The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Crack in Chibok girls campaign

    Crack in Chibok girls campaign

    Another dimension has been introduced into the campaign  for rescue of the over 200 secondary schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State almost two months ago.

    A splinter group, which broke out of the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaign, stormed the Unity Fountain Arena in Abuja claiming that the campaign has been hijacked by political activists for partisan reasons.

    While the former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili-led group wore red T-shirts and believed that the government was not doing enough to rescue the girls, the splinter group wearing white T-shirt pushed for commendation for government and security agencies in the rescuing efforts.

    Priscilla Achakpa, the Co-Convener of the white T-shirt group of the ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ campaign operating under the platform of the Grand Alliance Against Terrorism (GAAT), believed that all Nigerians should be able to speak with one voice against terror and avoid distracting the government in the effort to rescue the girls and crush terrorism in Nigeria.

    The two groups, however, agreed that everything should be done to rescue the girls.

    Declaring that the government was not doing enough, Ezekwesili led her group in protest to submit a letter containing 10 posers for President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday, May 22, 2014. The group, known as Citizens’ Group was met by Jonathan’s representatives led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja before the group could access the Presidential Villa gate.

    She said: “It is because of the sake of citizen collaboration that we listened to the delegation of Mr. President. You have to tell Mr. President that the answers we have received are inadequate.”

    One of the posers reads: “We need the President to establish the authenticity of the abduction as well as why it took so long to act, as there seems to be an obvious shortfall in our military operatives as well as their welfare package, considering the recent mutiny. Citizens are concerned, especially in view of the strong indications of weak communication and operational synergy leading to gaps in accountability?”

    At the end of President Jonathan’s speech read by one of his representatives, Ezekwesili said: “Please, let Mr. President know that none of the issues we raised have been addressed. Also, let him know that we actually felt sad at the missed opportunity. There is a colossal opportunity. The citizens that are gathered here today are citizens who are saying that they do not want any fractious fight against a common enemy. We want a united fight.”

    But leading a parallel body at the same venue where the Ezekwesili-led group has been observing a daily sit-out for weeks and exactly three days after Ezekwesili submitted the letter, Achakpa, with over 200 followers, protested and carried various placards with some of the inscriptions reading: “This House Must not Fall”, “God Bless Nigerian Armed Forces”, “We need peace in Nigeria, Say no to terrorism”, “Thank you Nigerian Armed Forces”, “I support my country”, and “Thank you Nigerian Police”.

    At the rally, Achakpa said: “We are proud Nigerian patriots who care deeply about the image of our country, the integrity of our nation and the humanity of the Nigerian person. We are not political activists who want to exploit a national tragedy to further a narrow, partisan cause.

    “We will rather pray for our leaders, support our government and encourage our security agencies as best as we can to win the war against terror.”

    Continuing, she said: “Our struggle is not just to bring back our girls; our struggle goes deeper than that. Our struggle is to mobilise our people against the scourge of terrorism, to enlighten them about its devilish pact and to rally them to remain patient and focused until victory is achieved.

    “Our struggle is to ensure that our girls come back home and also contribute to the peace and stability of our dear country, Nigeria. With God on our side, the journey may be long and difficult but we shall overcome terror in our land.”

    Stressing that they were the initiators of the campaign, she said: “We (Women United for Peace, True Friends of Nigeria and Women Environment Programme), were at the forefront of the launch of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. We are happy that the campaign we started has now been globally acknowledged and accepted and more actions are still ongoing,” she added.

    The group, on Monday last week, came out in their hundreds to pray for the abducted girls.

    Reacting to the news that same day from the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh that the location of the girls have been discovered, the Secretary General of GAAT, Mr. Ariyo Atoye, said it was re-assuring news as he appealed to Nigerians not to distract the military from rescuing the girls.

    Another group, Citizens’ Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA), same Monday also marched on the streets of the Federal Capital Territory, calling for support for the military’s counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast.

    Ever since that day, there have been various groups protesting in Abuja or other parts of the country; either blaming the government or supporting the government and the armed forces in the rescuing efforts.

    Some of them wear yellow, green, black, white or red-coloured T-shirts or other attires during the protests.

    It is our hope that the crack in the campaign for the release of the girls will not further over-heat the polity and won’t work against efforts to secure safe release of the girls.

  • Lawmaker lifts youths with 400 tricycles

    Lawmaker lifts youths with 400 tricycles

    A member of the House of Representives representing Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency, Hon. Suleiman Yahaya Kwande has distributed over 400 tricycles to youths of his constituency.

    The tricycles, which were distributed in two batches, are part of the youth empowerment programmes initiated by the lawmaker in fulfilment of his electioneering promises to the youth.

    Though Hon. Kwande did not make the distribution of the tricycles public, beneficiaries of the gesture have expressed their gratitude to the lawmaker.

