General Dan-Ali’s indelible footprints in northwest and northeast of nigeria in Buhari’s administration as minister of defense, By Haruna Yusuf

General Dan-Ali’s indelible footprints in northwest and northeast of nigeria in Buhari’s administration as minister of defense, by Haruna Yusuf

Northwest/east security architecture cannot be quantified without mentioning Dan-Ali.

As Nigeria’s defense minister in Buhari’s administration, he took on number of major policy initiatives that aimed at fostering sustainable reduction in security crisis and the determination that shore-up defense capability in a country that was beset by perennial unrest on many fronts, ranging from terrorism, militancy, banditry, kidnapping and criminality across the nation.

Today grassroot politics has become a major yardstick for measuring success or otherwise of elected or appointed political office holders.

Gen Dan-Ali (retd) has proven to be a leader of high ethics and morality, a professional military officer who exhibited uncommon wisdom and remarkable vision as minister of defense.

Going by his antecedent, he has achieved quite a milestone in his time as the most outstanding minister of defense, he has excelled security wise and distinguished himself as minister and brought tremendous security architecture to his state zamfara and northwest among others.

1) He helped in establishing eight (8) command secondary schools in different places to provide more opportunities for education to poor and less privileged children, 3 across zamfara state, Gusau the state capital, talata-marafa and kaura- namoda precisely.

2) He established helicopter gyro-garage in zamfara

3) He also established the airforce base in zamfara on kaura-namoda highway in gusau.

4) He established (quick rapid response) of warplanes in katsina to bring immediate response to the security problem in the northwest region.

5) He also established a large military barracks in zamfara on the kaura-namoda road.

6) He established the command guest house in gusau to provide a good environment and full security for soldiers and the community.

7) He established a brigade command in gusau where zamfara state got a Brigadier General as commander.

8) He created 2 divisions at Sokoto and Maiduguri the borno state capital and named 8 and 7 divisions respectively.

9) He helped brought about military exercise called operation Harbin Kunama which was launched by president muhammadu Buhari in dansadau forest to eradicate bandits in zamfara forests.

10) He established military insurance system and built offices in zamfara, Sokoto, kebbi and Katsina respectively.

11) Procurement of new equipment for the armed forces, establishment of new military colleges and fresh alliances with World military powers in defense and aerospace technology.

12) Gen Mansur Dan-Ali initiated the procurement of 6 Tucano high precision bombers with USA, which became operational in year 2024

13) coordination of the presidential directives relocating the military command and control centre to the northeast, this has incrementally boosted the fighting spirit and general morale of the troops across the theatre of operations.

14) Launching of some operations exercise like Gama Aiki, 1 and 2, iron force, Sharan Daji, ayem akpatuma, delta safe, safe haven, safe conduct mesa, last hold, crocodile smile and python dance.

15) Operation whirl stroke to tackle security challenges in Benue, nasarawa, taraba, zamfara and birnin gwari in Kaduna state.

16) Introducing a harmonised terms and conditions of service to all military personnel to improve their living standard after retirement.
Dan-Ali also helped implement a prompt payment of troops’ operations allowances and personal monthly emoluments as well as ensuring that troops who have stayed for a reasonable time in the theatre of operations are rotated and new ones inducted.

17) Initiating a fundamental review of the nation’s defense policy to meet up with global security challenges, the ministry procured a group life insurance scheme for military personnel and has touched the entire gamut of the military pensions to the benefit of service retirees.

18) Under the able supervision of mansur Dan-Ali, the Nigeria airforce invented unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) nicknamed ‘Tsaigumi’, and it was unveiled by President Buhari, the UAV is capable of day and night operations with an operational endurance in excess of 10 hours, a service celling of 15,000 feet and a mission radius of 100 kilometers, including a maximum take-off weight of 95 kilograms, while it payload is an electric optic/infrared camera system.

19) It was Dan-Ali who inducted four MI 35 helicopters from Russia deployed in the ground attack in the northeast to boost the operations of Nigeria airforce which has also produced hydraulic accumulator diaphragms for the helicopters locally.

20) Dan-Ali directed all military formations across the country to establish human right desk to treat complaints promptly in furtherance of Nigerians to honour it obligations under various human rights treaties.

21) He negotiated a Memorandum of understanding with the UK, Russia, Turkey and France including other African countries such as equatorial Guinea to cover maintenance security.

22) Dan-Ali was a delegate at the 2014 national conference, when the nation’s wise men and women were assembled to proffer solution to the country’s political problems, infact he served as the secretary of the security sub-committee.

23) He built a school named el-eman nursery/primary school which he gave freely to his community to enable children of the poor and less privileged to study for free.

It is time Nigerians stop giving into religious and political fights, it is high time to stop following misleading leaders, it is time to look at each other through the common thread of humanity disregarding all differences, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliations, let us cultivate that encourages peaceful mental relationship….These are words on marble..

Haruna Yusuf is a political analyst writes in from Abuja

Can be reached @ harunayusuf750@gmail.com