Sanusi saga: Police end siege to Emir’s palace

Newly crowned Emir of Kano and former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

The police on Thursday ended their four-day siege to the palatial official residence of the traditional ruler of Kano Emirate.

The police had on Monday deployed   armed officers and men in the palace following   a series of protests by some youths   who kicked against the appointment of a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, as the new Emir of Kano.

The PUNCH gathered on Thursday that following the end of the siege, preparations were   being put in place to ensure that   Sanusi, who had been ruling Kano from the state Government House since Monday, relocated to the palace.

Confirming the development, the   Director of Press and Public Relations to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, Baba Dantiye, told one of our correspondents on the telephone, that Sanusi would move into the place within the next few days.

“I just got the information that the police have left the palace. Preparations will now start to ensure that the emir relocates to the palace,” he said.

But Dantiye noted that since   policemen had also been   withdrawn from the Government House, Kano youths had taken over the responsibility of guarding the place.

“Patriotic young men are guarding the Government House now as a result of the withdrawal of policemen by the federal authorities,” Dantiye wrote in a post on his Facebook page on Thursday.

Sanusi is expected to lead the 7th day Fidau prayers for the late Emir, Ado Bayero, on Friday (today) by 12 noon.

It was gathered that the new traditional ruler will subsequently lead Muslim faithful in Kano during the Friday Jumat prayers.

The new Emir on Thursday received the leader of Tijjaniyya sect in Africa, Khalifa Sheikh Isiyaka Rabi’u,   at the Government House.

According to a message on Dantiye’s Facebook page, Rabi’u offered prayers to God to grant the new emir protection and wisdom to rule over his people.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress lawmakers   in the House of Representatives disagreed on Thursday over the allegation by Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso that President Goodluck Jonathan was behind the crisis that followed the appointment of Mallam Lamido Sanusi as the Emir of Kano.

Kwankwaso, who also said Jonathan had no business in the appointment of Sanusi as an emir, said it was worrisome that he (President)   was meddling in the affairs of Kano State.

The governor had spoken during   an interview with a cross-section of journalists on Tuesday. Excerpt of the interview was posted on the Twitter handle of Kwankwaso and the Facebook page of his Director of Press and Public Realations, Baba Dantiye.

Kwankwaso had called on Nigerians and the international community to hold Jonathan liable if anything ontoward happened to him, his family and the people of his state.

“I have told my friends, and people of Kano, other Nigerians and indeed the international community to hold Jonathan responsible for whatever happens to Kwankwaso, his family or even the people of Kano State,” he had stated on Wednesday.

But, while the PDP caucus in the House said the governor was “playing politics” by making such an allegation, the APC caucus argued that the governor’s allegation called for an investigation.

The leaders of the caucuses spoke exclusively in separate telephone interviews with The PUNCH in Abuja.

The Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Leo Ogor, who spoke on behalf of the PDP caucus, described Kwankwaso’s allegation as “wild and without proof.”

Ogor noted that it was unfair of the governor to make such an “unsubstantiated allegation” in an already heated political environment.

He added, “There is nothing the PDP-led Federal Government has done to show that it is responsible for any crisis in Kano.

“He who alleges must prove. Let him bring his proof to the public and substantiate the allegation.

“This attempt to play politics with every issue just to score cheap political points is unnecessary.

According to him, were Kwankwaso to have facts, he should have gone to the police and other security agencies to make a report.

“If he has facts, let him got to the police and other security agencies to make his case. It is the responsibility of the security agencies to take it up from there,” Ogor added.

However, the Minority Leader of the House and APC caucus leader, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, disputed Ogor’s position that the APC governor was merely playing politics.

Gbajabiamila argued that anybody raising such an allegation as did Kwankwaso must have gathered substantial evidence.

Rather than dismissing the allegation as political, he advised the PDP-led government to investigate it.

Gbajabiamila said, “Any allegation that insinuates death threat must be taken seriously.

“It is even more serious when the allegation is against the Presidency.

“We recall that former President Obasanjo once told the nation that this administration had some persons marked for death.

“This allegation by the Kano governor is something similar to what Obasanjo raised; so, it is not political at all.

“I am not saying that it is true (allegation), but it should be taken very seriously.

“I want to give the Presidency the benefit of the doubt and only hope that the allegation is not correct.

“I have not known Kwankwaso to make frivolous statements before; it is a reason to take his allegation seriously.”

AT LAST: US Marines Rescue Chibok Abducted Girls?