    One of the beneficiaries, Joseph Maina, popularly called ‘Express’ by his admirers said: “I least expected this opportunity. I know so many politicians and business men have been giving out tricycles on loan to youths, and I have been praying that God will give me the opportunity to get the tricycle on loan. But to my greatest surprise, somebody called to invite me to the residence of Hon. Kwande.

    “On reaching there, I was handed over the key of the tricycle. When I asked to know the cost at which they gave the tricycle, I was told it was free. I was shocked to my marrow.

    “I wondered how tricycles that are given to people on hire purchase could be given free to me. Really, I never expected it.”

    Continuing, Joe Express said: “When I inquired, I was told the man has given out more than 400 tricycles. I am benefiting from the second batch. The first batch was given out before now and I am sure another batch would soon be given to other beneficiaries.”

    Hon. Kwande’s tricycles are easily identified on the streets of Jos, as all of them bear the inscription of the source. The gesture has provided immediate employment opportunities for the youth.

    In a chat with our correspondent, Joe Express said: “I used to have a motorcycle which I used as source of livelihood for my family. But since 2004 when the Plateau State government banned the use of motorcycles in Jos, I have been out of business and I have been praying to get tricycles on loan. But God has done it in a wonderful way, I got it free when I least expected it. I will ever remain grateful to Hon. Kwande.”

  • ‘Abuja’s transforming despite N470bn debt’

    ‘Abuja’s transforming despite N470bn debt’

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, rarely speaks about what his administration has been doing differently to transform Abuja, the city where the high and mighty converge to discuss business, politics and other sundry issues.

    Fresh from hosting the World Economic Forum Africa (WEFA) with its attendant security challenges following the bomb blasts in Nyanya, the closest satellite town to the city centre, killing scores of lives, Mohammed told journalists at a leadership forum that his administration has recorded impressive strides in its bid to transform Abuja into “one of the 20 capital cities by the year 2020.”

    With a mission to ensure “the provision of infrastructure, services and administration for the development of a first-class Federal Capital Territory comparable to the best in the world,” the minister, who was quick to point out that a huge debt burden of over N470 billion and paucity of funds hinder developmental strides, said all these could be reverted when the marshal plans being put in place by his administration come on stream.

    With a mandate ranging from the provision of effective and efficient administrative framework, provision of critical infrastructure, wealth creativity, poverty reduction, provision of services to residents to the need to ensure a safe and secure environment, Mohammed said he targets an internally generated revenue (IGR) of between N500 billion and N600 billion annually. He further said a radical change in policies and an aggressive tax drive are underway in the territory.

    Mohammed, while debunking insinuations in some quarters that the multi-billion Naira Close Circuit Televisions (CCTVs) installed in strategic points in the city centres stopped working even before the Nyanya bombings, said the facilities actually aided the security agencies in tracking the perpetrators of the dastardly act as they were of high quality.

    He said: “It’s not true that the CCTVs are not working. The CCTV is working in Abuja. The police and the State Security Service (SSS) have separate CCTV. Any time there is an incident, security agencies fall back on the information there and that is why we are getting results. I’m equally not aware of any foreign government offering to assist with installing better CCTVs in the FCT either for free or cheaper rate.

    “What happened is this. I had wanted to carry out procurement for 500 CCTVs for the FCT and the Federal Government offered 1,000 with FCT, Lagos and several other cities with close to over 600 repeater stations all over the country. I’m not aware of procurement of CCTV with Korean company but that was my initial plan to procure 500 CCTV stations for the FCT. But the Federal Government lent support and increased it to 1,000 stations. The Federal Government had the intention of taking the project to the major cities in Nigeria. That project was meant to capture the entire country.

    “However, the one at Nyanya was not taken into consideration and that was why they can’t have a fall back of what really happened in that bomb explosion. What we are doing now is to lend support to the Federal Government to conceptualise the project and implement it across the major cities in Nigeria to strengthen security of lives and properties.

    “In Abuja now, we are working hard to ensure that all roads leading into the FCT are captured with functional CCTV cameras that are powered by both solar and electricity generating set.

    Explaining why most communities still lack access to potable water in spite of the inauguration of the multi-billion Naira Lower Usman Dam in Bwari by President Goodluck Jonathan, the minister said: “The water projects executed by the present administration are currently producing a well-refined 30 million gallons of water per hour.

    “The projects we have embarked upon will serve the entire city of Abuja for the next 50 years. This includes the yet-to-be-developed 79 new districts; though with challenges of connectivity and distribution, especially to the satellite towns. The FCT water sector requires about N4 billion to N5 billion. But, as it stands, the whole of FCT budget is N37 billion. So, we can only prioritise the necessary sectors in order to ensure that the other sectors get their fair share of attention. As a result, I have allocated N1.5 billion and I am glad that the contractors are ready to deliver. Another of our problems is that most of the water facilities in Abuja are over-stretched because people from neighbouring states put serious pressures on the facilities.

