The Director, Defence Information of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chris Olikolade has assured that the troops fighting Boko Haram have swung into action to apprehend members of Boko Haran that killed the Emir of Gwoza in Borno state, Alhaji Idrissa Timta in the early hours of Friday. Olukolade said in a statement in Abuja that troops are currently on aggressive patrols along the entire route with a view to apprehending the perpetrators and keeping the area safe. He admitted that the emir was killed when a band of terrorists attacked the vehicle in which he and Emir of Askira, Alhaji Abdullahi Ibn Muhammadu Askirama and Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ali Ibn Ismaila Mamza were travelling to Biu to pick the Emir of Biu so they could all drive in convoy to Gombe State to attend the funeral of the late Emir of Gombe who is scheduled for burial in Gombe on Friday. “Troops deployed in Garkida responded to the attack. The Emirs of Uba and Askira were secured while the body of Emir of Gwoza who died in the attack has been recovered. This is even as the Borno state government also announced the murder of the Emir, whom the government described as one of the pillars of peace in the state. A statement by Secretary to the State Government, Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda also described the murdered Emir as a great man who worked very hard to promote peace and progress in Gwoza. “He was a pillar and one of the rallying points in Borno State. He visibly worked very hard in the search for peace in Gwoza since the insurgency began.” He said that the State government is terribly shocked by this incident, adding that the government prays that Allah admits the late Emir into aljanna Firadaus and give family, members of the Gwoza Emirate Council, the people of Gwoza, the State Council of Chiefs and the entire people of Borno State the fortitude to bear this very traumatic loss. He regretted that this incidence happened at a time the State is still dealing with equally disturbing issues related with security challenges.
First class Emir of Uba, Ismaila Mamza and the Emir of Gwoza, Idrisa Timta all in Borno state on Nigeria have been abducted this morning by suspected members of Boko Haram.
The two emirs were said to have been seized by gun-wielding insurgents at 10a.m near Shaffa while they were travelling to Gombe to attend the funeral of the Emir of Gombe, Shehu Abubakar, who died on Tuesday evening at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London, where he was undergoing treatment for cancer.
According to report, the two emirs were elevated to First Class traditional ruler status only in January this year.
Up to the time of publishing this report, the Borno state government had yet to issued an official statement on the abduction. [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan may have been subdued by pressure as he has now extended emnesty to members of the deadly Boko Haram, on condition that they lay down their arms and turn themselves up for peaceful dialogue.
According to the nation’s Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni Haruna, the amnesty is part of President Jonathan’s administration’s youths-friendly programmes and policies.
Haruna who spoke today while giving an overview of youth’s position in the present administration’s transformation agenda at a special event tagged “A day with young leaders of Nigeria” to mark the nation’s Democracy Day in Abuja said that series of integration programmes have been lined up for members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace.
“President Goodluck Jonathan has also declared amnesty for members of the Boko Haram sect. Series of integration programmes have been lined up for the members of the sect who would surrender their arms and embrace peace.
“Let me use this opportunity on behalf of the Federal Government, to call on the members of the Boko Haram sect to embrace the government’s gesture and key to amnesty programme.”
He recalled that in the wake of youth restiveness in the Niger Delta, the government came up with a development programme which provided an opportunity for the youth to express themselves and have a meaningful life.
Haruna said that although the amnesty programme was a fallout of a bitter national security, its effect on the youth had been profound.
He disclosed that 30,000 youths have benefitted from the programme which has seen beneficiaries transforming from militants to wealth creators, employers of labour and skilled citizens.
President Jonathan, who was at the occasion answered questions from youths , saying that military alone is incapable of stopping terrorism or any kind of radicalism, adding that terrorism cannot succeed in any community without local supports.
He stressed the need for people who are respected by the insurgents to join hands with government to persuade them to desist.
“Terror succeeds with local support. It will be difficult for terror to thrive where people reject it. It is a major challenge to all of us. Military alone cannot stop terror or any radicalism. Terrorists have people they respect, they have community, traditional and opinion leaders they respect. All of us can deradicalise them.
“We will through persuasive activities encourage people to shun violence.”
