Boko Haram: Jonathan declares full-scale war ,deploys warplanes - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/boko-haram-jonathan-declares-full-scale-war-deploys-warplanes/#sthash.q6KCPvwC.dpuf

By Kingsley Omonobi  (With agency reports)
Nigerian warplanes are carrying out air strikes against Boko Haram militant bases at Bama, Borno State, a senior official said yesterday, in a government counter-attack against Boko Haram’s drive to create an Islamist enclave.

The official, who asked not to be named, told Reuters Nigeria’s military was battling Boko Haram fighters at Bama, 70 km (45 miles) southeast of the Borno state capital Maiduguri.

Air strikes have been carried out “on all the Boko Haram bases”, the official said, adding this reflected President Goodluck Jonathan’s order for a “fully-fledged war” against the group which has waged a bloody insurgency since 2009.

“Bama today is the centre of the military battle with the terrorists … Boko Haram is being repelled by the Nigerian troops as we are talking now,” the government official said, without giving details of the operations or casualties.

The battle over Bama, and Boko Haram’s storming of towns and villages to the north, east and south of Maiduguri in recent weeks, has raised fears of an attack on the Borno state capital, prompting hundreds of civilians to flee.

“Even today, we can see so many people leaving … the buses are going out plenty now,” Musa Sumail, a human rights activist in Maiduguri who reports on the violence in the northeast, told Reuters. He said he had seen at least one or two Nigerian government fighter jets in the skies above Maiduguri.

We ‘ll do everything to defend our territorial integrity –Defence Hqtr

Indeed, the Defence Headquarters said the armed forces will do everything to defend the nation’s sovereignty.

In a statement by Major General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information said,  the armed forces said: “DHQ wishes to reiterate the pledge and commitment it made while briefing the Joint Committee on Defence of the National Assembly to the effect that everything will be done to reverse the situation and defeat the rampaging terrorists.

“While welcoming all the concerns shown by Nigerians and a section of the international community following the increased menace and activities of terrorists, it is necessary to reassure all that the Nigerian Armed Forces is more than ever determined and committed to the defence of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria, regardless of any odd.

“It is not only the pride and reputation of the military that is at stake but that of the entire nation.  We therefore urge our citizens not to lose hope or be disenchanted but to remain steadfast and supportive of the military as all steps are being taken to ensure the success of the counter-insurgency operations, especially at this crucial time when our sovereignty is being challenged.

“With this in mind, it is important to reiterate that the Nigerian military is fully conscious of its obligations to the Nigerian state and remains willing and ready to perform its duties with utmost diligence. Therefore, what the military requires at this critical period in the nation’s history is not pillories but continued support from all stakeholders and comity of nations.

“Indeed, this is not the time to despair or shift blames.   Rather it calls for concerted effort by all and sundry to stop the agents of darkness who seek to destroy our country and civilization. On its part, the Nigerian military as a fighting force, assures Nigerians once again that this battle will be won.”

Military ‘ve killed 1,200 insurgents –AVM Marizu

Sharing this view, former Air Officer Commanding Logistics Command of the Nigerian Airforce, Air Vice Marshall Chris Marizu (rtd), yesterday, cautioned politicians against utterances that were capable of pitching the armed forces against the citizens they were supposed to protect noting that the military forces have killed 1200 Boko Haram insurgents in the battle for Bama, Borno State.

He spoke in the light of the current challenges in the counter-terrorism efforts in the North east which has understandably elicited a sense of apprehension among citizens and even foreign allies, as

He made the disclosure just as the President of Course 18 participants of the Nigeria Defence Academy, Air Commodore Olufemi Agbetuyi warned that it was high time the nation stopped mixing politics with security issues.

Speaking at the 18th regular course re-union in Abuja yesterday, AVM Marizu said, “People should know that some persons who have done so much for this country and the military institution cannot just be rubbished on the altar of politics.

“Some unscrupulous citizens of this country are using the advantages that they enjoy under democracy to malign the military with innuendos and statements without facts. All the things that Mr. Davies said for instance, there was nothing in it and no facts to buttress anything. The angle of aircraft for instance, was Ihejirika the Chief of Air Staff?

“It shows there are undemocratic elements working in tandem with outsiders trying to destroy this country. For instance, the last few days, the media has been awash with reports that Boko Haram has over-run Bama and taken over the city whereas, the reverse is the case. We have troops there and we are in touch on a daily basis” “The truth is that as at Tuesday, our soldiers had killed over 700 Boko Haram insurgents during the battle. The following day, another 500 terrorists were killed.