    Vowing that his administration will continue to frustrate the activities of land speculators, he said: “When we came into office in 2011, land speculators assumed landlords status, doing their business everywhere and anywhere. We then introduced serious reforms in the activities of Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS) and introduced digital ways of land information.

    “That singular act made it so difficult for the speculators to penetrate into the database of AGIS to do their business. For example, Central Area Districts have been subjected to a lot of speculations due to the value of the lands in the area. We charge N8, 000 per square meter in central area. The problem of managing the FCT is land but we have drastically reduced it during the time of this administration.

    “We have improved the integrity of the AGIS system and land administration. The FCT Administration had equally introduced e-approval for the Department of Development Control. This had enhanced their efficiency, transparency and quick delivery of service.

    He equally denied claims that the FCT reneged on its promise to pay the bills of victims of the tragic bomb blast in Nyanya, especially that of a seven-year-old girl whose foot was badly damaged and was flown abroad for treatment with the assistance of a United Nations agency.

    “Yes, we made that promise to all that were affected by the blast and we did not make that promise to be applauded. We made it out of human responsibility and on behalf of the President. I am glad that we’ve lived up to the expectation. But if you, as an individual, decide to fly yourself or your child abroad for treatment, we cannot stop you. The case of the seven-year-old girl is a matter of choice. Some other people rejected the FCT Administration’s offer for medical attention and decided to seek medical care from other sources. FCT health facilities are equal to the task. We have the best of doctors and consultants to render any medical services people needed but the seven-year-old girl’s case was a personal decision and there’s no way we could stop her. In the case of the United Nations building bombing, we reached an agreement with the Permanent Representative of UN to fly their staff to South Africa for treatment. The President permitted it and paid over N300 million for their medical bills.

    He also cautioned Abuja residents against labeling some persons as suspected insurgents simply because they live in slums, noting that “Abuja is a land of opportunity and, as expected, people come from all parts of Nigeria in search of greener pasture. People from all parts of Nigeria are living here. Remember that the original inhabitants are living here, they are hosting us and we have to accommodate them.

    “We can’t segregate them as a result of mere perception or suspicion. We will encourage citizen rights advocacy where we will sensitise the public on their rights. Regarding the upsurge of illegal markets, the relevant secretariats are doing very well in ensuring that these markets are removed.  Though, we have not achieved 100 per cent, we have done well in removing them.

    He said his administration has attracted over $6 billion in Direct Foreign Investment through land swap deal and the building of the World Trade Centre in Abuja, adding that over 1,000 CCTV would be mounted to cover all parts of the FCT and adjourning settlements.

    On the debt, he explained that his administration plans to float a bond to defray the debts.

    “We are trying to access $3.8 billion to develop a new area along the Airport Road. We intend that people should develop the infrastructure and we pay them with land. We have given our lands value. We are giving a per cent of the land to the investor. We took the natives along as partners for the first time.  Any investor must deposit N350 million to show they have the capacity after the provision of infrastructure,” he said.

  • Succour for Jos blast victims

    Succour for Jos blast victims

    Help has come for victims of Jos blasts. An Abuja-based non-governmental organisation, Neighbor to Neighbor Initiative went to Jos, Plateau State capital, with a truckload of relief materials for survivors of the terror attack who are nursing their wounds at various hospitals in the  state capital.

    Shortly after the explosions at the Terminus market in which over 100 people lost their lives and about 50 were injured, the NGO led by its director Hajiya Fatima Dalihu Lemo, was in Jos on a mission to help the victims.

    The organisation came with assorted food items. They also came with household items like toilet paper, bottled water, beverages and cartons of noodles.

    On hand to receive the NGO with their donations was a delegation of the Plateau State government led by Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Sylvanus Dongtoe and Commissioner for Urban Development Hon. Solomon Maren.

    Presenting the items to the state government, Hajiya Fatima Lemo said, “This is our own little way of showing concern to victims of the blast. We are here with bags of maize, millet, rice, sugar, etc.

    Continuing, she said, “We are aware that even before the bomb blasts, there were displaced women in Riyom and Bassa local government areas as a result of violent disputes in the areas. We will hand over these items to the state government for onward distribution to the affected victims in Riyom and Bassa.

    “Apart from this, we have also some house hold items which we need to take to the various hospitals for victims of the bomb blast who are mostly poor market women and their Children. This is our widows might as well as a show of concern to these victims. We are using this presentation to prove to them that we share with them whatever pains they are going through at the moment. We cannot comfort them, but God Almighty will comfort them,” said Hajiya Lemo.

    Receiving the items on behalf of the state government, Hon, Sylvanus Dongtoe expressed the state’s appreciation of the NGO’s gesture.

    He said, “This is the first NGO that has shown this kind of sympathy with victims of the attack, and government is most grateful to you for this.”

