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Tag: boko haram

  • U.S offers to help in search for abducted girls

    U.S offers to help in search for abducted girls

    The United States is prepared to help Nigeria in the search for the 234 girls abducted by the Boko Haram sect from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.
    “We have been engaged with the Nigerian government in discussions on what we might do to help support their efforts to find and free these young women,” State Department Spokeswoman, Marie Harf, told reporters on Thursday.
    “We will continue to have those discussions and help in any way we can.”
    The terrorists stormed the school on April 14, packed the teenagers onto trucks and motorcycles before disappearing into a remote area along the border with Cameroon.
    The kidnapping occurred the same day a bomb blast, also blamed on Boko Haram, killed 75 people on the edge of the capital, Abuja, and it marked the first attack on the FCT in two years.
    The abduction has shocked Nigerians long accustomed to hearing about atrocities in an increasingly bloody five-year-old insurgency especially in the Northeast. Boko Haram is now seen as the main security threat to the country.
    Harf did not elaborate on the kind of assistance Washington is offering, but said: “We know Boko Haram is active in the area and we have worked very closely with the Nigerian government to build their capacity to fight this threat.”
    Separately, a group of U.S senators introduced a resolution condemning the abduction and urging U.S government assistance in the rescue effort.
    “The U.S and the international community must work with the Nigerian government to ensure these girls are reunited with their families and deepen efforts to combat the growing threat posed by Boko Haram,” said Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, the chairman of the Senate’s African Affairs subcommittee, and one of the resolution’s six sponsors.

     

  • Security agencies’ support aids Boko Haram success – Arewa

    The pan northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), said Friday the activities of the Boko Haam insurgents are boasted by cooperation and support from within the military and other security agencies.
    It therefore asked the government to carry out an in-house search of its security apparatus and put in place measures that will boost the morale of the troops deployed to fight the insurgents and instill confidence on the people.
    In a communiqué at end of its National Executive Council meeting and signed by the Secretary General, Col. John Paul Ubah, the ACF ask the military to constantly update Nigerians on efforts to rescue the abducted female students of Government Girls Secondary schools, Chibok, Borno State, to reduce fear and concern of parents.
    The communiqué reads in part: “The forum deliberated extensively on the current National security challenges and in particular, the abduction of over 200 female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State and other issues of national interest.
    “The forum expressed serious concern over the spate of killings of innocent people and wanton destruction of property by unknown gunmen and Boko Haram insurgents in most parts of the northern region. The forum therefore resolved to issue the following statement.
    “Government should make concerted efforts to secure the release of the abducted female students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State that were abducted by persons suspected to be Boko Haram insurgents since April 14.
    “The military authorities should as a matter of urgent duty keep the nation abreast of efforts being made to rescue the kidnapped students in order to reduce the fears and concern of parents, relations and the entire citizenry.
    “The security agencies should also open themselves to the intelligence being provided by the community on the alleged movement of the abducted students across our borders and seek support and cooperation of our neigbours to track down the abductors and their victims.
    “It is strongly believed that without the support and cooperation from within the military and security circles, the insurgents would not have been succeeding so easily in their dastardly acts.
    “ACF notes the concern of all Nigerians on this unfortunate abduction of female students and commends the various women organisations that trooped out in Maiduguri, Abuja and Kaduna and other places to express their anger and displeasure over the abduction of school girls.”
    “The ACF urges the Federal Government to do an in-house search of its security apparatus and put in place measure that will boost the morale of the troops and inspire confidence of the people in the government.”

  • Anger over abducted girls

    Anger over abducted girls

    Borno senator: insurgents have married girls

    House summons service chiefs

    Women protest

    ABUJA was yesterday in a foul mood at the National Assembly and on the streets – over the April 15 abduction of school girls and the one-year-old polytechnic teachers’ strike.

    Women, many of them decked in all-black dresses, demanded action on the fate of the 234 girls who were snatched away from their hostels in Chibok, Borno State.

    Senators were locked in a charged session over the abduction by the fundamentalist Boko Haram sect. They unanimously voted for tougher military action against the insurgents whose activities have killed thousands.

    The Senate yesterday urged the Federal Government to seek the assistance of the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to rescue the girls.

    Besides, senators are to confer with President Goodluck Jonathan to seek ways of curtailing the insurgency.

    These resolution followed a motion entitled: “Abduction of School girls in Chibok, Borno State”, sponsored by Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba and 107 others.

    Some Senators in their contribution blamed the degenerating insurgency on sabotage and collaboration by insiders in the military.

    Others wondered why the President has not deemed it fit to visit Borno State to commiserate with the people and boost the morale of the troops on ground.

    A Senator from the area gave a graphic account of how the terrorists have been moving the girls from camp to camp in the forest since the day they were abducted.

    He named the locations where the girls were being camped.

    He lamented that the military did not act on the intelligence he placed at their disposal that could have facilitated early rescue of the girls.

    In his lead debate, Ndoma-Egba urged the Senate to note with grief the inhuman abduction.

    He told the Upper Chamber, which was just returned from its two-week Easter recess, the incident occurred just when the country was grieving over the rush hour bombing of a bus park in Nyanya near the nation’s capital, Abuja.