Special Forces of the United States Marines have reportedly sighted the 230 female students abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from the Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, Borno State.
The girls who were abducted on April 14, were part of the 250 students boarded at the school for the West African School Certificate, WASC/ Senior Secondary School Certificate, SSSC, examinations, triggering world-wide condemnations.
Members of the United States Marines who are already in Maiduguri in fulfilment of the promise of President Barack Obama to assist Nigeria’s rescue efforts, were said to have located the girls inside the Sambisa forest, using some Satellite equipment which combed the forest.
One of the leaders of the terrorist group who participated in the abduction of the girls was also said to have been arrested by a combined team of the US Marines and Nigerian forces, through the use of an advanced interceptor equipment which was used to track the terrorist while exchanging information with his colleagues in Sambisa Forest about the movements of American and Nigerian soldiers in Maiduguri.
His phone was subsequently traced to a location in Maiduguri where he was arrested and handed over to the Nigerian military.
It's unclear if the girls have been rescued.
UPDATE: What happened
There were indications yesterday that the 230 female students abducted by Boko Haram terrorists from the Government Girls’ Secondary School, GGSS, Chibok, Borno State, have been sited at the Sambisa Forest in Borno State, by the Special Forces of the United States Marines.
The girls who were abducted on April 14, were part of the 250 students boarded at the school for the West African School Certificate, WASC/ Senior Secondary School Certificate, SSSC, examinations, triggering world-wide condemnations.
This was even as more US military officials arrived Nigeria yesterday to join local officials in the search for nearly 300 school girls taken captives by the Islamist extremist group, Boko Haram, the US Secretary of State John Kerry, and the defence department, Pentagon, said.

