President Goodluck Jonathansummoned his security chiefs for an emergency meeting yesterday, where he told them to go after the Boko Haram and end the sect’s wave of violence around the country.
Those at the meeting, held at the State House in Abuja, were Chief of Defense Staff Oluseyi Petinrin, Chief of Army Staff Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of Naval Staff Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim, Chief of Air Staff Mohammed Umar, Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim, Director General of the SSS Ita Ekpenyong and National Security Adviser Andrew Azazi.
Ringim told journalists after the meeting that it reviewed the recent security situation in the country and President Jonathan had asked the officials about “where we were, where we are and where we need to be” in order to end the Boko Haram violence.
“The president is concerned about the security challenges in the country, so he summoned each and every one of us, the service chiefs, in order to review the situation,” he said. “Terrorism is not an easy matter at all ... It is a very new phenomenon here. We ... are all scrambling to find our feet and face it squarely.”
Sources told Daily Trust that during the meeting, Jonathan asked the security chiefs to overhaul of their operational strategies in facing the Boko Haram violence. “We must stop this Boko Haram madness,” the president was quoted as saying.
On Wednesday, Jonathan told visiting delegation of the Christian Association of Nigeria that he would make changes to his security team, in the wake of the Christmas Day bombings that left dozens dead.
After yesterday’s meeting, Petirin told reporters that the president has taken decisive actions to restructure the security apparatus in the country.
The president has been holding series of discussions with religious and security chiefs after Sunday’s violence in Madalla, Jos and Damaturu.
Ringim said yesterday “we are all worried. Terrorism is not an easy matter at all.”
He said some success has been recorded in the campaign against Boko Haram.
“The arrest of these terrorists has been going on for a long time. Many of them have been arrested and many of them are in detention. They are in the process of being prosecuted,” he said.
But he said those arrested so far were mere foot soldiers for the Boko Haram sect.
“So far, we have arrested hundreds of them but that is not the issue. These people to my mind are just the foot soldiers and we need to get strong evidence through the cooperation of members of the public so that we will be able to get to the leaders, masters and organizers of these people,” Ringim said.
“I assure you we are doing our possible best. We are prepared more than ever before and I want to assure you this that if we had not done what we did in Yobe, if we had not done what we did in Kaduna, indeed if the Nigerian Police Force had not done what we did in Kano, the recovery of the primed up suicide bombing vehicles, the story would have been a different one. I assure you members of the public that the Nigerian Police Force and indeed all other security agencies are now ready more than ever before to face these challenges.”
The Christmas Day attacks that mainly targeted churches sparked fears of sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians.
Ringim said the attackers had not chosen only Christian targets as they had also killed Muslims as well.
“Definitely people are agitated and these Boko Haram terrorist groups are not attacking only Christians. They attack everyone that is on their way including members of the armed forces and the police and other security agencies.
“From among us, there are Muslims and there are Christians. I don’t think it is a case of Muslims versus Christians or Christians against Muslims,” he said.
Thursday, 29 December 2011
Buhari says chaos is looming
Former head of state Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said the country is sliding into total breakdown of law and order because of injustice, bad governance and “massive and mindless” stealing of public resources.
In a bluntly worded statement he personally signed, in reaction to the Supreme Court judgment dismissing his party’s petition against the presidential election, General Buhari said Nigeria was “now a fractured society, corruption everywhere, violence everywhere, a sense of helplessness and hopelessness nearly everywhere.”
He said unless the leaders of the country move fast to arrest the situation, chaos would set in and there would be breakdown of law and order.
But he said it does not look like the leaders are concerned with the grave situation, as while “the country is sliding into this chaotic state, PDP governments at the centre and in the states are engaged in massive and mindless plunder of the country’s resources in total disregard of the suffering masses.”
“The country now is in an emergency situation. Law and order can break down at any time. Those in charge of the country should be warned that promises and sweet words are no substitute for practical action. To avert the looming chaos in the New Year, immediate steps should be taken to drastically reduce the cost of governance in the three tiers of government.”
Buhari detailed the governance costs he wanted slashed: “Salaries and especially allowances should be drastically reduced; security votes should be abolished – not increased as the 2012 Budget has done. Votes for the Armed forces, Police and Security Services should be transparent and accountable; foreign travel and estacodes should be stopped for at least six months other than for the Presidency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and medical emergencies. Government House expenses in all the states should be drastically reduced, foreign travel suspended for a while. The National Assembly should give a lead in reducing their allowances substantially and stopping their foreign travels. These savings should be applied to education, infrastructure and agriculture with emphasis on youth employment through meaningful and practical emergency programmes. The public will see through any cosmetic or token gestures and will not tolerate a continuation of status quo. Corruption and plunder are the root causes of unemployment, insecurity, violence and unrest.”
He added: “If all hands are on deck to help save our country from imminent collapse we should stabilize. When that happens Nigeria should take a close look at the country’s structure in a calm and unemotional atmosphere. Hopefully we may come to a better form of government to see Nigeria through the next 50 years.”
Buhari unsuccessfully contested for president in the April election on CPC’s platform, and his party challenged the results at the tribunal, even though he personally refused to join the case. The Court of Appeal earlier dismissed the petition for failing to convincingly show that the elections were rigged, and yesterday the Supreme Court concurred.
On yesterday’s judgement, Buhari said: “All who witnessed the conduct of the 2011 elections would know that this decision of the Supreme Court is politically motivated and has little judicial content.”
He said, “This Supreme Court has proved no better than the Supreme Courts of 2003 and 2007” having toed a similar line of dismissing the election petition.
Buhari said this year’s election “eclipsed all the other elections in the depth and scope of forgery and rigging.”
He criticised INEC chairman Attahiru Jega, who he said “was touted as competent and a man of integrity. He has proved neither.”
In a bluntly worded statement he personally signed, in reaction to the Supreme Court judgment dismissing his party’s petition against the presidential election, General Buhari said Nigeria was “now a fractured society, corruption everywhere, violence everywhere, a sense of helplessness and hopelessness nearly everywhere.”
He said unless the leaders of the country move fast to arrest the situation, chaos would set in and there would be breakdown of law and order.
But he said it does not look like the leaders are concerned with the grave situation, as while “the country is sliding into this chaotic state, PDP governments at the centre and in the states are engaged in massive and mindless plunder of the country’s resources in total disregard of the suffering masses.”
“The country now is in an emergency situation. Law and order can break down at any time. Those in charge of the country should be warned that promises and sweet words are no substitute for practical action. To avert the looming chaos in the New Year, immediate steps should be taken to drastically reduce the cost of governance in the three tiers of government.”
Buhari detailed the governance costs he wanted slashed: “Salaries and especially allowances should be drastically reduced; security votes should be abolished – not increased as the 2012 Budget has done. Votes for the Armed forces, Police and Security Services should be transparent and accountable; foreign travel and estacodes should be stopped for at least six months other than for the Presidency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and medical emergencies. Government House expenses in all the states should be drastically reduced, foreign travel suspended for a while. The National Assembly should give a lead in reducing their allowances substantially and stopping their foreign travels. These savings should be applied to education, infrastructure and agriculture with emphasis on youth employment through meaningful and practical emergency programmes. The public will see through any cosmetic or token gestures and will not tolerate a continuation of status quo. Corruption and plunder are the root causes of unemployment, insecurity, violence and unrest.”
He added: “If all hands are on deck to help save our country from imminent collapse we should stabilize. When that happens Nigeria should take a close look at the country’s structure in a calm and unemotional atmosphere. Hopefully we may come to a better form of government to see Nigeria through the next 50 years.”
Buhari unsuccessfully contested for president in the April election on CPC’s platform, and his party challenged the results at the tribunal, even though he personally refused to join the case. The Court of Appeal earlier dismissed the petition for failing to convincingly show that the elections were rigged, and yesterday the Supreme Court concurred.
On yesterday’s judgement, Buhari said: “All who witnessed the conduct of the 2011 elections would know that this decision of the Supreme Court is politically motivated and has little judicial content.”
He said, “This Supreme Court has proved no better than the Supreme Courts of 2003 and 2007” having toed a similar line of dismissing the election petition.
Buhari said this year’s election “eclipsed all the other elections in the depth and scope of forgery and rigging.”
He criticised INEC chairman Attahiru Jega, who he said “was touted as competent and a man of integrity. He has proved neither.”
A 34 year old man disguised wearing kaftan and turban attempted to burn a church in Yenagoa the Bayelsa state capital
A middle aged man (names withheld) from Edo State, disguised in kaftan and turban, has been arrested while attempting to set ablaze a Church in Yenagoa the Bayelsa State capital, Daily Trust gathered yesterday.
Our correspondent gathered that the young man, who hails from Edo State was dressed in kaftans and wore a Turban attempted to set ablaze the Redeemed Christian Church along Nicheon Road Yenagoa.
A senior official of the State Security Service (SSS) in Yenagoa confirmed the attempt to attack the Church but said the suspect has nothing to do with the radical Boko Haram sect as he was a Christian from Edo State.
“There is nothing like bombing of a Church in Bayelsa State. What actually happened was that a man was arrested while attempting to burn down a Church. The man is said to have confessed to the Church of being an armed robber and the Church promised to rehabilitate him and paid his house rent for two years.
“When his rent expired, he (the man) when back to the Church demanding for additional House rent and the Church said they only promised to pay his rent for two years for him to find a job and be on his own.
“So the man decided to go back to the Church, attempted to burn down the Church yesterday (Tuesday evening) and was arrested. We have handed him over to the police. If you want any other information, you can contact the Police,” the official said.
The Bayelsa State police command when contacted, denied knowledge of the incident saying it did not receive any report or suspect in connection with attempt to burn down a Church.
“I have been on duty throughout the Christmas period. Nothing like that happened. Other reporters have called and I told them the same. I am not aware of any report of a suspect handed over to us,” the State Police Spokesman, Eguaveon Emokpae said.
Our correspondent gathered that the young man, who hails from Edo State was dressed in kaftans and wore a Turban attempted to set ablaze the Redeemed Christian Church along Nicheon Road Yenagoa.
A senior official of the State Security Service (SSS) in Yenagoa confirmed the attempt to attack the Church but said the suspect has nothing to do with the radical Boko Haram sect as he was a Christian from Edo State.
“There is nothing like bombing of a Church in Bayelsa State. What actually happened was that a man was arrested while attempting to burn down a Church. The man is said to have confessed to the Church of being an armed robber and the Church promised to rehabilitate him and paid his house rent for two years.
“When his rent expired, he (the man) when back to the Church demanding for additional House rent and the Church said they only promised to pay his rent for two years for him to find a job and be on his own.
“So the man decided to go back to the Church, attempted to burn down the Church yesterday (Tuesday evening) and was arrested. We have handed him over to the police. If you want any other information, you can contact the Police,” the official said.
The Bayelsa State police command when contacted, denied knowledge of the incident saying it did not receive any report or suspect in connection with attempt to burn down a Church.
“I have been on duty throughout the Christmas period. Nothing like that happened. Other reporters have called and I told them the same. I am not aware of any report of a suspect handed over to us,” the State Police Spokesman, Eguaveon Emokpae said.
Islamic schools bombed in Sapele as 10 pupils were injured
FEARS that members of the Boko Haram sect might have finally infiltrated the Niger Delta region heightened on Tuesday night,
following a bomb explosion that rocked an Islamic school in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, just as a couple and their daughter were reportedly killed by Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State.
The explosion was the second in Sapele in three weeks after a mosque, on Hausa Road, was rocked by an early morning bomb blast.
Tuesday’s blast injured 10 Muslim pupils, including a woman who are, at the moment, receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Sapele, Delta State University Hospital, Oghara and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Edo State.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that yet-to-be-identified occupants of a Toyota Camry car threw a bomb at a store being used for Islamic lesson by about 50 pupils at about 8.40 p.m., which exploded and injured the victims.
It was learnt the explosion was massive and threw some of the pupils in different directions and that the assailants moved a distance to ensure that they indeed hit their target before escaping from the scene.
The explosion, according to an eyewitness, occurred three hours after the commencement of the day’s lessons and one and a half hours before closing time at the school on King Street, off Urhobo road, Sapele.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the victims were identified as Asisat Hassan; Saidat Muhammed; Xlare Jemilat, all females, Asibi Lawal (the woman).
Chief Medical Director of the Sapele General Hospital, Dr Omo Aghoja, confirmed that three of the bomb victims were receiving treatment in the hospital.
A senior security officer at the scene confirmed that the explosion was dynamite but the Divisional Police Officer of Sapele, Mr Emmanuel Ighodalo, declined to comment.
He, however, said all necessary information about the incident had been given by him to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Chalres Muka, whose duty it was to brief the press.
Incidentally, security officials from Abuja were in Sapele to investigate the cause of a recent bomb blast in the area when the latest incident occurred.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that top security chiefs in the state had visited the scene and immediately entered into an emergency security meeting in Sapele before leaving the town.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Muka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
He said a low capacity dynamite was thrown into a classroom by some hoodlums in a vehicle and that six persons were injured in the blast that occurred.
Muka said the police had commenced full investigations into the incident.
The Chief Imam of Sapele Central Mosque, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, said: “The blast was targeted to exterminate the Muslim pupils” and called on the government to increase security around the Muslim community in Sapele.
A Muslim faithful, who sought anonymity, told Nigerian Tribune that the Tuesday night blast was a retaliatory attack on the Muslim sect that bombed the Central Mosque, three weeks ago.
According to him, “The Muslim school on Tuesday night is mainly attended by children of the rival Muslim worshippers and mosque situated about 300 yards away from the Central Mosque, Sapele.”
Meanwhile, following threats that the Boko Haram sect would attack churches in the South during the Yuletide, the police in Delta State have intensified security in the area along with other security agents to ensure crisis-free services on New Year’s Day.
According to Muka, Delta State would remain safe as it was during the Christmas celebration.
He disclosed that the police rescued a woman and recovered an AK47 rifle, two magazines, and two live cartridges from a kidnapping gang in Effurun.
Similarly, the wife of a lecturer at the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Mrs Ogba Erezi, who was abducted by an unknown gang last Thursday, at Ogwashi-Uku, has regained her freedom without any ransom paid.
Reports said the husband was about to open the gate for the woman at dusk in their residence around DPPS area when the kidnappers took her away.
ASP Muka, who confirmed the story, said the woman was dropped on the Ubulu-Uku/Ogwashi road after three days.
In another development, the state of insecurity in Delta State came to the fore, on Wednesday, with the killing of two mobile policemen on patrol in Warri by yet to be identified gunmen.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the policemen were part of a patrol team keeping surveillance on the Mackaival road, when they were attacked by the hoodlums.
Security sources disclosed that the patrol team was moving on the Mackaival road when they were shot from the rear by gunmen in a vehicle.
“The patrol team was on surveillance on the Mackaival road when occupants of a vehicle opened fire on them from the rear. Two of the policemen in the Jeep were felled and died instantly,” a security source said.
The incident occurred at about 2.30 p.m, thereby, throwing the police community at “A” Division and the area command into mourning.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the deceased were Michael Okerakpo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and Emmanuel Okoh, an Inspector of Police.
When the Nigerian Tribune visited the police station, their colleagues were lamenting the difficulties facing them in the execution of their duties in the town.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Charles Muka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
He said: “We lost two men to gunmen today. We are in a sad mood but definitely, with God on our side, we will get the culprits.”
Also, a group of people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, on Tuesday night, attacked Wereng village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed three members of a family in a barbaric manner.
the attackers, numbering about 15 and armed with sophisticated rifles, stormed the village at about 11.00 p.m. when most of the villagers had gone to bed.
It was learnt that the assailants, who entered the village through the hills around the village, positioned themselves at various entry points to the village while a few of them entered to carry out the dastardly act.
An eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that at the first house that they attacked, a family of three was butchered and shot in their living room. They were identified as Philip Francis, 37; his wife, Simi, 28 and their little baby, Nerat, who was mercilessly butchered by the attackers.
A 64-year-old woman who survived that attack by escaping through the window of her room told newsmen that the assailants shot into the air when they entered the village with the aim of scaring them out of their respective houses, adding that many remained indoors having known their antics.
The woman identified as Mary Pam, said the alarm raised by the people of the village forced the attackers to beat a retreat and escaped through the nearby hills.
following a bomb explosion that rocked an Islamic school in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, just as a couple and their daughter were reportedly killed by Fulani herdsmen in Plateau State.
The explosion was the second in Sapele in three weeks after a mosque, on Hausa Road, was rocked by an early morning bomb blast.
Tuesday’s blast injured 10 Muslim pupils, including a woman who are, at the moment, receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Sapele, Delta State University Hospital, Oghara and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Edo State.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that yet-to-be-identified occupants of a Toyota Camry car threw a bomb at a store being used for Islamic lesson by about 50 pupils at about 8.40 p.m., which exploded and injured the victims.
It was learnt the explosion was massive and threw some of the pupils in different directions and that the assailants moved a distance to ensure that they indeed hit their target before escaping from the scene.
The explosion, according to an eyewitness, occurred three hours after the commencement of the day’s lessons and one and a half hours before closing time at the school on King Street, off Urhobo road, Sapele.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the victims were identified as Asisat Hassan; Saidat Muhammed; Xlare Jemilat, all females, Asibi Lawal (the woman).
Chief Medical Director of the Sapele General Hospital, Dr Omo Aghoja, confirmed that three of the bomb victims were receiving treatment in the hospital.
A senior security officer at the scene confirmed that the explosion was dynamite but the Divisional Police Officer of Sapele, Mr Emmanuel Ighodalo, declined to comment.
He, however, said all necessary information about the incident had been given by him to the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Chalres Muka, whose duty it was to brief the press.