    He said when the nation was was trying to come to grips with the bombing that claimed over 75 people and wounded dozens more, the country was struck yet with another devastating blow: the girls’ abduction.

    He recalled that the terrorist broke into the Government Secondary School in Chibok, shot the guards and abducted the pupils, taking them away in trucks into the Sambisa forest, a known hideout of the sect.

    Ndoma-Egba said prior to the abduction, the school was closed down for four weeks due to the deteriorating security situation in the state, but the pupils were recalled to take their final exams in physics.

    He said that the Senate is disappointed that two weeks after their disappearance, the girls’ whereabouts remained unknown.

    The senator noted that about 44 of the girls escaped by jumping from the back of the truck used to ferry them away or by sneaking out of the abductor’s camp.

    According to him, besides the uncertainty, as to the whereabouts and fate of these innocent girls, whose only crime is to go to school, “is the lack of authentic information from the school authorities, the security agencies and their parents as to the exact number of girls that were abducted and the processes leading to same.”

    The lawmaker called on the Senate to be hopeful that the offer of assistance by the United States and Britain to rescue the students would come with all the required technology, including the deployment of the drones which the United States had used to great positive effect in tracking/fighting terrorism elsewhere.

    He, however, said that the Senate was afraid that time was fast running out as the girls’ captors may break them into various hideouts.

    The Senators unanimously resolved to urge the Federal Government and all security agencies to intensify efforts at bringing back the girls.

    They urged the Federal Government and the security agencies to seek assistance of the United Nations, ECOWAS and other countries to rescue the girls.

    They also prayed for the safe release of all the abducted girls and urged the government at all levels to provide adequate security for all schools.

    Senate President David Mark decried the “callous adoption” of the girls and called for full scale military action against the insurgents.

    Mark said it was time to be proactive in attacking the terrorists so much so that it is the insurgents that would beg the nation for dialogue.

    He said the insurgents had touched the “heart of the nation”, with the abduction of the girls.

    Mark said: “The people we are dealing with are not just locals. They are well trained and they know what they want. They are not terrorists, they are insurgents. And all along we have been reacting. Unless we are proactive, we are not going to get anywhere.

    “I have been in the forefront of saying we must go to dialogue with the insurgents, but I think we must take this battle to a level where they also will now call for dialogue.

    “We cannot do this unless the locals on the ground there cooperate with the members of the armed forces. Our armed forces are doing their best.

    “Those who study insurgency and terrorism know that the locals are extremely important because they must work hand-in-hand with the members of the armed forces.

    “This is not a conventional warfare. My prayer is that all hands must be on deck in this war. All of us must begin to appeal to the people in our constituencies.”

    The Senate President urged the Federal Government to ensure that the nation is briefed daily on efforts to rescue the girls.

    He lamented that the kidnap of the 234 girls would dominate the World Economic Forum scheduled to meet in Nigeria soon.

    Said Mark: “I believe that there are external connections because our local terrorists and insurgents cannot do what they are doing. They touch the heart of the nation.

    “There is no nation that would sit down and fold their arms and watch women and children killed at random by any group of people. Unless the local environment is conducive, terrorism and insurgency cannot succeed.

    “But once it takes root, let’s take note it’s not going to wind up tomorrow morning and my worry is that we should not allow it to get to a level where it becomes a permanent feature in this country. Unless we nip it in the bud now, it will get to that level.

    “If we need foreign assistance, the nation should not be ashamed to ask, because the world is such a small global village now that getting assistance for one action or the other is not a shameful thing. It is international cooperation and if we have to, let us go for it.”

    Senators mostly from the affected areas spoke on the insurgency.

    Senator Ahmed Zannah (Borno Central) said even though he had constantly updated the military about the movement of the terrorists who abducted the girls, all his intelligence reports were not acted upon.

    He gave a graphic account of how the insurgents had been moving the girls from one place to another since the abduction.

    Zannah said: “Since the beginning of this siege, I kept mute on this issue as far as press releases and press interviews are concerned.

    “I have been constantly in touch with the security agencies, telling them the developments, the movement of the girls from one place to the other and then the splitting of the girls and eventually the marriage of these girls by the insurgents.

    “What bothers me most is that whenever I inform where these are, after two to three days, they will be moved from that place to another and still, I will go back and inform them that see, this is what is happening.

    “I lost hope two days ago when I found out that some of them were moved to Chad and Cameroon.

    “Actually, some of them move through the Mandara mountain that is in Gwoza and some of them are just a stone throw from their barracks, even now as I am talking to you, in Cameroon because it is in Kolofata, which is in Cameroon about 15 kilometers or even less to the borders because one of the insurgents called somebody in Bama and said I just got married and said I am now settling in Kolofata’.

    “Then three or four days ago, some Fulani men reported that they saw some girls being taken by boats into the Island in Lake Chad and that some of them happened to be between Marte and Mungonu, maybe.

    “Maybe, those ones might still be within Nigeria, but that is the current and new base of the insurgents. They just took over that place less than a week and that village is called Chikungudua. The place is the constituency of Senator Maina Mai’ji Lawan.

