From Lateef Taiwo

Former Governor of Abia State and current Lawmaker representing Abia North Senatorial District Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently relieve underperforming Ministers and Security Chiefs of their duties, warning that sentimental leadership decisions could worsen Nigeria’s socio-economic instability.

Speaking in a wide-ranging interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Kalu, who is also the current Chairman of the Senate Committee on the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), stressed that the President must demonstrate political will and courage in reshuffling his cabinet and security leadership to address insecurity and economic discontent.

“Both security chiefs and Ministers, some of them should go. President Tinubu must be courageous enough to sack some of these Ministers,” Kalu declared during the interview with Seun Okinbaloye.

He revealed that he has privately advised the President about specific individuals who, in his opinion, have failed to deliver on their mandates.

While declining to name names, Kalu insisted that performance, not loyalty, should be the benchmark for public service saying;

“If he will take my advice, most of these Ministers I have apprised of, and I’ve talked to him privately some of them should go.

“If he (President Tinubu) will take my advice, some of these security chiefs should go. There must be no sentiment when it comes to redeeming Nigeria.

Kalu blamed worsening insecurity, particularly in farming communities, on political sabotage, alleging that some elite interests are sponsoring unrest to destabilize Tinubu’s administration and seize political power.

“The insecurity in Nigeria is politically induced by politicians and businessmen. Some of them are not even looking for money, they just want to grab power,” he said.

He also criticized the widespread use of U.S. dollars in real estate and street transactions, calling it a symptom of Nigeria’s weak currency controls and a threat to economic sovereignty.

According to him, the government must outlaw street-level use of foreign currencies and emulate countries like South Africa, India, and the UK which tightly regulate currency exchange.

“The use of dollar bills on the street should stop. Landlords and estate agents using dollars as exchange should not happen in Nigeria. If we want to survive, we must take control of our currency, he charged.

While acknowledging that Nigerians are suffering and many reforms are yet to yield tangible benefits, Kalu argued that President Tinubu’s economic policies are on the right path. He cited improvements in macroeconomic indicators such as exchange rate stability and industrial capacity utilization, but admitted the effects are yet to reach the average Nigerian.

“The macro side is coming up, but Nigerians in the lower area are still suffering.

“These changes are still trickling down; it’s going to take another one to two years.”

He urged Nigerians to give the administration more time, citing historical reform examples such as Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew, while emphasizing the need for unity, economic patriotism, and depoliticization of national development.

“We are all friends Tinubu, Atiku, Amaechi, we were all Governors together. Let’s come together and think about the man on the street.”

The interview comes amid mounting public frustration over economic hardship, rising insecurity, and widespread political tensions as the country nears the midpoint of President Tinubu’s first term.

By Wang Zhe, People’s Daily

With a simple scroll of the mouse, the city of Qingdao, east China’s Shandong province, comes vividly into view – high-resolutionbuildings rise sharply, their intricate details clearly rendered.

At his workstation, Hu Zhenbiao, chief systems architect at the Qingdao Institute of Survey and Mapping, introduced a city-scale 3D simulation platform: a full-scale digital twin of the city.

Real-scene 3D modeling has become a vital strategic resource and production element in the development of digital cities and the broader digital economy. By offering accurate, spatial-temporal depictions of urban spaces, these technologies provide vital insight into the dynamics of modern city life, infrastructure, and ecosystems.

The platform, officially launched in March 2021 under the leadership of the Qingdao Institute of Survey and Mapping, represents a landmark in urban digitization.

“Behind this platform lies more than six months of aerial photography, the processing of millions of images, and the 3D modeling of hundreds of thousands of buildings,” Hu explained.

Qingdao’s varied topography – marked by hilly terrain and dramatic elevation changes – necessitated the use of oblique aerial imaging to capture raw imagery and build an accurate 3D model.

For this phase, the project team deployed manned fixed-wing aircraft equipped with 150-megapixel, five-lens oblique aerial cameras. The aerial survey covered the entire urban area, achieving a ground resolution of 15 centimeters and maintaining more than 70 percent image overlap to maximize accuracy.

Hu noted that certain structural details – such as eaves and building undersides – were sometimes difficult to capture due to limited aerial angles, requiring on-site supplemental photography. “We used a combination of hybrid restoration and modeling techniques to accurately reconstruct the structures,” he said, pointing to the Qingdao International Conference Center on his screen. “Those eaves, for example, were recreated using 3D modeling.”

In March 2022, following expert review, the project was officially launched for citywide application. Today, the platform covers Qingdao’s entire land area – 11,000 square kilometers – as well as 800 kilometers of coastline, 49 bays, and seven inhabited islands.

“Fire reported on the eastern slope. Please respond immediately,” came the voice over the radio at the emergency command center in Qingdao’s West Coast New Area.

Qi Degang, deputy headof the area’s emergency management bureau, responded quickly. “The nearest water source is Reservoir No. 37 in Lingshanwei, about 700 meters away.”

This exchange occurred during a forest fire response drill on Xiaozhu Mountain. Displayed prominently on a large screen in the command center was a real-time, 3Dforest fire map – showing the fire’s location, affected area, and smoke direction.

