The Nation Newspaper

Tag: boko haram

  • Boko Haram: Sect ambushes, kills 24 civilian JTF members in Borno

    Boko Haram: Sect ambushes, kills 24 civilian JTF members in Borno

    SUSPECTED members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, ambushed and killed at least 24 members of a youth vigilante group who were on a mission to find and fight the sect in Borno State, a security official said yesterday.

    Those who returned from Friday’s attack told officials that 36 other vigilantes were missing, the official said on condition of anonymity because he is not permitted to speak to the media.

    “The vigilante youths numbering over 100 were on a mission to capture some Boko Haram terrorists in their camps around Kaleri, Shuwari, Maganari and Nannari villages around Monguno’s local government area, before they were ambushed by the terrorists,” he said.

    The attack took place somewhere near Monguno town, 160 kilometers from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital where the Boko Haram ideology sprang up some four years ago.

    The vigilante group, known as the Civilian Joint Task Force, said its attackers were wearing military uniforms. The official said the Civilian-JTF usually gets a military escort when it goes on a search mission but that when the military did not arrive on time the vigilantes headed out.

    They later told officials they saw three patrol vehicles painted in camouflage and approached them thinking they were the escorts. The sect members then opened fire, killing at least 24 Civilian-JTF members, the security operative said.

    The Civilian-JTF has recently become a target for Boko Haram . Two attacks one earlier in the week and the other last weekend killed at least 20 members of the vigilante group, residents and an official said.

     

  • Boko Haram kills three in Borno community’s attack

    Boko Haram kills three in Borno community’s attack

    •Eight injured

    •NEMA registers 4,000 IDPs

    Three people were killed and eight others injured at the weekend when suspected Boko Haram members attacked residents of Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

    The insurgents reportedly stormed some homes of the residents, using knives and machetes on their victims, instead of the usual guns, apparently to evade security operatives and youth vigilantes, called “Civilian JTF”.

    The youths have been hunting down the insurgents for some time.

    Bama is a transit town of about 67 kilometres from Maiduguri, the state capital. It is believed to be one of the strongholds of the insurgents in the state.

    The area has witnessed series of coordinated attacks which have resulted in massive loss of life and property.

    A security source told our reporters that the insurgents resorted to using knives to slit their victims’ throats.

    This, it was learnt, is a quiet way to kill their victims without using the gun, which makes loud noise and attract security agencies and the young vigilantes.

    The security agencies assured the residents that they would soon end insurgency in the state.

    A resident in Bama, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that the remains of the three victims have been buried in the town. The injured are receiving treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH).

    A nurse at the UMTH confirmed the incident.

    She said the eight injured victims were responding to treatment.

    Police spokesman, Gideon Jubrin, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and his counterpart for the military Joint Task Force (JTF), Lt.-Col. Sagir Musa, could not be reached for comments because of the suspension of telecommunications services and the state of emergency in the state.

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said it has registered over 4,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) following last week’s attack on Dumba village, near Baga, Borno State.

    A statement by the NEMA’s Information Officer for the Northeast, Mallam Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said the IDPs were registered in Baga.

    The statement explained that those registered are mostly fishermen and farmers from Dumba village in Kukawa Local Government Area.

    The area was attacked by the insurgents on August 20.

    Ibrahim said the Zonal Co-ordinator of the agency, Alhaji Muhammed Kanar, led the team to register the IDPs at the Central Primary School in Baga.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • From the Villa

    IT was clear back in May that the president was really determined to halt the rampage of Boko Haram, the nation’s deadliest enemy yet.

    After many innocent souls were, again, sent to their early graves despite the Amnesty committee put in place three weeks earlier to dialogue with the deadly sects, President Goodluck Jonathan cut short his trip to South Africa on May 9 and shelved outright his scheduled state visit to Namibia.

    Jonathan went further by ordering the movement of more troops to the North and declared a state of emergency in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states on May 14.

    Over three months since the declaration, it has been claimed that great achievements have been recorded even though there were allegations of human rights abuses in some quarters.

    Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Obada had reeled out the achievements to include halting the threat to Nigeria’s unity and protecting its territorial integrity, dislodging the terrorists, recovering arms and ammunition, mobilising the civil populace for input to intelligence gathering, and generation of international understanding and appreciation of Nigeria’s peculiar security situations.

    To consolidate on its achievements and continue the fight against terrorists in the three troubled states, the Jonathan’s administration decided to create a new army division, BOYONA, headed by a Major-General, to take over from the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) on August 19.

    The Nigerian Airforce Strike Group based in Yola, Adamawa State, is also being boosted with more fighter, patrol aircraft and helicopter gunships under the Tactical Air Command to provide air cover over the Northeast.

    But before the JTF handed over to the new division, it claimed that the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau was likely killed from gunshots wounds sustained during an attack.

    For Nigerians to be happy and be able to sleep with their two eyes closed, especially those leaving in that region, it will go a long way if they can really get evidence to show that the leaders and members of the deadly sects have either been arrested or killed in battle.

    Collaboration with the neighboring countries should now be fully exploited to arrest members of the sect who have fled to those countries.

    To put a final stop to the terrorists’ activities in the country, the issue should also go beyond hunting down the terrorists’ leaders, members and their sponsors.

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other relevant government agencies should take concrete steps, irrespective of the ECOWAS protocol on free movements, to firm up the Nigerian border.

    Terrorists, criminals and illegal arms and ammunition should not be allowed to find their way into the country, under whatsoever guise.

  • Northern leaders missed their mark on Boko Haram -Ex-Anambra Governor Mbadinuju

    Northern leaders missed their mark on Boko Haram -Ex-Anambra Governor Mbadinuju

    Former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chiwonke Mbadinuju, has expressed serious concern over the worrisome state of insecurity in the country. In this interview with INNOCENT DURU, he speaks on the attitude of Northern leaders to Boko Haram and bares his mind on other burning national issues. Excerpts:

     

    When President Goodluck Jonathan declared state of emergency in three northern states, the menace of Boko Haram died down for some time but later came up again after the President felt the country was winning the war against terrorism.

    What in your opinion is actually the problem?

    One hardly finds the President of a country who says it is easy job ruling his people.