    “But I informed the security agents about the situation and from that place, they can just go into the lake and go to either Chad or Cameroon because it is very open, there are no weeds in the lake and so they can go anywhere.

    “They have snatched all the boats around that area, including the one for NNPC, and so they are free to go anywhere without being chased by anybody.

    “There are about 40 islands there and they have ejected most of the occupants of the island and they have occupied the islands.

    “What is most disturbing is that hitherto, Sambisa was their base and is well known to the military and Nigerian security.

    The senator spoke of how he discovered that the terrorists were moving out of Sambisa forest. Even before then, I had been discussing with the military and they said they were going to attack that place, about 15 or 20 days ago, I don’t know what delayed them,” he said, adding:

    “But, eventually when they launched the attack, all the insurgents had already gone out of the place. So, I don’t know what is happening.

    “Even before then, I even told them about the shrubs in Northern Borno where they stayed last year till after the rainy season.

    “Since rainy season is approaching, I told them that these people will leave Sambisa and other areas and go to that shrub but it seems there is no much presence of military around that area up till now and they are now much moving into those shrubs.

    “And when they go in, the shrub has some canopy whereby the ground is empty and you cannot see any human or animal movement under that canopy even with aircraft.

    “It is the same place where they hid last year and came out after the rainy season without any challenge, they came into the hinterland.

    “I don’t know if the military can take very serious and willing action in this matter but if there is no way to fight them, I think we are wasting our time. It all depends on their willingness.

    “I was interviewed by the press on whether if the state of emergency was extended, the military would succeed and I said ‘yes, if there was willingness, they will’.

    He went on: “Their number is not all that much as being touted and without cooperation from certain group of people within the security agencies, there is no way these people will survive like this.

    “But when we talk, they will say we are against them; we are exposing them; we are demoralising their troops. These are the facts.”

    “So, unless there is spirit of seriousness on the part of our military, we have no hope of getting those girls; even if we are going to get them, we are going to get them in trickles; maybe getting two, three, four, and five. They are now scattered. So it is not possible for us to get 50, 60,100 in one particular position. This is the position as at today.”

    Senator Ali Ndume, (Borno South) noted that the girls would have been rescued if the Federal Government is serious and with proper equipment for the military.

    Ndume, who was apparently emotional during his contribution to the debate said: “The 53 girls we have were those that escaped. We have to speak the truth.

    “I am a little bit emotional because you cannot understand what we are going through until you visit these areas. The only place there is relative peace is where there are civilian JTF.

    “The military deployed there are doing their best, but I cannot ask any of them to do more than what they are doing. You need to see their equipment and there is no motivation.

    “Whenever we go there, we buy food. As days go by, most of these girls are divided and forcefully married out. How they do that and where they passed remain a mystery.

    “I appreciate the motion but there is no action. We speak to commanders on ground and their complaints are the same: no motivation.

    “Their number is few and there is no equipment to match their opponents. Every time we budget trillions of naira for defence but I have not seen any new equipment on ground. The armoured vehicles are those of 1950s.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South), noted that the situation was degenerating as a result of internal sabotage

    Abaribe said: “In what way would somebody get information, give to the security and nothing happens. There must be internal sabotage; we cannot run away from that.

    “While we ponder about this, I joined Nenadi Usman to think about these children and the fact that a few things have happened in the world, people have disappeared and we saw the frantic efforts by those countries to get to the root of the matter to the extent that some people resigned. What manner of ineptitude is this?

    “I don’t want to add to what others have said but I want to say that no matter what happens, the buck lies on someone’s table. We are ill-equipped. Have we motivated our security agents enough?

    “They are doing their best. With all due respect, has the President visited Borno? We want to see our President visit the place and restore confidence in the people. There is no how you can get information from people who feel they are neglected.”

    Senator Mohammed Magoro (Kebbi South) urged the Federal Government to call up reservists to boost the manpower of the military.

    He said: “For Nigeria to win the war against insurgents, we must recall the nation’s military reserves, including retired soldiers if need be. Also, neighbouring countries are aiding insurgents. I stand here to say that they are aiding and abetting what is going in the country. If it means revisiting the budgets, we will do so to ensure that we win this war.”

    Senator Ehigie Uzamere (Edo South) accused local collaborators in the community of aiding and abetting the kidnap of the girls from a predominantly Christian community.

    “We must renegotiate the corporate existence of Nigeria,” he said.

    Senator Ayogu Eze (Enugu North) urged the Federal Government to summon the ambassadors of Chad, Cameroon and Niger to brief her on what their governments are doing in the circumstance.

    Eze added: “Something has gone wrong with professionalism and unless we arrest the drift, these people are not doing enough.”

     

  • Parents protest over abducted girls

    Parents protest over abducted girls

    Women from Borno State  yesterday protested the abduction of their daughters from the hostel 15 days after, by members of the Boko Haram sect, in Chibok.

    The women, dressed in black attire lamented the inability of the Federal Government to rescue the 234 schools girls who were writing their final examinations.

    Armed with placards containing emotional inscriptions, the bewildered women expressed fears that the kidnapped girls may be undergoing varied forms of torture and molestation in the hands of their captors.