What is happening is not what is being reported in the newspapers and sometimes I wonder if the media are Nigerian media or what they seek to gain by running our soldiers down” In his contribution, Air Commodore  Agbetuyi  cautioned politicians in the country against trying to bring the name of the military into disrepute warning that doing so will amount bringing down the military. On allegation against General Azubuike Ihejirika, he said, “Some political elites do not understand what the man went through as COAS, the sleepless nights, the sacrifices General Ihejirika made for the country.

I recall how he was tackling the security challenge in the country and some Nigerians who do not understand or pretending not to, or some enemies of Nigeria said the army was killing people indiscriminately. The same people today are saying he sponsors Boko Haram. Does it make sense?”

Source: Vanguard 

How Cameroun arrested, released Sheriff – Falana

By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Monsur Olowoopejo
Lagos based human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, yesterday, revealed how Former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff was arrested in 2012 by the Cameroonian government for the crime committed by the deadly Boko Haram sect.

Meantime, ahead of the 2015 election, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Professor Tam David-West, Professor Akin Oyebode and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, have, unanimously, urged Nigerians to wake up from their slumber and use the next year’s election to bring relief to their unwholesome circumstances.

Ali Modu Sherrif at the conference

Falana and other eminent personalities spoke at the 5th Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture, titled; ‘State of the Nation and 2015 general elections: Issues, posers and challenges before us, held in Lagos.

“In October 2012, Sheriff was arrested in Cameroun on crime committed by the Boko Haram he sponsored. The state government pleaded with the Camerounian government to release him because he is a well known man here and he cannot be arrested.” Falana stated.

The Lagos based lawyer said that the former governor was not sincere in his relationship with the Boko Haram sect in the country.

Sue me not Davis

He however, asked Sheriff to sue him rather than planning to seek redress in court by suing the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davies, even as he reaffirmed that Sheriff sponsored of the Boko Haram activities.

This came few days after Sheriff said he would seek redress in court by suing the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davies, who recently fingered him as one of the sponsors of the Boko Haram insurgency. According to Falana, “I am expecting Senator Ali Madu Sheriff to sue me. I heard that he wanted to sue an Australian (Dr. Steven Davies). He doesn’t need that. He should sue me. I am waiting for him to sue me. Not only did he fund that organization (Boko Haram), he also had a deal with them.” He noted that Sheriff cannot denial all the allegations made against him, saying. “In 2003, he had a deal with the Boko Haram leaders to help him win the election and that if he wins his re-election, he will compensate the organization.

\When he won the election, he appointed one of them as Commissioner for Religious Affairs to implement Sharia in that state.”

He however, accused the Federal Government of shielding certain facts from its citizens.

Falana said “The Federal Government is yet to react to the statement by Dr. Stephen Davies against Sheriff. I expect the central government to have made its position known on the issue.”

The lawyer therefore, called for concerted effort to tackle the menace of Boko Haram, saying, “People’s Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC should stop politicizing the Boko Haram issue but what is important is unity to tackle the menace”

In his remarks, David-West lamented the nefarious activities of Boko Haram sect in the country, saying, “We do not have a nation. If we have a nation, the problem confronting the country will have been resolved earlier than now.”

He added, “In fact, we are not at crossroad but we have missed the road. There is no road at the moment for the country to attain greatness.”

Explaining the reason for the longevity of the challenges facing the country, David-West said, “What do you expect from a country ruled by a Ph.d holder who said that 16 is greater than 19. The country when the president budget N1 billion for food in a year and cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wage. Daily I have begun to lose faith in our election and leadership.

ON 2015 ELECTION

David -West dispelled the claim that the country will fail to exist after 2015 election, saying, “we will not break in 2015.”

But he said “The citizens need to wake up from their slumber. We are too complacent and this was the reason why the current public office holders take the citizens for granted.

He continued; “Election affords citizens the opportunity to change government which they do not like. I do not believe in revolution but the citizens must go on the street to stop bad government. If 2015 election will be selection rather than election, Nigerians must rise up to stop it. It has to be election and not selection.”

Oyebode while delivering his lecture said the power to change any government resides in the citizens. “And this they can do through their vote.”.

According to him, “The 2015 election constitute yet another opportunity for Nigerians to see themselves as master in the political game rather than servants of the governing class.”

