AU Reiterates Commitment in Nigeria’s War against Terrorism

AU Reiterates Commitment in Nigeria’s War against Terrorism

*Says Boko Haram has been decimated

The African Union (AU) has reiterated its commitment in assisting Nigeria and other countries in the Lake Chad Basin axis affected by the menace of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

The union also commended Nigeria's efforts at checkmating the activities of the insurgents in the country, adding that the gradual return of law and order in most part of Borno State is an attestation of the decimation of the Boko Haram sect in the region.

Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the AU, Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, reiterated the continental body's commitment on Monday when he led members of the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) on a courtesy visit to Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja.

Adeoye, who disclosed that the council in the last five days have been visiting countries along the Lake Chad Basins affected by activities of insurgents, called on the international community to support the millions of people displaced by Boko Haram activities who are in dire need of humanitarian support.

According to the envoy, the council embarked on the trip to the region to have first-hand information of the level of destruction done in the area by Boko Haram terrorists and to fashion out policies and programmes that would not only checkmate terrorism in the area and globally, but equally see how best those returning home could be assisted in adjusting to life.

He said: "We have come here for three reasons: firstly to get a first-hand information on the security situation; also we have come here to look at the humanitarian situation and to offer strong political solidarity to Nigeria and other countries affected by terrorism in the Lake Chad Basins region.

"We have come here to support Nigeria in tackling terrorism and to express the backing and support of the AU."

Adeoye said the visit enabled them to see the havoc done to both human and communities by Boko Haram terrorists, and assured Nigeria that effort would be made to rally support in addressing humanitarian needs of the victims.

He disclosed that the issue of child soldiers was of particular concern to the team, and advised governments to put machinery in place to arrest the development.

The Nigerian representative also commended Nigeria's military in the effort at routing terrorism from the area, adding that unlike other communities in some countries of the Lake Chad basins visited,  law and order is returning to Nigeria.

Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Onyeama, thanked the AU for its support in Nigeria's struggle against what he described as one of the deadliest terrorist groups in the world.

He said the visit would afford the AU the opportunity to have first-hand information on what the country has been facing. "It is absolutely important for AU to be fully engaged, and we appreciate your visit," he said, adding that the visit will help fine-tune policies that will help the region tackle the issue of terrorism.

Nigeria Army Strategises to Curb Security Challenges

Nigeria Army Strategises to Curb Security Challenges  

The Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Buratai, has revealed that apart from the fight against insurgency in the North-east region, the Nigeria Army was strategising to curb the rate of kidnapping, herdsmen/farmers crisis, pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft bedeviling the country.

Buratai disclosed this in Yola, Adamawa State, during  Combat Support Arms Training Week (COSAT) for 2017, saying the army would continue to sustain efforts towards adequately equipping units and formations to enhance military  capacity to eliminate contemporary challenges and threats in the country.

"We all know that the contemporary challenges Nigeria is trapped with include insurgency, kidnapping, herdsmen crisis, pipeline vandalism which have made it imperative for all agencies to synergize and find solutions,” he stated.

He said the theme for this's years COMBAT which is ‘Improving Combat Supports Synergy as Force Multiplier in COIN Operation' is to review, identify and improve on operations.

The COAS pointed out that to bring to an end destruction by terrorists in the country, the Nigerian army has held the Small Arms Combatmanship at the newly constituted Abu Ali shooting range in Sambisa forest, proposed headquarters of the terrorists

The Nigerian Army COMBAT support arms training in an annual event organised on rotational bases among artillery, engineers, signals and intelligence corps to review and restrategise on operations as well as demonstration on constabulary.

He however attributed the successes of the military in degrading Boko Haram insurgency in the North-east region to adequate funding by President Muhammedu Buhari administration.

Buratai further explained that the financial support was responsible for  the remarkable improvement in the operation capacity of  the troops.

The army boss also said improved funding as well as logistic planning and execution in the operation have boosted the morale of troops which resulted in  forcing the insurgents  to flee their hide out and surrender on a daily basis.

The state Governor, Muhammadu Jibrilla Bidow, assured the army that his government would give necessary supports to the military in the state and neighboring state as well.

Bindow lauded the resilience demonstrated by the COAS in fighting the terrorists, describing it as commendable and worth national and international awards.

