Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists?

Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram, which said it bombed the police headquarters in the capital Abuja on Thursday, is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.

Its followers are said to be influenced by the Koranic phrase which says: "Anyone who is not governed by what Allah has revealed is among the transgressors".

Boko Haram promotes a version of Islam which makes it "haram", or forbidden, for Muslims to take part in any political or social activity associated with western society.

This includes voting in elections, wearing shirts and trousers or receiving a secular education.

Boko Haram regards the Nigerian state as being run by non-believers, even when the country had a Muslim president.

But residents in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, where the group had its headquarters, dubbed it Boko Haram.

The group's official name is Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad, which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad."

Loosely translated from the local Hausa language, this means Western education is forbidden.

Boko originally means fake but came to signify Western education, while haram means forbidden.

Since the Sokoto caliphate, which ruled parts of what is now northern Nigeria, Niger and southern Cameroon, fell under British control in 1903, there has been resistance among the area's Muslims to Western education.

Many Muslim families still refuse to send their children to government-run "Western schools", a problem compounded by the ruling elite which does not see education as a priority.

Audacious

Against this background, the charismatic Muslim cleric, Mohammed Yusuf, formed Boko Haram in Maiduguri in 2002. He sat up a religious complex, which included a mosque and an Islamic school.

Boko Haram despises Western education and wants Islamic law imposed

Many poor Muslim families from across Nigeria, as well as neighbouring countries, enrolled their children at the school.

But Boko Haram was not only interested in education. Its political goal was to create an Islamic state, and the school became a recruiting ground for jihadis to fight the state.

In 2009, Boko Haram carried out a spate of attacks on police stations and other government buildings in Maiduguri.

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It led to shoot-outs on Maiduguri's streets. Hundreds of Boko Haram supporters were killed and thousands of residents fled the city.

Nigeria's security forces eventually seized the group's headquarters, capturing its fighters and killing Mr Yusuf.

His body was shown on state television, and the security forces declared Boko Haram finished.

But its fighters have regrouped under a new, unidentified leader and last year it attacked a prison in Maiduguri, freeing hundreds of the group's supporters.

Its trademark has been the use of gunmen on motorbikes, killing police, politicians and anyone who criticises it, including clerics from other Muslim traditions and a Christian preacher.

In recent months, it has staged several more audacious attacks in different parts of northern Nigeria.

These reportedly include a bombing in December in the city of Jos, a New Year's eve attack on military barracks in Abuja, and several explosions around the time of President Goodluck Jonathan's inauguration last month.

Now, it has attacked the police headquarters, signalling that it is far from finished.

The threat it poses is unlikely to disappear: Poverty-stricken northern Nigeria has a history of spawning groups similar to Boko Haram.

Analysts believe the threat will disappear only if the Nigerian government manages to reduce the region's chronic poverty, and builds an education system which gains the support of local Muslims.

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Nigeria's Islamists claim suicide bombing

A radical Islamist sect has claimed responsibility for Nigeria's first suicide bombing, saying the attack that killed two at Abuja's police headquarters targetted the country's police chief.

"We are responsible for the bomb attack on the police headquarters in Abuja, which was to prove a point to all those who doubt our capability," the group known as Boko Haram said late Thursday after the attack.

The powerful explosion ripped through the car park inside the police headquarters compound, killing a police officer and the bomber, wounding several others and destroying dozens of cars, according to police.

Local media said the death toll could be higher.

Security experts said it was the first suicide bombing in Nigeria, a country of 150 million people facing a growing threat from Islamic militants.

Boko Haram said it regretted missing its target, which it named as police inspector-general Hafiz Ringim.

In the statement signed by spokesman Abu Zaid, the group said the police chief had recently been making "unguarded utterances to the effect that he will crush us in a matter of days."

Witnesses said the motorcade of a senior police officer had driven into the headquarters just minutes before the attack.

Police said the bomber drove into the car park and set off the bomb as he was about to be submitted to a routine search. Local media say the bomber was trailing the police chief as he drove into the compound.

Shortly after the attack, police blamed Islamists who a day earlier had threatened to step up a campaign of violence that has already seen scores of deadly attacks.

Boko Haram, sometimes called the Nigerian Taliban, had warned Wednesday of "fiercer" attacks saying it was angered by a police declaration that its days were "numbered."

The sect, believed to be based in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, this week admitted links with a foreign Islamist group connected to Al-Qaeda, saying some of its members had just returned from training in Somalia. Security experts earlier speculated that it had established ties with Islamists in north Africa.

"We will continue to launch similar attacks on the police headquarters. We will not relent," said the group, which has warned it will wage a "jihad" or holy war.

The explosion, the latest in a series of blasts in recent months, adds to insecurity in Nigeria just weeks after President Goodluck Jonathan's election late April for his first full term.

Police spokesman Yemi Ajayi on Friday said an investigation into the attack was under way.

"We will leave no stone unturned," Ajayi told AFP. "We already suspected Boko Haram over the attack. So we are not surprised that they claimed responsibility for it."

