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Declare Your Assets, Buratai Directs Senior Army Personnel
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, has directed senior military personnel to declare their assets in compliance with the code of conduct for public officers.
He stated that personnel entrusted with leadership responsibility must understand the importance of assets declaration and code of conduct.
Declaring open, a two-day workshop on ‘Compliance with Assets Declaration and Code of Conduct for Officers and Soldiers,’ facilitated by Go-Getters Consulting Ltd., in Abuja, yesterday, the COAS said the Nigerian Army would partner with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to ensure public morality and accountability in the conduct of its activities.
Buratai noted that the workshop was important to the Army as it afforded the servicemen the opportunity to fulfil their obligations as public officers in line with the provision of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
He said, “The Nigerian Army under my leadership is desirous of maintaining the highest standard of accountability in the conduct of our activities, consistent with the requirements and behaviours of public officers which conform to the highest standard of probity, public morality, transparency and accountability.
“Accordingly, I have directed that the workshop be conducted in the six Army Divisions nationwide. My directive is premised on the belief that every Army personnel entrusted with leadership responsibility must understand the importance of Assets Declaration and Code of Conduct for public officers and comply with all the provisions and requirements.”
Speaking, the Chairman, CCB, Isa Mohammed, noted that the challenges confronting the nation were the result of indiscipline in public life.
Mohammed, who was represented by Prof Samuel Ogundare, commended the Nigerian Army for organizing the workshop, which he said would afford the participants the opportunity to fully understand the workings of the Code of Conduct Bureau and the need for assets declaration.
In his welcome address, the Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation, Maj-Gen. H. Vintenaba, emphasised that the workshop would help military officers to understand the consequences of non-compliance with the provisions of the CCB on assets declaration.
He said, “This workshop is timely as it would offer officers and soldiers the opportunity to understand fully the requirements for code of conduct and assets declaration as well as consequences for non-compliance.”
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.