Onwuka Now President of Biafra Republic, Appoints Utomi, Soludo, Nwodo, Gana as Ministers ...Obama, Israel behind us

Onwuka Now President of Biafra Republic, Appoints Utomi, Soludo, Nwodo, Gana as Ministers

...Obama, Israel behind us

The ongoing agitation for the Republic of Biafra has assumed a new dimension as the Leader of the Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF), Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, today declared himself as the new Biafran President as he announced an interim ‎government to run the affairs of the Republic.

Onwuka was recently released from prison after being incarcerated for almost two years following his arrest when he attempted to take over Enugu Broadcast Station to declare the Republic.

Apart from declaring himself the President of Biafra Republic, Onwuka who briefed journalists in Enugu also named Professor Pat Utomi as the Foreign Affairs Minister.

"We have formed an interim government that will be in place till the next 30 days. The interim government will take off on August 1 and last till August 31, 2017.

“America is behind the Biafra people because former President Barrack Obama already endorsed Biafra before he left office and President Donald Trump will not go against it considering that it has formed part of America’s foreign policy,”

He named other members of the cabinet to include Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Central Bank of Biafra (CBB); Mrs. Aruma Oteh- Finance Minister; former Personal Secretary to Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Petroleum Minister.

Others are Amarachi Ubani- Information; Ohanaeze President, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Ambassador to US; Prof. Jerry Gana, Transport; Labaran Maku, Aviation; a lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Mrs. Mary Okafor, Trade and Industry; Benny Lar, Secretary to the Government of the Republic; Gabriel Oluwole Osagie, Education; Prof Barth Nnaji, Energy; Philip Effiong Jnr., Health.

Onwuka equally announced that the Israelis would hold the positions of Defence, Agriculture, Internal Affairs, Inspector General of Police (IG) and Air Force, adding that they would also take 25 percent of the civil service jobs in Biafra.

He said: “Israel will be key players in this government because there is so much corruption in Nigeria; so, they are coming to help us clean the system. They are coming to sweep the system. They will come up with agro-revolution and also abolish corruption very easily.

“Same goes for America; their companies will be in control of our oil industry. This is to reward them for what Obama did for us; Obama saved us even when we were in detention; they already passed death sentence on us even without our knowledge, but Obama’s intervention saved us.”

Onwuka called for full mobilisation of “Biafra security forces,” stressing that “all our security personnel in the army, police, air force, navy and others are hereby called upon to withdraw from Nigeria and join the Biafra Government.

“I am also calling on the avengers, the militants to come out from the creeks and join us to defend and protect Biafra. I’m beckoning on Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Ateke Tom to come out and join us. I am calling on all our boys in Biafra land to come out. I’m not afraid, the US is with us.”

He equally slammed the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, the Imo State capital, for allegedly refusing to free 10 of his members who were granted bail by the same court. 

Finally, Lagos Police Discover Badoo Dreaded Shrine in Ikorodu

Finally, Lagos Police Discover Badoo Dreaded Shrine in Ikorodu

Lagos State police command on Monday went all out to stop the menace of Badoo gang, a notorious ritual sect, terrorising the Ikorodu area of the state and its environs by finally discovering their deadly shrine in Ikorodu.

After a long lull in their nefarious activities, the ritualist gang last Sunday at the Ikorodu area of the state killed four out of an entire family of five.

The deceased persons identified as the patriarch of the family, his wife and two children, were murdered right in their residence at no 4, Ile Baba Shade Mosque, Oke Otta, Ajose in Ibeshe, Ikorodu.

It was gathered that two of the three children, who were minors, were raped before their brains were smashed by the suspects.

Although one member of the family simply identified as Feyin survived the attack and was being treated at an undisclosed hospital, it was gathered that she was in critical condition.

When the neighbours discovered what happened, it drew their ire and they stormed the palace of the monarch to protest.

The palace was forced to invite the police to evacuate the corpses because the youths in the community were already spoiling for war.

Based on the clamour by the residents for the police to live up to their responsibilities, the command deployed its undercover agents to get intelligence report.

Acting on a tip off, the policemen stormed the shrine located at the outskirts of Ikorodu town, and while there, the head of the shrine was forced to take them around.

The owner of the shrine, one Alhaji Alaka Abayomi, was said to have led the police team through all the rooms in the building which was dedicated as a shrine.

Led by the state Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Edgal Imohimi, with backing from the Inspector General of Police Special Tactical Squad (STS), the policemen drove miles away from Ikorodu to get to the shrine.

Driving across rough and untarred road, which was cut through a bush path, the sources led the policemen right through to the den of the ritualists.

Located on a large expanse of land surrounded by thick foliage, it was gathered from police sources that five graves were found in the compound.