The UK team had earlier arrived in Abuja to support Nigerian government in its response to the abduction of over 200 school girls.
The arrival of the foreign troops is coming on the heels of the appeal yesterday by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for Nigerians to unite and fight the insurgents to achieve success.
According to Kerry, “Our inter-agency team is hitting the ground in Nigeria now and they are going to be working with President Goodluck Jonathan’s government to do everything that we possibly can to return these girls.”
The CNN also quoted the U.S. Navy Rear Admiral, John Kirby, who serves as Pentagon press secretary, as saying that the small team of seven would join advisers supporting local efforts to find the girls abducted over three weeks ago.
Kerry said the US team, working with the Nigerian government, would do everything possible to free the girls and everything possible to stop the atrocities of Boko Haram.
“We are also going to do everything possible to counter the menace of Boko Haram. The entire world should not only be condemning this outrage but should be doing everything possible to help Nigeria in the days ahead,” he added.
But there are no plans to send American combat troops into Nigeria, Mr. Kirby said.
The abduction of the school girls on April 14 in a remote community in Borno State, one of the most shocking terrorist acts by Boko Haram yet, has drawn widespread anger around the world with calls for a swift action.
President Goodluck Jonathan said Thursday that the kidnapping will be “the beginning of end” of Boko Haram.
US President Obama has said he hopes the abduction by Boko Haram will galvanize the international community to act against the brutal group that has directed much of its cruelty on civilians and the innocent.
This week, more than 100 people were killed in a busy market by militants suspected to be from the group. The attack occurred in Gamboru Ngala, Borno State, near the Nigerian border with Cameroun.
Besides the United States, Britain, France and China have also offered to help rescue the stolen girls.Obama said the team sent to Nigeria comprised personnel from military, law enforcement and other agencies.
France said it will station 3,000 troops in Nigeria’s neighbouring countries to help fight militants in the Sahel region.
British satellites and advanced tracking capabilities also will be used, and China has promised to provide any intelligence gathered by its satellite network.
Meanwhile in a statement yesterday, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said, “a team of UK experts who will advise and support the Nigerian authorities in its response to the abduction of over 200 school girls touched down in Abuja, Nigeria this morning”.
The team is drawn from across government, including DfID, FCO and the MoD, and will work with the Nigerian authorities leading on the abductions and terrorism in Nigeria. The team will be considering not just the recent incidents but also longer-term counter-terrorism solutions to prevent such attacks in the future and defeat Boko Haram.
The team will be working closely with their US counterparts and others to coordinate efforts.
Us Marines find abducted girls, arrest Boko Haram leader
However, military sources said that apart from abducting the girls, the insurgents also carted away food items and vehicles as well as killing undisclosed number of people in Chibok on the fateful night.
The sources told Saturday Vanguard in Abuja that members of the United States Marines who are already in Maiduguri following the promise by President Barak Obama to assist Nigeria in rescuing the abducted girls, located the girls inside the forest, using some Satellite equipment which combed the forest, located an assembly of the young girls and sent the images back to the Marines on ground in Maiduguri.
Aside locating the whereabouts of the girls in the dense forest, it was also, further gathered that one of the leaders of terrorist group who participated in the abduction of the girls was arrested by a combined team of the US Marines and Nigerian forces.
Sources said that the Boko Haram leader was arrested, through an advanced interceptor equipment which was used to track the terrorist while exchanging information with his colleagues in Sambisa Forest about the movements of American and Nigerian soldiers in Maiduguri.
His phone was subsequently traced to a location in Maiduguri where he was arrested and handed over to the Nigerian military.
The location of the girls in the forest is contrary to widespread reports that the girls had been distributed and ferried to the Nigerian border towns in Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.
Senator Ahmed Zanna, representing Borno Central District in whose Maiduguri home, an alleged Boko Haram top commander was once arrested told the Senate last week that he gave the Military an up-to-date information on how the girls could be rescued, but lamented that his information was largely ignored.
He spoke against the backdrop of the claim by the Boko Haram leader, Sheik Abubakar Shekau, last week that the girls were booties of war, who would be sold into slavery.
Atiku appeals for unity to defeat Boko Haram
However, the arrival of the foreign military officials is coming on the heels of the appeal yesterday by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on Nigerians to unite and fight the insurgents.
Atiku said on his blog, “While I have had and continue to have major policy differences with the government in Abuja and its leadership, as a nation we must remain united.
”We have come to a turning point in our war against terrorism in Nigeria. It is a critical moment for us; the war will not be won without us winning this battle. In short, if one is not part of the solution, they become part of the problem.
”And at a moment like this, we can no longer afford anything but a united commitment to stamping out a great evil that threatens the very existence of the only place we call home.
”On social media, I have been amazed by the outpouring of solidarity from within and outside Nigeria. While on the one hand it is sad to see Nigeria in the news for its inability to protect its most vulnerable citizens, it is also clear that in the age of social media no concerns or problems are local.
”It is in light of this that I welcome the offer of military support from the United States, United Kingdom, France and others, and the acceptance by the Nigerian government. While I believe that we waited too long to get to this point of admitting our need for external help, I will also insist that it’s better late than never.
”We must make it clear that under no circumstances should any person, group of persons, or organization ever be permitted to prey on the children of Nigeria, or any other country. We must make it easy for everyone who has information about this crime against humanity to contact the authorities at once.
”We must make it easy for the innocent population of the affected areas to see the Nigerian military and authorities as friends, not enemies. We must make it easy for our soldiers to be loyal and committed to this great and difficult task ahead of them.
”We must make it easy for the world to see Nigeria as a country that cares for all its citizens, regardless of their age, gender, religion, ethnic group or economic class. We must remember the people most affected, trapped on the frontlines of the battle.
They need support, relief and rehabilitation. ”We must remember they will need help when they are returned home to their families and their loved ones. And we must make it difficult for anyone to play politics with this crisis.
’’Nothing, absolutely nothing, is worth the bloodshed and the destruction we have come to associate with this campaign of terror. Not party affiliations, not the 2015 elections. We are in a race against time. For every day we delay our response, or allow ourselves to be caught up in needless bickering, we hand victory over to the forces of darkness and despair, like Boko Haram.”
No Boko Haram activities in Lagos —Police
In a related development, the Lagos State Police Command said yesterday that the rumour about activities of Boko Haram members in some parts of the state was false.
The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the state Police Command, DSP Ngozi Braide, made this known at a news conference yesterday, at Premier College Group of Schools, Palm Avenue, Mushin, where the sect members allegedly invaded.
“It is not true that there is any act of terrorism anywhere in Lagos State. It is a lie that the terrorists invaded Premier College to abduct students.
“Somebody just sat down somewhere and cooked up the lies to cause panic in the state.
“Premier College and other schools in the state are safe and secure; let the public discountenance the rumour,“ she said.
The Executive Director of the college, Mr Abraham Martins, spoke in the same vein, describing the rumour as ”false and baseless.”
There are indications that with the confirmation that the girls are still within Nigerian territory, contrary to widespread reports that the girls have been distributed and ferried out, the original plan to storm Sambisa forest which was put on hold, would now be activated.It is however not clear if and when the the rescue operation would begin.
Nigerian Girl Guides Association expresses worry
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Girl Guides Association,NGGA, has joined millions of Nigerians to express worry over the continued abduction of 234 female students and called on the Federal Government to ensure that the girls are rescued unhurt to re-unite with their families.
The association, in a statement signed by its Chief Commissioner, Dame (Dr) Christie Toby also challenged Nigerians to be security conscious and assist law enforcement agencies in fighting the enemies of the nation.
“The NGGA joins all well-meaning people all over the world to express shock over the abduction of 234 innocent school girls in Borno State.
“We are sad that up till this moment, these girls are still missing. The NGGA, being a female organisation, is specially concerned, and condemns such a heinous act.
“We declare our support for these girls and their families and pray God to strengthen them in these trying times. We appreciate the fact that government is fighting terrorism in Nigeria, but we are appealing to President Jonathan to ensure that these girls are returned safely to their families so that they can continue with their education.
“We also appeal to all security agencies and people of goodwill to support President Jonathan as they work to bring back our dear girls,” the statement added.
Source: Vanguard