    Some of the placards read: ‘Our girls in captivity for 15 days’; ‘Nigeria, come to the rescue of our girls’; ‘Mr President, rescue our daughters’; ‘A vacuum has been created’; ‘Save our daughters, please’; etc.

    The leader of the obviously traumatised parents, Mrs. Naomi Mukhtar, said the essence of their visit to the National Assembly was to further draw global attention to their predicament.

    She urged the leadership of the National Assembly to show sympathy for their plights by asking the Federal Government and the military authorities to ensure the immediate release of their daughters.

    She said: “On behalf of mothers of the 234 girls, we are here to express our anger. Our grievance is that we are not aware of the whereabouts of these girls. Our girls have been distributed to hoodlums in the forest.

    “It is painful that our daughters were carried away into the wilderness over 15 days now like cows to be slaughtered; since then, we have not heard anything from the Federal Government.

    “Where are the human right groups in the country? Where is the Women Affairs Ministry? Is there no government in the country? Are there no fathers and mothers in government again to deem it fit to see the parents of the abducted school girls and tell us what is actually happening.

    “If our children are dead, where are their bodies? Let us see their bodies. For the past two weeks, nobody has come to us, we are dying in silence, where is the international community? We need their assistance.”

    Four Senators, Hellen Esuene, Zainab Kure, Barnabas Gemade and Ali Ndume, addressed the protesters on behalf of Senate President David Mark.

    Ndume assured the women of the support and determination of the National Assembly to throw its full weight behind efforts by the Federal Government to ensure the safe rescue of the girls.

    Ndume, who is also from Borno state said: “We have heard your cry, we are with you on the matter. At the moment, we are considering a motion on the subject matter.

    “The Senate President sent the three of us to receive you. The Senate President has not slept over the matter. The very first motion upon resumption is the abduction.

    We wish to assure you that this matter will be addressed by the Senate. Our thoughts and prayers go to all of you because we are with you. We stand united in grief with you in your hour of pain, agony and anxiety.

    “We will do everything possible to make sure that the kidnappers release our daughters immediately, unconditionally.”

    Minister of Women Affairs Mrs. Zainab Maina, urged them to remain prayerful as the Federal Government and the military authorities would ensure that the innocent girlswere rescued and reunited with their parents.

    nd collective resolve of Nigerians.”

     

    Service chiefs to face

    Reps over 234 girls

     

    The House of Representatives yesterday resolved to summon the Chief of Defence State, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff over the abduction of 234 female students from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

    The Service Chiefs are to brief the lawmakers on the efforts to find the abducted girls and the challenges hampering them from securing their freedom as well as strategies they intend to employ to bring the insurgency by the Boko Haram sect to an end.

    They also urged t the Federal Government ” engage the sub-regional, regional and international organisations in coming up with a resolution that enables the Nigerian army engage other neighbouring countries in tackling the trans-border insurgency”.

    The adoption of the resolutions was sequel to a motion of urgent national importance brought before the House by a member, Hon. Peter Gumta (Borno) and titled: “Urgent need to secure the release of the abducted girls of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State”

    However, an amendment by a member Sadiq Asema Mohammed, seeking the resignation of the Service Chiefs, National Security Adviser, Director-General of State Security Service and Comptroller General of Immigrations should the children not be found within a week failed to sail through.

    The motion elicited a passionate debate yesterday as the lawmakers bared their minds on what most to them termed as “an unfortunate incident.”

    A member, Hon. Aisha Ahmed Moddibo was of the opinion that the efforts of the Chamber were a little too late. According to her, she expected that the House would have broken its Easter recess to convene an emergency meeting as it did in the past when it held a Sunday meeting over the fuel subsidy issue.

    “The debate is belated. The House should have suspended recess to discuss the issue. This is even more important that the fuel subsidy issue because the lives of children are involved,” she said.

    Gumtha, while moving the motion, said t 43 of the 273 students abducted by the Boko Haram sect, escaped on the midnight of 14/15 April 2014 and that two weeks after the incident 234 others are still being held captive by the insurgents in an unknown place.

    He expressed displeasure over the misleading information from the security agencies that the adducted children had been rescued when they were not.

    The lawmaker revealed that rescue efforts by the sector command at Damboa and Askira had been hindered by the neglected and untarred 50 kilometre long Mbalala-Chibok-Damboa federal road.

    Farouk Lawan while supporting the motion urged members to spend 30 seconds to imagine that their daughters were amongst the children carted away by the insurgents.

    Bitrus Kaze (Plateau State) said the Northeast is considered backwards in terms of education and that the abduction of over 200 girls from a school has dealt a deadly blow to education in the state.

    He urged leaders to eschew media war and stop politicising the fight against terror. “We must act as leaders and save lives and property, we must conduct ourselves as leaders. We must stop the media war. We need Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin, we should ask for help.”

    Hon. Momoh Abubarkar said there was need to seek international assistance but that first, the Federal Government should negotiate with the insurgents to free the abducted children.

    Another member, Rasak Bello-Osagie, said the ongoing insurgency in the country is not checked could tear the nation apart.

    “The issue threatens our corporate existence,” he said.