Several people were wounded in the explosion, according to Red Cross official Umar Abdul Mairiga, who said volunteers had picked up body parts, but could not say how many were killed.

Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sin," launched an uprising in 2009 which was put down by a brutal military assault that left hundreds dead, mostly sect members.

It has pushed for the creation of an Islamic state and been blamed for shootings of police and community leaders, bomb blasts and raids on churches, police stations and a prison.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for a spate of bombings near Abuja and in the north, claiming 18 lives, after Jonathan's inauguration about two weeks ago.

But it was the first suicide bombing in Nigeria, although a would-be suicide bomber from Nigeria attempted to bring down an American airliner on Christmas Day in 2009.

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Forex Trading Signals June 17th 2011 (Pre- EU Market Open)

EUR/USD intraday: the downside prevails. Pivot: 1.4215.

Most Likely Scenario: SHORT positions @ 1.4205 with 1.4065 & 1.4025 in sight.

Alternative scenario: The upside penetration of 1.4215 will call for a rebound towards 1.4265 & 1.4325.

Comment: The pair has struck against its resistance and should face further weakness as the RSI remains capped by a MT declining trend line. Trend: ST Ltd Upside; MT Range

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I’ll ensure Tokyo, Auxiliary are arrested – Oyo CP

THE Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Baba Adisa Bolanta, has said the pictures of the two factional leaders of the state branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Lateef Akinsola Oluwatoki, a.k.a Tokyo and Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, a.k.a. Auxiliary, will be circulated through-out the state, in order to aid their arrest, just as he reiterated that the police will not give up on their efforts to arrest them.

The police boss also called on the general public to assist the state command with information that could lead to the arrest of the duo.

Mr Bolanta, who said this during a press briefing, held at the command headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, on Thursday, added that the police would not give up efforts to arrest the duo and others involved in the violence that was unleashed on the state at Iwo Road area, about two weeks ago.

It will be recalled that a violent clash between the supporters of the two factioner leaders of the union, about two weeks ago, led to a wanton destruction of property and death of many innocent people.

“I will arrest them (Tokyo and Auxiliary) even if I am posted out of this place (Oyo State) thereafter. I will arrest them. Nobody can stop me from doing that,” the commissioner said, adding that 18 suspects connected with the violence had been arraigned in court, while about 20 other suspects were still with the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), set for arraignment.

Mr Bolanta added that all other security agencies in the state were collaborating with the police, in order to bring a lasting peace to the state.

On the call for his redeployment by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the commissioner advised the students to face their studies and not be allowed to be used, adding that the authentic president of the body sent him a text message, on Wednesday, dissociating himself from the press statement.

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UN doubts FG’s target of 190,000 megawatts in 2020

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The United Nations, (UN) on Thursday, expressed doubt on the ability of the Federal Government to attain its targeted 190,000 megawatts of electricity by 2020 without focusing on Renewable Energy options.

The UN Resident Representative, Mr Daouda Toure, expressed this misgiving at the formal launch and signing ceremony of “Access to Renewable Energy (ARE) Project” jointly implemented in Nigeria by the United Nations and Bank of Industry (BOI).

The project execution has a time frame of 2010-2014 with a total budget of $4.8 million to be funded through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) allocation of $2 million while the remaining portion will be sourced from strategic partners such as the World Bank and the BOI.

Mr Toure stressed that reliable and accessible energy supply was central to issues of development, national security, environmental protection and serve as a tool in achieving both Vision 20-2020 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

The UN Resident Representative wondered why Nigeria with its vast energy resource potential, still depended on backup generators with high environmental and economic cost .

“Eliminating energy deprivation is thus, of paramount importance in eradicating economic poverty and is essential to the achievement of other Millennium Development Goals. If alternative and other reliable sources of energy supply could be encouraged in this country, huge savings could be realised in addition to a cleaner environment” he said.

While pledging the UN support and commitment towards ensuring access to modern energy services, he said that the UNDP would continue to explore possible ways of collaborating with relevant institutions to promote supplies of energy through alternative and renewable sources which would be pro-poor.

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We saw your new position coming, Wabara tells Ajimobi

Oyo State governor, Senator Ajimobi, has been described as a distinguished politician whose cerebral contributions at the Red Chamber when he was a senator between 2003 and 2007 showed a bigger political office was on his way.

A former Senate president, Adolphus Wabara, said this during a visit to the governor in his office on Thursday.

He said Senator Ajimobi was an active member and a performer during his sojourn in the National Assembly, adding that his contributions in the various standing committees of the Senate would remain legendary in the history of the upper chamber.

He however called on the governor to bring his abundant experience to use in the discharge of his new responsibility as a governor.

In a response, the governor expressed appreciation to the visitor while assuring him of his determination to launch the state on the path of greatness.

He described Senator Wabara as a dependable ally while at the Senate.

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Attack on Force HQ and reality of porous police

THE ease with which the perpetrators of the Thursday’s bomb attack on the nation’s Force Headquarters, Abuja, exe-cuted their onslaught is a confirmation of the porous outlook of the Nigeria Police.