BOKO HARAM: Abuja Bombed Again? VIEWER DISCRETION

Scene of 14 April Abuja bomb blast
Report reaching Abusidiqu indicates that a bomb explosion just occurred few minutes ago in the Nyanya axis of the Federal Capital Territory.
A resident of the area who spoke to Abusidiqu on the phone said latest blast occurred opposite the location of the last Motor park blast.
“Abusidiqu, you know the last blast occurred at the park where people board vehicle to Abuja city centre, this current blast occurred opposite that place where people coming from the city centre disembark,” the source said.
Even though the extent of the damage caused by the latest explosion cannot be immediately ascertained, the resident said the fear now is that a lot of people who are closing from work will be disembarking at that spot where the bomb exploded.
As at the time of this report, people were seen running helter skelter, the source said.
over 70 peoples were killed and scores of others injured when the April 14 when an early morning explosion occurred at a busy motor park where resident board vehicles to various locations in the FCT. Leader of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for the attack and vow that more attacks are on the way. He stated this in a video released few days after the attack where he told President Jonathan that he is now in his city and dared him to get him if he can.
Source: Abusidiqu
UPDATE: Nyanya bomb victims
A loud explosion late Thursday evening rocked Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja, heightening fears of another bomb attack by Boko Haram terrorists.
Details of the explosion were sketchy at the time of this report, but residents scampered to safety as the bang reverberated across the town.
Witnesses said that they heard a single loud explosion about 8.15 pm, and that the explosion appeared to come from the same spot a bomb killed over 100 persons weeks ago.
Witnesses claimed scores may have died since the blast occurred in the heart of the regular evening traffic snarl.

Reports reaching us now is that an explosion has rocked Nyanya in Abuja, eye-witnesses via social media have shared that the bomb exploded close to where the previous explosion rocked. The first explosion happened at about 7.00 a.m on the 14th, April 2014. Casualties have been reported and Fredrick Nwabufo, TheCable’s Abuja Correspondent, immediately counted four dead person as at first count. See another photo below from the scene of the explosion.







Live at the Asokoro hospital were victims were rushed.. Bomb blast in same area... Nyanya, Abuja pic.twitter.com/ieDzhODKbk
— Samuel Philip (@AwesomeBillsam) May 1, 2014
UPDATE: Over 16 bodies found
Apparently taking advantage of the porous security situation in Abuja, daring gunmen have hit the Federal Capital Territory this evening killing scores of people and injuring others.
As at 9:05 pm 16 corpses were counted at the Emergency Ward of the Asokoro Hospital while ambulances were still rushing to ferry in more of the dead and the wounded.
The bombers, whose identities were yet to be unmasked, struck at the same transit point they attacked on two weeks ago at Nyanya in the suburb of the FCT just as workers who went for the a May Day celebration were retuning to their bases.
Unlike the last blast, which was targeted at the major bus terminal, the latest attack was concentrated on the opposite side of the terminal, which is used by commuters.
Security men, who were taken unawares by the deadly attack, as usual, promptly mobilised and blocked all routes leading to an from the scene of the attack.
The development meant worsened the gridlock on the Nyanya-Abuja-Keffi Road and frustrated many commuters.
Source: Vanguard
UPDATE: What happened
Another bomb explosion has rocked Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja, scene of the 14 April bombing that left about 75 people dead.
A thick smoke billowed out from the scene of the explosion, which was close to the Nyanya bus terminus where the earlier bombing took place.
Some residents said they heard a loud sound from an explosion which sent jitters into them as many scampered for safety.
Soldiers and other security officials have taken over the scene, less than 500 metres away from a check point set up by soldiers after the initial blast.
Officials have not confirmed the casualty figures, but witnesses reported nine people dead.
Some of the dead are said to be those driving past on the busy road as the blast went off.
Two cylinders believed to be rigged with bombs were detonated at the scene of the blast by bomb experts from the military.
Witnesses claimed the bomb went off in a white Golf car which was parked just a few metres away from the Bus station. Three men, eyewitnesses claimed ran out of the car before the blast went off.
The injured and the dead have been taken to the Asokoro General Hospital and National Hospital for treatment.
Security has been tightened around Abuja since 14 April. Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying that his men live in the city and they can’t be found.
Source: PM News
UPDATE: NEMA confirm casualties
The Nigerian police said 12 persons died following an explosion that rocked Nyanya, on the outskirt of Abuja, on Thursday. The Spokesman of the police, CSP Frank Mba, told newsmen at the scene of the incident that 19 others were injured and were now receiving treatment at the various hospitals in the city.
Mba, who described the number of the casualities as “provisional” said that investigation into the explosion had already commenced.
The National Emergency Management Agency and the Nigeria Civil Defence Security Corps however confirmed that nine lives were lost while 11 persons are unconscious in the fresh bomb blasts.
In a statement they jointly signed Emmanuel Okeh, the Head of Public Relations of the NCSDC, and Manzo Ezekiel, the Press Officer of NEMA said those injured are receiving treatment in different hospitals in Abuja.
The statement reads in full: “While security agencies have cordoned off the area of an explosion this evening in Nyanya Abuja, response agencies have moved injured victims to hospitals and at least eight (9) lifeless bodies have been deposited in the mortuary while 11 unconscious victims are receiving medical attention in different hospitals in Abuja. Other injured victims too are being attended to
“The public are urged to cooperate with security agencies and avoid rushing to the scene to guard against hampering the efforts of the various agencies working together to ensure public safety.”
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that top security officials visited the scene of the explosion to assess the situation.Among those who visited scene were the Commander-General of Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Dr Olu Abolurin, the Police DIG Operations, Mike Zoukumor, Commander Guards Brigade and the FCT Director, State Security Service.
Eyewitnesses told NAN that the blast occurred from a Volkswagen golf car which drove from the Keffi end of the road and exploded just about 50 metres away from the scene of the April 14 blast.
Two additional security check-points have been set up between Marraba and Nyanya. Vehicles passing through the area are now being subjected to stop and search.
Meanwhile, authorities of the National Hospital have confirmed that six dead bodies, victims of the explosion, have been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary. The hospital’s spokesman, Dr Tayo Haastrup, told NAN that another nine were receiving treatment.
He said medical personnel have been mobilised to attend to the injured and many of them have been stabilised.
He, however, said the hospital was finding it difficult to cope with the number since it has still some victims of the last explosion on admission.
Haastrup said as a result two victims of the Thursday blast would be moved to Federal Staff Hospital, in Abuja.
Source: NAN

