Nigeria's main militant group said on Monday that one of its commanders arrested over the weekend had surrendered in return for the promise of a financial reward and denied that the army had raided his camp.
The emailed statement from the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is the latest salvo in a propaganda war with the military which risks tarnishing President Goodluck Jonathan in the run-up to elections next April.
Nigeria's army paraded a militant commander known as Obese and 60 of his followers before the media on Saturday, saying they had been arrested and five AK-47 rifles, 12 machine guns, ammunition and bullet-proof vests seized.
"There was no exchange of gunfire and these individuals handed themselves over to the military in expectance of a reward, as promised by Jonathan," MEND said in the statement, describing the president as a "spineless stooge".
"Weapons surrendered by these persons were less than 30 in number. Items displayed by the Nigerian military did not come from that camp. This was staged."
Obese, 25, whose real name is Tamunotonye Kuna, was believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of 19 oil and construction workers freed last week, including two Americans, two Frenchmen, two Indonesians, one Canadian and 12 Nigerians.
The authorities have described the freeing of the hostages and the arrest of Obese as a key victory in the Niger Delta.
Analysts said the weapons seizure did appear small for what was said to have been a major camp.
Resurgent unrest in the Niger Delta risks undermining the credibility of Jonathan, who is the first head of state from the oil region and who brokered an amnesty last year which led thousands of gunmen to lay down their weapons.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Labour Party sues lawmakers over bill
The national chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Dan Nwanyanwu said on Sunday that the party will head for court to challenge the proposed bill making members of the National Assembly members of the national executive committee (NEC), once it is passed into law.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Mr Nwanyanwu said the party has already contacted its lawyers to seek redress in court and that the court processes are being drafted."We will challenge in court , we can't afford to fold our hands and see this bill passed into law,these lawmakers are just arrogant , they only want to allocate more powers to themselves." he said.
The LP boss wondered why the federal lawmakers are desperate in processing legislation that is self-serving and that will not stand the test of time.Mr Nwanyanwu said, "You will recall we told them and drew their attention to the fact that for any act of the National Assembly to become law must have presidential assent, including alterations and amendments to the Nigerian Constitution, they said no, but they now know better, the court nullify their position. Though they have appealed but they won't go far. "This present NASS is the worst ever, what baffles us most is that the NASS is headed by a highly experienced and successful military general who has served this country in different capacities, as a military man, even as a minister. For all these illegalities to happen under his nose is most unfortunate. Probably it is so because of the way and manner they all got elected.
"We can forgive Bankole as the Speaker, who is a young man who just came back from abroad without any work experience in Nigeria, but suddenly found himself in a position of the speaker. The man that should have guided him and give him direction is also involved in all these."
Beyond comparison
He said the present crop of federal legislators cannot be compared to those of the Second Republic. According to him, Abraham Adesanya,Wali, Nathaniel Anah, Basil Okwu, David Dafinone, Olusola Saraki, John Wash Pam and others were great senators who had the interest of the country at heart unlike the current ones.
Mr Nwayanwu, however, said it is not too late for the lawmakers to withdraw the bill, saying, "It is not too late for the present NASS leadership to retrace their steps and do the right thing, which is the most honourable thing for them because this path they are towing will put them on the wrong side of history."
Police arrest 13 suspected Boko Haram members
The Borno State police command said yesterday that it had arrested 13 suspects in connection with last week's killings in Maiduguri.
The suspected Boko Haram militants reportedly killed at least four people in separate attacks on Wednesday and Friday in Maiduguri.
Confirming the arrest, the command's Police Public Relations Officer Lawal Abdullahi said in Maiduguri that 11 suspects were arrested in connection with the Wednesday's killing, ``I want to inform you that we have already made a number of arrests in connection with the killings.
``We have arrested 11 suspects in relation to the Wednesday's killing, we have also arrested two suspects in connection to the Friday's killings,'' Mr Abdullahi said.
