Senegalese troops lead offensive to send Jammeh packing

Senegalese troops have entered The Gambia to ensure Adama Barrow assumes power as the country's new president, a Senegalese army spokesman has said.

It comes shortly after Mr Barrow took the oath of office at The Gambia's embassy in the capital of Senegal.

He has been recognised internationally. But strongman Yahya Jammeh has refused to quit and is backed by parliament.

West African leaders have threatened to remove Mr Jammeh by force. The UN has backed their support for Mr Barrow.

The 15-member Security Council stressed on Thursday that this should be pursued "by political means first".

*Adama Barrow's inauguration: Question Gambians are asking
*Some Gambians angry that Barrow's inauguration was held abroad

Senegalese army spokesman Col Abdou Ndiaye was quoted by news agencies as saying the country's troops entered The Gambia on Thursday afternoon.

Troops advancing to forcefully remove Jammeh

Nigeria said earlier in the day that its "armed reconnaissance air force are over Gambia", AFP reports.

"They have the capacity to strike," Nigerian Air Force spokesman Ayodele Famuyiwa told the news agency.

After the swearing in ceremony, Adama Barrow ordered Gambian soldiers to remain in their barracks.

West African military forces have made it clear they are ready to enforce a transfer of power in the country, a popular beach destination among European holidaymakers.

Mr Barrow took oath at the Gambian embassy in Dakar.

In his inauguration speech, he ordered all members of The Gambia's armed forces to remain in their barracks.

"Those found illegally holding arms will be considered rebels," he warned.

Western ambassadors to Senegal, the UN envoy for West Africa and officials from the regional bloc Ecowas (Economic Community of West African States) attended the ceremony, while hundreds of Gambian expatriates gathered outside the compound.

Meanwhile, Mr Jammeh's term in office has been extended for three months by a two-thirds majority in parliament. Some experts say he still has a legitimate claim to be called the country's president.
Gambian Information Minister Sidie Njie told the BBC on Thursday that Mr Jammeh would not leave his office.

BREAKING: Police raid PREMIUM TIMES head office; arrest publisher, journalist

The Nigeria police have raided PREMIUM TIMES head office in Abuja, and arrested the newspaper’s publisher.

The publisher, Dapo Olorunyomi, was arrested alongside the paper’s judiciary correspondent, Evelyn Okakwu.

Plain-clothed officers conducted search at the office shortly after 5p.m. Thursday, and said they were acting on a complaint filed by the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai.

The arrests came days after PREMIUM TIMES turned down the army’s demand to retract news stories about the Nigerian Army and its operations.

The paper’s Editor-in-Chief, Musikilu Mojeed, condemned the raid.

“They should stop deluding themselves that they can muzzle the press and intimidate PREMIUM TIMES,” said Mr. Mojeed. “They should know that our loyalty lies with our readers and the Nigerian people who have a right to know.”

He said the paper will continue “to discharge its responsibilities in line with global best practices, social responsibility and patriotism, even at great risk to our personal liberties”.


*** From Premium Times

Abdulsalami, Sultan, Kukah storm Southern Kaduna for peace

Former military head of state, General Abubakar Abdulsalami (rtd); the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji  Muhammadu  Sa’ad Abubakar III; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Dr.Matthew Hassan Kukah; and other members of the National Peace Committee  yesterday launched a fresh initiative  to restore peace to Southern Kaduna.

Abdulsalami

Hundreds of lives have been lost in repeated attacks on villages in the area by people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, heightening   tension in the state.

The delegation met with Governor Nasir El-Rufai on the issue.

General Abdulsalami told reporters at the end of the meeting with the governor that peace could only return, if the people were ready to dialogue and forgive one another.

“Within the week, we are going to meet with other stakeholders, religious leaders,  chiefs in the area and also visit the sites where these problems are and discuss with the people,” he said.
“We will later sit  down and see what we think should be done.

“Then, we come back to the governor and if necessary to the federal government.

“These clashes and killings are not limited to Kaduna State; it is something that is engulfing the country. So we want to make sure that peace reigns in Nigeria, to make sure that people know that we are together. We have to live in peace with each other and we have what it is to give and take.

“We are reaching a situation in the country where human life doesn’t mean anything to people and this is wrong.

“There is no religion on earth or anywhere that preaches violence. So this is why we are here today.

“Everybody is aggrieved in one way or the other, so what we beg of people is to be patient; try as much as possible  to forgive and to be each other’s keeper. We must live together; we must find solutions to the problems; we must sit down and talk to ourselves because there is no problem that cannot be solved when you are talking to each other.”

 Bishop Kukah also said: “I think the visit  is more of a solidarity with the people of Kaduna State. We are here to hear for ourselves what exactly is happening and what we can do in  the hope that we can find a way forward based on the situation.

“We are part of the delegation. I convened the peace committee and what we are doing now is trying to bring about peace.  We are looking at how we can achieve peace and stability.

“I think what the people of Kaduna State, including the government, should be doing now is to look into how we can achieve peace and development and I think that is the reason we have democracy.
“So whatever contributions anybody can make, we need to make them. People have expressed their minds.

“What is going on now is a very sad phase in our history, but I believe that we can get over it and we will get over it and come out stronger and committed to peace”, he said.

Adama Barrow's inauguration: Question Gambians are asking

Adama Barrow

The masses of the Gambia are shouting down heavens with jubilation over the successful inauguration of their President Elect, Adama Barrow, even-though the exercise took place outside the country, in Dakar, the capital of Senegal.

But due to the atmosphere of fear in their country, the people are celebrating mainly on social media platforms, especially Facebook.

Bah Amadou, a journalist wrote, " There is jubilation everywhere. Congratulations His Excellency President Adama Barrow, President of the Third Republic of the Gambia. Just finished his official swearing-in and administration of oaths of Office in Dakar now".