    The commissioner assured the NGO that the items would be delivered to the right targets.

    Hon Dongtoe also called on other Nigerians to come to the aid of victims of the attack, saying the challenge is beyond the capacity of government.

    “Government needs such gestures from philanthropic organisations, groups and individuals; that is the only way we can be our brother’s keeper as citizens of the same country,” he said.

    At the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) and the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where the NGO also presented some items to victims, Hajiya Lemo said, “We are here to console you, we are here because we share in your pains, pls put your hope on God and do not lose hope in life”

    Hajiya Lemu, after going round the wards to see the victims handed over the items to Mr David Ayuba, Director Medical Services of the Plateau State Specialists Hospital who received the items on behalf of the victims.

  • ITF trains 1,000 Kebbi youths

    ITF trains 1,000 Kebbi youths

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) has flagged off the training of 1,000 Kebbi youths in skill acquisition. The skills include carpentry, fish farming and domestic electrification. The programme aims at reducing unemployment among the youth.

    Speaking at the flag-off ceremony at the Haliru Abdul Stadium in Birnin Kebbi, Alhaji Usman Mohammad Sani, the Area Manager of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in charge of Sokoto and Kebbi states who represented the Director-General, said the programme has been successfully carried out in 23 states  including Abuja, adding that  23,000 youths have so far been trained.

    He added that the programme will cover 13 states and each of the participating youths will receive a monthly allowance of N5,000.

    The trainees would be spread across the three designated training centres in the state.

    ‘’The aim is to eliminate youth restiveness and empower them by building their capacity in order to be self-reliant and serve as avenue for manpower generation,” he said.

    Also speaking, the Kebbi State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim K. Aliyu expressed the state government’s willingness to partner with ITF to adress the current youth unemployment in the state.

    The Deputy Governor expressed his optimism that the programme will help in tackling unemployment, particularly among the youth and will also take away youths off the street by engaging them in technical vocation skills necessary for self-reliance.

  • FCT builds three waste stations

    As part of efforts to keep the Federal Capital Territory  always clean, the Administration has expended over N3. 6 billion in the construction of three waste transfer stations as well as purchase equipment for waste management in the capital city.

    The Acting Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Mrs. Aishat Adebowale revealed this when the House of Representatives Committee on Environment visited the board as part of its oversight functions.

    She spoke at an interactive session with the committee headed by Hon. Uche Ekwunife.

    “The the construction of the three waste transfer stations was awarded in 2011at the cost of N2, 957, 572, 096. 35.” She said though the project had been impeded by a number of challenges, “it is about 39. 5 per cent completed.”

    She said: “The waste transfer stations with a combined capacity of 13,000 tons per day will be equipped with waste-sorting facilities, thereby promoting waste recycling and resource utilisation with the associated environmental benefits to the territory.”

    She also told the committee that “contract for the supply of six units Roll-On-Roll- Off (RORO) trucks was awarded in March, 2012 at the cost of N203, 590, 497.36. The project has been partly executed with the supply of two units.”

    “Another contract for the supply of 12 units of motorised street sweepers was awarded in January, 2012 at the cost of N405, 677, 546.40,” she said, adding that the project has been fully executed and inaugurated,” she said.

    According to her, central sewage system is employed for liquid waste management in the FCT.

    “The sewage, which is a separate system, is composed of a sewer network of about 700 kilometres and about 90-kilometre trunk line,” she said.

    Speaking earlier, Hon. Uche Ekwunife had said her committee was interested in how far the board has gone on the issue of sanitary landfills and waste treatment plants.

    While commending the AEPB in its effort so far at ensuring a clean and green city, particularly within the city centre of Abuja, Ekwuni said there was also need to concentrate on the satellite towns.

    “We would very much like to see a situation where the satellite towns are looking as clean and green as the city centre,” she said.

    The lawmaker, however, wondered how the waste transfer stations with sorting facilities would effectively function when the citizens that would generate the waste have not been enlightened on how to sort their waste for recycling purposes.

    She urged the AEPB to adopt a more effective waste collection procedure and to do more in enlightening the residents in order to make the efforts of the board more effective.

  • Jos cultural feast defies insecurity

    Jos cultural feast defies insecurity

    Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, have spurned the forces of violence in the state and showcased a most memorable cultural feast. The various tribes that make up the state turned out in their traditional gear, bringing to the present a living picture of the past. Bare-chested Berom youths showed up with their bows and arrows, complete with their quivers and charm pouches. The Afizere paraded pouches of their own but also pots of green leaves in the manner of their forebears. A maiden walked by with a calabash dexterously balanced on her head, with two small hollowed-out gourds covered her chest.

    It was an outing that made a statement: Jos residents were tired of violence and were happy to live in peace with one another despite coming from various tribal backgrounds. To sustain the peace, several groups have been talking and sticking to their peace plans. That accounted for the peace that prevailed in the state capital for about two years, although occasional clashes took place outside the tin city. It was six days after the cultural feast that the terrorists hit Jos, killing over 100 people.