He pointed out that the arrests were based on information gathered by the police on the incidences, claiming that ``we have been able to record a breakthrough that will eventually lead to uncovering the root of the numerous killings in the town in recent times." The brother of the ward head of Ngarnam, in the state, simply called Baba Gana was killed on Wednesday by some suspected Boko Haram militants who took him for the ward head, while on Friday, three persons including a six year old boy, Musa Amin were killed near a Friday Mosque at Layin Makaranta in Gumari ward behind the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
The victims are 35-year-old Yunus Abba, and his friend simply called Ibrahim both part II Arabic students of the University of Maiduguri and an unnamed police officer who was shot in Umarari late on Friday near his house in the metropolis. About 30 persons have so far been killed by the suspected militants since July when they began sporadic attacks on individuals believed to have played active part in quelling last year's Yusufiya insurgence in Maiduguri.
Although security checks had been put in place to checkmate their activities, the militants appeared so far to have beaten the security agents, especially with their guerrilla tactics.
The suspected Boko Haram militants reportedly killed at least four people in separate attacks on Wednesday and Friday in Maiduguri.
Confirming the arrest, the command's Police Public Relations Officer Lawal Abdullahi said in Maiduguri that 11 suspects were arrested in connection with the Wednesday's killing, ``I want to inform you that we have already made a number of arrests in connection with the killings.
``We have arrested 11 suspects in relation to the Wednesday's killing, we have also arrested two suspects in connection to the Friday's killings,'' Mr Abdullahi said.
He pointed out that the arrests were based on information gathered by the police on the incidences, claiming that ``we have been able to record a breakthrough that will eventually lead to uncovering the root of the numerous killings in the town in recent times." The brother of the ward head of Ngarnam, in the state, simply called Baba Gana was killed on Wednesday by some suspected Boko Haram militants who took him for the ward head, while on Friday, three persons including a six year old boy, Musa Amin were killed near a Friday Mosque at Layin Makaranta in Gumari ward behind the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).
The victims are 35-year-old Yunus Abba, and his friend simply called Ibrahim both part II Arabic students of the University of Maiduguri and an unnamed police officer who was shot in Umarari late on Friday near his house in the metropolis. About 30 persons have so far been killed by the suspected militants since July when they began sporadic attacks on individuals believed to have played active part in quelling last year's Yusufiya insurgence in Maiduguri.
Although security checks had been put in place to checkmate their activities, the militants appeared so far to have beaten the security agents, especially with their guerrilla tactics.
Overcrowding causes chaos at Jeddah airport
WRONG flight schedules at the King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, have been blamed for the chaos being faced by stranded hajj pilgrims.
Over 4.5 million pilgrims from all over the world took part in the yearly hajj exercise and the population explosion this year overstretched the facilities put in place by the Saudi Arabia government for the exercise.
Between Friday and Saturday, the airport was overcrowded due to the influx of pilgrims from Mecca, and a high ranking Saudi Arabian Airlines official has blamed the development on Hajj service providers who have poorly thought out plans to bring departing passengers from Mecca to the airport.
Abdullah Al-Ajhar, who is the Assistant Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said: “The crowding and build-up of pilgrims returning to Gulf countries and domestic destinations at KAIA on Saturday and Friday was caused by errors in the schedules set up to bring departing pilgrims to the airport. Because of the errors of Hajj service providers, Saudi Arabian Airlines has had to reschedule its general flights and prepare an alternate plan to ferry pilgrims.”
Al-Ajhar, who was quoted by a local Saudi newspaper, Arab News, dismissed postings on some websites that Kuwait had sent an aircraft to transport Kuwaiti pilgrims as baseless, adding: “The Kuwaiti and other pilgrims returned in alternate flights operated by Saudi. I do not know of any flights from any Gulf country arriving here to take out pilgrims who have been waiting at KAIA for 20 hours,” he said, adding that he had no comment over false reports.
He further said: “I will affirm that we are dealing with more than half a million pilgrims flying on both domestic and regional flights. I do not rule out occurrence of mistakes, but we are trying our best to correct errors that have occurred and to normalise matters at the earliest.”
Several websites have been carrying reports that Kuwait and the UAE transported pilgrims returning to their respective countries on their own planes after pilgrims were left waiting at Jeddah airport for over 15 hours.
A UAE newspaper recently criticised the quality of services at KAIA and said that many pilgrims had to seek medical assistance from their respective Hajj missions.