    President Jonathan may not be an exception, more so when he is not only saddled with problems of infrastructure, security and welfare and so many other needs then from nowhere he was suddenly confronted with the war of insurgency of a most vicious type as was never seen in Nigeria.

    I believe Nigerians never bargained for what we are witnessing today in the form of a war of attrition imposed on us by Boko Haram insurgents without warning, and even took unawares our well trained army, navy, air force, police and other security agencies.

    President Jonathan came into office from one crisis to another: from acting president to

    a “doctrine of necessity” to become President.

    I don’t know if Jonathan has in fact enjoyed the office of the President since his ascendancy.

    But he can take solace in the saying that ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’.

    Having seen Nigeria gradually being overrun by insurgent Boko Haram and quickly took control of three states of Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa, Nigerians immediately knew that the game was up and that we must be able tomatch the invaders one on one and out run and out class them, at least so we thought. It easily became an internecine warfare and none could predict when and how the end would come. Nigerians were dying in their hundreds in churches, mosques; army and police headquarters not exempted. The die was cast.

    Jonathan must have decided to take the bull by the horn and without further equivocation, he quickly declared state of emergency in the three states mentioned above.

    Thereafter, there was a sigh of relief, Nigerians greeted Jonathan for the masterpiece steps he took as many foreign countries began sending him congratulatory messages while many thought the worst would soon be over. It was not.

    The Northern Elders were bewildered and consistently called for amnesty. The President hesitated a bit but obliged them their request and immediately set up a committee headed by the Hon. Minister for Special Duties, Turaki, (SAN). Everyone thought that the solution had finally come but the euphoria was short-lived.

    Not much came out of this. But even wives and children and relations of Boko Haram were released from detention in the hope that this would assuage the feelings of parties on both sides, still killings continued. The JTF did the best any trained security group could do to achieve good and lasting result, but with not much result in terms of the objectives of

    government.

    Even when the ‘Civilian JTF’ volunteered their services to complament the efforts of JTF, hundreds of the young people were massacred in the war front and in cold blood. It was a good gesture and good effort but not the type government had in mind for a lasting solution. That dream died faster than it was conceived.

    In the final analys, is no one could sincerely blame Jonathan or his government for having not done enough. Even America, both at home and in the middle-East, Britain in Northern Ireland, Turkey, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and other countries fought insurgents but failed even till today. This nevertheless is a passing stage all over the world. Nigeria did not deserve anything like this, more so whentrue Nigerians were never insurgents. Our problems were rather imported from abroad and they were meant to destabilise our country. The beginning of the solution to this big problem is to first of all trust our President and his administration that they are doing their best under the circumstance, knowing that this is a wide-world phenomenon. Do you think the problem is being fuelled by anything the northern elite and leaders ought to have done but have left undone?

    It is good you mentioned Northern elite and leaders in respect of the problem of Boko Haram in Nigeria, particularly in the North East of the country. Why I seem to like the Northern elite and leaders is mainly because they seem to know their destination and how best to get there. They are not like men who are in a hurry but choose a longer route. They often try to hit the nail on the head.

    But the only time they seem to have missed the mark is on the issue of this Boko Haram.

    The gravine had it that some people actually encouraged Boko Haram in their bid to stop

    President Jonathan’s second term bid.

    Some of the Northern leaders have opposed almost every move Jonathan has made to carry out his programme of tranformation.

    Thus, when President Jonathan declared state of emergency in the three North Eastern states, even foreign nations commended him but the Northern leaders rebuffed it and opposed him. The Northern leaders furthermore called for amnesty for Boko Haram as was done for the South-South militants. But surprisingly when President Jonathan bent backwards to appease them and granted Boko Haram the amnesty, they were the same people that turned round and rejected amnesty; even a faction of Boko Haram turned round and rejected amnesty, saying it was the government that needed it. This cat and mouse game did not show seriousness on the part of some of the Northern leaders.

    It is this prevarication that delayed the full implementation of government’s programme for full eradication of the hideous Boko Haram sect. As it is now, only few people will believe that it is not the Northern leaders that are in a way fuelling the activities of the sect.

    I recently read President Jonathan’s statement in the press that the Boko Haram is giving Nigeria bad name. So the question is, when will this be over? But for me, and majority of the good people in this country, I say that it shall surely be well with us. Indeed we will wait and see the magic wand the Northern leaders will use in driving out Boko Haram from Nigeria when it is the turn of the North to rule Nigeria.

    What is your take on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum crisis? Why has it degenerated to the point it is now?

    Indeed, the ‘Nigerian Governors’ Forum’ (NGF) is a good thing and a good concept for Nigeria’s political and economic development as the governors activities complement those of the National Assembly (NASS), as well as the policies of the President. But as we know, absolute power corrupts absolutely, which is the sad aspect of the NGF today. In fact, I was in the first set of governors that started the NGF in 1999 smoothly without the hiccups we have noticed recently.

    Still, we don’t throw away the baby with the bath water. If the present governors know ‘from where they had fallen, they should repent and do the first works’ as in the Book of Revelations 2:5.

    In governance, the co-operation of the three arms of government is absolutely necessary. No one arm can govern alone under our constitution: not the Executive, neither the Legislature nor the Judiciary. The wheel of the nation’s administration cannot run smoothly without the three in motion. It seems, therefore, that while the Legislature has constitutional oversight function over the Executive, the Governors Forum does not have such function or powers.

    The governors in their forum tend to keep penetrating into the activities of the Executive, tending to pry deeper and deeper beyond constitutional limits. Where this happens, the Executive is bound to kick and to complain, leading to frictions as each branch continues to guard its powers jealously. An example is the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). The fund is an innovation that would benefit all Nigerians, but the governors politicised it. I often use the analogy of the children who were hungry and their father wanted the whole yam in the house cooked so that children would feed well for that day. But their mother objected and proceeded to cook only some and kept the rest for the rainy day. The mother here taught a good lesson that we should not consume all we have, and all at the same time.

    Let us immediately look at the face-off between the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the First Lady,Dame Patience, and the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, on the one hand and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, on the other hand? What do you think is amiss?