On viewing the building from outside, one wouldn't have inkling to the devilish acts going on beyond the walls, as the house seemed obnoxious enough.

But unknown to majority of people, the unpainted bungalow was indeed a house of horror and terror where ritualists meet to sacrifice the blood of their victims to their gods.

To access the house, it was quite easy as there was no door rather, a bulk of dried leaves turned to thatch were hung on the door.

A quick glance into the different rooms in the building showed the depth of depravity the ritualists had sunk into as big-horned figurines and ash-colour molded images were stacked in practically all the rooms.

In the unpainted building were also baskets, broken eggs and left over sacrifices as well as metal gongs, which was probably used to praise-sing the numerous deities placed in the rooms.

In another room held the major deity, which unlike others, was clothed in red and white cloth and was propped on a seat.

Confirming the incident, the state police command spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), promised more details later.

2015 Budget Tracking: N2bn Approved Capital Projects Unidentified in Six States, Says Group

2015 Budget Tracking: N2bn Approved Capital Projects Unidentified in Six States, Says Group

The Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE) has revealed that 182 federal capital projects approved in the 2015 Appropriation Act to the tune of N2,021,548,008 billion cannot be identified in six states of  Benue, Imo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Cross River, and Gombe.

The acting General Secretary of the group, Ms  Mma Odi‎, disclosed this at the weekend in Abuja while presenting a-152 page report on budget tracking of the 2015 Appropriation Act.

She also stated that the report would also be made available to the leadership of the National Assembly, stressing that the aim was not to name and shame but to ensure the implementation of the projects through oversight function by respective ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Odi noted that ACE-Nigeria Project was aimed at promoting citizens’ participation in the fight against corruption and good governance in Nigeria through mobilisation and building capacity of citizens and groups as well as tracking capital projects in the six states, adding that each state was selected from the geo-political zone.

 She noted that 899 citizens were mobilised while a total of  1,232 stakeholders were trained for the project.

‎She stressed that ACE  discovered that some projects have been completed, some of the ones completed are not being used by the communities, some are on-going, some were executed, and while  some are abandoned, some not executed at all.

According to her, in Benue State, 37  capital projects were identified and tracked, while seven cannot be fully identified amounting to N247,750,000.

The breakdown of some of the  projects that are yet to be properly or fully identified include: "Sensitisation of human rights abuses for 10,000 persons in conflict areas of Gboko and Tarka council areas with a sum of N85,000,000. Skill acquisition training and empowerment at‎ Oju/Obi federal  constituency ‎at N12,250,000. HIV/AIDS awareness campaign/free medicine outreach at Apa and Agatu council areas, N50, 000,000 among others.

The situation was the same in Cross River State, as ACE was able to  identify and track 18 capital projects, while 14 capital projects cannot be identified amounting to N435,000,000.

‎Some of the projects that the group was unable to identified  include:‎ "Provision of water projects in selected communities of Obubra council area at‎ N187,500,000.‎ Grants to purpose cooperative societies in Obanliku/ Obudu/ Bekwarra council areas at the sum of N20,000,000.‎‎ Supply of tricycles to selected youths in Ikom council area of Cross River State at N50,000,000."

Odi‎ explained that in Ekiti State, 12 capital projects were identified and tracked while10 capital projects cannot be identified amounting to N391,834,008.

‎These include supply of motorcycles (Jincheng) to Ekiti West, Efon, Ijero council areas at N43, 000,000.

Training and empowerment project in Ado Ekiti and Irepodun/Ifelodun council areas‎ at N42,500,000.

Vocational training for 400 women across Ekiti north federal constituency II‎ at N41,666,750‎ among others.

‎

While in Gombe State, the group  also identified and tracked 10 capital projects while  seven capital projects to the tune of N265,000,000 were not identified.

‎A breakdown of the unidentified projects showed that "training research and development in  Yamaltu/Deba federal constituency, the project was supposed to be implemented by the National Human Rights Commission at the cost of N75,000,000, supply of computers and other ICT equipment at G.G.S.S, Tula Kaltungo council area at the cost of N‎20,000,000, purchase of empowerment materials, sewing machines, grinding machines, hair dressing equipment and food items at Balanga/Billiri federal constituency ‎at the cost of N40,000,000 among others.”

