The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Militants

  • Increase the pace of your govt, ex- militants tell Buhari

    Former militant commanders and ex-members of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to increase the pace of his government.

    The former creek warlords rose from their meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, over the weekend and declared that Buhari should speed up and formulate policies to tackle rising security and economic challenges in the country.

    The ex-militant leaders who met under the auspices of Leadership ,Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI) deliberated on issues bordering on new wave of Boko Haram onslaughts, the economy and unpaid amnesty allowances.

    In a communique issued by the former militants and signed by the President, LPCDI, Mr. Reuben Clifford, they condemned the recent terrorist attacks in Plateau, Kano, Kaduna and Maiduguri, which claimed the lives of over hundred people.

    They urged Buhari to rethink his earlier decision of dismantling military checkpoints in volatile parts of northern Nigeria.

    They said: “We are dismayed by the slow pace of this present administration of tackling the economy challenges by not constituting a formidable team made up of technocrats to run the affairs of the nation. The president’s slow attitude is making mockery of the ‘change’ slogan he and his party canvassed for during electioneering .

    “On each day we are inundated with calls home and abroad of our members who are amnesty beneficiaries passing through various harrowing experiencing at schools.

    “While some at Igbinedion University are on verge of being barred from writing their final year examinations since they could not pay their fees, others in Jordan schooling have been totally evicted from their homes and now leaving on handouts from friends”.

    While commending the President for his recent bailout to distressed states, they asked him to extend similar gesture to stranded persons undergoing training at home and abroad under the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

    They appealed to Buhari to give directives to someone to sign for the disbursement of funds at the Amnesty Office claiming that about N5bn was left in the office by the former Coordinator of PAP, Mr. Kingsley Kuku.

    “If nothing is done soonest, it could snowball into a full scale crises. The President should save us from this excruciating agony .

    “We want the present administration to wield its might by keeping to its word that ‘Boko Haram will soon know the collective will our are power’. The government should engage various stakeholders to put an end to this callous, ruthless and senseless killings of innocent soul”

  • N/Delta militants need a new approach

    SIR: The anecdotal portrayal of Greek mythologist and substantiated by an Urhobo adage, posits that, “When a hunter of antelopes, rabbits and porcupines, fortuitously comes across an elephant in the forest, he must change his gait and bullets.”

    Oil was discovered at Oloibiri in present day Bayelsa State in 1956, but became commercialized in 1958. Ever since its commercialization, the people of the Niger Delta have been treated with scorn by the powers that be. In response, the people of the Niger Delta have adopted multidimensional strategies aimed at drawing successive government’s attention to its deplorable plight.

    The Federal Government as it were, made the economic strangulation of the Niger Delta the fundamental objective and the directive principle of state policy. It refused to recognize the universally acknowledged principles of sharing in oil producing nations which is that the man who owns the land owns what is on it, beneath it and above it. We are allocated, suffocated and spoon-fed with the laughable miniscule 13 percent or is it the hanging but laughable 25% derivation formula. Is this fair?

    Why are the genuine efforts of the Niger Delta martyrs like Isaac Adaka Jasper Boro, Ken Saro-Wiwa and the Ogoni nine, Monday Obotaire, Raymond Pemu, Victor Atiri and the submissions of the Niger Delta representatives to the National Confab not reflected in the Federal Government’s oil policies on the Niger Delta?

    However, is pipeline vandalisation the way out? Is divide and rule being adopted and fine-tuned by the federal government the way forward? And, is the Niger Delta Masterplan the road map to our long sought after Eldora do?

    Recently, a group of Urhobo youths claimed responsibility for the March 22, bombings of Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, oil pipelines in Ekiugbo, Ughelli Local Government Area. The group said that the aim was to give vent to their demand for pipeline surveillance contract.

    The English playwright Alexander Pope in his Essay on Man said “let the ends of things disjoin, it is the whole world that suffers.” We admonish our Niger Delta militants to appreciate that President Muhammadu Buhari has just come on-board. We ask and pray that he should be given time to spell-out and actualize his road map and strategies for the Niger Delta. We call for intellectual militancy, which is the civilized and co-ordinated presentation of our complaints and grouses through discussions, peaceful protest, court actions, and non-violent diplomatic, global and political channels.