However, sources at the airport said medical centres in the airport - staffed by 600 doctors, nurses and support workers - have been providing all types of medical help to returning pilgrims. Meanwhile, outbound pilgrims are taking their own precautions not to miss flights.
An Egyptian Hajj group had come to KAIA’s South Terminal, well over six hours, prior to check-in and camped at the airport.
“But our efforts were of no use as the scheduled flight was delayed,” said the team leader, who did not wish to be named.
He added: “Though there are large crowds milling around, we are not complaining.”
Over 4.5 million pilgrims from all over the world took part in the yearly hajj exercise and the population explosion this year overstretched the facilities put in place by the Saudi Arabia government for the exercise.
Between Friday and Saturday, the airport was overcrowded due to the influx of pilgrims from Mecca, and a high ranking Saudi Arabian Airlines official has blamed the development on Hajj service providers who have poorly thought out plans to bring departing passengers from Mecca to the airport.
Abdullah Al-Ajhar, who is the Assistant Director General of Saudi Arabian Airlines, said: “The crowding and build-up of pilgrims returning to Gulf countries and domestic destinations at KAIA on Saturday and Friday was caused by errors in the schedules set up to bring departing pilgrims to the airport. Because of the errors of Hajj service providers, Saudi Arabian Airlines has had to reschedule its general flights and prepare an alternate plan to ferry pilgrims.”
Al-Ajhar, who was quoted by a local Saudi newspaper, Arab News, dismissed postings on some websites that Kuwait had sent an aircraft to transport Kuwaiti pilgrims as baseless, adding: “The Kuwaiti and other pilgrims returned in alternate flights operated by Saudi. I do not know of any flights from any Gulf country arriving here to take out pilgrims who have been waiting at KAIA for 20 hours,” he said, adding that he had no comment over false reports.
He further said: “I will affirm that we are dealing with more than half a million pilgrims flying on both domestic and regional flights. I do not rule out occurrence of mistakes, but we are trying our best to correct errors that have occurred and to normalise matters at the earliest.”
Several websites have been carrying reports that Kuwait and the UAE transported pilgrims returning to their respective countries on their own planes after pilgrims were left waiting at Jeddah airport for over 15 hours.
A UAE newspaper recently criticised the quality of services at KAIA and said that many pilgrims had to seek medical assistance from their respective Hajj missions.
However, sources at the airport said medical centres in the airport - staffed by 600 doctors, nurses and support workers - have been providing all types of medical help to returning pilgrims. Meanwhile, outbound pilgrims are taking their own precautions not to miss flights.
An Egyptian Hajj group had come to KAIA’s South Terminal, well over six hours, prior to check-in and camped at the airport.
“But our efforts were of no use as the scheduled flight was delayed,” said the team leader, who did not wish to be named.
He added: “Though there are large crowds milling around, we are not complaining.”
Varsities: Ex-AGF writes Jonathan, makes case for Kogi
FORMER Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) has passionately appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the siting of one of the proposed federal universities in Kogi State.
The presidential committee on the matter had already started inspection of areas where the new universities will be sited. The six geo-political zones in the country are to have one new federal university each, with special consideration for states without any existing federal university.
Kogi is one of the states in the North-Central zone without a federal university.
Ojo, in the letter dated November 11, 2010, appealed to the president that Kogi should be considered in the interest of fair play, adding that of all the old provinces in the North, only the state had no federal university.
It reads: “I wish to commend your excellency for the practical demonstration of the commitment of your administration to human capital development of our nation, as evident in the gracious approval of the Executive Council of the Federation to create six additional universities.
The presidential committee on the matter had already started inspection of areas where the new universities will be sited. The six geo-political zones in the country are to have one new federal university each, with special consideration for states without any existing federal university.
Kogi is one of the states in the North-Central zone without a federal university.
Ojo, in the letter dated November 11, 2010, appealed to the president that Kogi should be considered in the interest of fair play, adding that of all the old provinces in the North, only the state had no federal university.
It reads: “I wish to commend your excellency for the practical demonstration of the commitment of your administration to human capital development of our nation, as evident in the gracious approval of the Executive Council of the Federation to create six additional universities.
Lagos doctors suspend strike - NEXT
Lagos State medical doctors, on Sunday suspended, their 14-week-old strike and gave the state government a 72-hour ultimatum to pay their withheld salaries.