Source: Vanguard

PORT HARCOURT: Official Confirms Ebola Death

A highly placed official of the Rivers state Government has confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES that a suspected case of the Ebola Virus Disease has been detected in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss the development with journalists, simply said, “Yes, there was a case of Ebola death. We are tracking everybody.”

Seventy people suspected to have had contact with the case have been tracked and quarantined, the official said.

The official spoke to this newspaper following reports that a doctor in the Rivers state capital had died from what appeared to be Ebola.

The Rivers state Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, could not be reached for comments last night as she was said to be outside the country.

The unnamed doctor, according to news website, Sahara Reporters, secretly treated a diplomat who had contact with Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American, who brought the virus to Nigeria.

The doctor reportedly died on Friday, while his wife had also taken ill and now quarantined in Port Harcourt.

The diplomat treated by the doctor is still alive, the report said.

The diplomat is believed to be among those who met Mr. Sawyer on his arrival in Lagos. He then flew to Port Harcourt where he took ill.

He was treated at an unnamed hotel in the Rivers state capital, an official said.

The doctor’s hospital, Good Heart Hospital, as well as the hotel where he treated the diplomat, have been shut down, reports say.

This development, if confirmed will be a big blow to Nigeria’s effort to contain the deadly virus.

With only one case being treated in Lagos, the Minister of Health had declared Tuesday that Nigeria had succeeded in checkmating the spread of the virus in the country.

“Ebola has been curtailed,” an excited Mr. Chukwu said with glee on Tuesday. “All 129 people under surveillance have completed the 21-day observation period and only a person is symptomatic and is being observed.”

However on Wednesday, the minister became a bit measured in his celebration, downgrading his earlier message of euphoria to that of cautious optimism.

He hinted that it was still early for Nigeria to claim to be free of the Ebola Virus Disease.

Mr. Chukwu said Nigeria was still at risk of the Ebola virus despite having only one confirmed case.

Saying the country had only succeeded in taming the virus, the minister said between one to three new cases might surface from people currently under surveillance.

“I don’t want us to move from panic to euphoria which may be a problem,” the minister said. “Nigeria is doing well on containment, all the disease in Nigeria were all traced to Patrick Sawyer. We have not eliminated the disease because we still have a case we are managing which may have had a third party contact. As long as there is a case of ebola disease, Nigeria is still at risk. So we have done well on containment but the problem is not over.”

He said Nigeria remained at risk of Ebola and that that would only change “when the very last case of Ebola virus disease under this current epidemic has gone”.

“As we speak, there is a case we are still managing. And even that case we are still managing must also have had her own third degree contacts, many of whom are part of this number of people that are under surveillance. “So until we give a clean bill of health to every contact, we cannot even say we have eliminated the disease,” Mr. Chukwu said.

It is not clear whether the minister had a hint of the development in Rivers when he spoke on Wednesday.

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/167383-rivers-official-confirms-suspected-ebola-death-in-port-harcourt.html

Boko Haram Militants Chasing Soldiers

Many Nigerians have expressed shock & anger after watching the dramatic take over of Gwoza town by Boko Haram extremists, all recorded by Boko Haram cameraman.

This video captured Nigerian Soldiers running on top of the hill, one of the soldiers fell down in his desperate bid to escape being killed.

Also, a very tired man with arms wearing a Nigerian Military Uniform was seen limping. These Soldiers from all account may have been killed by Boko Haram extremists.

While this drama was going on, the Nigerian honorable Minister of information was seen yesterday saying that no part of Nigeria has fallen into the hands of this terror group called -Boko Haram!

 

Boko Haram insurgents are actually fighting like trained soldiers. They have sophisticated fighting gears, above all, this deadly group appears more organized and well funded.

Who is actually providing them with these modern fighting weapons?

Nigerian Army must do more to flush Boko Haram out. Right now, Goodluck Jonathan and his advisers are grappling with fries!

Watch the video below.