Kaduna APC Crisis: Thugs Invade NUJ Secretariat, Attack Journalists ...As senators escaped lynching

Kaduna APC Crisis: Thugs Invade NUJ Secretariat, Attack Journalists

  ...As senators escaped lynching 

The crisis ravaging the Kaduna State All Progressives Congress (APC) today took a different dimension when Senator Othman Suleiman Hunkuyi and Senator Shehu Sani among other prominent members of the party narrowly escaped being lynched by armed thugs at the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna.

However, a cameraman with a private radio and television station-Liberty radio and television-was seriously injured while their camera was destroyed.

Several mobile phones and recorders belonging to journalists were destroyed by the thugs who invaded the conference hall.

The hoodlums also smashed the windscreen of a car belonging to the state Chairman of Action Democratic Party (ADP), Mr. Mordecai Ibrahim, which was parked in the premises.

Hunkuyi, Sani and other top members of the APC faction in the state were at the NUJ Press Centre to address a news conference on the outcome of the recent election of delegates to APC National Convention when hundreds of armed thugs said to be loyal to the special adviser to Governor Nasir El-Rufai on politics, Mallam Uba Sani, invaded the press centre and unleashed terror on the politicians and journalists.

The thugs had stormed the NUJ press centre after they got wind of the press conference by the APC faction.

They were initially restricted to the gate by the police, however, they later overpowered the police as more of them trooped to the area and forced the gate opened.

Attempts by the police to disperse them with teargas did not yield any results.

The Gabasawa Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Abdullahi, who later arrived at the premises, allegedly led some thugs into the conference hall where the press conference was going on.

Upon gaining access to the conference hall, with knives and sticks they wielded, everybody in the hall scampered for safety while the thugs destroyed mobile phones, recorders and the Liberty television camera.

The senators were however whisked away as journalists rallied round to defend themselves from the attack.

The state Commissioner of Police, Abah Agyole, later visited the NUJ secretariat and assured them that the incident would be investigated.

Senator Hunkuyi who addressed the conference alleged that the there was no election of delegates to the National Convention of the APC, adding that  the names of those who emerged as delegates were written by an official of the state government.

"The list of the delegates was not known to us. The list was fake, so we wrote two petitions to the National Secretariat of the APC and the zonal office to buttress our grievances.

"We hope the national body would look into our complaints and fixed another date," Hunkuyi said.

Before the press conference by Hunkuyi and his group, the leadership of the party had also addressed journalists at its secretariat, insisting that the delegate elections followed due process and that it was free, credible and fair.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party,  Salisu Tanko Wusono, said

the delegate election was attended  by all the party officials from ward level to the state level.

He said five officials from the national secretariat of the APC came to supervise the state  election, arguing that "we acted within the party's guidelines as no party member was sidelined.

Meanwhile, El-Rufai has condemned the mob action at NUJ secretariat.

In a statement by his spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, the governor said  nobody would be allowed to stifle freedom of expression.

"Having been briefed on the situation, the governor expressed sympathy with the NUJ and the persons that were harassed by the hoodlums.

"The governor directed that security agencies should investigate and take necessary action against the hoodlums.”

Appeal Panel Upholds NCAA’s N33.5M Sanction on First Nation, Pilot

Appeal Panel Upholds NCAA’s N33.5M Sanction on First Nation, Pilot

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has announced that a five-man appeal panel has upheld and reaffirmed the civil sanctions imposed on First Nation Airways and one of its pilots by the agency over infractions for which the airline was penalised N33.5 million.

NCAA made this known on Sunday in a statement signed by its spokesman, Sam Adurogboye, and said the upholding of the sanction was contained in the report submitted by the panel to the regulatory authority at the conclusion of the sitting.

The agency explained that First Nation Airways had earlier filed an appeal following a Letter of Sanction written to the airline on January 23, 2017, and recalled that violations were detected during a ramp inspection on the airline’s aircraft, Airbus A319 with registration mark 5N-FNE, on November 8, 2016, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja.

“After the exercise, it was discovered that the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) was not in possession of a current medical certificate. In addition, the airline similarly the Pilot was added on the roster to carry out operational flights when obviously his medical certificate had expired.

“Therefore, the airline and the pilot violated Parts 8.4.1.5(a), 8.14.1.2(1), 8.14.9.4(a) (1) and 8.2.1.8(a) (24) of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NigCARs) 2015. Consequently, in accordance with IS 1.3.3. (1)(14) of the NigCARs 2015,the airline and pilot were fined N32 million and N1.5 million respectively being moderate civil penalty for the violation,” the statement said.