    The residents came out to mark the International Day of the Museum celebrated worldwide on May 16. It is a day set aside to celebrate culture and save it from extinction.

    However, the annual programme was taken beyond merely marking an event. Ethnic groups in the state elevated it to a cultural carnival. People came out to showcase their culture and tradition in a way that seemed to ignite a kind of competition among the groups.

    Jos itself has often been described as a miniature Nigeria due to its composition of the tribes residing in the city. Every other tribe in Nigeria can be found there in large numbers, and the tribes used the opportunity provided by the anniversary to showcase the richness of their cultures. The Idoma, Igala, Yoruba, Igbira, Igbo, Ijaw, Itsekiri, Tiv were there, among others.

    Indigenous Plateau ethnic groups wore leaves to symbolise their historical mode of dressing before the advent of Western civilization. Notable among the leaf-wearing peoples are the Berom, Afizere and Irigwe tribes.

    Some other native tribes were seen dressed in animal skin, which showed the people in their ancient days. It also showcased them as great hunters of large animals. Others wielded spears and arrows to demonstrate their war prowess in pre-colonial days. Some of them sported a bushy hair style of early Stone Age generations.

    That day the Jos Museum, in the central area of the city,  hosted its  largest gathering of people in recent times. Each ethnic group took their turn to display their cultural dances. The dressing of each cultural group alone was the first sign of identifying each ethnic group.

    The cultural carnivals also attracted tourists from overseas some of whom were seen applauding the varieties of cultural displays. They took photographs.

    One of the tourists, Edmond Mark, said, “We are so pleased to be part of this cultural carnival. To me, the country is richly endowed with varieties of cultures which make the country and its people unique. We don’t have such rich culture in Europe and America, the dance steps, very attractive; it is full of entertainment.”

    The Tiv people appeared in their traditional black and white colours ; the Idoma group in their red and black, the Berom in their renowned red and green. The Igala tribe, Anaguta, Afizere, Irigwe, Angas, Tarok and several others could be clearly identified in their traditional colours.

    It was one event that brought together the indigenous tribes and the settlers together in the fully forested environment of the Jos museum. There were also a cultural group from neighbouring Bauchi State. They are of the Jarawa tribe with similar cultural identity with the Afizere of Jos. They also participated in the carnival to prove their cultural and ethnic affinities with the Afizere ethnic group of Jos.

    The curator, National Museum Jos Mrs. Annah Dunkrah set the ball rolling with her welcome address when she said, “Jos museum has assumed a position of confluence of cultures and heritage displays for museums all over the country; the anniversary is celebrated like a Christmas Day in Jos.

    She said, “This year’s celebration is tagged ‘Museum collections make connections’ Indeed the museum cannot exist without its collections and these collections are our cultural heritage which links present generations of people with their ancient cultures. These collections connect generations to generations just as they connect the present to the past.”

    In a goodwill message, Director general, national commission for museums and monuments, Mallam Yusufu Abdallah Usman said, “The celebration, which is an annual event is an occasion to raise awareness on the importance of museum in the development of every society.

    He said, “This is achieved through collecting, researching and exhibiting collections with the aim of preserving important historical relics, yet communicating in modern day language.”

    Speaking further, Mallam Abdallah said: “Museums are living institutions that help create relationships between visitors, generations and cultures around the world. This bond fosters better relationships in dealing with illicit trafficking of our cultural object, repatriation of objects and partnership in different areas.

    “Museums are constantly facing challenges that bring them to consider the execution of their traditional mission of conservation and protection of cultural goods within new strategies so as to attract more visitors and ensure accessibility to collections. Thus, many museums revamp the traditional method of preservation of their collections in order to involve communities where the museums are sited and remains in constant contact with the public.

    “The museum being an institution that preserves the past is yet fully grounded in the present. Its essence is to serve as a link between generations as it allows present and future generations to better comprehend their origins and history. Its link with the present also ensures that collections are used to address contemporary societal problems.

    “Thus museums in the Network of the national commission for museums and monuments organize exhibitions and other educational outreach programs around themes that help their various communities to diagnose their problems and offer solutions. Issues of health, security, ethics, poverty alleviation, skills acquisition, social cohesion etc are routinely addressed by our museums as they make themselves relevant to the society.

    “Looking at this year’ international museums day celebration theme which is ‘museum collections make connections’ it emphasizes more on the collaboration between museums worldwide and their importance in cultural exchange and knowledge of the world cultures” said Mallam Abdallah.

    Plateau State Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, Abraham Yiljap who represented the Governor Jonah David Jang said, “Beyond the celebration of the international day of the museum, the carnival was a reflection of a people celebrating the return to peace in Plateau State. This carnival , to me is a display of love, unity and cultural diversity”

    Yiljap pleaded with citizens of the state to allow the cultural affinity to reflect in their daily lives in such a manner that will promote and sustain peace, unity and coexistence as a people.