    Andrew Uchendu said there is the need to go spiritual to avoid the Balkanization of the country in line with the prediction of the Western countries. “Parliament should close down for a day and we should all go down on our knees.”

    According to him,” if care is not taken, the prediction that Nigeria will break in 2015 will come to pass.”

    Samson Osagie described the situation as ” a hopeless situation. It is a breakdown of government. Government must retrieve these children. If children of the 360 members are amongst, we will not be sitting here.”

    Hon. Garuba Datti Mohammed said there is no political will to defeat the terrorists, adding that in spite of the state of emergency.

    Other members, who spoke in support of the motion include Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, Robinson Uwak, Ifeoluwa Arewosoge, Patrick Ikheriale, Friday Itulah and Nnena Elendu-Ukeje whose amendment that ” engage the sub-regional, regional and international organizations in coming up with a resolution that enables the Nigerian army engage other neighbouring countries in tackling the trans-border insurgency, was passed.

     

     

     

  • Fed Govt to file fresh evidence against Ndume

    Fed Govt to file fresh evidence against Ndume

    The Federal Government is to call additional witnesses and produce more evidence in support of its case against a senator from Borno State, Aliyu Ndume.

    Ndume is standing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja on allegation that he has a link with the insurgent group, Boko Haram.

    The Federal Government’s plan to add fresh evidence and call more witnesses was contained in a motion filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

    Yesterday, a lawyer from the AGF’s office, E. Orji, urged the court to allow him file additional proof of evidence against Ndume.

    “The application is intended to give the accused a fair hearing and also the right to cross-examine the witness and contradict the evidence that shall be given.

    “We urge this court to grant this motion and dismiss the the accused’s counter affidavit because it is intended to clog the wheel of justice,” he said.

    Ndume opposed the government’s plan and urged the court to turn down the request to file additional proof of evidence and call additional witnesses against him.

    His lawyer, I. A. Kaigama, told the court that the motion will overreach the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which set aside the admission, by the trial court, of some evidence, including compact discs (CDs) and call log, earlier tendered by the prosecution.

    “The motion constitutes a gross abuse of the process of the court and should be refused. The application has no fact to convince the court to grant it.

    “Bringing additional evidence will amount to unfair trial for the accused,” Kaigama said.

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole fixed May 27 for ruling.

  • Boko Haram: Time for a different approach

    SIR: A lot has been said and done about the activities of the Boko Haram in the past but the menace continues unabated. The truth is that the issue has not been handled rightly. Several tactics have been employed and each has been matched with devastating consequences and more calamities. What this means is that the most viable option has not been embraced. Another troubling aspect is that our leaders and people have tended to look at the grave problem from wrong perspectives. That is, we have narrowed the menace to ethnic, political and religious perspectives. The leaders and the people are shying away from the main issue which is the fact that the perpetrators are aggrieved and disgruntled by the socio/political and economic situation in the country.

    With all due respect to our religious leaders, traditional rulers, politicians inside and outside government, academia, captains of industries and well meaning Nigerians, the fact remains that we have not really done much to support the government of the day in resolving this problem. While religious leaders are trading blames and castigating one particular religion or belief for being the architects of the menace, politicians are accusing one another of being the sponsors of the sect. Some captains of industries are keeping mum because the activities of the sect are prominent in areas where their industries are not located. Traditional rulers in some parts of the country are also not coming forth with viable ways of resolving the problem because it is not happening in their domains.

    Majority of the people are also trivializing the issue because it does not affect members of their immediate families.

    It is only in this country that we talk of East, West, South and Northern parts of Nigeria. Outside, they see us as Nigerians and no one part of the country can isolate itself from the others.

    The most painful aspect of the scenario is that Nigerians are easily carried away by worthless endeavours. Or how best can we describe a situation where taxpayers’ money is spent on the ongoing Constitutional Conference in the face of insecurity?

    I had expected the delegates to foreclose every other discussion and concentrate on the state of insecurity in the country. What is the essence of creating more states and resolving the issue of resources control or allocation when the roof top is on fire? The people that are supposed to enjoy the outcome of the so-called conference are presently under siege. If at all they get all other things right, how would it positively impact on the lives of the people that are living in fear? People whose lives and properties are not secured?

    Presently, the politicians are gearing up for the forthcoming elections because, they are not really bothered or concerned about the pains the families of those that have been killed or maimed by the activities of members of the sect are going through. What they are saying indirectly is that even if millions of Nigerians are killed today, there will still be millions of people that will participate in future elections.

    The United States has spent millions of Dollars in the search for the missing Malaysian Plane because of three or four Americans that were on board. That is how a government shows responsiveness and commitment to the plight of citizens.

    Just recently, over 200 girls were abducted by members of Boko Haram sect. Though some escaped by divine intervention, others are still in captivity. What else do you want to hear or be told about the capability of members of the sect? They have proven beyond reasonable doubt that they are fully on ground. The best thing to do at this point in time is to call for peaceful resolution of the matter. The government should be sincere and show commitment to true reconciliation by appealing to members of the sect to sheath their sword and be prepared for true reconciliation through dialogue and negotiations.