The decision was taken at an emergency congress of the Medical Guild, an umbrella association for medical doctors on the payroll of the Lagos State government, presided by the chairman, Aboyade Williams. Mr Williams, while briefing journalists about the congress's decision, said that the association may have to call another congress on Friday, November 26, or in February 2011, depending on whether the government reciprocates their "goodwill." "If within 72 hours, the withheld salaries are not paid, the congress may have to reconvene on Friday," he said.
Mutually agreeable wage review
Mr Williams told journalists that there is a "very good understanding" between the state government and the medical association, and the strike was suspended on the basis of that understanding, hoping that by January 2011, the government will make good its promise to implement a new salary package. He read out a letter, addressed to the association on November 19, by the state's Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, which contained several promises for all the demands of the association.
The letter stated, in part, that: "With effect from January 2011, a mutually agreeable wage review, which will not put Lagos doctors on a disadvantage compared to their colleagues in other states, will be implemented." Other promises included the "positive review" of the case of Ibrahim Olaifa, the association's past chairman, who was sacked for addressing journalists as against government's order, which forbid any civil servant from speaking to journalists; a "positive review" of withheld September and October salaries and other arrears; the remittance of the association's dues; and the promise that "no officer will be victimised on account of participation or role played during the strike." Whatever the "mutually agreeable wage review" means in terms of figure, though not disclosed, was acceptable to the doctors. It will not be known until January's salary is paid whether the review will be acceptable to the doctors; hence the promise by Mr Williams that the congress may be convened sometime in February to review government's implementation of its promises.
Banking on government's goodwill
The strike succeeded in dragging the government to the negotiation table, though it still did not produce the legal commitment the doctors demanded. The government had earlier promised to implement the new pay package in January 2011, thorough a letter written by Mr Ogunlewe to the association, but the doctors demanded for a circular, choosing not to "trust" the promise on the basis of several previous failed promises. According to one of the doctors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the doctors shifted stance because the strike has already gone farther than they expected. "You know when you struggle against an entity with limitless resources, you must have limitless resources also and we don't have that limitless resource," he said.
The decision was taken at an emergency congress of the Medical Guild, an umbrella association for medical doctors on the payroll of the Lagos State government, presided by the chairman, Aboyade Williams. Mr Williams, while briefing journalists about the congress's decision, said that the association may have to call another congress on Friday, November 26, or in February 2011, depending on whether the government reciprocates their "goodwill." "If within 72 hours, the withheld salaries are not paid, the congress may have to reconvene on Friday," he said.
Mutually agreeable wage review
Mr Williams told journalists that there is a "very good understanding" between the state government and the medical association, and the strike was suspended on the basis of that understanding, hoping that by January 2011, the government will make good its promise to implement a new salary package. He read out a letter, addressed to the association on November 19, by the state's Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe, which contained several promises for all the demands of the association.
The letter stated, in part, that: "With effect from January 2011, a mutually agreeable wage review, which will not put Lagos doctors on a disadvantage compared to their colleagues in other states, will be implemented." Other promises included the "positive review" of the case of Ibrahim Olaifa, the association's past chairman, who was sacked for addressing journalists as against government's order, which forbid any civil servant from speaking to journalists; a "positive review" of withheld September and October salaries and other arrears; the remittance of the association's dues; and the promise that "no officer will be victimised on account of participation or role played during the strike." Whatever the "mutually agreeable wage review" means in terms of figure, though not disclosed, was acceptable to the doctors. It will not be known until January's salary is paid whether the review will be acceptable to the doctors; hence the promise by Mr Williams that the congress may be convened sometime in February to review government's implementation of its promises.
Banking on government's goodwill
The strike succeeded in dragging the government to the negotiation table, though it still did not produce the legal commitment the doctors demanded. The government had earlier promised to implement the new pay package in January 2011, thorough a letter written by Mr Ogunlewe to the association, but the doctors demanded for a circular, choosing not to "trust" the promise on the basis of several previous failed promises. According to one of the doctors, who spoke on condition of anonymity, the doctors shifted stance because the strike has already gone farther than they expected. "You know when you struggle against an entity with limitless resources, you must have limitless resources also and we don't have that limitless resource," he said.
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