He said that his government is already working out the modalities for reintroducing moral education into school curriculum.
This, he said, would assist in re-orientation the young people in order to distinguish between right and wrong things.
Jonathan promised that his administration would continue to encourage young people because they are no longer leaders of tomorrow but of today.
He said youths are already leading because they decide who rules at all levels of government by virtue of their population which he put at 60 per cent of the electorates.
The President also reiterated his position that the nation’s income distribution was skewed. [myad]
A 10-year-old primary five pupil of Heritage Academy, Wuse 11, Abuja, Master Chukwuemeka Obi-Obasi has won a six million naira federal government scholarship for rare display of talent in the composition of poem.
Obi-Obasi, who performed last week at the opening of the First Annual Conference of Certified Librarians in Abuja, had impressed the minister with his poem titled: “Nigeria my country.”
Supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, who announced the award, said President Goodluck Jonathan approved the scholarship to encourage the emergence of fresh talents.
The minister said that the government of Jonathan had always placed emphasis on discovering talents and encouraging them, adding: “such rare display of talents by our young ones is an indication that in spite of the current challenges, there is still hope for our country.”
The minister said that the N6 million, which would be paid at once, would cover Obi-Obasi’s school expenses for the completion of his secondary education.
Obi-Obasi thanked President Jonathan for the scholarship and advised his peers to identify their talents and put them to good use.
He hoped to develop his talent in writing and poetry, and also wish to read law in the University.
Also speaking, mother of the boy, Mrs. Chinyere Obi-Obasi, described her son’s success as a `moment of joy’ for the family.
She said that her family would forever remain grateful to the present administration for the award. [myad]
A gang of men including at least one police officer were alleged to have raped and killed two teenage sisters, aged 14 and 15 respectively, in rural India then hung their bodies from a tree.
Authorities said today that the girls were found hanging in a mango tree hours after they disappeared near their home in Katra village in Uttar Pradesh state.
They had gone into fields because there was no toilet in their home.
Hundreds of angry villagers crowded around the tree for the rest of the day, silently protesting alleged police inaction in the case.
Indian TV footage showed the villagers sitting under the girls’ bodies as they swung in the wind, preventing authorities from taking them down until the suspects were arrested.
Amid conflicting reports, police are believed to have arrested four men later in the day and were searching for three more suspects.
Some reports said one police officer was among those arrested, while others said one even as the report also had it that only one person had been apprehended.
Katra is about 300 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of the state capital, Lucknow.
Autopsies confirmed the girls had been gang-raped and strangled before being hanged, police Superintendent Atul Saxena said.
The villagers accused the chief of the local police station of ignoring a complaint by the girls’ father on Tuesday night when they went missing.
Three policemen have been removed from duty for not registering cases when the girls were reported missing.
The family belongs to the Dalit community, also called ‘untouchables’ and considered the lowest rung in India’s age-old caste system.
India tightened its anti-rape laws last year, making gang rape punishable by the death penalty, even in cases where the victim survives.
The new laws came after the fatal gang rape of a 23-year-old woman on a moving bus in New Delhi that triggered nationwide protests.
Records show a rape is committed every 22 minutes in India, a nation of 1.2 billion people.
Activists say that the number is low because of an entrenched culture of tolerance for sexual violence, which leads many cases to go unreported.
Women are often pressed by family or police to stay quiet about sexual assault, experts say, and those who do report cases are often subjected to public ridicule or social stigma.
Last month, the head of Uttar Pradesh state’s governing party, the regionally prominent Samajwadi Party, told an election rally that the party was opposed to the law calling for gang rapists to be executed. [myad]
The Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Bukola Saraki, has made it clear that contrary to reports in some media that the committee exonerated the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), it actually indicted them..
Senator Saraki, who is representing Kwara Central at the red chamber, in a statement today by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Bankole Omishore, maintained that as an active member of the committee, the report actually indicted the minister and the NNPC.
“Though I could not attend the last meeting of the committee, I have been very active in the investigation. Nothing significant has changed to suggest clearing anybody.
“I can say on behalf of the Committee that these media reports bear no correlation to the content of the Senate Committee report and I would urge the public to disregard it in its entirety.