    It is, in fact, revolting to me and to all rightthinking persons to lump together President Jonathan, his wife, and a Minister of State (Education) and squared them up with Governor Amaechi of Rivers State. We must learn in this country to give honour to whom it is due. We as people must learn to respect our leaders and not use foul language against them. If we are not able to respect our President and leaders in this country, then we should not expect foreigners to respect them, or even respect Nigeria for that matter.

    Finally, if I were Governor Amaechi, I will not wait for the Presidency to approach me for settlement of any rift. Rather I will seek audience to see the President and apologise and ask him what I would do to restore the former good relationship. What I am saying is not theory. It happened to me as governor when our great party leader ‘single-handedly’ stopped me from my second-term bid. Not only that, I was blackmailed and wrongly accused of a crime I never committed and the same party leader believed the accusation against me by my opponents; I was nearly killed for a crime I knew nothing about.

    But after I was set free, I took time to visit Baba twice in his hill-top mansion, Abeokuta Ogun State, and slept in his room the two days I visited him and was well received with sumptuous meals. Furthermore, my said leader also allowed me to give ‘words of exhortation’ to worshipers in his Chapel at Abeokuta. At the end, he told the congregation that the problem was from my people and that he had forgiven me over all that was done to me. Everyone in the chapel rejoiced.

    A friend I told of this encounter asked: Who should forgive whom? Should it be my leader who wronged me or me who was wronged?

    We laughed over it, as I told him that I could not be greater than my leader and master.

    That was how we reconciled. Things like that should be examples in similar situations. At least, I am alive today, healthy and still being politically relevant. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

    The PDP has been enmeshed in series of crises in recent times. Why is the house divided against itself?

    For PDP, the house has not quite divided.

    Don’t forget that PDP has built and maintained a very large empire for all and sundry to take shelter under the umbrella. When it is said that PDP is the biggest party in Africa, it makes sense. The bigger the party the bigger the trouble. But the PDP’s trouble does not affect winning in election. The party knows how to close ranks when the chips and down.

    The PDP house may have divided but not against itself as your question seems to suggest.

    As for the party and its electoral gain, I say that the taste of the pudding shall be in the eating.

    Even from the so-called ‘noise’ emanating from the camp of the Nigerian Governors

    Forum (NGF), it should not worry anyone.

    The ‘noise’ represents activities like in a factory, if there is no noise as you approach a factory, it means there is no production going on, and the factory is dormant. But if there is noise, it shows factory is at work and producing.

    In fact, for a factory, the louder the noise the better for it and so it is with the NGF.

    Noise- making is not always a bad thing.

    From all we are seeing, the polity appears to have been heated up ahead of the 2015 elections, what does this portend for the country and our democracy?

    They are the politicians that try to over-heat the polity by their actions and utterances. If politicians play according to rules of the game, it will be seen that politics can be an interesting game, but shifting the goal post in the middle of a match is nothing but stealing.

    When once politicians discard the rule of law, equity and due process and begin to carry ballot boxes and writing results and heaping cash at the door steps of voters to entice them, it means the voters have deviated from the norms of democracy. The 2015 elections may be different, even if better than the earlier 2011 election adjudged to be the fairest as was promised by President Jonathan himself.

    However, we hope is not lost.

    Some sections of the North have demanded for the return of the presidency to the region in 2015. Do you share their sentiment?

    You talk of the presidency ‘returning’ to the North when the South East has indeed not tasted the office at all. I am not saying the North won’t take their turn but it will be at a due time. I believe in one thing at a time. Let Jonathan complete his second tenure first; then the South-South will know they have taken their due share. The next issue will be between the North that has had three civilian heads of state and several military heads of state, and the South-East which has not tasted the office for the first time. Between the North and South-East, where will equity and fairness lie?

    Will equity be in favour of those who have produced the President and several Heads of State, or will equity be in favour of the South-East that has not had even one President?

    There is no need assuming that immediately the South-South finishes, it will rotate to the North. To such an assumption, Zebrudaya would say emphatically, ‘Fa-fa-fa-fa-foul o’!

    When the time comes to decide, all the six zones shall come together and discuss the merits and demerits of which zone shall get the slot. Let it not be said that it is a forgone conclusion that the rotation will go to the North.

    Suppose it goes to South-East? So what? Do you think the choice of Dr. Umaru Dikko as the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the PDP is a welcome idea?

    Umaru Dikko is one of the best politicians and administrators produced by this country and nurtured by former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the Second Republic. I worked as and Assistant to the then Vice-President, Dr. Alex I. Ekwueme in Shagari’s Administration and I had occasions to interact with Umaru Dikko who was the Minister of Transport and who ably handled the distribution of rice and other scarce commodities made available through his office to all the needy in all parts of the country.

    For the PDP to appoint Dikko to head the disciplinary committee and for him to accept to chair the committee is a plus for the party. I only pray that his health is good enough to handle the tedious assignment.

    I know Dikko to be fair-minded and dedicated to whatever assignment was given to him, he discharged them creditably. So he is indeed a ‘fit and proper’ person to do the job and do it well without fear or favour.

    Recently, Senator Arthur Nzeribe said the South East has nothing to show for the support it gave to President Jonathan. Do you feel the same way?

    My good friend, the distinguished Senator Arthur Nzeribe is an enigma. Even out of government, he is still quite in touch with everything happening around him. Like Zik of Africa, Arthur maintains a library of files of ‘who is who’ in many spheres of endeavour. If you mention a person, or bring up a topic, Arthur will give you a rundown of the person or of the event and its chronology. At a time his health was somehow, but now he is rejuvenated. One can understand when I described him as an enigma.Recently, he gave an interview in which he advised the Igbo to forget the 2015 presidential election. Arthur says his mind not minding whose ox is gored. A debate between Arthur and my other good friend, Orji Uzor Kalu, also another enigma, will be interesting.

    A debate of these two accomplished politicians on the plight of Igbo and how they can come into the main stream of Nigerian politics will be in order. But Orji Uzor Kalu believes that Igbo deserves to be given the chance in 2015, while Arthur felt that Igbo deserve the presidency but not in 2015. The debate shall go on as it has been every four years. One of these days, it must be the time of the Igbo to take their turn, and when that time comes, no human being can stop the move.