FACTS: Gideon Orkar’s Calculations And Nigeria’s Unity

The name of Major Gideon G. Orkar has a place in the history of Nigeria. He will be remembered along with officers like the Late Col. Buka Suka Dimka and Brig. Gen Iliya Bisalla, names synonymous with failed coup plots.
On April 22, 1990, Major Okar led a group of young officers to storm Dodan Barracks, the then seat of power. His men gained control of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria and he made an address that jolted Nigerians.
One of the high points of the speech was the decision to excise 5 states, namely Sokoto, Bauchi, Borno, Kano and Katsina from Nigeria. 24 years after however, the unity of Nigeria is still a topic being discussed at public and private fora.
Below is the full text of the announcement:
“Fellow Nigerian Citizens, On behalf of the patriotic and well-meaning peoples of the Middle Belt and the southern parts of this country, I , Major Gideon Orkar, wish to happily inform you of the successful ousting of the dictatorial, corrupt, drug baronish, evil man, deceitful, homo-sexually-centered, prodigality, un-patriotic administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. We Have equally commenced their trials for unabated corruption, mismanagement of national economy, the murders of Dele Giwa, Major-General Mamman Vatsa, with other officers, as there was no attempted coup but mere intentions that were yet to materialise and other human rights violations.
The National Guard already in its formative stage is disbanded with immediate effect. Decrees Number 2 and 46 are hereby abrogated. We wish to emphasise that this is not just another coup but a well conceived, planned and executed revolution for the marginalised, oppressed and enslaved peoples of the Middle Belt and the south with a view to freeing ourselves and children yet unborn from eternal slavery and colonisation by a clique of this country.
Our history is replete with numerous and uncontrollable instances of callous and insensitive dominatory repressive intrigues by those who think it is their birthright to dominate till eternity the political and economic privileges of this great country to the exclusion of the people of the Middle Belt and the south.
They have almost succeeded in subjugating the Middle Belt and making them voiceless and now extending same to the south. It is our unflinching belief that this quest for domination, oppression and marginalisation is against the wish of God and therefore, must be resisted with the vehemence.
Anything that has a beginning must have an end. It will also suffice here to state that all Nigerians without skeleton in their cupboards need not to be afraid of this change. However, those with skeleton in their cupboards have all reasons to fear, because the time of reckoning has come.
For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state the three primary reasons why we have decided to oust the satanic Babangida administration. The reasons are as follows:
(a) To stop Babangida’s desire to cunningly, install himself as Nigeria’s life president at all costs and by so doing, slowpoke the progress of this country for life. In order to be able to achieve undesirable goals of his, he has evidently started destroying those groups and sections he perceived as being able to question his desires.
Examples of groups already neutralised, pitched against one another or destroyed are:
(1) The Sokoto caliphate by installing an unwanted Sultan to cause division within the hitherto strong Sokoto caliphate.
(2) The destruction of the peoples of Plateau State, especially the Lantang people, as a balancing force in the body politics of this country.
(3) The buying of the press by generous monetary favours and the usage of State Security Service, SSS, as a tool of terror.
(4) The intent to cow the students by the promulgation of the draconian decree Number 47.
(5) The cowing of the university teaching and non-teaching staff by an intended massive purge, using the 150 million dollar loan as the necessitating factor.
(6) Deliberately withholding funds to the armed forces to make them ineffective and also crowning his diabolical scheme through the intended retrenchment of more than half of the members of the armed forces.
Other pointers that give credence to his desire to become a life president against the wishes of the people are:
(1) His appointment of himself as a minister of defence, his putting under his direct control the SSS, his deliberate manipulation of the transition programme, his introduction of inconceivable, unrealistic and impossible political options, his recent fraternisation with other African leaders that have installed themselves as life presidents and his dogged determination to create a secret force called the national guard, independent of the armed forces and the police which will be answerable to himself alone, both operationally and administratively.
It is our strong view that this kind of dictatorial desire of Babangida is unacceptable to Nigerians of the 1990′s, and, therefore, must be resisted by all.
(b) Another major reason for the change is the need to stop intrigues, domination and internal colonisation of the Nigerian state by the so-called chosen few. This, in our view, has been and is still responsible for 90 percent of the problems of Nigerians. This indeed has been the major clog in our wheel of progress.
This clique has an unabated penchant for domination and unrivalled fostering of mediocrity and outright detest for accountability, all put together have been our undoing as a nation.
This will ever remain our threat if not checked immediately. It is strongly believed that without the intrigues perpetrated by this clique and misrule, Nigeria will have in all ways achieved developmental virtues comparable to those in Korea, Taiwan, Brazil, India, and even Japan.