“Our drones send back live footage, which is directlyfed into the 3D platform,” explained Mu Kun, head of forest fire response at the emergency management bureau.

A new call came in: “There’s a fork ahead – what’s the fastest route?”

Mu quickly zoomed in, selected a mountain trail and charted a path for the responders. “This trail is only one meter wide. Rescuers will have to go on foot. Elevation gain: 200 meters.”

“The 3D model allows us to act with greater speed and precision,” Qi added. “It helps us identify access routes, calculate burn areas, and direct field personnel efficiently.”

To date, Qingdao’scity-scale 3D simulation platform has been shared with over 60 municipal departments. It supports more than 100 key functions, including disaster prevention and mitigation, urban planning, social governance, and urban renewal. The platform also underpins over 70 digital government service applications and records nearly 100 million uses annually.

“Compared to traditional 2D maps, 3D modeling offers greater realism, dimensionality, and accuracy,” said Xue Hongli, deputy head of the Qingdao Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning. “It creates a holographic digital twin of the physical world, providing strong spatial support for fine-grained urban management.”

Xue emphasized that cities are constantly changing and 3D mapping must evolve in tandem to capture these transformations with fidelity.

At the bureau’s headquarters, staff members examined two versions of a digital model for a former mining site in Qingdao’s West Coast New Area. The comparison revealed tangible signs of ecological restoration – more vegetation and a gentler slope.

Qingdao is home to 898 legacy mine sites. In the past, inspectingthese sites required a full month of on-the-ground efforts. Now, with the help of the 3D model, the same work takes just five days. Since 2023, the city has carried out annual temporal updates to the city-scale 3D simulation platform, enabling it to track urban changes with precision and support data-driven analysis and evidence-ba

By: Emmanuel Yautama Amaza

The year 2018 witnessed possibly the greatest birthing of an idea that brought collaboration and co-operation between the military and civilians. This was was long overdue after a tough military regime and a yound democracy in Nigeria. This led to the establishment of the first evergreen and special university – Nigerian Army University Biu (NAUB) which comprised of 25% military and 75% civilians.

Before, at the start and after the establishment of Nigerian Army University Biu, the university has been the envy of all due to the vast potentials it posseses.

1. A THREAT TO NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY (NDA): The Nigeria Army constitutes nearly 56.1% of the Nigerian Military making it the majority. The establishment of NAUB which will take in many Army personnels has by far shared or reduced the over hyped relevance of the Nigerian Defence Academy in the Nigerian Security Architecture. Other military institutions like The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in Kaduna, Admiralty University of Nigeria in Delta State were long established for decades but concerns were never raised.
2. ANSWERABLE TO NATIONAL DEFENCE COLLEGE (FORMERLY NATIONAL WAR COLLEGE ) – The Nigerian army University Biu is just like other middle level military staff training college like Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji and Nigerian Defence Academy, both in Kaduna. As the National Defence College, Abuja is the apex military training institution in Nigeria and not the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna. So why can’t we have other middle level staff training colleges.
3. A SPECIAL UNIVERSITY – Recently Nigeria has seen the rise of such Specialised Universities in Nigeria like NAUB. There are 3 Federal Universities of Health Sciences in Otukpo, in Osun State, and in Azare, Bauchi state. Federal Medical Centers in states like Gombe were converted to become Federal Teaching Centres. The Federal University of Medical Sciences and Biomedical Technology, Funtua in Katsina state were all all established and never seen or ever assumed to rival the Federal Teaching Hospitals.
4. NO ASSU STRIKE – while other conventional universities went on strike action, the Nigerian Army University Biu continued with their academic activities. It became a university where a 4 years course was achieved in 4 years and not 7 years like other conventional universities.
5. NAUB IS UNDER MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND NOT MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. – NAUB is receiving special attention and massive funding as it is under ministry of defence. This special treatment has become a thorn in the flesh of other conventional universities. The Maritime University of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom and Federal University of Transportation, Daura both originated from Federal Ministry of transportation with similar if not same aims and objectives, yet they were not merged, maritime University was not converted to Federal University
6. SPECIAL COURSES AND INSTITUTES – NAUB offers courses in Security and Criminology, Miilitary History etc and has an Institute of War and Peace that cannot be found in other conventional Universities. The knowledge of Military history was instrumental as military historians advised Gen. Sani Abacha for Nigeria not to go to war against Cameroon over Bakassi. After the war, we return to fight poverty.
7. MILITARY AND FIELD MEDICINE – NAUB if allowed to reach its potential will witness the upgrading of its MRS (Medical Registry System or Nedical Reception Stations) to a College of Military and Field Medicine where the Nigerian armed forces and Paramilitary can further their career and serve humanity. With this training, our soldiers can set up field hospital to attend to wounded soldiers and not die on the way before reaching the hospital.
8. CONFLICT AND CATASTROPHE MEDICINE – NAUB if allowed to reach its potential will be instrumental in producing professionals in the field of catastrophic medicine in times of natural and man made disasters. During the 2024 Maiduguri flood, we witnessed the deployment of Nigerian Army to rescue flood victims but could not offer any immediate medical attention or first aid to victims as they were not trained. Boko Haram terrorism has caused so harm and disaster that we need experts in this field.
9. NO CULTISM OR THUGGERY – NAUB has and is graduating the best disciplined students as there is no reports of cultism or thuggery of beating of lecturers by indisciplined student. Such a school is reviving great educational standards where you will be asked what is your displine and not what is your course of study.