Incidentally, security officials from Abuja were in Sapele to investigate the cause of a recent bomb blast in the area when the latest incident occurred.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that top security chiefs in the state had visited the scene and immediately entered into an emergency security meeting in Sapele before leaving the town.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Muka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
He said a low capacity dynamite was thrown into a classroom by some hoodlums in a vehicle and that six persons were injured in the blast that occurred.
Muka said the police had commenced full investigations into the incident.
The Chief Imam of Sapele Central Mosque, Alhaji Mohammed Usman, said: “The blast was targeted to exterminate the Muslim pupils” and called on the government to increase security around the Muslim community in Sapele.
A Muslim faithful, who sought anonymity, told Nigerian Tribune that the Tuesday night blast was a retaliatory attack on the Muslim sect that bombed the Central Mosque, three weeks ago.
According to him, “The Muslim school on Tuesday night is mainly attended by children of the rival Muslim worshippers and mosque situated about 300 yards away from the Central Mosque, Sapele.”
Meanwhile, following threats that the Boko Haram sect would attack churches in the South during the Yuletide, the police in Delta State have intensified security in the area along with other security agents to ensure crisis-free services on New Year’s Day.
According to Muka, Delta State would remain safe as it was during the Christmas celebration.
He disclosed that the police rescued a woman and recovered an AK47 rifle, two magazines, and two live cartridges from a kidnapping gang in Effurun.
Similarly, the wife of a lecturer at the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Mrs Ogba Erezi, who was abducted by an unknown gang last Thursday, at Ogwashi-Uku, has regained her freedom without any ransom paid.
Reports said the husband was about to open the gate for the woman at dusk in their residence around DPPS area when the kidnappers took her away.
ASP Muka, who confirmed the story, said the woman was dropped on the Ubulu-Uku/Ogwashi road after three days.
In another development, the state of insecurity in Delta State came to the fore, on Wednesday, with the killing of two mobile policemen on patrol in Warri by yet to be identified gunmen.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the policemen were part of a patrol team keeping surveillance on the Mackaival road, when they were attacked by the hoodlums.
Security sources disclosed that the patrol team was moving on the Mackaival road when they were shot from the rear by gunmen in a vehicle.
“The patrol team was on surveillance on the Mackaival road when occupants of a vehicle opened fire on them from the rear. Two of the policemen in the Jeep were felled and died instantly,” a security source said.
The incident occurred at about 2.30 p.m, thereby, throwing the police community at “A” Division and the area command into mourning.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the deceased were Michael Okerakpo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and Emmanuel Okoh, an Inspector of Police.
When the Nigerian Tribune visited the police station, their colleagues were lamenting the difficulties facing them in the execution of their duties in the town.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Charles Muka, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident.
He said: “We lost two men to gunmen today. We are in a sad mood but definitely, with God on our side, we will get the culprits.”
Also, a group of people suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, on Tuesday night, attacked Wereng village in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State and killed three members of a family in a barbaric manner.
the attackers, numbering about 15 and armed with sophisticated rifles, stormed the village at about 11.00 p.m. when most of the villagers had gone to bed.
It was learnt that the assailants, who entered the village through the hills around the village, positioned themselves at various entry points to the village while a few of them entered to carry out the dastardly act.
An eyewitness told the Nigerian Tribune that at the first house that they attacked, a family of three was butchered and shot in their living room. They were identified as Philip Francis, 37; his wife, Simi, 28 and their little baby, Nerat, who was mercilessly butchered by the attackers.
A 64-year-old woman who survived that attack by escaping through the window of her room told newsmen that the assailants shot into the air when they entered the village with the aim of scaring them out of their respective houses, adding that many remained indoors having known their antics.
The woman identified as Mary Pam, said the alarm raised by the people of the village forced the attackers to beat a retreat and escaped through the nearby hills.
Protect yourself in any way you can CAN President tells Nigerians
Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday told Christian faithful across the country to protect themselves, their property and churches in any way they could, against any attack, even as he asked Muslim leaders to call their people to order.
Oritsejafor stated this when he paid a visit to St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, the scene of the Christmas bomb blast at Madalla, Niger State.
Oritsejafor, while sympathising with members of the parish, said the visit was to let them know that they were not alone.
“Even though Jesus Christ is with you, we have come to show solidarity,” he said.
Oritsejafor, who described the Madalla bomb blast as “madness that should not be talked about among human beings,” said Christian faithful should expect the unexpected “when you are in the world but our belief in God must be stronger now.”
He said although the Muslim community had taken a good step by visiting and sympathising with Christians and victims of the bomb blast, it was not enough.
He said they should take a step further and help reach Boko Haram members, noting that the perpetrators were not spirits.
His words: “We see this as pure madness, normal people don’t behave like this, even animals have value for each other not to talk of human beings.
Oritsejafor stated this when he paid a visit to St Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, the scene of the Christmas bomb blast at Madalla, Niger State.
Oritsejafor, while sympathising with members of the parish, said the visit was to let them know that they were not alone.
“Even though Jesus Christ is with you, we have come to show solidarity,” he said.
Oritsejafor, who described the Madalla bomb blast as “madness that should not be talked about among human beings,” said Christian faithful should expect the unexpected “when you are in the world but our belief in God must be stronger now.”
He said although the Muslim community had taken a good step by visiting and sympathising with Christians and victims of the bomb blast, it was not enough.
He said they should take a step further and help reach Boko Haram members, noting that the perpetrators were not spirits.
His words: “We see this as pure madness, normal people don’t behave like this, even animals have value for each other not to talk of human beings.
Buhari VS Jonathan court case
The Supreme Court, will today, deliver its judgment on an appeal challenging the outcome of the April 16 presidential election.
The appeal which is seeking to sack President Goodluck Jonathan from office, was filed before the apex court by the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.
The opposition party is urging the Supreme Court to set aside the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which on November 1, affirmed President Jonathan as the authentic winner of the presidential contest.
It specifically prayed the apex court to either annul the election and mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to organise a re-run election between its candidate, General Muhamadu Buhari (rtd) and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Jonathan, or in the alternative, remit the case-file to the tribunal and order the Appeal Court President to constitute a fresh panel to hear the appeal de-novo (afresh).
Listed as respondents in the appeal were INEC; its Chairman, Prof; Attahiru Jega; the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT; President Jonathan, his vice and the PDP.
It would be recalled that the Presidential Election Tribunal which held its sittings at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, not only dismissed CPC’s petition against the April 16 general election, but equally held that the electoral exercise was conducted in line with provisions of both the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution as amended.
However, expressing its dissatisfaction with the decision of the five-man panel tribunal led by Justice Kumai Bayaang Akaahs, the CPC, through its lead counsel, Mr Oladipo Okpeseyi, SAN, told the Supreme Court that the tribunal wrongfully evaluated evidences that were adduced before it by witnesses the party called.
In a brief of argument it entered at the apex court registry on November 28, the opposition party contended that the trial tribunal erred in law when it rejected documents required to prove multiple thumb printing, non-distribution of electoral materials as well as occasioned miscarriage of justice by not ascertaining the actual number of required voters, the accredited number of voters and the actual number of voters that voted in the disputed election.
On the other hand, counsel to President Jonathan and his vice, Sambo, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, urged the apex court to go ahead and dismiss the appeal in its entirety, saying it grossly lacked in both substance and merit.
After all the parties had adopted their briefs of argument, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who presided over a seven-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court that heard the appeal, adjourned the case till today for judgment.
The other Justices on the panel are, Mahmud Mohammed, Walter Onnoghen, John Afolabi Fabiyi, Olufunlola Adekeye, Bode Rhodes-Vivour and Sylvester Ngwuta.
The appeal which is seeking to sack President Goodluck Jonathan from office, was filed before the apex court by the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC.
The opposition party is urging the Supreme Court to set aside the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal which on November 1, affirmed President Jonathan as the authentic winner of the presidential contest.
It specifically prayed the apex court to either annul the election and mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to organise a re-run election between its candidate, General Muhamadu Buhari (rtd) and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, President Jonathan, or in the alternative, remit the case-file to the tribunal and order the Appeal Court President to constitute a fresh panel to hear the appeal de-novo (afresh).
Listed as respondents in the appeal were INEC; its Chairman, Prof; Attahiru Jega; the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the 36 states of the federation and the FCT; President Jonathan, his vice and the PDP.
It would be recalled that the Presidential Election Tribunal which held its sittings at the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, not only dismissed CPC’s petition against the April 16 general election, but equally held that the electoral exercise was conducted in line with provisions of both the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution as amended.
However, expressing its dissatisfaction with the decision of the five-man panel tribunal led by Justice Kumai Bayaang Akaahs, the CPC, through its lead counsel, Mr Oladipo Okpeseyi, SAN, told the Supreme Court that the tribunal wrongfully evaluated evidences that were adduced before it by witnesses the party called.
In a brief of argument it entered at the apex court registry on November 28, the opposition party contended that the trial tribunal erred in law when it rejected documents required to prove multiple thumb printing, non-distribution of electoral materials as well as occasioned miscarriage of justice by not ascertaining the actual number of required voters, the accredited number of voters and the actual number of voters that voted in the disputed election.
On the other hand, counsel to President Jonathan and his vice, Sambo, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, urged the apex court to go ahead and dismiss the appeal in its entirety, saying it grossly lacked in both substance and merit.
After all the parties had adopted their briefs of argument, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, who presided over a seven-man panel of Justices of the Supreme Court that heard the appeal, adjourned the case till today for judgment.
The other Justices on the panel are, Mahmud Mohammed, Walter Onnoghen, John Afolabi Fabiyi, Olufunlola Adekeye, Bode Rhodes-Vivour and Sylvester Ngwuta.
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
Is EFCC after Waziri?
WHILE relieving Mrs Farida Waziri of her job as the chairman of the antigraft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity had been quoted as having said inter alia that: ”It is part of President Jonathan’s determination to revitalise the fight against corruption. President Jonathan may announce further reforms and will be looking at other key areas to give more vigorous emphasis to the transformation agenda.” In simpler terms, the former chairman of the EFCC had ceased to be seen as part of the fight against corruption by the establishment. As a matter of proper reference, her sack was even seen as a process of “revitalising the fight against corruption”
TO be sure, President Jonathan reserves the right to, as it is, sack anybody in the executive without even giving any explanation to anyone but it seems the self-recommended sack of Mrs Farida Waziri from the exalted position of the chairman of the EFCC is atavistic, at least a little bit. With her exit, the anti-graft commission has lost two chairmen in less than savoury circumstances.
WITH the benefit of objective hindsight, even the appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the pioneer Chairman of EFCC was short of propriety and due process. In the bid to make him fit the bill, he was given an undue accelerated promotion, an act which the Police Service Commission (PSC) eventually had to reverse after the administration which appointed him left the scene. This is however not to take away anything from whatever may have been seen as Mallam Ribadu’s achievements during his beleaguered tenure. How indeed, could the administration effect a credible fight against corruption if the appointment of the head of the anti-graft agency reeked so much of impropriety? Interestingly, the establishment here tends to see corruption only as graft and malfeasance, whereas at the abstract and normative levels, it should include such acts as crude imposition which the appointment of Mallam Ribadu then represented.
MRS Waziri’s appointment was attended by a heavier cynicism from the public. EFCC under her was indulgent in prosecuting the Ibori case almost to the point of crass unprofessionalism. The former governor of the oil-rich Delta State had been a key player in the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and it had been rumoured that her appointment had been at Ibori’s instance. If the people were not excited by Mrs Waziri’s sack, it was probably because of their calloused cynicism about the genuineness of the purpose of the government. She will be remembered as an articulate and passionate speaker on the subject of corruption. She once observed quite perceptively that “if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back with everything it has got.” We agree.
THE fight against corruption is certainly not a circus show and it should be expected that the beneficiaries of corruption will not sit idly by and watch as their livelihood is attacked by those they see as a whining and disgruntled mob. The fight against corruption should be both total and institutionalised. If the sack of just an individual is being regarded as revitalising the fight against corruption, then we are afraid, the fight has not yet begun in the real sense. EFCC as it is currently is a corrupt brand. Its operatives are on the take from its rich and opulent suspects and this is why many men and officers of the Police Force jostle desperately for a posting there. The EFCC is seen as a juicy agency!
FOR the fight against corruption to be credible and sincere, there is a need to make the EFCC powerful and independent, an agency before which nobody is a sacred cow and which does not see anyone that cannot be investigated and duly prosecuted regardless of his or her office. A lot of work still has to be done on reworking the EFCC Act, especially on the qualification of its chairman, the officers and men. Nothing says they must have a police background. As a matter of fact, from experience, only those officers who may have distinguished themselves within the police force as incorruptible need be mobilised and they must be well trained to acquit themselves creditably. As observed by the ex-chairman of the EFCC, corruption is the bane of the country and without keeping it in check, there can be no hope of development or progress. It is unfortunate that this monster is at the core of the essence of Nigeria now.
CORRUPTION is too institutionalised and entrenched in Nigeria for its gods to be propitiated by only Mrs Waziri’s head or that of Mallam Ribadu or both. After sacking them, corruption has remained inviolable, dogging the very essence of Nigeria.
WE believe that punishing corruption is the only way to stem its tide. Those who have profited from it must be found out, duly punished and the rewards of the illegal acts confiscated. The EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies must ensure that those beneficiaries of corruption are prevented from enjoying the proceeds of their graft. It is sad that the ethos of the Nigerian society has been so virulently attacked by corruption that it has almost become the norm and people can no longer see corruption as an anomaly even when it stares at them in the face. Bribery, nepotism, favouritism, exam malpractices, federal character, among others, are all corruption by finer names. We know and we have always recognised that corruption is universal in all human societies, the difference is in what societies do to it. Some societies repudiate it while others like Nigeria celebrate it. Nigeria should make EFCC strong and independent enough to repudiate corruption on its behalf.
TO be sure, President Jonathan reserves the right to, as it is, sack anybody in the executive without even giving any explanation to anyone but it seems the self-recommended sack of Mrs Farida Waziri from the exalted position of the chairman of the EFCC is atavistic, at least a little bit. With her exit, the anti-graft commission has lost two chairmen in less than savoury circumstances.
WITH the benefit of objective hindsight, even the appointment of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu as the pioneer Chairman of EFCC was short of propriety and due process. In the bid to make him fit the bill, he was given an undue accelerated promotion, an act which the Police Service Commission (PSC) eventually had to reverse after the administration which appointed him left the scene. This is however not to take away anything from whatever may have been seen as Mallam Ribadu’s achievements during his beleaguered tenure. How indeed, could the administration effect a credible fight against corruption if the appointment of the head of the anti-graft agency reeked so much of impropriety? Interestingly, the establishment here tends to see corruption only as graft and malfeasance, whereas at the abstract and normative levels, it should include such acts as crude imposition which the appointment of Mallam Ribadu then represented.
MRS Waziri’s appointment was attended by a heavier cynicism from the public. EFCC under her was indulgent in prosecuting the Ibori case almost to the point of crass unprofessionalism. The former governor of the oil-rich Delta State had been a key player in the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and it had been rumoured that her appointment had been at Ibori’s instance. If the people were not excited by Mrs Waziri’s sack, it was probably because of their calloused cynicism about the genuineness of the purpose of the government. She will be remembered as an articulate and passionate speaker on the subject of corruption. She once observed quite perceptively that “if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back with everything it has got.” We agree.
THE fight against corruption is certainly not a circus show and it should be expected that the beneficiaries of corruption will not sit idly by and watch as their livelihood is attacked by those they see as a whining and disgruntled mob. The fight against corruption should be both total and institutionalised. If the sack of just an individual is being regarded as revitalising the fight against corruption, then we are afraid, the fight has not yet begun in the real sense. EFCC as it is currently is a corrupt brand. Its operatives are on the take from its rich and opulent suspects and this is why many men and officers of the Police Force jostle desperately for a posting there. The EFCC is seen as a juicy agency!
FOR the fight against corruption to be credible and sincere, there is a need to make the EFCC powerful and independent, an agency before which nobody is a sacred cow and which does not see anyone that cannot be investigated and duly prosecuted regardless of his or her office. A lot of work still has to be done on reworking the EFCC Act, especially on the qualification of its chairman, the officers and men. Nothing says they must have a police background. As a matter of fact, from experience, only those officers who may have distinguished themselves within the police force as incorruptible need be mobilised and they must be well trained to acquit themselves creditably. As observed by the ex-chairman of the EFCC, corruption is the bane of the country and without keeping it in check, there can be no hope of development or progress. It is unfortunate that this monster is at the core of the essence of Nigeria now.
CORRUPTION is too institutionalised and entrenched in Nigeria for its gods to be propitiated by only Mrs Waziri’s head or that of Mallam Ribadu or both. After sacking them, corruption has remained inviolable, dogging the very essence of Nigeria.
WE believe that punishing corruption is the only way to stem its tide. Those who have profited from it must be found out, duly punished and the rewards of the illegal acts confiscated. The EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies must ensure that those beneficiaries of corruption are prevented from enjoying the proceeds of their graft. It is sad that the ethos of the Nigerian society has been so virulently attacked by corruption that it has almost become the norm and people can no longer see corruption as an anomaly even when it stares at them in the face. Bribery, nepotism, favouritism, exam malpractices, federal character, among others, are all corruption by finer names. We know and we have always recognised that corruption is universal in all human societies, the difference is in what societies do to it. Some societies repudiate it while others like Nigeria celebrate it. Nigeria should make EFCC strong and independent enough to repudiate corruption on its behalf.
Azare raid by 100 gun men, bomb base, banks, public places while many die in the process
More than 100 gunmen suspected to be from the Boko Haram sect raided Azare, Bauchi State, early yesterday morning, bombing two police stations and two banks in an attack that killed many people, residents and police authorities said.