Source: Nigerian FM

Photos: GEJ leads other dignitaries to late Prof. Akunyili’s Requiem Mass - See more at: http://www.nollywoodmagazine.com/2014/08/photos-gej-leads-other-dignitaries-to-late-prof-akunyilis-requiem-mass.html?fb_action_ids=683309521738807&fb_action_types=news.publishes&fb_ref=pub-standard#sthash.XVHYeGsr.dpuf

Here are photos from the Requiem Mass at Pro-Cathedral Catholic Church, Garki Abuja held in honor of late Prof Dora Akunyili this morning. President Jonathan, Dame Patience Jonathan, many government officials and prominent personalities were in attendance. I screened grabbed from the TV so pardon the quality..:-). See more photos after the cut…

  

- See more at: http://www.nollywoodmagazine.com/2014/08/photos-gej-leads-other-dignitaries-to-late-prof-akunyilis-requiem-mass.html?fb_action_ids=683309521738807&fb_action_types=news.publishes&fb_ref=pub-standard#sthash.XVHYeGsr.dpuf

Libya seeks help to protect oilfields, airports

Libya wants the international community to help protect its oilfields, airports and other state assets as it is too weak to stop armed groups fighting for control, its ambassador in Cairo said on Monday.

The plea came as attackers fired Grad rockets at Labraq airport in eastern Libya, targeting one of the country’s few functioning air hubs as violence between armed factions escalates three years after the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi, Reuters reports.

Western powers and Libya’s neighbors fear the OPEC producer will become a failed state or slide into civil war after former rebels who helped topple strongman Gaddafi in 2011 have turned their guns on each other.

Rival factions have turned the capital Tripoli and the main eastern city Benghazi into battlegrounds, forcing the United Nations and embassies to evacuate their staff and citizens.

Senior officials and a freshly-elected parliament have relocated to Tobruk in the far east to escape the violence.

“There are forms of international intervention (possible) particularly since Libya is unable to protect its institutions, its airports and natural resources, especially the oilfields,” Ambassador Mohamed Jibril said on the sidelines of a meeting of Libya’s neighbors in Cairo.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri told the meeting Libya needed a ceasefire of all armed factions and a national dialogue to overcome its deep divisions.

The appeal for foreign aid came as unknown attackers used a Grad multiple rocket launcher to attack Labraq airport, its director Abu Bakr al-Abidi said. The airport was still operating.

Labraq, east of Benghazi, has become a major gateway into Libya since Egypt and Tunisia canceled almost all flights to the capital Tripoli and the west of the country last week, citing security reasons.

Tunis Air suspended flights to Labraq and Tobruk in the far east on Sunday, Libyan officials said. It was one of the last foreign airlines still flying to Libya after rival factions turned Tripoli International Airport into a battlefield last month.

I won’t apologise to defectors, says Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, on Monday said that he would not apologise to former members of the All Progressives Congress in the state who defected to an opposition party.

Oshiomhole, who made this known at the presentation of staff of office to Alhaji Jackson Etokhana as the Oghieavhianwu of Avhianwu, stated that he “will never share the state’s resources, meant for developing the state, to them.”

He added, “So, those who defect because I do not put money in their pockets, let them continue to defect; no apology. Everybody will be remembered when they write the history of politics in Afemai land.”

The governor stressed the need for traditional rulers to educate their subjects on ways to distinguish and support only politicians who stood for the interest of the people, rather than personal interest.

He also urged the electorate to be mindful of politicians who were out to capitalise on the plight of the people to perpetrate their selfish intentions.

Oshiomhole said, “We must use every opportunity to educate our people. This afternoon, your Royal Highnesses, I am not asking you to go and carry party cards. I only ask you and your chiefs to educate our people to distinguish politicians, who will stand only when it is good for their family, not when it is good for the larger community.

“I want it to be said that when I left office, our people started distinguishing thieves from real politicians. Our people must learn to begin to interrogate all manners of political miscreants, who come wanting to cash in on the poverty of our people. I always say that to be poor is not to be crazy. So, we must be clear.

“Those who called for Afemai Agenda believing that when an Afemai man becomes the governor, he will carry state money and share to them. And once they do not get it, they abandon Afemai Agenda and now they have turned only to the agenda of their stomach infrastructure.

“You will always be governed by politicians, whether you like it or not, but you must carefully select your politicians on the basis of those who understand that state power is not for the private comfort of those around the state operators.”

Oshiomhole assured traditional rulers in the state that his administration would “never interfere with traditional matters.”

The governor, who said that he would not “sponsor anybody to write a petition against any royal father,” stressed that fictitious petitions would be dismissed.

He assured the newly installed royal father, Alhaji Jackson Etokhana, as well as the entire people of Avhianwu Clan, of government’s continuous support in the provision of infrastructural facilities to the community.

Source: Punch News