    As for whether President Jonathan deserves further support by the Igbo and whether he has done enough for the South East to vote for him again in 2015, that will be a matter for further debate. But for me, it is fate that brought Jonathan in as President of this country. When he was Deputy Governor in Bayelsa State, little did he know that he would be governor, and from being governor, he became Vice-President, and then Acting President; and finally President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whoever assisted him to succeed must have been used of God, and should not boast.

    Would it be in the interest of the region to support him again if he wants to go for a second term and what would that mean for the chances of the region to have one of his own to occupy the nation’s number one seat?

    Actually, President Jonathan has not declared that he would run for second term, though he kept saying that he will reveal his plans in the year 2014. So, we need to respect his decision and wait; 2014 is just around the corner and he will tell Nigerians why he wants second term, whether it is by the constitution or by virtue of his accomplishments in office in the first term of four years. The time is at hand. He already presented his mid-term accomplishments. To me, it will not be fair for the Igbo to abandon Jonathan if he decides to run for second term, but we’ll wait and see what happens or develops.

    What is your take on the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State?

    There are major political parties competing for the office of Governor of Anambra State.

    APGA is the present ruling party. It is followed by the PDP, the Labour, and APC (not in a particular order). As a PDP stalwart, I will do all I can to make sure the PDP candidate wins back Anambra State, which I first ‘captured in 1999, and it got lost through political intrigues and inordinate ambition. This is the much I can say now, but I sincerely believe that the bones shall rise again. It is well.

     

  • Northern leaders missed their mark on Boko Haram -Ex-Anambra Governor Mbadinuju

    Northern leaders missed their mark on Boko Haram -Ex-Anambra Governor Mbadinuju

    Former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chiwonke Mbadinuju, has expressed serious concern over the worrisome state of insecurity in the country. In this interview with INNOCENT DURU, he speaks on the attitude of Northern leaders to Boko Haram and bares his mind on other burning national issues. Excerpts:

    When President Goodluck Jonathan declared state of emergency in three northern states, the menace of Boko Haram died down for some time but later came up again after the President felt the country was winning the war against terrorism. What in your opinion is actually the problem?

    One hardly finds the President of a country who says it is easy job ruling his people. President Jonathan may not be an exception, more so when he is not only saddled with problems of infrastructure, security and welfare and so many other needs then from nowhere he was suddenly confronted with the war of insurgency of a most vicious type as was never seen in Nigeria.

    I believe Nigerians never bargained for what we are witnessing today in the form of a war of attrition imposed on us by Boko Haram insurgents without warning, and even took unawares our well trained army, navy, air force, police and other security agencies.

    President Jonathan came into office from one crisis to another: from acting president to a “doctrine of necessity” to become President. I don’t know if Jonathan has in fact enjoyed the office of the President since his ascendancy. But he can take solace in the saying that ‘uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’.

    Having seen Nigeria gradually being over-run by insurgent Boko Haram and quickly took control of three states of Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa, Nigerians immediately knew that the game was up and that we must be able to match the invaders one on one and out run and out class them, at least so we thought. It easily became an internecine warfare and none could predict when and how the end would come. Nigerians were dying in their hundreds in churches, mosques; army and police headquarters not exempted. The die was cast.

    Jonathan must have decided to take the bull by the horn and without further equivocation, he quickly declared state of emergency in the three states mentioned above. Thereafter, there was a sigh of relief, Nigerians greeted Jonathan for the masterpiece steps he took as many foreign countries began sending him congratulatory messages while many thought the worst would soon be over. It was not.

    The Northern Elders were bewildered and consistently called for amnesty. The President hesitated a bit but obliged them their request and immediately set up a committee headed by the Hon. Minister for Special Duties, Turaki, (SAN). Everyone thought that the solution had finally come but the euphoria was short-lived.

    Not much came out of this. But even wives and children and relations of Boko Haram were released from detention in the hope that this would assuage the feelings of parties on both sides, still killings continued. The JTF did the best any trained security group could do to achieve good and lasting result, but with not much result in terms of the objectives of government.

    Even when the ‘Civilian JTF’ volunteered their services to complament the efforts of JTF, hundreds of the young people were massacred in the war front and in cold blood. It was a good gesture and good effort but not the type government had in mind for a lasting solution. That dream died faster than it was conceived.

    In the final analys, is no one could sincerely blame Jonathan or his government for having not done enough. Even America, both at home and in the middle-East, Britain in Northern Ireland, Turkey, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and other countries fought insurgents but failed even till today. This nevertheless is a passing stage all over the world. Nigeria did not deserve anything like this, more so when true Nigerians were never insurgents. Our problems were rather imported from abroad and they were meant to destabilise our country.

    The beginning of the solution to this big problem is to first of all trust our President and his administration that they are doing their best under the circumstance, knowing that this is a wide-world phenomenon.

    Do you think the problem is being fuelled by anything the northern elite and leaders ought to have done but have left undone?

    It is good you mentioned Northern elite and leaders in respect of the problem of Boko Haram in Nigeria, particularly in the North East of the country. Why I seem to like the Northern elite and leaders is mainly because they seem to know their destination and how best to get there. They are not like men who are in a hurry but choose a longer route. They often try to hit the nail on the head.

    But the only time they seem to have missed the mark is on the issue of this Boko Haram. The gravine had it that some people actually encouraged Boko Haram in their bid to stop President Jonathan’s second term bid.

    Some of the Northern leaders have opposed almost every move Jonathan has made to carry out his programme of tranformation. Thus, when President Jonathan declared state of emergency in the three North Eastern states, even foreign nations commended him but the Northern leaders rebuffed it and opposed him. The Northern leaders furthermore called for amnesty for Boko Haram as was done for the South-South militants. But surprisingly when President Jonathan bent backwards to appease them and granted Boko Haram the amnesty, they were the same people that turned round and rejected amnesty; even a faction of Boko Haram turned round and rejected amnesty, saying it was the government that needed it. This cat and mouse game did not show seriousness on the part of some of the Northern leaders.

    It is this prevarication that delayed the full implementation of government’s programme for full eradication of the hideous Boko Haram sect. As it is now, only few people will believe that it is not the Northern leaders that are in a way fuelling the activities of the sect.