Since October 1, 2010 when there was an explo-sion close to the Eagle Square, venue of the 50th anniversary of the nation, which claimed over a dozen lives, bombing, hitherto a rarity in the country, has become commonplace.

There were the New Year’s eve attacks in Abuja and Jos, as well as the May 29 explosion at Zuba, a suburb of the Federal Capital City. Also, almost on a daily basis, there have been attacks by Boko Haram in Borno State, without the police being able to check the menace, despite promising on each occasion to leave no stone unturned in appre-hending the perpetrators. What all these boil down to is that the security system in the country leaves much to be desired.

Going by the police account of Thursday’s attack, the bomber was able to access the police headquarters on the chase of the Inspector General’s convoy, before being detected by a policeman, who asked him to move his car somewhere else.

However, despite being detected and accosted, the police, with all the bomb disposal unit and all the arsenals at their beck and call, could neither detect the bomb nor stop it from detonating. This shows that the police headquarters was as unsafe as any part of the country.

So, if the Nigeria Police could not protect them-selves, will the nation not be expecting too much from them to protect the whole nation? If the Inspector General of Police (IGP) could claim he was unsafe, even at the police head-quarters, is anyone safe anywhere in the country?

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the attack. This undoub-tedly is its reaction to the statement by the IG, Hafiz Ringim, three days ago, that the days of the group were numbered. But with the attack, it seems Boko Haram has taken the battle to the doorstep of the police.

According to Boko Haram’s spokesman, Usman Alzawahiri, “we are behind it (the bomb blast) and we are going to attack the entire North and other parts of the country, including the capital, Abuja.”

He aded that some Boko Haram personnel had just returned from Somalia and had been scattered around the northern part of the country for the purpose of attacking different parts of the North.

What this means is that the group has extended its battle beyond the boun-daries of Borno State, where it had been operating for sometime, to the whole of the North.

The question does arise, if the police could not tackle Boko Haram when it was operating in just one state, will the police be able to stop the group now that it claimed it had spread to 19 states and Abuja?

From all indications, policing the country is too much a task for the Nigeria Police as currently consti-tuted. If there will be safety and a sense of security in this country, the police have to be helped. The police have to be better equipped to meet up with the requirement of policing a humongous society like Nigeria.

Then the police too have to be more proactive in their operations. At the moment, what the police do is to wait for a calamity to occur before scurrying to find a solution. The police have to do more of information gathering with the purpose of stopping bomb attacks before they take place.

To many Nigerians, the response of the police to bomb attacks on Nigerians has been anything but encouraging, probably because the leadership of the police had been shielded from such attacks. But now that the attackers have taken the fight to the doorstep of the police, officers and men of the Nigeria Police will have to be more alive to their responsibility of protecting the people before the whole country becomes a deadly mine for everyone.

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N40bn scam: Bankole, Nafada granted bail

FORMER speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Usman Nafada, who are standing trial over an alleged N40 billion scam, were, on Thursday, admitted to bail by an

Abuja High Court in the sum of N50 million each, with two sureties each in like sum.

The trial judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore, added that such surety must be a civil servant, who must not be below the rank of a permanent secretary and works in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He ordered that the travelling documents of the accused be kept with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and fixed July 19 for trial.

Counsel for the accused, Sola Oyetibo, who held the brief for Adegboyega Awomolo, prayed the court to vary the bail condition, by substituting the rank of permanent secretary with a senior civil servant, so that it would be easier for them to meet.

But the trial judge insisted that his ruling had been delivered and could not be changed.

In arriving at the ruling, which lasted for about 45 minutes, Justice Belgore said, “I have carefully and meticulously read the motion paper and consider argument of the counsel. The application is not complex, it is simple. The issue is whether the two applicants are entitled to bail.

“The ill health of an accused is not a ground to grant bail, illness does not entitle an accused to bail. A mere allegation of ill health is not a sufficient ground to grant bail, the accused most provide the medical proof to convince the court.”

But the prosecuting counsel, Festus Keyamo, opposed the application on the ground that the affidavit brought by the defence did not place sufficient material before the court as to warrant the granting of bail.

At the time of filing this report, the accused had been taken back to the EFCC custody, while their legal team was still making arrangement on how to meet the bail condition.

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Forex Trading Signals June 16th 2011 (Pre- EU Market Open)

EUR/USD intraday: the downside prevails. Pivot: 1.4215.

Most Likely Scenario: SHORT positions @ 1.4205 with 1.4065 & 1.4025 in sight.

Alternative scenario: The upside penetration of 1.4215 will call for a rebound towards 1.4265 & 1.4325.

Comment: The pair stands below its new resistance and remains under pressure, the RSI is mixed to bearish.

Trend: ST Ltd Upside; MT Range

GBP/USD intraday: under pressure. Pivot: 1.6225.

Most Likely Scenario: SHORT positions @ 1.6215 with 1.615 & 1.6105 in sight.

Alternative scenario: The upside breakout of 1.6225 will open the way to 1.6285 & 1.6325.

Comment: The pair remains under pressure and stands below its new resistance.