Evidence, therefore, this cancerous dominance has as a factor constituted by a major and unpardonable clog in the wheel of progress of the Nigerian state. (Sic) It is suffice to mention a few distasteful intrigues engineered by this group of Nigerians in recent past. These are:
(1) The shabby and dishonourable treatment meted on the longest serving Nigerian general in the person of General Domkat Bali, who in actual fact had given credibility to the Babangida administration.
(2) The wholesale hijacking of Babangida’s administration by the all-powerful clique.
(3) The disgraceful and inexplicable removal of Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Professor Tam David-West, Mr. Aret Adams and so on from office.
(4) The now-pervasive and on-going retrenchment of Middle Belt and southerners from public offices and their instant replacement by the favoured class and their stooges.
(5) The deliberate disruption of the educational culture and retarding its place to suit the favoured class to the detriment of other educational minded parts of this country.
(6) The deliberate impoverishment of the peoples from the Middle Belt and the south, making them working ghosts and feeding on the formulae of 0-1-1- or 0-0-0 while the aristocratic class and their stooges are living in absolute affluence on a daily basis without working for it.
(7) Other countless examples of the exploitative, oppressive, dirty games of intrigues of its class, where people and stooges that can best be described by the fact that even though they contribute very little economically to the well being of Nigeria, they have over the years served and presided over the supposedly national wealth derived in the main from the Middle Belt and the southern part of this country, while the people from these parts of the country have been completely deprived from benefiting from the resources given to them by God.
(c) The third reason for the change is the need to lay a strong egalitarian foundation for the real democratic take off of the Nigerian state or states as the circumstances may dictate.
In the light of all the above and in recognition of the negativeness of the aforementioned aristocratic factor, the overall progress of the Nigerian state a temporary decision to excise the following states namely, Sokoto, Borno, Katsina, Kano and Bauchi states from the Federal Republic of Nigeria comes into effect immediately until the following conditions are met.
The conditions to be met to necessitate the re-absorption of the aforementioned states are as following:
(I) To install the rightful heir to the Sultanate, Alhaji Maccido, who is the people’s choice.
(ii) To send a delegation led by the real and recognised Sultan Alhaji Maccido to the federal government to vouch that the feudalistic and aristocratic quest for domination and operation will be a thing of the past and will never be practised in any part of the Nigeria state.
By the same token, all citizens of the five states already mentioned are temporarily suspended from all public and private offices in Middle Belt and southern parts of this country until the mentioned conditions above are met.
They are also required to move back to their various states within one week from today. They will, however, be allowed to return and joint the Federal Republic of Nigeria when the stipulated conditions are met.
In the same vein, all citizens of the Middle Belt and the south are required to come back to their various states pending when the so-called all-in-all Nigerians meet the conditions that will ensure a united Nigeria. A word is enough for the wise.
This exercise will not be complete without purging corrupt public officials and recovering their ill-gotten wealth, since the days of the oil boom till date. Even in these hard times, when Nigerians are dying from hunger, trekking many miles to work for lack of transportation, a few other Nigerians with complete impunity are living in unbelievable affluence both inside and outside the country.
We are extremely determined to recover all ill-gotten wealth back to the public treasury for the use of the masses of our people. You are all advised to remain calm, as there is no cause for alarm. We are fully in control of the situation as directed by God. All airports, seaports and borders are closed forthwith.
The former Armed Forces Ruling Council is now disbanded and replaced with National Ruling Council to be chaired by the head of state with other members being a civilian vice-head of state, service chiefs, inspector general of police, and one representative each from NLC, NUJ, NBA, and NANS.
A curfew is hereby imposed from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. until further notice. All members of the armed forces and the police forces are hereby confined to their respective barracks.
All unlawful and criminal acts by those attempting to cause chaos will be ruthlessly crushed. Be warned as we are prepared at all costs to defend the new order.
All radio stations are hereby advised to hook on permanently to the national network programme until further notice.
Long live all true patriots of this great country of ours. May God and Allah through his bountiful mercies bless us all.”
Source: Street Journal

NYANYA MASSACRE: We Did It - Boko Haram

Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the deadliest attack ever in Nigeria’s capital in a video obtained Saturday, as the search continued for 85 schoolgirls still missing after a mass abduction by the Islamists.
The bombing at a bus station packed with morning commuters early on Monday killed at least 75 people on the outskirts of Abuja, hours before gunmen kidnapped 129 girls from a school in northeastern Borno state, Boko Haram’s base.
Officials said a total of 44 have since escaped and are now safe.
The shock of the bombing and the kidnapping, which have broad worldwide condemnation, have underscored the serious threat posed by the insurgents to Africa’s most populous country and wealthiest economy.