    The new administration must be given some time to carry out its projected plans for the Niger Delta and Nigeria in its entirety. Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) once said “a civilization which develops only on its material side, and not in corresponding measure on its mental and spiritual side, is like a vessel with a defective steering gear.” We hope Niger Delta militants and other militants in Nigeria will heed the voice of reason.

     

    • Chief Bobson Gbinije

    Warri, Delta State

     

  • Bayelsa can be better if youths lead – Siasia

    Bayelsa can be better if youths lead – Siasia


    • At an interactive session with Journalists, Moses Siasia, 35-year-old governorship aspirant in Baylesa State, revealed his plans to transform the state. He also lamented the interests of the old folks for the younger generations. David Lawal was at the session for The Nation Newspaper.
      Excerpts: Kindly give us an insight into your background Well, you are welcome. I believe that the redemption of this country that we call our own lies with our generation; we the youths. I lived in an environment where we had no food, no toilet, I almost lost my life but God was the one that intervened. They would not give the younger generations the chance, they would continue to come up with strategies that would further undermine us and ensure that the youths do not speak in one voice. In the programmes that we have been able to carry out, none of them have supported us, except very few that believed in us. How were you able to transform yourself despite the challenges you faced in your younger age? I fend for myself 17 years ago. I was in the street of Port Harcourt hawking oranges, selling Ice Blocks but at that time I told myself that I wasn’t going to be subservient to my situation. I am going to work hard because I believe that there is a deposit of potentials in me. That was how I started from that humble background. I washed rugs, plant flowers and today the story is different. Today, I have built a business of a group of companies, Mosilo Groups . We have interest in various sectors. I have employed many persons, mostly youth. We started what is called the Nigeria Young Professional Group and in two years today we are in 15 countries. We are the only young group in Nigeria that is registered in USA and United Kingdom. We are about finalising our registrations with the United Nations. I founded the Young Professionals Group to give voice to the youths. There is no young man in Nigeria today that has been close to power like I have. I can beat my chest to say that the elites are not interested in the youth. How do you rate Bayelsa State as at now? Bayelsa state is less than one million in population and we have received over N2 trillion from 1999 till date but if you come to Bayelsa today, you will cry because there is no concrete work on ground, our educational system is in a state of decay, our women do not have that sense of belonging again because they cannot sell again, our people are used to fishing but cannot do that because of oil spillage. The leadership had not been fair to our people. The sectors are down. Do you know that there are a lot of Bayelsa students abroad who are stranded and cannot pay their fees any more, they are frustrated, the females have gone into prostitution, the government keep responding that there is no money but when the money comes they share it amongst themselves, it doesn't trickle down to the people. For instance, we have had successive government in Bayelsa who placed embargo on employment; there is no critical investment in Bayelsa that can employ massively. Everybody sees government as the only employer of labour in Bayelsa. Now you need a leader that can think outside the box, that is innovative and creative to bring about the investments required in Bayelsa state. I have been in the private sector, I have business, I have partners and I have the will to do that. You cannot give what you do not have, I have employed people, I have grown a business from scratch to where it is today, I have helped people in my community, I have not bought education material for two years; I have been supplying them. I have eight children from my community studying abroad, on my mill. So, let all those who have ruled Bayelsa come out and tell what they were able to achieve before they got to that position. What is your disposition to Youths development in the Country? The lowest funded ministry in the history of democracy in Nigeria is the ministry of youth. Meanwhile, we gave them the mandate. When I was younger I used to see government development craft centers, skill acquisition centers, sport development institutions, look at the education sector, it suggest that there is no hope for the young generation. When you canvas for the inclusion of young people in governance, they would say what level of experience do you. So we have found ourselves in a state of dashed hope and opportunity. I have so much belief in the younger generation that why I am offering myself to liberate my people from the suffering and hardship that they are going through. This is the first time in the new Nigeria democracy that someone of my age group would come out for a position like this, and as a governor being a member of the Council of state; I am going to represent the interest of the youth. This is my will. We must put an end to political imposition and create a sustainable future for our people. My heart bleeds whenever I am asked ''where are you from?'' Sometimes my friends and associates from abroad say they want to come to my state and I wonder what they would see there. Meanwhile, Bayelsa state has a huge tourism potential. We have 75 per cent of Nigeria's gas reserve and the level of political gain that Bayelsa has enjoyed has never been enjoyed by any state in this country. Bayelsa has had a President, a Petroleum minister, a National security adviser all from a state that is not up to one million in population, eight local governments but this political positioning have not been translated into gains to