USD/JPY intraday: the upside prevails. Pivot: 80.60.

Most Likely Scenario: LONG positions @ 80.65 with 81.1 & 81.35 as next targets.

Alternative scenario: The downside penetration of 80.6 will call for a slide towards 80.35 & 80.25.

Comment: The RSI is supported by a rising trend line, the pair is on the upside and is challenging its resistance.

AUD/USD intraday: the downside prevails. Pivot: 1.0595

Most Likely Scenario: Short positions below 1.0595 with targets @ 1.0525 & 1.049 in extension.

Alternative scenario: Above 1.0595 look for further upside with 1.0625 & 1.065 as targets.

Comment: The RSI is mixed with a bearish bias.

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Senate to follow ranking rules in allocation of offices, seats

Senate ranking rules, which led to the emergence of Senate President, David Mark, and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, will again be applied in the allocation of offices and seats at the chamber, Vanguard learnt yesterday.

A senator, who belongs to Senate Think Tank vested with the responsibilities of allocating offices and seats for members of the seventh Senate, spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, saying the Senate would follow strictly its ranking rules in sharing offices and seats.

“We will follow ranking rules strictly in the way we will allocate offices and seats at the chamber. This, we believe, will add more decorum to the manner legislative businesses are conducted in the Senate,” he added.

The source further said that the 32 returning senators will be given preference in the allocation of offices, ahead of newly elected senators and former members of House of Representatives and others.

The Senate Think Tank group has been holding meetings to fine tune ways to share offices and seats before the scheduled June 28 resumption of the Senate from recess.

By implication, the 32 returning Senators inclusive of the principal officers will have their offices in the just completed Senate new building extension.

The Senate New Building Extension Vanguard has gathered has two bathrooms, one en suit for personal use of the Senator, while the other is for legislative aids. But the old new building has only one bathroom per office, prompting most of the returning Senators to prefer the newly completed extension.

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Activists fault dissolution of councils in Imo

A group, Campaign for Constitutional Justice (CCJ), has condemned the dissolution of local governments and Council of Ndieze in Imo State, saying Governor Rochas Okorocha erred in law.

In a statement issued in Enugu , the Regional Headquarters of CCJ, Southeast Chapter, Head of Programmes Dr. Kieran Igbojekwe, said: “Having carefully reviewed the governor’s maiden broadcast in Imo State , it became very clear that Chief Okorocha has to be advised on constitutional matters.

“The relevant state laws on the running of Imo State Council of Ndieze as provided in Imo State Law Number 6 of 2006 is very clear on Number 6, Section17A.

“Section 17A says that “the tenure of office of every executive member of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers shall be five years unless predetermined by resignation or death, it did not allow for sack by the Governor.”

The group argued that, “by law, there are only two conditions that can effect the untimely removal of the council member and they are resignation or death and not executive fiat that lacked merit in law or had not been proven by law”.

“The Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers is a creation of the laws of Imo State and by the law, it is tenured to five years,” CCJ noted, stressing that “the statutory provisions of the law are clear and should not be misinterpreted by any party”.

“Until either the council or any member is found guilty of an offence by a court or tribunal, the dissolution by a governor’s broadcast is illegal, unconstitutional and an abuse of the status book which the governor had sworn to protect”.

The group, therefore, called on the governor to retrace his steps as it concerns traditional institutions and reinstate the Council of Ndieze.

Efforts to get the views of the chairman, Imo State Council of Ndieze, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya and any other executive member or the council failed.

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NBA slams Justice Auta over courtesy visit to EFCC boss

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, turned a valedictory court session that was held in honour of the retired Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Daniel Dantsoho Abutu, to a tribunal of sort, as it openly slammed the incumbent CJ of the High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, saying the courtesy visit he made to the office of Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, was questionable.

The legal body, which bared its mind through a speech presented by its National President, Mr Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, insisted that “no matter how well intentioned and harmless the visit may be, it is inappropriate, considering that the EFCC is a prime litigant having so many high brow cases before the Federal High Court; it is for all intent and purposes a party before that court.”

Adducing reasons the CJ’s visit to the anti-graft agency should be deemed as ‘unholy’, the NBA contended that “it will raise so many questions that will bring the independence and impartiality of the court needlessly into question”, adding that it was unseemly for a trial High Court Judge to visit a prosecuting entity that has so many pending cases before his court.

Meanwhile, both Justice Auta and the EFCC boss, Farida Waziri, who equally graced the event as a special guest yesterday, wore embarrassing looks as the NBA president continued to inveigh against their alleged uncanny meeting.

Several dignitaries from both the legal and political sphere who attended the valedictory session held at the Federal High Court Headquarters in Abuja, discussed the issue in hushed tones, as the NBA continued to tongue-lash the newly appointed CJ over his courtesy visit to the EFCC.

According to the NBA President: “I have received calls from well meaning members of the Bar concerning the visit of the new Chief Judge, the highly respected Justice I.N Auta to the office of the EFCC chairman a few days ago.
“No matter how well intentioned and harmless the visit may be, it is inappropriate for the following reasons.