A survivor of the blast

“We are the ones that carried out the attack in Abuja,” Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau said in video message obtained by AFP.
“We are in your city but you don’t know where we are.”
Shekau, declared a global terrorist by the United States which has a $7 million (5.1 million euro) bounty on his head, spoke in Arabic and the Hausa language that is dominant in northern Nigeria.
The 28-minute video made no reference to the abductions from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok but the military, local officials and girls who have escaped have blamed that attack on Boko Haram.
Borno’s education commissioner Inua Kubo told journalists late on Friday that 14 more girls had been found, leaving 85 girls still missing.
Some girls had escaped immediately after the kidnapping, jumping off the back of a truck as the Islamists tried to cart them away under the cover of darkness.
It was not yet clear how the latest group managed to flee, but Kubo said 11 were found in a town on the road that connects Chibok to Borno’s capital Maiduguri, and three others had fled back to their school.
Some of those who escaped earlier this week said the hostages were taken to the Sambisa Forest area, where Boko Haram is known to have well fortified camps.
The military said it had launched a major search and rescue operation, but some in the region say they have lost confidence in the security forces after the defence ministry issued an erroneous report claiming that most of the girls were safe.
That statement, issued late on Wednesday, said all but eight of those abducted were free, but defence spokesman Chris Olukolade was forced to withdraw the report on Friday after it turned out to be inaccurate.
- Parents quit search -
Parents have been scouring the bushland for days looking for the hostages, pooling money to buy fuel for motorcycles and vehicles to help with the search.
One father said he and others decided to turn back after locals told them the insurgents were nearby and were prepared to slaughter anyone who advanced further.
“If we were armed as they are we would surely go…and face them,” said Enoch Mark, whose daughter and two nieces were among those taken.
Boko Haram, which says it wants to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, is blamed for killing thousands since 2009.
The group’s name loosely translates as “Western education is forbidden,” and attacks targeting schools and universities have been a prominent feature of the five-year uprising.
Students have been massacred while sleeping in their dormitories, but a mass abduction specifically targeting girls is unprecedented.
A security source said there were indications that the Islamists have used female hostages as both sex slaves and cooks.
Boko Haram has categorically ruled out peace negotiations and backed away from several ceasefire offers, but Mark nevertheless pleaded with the insurgents to show compassion.
“We call on Boko Haram to release our daughters who have committed no offence against anyone,” he said.
Source: Vanguard

Lagos boat accident kills 8

Image: Getty Images

3 days ago By I-Net Bridge

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A passenger boat sank after hitting a rock in Lagos, killing eight people, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said on Thursday.

"The boat capsized after hitting a rock... around 18:00 yesterday," Ibrahim Farinloye of the National Emergency Management Agency said.
"Eight people lost their lives while we were able to rescue 12 others," he said.
He said the small, privately-owned passenger ferry had launched from the Ebute-Ero neighbourhood in southern Lagos and was headed north across the city's vast lagoon towards Ikorodu when the accident occurred.
He said the boat was carrying 20 passengers, all of whom have now been accounted for.
Three weeks ago, an overloaded wooden boat capsized in the Festac Town area of the city, killing 13 while six others had to be rescued. The boat had capacity for only 12 passengers.
Overloading on such vessels is common, as operators often seek to maximise their profits while downplaying safety concerns.
Lagos officials have been trying to promote ferry travel to help ease traffic in the congested city of more than 20 million people, the largest in sub-Saharan Africa.
But commuters have been reluctant to embrace water travel, partly because of safety fears.

Source: Punch

SHOCKING: Boko Haram Attack Presidential Villa, SSS Headquarters?

There have been heavy gunfire exchanges around the vicinity of Nigeria’s presidential palace and the headquarters of the Department of State Services in the Asokoro District of Abuja in the past one hour, security sources and residents of the area said.
The expansive headquarters of the State Security Service, popularly known as Yellow House, is almost adjacent one of the remote gates of the presidential villa.
Residents of the nearby Aso Drive Area said the gunshots were either coming out of the SSS headquarters or the presidential villa.
A resident of the area told PREMIUM TIMES, “We don’t know what’s going on here. Heavy gunfire has been coming from the direction of the villa. The entire area has been barricaded. SSS operatives are scampering out of their headquarters as the gunshots get louder.
“Soldiers are now heading in the direction of the SSS headquarters with Armoured Personnel Carriers. Those of us living around here have been asked to stay indoors and not venture out.”
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, could not be reached for comments.
But the spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, said the gunshots were triggered by attempted jailbreak at the Service’s headquarters by suspected members of the extremist Boko Haram sect.
She said, “What happened was that the suspects handlers went to feed the detainees here but suddenly they attacked him with their handcuffs, disarmed him and started shooting.
“The military was quickly called in before they could do any harm and that is responsible for the shootings you heard.
“It was an attempted jailbreak but it has been brought under control.”
It is however not clear how detainees, held in the highly fortified complex, got guns with which they shot at soldiers and SSS operatives for over an hour.
It is also not known whether there were casualties in the attack.
Military helicopters have now been deployed and are now hovering around the area.
A resident of the area, Yoosooph, twitted as follows during the attack.