    He assured citizens of the state that the current administration in the state will elevate culture and tourism to international status.

  • Living on Cameroonian border

    Living on Cameroonian border

    Even before the horrors of Boko Haram, life on the Nigeria-Cameroun border was very harsh. Gamboru and Ngala, two communities on the border, scarcely have any fond memories of Nigerian government, from the local, state to federal. Many of the residents, especially the elderly, live in abject poverty.

    Also, when Lake Chad overflows its banks, Gamboru and Ngala residents as well as their counterparts in such communities as Kukawa, Abadon, Gubio, Magumeri, Marte and Kalabangi are cut off from humanity. At this point, their only sources of relief are their Kanuri kinsfolk on the other side of the border. They manage to cross into Cameroun and dwell with their cousins until the waters recede. In fact, considering their neglect, some of them pray for an opportunity to be ceded to Cameroun.

    To get to Gamboru, one must be prepared to traverse over 130km stretch of rough road which terminates at a point after Dikwa about 90km from Maiduguri. The road worsens after Dikwa, forcing commuters to meander through sand to avoid being stuck. This road has been abandoned since the late 1970s when Alhaji Shehu Shagari was president. Perhaps, this led the  people of old Borno into opposition politics, a development that some say has yielded them little or no  dividends from the federal authorities.

    Sources told The Nation that Borno has long suffered in the hands of federal authorities because it has been opperating within the ranks of the progressive elements in the North.

    Several attempts have been made to complete the road. For instance, President Olusegun Obasanjo tried but could not complete it till he left office and no other president has been able to take the bull by the horns and complete this very vital federal  road on which billions of dollars of goods are ferried everyday to Central and West African countries. Because of neglect, the erosion process which occurs annually when the lake Chad overflows its banks has destroyed most of the bridge pillars fixed along the remaining stretch of about 30 to 40km that connects Dikwa and the other border towns. Most of these towns have been deserted economically but Gamboru retained its robust self till the insurgents struck recently reducing the traders to nothing and killing both young and old for collaborating with western development and education which is a taboo to them.

    “Of course, there are no Customs or Immigration check points because they would have been wiped out by Boko Haram. The military never envisaged this 50 years ago which is why there are no serious battalions lining these areas. Even with the creation of the 7th Division, we do not think anything will change at all.

    “There is no stamp of Nigerian authority here because the kings of the Sambisa, Boko Haram, are in charge and most of our people [when under threat]  run down to Maiduguri for their lives,” said  Yunisa Marte who spoke to this reporter inside the razed-down Gomboru market where he sells sun-dried fish.

    Travelling on the convoy of Governor Kashim Shettima, it was very glaring that the previously besieged Mafa local government headquarters wore a new look after several government and private structures were burnt by desperate insurgents. All the burnt structures had been replaced with blue roofs, meaning that the government had acted swiftly with its committees to ensure that the people do not sleep outside in the open for too long after the damage caused by Boko Haram.

    Most of the home owners have courageously returned but several are still scared of the insurgents who struck at Mafa, wasting their loved ones particularly women and children.

    Mafa has been one of the playgrounds of  the insurgents, making life most miserable for residents who will not run away to Maiduguri as we noticed in several villages and towns along the highway.

    Even the local government secretariat has been given a new lease of life but the police men in Mafa still do their duties under trees because they do not have roofs in their homes.

    The neglect of the area by the federal authorities show that the police station is still a shadow of itself as it has been abandoned by the occupants after the insurgents dealt  dangerous blows to the facility. Policemen now mingle incognito among residents for obvious reasons.

    The Nation observed that even though the  road is passable from Maiduguri to the Dikwa axis, the federal government has to hurry up to give the people a sense of belonging. These people have suffered for too long from neglect and most of them right up to Gamboru are living below the poverty line.

    Just before we drove into Ngala, we observed a major devastation caused by Boko Haram who blew up part of the bridge connecting the border communities to other of the state. Their intention was obviously to dismember the bridge  completely but for some reasons, part of it was passable for the convoy of the governor in which this reporter and others including the BBC crew was riding.

  • Children’s Day of terror

    Children’s Day of terror

    Children this year will mark their day under a different atmosphere.

    Why? The annual ceremony lost much of its fun and excitement to the troubling realities of insecurity.

    Children, it is said, are the future and leaders of tomorrow but recently they have been just as terrified as everyone else. They live in terror, a development that has become prominent in the country. Not only adults are wary of attacks; minors also are equally disoriented by the realities of the times.

    This year’s Children’s Day will never be like those of years past because children are now forced to celebrate in fear, with the news of insurgency and attacks in several parts of the country.

    The abduction  of their peers in Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State was a sore point, which has traumatised even those far away from the kidnap scene.