“The EFCC is a prime litigant having so many high brow cases before the Federal High Court; it is for all intent and purposes a party before that court. It is therefore unseemly for Judges of that court to visit a prosecuting entity. It will raise so many questions that will bring the Independence and impartiality of the court needlessly into question.

“It is not dignifying for a court to make such courtesy visits. It is demeaning to the dignity and prestige of the Court of Judges to file out of their hallowed chambers and troop to the office of Government functionaries for whatever reason. Will the Lord Chief Justice of England and his Judges pay a visit to the Metropolitan commissioner in Scotland Yard over matters that are before his court? That will never happen.

“The courts must strive to adhere to the concept of separation of powers. That laudable concept is eroded by unnecessary interaction between functionaries of these arms of government. Justice, my lord is a delicate ornament. It must be kept shining and transparent at all times.

“The Impression must never be given that one party (litigant) before the Court has an advantage over the other. It is likely the concept of fair hearing. It is not the hearing that matters it is the availing the parties the opportunity of being heard. So is the concept of bias.

“This is the position of the Nigerian Bar Association on this matter. We hope that our advice will be heeded. We consider this isolated happening as a faux-pas, which was not intended to be deleterious. Before it becomes a practice, it should however be discontinued”, he stated.

Meanwhile, the celebrant, Justice Abutu, faulted the present composition of the National Judicial Council, NJC, insisting that it would be wrong to allow the Chief Justice of Nigeria, who he said is the head of the Nigerian Judiciary by virtue of his position, to continue to function as the chairman of the council.

Justice Abutu said: “Experiences in this country have shown that petitions can be addressed to the NJC not only against non-members and members but also against the chairman of the council.

“I think because the council has disciplinary powers, the head of the judiciary should not be the chairman of the NJC. If the head of the judiciary is the chairman of the council, when, God forbid, we have a delinquent head of the judiciary, it will be difficult to discipline him.

“The president should appoint the chairman and members of the council from among retired former Chief Justices of Nigeria, retired Supreme Court Justices, retired Presidents of the Court of Appeal and retired Chief Judges, however, the head of the judiciary and the current statutory members should continue to be members of the council” he added.

Abutu equally maintained that the only way to overcome the unnecessary delays often experienced in the trial of cases in court, would be a further amendment of the constitution with a view to divesting parties’ of their right to interlocutory appeals.

“Interlocutory motions and interlocutory appeals are the major causes of delays. It seems to me that the only way we can combat the problem of delay is by regulation.

“The constitution must be amended and the provisions therein which gives parties the right to file interlocutory appeals and to apply for stay of proceedings pending appeal should be amended” he said.

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'NYSC 5’: Kidnappers reduce ransom to N10m

The kidnappers of five National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Rivers State have reduced the ransom from N100 million to N10 million.

Commissioner of Police Suleiman Abba said this yesterday at a briefing at the Police Officers’ Mess, Port Harcourt, the state capital.

He gave the names of the victims as Olumide Yusuf; Mrs. Funmilayo Fase; Chinonye Ejiogu; Nkechi Nweze and Vivian Okwuanya.

They should have passed out yesterday.

Abba said policemen, in collaboration with the military and the State Security Service (SSS), are closing in on the kidnappers, but would prefer to rescue the victims safely.

He said overt and covert patrols, surveillance, raids and investigations are being carried out to ensure quick rescue of the victims.

The hoodlums are insisting that the ransom must be paid but Governor Rotimi Amaechi said he would not negotiate with criminals.

The corps members were kidnapped at Omademe, on the Port Harcourt International Airport Road, near Igwuruta in Ikwerre Local Government on June 7.

The police commissioner paraded a robbery suspect Friday Anthony (25).

Two Sport Utility Vehicles; eight Ak-47 rifles; one Browning pistol, 500 live ammunition; 55 magazines; master keys; mask and charms were recovered.

The police chief said the Choba Divisional policemen stormed the Aluu hideout of the notorious kidnappers, armed robbers and murderers, who had been terrorising Port Harcourt and its environs, leading to the arrest of Anthony.

An ex-militant, Bishop Neli and two other members of the gang escaped with bullet wounds.

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Blair urges Jonathan to set his priorities right

Former British prime minister, Tony Blair yesterday said leaders who desire to develop their nations must set their priorities right and be focused on what they intend to achieve.

Mr Blair spoke during an audience with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. "There is a gap between vision and reality and leaders must know how to do whatever they set out to do, given the reality of their situations," Mr Blair said, adding that knowing what to do is not hard.

Mr Blair, who runs the African Governance Initiative, also said leaders must recognise the importance of proper and efficient scheduling of their engagements, in order to make maximum use of the limited time available for governance.

Ready to share experience

He told Mr Jonathan that he is ready to share his experience with him and expressed satisfaction over what he said was Mr Jonathan's disposition to improve the potentials of Nigerians.