    I recently read President Jonathan’s statement in the press that the Boko Haram is giving Nigeria bad name. So the question is, when will this be over? But for me, and majority of the good people in this country, I say that it shall surely be well with us. Indeed we will wait and see the magic wand the Northern leaders will use in driving out Boko Haram from Nigeria when it is the turn of the North to rule Nigeria.

    What is your take on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum crisis? Why has it degenerated to the point it is now?

    Indeed, the ‘Nigerian Governors’ Forum’ (NGF) is a good thing and a good concept for Nigeria’s political and economic development as the governors activities complement those of the National Assembly (NASS), as well as the policies of the President. But as we know, absolute power corrupts absolutely, which is the sad aspect of the NGF today. In fact, I was in the first set of governors that started the NGF in 1999 smoothly without the hiccups we have noticed recently.

    Still, we don’t throw away the baby with the bath water. If the present governors know ‘from where they had fallen, they should repent and do the first works’ as in the Book of Revelations 2:5.

    In governance, the co-operation of the three arms of government is absolutely necessary. No one arm can govern alone under our constitution: not the Executive, neither the Legislature nor the Judiciary. The wheel of the nation’s administration cannot run smoothly without the three in motion. It seems, therefore, that while the Legislature has constitutional oversight function over the Executive, the Governors Forum does not have such function or powers.

    The governors in their forum tend to keep penetrating into the activities of the Executive, tending to pry deeper and deeper beyond constitutional limits. Where this happens, the Executive is bound to kick and to complain, leading to frictions as each branch continues to guard its powers jealously. An example is the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). The fund is an innovation that would benefit all Nigerians, but the governors politicised it. I often use the analogy of the children who were hungry and their father wanted the whole yam in the house cooked so that children would feed well for that day. But their mother objected and proceeded to cook only some and kept the rest for the rainy day. The mother here taught a good lesson that we should not consume all we have, and all at the same time.

    Let us immediately look at the face-off between the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the First Lady,Dame Patience, and the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, on the one hand and Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, on the other hand? What do you think is amiss?

    It is, in fact, revolting to me and to all right-thinking persons to lump together President Jonathan, his wife, and a Minister of State (Education) and squared them up with Governor Amaechi of Rivers State. We must learn in this country to give honour to whom it is due. We as people must learn to respect our leaders and not use foul language against them. If we are not able to respect our President and leaders in this country, then we should not expect foreigners to respect them, or even respect Nigeria for that matter.

    Finally, if I were Governor Amaechi, I will not wait for the Presidency to approach me for settlement of any rift. Rather I will seek audience to see the President and apologise and ask him what I would do to restore the former good relationship. What I am saying is not theory. It happened to me as governor when our great party leader ‘single-handedly’ stopped me from my second-term bid. Not only that, I was blackmailed and wrongly accused of a crime I never committed and the same party leader believed the accusation against me by my opponents; I was nearly killed for a crime I knew nothing about.

    But after I was set free, I took time to visit Baba twice in his hill-top mansion, Abeokuta Ogun State, and slept in his room the two days I visited him and was well received with sumptuous meals. Furthermore, my said leader also allowed me to give ‘words of exhortation’ to worshipers in his Chapel at Abeokuta. At the end, he told the congregation that the problem was from my people and that he had forgiven me over all that was done to me. Everyone in the chapel rejoiced.

    A friend I told of this encounter asked: Who should forgive whom? Should it be my leader who wronged me or me who was wronged? We laughed over it, as I told him that I could not be greater than my leader and master. That was how we reconciled. Things like that should be examples in similar situations. At least, I am alive today, healthy and still being politically relevant. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

    The PDP has been enmeshed in series of crises in recent times. Why is the house divided against itself?

    For PDP, the house has not quite divided. Don’t forget that PDP has built and maintained a very large empire for all and sundry to take shelter under the umbrella. When it is said that PDP is the biggest party in Africa, it makes sense. The bigger the party the bigger the trouble. But the PDP’s trouble does not affect winning in election. The party knows how to close ranks when the chips and down. The PDP house may have divided but not against itself as your question seems to suggest. As for the party and its electoral gain, I say that the taste of the pudding shall be in the eating.

    Even from the so-called ‘noise’ emanating from the camp of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), it should not worry anyone. The ‘noise’ represents activities like in a factory, if there is no noise as you approach a factory, it means there is no production going on, and the factory is dormant. But if there is noise, it shows factory is at work and producing. In fact, for a factory, the louder the noise the better for it and so it is with the NGF. Noise- making is not always a bad thing.

    From all we are seeing, the polity appears to have been heated up ahead of the 2015 elections, what does this portend for the country and our democracy?

    They are the politicians that try to over-heat the polity by their actions and utterances. If politicians play according to rules of the game, it will be seen that politics can be an interesting game, but shifting the goal post in the middle of a match is nothing but stealing.

    When once politicians discard the rule of law, equity and due process and begin to carry ballot boxes and writing results and heaping cash at the door steps of voters to entice them, it means the voters have deviated from the norms of democracy. The 2015 elections may be different, even if better than the earlier 2011 election adjudged to be the fairest as was promised by President Jonathan himself. However, we hope is not lost.

    Some sections of the North have demanded for the return of the presidency to the region in 2015. Do you share their sentiment?

    You talk of the presidency ‘returning’ to the North when the South East has indeed not tasted the office at all. I am not saying the North won’t take their turn but it will be at a due time. I believe in one thing at a time. Let Jonathan complete his second tenure first; then the South-South will know they have taken their due share. The next issue will be between the North that has had three civilian heads of state and several military heads of state, and the South-East which has not tasted the office for the first time. Between the North and South-East, where will equity and fairness lie? Will equity be in favour of those who have produced the President and several Heads of State, or will equity be in favour of the South-East that has not had even one President? There is no need assuming that immediately the South-South finishes, it will rotate to the North. To such an assumption, Zebrudaya would say emphatically, ‘Fa-fa-fa-fa-foul o’! When the time comes to decide, all the six zones shall come together and discuss the merits and demerits of which zone shall get the slot. Let it not be said that it is a forgone conclusion that the rotation will go to the North. Suppose it goes to South-East? So what?

    Do you think the choice of Dr. Umaru Dikko as the chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the PDP is a welcome idea?