The agency noted that the airline swiftly filed an appeal in disagreement with the reported violations and sanctions and NCAA in a bid to be fair constituted an appeal committee to hear the airlines appeal.

According to the statement, “The five-man appeal panel had three airline operators, a private legal luminary and NCAA officials as observers. First Nation Airways was represented by four Lawyers, the pilot and three management staff. After four days of sitting, submissions and deliberations the panel upheld and reiterated the applicable sanctions meted out to the airline and its pilot.

“It arrived at the following conclusions in agreement with the NCAA findings prelude to the application of sanctions. The ATRL 1874 License of the Pilot in Command of First Nation Airways had expired on November 2, 2016. The PIC was not in possession of the licence during the ramp inspection on November 8, 2016. The PIC did not have a valid licence and was not properly certified from November 2 to 8, 2016.”

Restructuring: APC Has not Betrayed Nigerians, Says VON DG …Advises Atiku

Restructuring: APC Has not Betrayed

Nigerians, Says VON DG

…Advises Atiku

The Director General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, on Sunday stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has not betrayed Nigerians in the ongoing debate on restructuring.

The party leader also asked former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, and other well-meaning Nigerians to join President Muhammadu Buhari in restructuring the deficit infrastructure in Nigeria before embarking on political restructuring.

Okechukwu, who spoke at his hometown, Eke, in Enugu State, while responding to questions from journalists on the statement credited to Atiku questioning the APC for voting against restructuring contrary to the party's manifesto, said the present administration is presently faced with fixing the infrastructure deficit.

He recalled that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) did not restructure the infrastructure deficit during its 16-year rule, and APC, which has only been in power for two years, should be given more time.  On the issue of restructuring, the APC chieftain pleaded with Nigerians to think out of the box, pointing out that the voting was not essentially on party lines, but on the Nigerian fault lines or the national question, the same voting pattern in the Abacha, Obasanjo and Jonathan Constitutional Conferences.  

This being the case, he appealed to all Nigerians to join President Buhari in restructuring firstly, the substructure-adequate electricity, modern railways, agrarian revolution, ICT education among others-the foundation on which all other social institutions (superstructure) are built.   On how he could absolve his party, the APC, which controls both the Senate and House of Representatives and which promised Nigerians to not only restructure but to devolve power to the units, Okechukwu said nobody was denying the fact that APC promised devolution of powers, but made it clear that Atiku was too harsh by saying that APC betrayed Nigerians.

 "Yes APC promised devolution of powers, even with our subsequent amendments. Nobody is denying the fact. I was a member of the merger sub-committee of our great party's merger committee co-headed by Tom Ikimi, Ibrahim Shekarau, Garba Gadi of defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), factions of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) led by Senator Annie Okonkwo and Olisaemeka Akumukalai of blessed memory. 

“But, I am disputing the former vice president declaration that APC betrayed Nigerians. Betrayal is a harsh word. What I am saying is that the Nigerian fault line or national question is deeper than APC's manifesto line because of the diversity of our dear nation-dislocated and atrophied by deficit critical infrastructure-which President Buhari is borrowing money to address first. This is my thesis. Let’s think out of the box and join the president to fix the Nigeria deficit infrastructure first," he stated.

On the PDP gaining mileage because of the failure of the APC to join the restructuring mantra, Okechukwu said it was his reason for appealing to Nigerians to think outside the box, warning that they should not be sentimental and play into the hands of PDP's grand propaganda. 

According to the VON boss, it amounts to sheer propaganda going by the history of the developed countries we emulate for the PDP and pro-restructuring to claim that with restructuring, the critical infrastructure would be easier as each region would address it according to its need. 

Okechukwu recalled that at one time or the other, Great Britain, United States, Germany, France, Japan and present day China had a ‘Buhari’ who laid the solid foundation for national railways, electricity, sprawling road network among others, adding that the British railways, the Hoover Dam among others were done by great leaders that come once in a while.

He therefor urged Nigerians to forget skewed appointments which are temporary and transient, and support Buhari, as “this is a golden opportunity for development.” 

Reminded that majority of Nigerians think the regions would develop faster at their own pace, Okechukwu said it was not exactly the true position in Nigeria's trajectory.  He queried: “One, Buhari had doled out over N1 trillion via bailout and Paris funds, and close study showed that many governors didn't judiciously and prudently administer the funds. Are they not the regional heads? Is democracy growing at the state level when all the state houses of assembly are rubber stamp and there is no democratic local council elections?