"I am working with Elumelu foundation as part of my Africa campaign solution," he said. "We have been working on charity and how to improve systems on governance solutions in Liberia and Sierra Leone where we are working on partnership. I have been to Abuja a couple of times and I just feel there is enormous promise and potential here and I will be glad to do all I can, not just to improve relations between Britain and Nigeria, but also because when I was in office, Africa was such an important passion and I have been in Abuja a couple of times and I think I like what I saw and there are enormous potential here that can be exploited." Mr Blair commended Mr Jonathan's focus on areas such as improving the infrastructure in the country, agriculture and power.

"I think the president has absolutely got the right priorities and the toughest challenges when he was in government, he is getting it done. He is focused on getting things done according to people's expectations," he said.

Mr Jonathan said Nigeria is committed to global peace and would continue to support any effort at ensuring peace and development.

He praised Mr Blair's collaboration with the Elumelu Foundation, adding that Africa would benefit from the former British prime minister's experience and effort.

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Home | News | Pressure on Jonathan over Bankole, Nafada Pressure on Jonathan over Bankole, Nafada

THE President is under pressure to save former Speaker Dimeji Bankole and his deputy, Bayero Nafada. They are facing charges at the High Court for alleged fraud.

Speaker Aminu Tambuwal has met with Dr Goodluck Jonathan twice in the last 72 hours.

The “peace” meeting was said to have been at the instance of Senate President David Mark, whose plan is to put the seventh National Assembly on a sound footing, according to sources.

Many prominent Nigerians are mounting pressure on President Jonathan for a “political solution” to Bankole’s travails. They include many former and present members of the House, who are insisting that Bankole and Nafada are victims of politics.

The President, according to sources, met with the House leaders at the Presidential Villa on Monday and Tuesday.

A source, who pleaded not to be named because he is not permitted to speak to the media, said: “I think a rapprochement is in the offing between the President and the House leaders.

“Eminent Nigerians have intervened and they are already prevailing on Jonathan to overlook any political distortion which the emergence of Tambuwal would have caused.

“The new House leadership has also been humble in approaching the President informally at the Villa on Monday and Tuesday to resolve the crisis of confidence.

“Tambuwal and his deputy explained that they are not out to oppose the President in any manner. They also debunked allegations that those opposed to the President were behind their election.

“I think Jonathan may at the end of the day forgive these House leaders. The credit of the peace being brokered goes to the President of the Senate, who has been facilitating reconciliation at different levels.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The House leaders also raised concern over the ongoing trial of Bankole and Nafada. They will prefer a political solution to the matter.”

A former principal officer of the 6th House of Representatives, who also pleaded not to be named, said: “Most of us believe that Bankole and Nafada are being persecuted purely for political reasons, especially for defying the directive of the Peoples Democratic Party on zoning for the emergence of Tambuwal.

“Bankole and Nafada are also paying for their sins for not re-amending the Open-Secret Voting System put in place by the 6th House, which paved the way for Tambuwal’s success.

“But, instead of blaming Bankole and Nafada, the PDP leadership should account for how things went wrong for the anointed candidate of the party, Mrs. Mulikat Akande-Adeola.

“The party leadership came to breathe down on new members of the House on why they must vote for Mrs Akande-Adeola. Our party leaders even threatened sanctions as if these new House members were school boys and girls.”

On how the House leadership ran into trouble, the source added: “Following agitations from members, we decided to ‘collapse all working costs’ duly appropriated in the budget and allocate equally to all members.”

Following the crisis over zoning – the PDP’s power sharing formula – the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) yesterday set up a committee to review the situation.

Zoning was truncated by the election of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from the Northwest and his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, from the Southeast. The positions were zoned to Southwest and Northeast.

The party leaders were said to have been sharply divided over the issue. Some were said to be of the opinion that zoning should be laid to rest, others insisted that zoning must be sustained for the overall interest of the country”.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali, told reporters after the NWC meeting that the in-house committee would advise the NWC on the “way forward”.

Alkali did not give details of the composition of the committee and when it is expected to submit its report.

When asked what the position of the PDP’s leadership is on the zone to produce the next chairman, Alkali declined comments, saying the issue was not discussed at the meeting.

Besides, he did not speak on how the PDP intends to rein in its “straying” members in the House.

“The preoccupation of the NWC now is how to stabilise the system and the National Assembly,” Alkali said.

But, a source close to the meeting said the two issues on the day’s agenda were “zoning and party issues”.

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Tinubu writes HID

CHIEF Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) national leader, has written to Chief (Mrs) HID Awolowo, saying he had no cause to disrespect her person or disparage the Awolowo family.

In a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olakunle Abimbola, Chief Tinubu said: “I wish to assure Mama that I cannot disparage the Awo family without disparaging the legacy that all of us proudly embrace and are trying to sustain” he wrote in his letter, dated 9 June 2011.

Chief Tinubu was writing on the controversy that has trailed the piece entitled, “Awo Family without Awo”, written by Sam Omatseye, chairman of the Editorial Board of The Nation newspaper, viewed by many to be critical of the Awolowo family. Many have also claimed the article was a “sponsored” attack on the Awolowos.

But Chief Tinubu, in the letter, said he found such linkage strange, since every newspaper has its own editorial policy, independent of any person’s relationship with the paper.