     

    • Raymond Oise-Oghaede

    Lagos

  • Boko/Fulani/Bank interest Rate/CSR Wars: Matters of Urgent Conference Importance

    Boko/Fulani/Bank interest Rate/CSR Wars: Matters of Urgent Conference Importance

    Nigeria is at war. The second war is the Boko Haram war. ‘Our Girls’, 200+ girls, kidnapped from school, are still ‘missing’ with no encouraging information or ‘Daily News Bulletin’. Instead we hear of new contracts for roads. Over 200 girls and their captors are not too tiny to have left a heat trail to be picked up by the daily satellite surveillance, our spies and our paid informers. No doubt there is an Air force and military ring of steel tightening around the area in the Sambisa Forest by the magnificent Armed Forces of Nigeria who at last have something to prove at home after their ECOMOG victories.

    We salute our brave men under arms and in foxholes, eyes penetrating the darkness of that forest seeking their targets and attempting to free the hostages with minimum or zero casualties. Even one dead girl will be too much for any parent to bear, though Boko Haram has maliciously already executed many girls and children and unborn babies in the Nyanya, Abuja bombing. Certainly Nigeria expects the early release by ‘ANY MEANS NECESSARY‘of ‘Our Girls’ so cruelly kidnapped by Boko Haram. Our whole government and private sector energy as a nation should be targeted towards freeing ‘Our Girls’ As Soon As Possible.

    Meanwhile Nigeria must not forget the daily 10-50 victims of the Fulani herdsmen’s ‘Right of Cow Way’ war and assault on Nigerian farmers across seven states, north and south who on retaliation are labelled as demons. Nobody lies down to die. The Non Sovereign National Conference must address this issue.

    If meat is the cause of war –fast on, turn to fish. Will Nigeria embarking on a three to six month prayer and ‘FAST FROM MEAT’ stop the war? SAY NO TO MEAT.  All wars are financial. Why are Nigerians so insensitive to the rights of others as to demand and actually eat meat brought to their tables at the cost of human lives? Incredible insensitivity! Even one life is one too many for your lunch of meat.  ‘Blood Meat’ brought to our tables by the murder of over 3000 and displacement of millions of farmers and families members is unacceptable and must be rejected. The Fulani-Nigeria must be stopped by a ‘MORATORIUM ON MEAT EATING’ until peace returns. It is small price to pay to instil sanity. We should have enforced this long ago.

    Meanwhile Nigeria is fighting a third war after the Boko Haram and the Fulani –Nigeria War. It is the ‘The Cement War’. Check cement bag prices worldwide. Cement is N2,300 per bag, up from N600 a few years ago, pre-rich man, whereas worldwide the average price is N500. Is this the price we have to pay to host the richest man in Nigeria and Africa and 23rd or 25th richest man in the world among us, excluding Nigerian and African past heads of state who are publicity shy? The price Nigeria is paying is too high. Building prices have shot up. The richest get invited to Davos to pontificate, with corner-mouth, on the imperatives of mass housing and poverty reduction. Excuse me, but ‘cement charity and fair play’ begin at home with the normal, not inflated, cement prices in Nigeria. Just imagine the cost to Nigerians of fuel when the richest man’s Lagos Refinery comes on stream. Has he got the guaranteed petroleum deliveries denied all previous refinery planners since Obasanjo’s feeble or frustrated private refinery initiative?

    There is also a ‘Bank Interest Rate War’ against Nigerians needing loans. The banks first quarter profits, and secret bank bonuses, are as usual obscenely mind-boggling and why not, with interest rates shamefully still at 22-25% except for the chosen few in some economic areas. Four banks have a collective profit in excess of N12b. Cut Interest rates! In normal societies this translates into a Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, fund of 1%+ or N120m. Where is that money? Is it well spent? N120m is twelve N10m youth centres countrywide or 36 in a year. And that does not include the CSR from other banks and 1000 other companies. CSR could be better coordinated than it is.

    Just as we complain to the Non-Sovereign National Conference about poor and over-centralised central government, we must also complain about poor CSR with over-centralisation in the headquarters. Why should head office in Abuja spend all the CSR vote? Every manager should be able to spend money in the locality of the bank, perhaps in proportion to earnings. AGMs and shareholders must monitor and direct CSR activities of their companies and the service companies their company does business with and ‘RECOMMEND THAT COMPANIES AND BANKS IN PARTICULAR ‘DECENTALISE CSR FUNDS’ TO BRANCHES and DISTRIBUTORS. A bank or company with a branch or distributorship in your neighbourhood should be doing serious CSR in your community. CSR is not a joke and should not be given maximally to sports like polo and golf. A lot of CSR is well motivated and well spent. However, in our dysfunctional society without any social security net, CSR is actually life-saving, life-changing and a desperately needed helping hand. Without CSR many NGOs and ‘Homes’ especially those servicing the poor, the orphaned and physically and mentally challenged will die. CSR has the additional burden of providing relief in crisis areas.

    Will the true Nigerians please stand up! Nigeria is so desperately in need of true Nigerians.