    Many children interviewed by our correspondent confirmed that they will not be attending the children’s day celebration because of their fear of Boko Haram.

    A non-governmental organisation, yellowjerrycan, a save a child, lend a hand foundation organised a children’s day celebration even though it was not the date, for children of some public primary schools in Abuja, in honour of children who lost their lives to insurgency and bring hope to those displaced by flood.

    Founder and initiator of yellowjerrycan, and co-anchor of the programme “Kakaaki” Adaora Onyekwere explained that it brings to bear what we are dealing with, which is not just paranoia but also dealing with people who are afraid of their safety not just as families but as individuals.

    She said that the foundation is focused on the plight of displaced people, displaced by insurgency, natural disaster and demolition and believe that the missing Chibok girls have been one object that gotten global attention which is good in finding them.

    Onyekwere also said,  ”If you see today is the 23rd and not 27th, that brings to bear what we are dealing with, which is not just paranoia but we are also dealing with people who are afraid of their safety not just as families but as individuals. I think that the government should begin listening to this children, you can tell that these children are absorbed in what is happening in the polity, it tells you that, if this country does not get it right in the leadership today, in the next 20 years we will be dealing with children who are also fighting to repair the same dementia that they have been through with the present society.

    “Ideally we should begin to look at Nigeria’s children who are the future of the nation right now, I don’t care what the President is doing about what his time has been or would be but the time is now and right now we are standing on a time bomb, not just because we are afraid of the insurgency or the release of the Chibok girls or what the economy speaks of but because we are going to be dealing with children who are going to be working round to change the psychic  that leadership is not about politics, power or corruption.

    “It is a message to every other Nigerian out there that you do not have to be the President or politician to make an impact in the society; you can start where you are. I believe that being on the show Kakaki has also given me the platform to speak up for other Nigerians who do not have the voice. For yellowjerrycan every child counts.

    She also added, “This event is an annual event, primarily to bring children from public schools together because they are the ones who understand public life, the ones who probably go to school on their own and take public transport and who probably do not even have parents that they live with.

    “These children are still trying to get an education and need to be part of the process of raising a voice for displaced people. Some of our children have been lost to insurgency, some have been lost to flood, and some are still missing like the Chibok girls. So this is in solidarity with what we are doing to support the Federal Government and to also show the parents of this missing girls that we are together with you and that regardless of what happens, this is strength of unity in diversity and that is for me the primary message.”

    Audience at the celebration had goose bumps after the Director Public Relations Officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) Marilyn Ogah had finished speaking to the children on measures to ensure security around their environment, she asked them to ask her questions on probably how to get jobs in the DSS when they grow up or ensure better security of their lives and loved ones, seven year old Chinonso rose up his hands.

    Believing that he was going to ask her questions in line with her options, she pointed at him but all the little boy asked was, “please ma, when are you people going to return the Chibok girls back to their parents?”

    Ogah said, “we want the girls back and alive so we will not be confronting the terrorists with force to ensure that the girls are not hurt or put in danger but i promise that we will bring them back.”

    It was obvious from the mood of the children at the event that they no longer feel safe and that their greatest fear was of Boko Haram.

    Shy 9 year old, Nkechi Ikenna said, “a child is someone who lives and is not suppose to suffer, a child is suppose to live to see the future and become a leader of tomorrow . i enjoy being a child in Nigeria but these days I’m scared.”

    11 year old Yadah Imana, President of Nigerian Children Ambassadors, when asked about how it feels to be a Nigerian child said, “its nice being Nigerian but these days, the children of Nigeria are not safe because we are afraid of kidnapping and bomb blasts. My prayer is for the children abducted to be found because these are the future leaders of tomorrow.”

    Another 11 year old fashion designer, Bethel Amadin said, “Nigeria is a very beautiful place and rich but the only thing is that our government is not using the money well but I’m still happy to be a Nigerian. I was inspired into becoming a fashion designer to enable me help the less privileged in the society, i have an NGO and when i hold my usual fashion show cases, last year i recruited about 100 children to be involved in my show but this year I’m not so sure because iv not started planning, i normally inspire young children by teaching them a little about fashion.

    “The government should at least meet to the needs of the society, by making sure that there is good security in schools and they should respond to any little thing quickly to avoid any regret latter and they should look out for suspicious people.”

    10 year old pupil of Festival road primary school, Abuja Emmanuel Robert, “I’m proud of my country Nigeria because people are happy with themselves and help each other in times of need but now i no longer feel safe because Boko Haram have been bombing and killing people, which is very bad and we should do something about it. I don’t want children to attend the children’s day celebration so that Boko Haram will not kidnap them and use them for rituals”

    15 year old musician and director of Nigerian Children Ambassador, Vera Jude who is also known by her stage name of pretty V, said that she would like to use her talent to help Nigerian children and for it to be a motivating factor to other children around the world. “Being a child in Nigeria at this present time is being under a state of confusion, we face so many challenges. I feel the pains of those girls who are not able to be with their parents at the moment and face the love that other children are feeling.