“Anybody with knowledge of how newspapers work knows every newspaper has its editorial policy, most times independent of even the publisher” the former governor explained. “So, how can I possibly be behind the opinion of a columnist, simply because he writes for a newspaper, which I am associated with?”

He said even Papa Awolowo, publisher of the Tribune while alive, always told people that he read articles in the Tribune, like other readers, since the paper had its editorial policy.

“The sage, Chief Awolowo himself used to say that he read articles in the Tribune like any other reader, despite that he was the publisher. The same principle applies here,” he explained.

Chief Tinubu said though Tribune had been demonising his person, it would be wrong of him to assume that Mama Awolowo, as publisher of the Tribune, was behind the attack. He said the same principle held in the Omatseye piece because the columnist was known to hold strong views which he expresses every Monday.

He said: “It is common knowledge that Tribune, almost every day, demonises my person. But should I because of that claim that Mama, as chairman of the newspaper, was behind the demonisation? Of course, I feel disheartened by it all; but I have never felt Mama was responsible for stories Tribune published.”

Chief Tinubu reiterated his respect and affection for Mama Awolowo and her offspring, adding that that was not about to change.

“I have absolutely no need to cause Mama any heartache in her old age. All I want for her is to be happy. I assure her of my love and reverence; and affection for her family.”

Our RESPONSE
ALTHOUGH a plethora of responses from members of the public to Mr Sam Omatseye’s “Awo family without an Awo’’ are being received by the Nigerian Tribune on a daily basis, it was decided that such responses be discontinued following the letter written by Chief Bola Tinubu, publisher of The Nation to Mama (Dr) HID Awolowo dated 9 June, 2011.

The letter was not published because the former Lagos State governor referred to it as being “personal.’’ Besides, and more importantly, the Nigerian Tribune does not have anything personal against Chief Tinubu, and is not interested in any further media war in the face of pleas by members of the public that concerted efforts be made to douse the festering tension generated by Mr Omatseye’s attack on the family of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

However, a press release made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday evening by Chief Tinubu’s Chief Press Secretary indicated that the former governor had decided to go public with the letter he wrote to Mama (Dr) HID Awolowo, explaining that he played no role in the publication of Mr Omatseye’s piece. The letter, however, raises some questions which need to be engaged critically, if only for the purpose of setting the records straight.

It is pertinent to observe that in the letter under reference, nowhere did Chief Tinubu condemn the tirade launched against the Awolowo family.

Instead, the letter seemed to be a rationalisation of the controversial piece as a mere public commentary which, to Tinubu, was being politicised to attack his person.This is against the backdrop of the realisation that he neither addressed a press conference nor came out clearly to disassociate himself from the piece under reference.

Among other disturbing realities, it is shocking that Chief Tinubu, being a Yoruba man who has held and continues to hold important positions, either as a former governor or as a chieftain of a strong opposition party in the country, and one with claims of being born and bred under timeless Yoruba cultural values and ethos, failed to see the deeper imports of the Omatseye piece as an affront on a woman who represents the best of Nigerian womanhood and who has become Mother of the Nation on account of her status as the spouse of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, her age, and as the Yeye Oodua of the race that Chief Tinubu aspires to lead.

The issues at stake, however, are not merely about public commentary but about the denigration of the time-honoured cultural values of the Yoruba people and, indeed, those of the Nigerian nation at large.

Also in the letter under reference, Chief Tinubu stated as follows: “It is common knowledge that the Tribune, almost everyday, demonises my person. But should I claim that Mama, as the publisher of the Tribune, was behind the attack?’’

This statement did not address the questions whether the stories published in the Tribune represented factual accounts of activities in which he was alleged to have been engaged or were false stories meant to discredit his personality. To the best of our knowledge, none of the stories published on Chief Tinubu so far in the paper has been proved to be false.

Chief Tinubu, in his letter, also adverted to the claim that Mama (Dr) HID Awolowo had known him from his childhood. He said: “How can I overlook old age, which every Yoruba person reveres; and the life-long closeness between you and my mum, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, who has served the Awolowo family all her life, and go ahead to sponsor an article to disparage the Awolowo name that we all revere?’’

However, as far as we know, the two children of Alhaja Mogaji known to Mama are Rafatu Biodun and Sakirat Modupe. Certainly, Bola Ahmed is not one of the children of Alhaja Mogaji known to Mama. Therefore, we are unable to reconcile his account with the facts at our disposal.

Still, if Chief Tinubu had accepted the vicarious liability attendant on the fact that the said offensive article was published in a medium owned by him, it would not have been difficult for him to apologise on the writer’s behalf, if truly he reveres Mama as claimed in the letter. Indeed, the attitude which pervades the said letter is, since he did not write the offence article why should he apologise? The letter is, therefore, tantamount to an exercise in escapism. In all, evidence that Chief Tinubu sincerely regrets the contents of the controversial piece is lacking.

The references made to previous stories in the Tribune titles also suggest that he endorses Omatseye’s article as a reaction to such stories.