NAUB is seen as the pride and bedrock of the Nigerian Army which constitutes the majority of the Nigerian Military to salvage this country, Nigeria.

It is to serve as the research higher institution for innovation and technology for the Nigerian Army (military), who are the preservers of territorial integrity and sovereignty of our great nation, Nigeria.

So Nigerians are asking why after a failed mission to merge the Nigerian Army University Biu with Nigerian Defence Academy. A bill was now proposed to convert Nigerian Army University Biu to Federal University Biu. Nigerians demand answers

If so we as well demand the conversion of Airforce institute of Technology, kaduna founded in 1977, Maritime University etc to Federal Universities.

NAUB was strategically located in far North Eastern Town of Nigeria, BIU to combat the spread of the Boko Haram Terrorist to other parts of the country as well as to train the populace of North Eastern Nigeria is the most economically and educationally backward region in Nigeria and all Nigerians at large. The siting of the university has stopped the advance of Boko Haram terrorism to the rest of Nigeria

Why must the cake in the mouth of the most under developed and most deprived region in Nigeria be reduced to sand in their mouth?

NAUB is the pride of the Nigerian Army and only functional Federal Government Higher Institution in BIU and Southern Borno Senatorial District at large. This is a region that has suffered from under development from both their state and now at the Federal level who are supposed to be the last hope of every people and region in Nigeria.

Nigerians are asking what happened to the notion of “Even Development” nationwide. Or is it now “uneven development”

From the inception of NAUB, Nigerian Army University Biu, the bride and blossoming flower 🌹 of the Nigerian Army became a log of wood in the eyes of other selfish and individualistic Nigerians who said who knows Biu in Nigeria for such a powerful institution to be located in such a place. Some felt NAUB has so much potential that, it is competing with NDA.

During plenary in the senate, having understood the great potential of NAUB, other senators argued that NAUB should have campuses in all 6 geo-political zones of Nigeria but it was countered that there is no institution that is scattered as such in Nigeria

Sen. Ahmed lawan, former senate President did hit the hammer for NAUB to be a full civilian University and nothing happened.

It alleged that Gen. Attahiru the former Chief of Army staff stopped the funding for NAUB, but was restored at the end.

Pres. Tinubu came with a 2014 backdated Arosanya report and called for merger and it was metted with resistance and nothing happened.

The likes of Kaduna state said who knows Biu that such institution should be located there? Because it divided the power of NDA, Kaduna

The rest of Borno (North and Central) are against any institution that will be more powerful than unimaid

Outsiders have all tried and failed. They are now using one of our own to accomplish their mission with Hon. Betara bill to repeal NAUB and establish Federal University Biu. And we are still blind to it

NAUB that was established in 2018 has graduated 3 sets of students, with thousands currently enrolled? What is their fate?

What is the fate of the 75% civilians that is supposed to constitute part of the university?

NAUB which is 75% civilian is the beacon of hope for the civilians and common
Nigerians to receive specialised training along side other military personels.
It gave civilians a good chance of being employed or recruited into the military, paramilitary, agencies and other force related parastatals.

At least it would end the question of did you attend any miliary or paramilitary institution or received any form of training that has deprived civilians of many chances in Nigeria.
In NAUB Other questions like what is your parents occupation? If military indicate their rank in forms when applying to military schools had ended. The difficulty of securing a high ranking military guarantor to stand in during recruitments was fast becoming a question of the past.

The movers of this conversion motion after a failed merger move are so bewitched that they tried to reduce a university not to an institute, not to a college but to a faculty in NDA have now made moves for its conversion. If converted it will become fully civillians and end every possible chances of close interaction between the military and civilians

This is a clarion call to all representatives and senators of Borno, North East Nigeria and all well meaning Nigerians to rise up and defend such an institution that is capable of taking us to achieve the “NIGERIAN DREAM” where security and welfare of the people is the primary aim of government and the people can see it manifested through military and civilian cooperation that will be brought about over the years by NAUB. It takes both military and civilians to provide Security in a country, hence the need for NAUB.

Nigerians are humbly calling for an end of this conversion move. Let NAUB operate and function independently like all other institutions. If Hon. Betara wants a Federal University, let him enact a new independent bill, no conversion, no repeal, no merger.

No merger, No repeal, no conversion of NAUB. This is the eroding of legacies of Former Pres. Buhari, Gen. Buratai, Sen. Ndume and well meaning Nigerians that fought tirelessly for its establishment and the re-writing of history.

Written By:
Dr. Yawutama Emmanuel Amaza
Nigerian Patriot