 Finally, the PDP drumming restructuring, why didn’t they restructure it in their last 16 years in power? Why are PDP Senators obstructing Buhari's loan for infrastructure that is over one year in the National Assembly?"

Expert Blames Rise of Boko Haram Attacks on Poor Operations, Disarmament

Expert Blames Rise of Boko Haram Attacks on Poor Operations, Disarmament

An expert and the Executive Director of the Victims Support Funds (VSF), Prof. Sunday Ochoche, on Sunday blamed the recent rise in Boko Haram attacks in the North-east region on poor management of military operations and the disarmament programme to reintegrate repentant terrorists into the society.

He explained that a lot still need to be done to arrest the ugly situation and the resurgence of the Boko Haram terrorists.

"There are problems with the management of the military operations. We have a convoluted and disjointed management of the operations. It is not an army war; the Air Force is not supposed to be running its own war; the army is not supposed to be running its own war, they are supposed to be under one central command.

"We have not seen anything about disarmament; we need a comprehensive disarmament programme. The structure identifies, properly screens Boko Haram terrorists and determines their roles and involvement.

"We cannot afford a situation where people just show up and say they have surrendered or walk away from the war front and return to normal life, that is risky," the VSF executive director said.

Ochoche, whose organisation is at the forefront of rehabilitating victims of Boko Haram attacks, stressed that "there are few things that have not been handled well. We keep hearing about people surrendering, we keep hearing men running to surrender, from where and to where?

"These are the elements we have to put in place-sufficient mechanism to address the crisis. It is not possible for the military or armed forces to win a war alone, civilian support is very crucial."

According to him, the military and the federal government were hasty in proclaiming that Boko Haram insurgency had been 'technically defeated.'

Ochoche told reporters that "we need to understand what exactly did the Nigerian military and government mean by Boko Haram being 'technically defeated’, we need to take time to ask the government about that.

"The technical defeat was to the extent that Boko Haram was degraded from that military forces that were capturing local government areas and setting up their own administration. That stage had been reversed, but it will take a while to say that Boko Haram no longer exist."

He said: "Most of the areas taken by Boko Haram terrorists were local government areas' headquarters. In-between that, the vast area of land and villages have not been effectively combed and taken over by the military." 

Two Injured, Four Houses Burnt in Renewed Ogbe-Ijoh, Aladja Communal Crisis

Two Injured, Four Houses Burnt in Renewed Ogbe-Ijoh,  Aladja Communal Crisis

Gun shots ricocheted ceaselessly; residents fled in different directions in the early hours of today as Ijaw natives of Ogbe Ijoh in Warri South West Local Government Area and Urhobo people of Udu Local Government Area of Delta State engaged each other in a gun battle less than 24 hours after the state government met with their leaders and was assured the peace over boundary disputes which had claimed several lives would be maintained.

It was revealed that the resumed gunfight reportedly left two persons injured and four houses burnt.

Youth leaders from both communities however accused each other's community of being the aggressor, claiming that their people were victims of unprovoked attack from the other community.

The state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, relocated the state security council meeting from Asaba, the state capital, to Warri last Wednesday where he and security chiefs met  community leaders from Gbaramatu and Ogbe-Ijoh kingdoms as well as those of Aladja.

The two neighbouring communities had promised to sheath their swords and give peace a chance.

But trouble started again early yesterday when Ijaw youths from Ogbe-Ijoh allegedly stormed the outer flanks of their neighbouring Aladja community, shooting sporadically and burning some houses. Aladja is an Urhobo community in Udu kingdom.

While the youth President of Aladja, Wisdom Onotomre, claimed that the attack on his community at about 5 a.m. was unprovoked, the youth president of Ogbe-Ijoh said the attack was provoked by an earlier attack at about 6 a.m. by Aladja persons, leaving two persons injured.

"The Ogbe-Ijoh people attacked us at about 5 a.m. they have even burnt four houses. Although we are thanking God that there has not been any casualty, but they are still in our community, shooting," he said.

When asked what must have caused the renewed fight, Onatomre said: "Nothing caused this new attack, we were sleeping when we heard gunshots."

Reacting to the allegation however, the youth President of Ogbe-Ijoh, Edwin Aken, said the attack was provoked by an earlier one during which the Aladja attackers left two persons injured.

"If they say Ogbe-Ijoh people attacked them, that is a very wrong statement. They were the ones who attacked Ogbe-Ijoh at about 6:15 this morning. They came to attack and definitely nobody will fold his arms and watch when they are coming to kill him. So it was in retaliation to what they did. Ogbe-Ijoh didn't just go to attack them, they attacked us first.