More importantly, Chief Tinubu’s letter did not address any of the issues raised by Mama in her reaction to Omatsye’s piece, which we assume he had read by virtue of his claim that reactions to the article were brought to his attention.

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Days of Boko Haram in Borno are numbered - IGP

THE Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Hafiz Ringim, has said with the presentation of 10 Amoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to the Nigeria Police, the days of Boko Haram sect are numbered in Borno State.

The IGP said this in an interview with newsmen in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, on Tuesday, shortly after he received 10 APCs and 10 Hilux patrol vehicles presented to the police by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State.

The police boss said he was in Maiduguri on the instruction of the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, to assess the security situation in the state.

He said all over the world, security was being driven by intelligence gathering, charging that members of the society should assist the security agencies in the state to get rid of the members of the sect.

“The logistics will not only enhance the operation of the Nigeria Police, but will also assist the entire security agencies in Borno State and Nigeria at large in our fight against the Boko Haram menace that has engulfed the state and other parts of the North for quite some time,” he said.

The police boss assured the public of confidentiality of all information given to the security agencies, while he urged them to take advantage of the modern information technology, which enabled them to interact with the police without disclosing their identity.

He said the police relied on the general public in their intelligence gathering, as they could not be everywhere.

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South-South governors create regional economic entity

The governors of South-South states, comprising Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta States yesterday signed an agreement for the take-off of regional economic cooperation under the acronym, BRACED.

The agreement was the result of a meeting of the South-South Governor's Council held in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State.

In a communiqué at the end of the meeting Monday night, the chairman of the council and governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, said the six states have agreed to establish a regional electric company and a regional oil and gas company to serve the common interest of the people of the region.

He added that steps were being taken to conduct a feasibility study on the projects.

Mr Imoke also said in a bid to fast track the process, the second South-South Economic Summit would be held at Asaba, Delta State, from October 13th to 15th this year, while a strategic meeting of commissioners of economic development, planning, finance, agriculture, commerce and industry from the states would be convened within 60 days.

The communiqué, which was signed by the five governors present at the meeting, also affirmed the readiness of the states to work out, between now and 2012, an effective mechanism for the re-certification of teachers, as part of efforts to encourage teacher training and improve the quality of education in the area.

Organise training

Mr Imoke said as a way to ensure that all the states operate on the same pedestal, the BRACED commission would organise a retreat for commissioners and top functionaries of government and business community, and for the civil service as well.

"The governors have solicited the cooperation of banks and financial agencies to simplify access to the various agricultural funds available to farmers," he said, adding that a feasibility study is to be undertaken for establishing a Regional Commodity Exchange Board.

Mr Imoke acdded that the commission is working towards institutionalisation of sports competitions among schools in the zone through hosting of regional sports festivals.

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Bankole questions Keyamo's right to prosecute him

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, is raising questions as to who made Festus Keyamo a prosecutor to prosecute him and has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to quash the alleged inflation of contracts charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), maintaining that at the time of filing the charges, there was no Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to give Mr Keyamo the fiat to prosecute.

In an application filed by Mr Bankole's lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, the former speaker said: "The last AGF was Mohammed Adoke SAN, who vacated officially on the dissolution of the Federal Executive Council on 28th May, 2011. The AGF is the only officer that the Constitution empowered to issue fiat to private legal practitioner to institute or continue criminal proceedings in the high court."

He noted that the charges were filed on June 7th, 2011 when no AGF was in office, saying that the office of speaker of the House Representatives which he occupied between the years 2007 and 2011 is not cognisable for the purpose of criminal responsibility or liability within the scope and intendment of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Mr Bankole also said the proof of evidence did not connect him with the items allegedly procured in contravention of the Public Procurement Act.

But Mr Keyamo in a telephone chat with NEXT, said his argument is a none issue.

A few minutes after the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the former speaker bail on Monday the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested him again and charged him, with his former deputy, Usman Nafada at another court in Abuja.

Mr Bankole who is facing prosecution over alleged corruption committed while in office, was granted bail earlier in the day in the sum of N5 million and a surety in like sum, with a landed property in Abuja and asked to submit his international passport to the court.

He was arrested on Sunday June 5, and charged to court for inflating contract awards which includes the cost of 400 units of 40-inch Samsung (LNS.3410 Television sets) purchased at the rate of N525,000 per unit, instead of the prevailing market price of N295,000.

His alleged action constitutes an offence contrary to Section 58 (4) (a) of the Public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007 and punishable under Section 58 (5) of the same Act.

The EFCC had also in Abuja on Sunday June 12, arrested Mr Nafada over allegations of corruption while in office.

Messrs Bankole and Nafada pleaded not guilty to the 17 count charges. Their lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo wanted to move an oral application for their bail but the presiding Judge, Sulieman Belgore, asked him to file a formal application for bail.

Counsel to the EFCC, Festus Keyamo, told the court that their custody is filled up with other accused persons in relation to the matter and that the former speaker and his deputy should be remanded in prison custody pending when their application for bail will be heard. The hearing comes up Thursday, June 16.

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