  • Comment

    Comment

    For Olatunji Dare

    Sir, your piece on What is boko haram? Today makes my day! I had ruminated in my mind severally what we can call this Boko Haram It started like a child‘s play when a group of well grounded lslamic faithful asked anyone (in the North ,in their town) who was a true muslim to surrender their Western-education certificate(s) for tear. As a scholar and a one time muslim l was suprised to my thigh. From Anonymous

    Sir, your article in The Nation news paper of Tuesday, April 22, was well thought out. The issues contained therein were so germane for every sane person to articulate. It was thought provoking and quite in consonnance with the character of the President Jonathan’s led Federal government. How on earth could a president who has sworn to protect the lives and properties of the citizenry would not show any consciousness to the plight of his people when an incident like the one in Nyanya befalls his state and would not deem it fit to put off a PDP unity rally in Kano, only to get there and join issues with Governor Kwankwaso just because he has told him it was improper to go ahead with the rally. From Anonymous

    Mr. Dare, Happy Easter. I think you need to ask President Jonathan what the present Boko Haram is and ask former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff what the pioneer Boko Haram was. These two gentlemen can give you clear answer If you press hard. Or if it is difficult to meet either the easiest person to ask is the Director General State Security Service. From Senator Zannah

    Sir, if you can do a little research, I read an interview granted by Balarabe Musa sometime in 2012 on Boko Haram and other views of Abubakar Umar. Both of them gave semblance definition of Boko Haram. From Anonymous

    What is Boko Haram? Dare, leave President Jonathan alone, can’t you as a journalist investigate who are behind the Boko Haram and publish their names? Is Borno, Yobe and Adamawa the only states in Nigeria? Now that Fulani herdsmen have started, is it the President who sent them. The Federal government asks Boko Haram to come out for talk they refused, what will president do?”A child who does not want his parent to sleep he too will not sleep” From Anonymous

    Thanks for your writeup today sir. To say the least, its now seems questionable whether President Jonathan truly got a PhD because most of his actions lack the integrity of true academic scrutiny. And that calls to question too, the subminimal performance of most academics that have graced public space. Professor Attahiru Jega is towing same line. I suggest you do a peer review of your brothers in public office for the sake of your class. Thank you. From Engr. Bode Enikuomehin, Ibadan,Nigeria.

    Sir, I just want to appeal to you to stop referring to Boko Haram as Islamist because they are not Muslims and have nothing to do with Islam. From Hamza.

    Sir, If President Jonathan had cancelled the trip to those places, the opposition could’ve been quick to conclude that he is a cowardly President. To me Boko Haram will go with time nothing is permanent except change. From Chikwelu, Abuja

    Mr President can’t do more than what he’s doing presently even if he’s given ticket to rule for life, instead Nigerians will continue to see the worst. He should step aside. Period! From Anonymous

    Dare, why are some of you columnists pretentious on Boko Haram’s beastly acts, its source and reasons behind its founding by heartless politicians; a great number of them in a political party you have your sympathy with? Is Nigeria the only country where terrorists are operating? Is Syria not worse off and has Assad stopped attending to governance of the country in spite of his merciless killing of Syrians? So because sponsored beasts invaded Nyanya, President Jonathan should engage in theatricals by cancelling official engagements and mourning the dead in pretence? Did Lagos State governor visit the site or close shop when there were serial boat mishaps with many dead? Must life stop because of mishaps that cannot be undone? There were pictorials of President Jonathan visiting Nyanya survivors in hospital. See The Sun newspaper. April 21 2014 back page. The Nation did not cover it possibly to justify your criticisms. Why? From LAI ASHADELE

    Re-What is Boko-Haram? Boko Haram is a club that has survived and is surviving as a result of politicians and political disunity as a result of envy. Now that they are uniting to combat it, it is looking a bit late. From Lanre Oseni.

    ‘What is Boko Haram?’ is a question begging for answer. They killed Muslims who do not support their irrational mission. The issue of President Jonathan is just like the parable of a king made a slave, and of a slave made a king.Needless to say more. From Yinka, Oshodi, Lagos

    Sir, you should have included Olatunji Dare in your roll call of persons to be used as parameters to rebase Nigerian image. How many people in this geographical expresion have head enough to understand you? You are talking to the DEAF, but dont be discouraged. From Anonymous

     

    For Tunji Adegboyega

    Tunji Adegboyega, God bless you for your treatise on page 13 of The Nation on Sunday of April 27 titled: ‘A tale of two empathisers’. You’ve made today (Sunday) a great one for me. Anonymous .

    You see, an uncle of mine came back from Mubi, a town in Adamawa via Borno . He told us how travelling in the north-east states (especially those under emergency rule) are not the best of places to visit. After he had regaled us with stories of how a journey that should not take more than three hours stretched beyond 16 hours, with all manner of security checkpoints, one naturally wondered how come 234 school children could still be abducted without the security agents being aware. Obviously some people are exploiting the situation. Jonathan lacks a proper understanding of the demands of the office he occupies; that is why less than 24 hours after that national tragedy, he saw nothing wrong in having a nice time with his friends in Kano. Come to think of it, it was broadcast on national television. From Simon Oladapo, Ogbomoso.