"When they attacked, two people were injured and that was what brewed the anger in the boys because His Highness Pere of Ogbe-Ijoh has always asked us not to attack them, but when they come to injure our people, some of the boys may not be patient enough to give a report, but would rather engage them."

Meanwhile, heavily armed soldiers have been drafted to the two neighbouring communities to compliment the mobile policemen stationed in the marked buffer zone in the area to ensure return of peace.

Fayose Explodes: Obasanjo Knelt Down for Ghadaffi for His Third Term Bid, Betrayed Charles Taylor, Used me against Atiku, Others

Fayose Explodes: Obasanjo Knelt Down for Ghadaffi for His Third Term Bid, Betrayed Charles Taylor, Used me against Atiku, Others

The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose,  exploded again, this time, he has made some of the most far-reaching revelations yet about the years in office of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“He was on one knee till the end of the conversation. Ghadaffi kept quiet and was just watching Obasanjo. When Obasanjo stopped rambling, Ghadaffi said, ‘Have you finished? Just know that I will not attend that meeting. I have other engagements.”

Fayose said in the current edition of ‘The Interview’ that Obasanjo used him to wreck the presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the chance of former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi, becoming the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate in 2007.

He said in his naivety, Obasanjo also used him to attack former Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu, among other political foes.

In a statement, the MD/Editor-In-Chief, Azu Ishiekwene, described the edition as “a window on a dark and troubling past and a must read for any important political figure who has crossed Fayose’s path in the last 18 years.”

Fayose told The Interview that the scale fell off his eyes when on a trip with former President Obasanjo to Tripoli, Libya, where Obasanjo had gone to ask Moummar Ghaddafi to support his Third Term bid, the former Libyan president treated Obasanjo like a serf.

Recalling the encounter, he said: “It was such a pathetic scenario, so shameful. Obasanjo was speaking rapidly like a parrot. I was shocked beyond words. I never knew Obasanjo would be that humble.

“He was on one knee till the end of the conversation. Ghadaffi kept quiet and was just watching Obasanjo. When Obasanjo stopped rambling, Ghadaffi said, ‘Have you finished? Just know that I will not attend that meeting. I have other engagements.”

He also revealed how on two major occasions when he went to visit then Vice President Atiku Abubakar at the height of Mr. Obasanjo’s Third Term bid, security details promptly reported him to the former president, even before he left the venue, leaving him feeling spooky and vulnerable.

On the Obasanjo-Atiku saga, Mr. Fayose said, “Obasanjo told me that when you capture a general and you don’t kill him, he’ll come back and kill you; that since Atiku tried to stop him and failed, he must pay for it. And he (Atiku) is still paying for it.”

In a statement that could reverberate beyond Nigeria’s shores, Mr. Fayose said he knew, as an insider at the time, that Mr. Obasanjo betrayed former Liberian President, Charles Taylor to induce U.S. support for this Third Term bid, after promising Mr. Taylor safe haven in Nigeria.

He revealed how the current chairman of the PDP, Ahmed Makarfi, was sidelined in favour of a sick and stubbornly reluctant Umaru Yar’Adua and his role in it as chairman of the Presidential Selection Committee.

Mr. Fayose warned Orji Kalu against “selling” the Igbo down the river “for cheap politics” and blamed President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for making IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu popular.

He also spoke on his attempts to reach President Muhammadu Buhari directly; former governor Kayode Fayemi’s relationship with APC leader Bola Tinubu; and futile attempt to discourage former governor Peter Odili from accepting Mr. Obasanjo’s dummy that he was heir apparent.

Also in this edition, the Executive Director of Neem Foundation, a not-for-profit NGO, Fatima Akilu, said she foresaw problems even after the shooting war with Boko Haram.

Ms. Akilu, a psychologist, warned that except there is a plan to deal with post-war stress and build inclusive communities, the gains of the military campaign could unravel.

Human Trafficking: Onaiyekan Blames Get-rich-Quick Syndrome

Human Trafficking: Onaiyekan Blames Get-rich-Quick Syndrome

...Charges Developed Countries to Relax Restrictions on Visa applications

Catholic Archbishop of Nigeria, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has blamed the rise in human trafficking on the get-rich quick syndrome of most Nigerians, regretting that a lot of young people have lost their lives in a dangerous attempt to get to Europe continent and other developed countries.

