The Nigeria federal government has moved some war arsenals, including an armada of five warships, 100 gunboats and fighter jets to the creeks of the Niger Delta, in response to continued bombing of oil and gas pipelines by Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

It was gathered that while the Airforce deployed the fighter jets and helicopter gunships, the Army swooped on four more Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, for the militants.

The fighter jets and surveillance aircraft were also seen flying around communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom and Ogulagha area in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State about 10a.m.

Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, and Public Relations Officer of Oporoza Youth Executive, Paul Kirifade, confirmed the movement of the jet fighters and aircraft in the communities.

It was learned that the fighter jets and surveillance aircraft were deployed to enable the armed forces locate the militants, believed to be running helter-skelter and hiding in the mangrove swamps after the occupation of Oporoza and fly down on Kurutie and other communities, yesterday.

Our source said soldiers stormed Kurutie in six gunboats at 4.30a.m, while the people were still asleep.

A 70-year-old man, identified as Mr. Dogood Ikekama, was said to have been commandeered by the soldiers to take them round some houses in the community.

Bayelsa travelers from the hinterland, confirmed the large military presence in the tricky mangrove swamp of the council, which at the height of youth militancy, had the largest concentration of militant camps in the Delta.

“There is a massive security operation going on in the area. Fighter jets and helicopter gunships have been hovering around the airspace at low level, apparently on surveillance mission. Many of the natives are worried about the development,” said Ayebatari, an indigene of the area.

However, an Agip source said that the company had, amid tight security, commenced repair of the damaged section of Tebidaba-Brass delivery line destroyed on Sunday by militants.

“Yes, the repair work is being done under the radar,” he said in reference to the aerial coverage by the military.

Meanwhile, the invasion of Ijaw communities, which started about 1.52a.m on Saturday, with the take-over of Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of the kingdom and Kurutie, also known as “Little London,” the country home of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, Okerenkoko, Kokodigbane and Benikrukru, has caused food crisis in Gbaramatu clan. Residents, who fled Oporoza, three days ago to the neighbouring Azama community, are famished, as they had not eaten for the period, while soldiers were reportedly not allowing them to return to the community to look for food and pick their clothes.

The traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, Williams Ogboba, Oboro Gbaraun II, narrated the ordeal of the people when the Special Adviser to the President on Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), retired Brigadier-General Paul Boroh , visited him at his palace in Oporoza, Delta State, on Sunday.

He said that he was under house arrest and had not taken his bath since soldiers invaded his kingdom, while his subjects in Oporoza had all fled.

Commander, NNS Delta, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, confirmed that the security agencies were now working in synergy to rout the Avengers.

“We (Navy) use helicopter. If you spot it, you will clearly identify it as belonging to us. You see Navy written on it. The jet fighters and surveillance craft were deployed by Air Force to watch over the high risk areas against activities of the oil assets vandals and anyone else involved in criminality in the area.

“There is now strengthened synergy among the security agencies to stop this vandalism. The synergy is there. I will advise those involved to steer clear and employ peaceful ways of agitating and engaging their minds.”

Source: Vanguard. [myad]

Former Nigeria Vice President and Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar has said that the Federal Republic of Nigeria as currently constituted is not working.

He insisted that greater autonomy to states is the panacea to the country’s multi-faceted internal crisis.

Atiku, who spoke on Tuesday, at the official launch of a book: “We Are All Biafrans,” written by activist, journalist and scholar, Chido Onumah, in Abuja, said that Nigerians have suffered for too long under a poorly-designed structure.

“Nigeria is not working as well as it should. And part of the reason is the poor way we have structured our economy and governance, especially since 1960.”

The former Vice President said the federal government’s powers dwindles those of states, adding that it difficult for states to carry out customized initiatives for their individual residents.

He said that such situation needs to change, adding: “the federal government is too big and too powerful relative to the federating units. That situation needs to change and calling for that change is patriotic.”

Atiku advised Nigerians to desist from condemning those clamouring for a weak center in Nigeria’s political system, saying: “we must refrain from assuming that anyone calling for restructuring of our federation is working for the breakup of our country. Absolutely not. And I reject that notion.”

The APC chieftain, who chaired the book launch, said the federal government cannot foster national unity even with its enormous power and that it is worsening the country’s circumstances.

“An excessively powerful centre does not equate to national unity. Absolutely not. If anything, it has made our unity more fragile, our government more unstable and our country more unsafe. We must renegotiate our union in other to make it strong.”

Atiku called on Nigerians to embrace a restructured Nigeria which he said, will also reduce the importance politicians place on elections into federal positions.

“Greater autonomy, power and resources for state and local authority will give the federations units greater freedom and flexibility to address local issues for their priorities and peculiarities. It will reduce the premium placed on capturing power at the centre. It will reduce insecurity. It will promote healthy rivalry amongst federations units.”