    Umaru Dikko is one of the best politicians and administrators produced by this country and nurtured by former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari of the Second Republic. I worked as and Assistant to the then Vice-President, Dr. Alex I. Ekwueme in Shagari’s Administration and I had occasions to interact with Umaru Dikko who was the Minister of Transport and who ably handled the distribution of rice and other scarce commodities made available through his office to all the needy in all parts of the country.

    For the PDP to appoint Dikko to head the disciplinary committee and for him to accept to chair the committee is a plus for the party. I only pray that his health is good enough to handle the tedious assignment.

    I know Dikko to be fair-minded and dedicated to whatever assignment was given to him, he discharged them creditably. So he is indeed a ‘fit and proper’ person to do the job and do it well without fear or favour.

    Recently, Senator Arthur Nzeribe said the South East has nothing to show for the support it gave to President Jonathan. Do you feel the same way?

    My good friend, the distinguished Senator Arthur Nzeribe is an enigma. Even out of government, he is still quite in touch with everything happening around him. Like Zik of Africa, Arthur maintains a library of files of ‘who is who’ in many spheres of endeavour. If you mention a person, or bring up a topic, Arthur will give you a rundown of the person or of the event and its chronology. At a time his health was somehow, but now he is rejuvenated. One can understand when I described him as an enigma.

    Recently, he gave an interview in which he advised the Igbo to forget the 2015 presidential election. Arthur says his mind not minding whose ox is gored. A debate between Arthur and my other good friend, Orji Uzor Kalu, also another enigma, will be interesting.

    A debate of these two accomplished politicians on the plight of Igbo and how they can come into the main stream of Nigerian politics will be in order. But Orji Uzor Kalu believes that Igbo deserves to be given the chance in 2015, while Arthur felt that Igbo deserve the presidency but not in 2015. The debate shall go on as it has been every four years. One of these days, it must be the time of the Igbo to take their turn, and when that time comes, no human being can stop the move.

    As for whether President Jonathan deserves further support by the Igbo and whether he has done enough for the South East to vote for him again in 2015, that will be a matter for further debate. But for me, it is fate that brought Jonathan in as President of this country. When he was Deputy Governor in Bayelsa State, little did he know that he would be governor, and from being governor, he became Vice-President, and then Acting President; and finally President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, whoever assisted him to succeed must have been used of God, and should not boast.

    Would it be in the interest of the region to support him again if he wants to go for a second term and what would that mean for the chances of the region to have one of his own to occupy the nation’s number one seat?

    Actually, President Jonathan has not declared that he would run for second term, though he kept saying that he will reveal his plans in the year 2014. So, we need to respect his decision and wait; 2014 is just around the corner and he will tell Nigerians why he wants second term, whether it is by the constitution or by virtue of his accomplishments in office in the first term of four years. The time is at hand. He already presented his mid-term accomplishments. To me, it will not be fair for the Igbo to abandon Jonathan if he decides to run for second term, but we’ll wait and see what happens or develops.

    What is your take on the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State?

    There are major political parties competing for the office of Governor of Anambra State. APGA is the present ruling party. It is followed by the PDP, the Labour, and APC (not in a particular order). As a PDP stalwart, I will do all I can to make sure the PDP candidate wins back Anambra State, which I first ‘captured in 1999, and it got lost through political intrigues and inordinate ambition. This is the much I can say now, but I sincerely believe that the bones shall rise again. It is well.

     

  • Boko Haram: Amnesty panel claims new peace deal as sect kills 44 in Borno

    Boko Haram: Amnesty panel claims new peace deal as sect kills 44 in Borno

    Another reprisal attack by the Boko Haram sect on Tuesday night claimed 44 lives in Borno State.

    The incident occurred two days before the Minister of Special Duties, Taminu Turaki-led Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North claimed that it had secured another peace deal with the Shura, the highest decision making body of the sect.

    The reprisal attack that claimed 44 lives occurred at Dumba village near Baga town in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

    Sources told our reporter that about 50 members of the insurgent group stormed the village, which is only a few kilometres from Baga town, killing 44 people and leaving scores of others with various degrees of injury.

    It was also gathered that the insurgents set fire on some houses in the village and plucked some of the victims’ eyes. The invaders were also said to have dismembered the bodies of some other victims.

    A rescue worker told our reporter that the village came under attack late on Tuesday while most of the residents were already asleep.

    Our correspondent reports that rescue workers had been mobilised to the area from Maiduguri to provide medical services to surviving victims.

    “As I am speaking to you now, the Red Cross and the Medicine Sans Frontiers officials are busy attending to the injured victims,” a rescue worker with a Federal Government agency, who craved anonymity, said.

    According to him, the village was immediately deserted and the people sought refuge at the Baga Central Primary School.

    Another source at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said the agency had mobilised to the area to access the situation.

    According to him, the agency will by today set up a camp at the primary school for the displaced victims.

    Authorities of the Joint Task Force (JTF) could not be reached for comment at press time.

    It was the third time in a month that the insurgents would launch a massive attack on innocent victims with heavy casualty figures.

    It will be recalled that similar attacks were carried out by the insurgent group on Konduga and Damboa towns recently.

    But the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, led by Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki, yesterday maintained that it had secured another peace deal with the Shura, the highest decision making body of the Boko Haram sect.

    The Committee, which was set up by President Goodluck Jonathan in April to dialogue with the militant sect, had a few weeks back claimed that it had secured a peace deal with the sect, but that was immediately denied by the sect’s leader, Abubakar Shekau.

    Turaki showed a 30-minute video clip of the Shura committee announcing the deal in Arabic and subtitled in English to journalists at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja, where the Shura leader maintained that the decision to enter into genuine peace negotiations with government was based on the tenets of Islam, the teachings of Prophet Muhammed and the writings of eminent Islamic scholars and jurists.

     According to the English subtitle of the video clip, the leader, Muhammad Lawan Ibn Suliaman, who met the committee in Bauchi, said: “Thanks be to Allah, the most high, who enjoined us to fight enemies and the infidels, who also enjoined us to answer the call to dialogue with the infidels and the enemies whenever they request for that.

     “Praise also to the noble Prophet of Allah, Muhammed, who peace is upon him and his companions and those who follow them in good fate up to the day of resurrection.