A solider, a policeman and many other people were killed in the attack in Azare, headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area, about 218 kilometres north of the Bauchi state capital, residents told Daily Trust.
The attackers, who launched their assault shortly after midnight, bombed the police area command and a nearby police station, reducing them to rubble. They also bombed and robbed local branches for the Guaranty Trust Bank and Intercontinental Bank, residents said.
Bauchi State Police commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba confirmed the incident, saying a police officer, a soldier, a civilian and three gunmen were killed during the attack that lasted for hours.
“Our men did their best; they prevented the attackers from gaining entrance into the barracks. Every side suffered casualty, we suffered our casualty, our mobile policeman was killed, a soldier was killed, and a civilian, and the hoodlums also suffered many casualties,” he told Daily Trust. “It’s a real war because the hoodlums invaded Azare in large numbers. They are over 100. We did our best but because of the power of fire arms both sides suffered casualties.”
The commissioner said over 20 rocket-propelled bombs were launched from outside the area command’s headquarters building, leaving the structure completely destroyed. He said about 30 policemen on duty at the area command office responded and repelled the attackers.
“The attack was launched simultaneously at six facilities including the mobile police base, the area commander’s office, the police station, two banks and one Ali Kwara’s residence,” he said. Ali Kwara is a popular local thief catcher, who also served as security adviser to a minister of the FCT in 2007-2008.
The Associated Press news agency quoted Aduba as saying no arrest was made, but that the Boko Haram sect was suspected of carrying out the attack.
A senior official of Katagum LGA said when they launched their attack, the gunmen blocked all the roads leading to the places they intended to target. “Then we heard sporadic gunshots and huge blasts. The attack lasted for over three hours,” he said.
A Red Cross official, who was at the Federal Medical Centre in Azare where victims of the attacks were taken, said he saw the bodies of a soldier, a policeman and an errand boy for the police, while two policemen were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Even though the police commissioner confirmed the death of six people including the gunmen, residents told Daily Trust that the number of those killed in the attack was much more than the police were admitting.
A resident who does not want to be named said apart from policemen who were killed in the shootout with the gunmen, there were also detainees in police cells who were killed as the bombs exploded. He said also that there were newly transferred police personnel staying in the premises of the area command and some of them might have been killed in the attack.
When asked by Daily Trust if the police were understating the deaths, police commissioner Aduba said, “We are not hiding anything. Outside the fence of our office we saw blood, a lot of blood was lost, which clearly shows that they (the gunmen) too have suffered casualties and from the report three of the hoodlums were gunned down.
“Go and ask anybody in Azare, this is the correct number of casualties we recorded. We don’t have anything to hide; we too have relatives if people are affected they have relatives, the relatives will complain.”
Yesterday, there was heavy presence of riot policemen cordoning the roads leading to the areas attacked as police bomb squad sweep through the rubble of the razed structures. There were unexploded bomb canisters littering the premises of the two banks.
This was one of many similar attacks in Bauchi State in recent months. There had been such gun assaults and bomb raids in Misau, Gamawa, Alkaleri and Toro, some of which were claimed by the Boko Haram sect.
A solider, a policeman and many other people were killed in the attack in Azare, headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area, about 218 kilometres north of the Bauchi state capital, residents told Daily Trust.
The attackers, who launched their assault shortly after midnight, bombed the police area command and a nearby police station, reducing them to rubble. They also bombed and robbed local branches for the Guaranty Trust Bank and Intercontinental Bank, residents said.
Bauchi State Police commissioner Ikechukwu Aduba confirmed the incident, saying a police officer, a soldier, a civilian and three gunmen were killed during the attack that lasted for hours.
“Our men did their best; they prevented the attackers from gaining entrance into the barracks. Every side suffered casualty, we suffered our casualty, our mobile policeman was killed, a soldier was killed, and a civilian, and the hoodlums also suffered many casualties,” he told Daily Trust. “It’s a real war because the hoodlums invaded Azare in large numbers. They are over 100. We did our best but because of the power of fire arms both sides suffered casualties.”
The commissioner said over 20 rocket-propelled bombs were launched from outside the area command’s headquarters building, leaving the structure completely destroyed. He said about 30 policemen on duty at the area command office responded and repelled the attackers.
“The attack was launched simultaneously at six facilities including the mobile police base, the area commander’s office, the police station, two banks and one Ali Kwara’s residence,” he said. Ali Kwara is a popular local thief catcher, who also served as security adviser to a minister of the FCT in 2007-2008.
The Associated Press news agency quoted Aduba as saying no arrest was made, but that the Boko Haram sect was suspected of carrying out the attack.
A senior official of Katagum LGA said when they launched their attack, the gunmen blocked all the roads leading to the places they intended to target. “Then we heard sporadic gunshots and huge blasts. The attack lasted for over three hours,” he said.
A Red Cross official, who was at the Federal Medical Centre in Azare where victims of the attacks were taken, said he saw the bodies of a soldier, a policeman and an errand boy for the police, while two policemen were being treated for gunshot wounds.
Even though the police commissioner confirmed the death of six people including the gunmen, residents told Daily Trust that the number of those killed in the attack was much more than the police were admitting.
A resident who does not want to be named said apart from policemen who were killed in the shootout with the gunmen, there were also detainees in police cells who were killed as the bombs exploded. He said also that there were newly transferred police personnel staying in the premises of the area command and some of them might have been killed in the attack.
When asked by Daily Trust if the police were understating the deaths, police commissioner Aduba said, “We are not hiding anything. Outside the fence of our office we saw blood, a lot of blood was lost, which clearly shows that they (the gunmen) too have suffered casualties and from the report three of the hoodlums were gunned down.
“Go and ask anybody in Azare, this is the correct number of casualties we recorded. We don’t have anything to hide; we too have relatives if people are affected they have relatives, the relatives will complain.”
Yesterday, there was heavy presence of riot policemen cordoning the roads leading to the areas attacked as police bomb squad sweep through the rubble of the razed structures. There were unexploded bomb canisters littering the premises of the two banks.
This was one of many similar attacks in Bauchi State in recent months. There had been such gun assaults and bomb raids in Misau, Gamawa, Alkaleri and Toro, some of which were claimed by the Boko Haram sect.
N3.6million fraud by herbalist
A herbalist, Amechi Nnaji, 32, was on Tuesday in Lagos docked at the Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly committing fraud to the tune of N3.6 million.
The accused is facing a two-count charge of stealing and fraud before Chief Magistrate Oyindamola Ogala.
The prosecutor, Eshiet Eshiet, said that the accused committed the alleged fraud on July 15 at Ladipo area of Mushin local government area.
Eshiet said that the accused obtained the sum from one Onyinye Eze, under false pretence, promising to bring her husband back to Nigeria through spiritual means.
He said that the alleged offense was punishable under Section 516 and 419, Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State 2003.
The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned till December 20 for further hearing
The accused is facing a two-count charge of stealing and fraud before Chief Magistrate Oyindamola Ogala.
The prosecutor, Eshiet Eshiet, said that the accused committed the alleged fraud on July 15 at Ladipo area of Mushin local government area.
Eshiet said that the accused obtained the sum from one Onyinye Eze, under false pretence, promising to bring her husband back to Nigeria through spiritual means.
He said that the alleged offense was punishable under Section 516 and 419, Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State 2003.
The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.
The case was adjourned till December 20 for further hearing
house of reps member in Nigeria says new number new number plate is misunderstood
Abuja – Mr Aliyu Gebi, the Chairman of the House Committee on Internal Security, says there is a misconception and misunderstanding of the new vehicle number plate recently introduced by Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
Gebi said after leading members of the committee on a courtesy visit to the management of FRSCthat the committee’s visit was to get proper understanding of the issue with a view to enlightening the public.
“There is a lot of misconception and misunderstanding on the new number plate and part of our visit here is to be more enlightened so that we can go and beam that same light back to the people who are still in darkness,’’ he said.
Asked to comment on the resolution of the assembly stopping the issuance of the number plate, Gebi said: “what the House decides is what the House decides.’’
The chairman commended the FRSC for its innovation and use of Information Communication Technology and urged other government agencies to take a cue from the organisation. .
Gebi said that the committee was doing everything possible within its power to ensure internal security in the country, adding: “we are going forward.’’
Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, thanked the chairman for the visit and solicited cooperation for the commission’s efforts to reduce road accidents.
Gebi said after leading members of the committee on a courtesy visit to the management of FRSCthat the committee’s visit was to get proper understanding of the issue with a view to enlightening the public.
“There is a lot of misconception and misunderstanding on the new number plate and part of our visit here is to be more enlightened so that we can go and beam that same light back to the people who are still in darkness,’’ he said.
Asked to comment on the resolution of the assembly stopping the issuance of the number plate, Gebi said: “what the House decides is what the House decides.’’
The chairman commended the FRSC for its innovation and use of Information Communication Technology and urged other government agencies to take a cue from the organisation. .
Gebi said that the committee was doing everything possible within its power to ensure internal security in the country, adding: “we are going forward.’’
Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal of FRSC, thanked the chairman for the visit and solicited cooperation for the commission’s efforts to reduce road accidents.
Boko Haram bomber Ali Sanda Kunduga sentenced to three years imprisonment
THE Federal Government, on Monday, filed a fresh charge on breach of public trust against Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The State Security Service (SSS) had earlier filed a similar case before an Abuja magistrates’ court.
The court was to decide whether or not to grant Senator Ndume bail on Monday, but prosecuting counsel, Steve Osagie, brought an application seeking to withdraw the earlier charge preferred against Ndume, following the filing of a fresh one before Federal High Court.
The serving senator, who has been in the custody of the SSS, is standing trial for alleged breach of official trust and criminal intimidation by anonymous communication, had pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the former spokesman of Boko Haram, Umaru Konduga Ali, also known as Usman Al-Zawahiri, who was arraigned along with him, pleaded guilty to the charges and was consequently convicted by the court.
Chief Magistrate Oyewumi Oyebola convicted Al-Zawahiri in line with Section 318 of the Criminal Code Law, but stayed the sentence following the plea of the prosecuting counsel to enable the SSS to conclude its investigation to establish the link that allegedly existed between Senator Ndume and the convict.
The court consequently granted the application for withdrawal of the charge against Ndume and struck it out, but said the sentencing of the former spokesman of the Boko Haram would go on today.
The court has now sentenced ali sanda kunduga to three years in prisonment. This is as a result of the fact that he confessed to the crime instead of 25 years was given 3 years
The State Security Service (SSS) had earlier filed a similar case before an Abuja magistrates’ court.
The court was to decide whether or not to grant Senator Ndume bail on Monday, but prosecuting counsel, Steve Osagie, brought an application seeking to withdraw the earlier charge preferred against Ndume, following the filing of a fresh one before Federal High Court.
The serving senator, who has been in the custody of the SSS, is standing trial for alleged breach of official trust and criminal intimidation by anonymous communication, had pleaded not guilty to the charges, while the former spokesman of Boko Haram, Umaru Konduga Ali, also known as Usman Al-Zawahiri, who was arraigned along with him, pleaded guilty to the charges and was consequently convicted by the court.
Chief Magistrate Oyewumi Oyebola convicted Al-Zawahiri in line with Section 318 of the Criminal Code Law, but stayed the sentence following the plea of the prosecuting counsel to enable the SSS to conclude its investigation to establish the link that allegedly existed between Senator Ndume and the convict.
The court consequently granted the application for withdrawal of the charge against Ndume and struck it out, but said the sentencing of the former spokesman of the Boko Haram would go on today.
The court has now sentenced ali sanda kunduga to three years in prisonment. This is as a result of the fact that he confessed to the crime instead of 25 years was given 3 years
boko haram sends death threat to human rights staff and asked her to return monies collected in their name
HE Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, at the weekend, threatened to kill a female official of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), if she refused to return a “large sum of money” which she allegedly collected from government at the state and federal levels on the pretext that she could strike a dialogue deal with the sect.
Spokesman for the group, Abul-Qaqa, who spoke by the phone, said the group was using the media to pass a last warning to A’isha Wakil, a lawyer, who he said had allegedly collected an unspecified sum of money from top government officials.
“We don’t want a situation that will result in tension… We don’t want to kill a woman. A’isha had confessed to us that she had collected money and we have used all entreaties for her to return the money to us, so that we can do the work of God but she has been dodging,” Abul-Qaqa said.
A senior official of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Borno State confirmed that A’isha Wakil was a practising lawyer in Maiduguri before she moved to the NHRC about three years ago.
“As a professional organisation, we are not aware of what is happening between the said barrister and members of the sect but what I want to tell you is that we always encourage our members to work within the ambit of the ethics of our profession,” the NBA official said.
At the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Tribune could not get the reaction of Wakil to the allegations.
Abul-Qaqa had said: “This warning becomes necessary and we want to set the record straight. Many people have falsely collected money on our behalf and we have forced them to surrender the money in order to stay alive. Barrister A’isha must follow suit.
“We have been in touch with all the people that collected money from government at the state and federal levels without our permission. They lied and claimed that they have access to us and that they can facilitate dialogue.
“We have contacted all of them and most of them have responded positively. Unfortunately, this particular woman is proving stubborn. This is a last warning to her and if she fails to refund our money, we would be left with no option but to take punitive measures against her. We know where she lives and we know her movements,” Abul-Qaqa threatened.
Meanwhile, following shootings at a mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Sunday, which left two people dead, the Boko Haram sect, in a phone interview with the media in Maiduguri has denied being behind the attack.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the gunmen had stormed the Tandari Mosque, known as Masalachi Tandari by the residents, at Hausari ward in the city at about 6.45 p.m. on Sunday and opened fire in the direction of two of the worshippers, who had just finished their sunset (Magreb) prayer, a development which forced other worshippers to run for dear life.
Sources said two people were later found on the floor and their bodies were later deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) morgue.
Residents of the area said they were gripped with fear over the incident.
But the Commissioner of Police, Simeon Midenda, told journalists by phone that he was not aware of the killings, adding that nobody had informed his office.
“We didn’t get such a report of killings at Hausari as you said. The people don’t report such cases to the police, so how do we know such thing happened?” he queried.
Spokesman for the Joint Task Force (JTF), Liutenent-Colonel Hassan Mohammed, also maintained ignorance of the killing when he spoke with journalists, insisting that he did not get any report about the incident, though two JTF patrol vehicles with soldiers blaring siren were seen moving towards the area of the incident at about 7.15 p.m. on Sunday.
The Sunday mosque killing came barely 24 hours after the gunmen had killed three other persons, including a former councillor of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Alhaji Modunga Borifk.
According to sources, the councillor was said to be relaxing with his friends at his Shehuri Ward residence on Saturday morning after performing his wedding fatiha when some gunmen came.
He and two of his friends were shot dead, ending the merriment that preceded the wedding ceremony.
Three other persons were also said to have sustained varying degree of injury and were immediately taken to the UMTH for treatment by the JTF.
The JTF spokesman, Liutenent-Colonel Mohammed, said the suspected Boko Haram gunmen burst into a wedding ceremony in Shehuri North ward of Maiduguri metropolis and then fired several shots at the former councillor and two of his friends.
Mohammed told newsmen that the injured persons were hit by stray bullets at the ceremony before men of the JTF arrived at the scene, adding that the suspects came in an unmarked vehicle and fled to the neigbouring wards of Abaganaram and Lawan Bukar after the incident. He also said no arrest was made as of the weekend.
Meanwhile, the sect has claimed responsibility for the killing of the former councillor, Alhaji Modunga Borifk, whom they accused of being an informant to the security operatives in the state.
The sect told newsmen that Modunga, along with nine others, was on its target list and they were marked for death after they had been identified as informants to the security agents.
Spokesman for the group, Abul-Qaqa, who spoke by the phone, said the group was using the media to pass a last warning to A’isha Wakil, a lawyer, who he said had allegedly collected an unspecified sum of money from top government officials.
“We don’t want a situation that will result in tension… We don’t want to kill a woman. A’isha had confessed to us that she had collected money and we have used all entreaties for her to return the money to us, so that we can do the work of God but she has been dodging,” Abul-Qaqa said.
A senior official of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Borno State confirmed that A’isha Wakil was a practising lawyer in Maiduguri before she moved to the NHRC about three years ago.
“As a professional organisation, we are not aware of what is happening between the said barrister and members of the sect but what I want to tell you is that we always encourage our members to work within the ambit of the ethics of our profession,” the NBA official said.
At the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Tribune could not get the reaction of Wakil to the allegations.
Abul-Qaqa had said: “This warning becomes necessary and we want to set the record straight. Many people have falsely collected money on our behalf and we have forced them to surrender the money in order to stay alive. Barrister A’isha must follow suit.
“We have been in touch with all the people that collected money from government at the state and federal levels without our permission. They lied and claimed that they have access to us and that they can facilitate dialogue.
“We have contacted all of them and most of them have responded positively. Unfortunately, this particular woman is proving stubborn. This is a last warning to her and if she fails to refund our money, we would be left with no option but to take punitive measures against her. We know where she lives and we know her movements,” Abul-Qaqa threatened.
Meanwhile, following shootings at a mosque in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on Sunday, which left two people dead, the Boko Haram sect, in a phone interview with the media in Maiduguri has denied being behind the attack.
Nigerian Tribune learnt that the gunmen had stormed the Tandari Mosque, known as Masalachi Tandari by the residents, at Hausari ward in the city at about 6.45 p.m. on Sunday and opened fire in the direction of two of the worshippers, who had just finished their sunset (Magreb) prayer, a development which forced other worshippers to run for dear life.
Sources said two people were later found on the floor and their bodies were later deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) morgue.
Residents of the area said they were gripped with fear over the incident.