“The Committee is yet to receive the report on the forensic audit and independent analysis on the subject clearly indicate we have a lot of grounds to cover in order to determine the level of culpability or otherwise of agency on the alleged non-committal.
“Therefore, to suggest any clearance for anybody at this stage is out of the question. I will further advise that the media should wait for the senate to release the details of the Committee report to the public before they jump into spurious conclusions.”
The committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former Governor of Kaduna state, had in the report submitted on yesterday, described as untrue, allegations by the Suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, that $49.8bn was missing from the federation account.
The committee also said total crude oil liftings from January 2012 to July 2013 was $67bn and not $65bn as Sanusi had alleged.
Sanusi, had written President Goodluck Jonathan, alleging that the NNPC had failed to remit $49.8bn being part of the income it generated from sales of oil.
But the committee stated that all the agencies which made presentations had agreed after reconciliation that $47bn out of the $67bn had been credited to the Federation Account, leaving $20bn to be accounted for.
The report had added that, “The committee could not see how the figure of $49.8bn was arrived at by the CBN Governor in the first instance.
“That the CBN Governor at the first hearing had forwarded the figure of $12bn as monies to be reconciled and changed his position to $20bn at subsequent hearing.
“At the conclusion of his written submission, Sanusi posited that it could be $20bn, $12bn, $10.8bn or anything in between.” [myad]
President Goodluck Jonathan has said that after 15years of uninterrupted democracy, Nigerian citizens now live better and more fulfilled lives than in the military era.
In his Democracy Day speech today, the President said: I wholeheartedly believe that our people are the better for it (democracy). The scope of fundamental rights and liberties enjoyed by our people over the past 15 years has been expanded beyond measure. He noted that Nigeria has come a long way and made notable progress since the first Democracy Day on May 29, 1999 when the military finally relinquished power and handed over to a democratically-elected government, marking the true beginning of a government of the people, by the people, for the people. “Although, I have ordered a low-key commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day in deference to the current mood of the nation, there can be no doubt that the past 15 years, the longest period of sustained democratic governance in our country, have been a blessing to us, as a people. “As we commemorate 15 years of our Fourth Republic today therefore, I believe that it is fitting that we pay tribute once again to all those who played a part in restoring our nation to the true path of democratic governance, built on the foundations of rule of law and freedom of expression.” President Jonathan is confident that democratic governance has now been entrenched in the nation and institutions. He rolled out the attainments of Nigeria in various spheres of socio-economic life over the past 15 years, and under his government in particular, adding: “we have witnessed high national economic growth rates, steady improvements and expansion of national infrastructure including airports and roads, the restoration of rail transportation, the efficient implementation of a roadmap for improved power supply, a revolutionary approach to agricultural production, as well as advances in education, sports, youth development, healthcare delivery, housing, water supply and other social services.” [myad]
“I am determined to protect our democracy, our national unity and our political stability, by waging a total war against terrorism. The unity and stability of our country and the protection of lives and property are non-negotiable.”
These were the Presidential vows by President Goodluck Jonathan in his Democratic Day speech today, even as he also said that his government is ready to negotiate with members of Boko Haram if they are ready to renounce insurgency.
“My government, while pursuing security measures, will explore all options, including readiness to accept unconditional renunciation of violence by insurgents, and to ensure their de-radicalization, rehabilitation and re-integration into the broader society. Our doors remain open to them for dialogue and reconciliation, if they renounce terrorism and embrace peace.”
President Jonathan said that in the fight against Boko Haram, he had instructed the security forces to launch a full-scale operation to put an end to the impunity of terrorists on Nigeria’s soil. “I have also authorized the security forces to use any means necessary under the law to ensure that this is done. I assure you that Nigeria will be safe again, and that these thugs will be driven away – it will not happen overnight, but we will spare no effort to achieve this goal. He called on Nigerians who have joined hands with Al Qaeda and international terrorists in the misguided belief that violence can possibly solve their problems to renounce such behavour.