Meanwhile, Chido Onumah, the author of “We Are All Biafrans,” said that the book took him three years to put together.

The launch was attended by former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, civil society leaders, Jubrin Ibrahim and Nnimo Bassey.

The book, which explains how the agitation for Biafra is actually a metaphor for all the tribes in the country, was reviewed by Chidi Odinkalu, a professor of law and former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. [myad]

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has directed Assistant-Inspectors General of Police and the Commissioners of Police in the South South and South East zones to disarm members of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) who are agitating for the Republic of Biafra out of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Police boss who gave the directive in a statement said that the directive followed the manifestation of the disposition of the armed IPOB activists to undertake premeditated attacks on police officers engaged in operations aimed at restoring public order in the states.

The statement which was issued by an acting Commissioner of Police, who is the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, quoted the inspector-general as saying: “the targeted attacks on police personnel showed that the activists have crossed the threshold in their misguided attempt to test the common will of the nation.”

Arase condemned the killing of policemen by members of IPOB and directed the arrest of any member of the group found in possession of firearm and be made to face the law.

He said that all IPOB activists arrested in connection with the killing of policemen would be charged to court.

He reiterated the determination of the Nigeria Police Force to continue to work diligently toward eliminating any threat to internal security and assured Nigerians of their safety. [myad]

The 31 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Minna rose on Tuesday to quench the religious violence that claimed four lives in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State.

Information reaching us indicated that the Army, Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps rose to the occasion to restore peace in the area.

It all began when one Methodus Emmanuel, a 24-year-old trader based in Padongari, was killed on Sunday by a mob over allegations of blasphemy.

Confirming the incidence to news men, the Assistant Director of Army Public Relations Officer, Major Njideka Agwu, said: “three other persons, including personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps also lost their lives.

“Troops of the 31 Artillery Brigade of One Division, Nigeria Army, quickly intervened and restored law and order while a dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed in the town.”

Agwu said that a religious house and a shop were burnt even as 25 other shops were looted following the violence.

She said that the hoodlums embarked on further violence on Monday morning, looting shops and blocking the Lagos-Kaduna Road, a major highway connecting the northern and southern parts of the country.

The spokesperson said the army had made some arrests in connection with the incident, adding that the suspects have been handed over to the police.

“The army and other security agencies have commenced confidence building patrols in all the nooks and crannies of the area toward restoring peace.

“As part of measures to de-escalate tension and ensure lasting peace in the town, the military is working with the local government council authorities and community leaders, including the Kagara Emirate Council, to pacify all aggrieved parties and build on the peace so far established.”

Agwu said the army would continue with its non-violent approach to maintaining peace in the area.

She, however, warned that the army would deal with any person attempting to promote violence in the community even as she enjoined members of the public to abide by the conditions of the curfew put in place in order to maintain peace. [myad]

Farmlands in  five  communities in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State have  been submerged by flood.The flood was caused by the blockade of a dam being constructed by the Federal Government in Npu,Anuri Local Government Area  of Enugu state.

The affected communities are Ameke, Okue, Amaokwe, Ngwogwo and Obodo.

Governor David Umahi, who raced to the site of the dam on learning of the development on Monday, ordered a comprehensive report of farms and cash crops destroyed by the flood.

The governor said that the report would be sent the Federal government  to call for its assistance to the state and farmers whose means of livelihood have been severely affected.

“We came to the point of  the Ukeh River  Dam that is being constructed by the Federal Government in Npu,Anuri LGA of Enugu State.

“A comprehensive report will  be carried out so that we can seek Federal Government’s assistance not only to the state but to the farmers whose agricultural produce have been seriously  damaged.”

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ivo LGA, Chief O. Ude,b who accompanied  Governor Umahi to the site of the  dam  said the blockade  caused   water to overflow backwards, thereby   destroying  the farmlands in  the affected communities.
“If you look back from where we are standing, you will see a river coming down from there,that is Ivo, and this river is Ukeh.So the rivers meet here and  it is from here that  the contractors created an embarkment that makes water to flow backwards.”
The chairman of Ngwogwo Community Development Union, Mr. Johnson Ukpai, lamented that the flood had destroyed agricultural produce like yams,cassava, rice,Maize and  cocoyam.

He pleaded with the Federal government to come to their rescue.

“The blockage of dam which resulted in the over flow of flood to this our community has caused enormous damage to this our community. Our crops like, Yam, Cassava, Rice, Maize, Coco yams has been destroyed.”

Youths of the area were seen displaying cassava tubers which had decayed due to the impact of the flood.

Barr. Augustine Ossai, a liaison officer in Ivo legislative council, also lamented the damages done by the flood and called on the Federal Government and the National Emergency Management Agency to immediately come to the assistance of farmers in the area. [myad]