But the Commissioner of Police, Simeon Midenda, told journalists by phone that he was not aware of the killings, adding that nobody had informed his office.
“We didn’t get such a report of killings at Hausari as you said. The people don’t report such cases to the police, so how do we know such thing happened?” he queried.
Spokesman for the Joint Task Force (JTF), Liutenent-Colonel Hassan Mohammed, also maintained ignorance of the killing when he spoke with journalists, insisting that he did not get any report about the incident, though two JTF patrol vehicles with soldiers blaring siren were seen moving towards the area of the incident at about 7.15 p.m. on Sunday.
The Sunday mosque killing came barely 24 hours after the gunmen had killed three other persons, including a former councillor of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC), Alhaji Modunga Borifk.
According to sources, the councillor was said to be relaxing with his friends at his Shehuri Ward residence on Saturday morning after performing his wedding fatiha when some gunmen came.
He and two of his friends were shot dead, ending the merriment that preceded the wedding ceremony.
Three other persons were also said to have sustained varying degree of injury and were immediately taken to the UMTH for treatment by the JTF.
The JTF spokesman, Liutenent-Colonel Mohammed, said the suspected Boko Haram gunmen burst into a wedding ceremony in Shehuri North ward of Maiduguri metropolis and then fired several shots at the former councillor and two of his friends.
Mohammed told newsmen that the injured persons were hit by stray bullets at the ceremony before men of the JTF arrived at the scene, adding that the suspects came in an unmarked vehicle and fled to the neigbouring wards of Abaganaram and Lawan Bukar after the incident. He also said no arrest was made as of the weekend.
Meanwhile, the sect has claimed responsibility for the killing of the former councillor, Alhaji Modunga Borifk, whom they accused of being an informant to the security operatives in the state.
The sect told newsmen that Modunga, along with nine others, was on its target list and they were marked for death after they had been identified as informants to the security agents.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
kidnappers and robbers arrainged in court
Four men have been arraigned by the police before an Ebute Metta Magistrate’s Court over a four-count charge of armed robbery and kidnapping.
The accused persons, Okechukwu Uba (26), Dantani Gambo (32), Ahmed Kasali (30) and Bello Oje (34), were said to have abducted a tanker driver, Afolabi Adebola, and his assistance Jubril Oluwagbenga, after robbing them of their money.
According to the prosecutor, Inspector Sam Omoyeni, the alleged offence was committed by the accused persons on the midnight of September 23, 2011 at the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
Omoyeni informed the court that the accused persons abducted the tanker driver and his assistance, after carrying out a robbery operation by using a military bayonet and other dangerous weapons.
However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
In another development, a 39-year-old Indian, Umesh Kalaskar, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos, over an alleged conspiracy with others at large to defraud a travel agency of N84m.
Kalaskar (accused), while working with the travel agency, Skymiles Travels Limited, as an accounting officer allegedly obtained the sum of N84.76 million belonging to International Air Transport Association. The alleged money was also said to be received under false pretences, by fraudulently using acquired CITI Travel and Car Rentals Limited’s air ticket licence on March 11, 2011.
The Indian was charged with alleged conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money under false pretences, which were punishable under sections 516, 419, and 390 of the Criminal Code Cap 17 Vol. II, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
When the plea of the accused was taken, he pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
In a ruling, the magistrate, Mrs. T. Akanni, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.
The accused persons, Okechukwu Uba (26), Dantani Gambo (32), Ahmed Kasali (30) and Bello Oje (34), were said to have abducted a tanker driver, Afolabi Adebola, and his assistance Jubril Oluwagbenga, after robbing them of their money.
According to the prosecutor, Inspector Sam Omoyeni, the alleged offence was committed by the accused persons on the midnight of September 23, 2011 at the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
Omoyeni informed the court that the accused persons abducted the tanker driver and his assistance, after carrying out a robbery operation by using a military bayonet and other dangerous weapons.
However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
In another development, a 39-year-old Indian, Umesh Kalaskar, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos, over an alleged conspiracy with others at large to defraud a travel agency of N84m.
Kalaskar (accused), while working with the travel agency, Skymiles Travels Limited, as an accounting officer allegedly obtained the sum of N84.76 million belonging to International Air Transport Association. The alleged money was also said to be received under false pretences, by fraudulently using acquired CITI Travel and Car Rentals Limited’s air ticket licence on March 11, 2011.
The Indian was charged with alleged conspiracy, stealing and obtaining money under false pretences, which were punishable under sections 516, 419, and 390 of the Criminal Code Cap 17 Vol. II, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.
When the plea of the accused was taken, he pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
In a ruling, the magistrate, Mrs. T. Akanni, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.
100 injured three dead as Delta community and Shell clash over GMoU
ABOUT three persons are feared dead and 100 others, including women and children, injured in a stampede, Tuesday, at Uzere in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta, when soldiers and mobile policemen fired tear gas on protesters at a Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, flow station in the area.
Angered by the action of the soldiers and policemen, the protesters burnt a Mercedes benz car and two Hilux vehicles provided for the security agents by the oil company.
Angry villagers also razed their traditional ruler’s palace, his guest house and wife’s store. They alleged that some leaders of the community were conspiring with the oil company against them.
At the time the community youths forced their way into the company, the security agents had become jittery over the repercussion of their action and fled.
Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Isoko South, Chief Superintendent Chris Forgbara, who led a team of policemen to quell the disturbance was also affected by the tear-gas from the security agents, who also shot indiscriminately into the air.
Vanguard gathered that the community had expressed misgivings that SPDC, which started operations in the area since 1958, had not signed a Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMOU, and, therefore, mobilised for a peaceful protest.
The protesters, numbering about 5,000, and led by members of the oil and gas committee in Uzere community, Messrs Okegbe Sam, Meshack Uge and Godspower Aluya, demanded that the barricade to the flow station be dismantled as they wanted to get to the gate and present their demands to the company.
It was alleged that the security agents insisted that they should disperse immediately and fired canisters of tear-gas into the air to scare them away. With gunshots also renting the air, the villagers ran helter-skelter, sustaining injuries in the process. The scale of the injury sustained by the protesters allegedly infuriated the entire community.
Over 500 motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada, also massed together and rode furiously, daring anybody to come out and attack them.
Shell’s ‘crimes’
In a statement issued on the state of affairs between Shell and its host communities in Uzere kingdom, President-General of the community, Chief Emeakpo Owhe, said: “It is a known fact that Uzere land has been blessed with oil and gas. It is also a known fact that Shell has exploited this natural resources on our fatherland for the past 52 years (since 1958).”
He said the company did not enter into any agreement with the people, adding, “consequent upon the above, we wrote Shell since February 2011 to come to Uzere to discus and firm up the GMoU (Global Memorandum of Understanding) with Uzere communities.
“In October, we reminded Shell on the imperative of putting a framework in place for the GMoU so that we can legally know the basics for our relationship/partnering and cooperation with SPDC.
“The only hospital Shell managed to build in Uzere is not functional because it refused to fund the health insurance scheme that will enable the hospital take-off properly. SPDC funded a similar Obio Cottage hospital in River State at N24 million. Why have they refused to fund the Uzere Cottage Hospital?
“The ultimatum given to Shell on the issue of GMoU with Uzere kingdom expired months ago, but up till now Shell has not shown any interest to have a GMoU with Uzere kingdom, its host.
“We have also written to the Delta State Government on the refusal by Shell to sign the GMoU. The Uzere community has, therefore, decided that if SPDC still wants to operate in Uzere land, it should come and sign a GMOU with Uzere before carrying out further oil activities with effect from today (yesterday).”
Shell responds
Shell Media Officer in Warri, Mr. Joseph Obari told Vanguard: “We have confirmed that a group of youths from Uzere community this morning (Tuesday) invaded SPDC’s Uzere Flow Station and shut it down. They attacked workers and burnt two security vehicles.”
According to him, the youths were reportedly demanding the signing of a GMoU with the community.
He added: “SPDC has phased the implemen-tation of its highly successful GMoU model for sustainable develop-ment. Apart from two GMoUs tied to specific projects, the programme is already being implemented in three clusters in Delta State.
“We are working with the Delta State government to resolve the situation.
Angered by the action of the soldiers and policemen, the protesters burnt a Mercedes benz car and two Hilux vehicles provided for the security agents by the oil company.
Angry villagers also razed their traditional ruler’s palace, his guest house and wife’s store. They alleged that some leaders of the community were conspiring with the oil company against them.
At the time the community youths forced their way into the company, the security agents had become jittery over the repercussion of their action and fled.
Divisional Police Officer, DPO, for Isoko South, Chief Superintendent Chris Forgbara, who led a team of policemen to quell the disturbance was also affected by the tear-gas from the security agents, who also shot indiscriminately into the air.
Vanguard gathered that the community had expressed misgivings that SPDC, which started operations in the area since 1958, had not signed a Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMOU, and, therefore, mobilised for a peaceful protest.
The protesters, numbering about 5,000, and led by members of the oil and gas committee in Uzere community, Messrs Okegbe Sam, Meshack Uge and Godspower Aluya, demanded that the barricade to the flow station be dismantled as they wanted to get to the gate and present their demands to the company.
It was alleged that the security agents insisted that they should disperse immediately and fired canisters of tear-gas into the air to scare them away. With gunshots also renting the air, the villagers ran helter-skelter, sustaining injuries in the process. The scale of the injury sustained by the protesters allegedly infuriated the entire community.
Over 500 motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada, also massed together and rode furiously, daring anybody to come out and attack them.
Shell’s ‘crimes’
In a statement issued on the state of affairs between Shell and its host communities in Uzere kingdom, President-General of the community, Chief Emeakpo Owhe, said: “It is a known fact that Uzere land has been blessed with oil and gas. It is also a known fact that Shell has exploited this natural resources on our fatherland for the past 52 years (since 1958).”
He said the company did not enter into any agreement with the people, adding, “consequent upon the above, we wrote Shell since February 2011 to come to Uzere to discus and firm up the GMoU (Global Memorandum of Understanding) with Uzere communities.
“In October, we reminded Shell on the imperative of putting a framework in place for the GMoU so that we can legally know the basics for our relationship/partnering and cooperation with SPDC.
“The only hospital Shell managed to build in Uzere is not functional because it refused to fund the health insurance scheme that will enable the hospital take-off properly. SPDC funded a similar Obio Cottage hospital in River State at N24 million. Why have they refused to fund the Uzere Cottage Hospital?
“The ultimatum given to Shell on the issue of GMoU with Uzere kingdom expired months ago, but up till now Shell has not shown any interest to have a GMoU with Uzere kingdom, its host.
“We have also written to the Delta State Government on the refusal by Shell to sign the GMoU. The Uzere community has, therefore, decided that if SPDC still wants to operate in Uzere land, it should come and sign a GMOU with Uzere before carrying out further oil activities with effect from today (yesterday).”
Shell responds
Shell Media Officer in Warri, Mr. Joseph Obari told Vanguard: “We have confirmed that a group of youths from Uzere community this morning (Tuesday) invaded SPDC’s Uzere Flow Station and shut it down. They attacked workers and burnt two security vehicles.”
According to him, the youths were reportedly demanding the signing of a GMoU with the community.
He added: “SPDC has phased the implemen-tation of its highly successful GMoU model for sustainable develop-ment. Apart from two GMoUs tied to specific projects, the programme is already being implemented in three clusters in Delta State.
“We are working with the Delta State government to resolve the situation.
Medical doctor killed over 25:000 naira pledge.
Calabar—A medical doctor with the Federal Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, Cross River State, Dr. Chibueze Onunkwo, has been allegedly killed by his landlady’s daughter-in-law (names withheld) following a disagreement between his wife and the suspected assailant over a pledge made by his wife.
However, the suspect has denied committing the crime, claiming that the late doctor and his wife were the ones that attacked her for allegedly assisting the wife to protect her marriage at their 2, Oyo Efan Street, off Palm Street, Calabar residence.
The doctor’s wife reportedly pledged N5,000 to the church where the suspected assailant worshipped and later redeemed the pledge. But the suspect was said to have continued to demand that she redeem the N25,000 pledge.
Sources said the cause of the quarrel between the two women was over the reported balance of N20,000. The doctor’s wife had insisted that she pledged N5,000. The suspect was said to have attacked her.
The doctor then confronted the suspect who was said to have hit him on the head with an object. He slumped and died.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State chapter of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has accused the police of trying to cover up the matter.
Branch Chairman of NMA, Dr, Ofem Enang, said: “NMA strongly condemns the attitude of the police and we ask the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, through the state Commissioner of Police, to carry out a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is done.”
State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Hogan Bassey, confirmed the in-cident, adding that inve-stigation was still on-going.
Bassey, however, denied the allegation that the police had been compromised. He said the suspect was in police custody and receiving medical attention.
However, the suspect has denied committing the crime, claiming that the late doctor and his wife were the ones that attacked her for allegedly assisting the wife to protect her marriage at their 2, Oyo Efan Street, off Palm Street, Calabar residence.
The doctor’s wife reportedly pledged N5,000 to the church where the suspected assailant worshipped and later redeemed the pledge. But the suspect was said to have continued to demand that she redeem the N25,000 pledge.
Sources said the cause of the quarrel between the two women was over the reported balance of N20,000. The doctor’s wife had insisted that she pledged N5,000. The suspect was said to have attacked her.
The doctor then confronted the suspect who was said to have hit him on the head with an object. He slumped and died.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State chapter of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has accused the police of trying to cover up the matter.
Branch Chairman of NMA, Dr, Ofem Enang, said: “NMA strongly condemns the attitude of the police and we ask the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, through the state Commissioner of Police, to carry out a thorough investigation to ensure that justice is done.”
State Police Public Relations Officer, Assistant Superintendent Hogan Bassey, confirmed the in-cident, adding that inve-stigation was still on-going.
Bassey, however, denied the allegation that the police had been compromised. He said the suspect was in police custody and receiving medical attention.
Gadafi’s men moving arms into Nigeria through niger
THE Federal Government, on Tuesday, raised the alarm on the influx of arms and ammunition from Libya into Nigeria.
The Minister of Defence, Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed, who disclosed this on Tuesday, while on a maiden visit to the Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce headquarters, said that security reports revealed that some of the dissidents of the slain former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, were moving with heavy equipment and arms into the northern part of the country.
“We are very much aware of the movement of arms and explosives that were stolen from Libya. And I discussed with the Minister of Defence from Niger recently and he confirmed to me that arms were coming in. Recently, about 10 trucks entered from Libya and they had to fight them. They killed six people and seized all the 10 trucks and all of them were loaded with weapons.”
He said that anxiety was being expressed on the issue of security of the country’s borders, as fears had heightened about arms coming from Niger and lack of military representation in that country.
Subsequently, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, has directed the deputy concierge to move to Niger, while the government is to set a process in motion to ensure that the government approves the establishment of Defence attaché for Niger.
The minister disclosed that the fears were genuine but that they were up and doing. “We are doing something about it; we are working to set up a memorandum of understanding with Niger. And the EU has just approached that they would also like to work with us. They have fears also of disruption in our sub-region, if these weapons are allowed to proliferate without challenge. And Mali, Central African Republic, Mauritania Niger are all coming together to set a joint operation to fight movement of these weapons.”
He said that the government was doing a lot in this area and that with the support of the armed forces which are the field operators, and with their dedication, “we are going to face the situation and we will not allow it to deteriorate the security situation in our sub-region.”
Dr Bello charged the armed forces and other security agencies to really look inwards; “to look at ourselves, our attitudes, our methods of operation so that we devise means and ways of combating these new challenges, as he also promised to involve the military in internal security operations by bringing them into greater contact with the civil population.
He appealed to senior military officers to consider the civil populace as their friends, brothers and sisters, saying that to a great extent, they relied on them to get some of the information that they used to plan their operations.
According to him, when coming in contact, senior officers should talk to their men to be extraordinarily civil, because military training was geared towards threatening the enemy.
“When you are fighting a war, every citizen of your enemy country is considered an enemy, but internal security operation is different and we have to re-orient our people to think and behave accordingly,” he said.
Also, he added that it was the aim of the government to transform the Armed Forces by ensuring that they are always properly equipped and trained.
He said training institutions in the country were of high quality, as evidenced by constant request they received from other countries, even from outside Africa.
The minister said they had set in motion a process for amending the conditions of service for the Armed Forces to increase the age of retirement for various positions.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop for the clamour for state police by some states of the federation, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for South-South, Mr Mustafa Yesufu, has said such a development is unnecessary, as it would promote chaos and anarchy in the society.
The DIG, who stated this in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday, while on a working visit to the state police command, said the present structure of the police force was suitable for the country.
According to him, “Nigeria as a nation has not developed into having state police, those who are calling for the establishment of state police are simply inviting chaos and anarchy.”
Explaining further, Yesufu said state governors were the chief security officers of their individual states, even as they had given enough support to their state police commands with the provision of security apparatus like security vans, weapons and financial assistance.
He said allowing state police would mean state government having control over security agencies in their domains, which, he said, would result in mismanagement. “
On the activities of Boko Haram sect, Yesufu said such a crime was relatively new in the system, adding that the steps to stem their activities required a collective effort and should not be left to the security agencies alone.
He, however, called on the members of the public to be vigilant, saying that “note those that buy ammunition, explosives from you, report strange and funny characters around you. The situation requires team work and not to be left in the hands of the police alone.”
In his welcome address, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, said the command had concluded arrangements to establish a quick response squad in the state, to ensure that proactive measures were taken to fight crime with all vigour available to the command, to make the state safe for prospective investors and the general citizenry.