     “We are indeed surprised with the visit paid to us by a dialogue committee set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria. More surprised, the committee met us in prison custody and explained to us reason for their visit and also asked four fundamental questions.

     ”Firstly, is it possible to dialogue and reach peaceful resolution of the conflict between our brothers and the Federal Government who are engaged in fighting? Secondly, which way is the dialogue going to follow? Thirdly, which assistance those of us in detention would give in realisation of that? Fourthly, what assistance do the detainees need to facilitate the dialogue?

    “My response is as follows: With the hope that it will be in accordance with Allah’s injunction. Indeed, dialogue between the Jihadists and the government is possible. This is because dialogue is well rooted in Islam as Allah says in the chapter of Anfal in the Quran: ‘If they turn to peaceful coexistence, you also should follow suit. You should also depend on Allah, who indeed is all hearing and knowing.”

     He went on: “Alhafiz Ibn Kharhik said: ‘If they turn to dialogue, you should accept to do it.’ It was base on these that when the pagans sought for cease fire for 10 years with the Holy Prophet in the year, the treaty of Hudaihiyyah, the Prophet accepted their terms, and that it was.

     “Ha’ad said there are lots of benefits in heeding to call in the verse which instructed the prophet to positively respond to other party’s call for dialogue as quoted above. Some of the benefits include forgiveness, which is desirable at all times. So, if they approached you first, it is better, up to the point where he said: ‘What is feared in dialogue is treachery.’

     “But in this, Allah went on to say it is sufficient for the Muslims, and if the infidels embark on any deceit, it will boomerang.

     “Abdullahi Bin Mas’ud said: ‘You regard the conquest of Makkah from infidels as the greatest achievement and is considered the treaty of Hudairiyya as the key that opens Makkah. Jibin Bin Abdullahi also said a similar thing. Raka’u Bin Malik also said the treaty of Hudairiyya is key to conquest of Makkah.”

     “In view of the authorities quoted and several others similar to them, it is pertinent for brothers, the Jihadists to bend towards dialogue with the government as a reference to Allah’s injunction.

     ”In the verse mentioned earlier, moreover also Allah said, it is not proper for the believers to follow their desire if Allah and his apostle decided on matter. May Allah help us.”

     “Here are opinions of scholars on the matter of the questions. Imam Ibn Kayyum Al-Auza’I, in his book Zadul-Ma’ad Fi Hadyi Khairil Ibad, after expunging a chapter on the treaty of Hudairiyyah, set a new chapter on the benefit of the treaty. Among them include its validity, the fact that the pagans and transgressors ask for any matter which remain within the domain of the creator.”

     “The believers should accept to the request even if they stood on the way to the realisation of their goal, so long as it will not lead to the greatest sin. This is one of the most difficult moments for the companions of the prophet.”

     The Shura leader continued: “Ibn Kayyum also said: ‘It is incumbent on a leader to take advantage of any window that will bring peace for the people. He should not even wait to be approached. Reaching peace with non-believers is lawful so long as it will bring relief to believers. Peace accord, he said, has multiple advantages to believers.’

     “Also, the treaty of Hudairiyyah, which legalised repatriation of believers who migrated to the unbelievers as well as the clause which prohibited repatriation of deserters excluding women, was accepted, though unfavourable to Muslims.

     “Further benefit of treaty Hudairiyyah, which followed the conquest of Makkah, was the cessation of hostility for 10 years and cessation could go beyond the 10 years if the need arose, particularly when the people are at weak point.

     “Ash-shaikh Mustapha in his book Kaddul-Mukhtari Sharitul Tanwiril Absat said, ‘It is permissible to reach peace accord and lay down arms with reparation to or against us because of the Allah’s saying, ‘When you turn to peace, turn to it with completeness and depend on Allah’ Quran Chapter 8:61.

     “Al Imam Razi said pertaining the explanation of this verse: “you should know when the enemies become frightened and if they turn to peaceful resolution, you should accept.”

     “Al-Sheirk Yusuf Alqadawi said in his book, Pokinul Jihad, is foolhardy for Muslims to wait until when they are over powered by enemy before making conciliation particularly when it is imminent that the enemy is far stronger and that they cannot match them.”

     “It will amount to arrogance when one continues to fight under the prevailing condition, a situation which will not make the weaker stronger nor the stronger weaker.”

     “If the Muslim leadership reviews the situation and foresaw the danger in the continuation of the war, then it has to be stopped even without the prompting of the enemy. This is exactly what our leader, Muhammad Yusuf did when he saw the situation deteriorating then. Allah is the best of judges”.

     “Finally, I hope my fellow brothers who claimed to align themselves with the movement of Muhammad Yusuf with come to reason with the citations made from the scriptures. They should also see beyond their eyes, the condition of the religion and the people under the present circumstance and embrace peace. It is indeed evident enough.”

     “Praise is to Allah and his messenger, and peace be unto you all. Your brothers in Islam, Muhammad Lawan Ibn Suliaman, Abdul-Auza’i, Al-Darnawo, Al-Maliki.”’

     At the end of the video, Turaki said that the essence of making public the two-week-old video clip was to prove to Nigerians that there has been a deal between the government team and the very influential Shura committee.

    According to him, the Boko Haram sect is “a very disciplined group which respects seniority” and the committee believed that the field operatives of the group would recognise their leaders and be bound to embrace dialogue when they watch the video and hear the Shura members in their own words.

    “It is incumbent on all true Muslims to accept dialogue. They (Shura members) have called on their members and Muslims to give peace a chance. We need to build confidence to open a line of communication. When we build on dialogue, we will get to the next stage of total ceasefire. We have not got to that level yet. No conditions have been finalized,” he stated

    Turaki also disclosed that the committee was still making efforts to meet another set of senior leaders of the group, and a splinter group, Ansaru.

     He said that he could not get confirmation from the military operatives in Borno State on the death of the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

    The Minister also admitted that there is no clear nexus between the Shura committee and the second-in-command with whom government reportedly secured an earlier peace deal, or with Shekau who is yet to be personally reached.

    He explained that his committee had no mandate to pay compensation to victims of Boko Haram victims, but will advise government on how to bring “succour” to them.

    While disclosing that the extension of the committee’s tenure will end on September 24, 2013, he said the issue of dialogue is a continuous one.