    “My heart goes out to them and i pray and i will try with the best of my ability to change the dream of the Nigerian child, so that every Nigerian child has an opportunity to be free and the hope to change Nigeria and we will want the government to encourage us better because as it is, i still don’t know the fate of my fellow girls that were kidnapped. They have to improve on the security measures in schools and make security, something to rely on and not a thing to be afraid of.”

    Soft spoken, 10 year old Gift Iheme advised that children should try to spend the children’s day, providing for the less privileged in the society,  ”I will rather spend the day with the children in orphanages and take along provisions and biscuits to them, i will also love to make beads this year in marking the children’s day celebration to sell around the country.

    “Boko Haram should not be hurting and fighting people because they don’t like western education because actually, western education is what everyone in the country needs.”

  • Ending the bloodbath

    he deadly attacks of the violent Islamist sect, Boko Haram in the Northeastern part of the country appear to be on an alarming increase from the period Nigeria accepted the offers of assistance from the international community towards rescuing the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by the sect on April 14, 2014 in Chibok, Borno State.

    President Goodluck Jonathan had, while accepting the offer, expressed optimism that the rescue effort will be the beginning of the end of Boko Haram attacks in the country.

    But the sect seems bent on letting all hell loose across the Northeastern part of Nigeria with its deadly attacks now taking place in quick succession and almost on a daily basis since the offer of foreign assistance.

    On Saturday, May 17, the Boko Haram terrorists were said to have killed about 29 people in a market in Ngurosoye Village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State and abducted 10 Chinese Construction workers in Gwoza.

    Car bomb explosion in Sabon Gari, Kano State on Sunday, May 18 resulted in loss of lives while havoc was averted in the state the following day as a car bomb stationed at Tafawa Balewa Street in the state was defused.

    The terrorists again struck on Tuesday, May 20, which resulted in sending many people to their early graves as twin bombs exploded in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

    Another attack was also carried out by the insurgents the following day near Chibok, Borno State, where the over 200 secondary school girls were abducted by the insurgents.

    The suspected Boko Haram gunmen were said to have shot dead about 29 farmers in Chukku Nguddoa Village in the state.

    The question in the minds of many a Nigeria is whether these attacks were meant to punish the government and the people of the country for accepting foreign assistance? Or are they meant to put pressure on the government to consider exchange of its members in

    government prisons with the school girls? Are the attacks really proving the recent threats by the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau that he was within the Abuja City and would cause more havoc in the country or are they desperate attacks of a drowning sect?

    Whichever is the case, everything must now be done to stop the bloodbath across the country. Many Nigerians are now living in fear as they don’t know when and where the next bomb will explode.

    They find it difficult to erase the pictures and images of the latest

    fatal blasts etched in their minds from their memories as they hallucinate and wonder if it is safe to board a bus or a cab around the corner of their streets or

    whether it is safe to go to nearby market for shopping. Nigerians must urgently be saved from this psychological trauma.

    Based on the fact that so much money is being appropriated yearly for security which aims at fighting terrorism in the past few years and with the war appearing to be far from being won, some security experts want the government to re-assess the situation and go for the best options.

    For a start, they believe that if it is going to be difficult to rescue the school girls and crush the sect with the foreign assistance Nigeria is getting, it may be wise now for the government to start thinking seriously of negotiation with the sect to ensure safe release of the girls and to stop the rampant bloodbath in the country.

    Many of those pushing for the exchange or swap believe that the school girls should only be exchanged for the wives and children of the insurgents in detention.

    There are still other Nigerians who believe that the government should, on no account, negotiate with the sect. Some also believe that there should be a way to use the ‘carrot and stick’ approach to quell the insurgency in the country.

    This set of people also wants Nigeria to seriously begin to tackle the problem of its porous borders irrespective of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Borderless protocol.

    To them, Nigeria should borrow a leaf from other countries that have built thick and high wall fence round their countries in combination with other high-tech security gadgets that will detect any illegal immigrant coming into the country.

    The neighbouring countries have not only been used as launching pad to carry out fatal attacks in Nigeria but have also served as routes for illegal importation of arms, ammunition, war tanks and helicopters into Nigeria by the insurgents.

    Many of the leadership in the neighbouring countries seem, over the years, to be waiting for the downfall of the ‘Giant of Africa’ through the actions of the terrorists.

    The leaders of Cameroon, Niger, Republic of Benin, Chad and Nigeria, however, in the region’s security meeting held in France on May 17, have  resolved to end terrorism in the region and to contribute one battalion of troops for joint border patrols each.

    While most Nigerians who have been struggling to make ends meet are waiting anxiously on government to guarantee their safety, it is hoped that the new strategies will end the rising bloodbath in the country.