The Minister of Defence, Dr Bello Haliru Mohammed, who disclosed this on Tuesday, while on a maiden visit to the Defence, Army, Navy and Airforce headquarters, said that security reports revealed that some of the dissidents of the slain former Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, were moving with heavy equipment and arms into the northern part of the country.
“We are very much aware of the movement of arms and explosives that were stolen from Libya. And I discussed with the Minister of Defence from Niger recently and he confirmed to me that arms were coming in. Recently, about 10 trucks entered from Libya and they had to fight them. They killed six people and seized all the 10 trucks and all of them were loaded with weapons.”
He said that anxiety was being expressed on the issue of security of the country’s borders, as fears had heightened about arms coming from Niger and lack of military representation in that country.
Subsequently, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, has directed the deputy concierge to move to Niger, while the government is to set a process in motion to ensure that the government approves the establishment of Defence attaché for Niger.
The minister disclosed that the fears were genuine but that they were up and doing. “We are doing something about it; we are working to set up a memorandum of understanding with Niger. And the EU has just approached that they would also like to work with us. They have fears also of disruption in our sub-region, if these weapons are allowed to proliferate without challenge. And Mali, Central African Republic, Mauritania Niger are all coming together to set a joint operation to fight movement of these weapons.”
He said that the government was doing a lot in this area and that with the support of the armed forces which are the field operators, and with their dedication, “we are going to face the situation and we will not allow it to deteriorate the security situation in our sub-region.”
Dr Bello charged the armed forces and other security agencies to really look inwards; “to look at ourselves, our attitudes, our methods of operation so that we devise means and ways of combating these new challenges, as he also promised to involve the military in internal security operations by bringing them into greater contact with the civil population.
He appealed to senior military officers to consider the civil populace as their friends, brothers and sisters, saying that to a great extent, they relied on them to get some of the information that they used to plan their operations.
According to him, when coming in contact, senior officers should talk to their men to be extraordinarily civil, because military training was geared towards threatening the enemy.
“When you are fighting a war, every citizen of your enemy country is considered an enemy, but internal security operation is different and we have to re-orient our people to think and behave accordingly,” he said.
Also, he added that it was the aim of the government to transform the Armed Forces by ensuring that they are always properly equipped and trained.
He said training institutions in the country were of high quality, as evidenced by constant request they received from other countries, even from outside Africa.
The minister said they had set in motion a process for amending the conditions of service for the Armed Forces to increase the age of retirement for various positions.
Meanwhile, against the backdrop for the clamour for state police by some states of the federation, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police for South-South, Mr Mustafa Yesufu, has said such a development is unnecessary, as it would promote chaos and anarchy in the society.
The DIG, who stated this in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday, while on a working visit to the state police command, said the present structure of the police force was suitable for the country.
According to him, “Nigeria as a nation has not developed into having state police, those who are calling for the establishment of state police are simply inviting chaos and anarchy.”
Explaining further, Yesufu said state governors were the chief security officers of their individual states, even as they had given enough support to their state police commands with the provision of security apparatus like security vans, weapons and financial assistance.
He said allowing state police would mean state government having control over security agencies in their domains, which, he said, would result in mismanagement. “
On the activities of Boko Haram sect, Yesufu said such a crime was relatively new in the system, adding that the steps to stem their activities required a collective effort and should not be left to the security agencies alone.
He, however, called on the members of the public to be vigilant, saying that “note those that buy ammunition, explosives from you, report strange and funny characters around you. The situation requires team work and not to be left in the hands of the police alone.”
In his welcome address, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, said the command had concluded arrangements to establish a quick response squad in the state, to ensure that proactive measures were taken to fight crime with all vigour available to the command, to make the state safe for prospective investors and the general citizenry.
Gay marriage outlawed in Nigeria!
The senate passed a bill on Tuesday outlawing same-sex marriage in Nigeria as well as banning public displays of affection between homosexual couples.
The bill, which still must be approved by the House of Representatives and signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, spells out a 14-year jail term for anyone involved in same-sex marriages.
Those who abet or aid such unions could be given 10 years, as would “any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs… or directly or indirectly makes public show of same sex amorous relationships,” the bill says.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that his country will consider withholding aid from countries that do not recognise gay rights.
Senate President David Mark said during debate on the bill on Tuesday that “our values are our values.”
“If there is any country that does not want to give us aid or assistance just because we want to hold on to our values, that country can keep her aid and assistance,” he said.
“No country has the right to interfere in the way we make our own laws because we don’t interfere in the way others make their own laws.”
During a public hearing last month, gay activists staged a protest outside parliament calling for the bill to be dropped, saying it infringed on their fundamental human rights.
It was unclear why lawmakers decided a ban was necessary, with gay marriage not known to be prevalent in Nigeria and homosexuals already harshly discriminated against.
The country is strongly religious, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south. Islamic sharia law is in place in 12 northern states, though it is selectively enforced.
On Tuesday, one rights activist called the bill a waste of time in a country lacking even the most basic infrastructure needs, including adequate electricity, despite Nigeria’s status as Africa’s largest oil producer.
“I can’t recall a particular place where this type of marriage has taken place in Nigeria,” said Adetokunbo Mumuni, director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.
“This particular thing they have assented to is a thing of no substance to Nigeria. They should focus on things that affect the majority of Nigerians.”
In the east African nation of Uganda, a controversial bill that calls for the death penalty for certain homosexual acts was recently reintroduced in the parliament.
The bill, which still must be approved by the House of Representatives and signed by President Goodluck Jonathan, spells out a 14-year jail term for anyone involved in same-sex marriages.
Those who abet or aid such unions could be given 10 years, as would “any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs… or directly or indirectly makes public show of same sex amorous relationships,” the bill says.
British Prime Minister David Cameron has warned that his country will consider withholding aid from countries that do not recognise gay rights.
Senate President David Mark said during debate on the bill on Tuesday that “our values are our values.”
“If there is any country that does not want to give us aid or assistance just because we want to hold on to our values, that country can keep her aid and assistance,” he said.
“No country has the right to interfere in the way we make our own laws because we don’t interfere in the way others make their own laws.”
During a public hearing last month, gay activists staged a protest outside parliament calling for the bill to be dropped, saying it infringed on their fundamental human rights.
It was unclear why lawmakers decided a ban was necessary, with gay marriage not known to be prevalent in Nigeria and homosexuals already harshly discriminated against.
The country is strongly religious, roughly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominately Christian south. Islamic sharia law is in place in 12 northern states, though it is selectively enforced.
On Tuesday, one rights activist called the bill a waste of time in a country lacking even the most basic infrastructure needs, including adequate electricity, despite Nigeria’s status as Africa’s largest oil producer.
“I can’t recall a particular place where this type of marriage has taken place in Nigeria,” said Adetokunbo Mumuni, director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project.
“This particular thing they have assented to is a thing of no substance to Nigeria. They should focus on things that affect the majority of Nigerians.”
In the east African nation of Uganda, a controversial bill that calls for the death penalty for certain homosexual acts was recently reintroduced in the parliament.
Monday, 28 November 2011
mysterious death of woman, many questions than answers..........
The family says she did not commit suicide, while her husband told the police his wife was insane
NONE of Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew’s brothers and sisters believes she committed suicide by hanging as the photographs could have suggested.
They think there are reasons to strongly suspect foul play in the death of their sister and are asking the police to look into the matter and do what is right so that the murderer will face justice.
One of Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew’s brothers, Johnny Okechukwu Ezurike, a native of Ahaba Oloko in Abia State, told The Guardian the circumstances surrounding her death were hazy and required investigations.
His late sister, he said, was working at the Ministry of Defence in Ikoyi, Lagos, when she met and married Mr. Andrew Chinedu, who hails from Isiala Ngwa, also in Abia State.
“That was three years ago and all through that period, it was a turbulent and very unhappy marriage for my sister.
“There were frequent, violent confrontations during which her husband would beat my sister mercilessly.
“Hardly would a day go by without his beating her up and she would run to my house, with bruises all over her body, for safety.
“As an employee of the Defence Ministry, she lived in the official quarters and her husband was living with her.
“A time came and the authorities warned her not to live in the quarters with her and she pleaded with him that they should move out, but he refused.
“Due to this, my sister was dismissed from the ministry without any benefits after 19 years of service.
“At last, they looked for and got an alternative accommodation in the Isheri-Ikotun area but the beating continued.
“On July 1, 2011, following another beating from her husband, my sister again, ran to my apartment.
“Later, I called Chinedu Andrew and asked him to bring some dresses so she could change the dresses she came in with.
“On Sunday, July 3, I went for a family meeting and my sister’s husband came and she left with him.
She called to tell me she was going back with him and I warned her not to go, but she refused.
“She said what she had in her shop would go bad if she did not go back.
“I warned her that the information we were getting about her husband was not good, how his first wife died without any explanation as to why, but she would not listen.”
Now in tears, Ezurike continued: “She went back on Sunday and on Wednesday, her husband called very late in the night that he went out to the market and came back, only for my sister to lock him outside.
He wanted me to come to their house that night but I refused.
“I told him I could not leave my family that late in the night and that he should go inside but he said unless I came that night, he would not go in.
He called me again the following morning and when I asked where he slept, he said in the corridor.
“I hung up but he kept calling me until in the evening.
“ I asked him that I hoped he did not do any wrong since he was scared of his house and his wife.”
Unable to hold back the avalanche of tears, Ezurike said Chinedu Andrew told him he climbed the roof of his house and saw that his wife had hanged herself with a rope.
“I was shocked and immediately called my relations to go see what was going on, only for me to learn that he had called them all earlier.
“I was surprised, because he had never visited nor seen any of them since after the marriage.
“When we got there, we asked him to open the door but he refused, unless the police were called.
“We met two people and he identified them as his brother and neighbour though he had always claimed he had no siblings, or relations in Lagos and claimed he lived in Amukoko before he met my sister.”
“When he would not budge, we called the police at Isheri and the police photographer we went with kicked the door and it opened.
“What we saw was unbelievable.
“ My sister’s lifeless body was hanging by the window, stark naked.
“One of her legs was on the ground, the other on a chair and her two hands resting on a huge plastic container in the room.
“Blood was coming out from her ears and there were marks like bruises on her head and legs.
“Her genital organ had been shaved and she was wearing a wig.
“The police man with us asked him why her artery was cut, and he said it was when she was struggling for life.”
The grieving brother said after Chinedu Andrew’s arrest, by the Isheri Police, he was transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Yaba.
“But since then, we do not know what has happened to Chinedu Andrew, whether he is still in detention or not and the answers to the many questions about the death of my sister.
“Till now, whether her body is still in the morgue or not, I cannot say.
“We are begging the police to help us get justice because the posture we saw my sister was not that of someone who committed suicide by hanging.
“In his statement to the police, he lied that my sister was mad, and that she had high blood pressure.
“Till now, we have not heard anything about the autopsy. When I got to the General Hospital Ikeja, they brought out an unrecongnised body with Number 1362, and asked me to go ahead and bury it but I refused.
“One, I was not sure it was my sister’s and second, in our culture, it is the husband’s duty to claim the body and bury his wife.”
He is appealing to the police not to let the matter die without being properly investigated and the result known.
“My sister is dead, but we should, at least, be satisfied that anybody who killed her and made it look like suicide by hanging is not walking about a free man
NONE of Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew’s brothers and sisters believes she committed suicide by hanging as the photographs could have suggested.
They think there are reasons to strongly suspect foul play in the death of their sister and are asking the police to look into the matter and do what is right so that the murderer will face justice.
One of Mrs. Elizabeth Andrew’s brothers, Johnny Okechukwu Ezurike, a native of Ahaba Oloko in Abia State, told The Guardian the circumstances surrounding her death were hazy and required investigations.
His late sister, he said, was working at the Ministry of Defence in Ikoyi, Lagos, when she met and married Mr. Andrew Chinedu, who hails from Isiala Ngwa, also in Abia State.
“That was three years ago and all through that period, it was a turbulent and very unhappy marriage for my sister.
“There were frequent, violent confrontations during which her husband would beat my sister mercilessly.
“Hardly would a day go by without his beating her up and she would run to my house, with bruises all over her body, for safety.
“As an employee of the Defence Ministry, she lived in the official quarters and her husband was living with her.
“A time came and the authorities warned her not to live in the quarters with her and she pleaded with him that they should move out, but he refused.
“Due to this, my sister was dismissed from the ministry without any benefits after 19 years of service.
“At last, they looked for and got an alternative accommodation in the Isheri-Ikotun area but the beating continued.
“On July 1, 2011, following another beating from her husband, my sister again, ran to my apartment.
“Later, I called Chinedu Andrew and asked him to bring some dresses so she could change the dresses she came in with.
“On Sunday, July 3, I went for a family meeting and my sister’s husband came and she left with him.
She called to tell me she was going back with him and I warned her not to go, but she refused.
“She said what she had in her shop would go bad if she did not go back.
“I warned her that the information we were getting about her husband was not good, how his first wife died without any explanation as to why, but she would not listen.”
Now in tears, Ezurike continued: “She went back on Sunday and on Wednesday, her husband called very late in the night that he went out to the market and came back, only for my sister to lock him outside.
He wanted me to come to their house that night but I refused.
“I told him I could not leave my family that late in the night and that he should go inside but he said unless I came that night, he would not go in.
He called me again the following morning and when I asked where he slept, he said in the corridor.
“I hung up but he kept calling me until in the evening.
“ I asked him that I hoped he did not do any wrong since he was scared of his house and his wife.”
Unable to hold back the avalanche of tears, Ezurike said Chinedu Andrew told him he climbed the roof of his house and saw that his wife had hanged herself with a rope.
“I was shocked and immediately called my relations to go see what was going on, only for me to learn that he had called them all earlier.
“I was surprised, because he had never visited nor seen any of them since after the marriage.
“When we got there, we asked him to open the door but he refused, unless the police were called.
“We met two people and he identified them as his brother and neighbour though he had always claimed he had no siblings, or relations in Lagos and claimed he lived in Amukoko before he met my sister.”
“When he would not budge, we called the police at Isheri and the police photographer we went with kicked the door and it opened.
“What we saw was unbelievable.
“ My sister’s lifeless body was hanging by the window, stark naked.
“One of her legs was on the ground, the other on a chair and her two hands resting on a huge plastic container in the room.
“Blood was coming out from her ears and there were marks like bruises on her head and legs.
“Her genital organ had been shaved and she was wearing a wig.
“The police man with us asked him why her artery was cut, and he said it was when she was struggling for life.”
The grieving brother said after Chinedu Andrew’s arrest, by the Isheri Police, he was transferred to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Yaba.
“But since then, we do not know what has happened to Chinedu Andrew, whether he is still in detention or not and the answers to the many questions about the death of my sister.
“Till now, whether her body is still in the morgue or not, I cannot say.
“We are begging the police to help us get justice because the posture we saw my sister was not that of someone who committed suicide by hanging.
“In his statement to the police, he lied that my sister was mad, and that she had high blood pressure.
“Till now, we have not heard anything about the autopsy. When I got to the General Hospital Ikeja, they brought out an unrecongnised body with Number 1362, and asked me to go ahead and bury it but I refused.
“One, I was not sure it was my sister’s and second, in our culture, it is the husband’s duty to claim the body and bury his wife.”
He is appealing to the police not to let the matter die without being properly investigated and the result known.
“My sister is dead, but we should, at least, be satisfied that anybody who killed her and made it look like suicide by hanging is not walking about a free man
4 policemen killed and 20 others wounded as boko haram burns police headquaters and churches in yobe state
THE fundamentalist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, again struck on Saturday evening, killing four policemen, wounding about 20 others
and burning some churches as they attacked the police head-quaters in Geidam, Yobe State.
The attack on the police headquarters, according to Agency report, set the small North-East ablaze, in a wave of night-time gun and bomb attacks by the radical Islamist sect, which had claimed responsibility for dozens of shootings and attacks with improvised explosive devices this year.
“The Geidam divisional police headquarters and FirstBank were bombed on Saturday evening by Boko Haram and fire was exchanged into the night between the police and Boko Haram members,” a police spokesman told reporters.
“Four policemen were killed, 20 wounded, eight churches and 20 market stalls, as well as Geidam council secretariat are completely destroyed,” the spokesman added.
and burning some churches as they attacked the police head-quaters in Geidam, Yobe State.
The attack on the police headquarters, according to Agency report, set the small North-East ablaze, in a wave of night-time gun and bomb attacks by the radical Islamist sect, which had claimed responsibility for dozens of shootings and attacks with improvised explosive devices this year.
“The Geidam divisional police headquarters and FirstBank were bombed on Saturday evening by Boko Haram and fire was exchanged into the night between the police and Boko Haram members,” a police spokesman told reporters.
“Four policemen were killed, 20 wounded, eight churches and 20 market stalls, as well as Geidam council secretariat are completely destroyed,” the spokesman added.
former chief whip senator kanti bello petitions goodluck jonathan, david mark, musdapher for miscarriage of justice
Former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Kanti Bello, who was the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April general election in Katsina North senatorial district has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN), Justice Dahiru Musdapher and the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, alleging miscarriage of justice in the ruling of the Appeal Court, Kaduna, on his election petition against the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change(CPC), Senator Abdul Yandoma.
The senator, in a nine-page petition asked for the intervention of the president and the CJN in order to save the judiciary.
The Court of Appeal had, in a judgment delivered on November 16 by Justice Amina Augie over an appeal brought before it by Senator Abdul Yandoma, CPC candidate representing Katsina North senatorial district, set aside the decision of the elections petitions tribunal sitting in Katsina.
The appellate court held that the decision of the tribunal nullifying Senator Yandoma’s election and ordering bye-election was wrong, adding that the issue was a pre-election matter which it said the election tribunal had no jurisdiction to delve into.