The President expressed regrets that all the gains of the past 15 years of democratic governance are being threatened by the presence of international terrorism on the nation’s shores, adding: “Our dear country, Nigeria is facing a new challenge. A war has been unleashed on us. Extremist foreign elements, collaborating with some of our misguided citizens, are focused on an attempt to bring down our country and the democracy and freedomwe cherish and celebrate today.
“There can be no doubt that what we are witnessing in Nigeria today is a manifestation of the same warped and ferocious world view that brought down the Twin Towers in New York, killed innocent persons in Boston and led to the murder of defenceless people in the Southern Russian city of Volgograd. Terrorist activities have brought war and pains to Mali, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. These agents of evil continue to brainwash and incite ignorant young men and women to attack the innocent. We cannot allow this to continue.”
Jonathan is happy with the solidarity move by those he called “patriotic citizens” and the global community to support of his government’s efforts to stamp out terrorism saying: “I applaud the understanding that in a democracy, such as we are building, people can have differences while sharing worthy values and standing together in opposition to the scourge of terrorism. Nigeria is the only country we have and we must all work to preserve it for present and future generations.” He urged Nigerians to commend the nation’s security forces in the face of the challenges we face, adding that we must not forget their gallantry and successes in liberating nations and in peacekeeping, from Liberia to Sierra Leone, Congo, Sudan, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and many places in Africa and beyond.
“Our forces have paid the supreme price in several places at several times. Today, they face a different challenge, an unconventional war by terrorists. They are adjusting and are being equipped to tackle the new menace of terrorism. We must show confidence in their ability. I have no doubt that, with the support of Nigerians, our neighbours and the international community, we will reinforce our defence, free our girls and rid Nigeria of terrorists.” On the abducted female students of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok in Borno state by Boko Haram on April 14, Jonathan described it as horrifying as he reassured Nigerians that his government will continue to do everything possible to bring them back home.
He called on Nigerians to remain united to win the war against terrorism, saying: “Christians, Moslems, farmers, fishermen, herdsmen, teachers, lawyers, clergy or clerics, the rich, the poor and Nigerians from all sections of the country must work together with our security agencies and armed forces to overcome the terrorists who now threaten all that we hold dear.
“The war against terror may be difficult, but the days of peace will come again. Terror is evil; nowhere in history has evil endured forever. The menace of Boko Haram will surely come to an end. I believe that because of your prayers, your courage, hardwork, faith and sacrifice, we will ultimately prevail over the terrorists and all other evil forces.
“We are a strong, resilient and courageous people. We will continue to partner with the civilized world, to confront international terrorism and every other challenge that comes our way with patriotic zeal and determination.” [myad]
As Nigeria marks Democracy Day tomorrow, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned the government and armed forces against publicizing security matters. He said that it is pitiful that the government and the armed forces have evolved the habit of debating critical issues bordering on national security in public. “Relations between civil-military authorities should be managed with care and maturity to safeguard our democracy. Some of the issues being discussed in public are not matters for the market square.” In a statement issued today by his Media Office in Abuja, Atiku asked Nigerians not to allow democracy to die and that they should collectively protect the democracy, which was attained after years of struggle to end military rule in Nigeria. He encouraged Nigerians to emulate the examples of statesmen and women like late MKO Abiola, Bola Ige, Kudirat Abiola and Gani Fawehinmi, whose lives were fully committed to democracy in Nigeria. As Nigeria commemorates the restoration of democracy in the country, Atiku said that the end of military rule in Nigeria brought about a new era of regular elections as well as the return of civil liberties, free press and an end to arbitrary arrests and torture, but said that Nigeria is gradually deviating from that path. “The responsibility for our country’s democracy lies with each and every one of us. We must participate actively in the process of governance, and ensure that the constitution and the rule of law are upheld at all times.” The former Vice President urged Nigerians to contribute their quota to national security, by reporting any suspicious activity to the police.
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The Director, Defence Information of the Nigerian Army, Major General Chris Olikolade has assured that the troops fighting Boko Haram have swung into action to apprehend members of Boko Haran that killed the Emir of Gwoza in Borno state, Alhaji Idrissa Timta in the early hours of Friday.
As Nigeria marks Democracy Day tomorrow, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has cautioned the government and armed forces against publicizing security matters.
