

In a statement titled “Nigerian Democracy in ICU,” the former APC chieftain appealed to two-term civilian president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; former military president and Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and former National Security Adviser, Aliyu Gusau, to take more than a passing interest in the battle for economic survival facing Nigerians as a result of the economic policies of the current administration.

The immediate past Director General of the Progressives Governors Forum noted that the “existential crisis has caught up with even the income-earning population, and governments at all levels are demonstrating both a lack of commitment and inability to respond to the urgency of rescuing the country.”

He said: “One of the big gaps that is there constantly staring Nigerians in the most uncomfortable way is the demobilisation and destruction of democratic structures in the country, which would have ordinarily facilitated consultations with elected leaders and influenced policy decisions of governments at all levels.

The absence of any functional party, whose structures are meeting as provided by their constitutions, is enough evidence. All the so-called big parties don’t hold meetings of their organs.

“The APC is now more of a private limited liability company owned by President Asiwaju Tinubu. PDP, LP, NNPP, and many of the registered parties are all faced with avoidable leadership crises that have strangulated them and are blocking them from holding meetings.

With all these, citizens are denied options and capacity to produce alternative choices. Even the right to register new parties is being blocked seamlessly by INEC.

“With meetings not holding and opposition political leaders manipulated into terminal crisis, Nigerian democracy is in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with no doctor to attend to. Could former President Obasanjo, former Military President Babangida, former Head of State Abdulsalami, and retired General Gusau be the ‘doctors’ needed to get Nigeria out of the ICU? If so, how can they achieve that?”

Even as he admitted that some of the eminent Nigerians he listed lack democratic credentials, Lukman insisted that their intervention has become compelling in the face of the manipulation of the leadership of the main opposition parties by the Presidency and the subordination of the national leadership of the ruling party itself to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Former President Obasanjo, former Military President Babangida, former Head of State Abdulsalami, and retired General Gusau are certainly leaders in their own right who have paid their dues.

At different times in the political history of Nigeria, they were able to intervene. Arguably, their interventions may have in one way or another contributed to getting Nigeria to its current messy situation.

“For instance, the political practices that are responsible for the erosion of political competition in political parties in Nigeria could be traceable to the tenure of former President Obasanjo.

The policy of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) under former Military President Babangida could have been the source of inspiration for President Asiwaju Tinubu’s impulsive and unplanned policies.

“Although, to be fair to former Military President Babangida, to use Chidi Amuta’s words, he ‘balanced compassion and hard policy choices.’

To the extent of contributing to getting Nigeria to the current messy situation, these leaders owe a responsibility to the nation to take it out of the ICU.

“Getting Nigerian democracy out of the ICU is a function of the ability to revive, restore, and strengthen democratic structures in the country, which is dependent on the ability to create at least a functional political party that would allow for political competition within its structures and, by extension, in the country.

This should not just be about identifying and promoting a candidate who will emerge as a candidate in any of the registered parties.

“Once the approach is limited to producing a candidate, the potential of falling into a legal booby trap imposed by the manipulative activities of President Asiwaju Tinubu and APC is high.

“Part of the legal booby trap is that the potential candidate may be produced by a leadership faction of a political party, which will throw the party and the candidate into court cases that will undermine electoral viability.

The other challenge is that producing a candidate may not guarantee a corresponding commitment by elected leaders to honor their campaign promises and be accountable to Nigerians.

“For elected leaders to come with a corresponding commitment to honor campaign promises and be accountable to Nigerians requires the existence of a strong political party whose organs will meet as prescribed by the party’s constitution.

Above all, the profile of the leadership of the party should be at least equivalent to that of the elected leadership of the country.

“A situation whereby party leadership is below the profile of elected leaders is injurious to Nigerian democracy and will retain it in the ICU.

“Therefore, if former President Obasanjo, former Military President Babangida, former Head of State Abdulsalami, and retired General Gusau are truly committed to rescuing Nigerian democracy and getting it out of the ICU, they should facilitate a deeper engagement of opposition political leaders in the country.

Beyond anything, this will help reset Nigerian democracy and restore the confidence of Nigerians in surviving the current hard times imposed by the impulsive, unplanned, and undemocratic policies of President Asiwaju Tinubu.”

By Asile Abel, Jos

Troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN, under the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, have arrested five notorious gunrunners and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in an intelligence-driven operation in Plateau State. The raid was part of ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal weapons in the Joint Operations Area.

Displaying the suspects in Jos at the Headquarters of Operation SAFE HAVEN, Major Stephen Nantip Zhakom, Military Public Information Officer for Operation SAFE HAVEN, while addressing the press, confirmed the arrests and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to ensuring peace and security in the region by eliminating illegal arms trafficking.

The operation, which took place from midnight on September 16 to the early hours of September 17, 2024, targeted a gunrunning syndicate in the Naraguta Mining Area, Bayameni, along Bauchi Road in Jos North Local Government Area. The troops successfully arrested a key suspect, Mohammed Sani, along with four accomplices.

The following weapons and ammunition were seized:

– Two AK-47 rifles
– One Fabrique Nationale automatic rifle
– Fourteen AK-47 magazines
– One Fabrique Nationale magazine
– 5,316 rounds of 7.62 MM (Special)
– Ninety-eight rounds of 7.62 MM (NATO)
– Forty-three rounds of 9 MM

The suspects are currently undergoing interrogation, and authorities are hopeful that further intelligence gathered from the suspects will lead to the dismantling of the gunrunning syndicate’s supply chain and the arrest of additional members involved in the illegal arms trade.

Major Zhakom emphasized that Operation SAFE HAVEN will continue its operations to rid the region of illegal arms, ensuring sustained peace and security in Plateau State.