  • Cleric urges insurgents on peace

    The Baba Adini of Somolu, in Lagos State, Alahji Samsondeen Labinjo, has described the killings in the northern part of the country as political and called on the members of the Boko Haram to embrace peace.

    Speaking at a post Ramadan prayer held at Somolu, he said the issue of Boko Haram came up because they believe that power should be held by Muslims.

    According to him, if power is given to Muslim brother from the Southeast, there would be peace in the country because they deserve to rule the country.

    He said: “I have addressed Boko Haram issue in the past, Boko Haram is a political thing. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the head of state for eight years and left. A northern and a Muslim took over but did not last due to death, I mean the late Umaru Yar’Adua.

    “The administration was taken over by a Christian who completed the remaining two years and contested again and won the election. At the moment, he is planning to come back again. The Muslim community will not be happy at this development.

    “But I want to use this medium to call for the support of an Igbo man for the next president and should be a Muslim. If you think the Southeast don’t have Muslims, go on pilgrimage to Mecca, you will find different tents with six different states from the Southeast, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Ebonyin and Enugu states at Mecca, well expressed there.”

    Explaining further, he said: “This shows clearly that you can find good and competent Muslims in the Southeast who can provide leadership at the Presidency. If this is done I can assure you Boko Haram will vanish”.

     

  • Why Boko Haram is yet to be fully wiped out- Maku

    The Minister of Information, Labaran Maku has  urged Nigerians not to expect sudden end to the insurgency of Boko Haram in the country.

    Speaking to State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, he pointed out that some countries facing similar terrorists attacks have been battling with the menace for several years.

    Even as they have been dislodged from their bases, he said that it will take some time before Boko Haram, which is adopting gorilla style of attacks, to be fully wiped out.
    Maku said: “Every operation against a guerrilla styled insurgency is not something that can be contained over night. In Iraq we are still having occasional attacks after the Americans left just as we are having in Pakistan and other places.”

    “The presumption by Nigerians is that the incidence will end tomorrow. No. We are regaining territories; we are regaining confidence and stability. What the insurgents are doing is to go to remote places and start striking at innocent people like they did recently at Danboa.”

    He continued: “That shows the desperation of these people. We must be proud of our security forces. As we clock three months of the state or emergency, the military has just announced the creation of a new division which means that the operation would further go up from what it is.”

    “It will be more orderly and the military will gain further control which was shared with other security services. This also show the emphasis by the military to ensure complete success. What is significant is that not only in Nigeria but internationally the performance of our military has been commended.”

    “The criminality of these insurgents have also come under international opprobrium when the International Criminal Court accused them of crime against criminality. One of the fall outs of the declaration of state of emergency is the increase confidence by member of the public to come out clearly to interface with the security forces in identifying some of the hide outs of the criminals and murderers involved in the terrorist attacks on innocent Nigerians. You have very crucial roles being played by youths in the area.”

    On the claim that Shekau has been killed, he said: “Relating to the story that we have read, I think it is better we leave it at that. These people are on the run and we will allow the military to tell the story. The military said that it would appear that in one of their operations, the leader of the insurgent was mortally wounded and they were rushing him from place to place and they believe that he could indeed be dead. There is no question of losing confidence. It should give us more confidence.”

    “What it means is that the security forces are closing up on some of the king pins of this murderous group that has denied thousands of Nigerians their lives. Some of the key leaders have been pronounced dead. I think that rather than losing confidence, we should continue to pray for the military and continue to hope that in the end they succeed and they are succeeding.”

    “What is remaining is for the media to support the military. It is the most important thing we need in Nigeria because if there is no peace in the northern part of the country there won’t be peace in Nigeria.

    “Economic activities in Borno and Yobe have resumed significantly in the aftermath of the activities and the good work being done by the special operations forces. Today leaders of the insurgents are running from pillars to post because the area is no longer conducive for them as it used to be.” He added

    Maku also disclosed that the Federal Executive Council  approved the domestication and ratification of three UN treaties on arms, terrorism and hostage taking.

    The ratification, he said was sequel to memos brought to the Council by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru.

    According to him, the Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke was therefore mandated to prepare the final documents for the ratification.

  • Boko Haram attacks religiously motivated – U.S agency

    The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Tuesday said Boko Haram had become the primary perpetrator of religiously-related violence in Nigeria.

    The USCIRF, in a brief statement issued in Washington, stated it had documented the group’s attacks from July 2012 to July 2013 to arrive at its conclusion.

    “Boko Haram’s targets include churches, individual Christians, Muslim critics, and persons engaged in behaviour deemed un-Islamic.

    “Others are northern elders, schools, police stations, government buildings, newspapers, and banks”, it noted.

    It said the International Criminal Court prosecutor Fatou Bensouda in November 2012 and August 2013 said there was reasonable basis to believe that Boko Haram committed crimes against humanity.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that USCIRF had earlier this year recommended that Nigeria be designated as a “country of particular concern” (CPC).

    The statement also recalled that the commission recommended CPC status for Nigeria since 2009, adding: “Before that, Nigeria had been on USCIRF’s Watch List since 2002.’’

    The USCIRF was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad.

    This was in line with the definition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments.

    It gives independent policy recommendations to the U.S. President, Secretary of State and the Congress.

     

     

  • Boko Haram menace subsiding – Coomassie

    Boko Haram menace subsiding – Coomassie

    A former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, has said that government’s efforts at tackling the Boko Haram is yielding desired result as the menace of the sect is subsiding.

    Coomassie made the observation on Tuesday in an interview with journalists shortly after the inauguration of the renovated Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) building complex.

    He called on Nigerians to play their part by providing the police and other security agencies with relevant information to enable them to get rid of the sect.

    “You can see that the Boko Haram menace has now subsided.

    “The Federal Government is now active and doing a lot of work to get rid of these people (sect members).

    “With more intelligence and effective cooperation, we will return to the status quo where we have peaceful coexistence in this country.

    “But, it is the job of all of us, if you have information, authentic intelligence information, pass to the police and other security agencies,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the former IGP as saying during the chat.

    He urged government to continue to provide the police with the wherewithal including training and retraining them to do their job and make the nation safer and secured.