But in the petition dated November 24, Senator Bello, who also copied the petition to the acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, wondered why the Appeal Court failed to await the Supreme Court judgment in another suit questioning the candidacy of Senator Yandoma.
The Senator accused the Court of Appeal of desperation, adding that the court had “thrown honour, decency, common sense and justice overboard.”
He further stated in the petition: “why the indecent haste to hear and determine the appeal, this act by the Court of Appeal can only but diminish the administration of justice in the eyes of the right thinking members of the society and ultimately erode our confidence in the judiciary as an impartial arbiter of our disputes.
The senator, in a nine-page petition asked for the intervention of the president and the CJN in order to save the judiciary.
The Court of Appeal had, in a judgment delivered on November 16 by Justice Amina Augie over an appeal brought before it by Senator Abdul Yandoma, CPC candidate representing Katsina North senatorial district, set aside the decision of the elections petitions tribunal sitting in Katsina.
The appellate court held that the decision of the tribunal nullifying Senator Yandoma’s election and ordering bye-election was wrong, adding that the issue was a pre-election matter which it said the election tribunal had no jurisdiction to delve into.
But in the petition dated November 24, Senator Bello, who also copied the petition to the acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, wondered why the Appeal Court failed to await the Supreme Court judgment in another suit questioning the candidacy of Senator Yandoma.
The Senator accused the Court of Appeal of desperation, adding that the court had “thrown honour, decency, common sense and justice overboard.”
He further stated in the petition: “why the indecent haste to hear and determine the appeal, this act by the Court of Appeal can only but diminish the administration of justice in the eyes of the right thinking members of the society and ultimately erode our confidence in the judiciary as an impartial arbiter of our disputes.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
former kano state governor mallam ibrahim shekarau is been investigated for 420 million naira by the ICPC
The anti-graft agency says allegations that the former Kano State governor misappropriated N420 million are worth investigating. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) is to investigate former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, over an alleged N420 million fraud and misappropriation of public funds.
The announcement was made in a statement issued in Abuja by the Commission's Resident Consultant, Folu Olamiti, on Thursday.
It said that a Kano based nongovernmental organisation had, in a petition forwarded to the anti-graft agency, alleged that Shekarau indulged in some “unwholesome acts” in breach of several provisions of the ICPC Act 2000.
The NGO alleged that Shekarau, who contested for president in the April 2011 general elections, committed fraud, abused power, inflated contracts sums, awarded double contracts and engaged in many other vices in gross violation of the ICPC Act.
The petitioner alleged further that Shekarau engaged in diversion and embezzlement of billions of naira belonging to the state government through an ambiguous expenditure referred to as “reciprocal arrangement”.
Other allegations include: that Shekarau awarded the construction of an 11-bedroom apartment to himself to the tune of N286,434,168.51 while in office; awarded contracts to a company in which he had substantial interest; and as well as paying for some furniture twice.
“Following the petition, the ICPC team of investigators visited the state where it uncovered a lot of financial malpractice in the award of contracts as claimed by the petitioner,” the statement said. “The report was submitted to the acting chairman of the Commission, Abdullahi Bako, by the investigators, and a prima facie case was established against the former governor.”
It said the report stated that the contractor handling the project was mobilised “with the sum of N119,330,955.91 on October 18, 2007, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, contrary to section 35 of the Procurement Act which provided for 15 per cent mobilisation for any contract awarded”.
Shekarau was further alleged to have ordered the release of several millions of naira to the contractor handling the project without referring to the financial regulation and ignoring advice from the state Ministry of Lands.
The statement added that the contractor and officials of the state’s Ministry of Works had made statements to the anti-graft agency on the issues raised by the petitioner.
“Consequently, the acting chairman of the commission has directed that the ex-governor be invited to answer questions raised in the petition,” the statement said.
The announcement was made in a statement issued in Abuja by the Commission's Resident Consultant, Folu Olamiti, on Thursday.
It said that a Kano based nongovernmental organisation had, in a petition forwarded to the anti-graft agency, alleged that Shekarau indulged in some “unwholesome acts” in breach of several provisions of the ICPC Act 2000.
The NGO alleged that Shekarau, who contested for president in the April 2011 general elections, committed fraud, abused power, inflated contracts sums, awarded double contracts and engaged in many other vices in gross violation of the ICPC Act.
The petitioner alleged further that Shekarau engaged in diversion and embezzlement of billions of naira belonging to the state government through an ambiguous expenditure referred to as “reciprocal arrangement”.
Other allegations include: that Shekarau awarded the construction of an 11-bedroom apartment to himself to the tune of N286,434,168.51 while in office; awarded contracts to a company in which he had substantial interest; and as well as paying for some furniture twice.
“Following the petition, the ICPC team of investigators visited the state where it uncovered a lot of financial malpractice in the award of contracts as claimed by the petitioner,” the statement said. “The report was submitted to the acting chairman of the Commission, Abdullahi Bako, by the investigators, and a prima facie case was established against the former governor.”
It said the report stated that the contractor handling the project was mobilised “with the sum of N119,330,955.91 on October 18, 2007, representing 50 per cent of the contract sum, contrary to section 35 of the Procurement Act which provided for 15 per cent mobilisation for any contract awarded”.
Shekarau was further alleged to have ordered the release of several millions of naira to the contractor handling the project without referring to the financial regulation and ignoring advice from the state Ministry of Lands.
The statement added that the contractor and officials of the state’s Ministry of Works had made statements to the anti-graft agency on the issues raised by the petitioner.
“Consequently, the acting chairman of the commission has directed that the ex-governor be invited to answer questions raised in the petition,” the statement said.
Beheading of corpse in Abia as police parade 2 suspected culprit
Police say they are investigating the suspects’ motives
The Abia State Police Command has arrested two persons for allegedly beheading two corpses kept at a local mortuary in Owerrinta, Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area of the state.
The corpses, male and female, were kept at the Might Moon Mortuary in Owerrinta, where the suspects allegedly beheaded them at about 3.30 a.m. on November 4.
Geoffrey Ogbonna, the police spokesperson, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspects were arrested at Owerrinta.
Ogbonna, who described the act as “ungodly and sacrilegious”, said that the police were investigating the matter. “How can one behead a dead body, what is he or she going to do with the head?” he said.
The proprietor of the morgue, Dr Boniface Ubani, had reported the incident to the police on November 5.
It was gathered that the suspects had attacked the mortuary attendants before carrying out the act.
“We felt the people brought a dead body to the mortuary that night,” said a resident of the village who did not want his name published. “It was only after day break that we learnt the some very horrible things took place at the mortuary.
The Abia State Police Command has arrested two persons for allegedly beheading two corpses kept at a local mortuary in Owerrinta, Isiala Ngwa Local Government Area of the state.
The corpses, male and female, were kept at the Might Moon Mortuary in Owerrinta, where the suspects allegedly beheaded them at about 3.30 a.m. on November 4.
Geoffrey Ogbonna, the police spokesperson, confirmed the incident, adding that the suspects were arrested at Owerrinta.
Ogbonna, who described the act as “ungodly and sacrilegious”, said that the police were investigating the matter. “How can one behead a dead body, what is he or she going to do with the head?” he said.
The proprietor of the morgue, Dr Boniface Ubani, had reported the incident to the police on November 5.
It was gathered that the suspects had attacked the mortuary attendants before carrying out the act.
“We felt the people brought a dead body to the mortuary that night,” said a resident of the village who did not want his name published. “It was only after day break that we learnt the some very horrible things took place at the mortuary.
pension fraud as police parade x-law maker
Fawa used fake names and files to collect money from the Salaries and Pensions Directorate. The Jigawa State police command has paraded a former member of the state House of Assembly, Saleh Fawa, for allegedly defrauding the State Government of millions of naira through the state Salaries and Pensions Directorate.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hashimu Argungu, while parading the suspect at the police headquarters in Dutse, said Fawa was arrested at Royal Tropicana Hotel following a tip off.
Fawa, who is alleged to be the leader of a pension fraud syndicate, chaired the Committee on Salaries and Pension in the Jigawa State House of Assembly for eight years when he was a member.
Argungu said the arrest was made possible due to the assistance the police received from the Salaries and Pensions Directorate regarding three forged files during investigation.
“The syndicate perpetrates the fraud by using proxy names of imaginary deceased pensioners and siblings, as well as fake files to siphon money from the state's Salaries and Pensions Directorate,” he said.
Fawa confessed to the crime, adding that he also ordered the other suspects to forge a file with the name Abdullahi Mohammed, whom they claimed had died as a classroom teacher with Koki–Nami Primary School Gumel LGA.
The state Commissioner of Police, Hashimu Argungu, while parading the suspect at the police headquarters in Dutse, said Fawa was arrested at Royal Tropicana Hotel following a tip off.
Fawa, who is alleged to be the leader of a pension fraud syndicate, chaired the Committee on Salaries and Pension in the Jigawa State House of Assembly for eight years when he was a member.
Argungu said the arrest was made possible due to the assistance the police received from the Salaries and Pensions Directorate regarding three forged files during investigation.
“The syndicate perpetrates the fraud by using proxy names of imaginary deceased pensioners and siblings, as well as fake files to siphon money from the state's Salaries and Pensions Directorate,” he said.
Fawa confessed to the crime, adding that he also ordered the other suspects to forge a file with the name Abdullahi Mohammed, whom they claimed had died as a classroom teacher with Koki–Nami Primary School Gumel LGA.
Candidate faints as election tribunal gives verdict in Kaduna
Abba Umar could not handle the shock of seeing his case dismissed
Abba Umar, who lost his bid to be elected into the Kaduna State House of Assembly, has been hospitalised after he fainted at the venue of the Kaduna State Election Petitions Tribunal.
Umar slumped to the floor from his seat in the court room immediately the tribunal dismissed the case he filed against the election of Esther Dyaji Habu for Sanga Constituency.
Friends said Umar had been “very confident” that the tribunal would rule in his favour and so could not handle the shock of the dismissal.
In a ruling read by Justice Umar Abubakar, the tribunal dismissed the petition and affirmed Habu as duly elected.
Umar had presented 14 witnesses and 35 exhibits before the tribunal in an effort to prove his case, but the tribunal was not convinced and dismissed the petition for lack of merit.
Abba Umar, who lost his bid to be elected into the Kaduna State House of Assembly, has been hospitalised after he fainted at the venue of the Kaduna State Election Petitions Tribunal.
Umar slumped to the floor from his seat in the court room immediately the tribunal dismissed the case he filed against the election of Esther Dyaji Habu for Sanga Constituency.
Friends said Umar had been “very confident” that the tribunal would rule in his favour and so could not handle the shock of the dismissal.
In a ruling read by Justice Umar Abubakar, the tribunal dismissed the petition and affirmed Habu as duly elected.
Umar had presented 14 witnesses and 35 exhibits before the tribunal in an effort to prove his case, but the tribunal was not convinced and dismissed the petition for lack of merit.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Lagos senators reject goodluck jonathans nomination of roli Bode-George
It was a robust debate
at the Senate, on
Wednesday, before the confirmation of Mrs Roli Bode-George as a member of the National Population Commission (NPC) following her nomination by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Her confirmation also led to war of words between members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as they engaged in survival arguments.
The arguments started immediately after Senator Maina Lawan, chairman of the Committee on National Identity Card and National Population announced that the committee received a petition from three senators from Lagos State kicking against her nomination.
All the three senators representing Lagos State rejected her nomination on the grounds of incompetence and that she is not an indigene of the state.
Lawan said that in the petition, the senators said the nominee was not from Lagos State and attached a letter written by the governor of Lagos State to President Goodluck Jonathan asking him to nominate someone else.
But the committee, while presenting its report, disclosed that after a careful consideration, it concluded that the nominee was from Lagos State based on her marriage to someone from Lagos State.
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at the Senate, on
Wednesday, before the confirmation of Mrs Roli Bode-George as a member of the National Population Commission (NPC) following her nomination by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Her confirmation also led to war of words between members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as they engaged in survival arguments.
The arguments started immediately after Senator Maina Lawan, chairman of the Committee on National Identity Card and National Population announced that the committee received a petition from three senators from Lagos State kicking against her nomination.
All the three senators representing Lagos State rejected her nomination on the grounds of incompetence and that she is not an indigene of the state.
Lawan said that in the petition, the senators said the nominee was not from Lagos State and attached a letter written by the governor of Lagos State to President Goodluck Jonathan asking him to nominate someone else.
But the committee, while presenting its report, disclosed that after a careful consideration, it concluded that the nominee was from Lagos State based on her marriage to someone from Lagos State.
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Tuesday, 25 October 2011
popular yoruba actor baba suwe challenges court order as NDLEA denies knowledge of excretion of hard drugs
ACE comedian, Babatunde Omidina, a.k.a Baba Suwe, on Monday, asked a Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Okechukwu Okeke, to vacate an order he gave last Friday, which empowered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to detain him for additional 15 days.
The request formed part of a motion on notice he brought, pursuant to Order 26 Rule 11 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009.
The artiste, while asking for an order of the court discharging or vacating the order issued by Justice Okeke, argued that the application for the order obtained by the NDLEA was grossly irregular and constituted an abuse of the processes of the court.
In the motion filed by his counsel, Bamidele Aturu, Baba Suwe also argued that the application for the order obtained by the respondent was contrary to public policy and constituted a wanton violation of his fundamental rights.
The motion is expected to be heard tomorrow.
The NDLEA, it will be recalled, had arrested the comedian on October 12, while trying to board an Air France plane to Paris, after the scanning machine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport had allegedly indicated that he had ingested substances suspected to be hard drugs.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA, on Monday, denied the rumour that Baba Suwe excreted wraps of cocaine or any other hard drugs.
Its spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, in a telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, described as untrue, the rumour doing the rounds on Monday that the actor had started excreting drugs.
The rumour that Baba Suwe had excreted 16 pellets of cocaine led the Nigerian Tribune to call the NDLEA officials for confirmation, which they denied.
According to Ofoyeju, “the story is untrue, there is nothing new, he is still under observation.”
The request formed part of a motion on notice he brought, pursuant to Order 26 Rule 11 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009.
The artiste, while asking for an order of the court discharging or vacating the order issued by Justice Okeke, argued that the application for the order obtained by the NDLEA was grossly irregular and constituted an abuse of the processes of the court.
In the motion filed by his counsel, Bamidele Aturu, Baba Suwe also argued that the application for the order obtained by the respondent was contrary to public policy and constituted a wanton violation of his fundamental rights.
The motion is expected to be heard tomorrow.
The NDLEA, it will be recalled, had arrested the comedian on October 12, while trying to board an Air France plane to Paris, after the scanning machine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport had allegedly indicated that he had ingested substances suspected to be hard drugs.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA, on Monday, denied the rumour that Baba Suwe excreted wraps of cocaine or any other hard drugs.
Its spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, in a telephone interview with the Nigerian Tribune, described as untrue, the rumour doing the rounds on Monday that the actor had started excreting drugs.
The rumour that Baba Suwe had excreted 16 pellets of cocaine led the Nigerian Tribune to call the NDLEA officials for confirmation, which they denied.
According to Ofoyeju, “the story is untrue, there is nothing new, he is still under observation.”
boko haram issues fresh warnings as it claimed the killing of journalist spying on them
THE Islamic fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, on Monday, issued a fresh warning that the group would not hesitate to kill anybody that stepped on its toes.
The group’s spokesperson, Abdul-Qaqa, according to an online medium, claimed responsibility for the killing of Zakariyya Isa, a cameraman with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Maiduguri Network Centre and further threatened not to take it lightly with whosoever dared it.
The sect said that “Zakariyya was responsible for his actions and the consequences that followed. Nobody, no matter can go free if he or she spies on us.”
“Zakariyya gave information to security agents that led to the arrest of many of our members. We sent him a text message and told him that we would visit him. We killed him not because he was a journalist, but because of his personal misconduct. His actions were against the ethics of his profession.
“And I want to tell you that we have no grudge against journalists that are working in line with the professional provisions of their work. Whenever they misquote or misrepresent our position, we normally call them and tell them to correct the error.”
Abdul-Qaqa stated further that “the group will not hesitate to kill anybody that steps on our toes. Zakariyya was responsible for his actions and the consequences that followed.”
Abdul-Qaqa, who said Boko Haram was responsible for Saturday night’s multiple attacks on a police station and banks in Saminaka, Kaduna State, as well as last week’s attack on a mobile police barracks in Kwami, Gombe State, added that the group was not ready to talk with the government and security agents.
“The group will continue to attack government and security formations in Nigeria. We cannot talk or dialogue with them because it makes no sense to us. How can you talk of dialogue when government and security agencies are busy arresting and persecuting our members?”
The online medium said when it contacted the Borno State Police Commissioner, Simeon Midenda by phone, the police boss said he was in Abuja.
Also, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, the head of field operations of the JTF, did not answer a call to his line.
The killing of Zakariyya had sent jitters down the nerves of journalists in Maiduguri, with many thinking of how to strike a balance in covering the crisis in the state. The late Zakariyya, who worked as a cameraman and Hausa translator at the NTA, was shot at close range on Saturday night in front of his house at Bulunkutu area of Maiduguri. Witnesses said two gunmen walked to the house and shot him in the head and chest before they fled.
A native of Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State, Zakariyya had worked at the Maiduguri network centre of the NTA for many years. He was married with children.
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The group’s spokesperson, Abdul-Qaqa, according to an online medium, claimed responsibility for the killing of Zakariyya Isa, a cameraman with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Maiduguri Network Centre and further threatened not to take it lightly with whosoever dared it.
The sect said that “Zakariyya was responsible for his actions and the consequences that followed. Nobody, no matter can go free if he or she spies on us.”