    I am not at a loss like our leaders whom we failed to scrutinise and now we are worried. Jonathan’s presidency remains what is called “an intolerable and clumsy presence of accidental power – power got suddenly, got by chance and got anyhow, or call it NEPA (National Embarrassment and Public Annoyance). Redemption or succour can’t be achieved except we want to deceive ourselves. From Akin Malaolu.

    The question I ask is, even if the Nyanya bomb blast was detonated by those who want to make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan as some lazy people usually say whenever anyone asks why Mr. President is displaying embarrassing ignorance in showing credible leadership, shouldn’t he have shown respect to the people who died at that unfortunate incident? Did Nigerians vote for Jonathan to be playing politics ceaselessly or to solve the problems that are giving them sleepless nights? What is Mr. President truly up to? His excitement in Kano is pregnant with so much meanings; only time will. From Ifeanyi o. Ifeanyichukwu, Abuja.

    Re: A tale of two empathisers. What you failed to know is that power has grade levels. From local governments to state houses and then to Aso Rock: the higher the power, the lower their pity-level. At Aso rock, there are too many Nigerian and international things to attend to and fulfil, hence Nyanya or 234 students’ abduction would be simultaneously handled with rallies! After all, why must the opposition be threatening the sitting power? At all cost. Mr. President must run Usain Bolt’s race to retain his seat. Clearly not minding this worldly affair, a head must be merciful, have humane touch and do the right thing that shows passion. In spite of all odds, Governor Shettima spoke and showed humaneness on the matter. From Lanre Oseni.

    Thanks my brother for your April 27 writing; very emotional. From Valentine Ojo, Abuja.

    One only hopes the merciless people in government read your article. May God almighty uproot them all in 2015 general elections. From Segun Odeyemi, Ibadan.

    Insurgency is a serious issue that all hands must be on deck to find a solution to instead of the war of words over the sect’s activities. It has become a national embarrassment and is uncalled-for. The security agencies should not leave any stone unturned in combing the forest to rescue the students. No one knows the condition of those girls now; only God can come to their rescue. The sect’s activities should be seen as a national crisis. From Chika Nnorom.

    Dear Tunji, I can only continue to admire and appreciate you for essays every Sunday. “After the marathon fasting” (April 20, 2014) hit the nail on the head …

    Tunji, please ask Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor to declare one week of fasting for all Nigerians over the emergence of satanic Boko Haram in Nigeria. All should wear black for one week and pray to God thrice a day. He should forget about denominations or religion or Yoruba prejudice over Jonathan, but call on all believers in God Almighty; then he will see the hand of God raised to help this nation. From AEE, Uyo, AKS.

    Dear Tunji, I am one of your ardent fans, because most of your comment are synonymous with me. The comment of April 20was very apt and I want you to please let our beloved church leaders know the consequence of keeping silent in the face of the present misrule of the PDP because if the nation burns, there won’t be members again to give tithes and offerings. From Ik

  • We use information given to us, says DHQ

    We use information given to us, says DHQ

    The Nigerian military yesterday declined to comment on allegations that the Boko Haram terrorists have whisked them abroad through military coloured vehicles.

    A Chibok leader, Dr. Pogu Bitrus had alleged that the extremist sect members transported them to neighbouring Chad and Cameroon through military-coloured vans and ferries, where they married the girls off to themselves and their members.

    But Defence spokesman, Gen. Chris Olukolade, who said the military would rather not comment on the issue, noted that no information was being left unanalysed to ensure the freedom of the girls.

    He said: “The concern and anxiety from all quarters is quite understandable. Please be assured that much as the forces may not disclose details of action being taken to secure the freedom of the girls, every information received on the subject is duly analysed and acted upon as necessary.

    “ No information is being ignored in the concerted effort to ensure the safety and freedom of the girls. Just pray for the successful outcome of all the efforts please.”

  • Boko Haram: FG to file fresh evidence against Ndume

    Boko Haram: FG to file fresh evidence against Ndume

    The Federal Government has indicated its intention to call additional witnesses and produce fresh evidence in support of its case against a serving Senator from Borno State, Aliyu Ndume.
    Ndume is standing trial before a Federal High Court in Abuja on allegation that he has a link with the Boko Haram sect.
    The federal government’s plan to add fresh evidence and call more witnesses was contained in a motion filed by the office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
    On Tuesday, a lawyer from the office of the AGF, E. Orji, moved the motion and urged the court to allow him file additional proof of evidence against Ndume.
    “The application is intended to give the accused person a fair hearing and also the right to cross-examine the witness and contradict the evidence that shall be given.
    “We urge this court to grant this motion and dismiss the counter affidavit of the accused because it is intended to cause a clog in the wheel of justice,” he said.
    Ndume opposed the government’s plan and urged the court to turn down the request to file additional proof of evidence and call additional witnesses against him.
    His lawyer, I. A. Kaigama, told the court that the motion will overreach the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which set aside the admission, by the trial court, of some evidence, including compact discs (CDs) and call log, earlier tendered by the prosecution.
    “The motion constitutes a gross abuse of the process of the court and should be refused. The application has no fact to convince the court to grant it.
    “Bringing additional evidence will amount to unfair trial for the accused person,” Kaigama said.
    The trial judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, has fixed May 27 for ruling.