Onaiyekan also called on Europe countries and other developed countries to relax the stringent demands placed on visa applicants in the spirit of globalisation, adding that with the Syrian refugees influx into Europe, a regime of strict border control cannot be sustained for too long.

He stated this while delivering the keynote address at the 2017 Anti-human Trafficking Public Lecture organised by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The event which was part of activities to celebrate this year's World Day against human trafficking has the theme: “Nigeria's Anti-human Trafficking Efforts: The Uncomfortable Truth’.

The cleric, while observing that some of the victims of human trafficking are lured through the offer of various scholarship and contracts by their beneficiaries, however held that others are victims because of their pursuits of wealth and affluence.

"It is often said that our young people are running in droves abroad because of poverty and misery at home. There is no doubt that there is too much poverty and misery in our land and that those who are in charge of the economy need to do more to improve our economic environment. But, I'm beginning to believe that what is pursuing many people abroad is the desire and ambition to get rich quickly and at all cost.

"The girls parading themselves half naked for sale on the suburbs of Milan and Nepal to our shame are not the poorest girls in Nigeria. While doing our best to improve the standard of our people, we need to encourage people to be patient, modest in their expectations and learn to live happily and peacefully, working hard and building our own economy here at home," the cardinal said.

He stressed that it is high time religious and other leaders began to impress it upon Nigerians that there is more to life than wealth and affluence, adding that so many people have gotten themselves killed in the pursuit of wild dreams of making much money abroad.

While acknowledging the concerns of Europe over the plight of the thousands of people who embark on dangerous voyages in the bid to enter their countries, the archbishop stressed that it is time for Europe to move from words to action, stressing that a lot of people took the risk because of the stringent requirements placed on visa applicants seeking entry to Europe countries and other countries.

According to him, "Traffickers thrive because of high restrictions on the free movement of people. The world must wake up to the realities around us and open our borders to encourage free movement of persons and business.

"It means relaxing and liberalising visa regulations so that people can line up for visas at embassies instead of being washed ashore on the islands after many years of ordeals through the deserts.”

He, however, expressed hope the conference would be a good opportunity to provoke adequate response from the authorities.

Also speaking, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), reiterated the government's determination in ridding the menace of human trafficking from the country due to the shame and embarrassment the issue is bringing the nation.

Ohaneze, Atiku Express Disappointment over Senate's Rejection of Power Devolution

Ohaneze, Atiku Express Disappointment over Senate's Rejection of Power Devolution

The leadership of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday expressed disappointment at the position of the Senate on the issue of power devolution in the country.

Ohanaeze in a statement signed by its President General, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, said: "It's disappointing and disheartening that as representatives of the people (the legislature) are unable to correctly gauge the mood and desires of their people and the nation."

On his party, Atiku described as shocking and saddening, the decision of the APC-led Senate to block the passage of bill which would have granted devolution of power to the states.

Ohaneze said even though it's aware of the long process of the constitutional amendment and that the Senate is not the final step, but what the senators did amounted to gross insensitivity on the feelings of Nigerians.

"The barrage of voices in this country lately shows clearly that majority of Nigerians are desirous of the country running a true federal system and one expected the Senate to have appreciated this in all their actions especially in constitutional amendment," he said.

The Ndigbo umbrella body counseled the National Assembly that rather than go into constitutional amendment at this time that the mood of the country is tuned towards total restructuring, they should have concerned themselves in making the necessary legislative enactment to empower the convening of a National Conference for real constitutional drafting.

According to Ohanaeze, "Any action, whether from the legislative or executive, in this country today that is not programmed to respond to the yearnings of the populace will amount to exercise in futility."

The Igbo group therefore urged the National Assembly and other legislative body involved in the constitutional amendment in the country to put the interest of the country first and ensure that their actions are such that would help to douse the tension and stabilise of the country.

Ohaneze said it had expected the Senate, after accepting to consider the 2014 Confab report, put it into consideration before passing their constitutional amendment bills.

Similarly, the former vice president while kicking against the Senate's position, said such action negates APC's change mantra.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, the Waziri of Adamawa decried the lost opportunity to honour one of the party’s election promises to bring about change by shifting power closer to the people in the remotest regions of our country.

“This blockage of the bill by an APC-led Senate majority is a betrayal of our party’s pre-election promises.

“It was an important vote and I’m shocked by some so-called progressives’ visceral and cynical opposition to restructuring,” he stated.