“Zakariyya gave information to security agents that led to the arrest of many of our members. We sent him a text message and told him that we would visit him. We killed him not because he was a journalist, but because of his personal misconduct. His actions were against the ethics of his profession.
“And I want to tell you that we have no grudge against journalists that are working in line with the professional provisions of their work. Whenever they misquote or misrepresent our position, we normally call them and tell them to correct the error.”
Abdul-Qaqa stated further that “the group will not hesitate to kill anybody that steps on our toes. Zakariyya was responsible for his actions and the consequences that followed.”
Abdul-Qaqa, who said Boko Haram was responsible for Saturday night’s multiple attacks on a police station and banks in Saminaka, Kaduna State, as well as last week’s attack on a mobile police barracks in Kwami, Gombe State, added that the group was not ready to talk with the government and security agents.
“The group will continue to attack government and security formations in Nigeria. We cannot talk or dialogue with them because it makes no sense to us. How can you talk of dialogue when government and security agencies are busy arresting and persecuting our members?”
The online medium said when it contacted the Borno State Police Commissioner, Simeon Midenda by phone, the police boss said he was in Abuja.
Also, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, the head of field operations of the JTF, did not answer a call to his line.
The killing of Zakariyya had sent jitters down the nerves of journalists in Maiduguri, with many thinking of how to strike a balance in covering the crisis in the state. The late Zakariyya, who worked as a cameraman and Hausa translator at the NTA, was shot at close range on Saturday night in front of his house at Bulunkutu area of Maiduguri. Witnesses said two gunmen walked to the house and shot him in the head and chest before they fled.
A native of Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State, Zakariyya had worked at the Maiduguri network centre of the NTA for many years. He was married with children.
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Tuesday, 18 October 2011
siasia regrets starting osaze, mikel
SUPER Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has admitted making a terrible mistake in starting Osaze Odemwingie and Mikel Obi against Syli Stars of Guinea in the last match Group B of the 2012 Nations Cup qualifier.
He also lamented the 1-0 loss suffered by Nigeria to Guinea last year in Conakry going as far as describing the loss as “a sabotage”.
“Siasia told the technical committee when he met them last week Thursday that he ought not to have at least started Osaze against Guinea, ditto for Mikel, who was fined for reporting late to camp,” a source close to the NFF technical committee informed MTNFootball.com
“He said he thought seriously of benching or even dropping Mikel for the game but was also very much aware that such a decision may also not be well received by the public.”
Osaze returned from a two-match ban imposed on him by Siasia for walking out on the Eagles in March, but was off from against the Syli Stars as he flopped several begging chances particularly in the first half of that ill-fated game that finished 2-2.
Siasia equally bemoaned the 1-0 loss to Guinea by the Eagles under caretaker coach Austin Eguavoen in October 2010.
That was the team’s only loss in the qualifying tournament, but in the end it had a huge bearing on determining the final qualifiers for the 2012 Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
However, a top member of the technical committee told Siasia that this was not “a sabotage” and that the under-fire Eagles handler ought not to have taken up the team a month later, if he was not sure he could still qualify the team to the Nations Cup proper.
Meanwhile, FORMER Nigerian International, Victor Ikpeba has described Osaze Odemwinge as a disgrace to Nigerian football.
Speaking yesterday on Monday Night Football show on Super Sports, the Prince of Monaco tagged soccer star said for Osaze to have lied that he was struggling with an ankle injury for over two months and then decided to go for surgery, when actually he was not in peril at that time, showed the quality of the players he was and which should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians.
He said "If Osaze were to be a German player, he would have been banned at least for a year or more."
His performance against Guinea in Abuja this month in a match that cost Nigeria a place in next year's Nations Cup would not go unforgotten and Nigerians would not forgive him.
"Osaze is not a good ambassador of the country and he needs to be banned to serve as deterents to others. He scored a brillant goal for West Brom on Sunday but failed to do the same for his country (Nigeria) last weekend," Ikpeba who is a member of the Nigeria Football federation (NFF) technical committee disclosed.
Ikpeba said Osaze cannot continue like that "He needs to apologise to Nigerians for his actions and utterances," he said.
He also lamented the 1-0 loss suffered by Nigeria to Guinea last year in Conakry going as far as describing the loss as “a sabotage”.
“Siasia told the technical committee when he met them last week Thursday that he ought not to have at least started Osaze against Guinea, ditto for Mikel, who was fined for reporting late to camp,” a source close to the NFF technical committee informed MTNFootball.com
“He said he thought seriously of benching or even dropping Mikel for the game but was also very much aware that such a decision may also not be well received by the public.”
Osaze returned from a two-match ban imposed on him by Siasia for walking out on the Eagles in March, but was off from against the Syli Stars as he flopped several begging chances particularly in the first half of that ill-fated game that finished 2-2.
Siasia equally bemoaned the 1-0 loss to Guinea by the Eagles under caretaker coach Austin Eguavoen in October 2010.
That was the team’s only loss in the qualifying tournament, but in the end it had a huge bearing on determining the final qualifiers for the 2012 Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.
However, a top member of the technical committee told Siasia that this was not “a sabotage” and that the under-fire Eagles handler ought not to have taken up the team a month later, if he was not sure he could still qualify the team to the Nations Cup proper.
Meanwhile, FORMER Nigerian International, Victor Ikpeba has described Osaze Odemwinge as a disgrace to Nigerian football.
Speaking yesterday on Monday Night Football show on Super Sports, the Prince of Monaco tagged soccer star said for Osaze to have lied that he was struggling with an ankle injury for over two months and then decided to go for surgery, when actually he was not in peril at that time, showed the quality of the players he was and which should be condemned by all well meaning Nigerians.
He said "If Osaze were to be a German player, he would have been banned at least for a year or more."
His performance against Guinea in Abuja this month in a match that cost Nigeria a place in next year's Nations Cup would not go unforgotten and Nigerians would not forgive him.
"Osaze is not a good ambassador of the country and he needs to be banned to serve as deterents to others. He scored a brillant goal for West Brom on Sunday but failed to do the same for his country (Nigeria) last weekend," Ikpeba who is a member of the Nigeria Football federation (NFF) technical committee disclosed.
Ikpeba said Osaze cannot continue like that "He needs to apologise to Nigerians for his actions and utterances," he said.
14 years old girl escapes from ritualist in Ekiti
FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD student of All Soul’s Anglican Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, Ranti Openiye, last week, came within the whiskers of death when she was abducted by suspected ritual killers at Basiri area of the town.
Miss Openiye, while recalling her escape from the kidnappers at the weekend, said she found two other female secondary school students in the bus in which she was taken away.
Openiye, who said she was abducted at about 4p.m. on Monday while on an errand by her grandmother, added that she was found on Thursday evening and taken to Christ Prayerful and Holiness Evangelical Church, also in Ado Ekiti, where she was revived during a prayer session.
According to her, six men in a blue bus parked beside her and controlled her into the bus, after which “they hit me on the chest and I lost my senses,” adding that “they covered my face with a cloth and I know they drove straight to the opposite of the direction I was coming from, meaning that they took us to somewhere between Iyin and Ado with the two other teenagers.”
She added: “They took us to a cave where I saw bodies of people who had died and those who were still alive. People were taken into the cave while we were thoroughly beaten. They shove all the hair on my body and it was only on Thursday that I realised that they had shaven my hair.”
On how she escaped, she said when they wanted to take her into the cave, she struggled with them and cried so much that a man emerged from the cave, ordered that she should be taken out of the place to where she was taken from.
Her elder sister, Mrs Kemi Olayiwola, also told journalists at the church that words just came to them on Thursday evening that Ranti had been found somewhere at Iyin Road, adding that they saw her barely conscious with her head partly shaven.
Olayiwola told newsmen that they had earlier searched everywhere in the state capital in search of the victim since she went missing on Monday before she was found.
Pastor Lanre Idowu, who was in charge of the church, told newsmen that he had to convene an emergency deliverance session before she could regain consciousness, adding that she could not even tell her name when she was brought to the church.
Miss Openiye, while recalling her escape from the kidnappers at the weekend, said she found two other female secondary school students in the bus in which she was taken away.
Openiye, who said she was abducted at about 4p.m. on Monday while on an errand by her grandmother, added that she was found on Thursday evening and taken to Christ Prayerful and Holiness Evangelical Church, also in Ado Ekiti, where she was revived during a prayer session.
According to her, six men in a blue bus parked beside her and controlled her into the bus, after which “they hit me on the chest and I lost my senses,” adding that “they covered my face with a cloth and I know they drove straight to the opposite of the direction I was coming from, meaning that they took us to somewhere between Iyin and Ado with the two other teenagers.”
She added: “They took us to a cave where I saw bodies of people who had died and those who were still alive. People were taken into the cave while we were thoroughly beaten. They shove all the hair on my body and it was only on Thursday that I realised that they had shaven my hair.”
On how she escaped, she said when they wanted to take her into the cave, she struggled with them and cried so much that a man emerged from the cave, ordered that she should be taken out of the place to where she was taken from.
Her elder sister, Mrs Kemi Olayiwola, also told journalists at the church that words just came to them on Thursday evening that Ranti had been found somewhere at Iyin Road, adding that they saw her barely conscious with her head partly shaven.
Olayiwola told newsmen that they had earlier searched everywhere in the state capital in search of the victim since she went missing on Monday before she was found.
Pastor Lanre Idowu, who was in charge of the church, told newsmen that he had to convene an emergency deliverance session before she could regain consciousness, adding that she could not even tell her name when she was brought to the church.
VCs and NANS says POST-UTME is unecessary calss for its scrapping
THE Association of Vice-Chancellors in Nigeria has warned the Senate not to be misled by some stakeholders in the education sector in the country, in view of its recent comment on the conduct of the post- Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) tests by the nation’s universities, saying the test is constitutional.
Speaking during a press briefing marking the 27th convocation ceremony of the University of Ilorin on Monday, the chairman of the association, Professor Isiaq Oloyede, said universities had the constitutional right to conduct and admit candidates based on the Act establishing them.
Oloyede, who is also the vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, said there was university autonomy everywhere in the world, giving them the right to decide on who to admit, "because we are not under military rule.”
He noted that the post-UTME had helped to improve the quality of those admitted, adding that the aptitude tests conducted by the universities were only meant to test the ability of the students to receive university education and their preparedness and not to re-examine them on different subjects like JAMB.
He stressed that the association had taken up the issue and had written to the Senate on the need to know that “we have the right to be heard on the issue just like the JAMB had had their submission in the Senate.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students has called on the Federal Government to proscribe the Post-UTME.
NANS President, Comrade Dauda Mohammed, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, described the Post-UTME as extortionate and designed to milk resources from unsuspecting tertiary education seekers.
He said it contradicted the essence of the law which made statutory provisions for the conduct of matriculation exams for entry into all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
Speaking during a press briefing marking the 27th convocation ceremony of the University of Ilorin on Monday, the chairman of the association, Professor Isiaq Oloyede, said universities had the constitutional right to conduct and admit candidates based on the Act establishing them.
Oloyede, who is also the vice-chancellor of the University of Ilorin, said there was university autonomy everywhere in the world, giving them the right to decide on who to admit, "because we are not under military rule.”
He noted that the post-UTME had helped to improve the quality of those admitted, adding that the aptitude tests conducted by the universities were only meant to test the ability of the students to receive university education and their preparedness and not to re-examine them on different subjects like JAMB.
He stressed that the association had taken up the issue and had written to the Senate on the need to know that “we have the right to be heard on the issue just like the JAMB had had their submission in the Senate.”
Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Students has called on the Federal Government to proscribe the Post-UTME.
NANS President, Comrade Dauda Mohammed, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, described the Post-UTME as extortionate and designed to milk resources from unsuspecting tertiary education seekers.
He said it contradicted the essence of the law which made statutory provisions for the conduct of matriculation exams for entry into all universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.
Clashes in Benue state as communities fight one another.
ABOUT 30 people have been killed with about 60 houses destroyed in Ugba town, headquarters of Logo Local Government Area of Benue State in a crisis in the last two days.
It was gathered that the crisis, which started late on Sunday, sparked off spontaneous reactions in the early hours of Monday, when some youths turned the town into a theatre of war, maiming and killing people on sight.
The traditional ruler's house was razed while four of his relations, including his wife, were murdered by the rampaging youth.
Both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) traded blame over the crisis that has been tagged political violence.
Governor Gabriel Suswam, who addressed newsmen at the Government House, on Monday, after his visit to the area, confirmed that the traditional ruler of the community lost four relations, including his wife, while his house was also razed. The governor said he was able to visit the house of the traditional ruler and that of the first victim, whom he described as a money lender in the community, who died along with his friend.
But the state chairman of the ACN, Mr Abba Yaro, who spoke accused the ruling PDP of causing the crisis in the area, stating that some youths belonging to the PDP stormed the house of one of the politicians in the area and killed him and one other person.
He said that the ACN was a peace-loving party, which he said was “taking legal means to reclaim our stolen mandate.”
Governor Suswam who was visibly disturbed by the crisis said that he personally visited the house of the slain money lender on Sunday, stressing that the divisional police officer told him that no arrest had been made in connection with the death of the money lender but that the ACN unleashed terror on the PDP members in the council area.
Ironically, both the governor and the ACN governorship candidate in the state, Professor Steve Ugba, hail from the same troubled council area.
The governor, who accused the opposition party of being behind the spate of violence in the state in recent times, vowed that his administration would leave no stone unturned to unearth the perpetrators of serial crises in the state.
The governor said that soldiers and mobile policemen had been drafted to the area and stated that normalcy was being restored to the area at the time he left the local government area.
According to him, “I have decided to invite you to brief you gentlemen of the press about the ugly development at Ugba in Logo Local Government Area of the state, where some ACN supporters have burnt down houses and killed people. Some of the houses burnt were houses belonging to the party chairman in the council; one belonging to the women leader. Also, the house belonging to the town’s traditional ruler was razed down with four of his relations killed in the attack that started around 2.00 a.m. and so many houses.”
“Let me say emphatically here that the government will no longer tolerate the arson going on in the state. This arson is being perpetrated by the ACN chieftains. With all these, the ACN is going too far. This is no longer politics but criminality. A few weeks ago, the ACN chieftain was at the thanksgiving service where they made inciting statement. This government will no longer tolerate these utterances, falsehood and false alarm. The man that was said to have been killed was a money lender, the DPO of the area confirmed this to me and said that no one had been arrested in connection with this," Suswam said.
The state police spokesman, Mr Alaribe Ejike, confirmed the incident but could not give the number of casualties at the time of filing this report.
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It was gathered that the crisis, which started late on Sunday, sparked off spontaneous reactions in the early hours of Monday, when some youths turned the town into a theatre of war, maiming and killing people on sight.
The traditional ruler's house was razed while four of his relations, including his wife, were murdered by the rampaging youth.
Both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) traded blame over the crisis that has been tagged political violence.
Governor Gabriel Suswam, who addressed newsmen at the Government House, on Monday, after his visit to the area, confirmed that the traditional ruler of the community lost four relations, including his wife, while his house was also razed. The governor said he was able to visit the house of the traditional ruler and that of the first victim, whom he described as a money lender in the community, who died along with his friend.
But the state chairman of the ACN, Mr Abba Yaro, who spoke accused the ruling PDP of causing the crisis in the area, stating that some youths belonging to the PDP stormed the house of one of the politicians in the area and killed him and one other person.
He said that the ACN was a peace-loving party, which he said was “taking legal means to reclaim our stolen mandate.”
Governor Suswam who was visibly disturbed by the crisis said that he personally visited the house of the slain money lender on Sunday, stressing that the divisional police officer told him that no arrest had been made in connection with the death of the money lender but that the ACN unleashed terror on the PDP members in the council area.
Ironically, both the governor and the ACN governorship candidate in the state, Professor Steve Ugba, hail from the same troubled council area.
The governor, who accused the opposition party of being behind the spate of violence in the state in recent times, vowed that his administration would leave no stone unturned to unearth the perpetrators of serial crises in the state.
The governor said that soldiers and mobile policemen had been drafted to the area and stated that normalcy was being restored to the area at the time he left the local government area.
According to him, “I have decided to invite you to brief you gentlemen of the press about the ugly development at Ugba in Logo Local Government Area of the state, where some ACN supporters have burnt down houses and killed people. Some of the houses burnt were houses belonging to the party chairman in the council; one belonging to the women leader. Also, the house belonging to the town’s traditional ruler was razed down with four of his relations killed in the attack that started around 2.00 a.m. and so many houses.”
“Let me say emphatically here that the government will no longer tolerate the arson going on in the state. This arson is being perpetrated by the ACN chieftains. With all these, the ACN is going too far. This is no longer politics but criminality. A few weeks ago, the ACN chieftain was at the thanksgiving service where they made inciting statement. This government will no longer tolerate these utterances, falsehood and false alarm. The man that was said to have been killed was a money lender, the DPO of the area confirmed this to me and said that no one had been arrested in connection with this," Suswam said.
The state police spokesman, Mr Alaribe Ejike, confirmed the incident but could not give the number of casualties at the time of filing this report.
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Tuesday, 11 October 2011
speaker of house of assembly and chairmen of committee summoned to presidency for budget meeting
There was disquiet yesterday between members of the House of Representatives and the Presidency over an emergency summoning of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, principal officers and committee chairmen to the Presidential Villa for briefing on the 2012 budget.
Members were angry that the summon was against the principle of Separation of Powers.
But the Speaker and some members defied the anger of their colleagues to go for the session.
The Federal Government is proposing N4.8trillion budget for 2012 with a $75 benchmark price for oil.
Apart from the take-off of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), the government is also proposing savings of about N1.2trillion from the withdrawal of fuel subsidy.