Our soldiers taking cover from the invaders/attackers! pic.twitter.com/EeYqnLZyrc
— Yoosooph (@ciaxon) March 30, 2014

Chopper hovering over my head and searches continue! God help Nigeria!
— Yoosooph (@ciaxon) March 30, 2014

Another resident, Bashir Yusuf, tweeted:
With gunfire & this chopper hovering endlessly over my house, I pray the pilot doesn't mistakenly drop ordinance & plead the targeting of BH
— EagleEye (@bashiryusuf) March 30, 2014
UPDATE: El Rufai, Femi Fani-Kayode react
UPDATE 1: Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and resident of the Asokoro District of Abuja where the SSS headquarters is located, Nasir El-Rufai, just posted the below comment on his Facebook page:

IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD: Exchange of gunfire still going on with helicopter gunship hovering over the Aso Drive neighbourhood of Maitama adjoining the SSS Headquarters.
Whatever this is, it appears more serious than an attempted jailbreak claimed by the SSS.
May God Protect the innocent and destroy the murderers, kidnappers and planners of genocide, Amen.

UPDATE 2: Another resident of the area, Femi Fani-Kayode tweeted:

I live 50 metres away from the SSS headquaters and the Villa and what I witnssed with my eyes and heard this morning was a full scale battle
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) March 30, 2014

Source: Premium Times
UPDATE: Attack under control - Military
Suspected Boko Haram members Sunday morning attacked the headquarters of the Department of State Services.
It is believed that the attackers were on a mission to free their captured leaders being detained at the SSS office.
Yellow House as usually called, is located within the vicinity of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, which also houses the Supreme Court and the National Assembly.
But the attack was promptly repelled as other security forces, including the military were immediately mobilised.
Presently, all roads leading to the Three Arms Zone have be cordoned off and vehicles are turned back.
Reports however say Presidential Villa is calm. The Sunday service at the Chapel went on as scheduled.
Meanwhile, various points in Abuja city as well as some roads leading to the nation’s capital are under lock down.
Armed Nigerian Air Force personnel are noticeable at roads leading to the airport, while military helicopters have been deployed around the city, especially around Aso Rock.
No word yet from the federal government but spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, confirmed an attempted jailbreak at the Service’s headquarters by the Boko Haram sect.
“What happened was that the suspects handlers went to feed the detainees here but suddenly they attacked him with their handcuffs, disarmed him and started shooting, she said.
“The military was quickly called in before they could do any harm and that is responsible for the shootings you heard.
“It was an attempted jailbreak but it has been brought under control.”
Source: Daily Post
UPDATE: What happened
Security was quickly beefed up around the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Sunday morning as heavy shootings were recorded at the neighbouring headquarters of the State Security Service known as Yellow House.
The SSS headquarters is located behind the Villa.
The access gate to the seat of power through the Fire Service office in Asokoro was quickly shut while more heavily armed soldiers were seen at the gate leading to the Villa through the Federal Secretariat.
Military helicopters were also seen hovering the sky at the time of filing this report.
Our correspondent who attempted to access the SSS headquarters area through the Aso Drive was turned back alongside other motorists in front of the Millennium Park by armed SSS operatives.
An operative who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that trouble started earlier in the day when one of the suspects in the service’s custody overpowered an operative who was in his cell to feed him.
The suspect was said to have shot the operative with his own rifle and went ahead to release his co-suspects.
The source said, “An operative went to feed a suspect this morning. The suspect was not properly chained, so he pushed down the operative and quickly dispossessed him of his rifle and shot him.
“He quickly released his co-inmates who started escaping with some scaling the fence.”
The incident led to a gun battle between the suspects and the SSS operatives.
Our correspondent learnt that in the process, no fewer than 18 suspects were killed while about 20 were re-arrested with two rifle recovered from them.
Two SSS operatives were also said to have been critically injured.
At the time of filing this report, security operatives were still combing the thick bush that surrounds the headquarters in search of remaining fleeing suspects who were said to have scaled the fence.
As the news of the incident spread, security was also quickly beefed up at the Nigeria Police Force headquarters called the Louis Edet House located in Area 11, not too far from the Presidential Villa.
An Armoured Personnel Carrier was used to completely block a lane on the road leading to Federal Secretariat with motorists driving one way.
Source: Punch