" From now on President Barrow is the legally and international recognised President of the Republic of the Gambia. He is the President of the Republic Gambia from now on and will soon be in Gambian soil to rule the Country".

However many of the people said they need clarification on how Barrow will be leading their country following refusal of Yaya Jammeh to relinquish power.

Aisha Ottun Raheem, asked "Will he be ruling from Senegal now Bah Amadou? Please explain to some of us here".

Sophiyah Ceesay, "Am also asking the same Question,Is he ruling the Senegalese or the Gambian?"

In the vein, a Gambian sympathizer, Deborah Eneojo Samuel , asked "So Gambia have two Presidents now, one at home and  one in Diaspora?"

Meanwhile, it is reported that in some Gambian cities, the masses who could not hold back their ecstasy actually stormed the streets to celebrate the swearing-in of Barrow.

See some pictures:

Some Gambians angry that Barrow's inauguration was held abroad

Many citizens of the Gambia are aggrieved that the inauguration their President Elect, Adama Barrow, was taken to the country's closest neighbour, Senegal.

President Adama Barrow arrives for Swearing in CEREMONY at Gambian embassy in Dakar

Gambians , especially youths  who have been keenly following the tensed political developments in their country, flooded the social media to express their grievance.

Sainey Marenah, based in Senegal's Capital, Dakar, after sit-tight president, Yahaya Jammeh made the country uncomfortable for him, wrote on his Facebook wall; "I don't like the idea of our president being sworn in a foreign land. This is total unacceptable and an insult to our sovereignty. If Barrow cannot to be sworn in Banjul is better to cancel the inauguration until the situation normalise".

Many others who commented on his post also expressed regret that the inauguration was not conducted on their home soil.

One of them Ibou Dogo Thiam, said "Why  should he be sworn in somewhere else than Gambia?Yaya Jammeh went too far". 

On the other hand, some others said holding the inauguration abroad should be commended, given the bad political atmosphere in Gambia, adding that the country's embassy anywhere in the World is its home.

Alieubadara Jabbi writes ,"Brother  but this not about your likeness or hate but it is all about constitutions and legality of the law. In this kind of conditions what do you expect from Gambians? If he did not sworn-in then he will not have executive power to run the affairs of the country. What do you think now?"

From Ras Mako , "Its alright. Let Him be and it can be remembered. All because of donkey babali man sah!!".

To Diarre Drame, "Sometimes you do whatever works. And besides he is being sworn-in on Gambian land, Gambian embassy being in Senegal or anywhere else is Gambian soil. So let's not get ekky about that and focus on the bigger picture".

Meanwhile , Sainey who is on ground at Dakar to give live broadcast of the event, reported that, "Adama Barrow sworn in as third PRESIDENT of The Gambia by Gambia Bar Association President, Sheriff Marie Tambadou".

Rice farmers urged to embrace Benue borrowers’ scheme

Benue farmers have been urged to key into the Federal Government funded Anchor Borrowers Programme in order to close the deficit gap in rice production in the country.

Rice farm

This call was made on Tuesday, January 17, 2017 in Makurdi, Benue State during the International Fund for Agricultural Development-Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) Borrowers Training Programme by the Lead Consultant, Rural Finance Institution Building Programme (RUFIN), Ibrahim Adamu.

Adamu who noted that many challenges discourage farmers from producing at their best, stated that the Anchor Borrowers Programme initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Bank of Industry (BoI) is aimed at solving those challenges.

According to him, through the programme, farmers will be supported with finance in the form of agriculture inputs through the BoI to cultivate to specifications of the Anchors, who in turn will support the farmers’ production and sale of produce at rates beneficial to both parties.

Adamu noted that rice production in the country is at a deficit but that, with the scheme, rice production could be increased to meet the expected six million tonnes to serve the country.

Earlier, State Programme Coordinator (SPC) of IFAD-VCDP, Emmanuel Igbaukum, stated that the IFAD-VCDP intervention in Benue State had been extended to five more local government areas of Kwande, Katsina Ala, Buruku, Otukpo and Oju, following a pilot scheme initiated by government in Gwer West LGA using the IFAD-VCDP template.

According to the SPC, the new intervention is funded by CBN through the Anchor Borrowers Programme, midwifed by BoI to join ranks with the IFAD-VCDP pilot projects in Gwer East, Ogbadibo, Okpokwu, Guma and Logo LGAs as a measure to boost agriculture in the state and country, especially in rice and cassava production.

Speaking during a technical session to educate the new farmers amongst others on the programme, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Representative, Sylvester Akpenyi, said they were committed to serve smallholder farmers who hitherto were disadvantaged in accessing loans for farming.

He maintained that the smallholder farmers would be trained so as to enable them take farming as a business and get the best out of their Anchor Borrowers Programme arrangement.

By Damian Daga, Makurdi

*** From Environews

President Buhari travels abroad for health reason

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to proceed on a 10-day vacation beginning from Monday next week.

Buhari disclosed this in a letter, read by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, during plenary today, Thursday 19, 2017.

The letter says during the vacation which is part of the presidents 2017 annual leave, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is to act as President.

In a statement Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said, President Buhari will depart for London on Thursday 19^th, two working days before his leave is due to commence.

 Adesina added that while in London, President Buhari would undergo routine medical checkup.

“President Muhammadu Buhari leaves for the United Kingdom today on a short leave, which is part of his annual vacation. He is expected to resume work on February 6, 2017.”

 “During the vacation, the President will also undergo routine medical check-ups.”

“In line with Section 145 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the President of the Senate, and Speaker, House of Representatives, have been duly communicated.”

“While away, the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, will perform the functions of the Office of the President”.