A source said that there are also some fiscal measures which will be implemented by the government to reshape the economy.
It was learnt that the President summoned the meeting to put House leaders into confidence on the issues in the 2012 Budget to avoid delay in passing it into law.
Members however felt the method adopted by the Presidency was wrong.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that most members were shocked by a sudden text message sent to them by the Chief of Staff to the Speaker.
The text message reads: “Dear Honourable, you are requested to join the delegation to State House for a briefing on the Budget from the Minister of Finance, scheduled for Monday 10 October 2011 at 8pm.
“Kindly join Mr. Speaker at the House of Representatives New Building at 7pm prompt. Kind regards. Chief of Staff to the Speaker.”
According to findings, the text was hardly circulated when members began to query why they had to be summoned to the Villa for a session on the budget.
It was gathered that the Minister of Finance ought to have come for a closed door session with the Speaker and members in the House.
A member of the opposition in the House, said: “We cannot understand why we have to be asked to come to the Villa like school children for briefing on the 2012 Budget.
“We have made our position known to the Speaker that respecting such an invitation could erode the principle of Separation of Powers between the Executive and the Legislature.
“When last did you hear President Barrack Obama summoning members of the US Congress to White House?
“Some of us believe that the Executive ought to have been more tactical in handling the matter.”
Another member said: “I think we do not need to be railroaded into a predetermined meeting at the Villa.
“Instead, the President should have asked the Minister of Finance to meet with us like top security chiefs did to the Senate and the House recently.”
A source in the presidency, however, said: “The meeting is part of the consultative policy of the President, it is not meant to undermine the Senate or the House in any manner.
“It is a kind of initiative to foster Executive-Legislature relationship. We want to avoid the usual disagreement between the two arms over grey areas in the budget since 2007.
“Of course, the issue of withdrawal of subsidy is throwing up some socio-economic issues which require the understanding of the members of the National Assembly.
“The government wants to lay its cards on the table, especially the true financial situation of the country and remedial steps being proposed to reshape the economy.”
A principal officer of the House, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have been pleading with our members to bear with the leadership over this briefing.
“We do not see it as erosion of separation of powers. If as president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan wants to see us and confide in us on state matters, we have to honour it.
“We decided to defer to the President as a matter of respect and not to sell out. Budgeting is an issue that affects all.
“Some of us prevailed on the Speaker to honour the session at the Villa.”
Members were angry that the summon was against the principle of Separation of Powers.
But the Speaker and some members defied the anger of their colleagues to go for the session.
The Federal Government is proposing N4.8trillion budget for 2012 with a $75 benchmark price for oil.
Apart from the take-off of the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), the government is also proposing savings of about N1.2trillion from the withdrawal of fuel subsidy.
A source said that there are also some fiscal measures which will be implemented by the government to reshape the economy.
It was learnt that the President summoned the meeting to put House leaders into confidence on the issues in the 2012 Budget to avoid delay in passing it into law.
Members however felt the method adopted by the Presidency was wrong.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that most members were shocked by a sudden text message sent to them by the Chief of Staff to the Speaker.
The text message reads: “Dear Honourable, you are requested to join the delegation to State House for a briefing on the Budget from the Minister of Finance, scheduled for Monday 10 October 2011 at 8pm.
“Kindly join Mr. Speaker at the House of Representatives New Building at 7pm prompt. Kind regards. Chief of Staff to the Speaker.”
According to findings, the text was hardly circulated when members began to query why they had to be summoned to the Villa for a session on the budget.
It was gathered that the Minister of Finance ought to have come for a closed door session with the Speaker and members in the House.
A member of the opposition in the House, said: “We cannot understand why we have to be asked to come to the Villa like school children for briefing on the 2012 Budget.
“We have made our position known to the Speaker that respecting such an invitation could erode the principle of Separation of Powers between the Executive and the Legislature.
“When last did you hear President Barrack Obama summoning members of the US Congress to White House?
“Some of us believe that the Executive ought to have been more tactical in handling the matter.”
Another member said: “I think we do not need to be railroaded into a predetermined meeting at the Villa.
“Instead, the President should have asked the Minister of Finance to meet with us like top security chiefs did to the Senate and the House recently.”
A source in the presidency, however, said: “The meeting is part of the consultative policy of the President, it is not meant to undermine the Senate or the House in any manner.
“It is a kind of initiative to foster Executive-Legislature relationship. We want to avoid the usual disagreement between the two arms over grey areas in the budget since 2007.
“Of course, the issue of withdrawal of subsidy is throwing up some socio-economic issues which require the understanding of the members of the National Assembly.
“The government wants to lay its cards on the table, especially the true financial situation of the country and remedial steps being proposed to reshape the economy.”
A principal officer of the House, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have been pleading with our members to bear with the leadership over this briefing.
“We do not see it as erosion of separation of powers. If as president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan wants to see us and confide in us on state matters, we have to honour it.
“We decided to defer to the President as a matter of respect and not to sell out. Budgeting is an issue that affects all.
“Some of us prevailed on the Speaker to honour the session at the Villa.”
nigerian port authority is now to regulate the port charges
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday wield the big stick when he approved the sack of 10 agencies from the nation’s seaports.
The affected agencies were accused of working against the international best practices in port administration.
They include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Directorate of Naval Intelligence (DNI) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Others are the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), the Plant Quarantine and Animal Quarantine (PQAQ), the National Environmental Regulatory and Standards Agency (NESREA) and the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN).
Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who served the two-week eviction notice, warned against extortion at the ports.
Beside, she restated the determination of the Jonathan’s administration to reduce the time spent on good clearance from several weeks to about a week or less as obtained in other climes.
The two-week quit notice given by the President expires next week.
Addressing stakeholders and reporters after inspecting facilities at Apapa ports, the minister said the President has directed that only five out of the 14 agencies at the ports should be allowed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to operate after the expiration of the ultimatum.
The agencies allowed under the new dispensation are: the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Ports Police, State Security Service (SSS) and Ports Health.
The NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the minister said, would also continue to perform their statutory functions at the ports.
According to her, the President directed that the NCS should embark on 24-hour operation at the ports.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala said the measure was part of President Jonathan’s efforts to make the ports efficient and attractive for business in the West African sub-region.
The minister, who spoke on behalf of members of the Presidential Committee on Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, which included the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and other top government functionaries, said the NPA, has been empowered to enforce the order and regulate the charges and the activities of the terminal operators for efficiency.
She said: ‘‘The task force was set up by Mr President to try to solve the problems at our ports. I am here with a simple message from the President and that message is that it is time for our ports to start working. And they must start working for honest and hardworking Nigerians. Not for those who are trying to make things more complicated, make money out of the ports and make life more difficult for the honest business men, man or woman in this country.
"We must make our ports work for Nigerians who want to create jobs. That really is what Mr President wants us to do. And I think that our being here today is a demonstration that we mean to act. It is no longer time for talking. We know that without an efficient port system, to reduce those cost so that our business men will have wherewithal to create more jobs would be difficult.
"Now, working in a port is a complicated business because you have many actors, many stakeholders, you have the Customs, government agencies, you have shipping companies, you have shipping agents, you have Customs agents, you have concessionaires at the ports and many actors and each one of them has different set of issues and problems."
The affected agencies were accused of working against the international best practices in port administration.
They include the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Directorate of Naval Intelligence (DNI) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Others are the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), the Plant Quarantine and Animal Quarantine (PQAQ), the National Environmental Regulatory and Standards Agency (NESREA) and the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN).
Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who served the two-week eviction notice, warned against extortion at the ports.
Beside, she restated the determination of the Jonathan’s administration to reduce the time spent on good clearance from several weeks to about a week or less as obtained in other climes.
The two-week quit notice given by the President expires next week.
Addressing stakeholders and reporters after inspecting facilities at Apapa ports, the minister said the President has directed that only five out of the 14 agencies at the ports should be allowed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to operate after the expiration of the ultimatum.
The agencies allowed under the new dispensation are: the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Ports Police, State Security Service (SSS) and Ports Health.
The NPA and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the minister said, would also continue to perform their statutory functions at the ports.
According to her, the President directed that the NCS should embark on 24-hour operation at the ports.
Dr Okonjo-Iweala said the measure was part of President Jonathan’s efforts to make the ports efficient and attractive for business in the West African sub-region.
The minister, who spoke on behalf of members of the Presidential Committee on Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation, which included the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and other top government functionaries, said the NPA, has been empowered to enforce the order and regulate the charges and the activities of the terminal operators for efficiency.
She said: ‘‘The task force was set up by Mr President to try to solve the problems at our ports. I am here with a simple message from the President and that message is that it is time for our ports to start working. And they must start working for honest and hardworking Nigerians. Not for those who are trying to make things more complicated, make money out of the ports and make life more difficult for the honest business men, man or woman in this country.
"We must make our ports work for Nigerians who want to create jobs. That really is what Mr President wants us to do. And I think that our being here today is a demonstration that we mean to act. It is no longer time for talking. We know that without an efficient port system, to reduce those cost so that our business men will have wherewithal to create more jobs would be difficult.
"Now, working in a port is a complicated business because you have many actors, many stakeholders, you have the Customs, government agencies, you have shipping companies, you have shipping agents, you have Customs agents, you have concessionaires at the ports and many actors and each one of them has different set of issues and problems."
detectives arrest 4 editors of the nations newspaper
FOUR senior editors with the Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation were on Tuesday arrested by security operatives from the Force CID, Alagbon, Lagos.
Nine detectives, led by Mr. Emma Ogolo came in two vehicles (a white-colour Rover Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), marked PFN 357 B and a blue-colour Peugeot 504 Salon car, marked 2413 B).
A statement by the General Editor, Mr. Kunle Fagbemi said, “The Nigeria Police Force, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit” was inscribed on the sides of the SUV.
Three of the detectives entered the premises of the company on 27B, Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Mushin, while the two vehicles parked outside the gate had three men waiting in them.
In each of the waiting vehicles were; an armed policeman, a plain cloth security operative and the driver.
They asked to see the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Victor Ifijeh and the Editor, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso. They were not in the office when the officers called at about 2pm.
The Deputy Editor, Mr. Lawal Ogienagbon, who attended to them, was arrested alongside the News Editor of the newspaper’s weekend titles, Mr. Dapo Olufade. Ogienagbon has been flown to Abuja.
The Managing Editor in charge of Northern Operations, Yusuf Alli, and the Bureau Chief, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, had earlier been picked up at the Abuja office of the newspaper and are being detained at the Force Headquarters.
Olufade was taken after the officers could not find any of the other four senior editors they were looking for, among whom were: the General Editor, Mr. Kunle Fagbemi, Managing Editor, Waheed Odusile, the Deputy Editor, News, Mr. Adesina Adeniyi, and Group Political Editor, Bolade Omonijo.
The company’s lawyer, Mr. John Unachukwu, the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Mr. Jide Adegbenjo and the Labour Correspondent, Mrs. Dupe Olaoye Oshinkolu also went with them. By press time, Olufade and Oshinkolu were still being detained in Lagos.
The police invasion, apparently meant to decapitate the paper’s leadership and disrupt production of the Wednesday edition, paralysed work at the newspaper house for many hours and unsettled staff.
Though the team did not disclose the contents of their Warrant, it is believed that it was not unconnected with the October 4 cover story of The Nation, entitled “Obasanjo’s ‘secret’ letter to Jonathan stirs anger. Ex-President seeks sack of PTDF chief, four others.”
The former President had in a chat with aviation reporters the following day, denied the authorship of such letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, threatening legal action against the newspaper. But The Nation stood by its story.
Nine detectives, led by Mr. Emma Ogolo came in two vehicles (a white-colour Rover Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), marked PFN 357 B and a blue-colour Peugeot 504 Salon car, marked 2413 B).
A statement by the General Editor, Mr. Kunle Fagbemi said, “The Nigeria Police Force, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit” was inscribed on the sides of the SUV.
Three of the detectives entered the premises of the company on 27B, Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Mushin, while the two vehicles parked outside the gate had three men waiting in them.
In each of the waiting vehicles were; an armed policeman, a plain cloth security operative and the driver.
They asked to see the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Victor Ifijeh and the Editor, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso. They were not in the office when the officers called at about 2pm.
The Deputy Editor, Mr. Lawal Ogienagbon, who attended to them, was arrested alongside the News Editor of the newspaper’s weekend titles, Mr. Dapo Olufade. Ogienagbon has been flown to Abuja.
The Managing Editor in charge of Northern Operations, Yusuf Alli, and the Bureau Chief, Mr. Yomi Odunuga, had earlier been picked up at the Abuja office of the newspaper and are being detained at the Force Headquarters.
Olufade was taken after the officers could not find any of the other four senior editors they were looking for, among whom were: the General Editor, Mr. Kunle Fagbemi, Managing Editor, Waheed Odusile, the Deputy Editor, News, Mr. Adesina Adeniyi, and Group Political Editor, Bolade Omonijo.
The company’s lawyer, Mr. John Unachukwu, the Chief Security Officer (CSO), Mr. Jide Adegbenjo and the Labour Correspondent, Mrs. Dupe Olaoye Oshinkolu also went with them. By press time, Olufade and Oshinkolu were still being detained in Lagos.
The police invasion, apparently meant to decapitate the paper’s leadership and disrupt production of the Wednesday edition, paralysed work at the newspaper house for many hours and unsettled staff.
Though the team did not disclose the contents of their Warrant, it is believed that it was not unconnected with the October 4 cover story of The Nation, entitled “Obasanjo’s ‘secret’ letter to Jonathan stirs anger. Ex-President seeks sack of PTDF chief, four others.”
The former President had in a chat with aviation reporters the following day, denied the authorship of such letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, threatening legal action against the newspaper. But The Nation stood by its story.
one soldier killed, residence flee as another bomb blast rocks maiduguri again
TROUBLE started at about 8.00 a.m. on Monday following bomb blasts at Dala Alemderi ward of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, where an unconfirmed report put the death toll at six, following sporadic gunshots immediately the blast occurred.
Fleeing residents of Alemderi who spoke, said that the blast shattered the patrol vehicle of the Joint Task Force on Operation Restore Order in Borno, living an army officer dead.
According to the man who identified himself as Mohammed Sani, “immediately after the blasts, we could not tell exactly whether it was an exchange of fire between the JTF and Boko Haram members, or it was the military that were firing, but people were killed, shops were burnt and several cars also were damaged. The military went mad because it affected one of them as such we had to flee the area because we all knew what would happen next.”
The JTF spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Mohammed Hassan, told Nigerian Tribune that the bomb was planted near a high tension cable on the road heading to Dala Kabamti (the local beer joint where hundreds of people were massacred by unknown gunmen).
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan, the sect planted the bomb targeting the JTF which unfortunately got at them, adding that there would be a news release from the JTF to that effect and that they would explain everything later.
But when contacted the Field Operation Commander, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, he said that the blasts ripped apart the JTF vehicle killing a NAF officer.
He explained that this was what the JTF had been fighting and nobody was spared by the sect members. “We would get them and they would definitely face the music,” he added.
Also, an elderly woman, who spoke in Bullumkuttu, Abuja ward, said she took some people to work on a farm and while coming home, she saw people running and those who knew her asked her to go back as soldiers had cordoned off the area.
According to her, she left her grandson at home who was still sucking, because the mother left him with her to go and write her examination at the university. “They said ‘Mama, go back, there is shooting’ and I told them it was not possible. I left my grandson at home, I had to go and see him no matter what. When I got home, soldiers were in front of my house; some of them were shouting and asking people to go back. I saw them beating somebody, I think they took him away because when my last born came to open the gate, we saw them beating people, but they didn’t talk to us as I entered my house and closed the gate,” she explained.
At the time of filing this report, several attempts to get the Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr Simeon Midenda, to speak on the issue did not yield result as his phone kept ringing without response.
Fleeing residents of Alemderi who spoke, said that the blast shattered the patrol vehicle of the Joint Task Force on Operation Restore Order in Borno, living an army officer dead.
According to the man who identified himself as Mohammed Sani, “immediately after the blasts, we could not tell exactly whether it was an exchange of fire between the JTF and Boko Haram members, or it was the military that were firing, but people were killed, shops were burnt and several cars also were damaged. The military went mad because it affected one of them as such we had to flee the area because we all knew what would happen next.”
The JTF spokesman, Lieutenant-Colonel Mohammed Hassan, told Nigerian Tribune that the bomb was planted near a high tension cable on the road heading to Dala Kabamti (the local beer joint where hundreds of people were massacred by unknown gunmen).
According to Lieutenant-Colonel Hassan, the sect planted the bomb targeting the JTF which unfortunately got at them, adding that there would be a news release from the JTF to that effect and that they would explain everything later.
But when contacted the Field Operation Commander, Colonel Victor Ebhaleme, he said that the blasts ripped apart the JTF vehicle killing a NAF officer.
He explained that this was what the JTF had been fighting and nobody was spared by the sect members. “We would get them and they would definitely face the music,” he added.
Also, an elderly woman, who spoke in Bullumkuttu, Abuja ward, said she took some people to work on a farm and while coming home, she saw people running and those who knew her asked her to go back as soldiers had cordoned off the area.
According to her, she left her grandson at home who was still sucking, because the mother left him with her to go and write her examination at the university. “They said ‘Mama, go back, there is shooting’ and I told them it was not possible. I left my grandson at home, I had to go and see him no matter what. When I got home, soldiers were in front of my house; some of them were shouting and asking people to go back. I saw them beating somebody, I think they took him away because when my last born came to open the gate, we saw them beating people, but they didn’t talk to us as I entered my house and closed the gate,” she explained.
At the time of filing this report, several attempts to get the Borno State Police Commissioner, Mr Simeon Midenda, to speak on the issue did not yield result as his phone kept ringing without response.
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