benefit the people. It will therefore take a will of grace that can bring about the needed change and that is what I am bringing to the table. I am not going to the state house to sell pride but to sell humility, to serve my people, if I have been able to achieve what I have achieved in the private sector, then I can bring the much needed development in the public sector to our people. Siasia MConsidering your age, would you not need party elders’ support to secure the ticket? While some remain myopic and wouldn't love to let go because that is where they get their pay from, there are some of them that are positive minded. And we must convince them that it is time for us take care of them and to take the interests of our people serious. And I believe that God will give us the grace to champion this course to the next level. You should be aware of the level of debt in the state which successive administrations have incurred, how would you run a successful government with the high level of debt? If you do not take up the challenge you will continue to allow people to accumulate debt for the state. My will is to put a stop to debt owing. We must create investments that would boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue of the state which is currently less than N1 billion. We are going to diversify the economy and concentrate on sectors like tourism, agriculture. I would increase investment enough and create environment to attract investors. We would tax the rich and the big hotels in the state and complete the abandoned five-star hotel project that former President Jonathan started so that people can come and see. Bayelsa is where oil was first discovered in Nigeria. We would create a museum, a city out of Oloibiri, then develop Akasa and create a beach there. The environment in Akasa in Bayelsa is better than Miami in the US. If you sit in Brass at night you can sight Guinea. Bayelsa State is central to the Gulf of Guinea. You can get to Equatorial Guinea under one hour through boat from Brass. Hence, we can build partnership and build ​​seaport. We can use the opportunities to create wealth for the people. I am not going to run a debt owing state. There won’t be need to borrow to execute any project. Some of my partners are currently supporting some states in building infrastructures. We would also team up with them. There are a lot of my partners who are looking for real business environment to invest; we can create that. The current administration created Bayelsa Development Centers in the United Kingdom and South Africa but not many investments have come to the state through this means. In one year, we can bring about 500 companies in Bayelsa. We can create massive employment under one year, in fact about 50,000 jobs, viable jobs, not N10, 000 jobs or street sweeping jobs. We are going to create job that comes with job security. Wealth to me is not about how much I have in my account but how many lives I have been able to touch and that is why I want the people to vote for me. I have done that in the past. Majority of the militants from the Niger Delta regional are from your state, what is your plan for them? I do not see them as militants, rather, I see some of them as professionals. For example, on a high sea and on a very high level of water pressure, someone uses a speed boat to kidnap somebody and still uses the speed boat to escape with his victim. It requires a lot of technicalities to do what they are doing. We would try to ensure that they channel their energy into productive ventures. We would show them the light to enable them use their potentials rightly and this will further strengthen the state. That is where human capacity development comes in. I have started meeting with some of them and they have been impressed that someone within their age bracket is coming out for a post like governor, while some of them have not responded. Well, but we would keep them informed about the dynamics of contemporary politics which largely involves youth participation. How realistic is it for you to run the state without borrowing funds when elected as governor? My business is not in debt. You must take loan to fund massive projects but the strategy we have used to run our business is to build partnership and that would be adopted too. See, running a state is not so different from running a business. Some state governors were able to leave office with good reserves without debt. What we have is enough to sustain the state. For instance, most investors have it in their business plan that they are going to get gas from Bayelsa and this makes the state very strategic. And we are going to build investment around this with the support of the Federal Government to ensure that we create massive wealth for our people. Our aim is that we transform Bayesa to a point that everyone would become proud of it. Considering the current level of threat to life in Bayelsa due to kidnapping and hostage taking, how do you intend to ensure the safety of foreign investors and provide basic facilities which they are used to from where they are coming? We would use Bayelsa as example for modern facilities by Optic fibre network. You would have access to internet from anywhere you are. There are companies that are willing to come and do this and thankfully people are beginning to key into this. For security, I believe that once the people have a sense of belonging, the state becomes secured. This strategy was used in Borno and it is working. The environment becomes safe once you build confidence and the people are part of the projects. We must transmit values that would sensitize the people so they would know that they are critical stakeholders in the system. People will be able to access me as this would help to build their trust. How do you intend to dislodge political heavyweights like the incumbent governor, Dickson and Timipre Silva who are currently rumoured to be interested in the governorship race? It is not about me, it is not just Moses Siasia, it is a movement. The people's will is more important in politics. This was evident in the last general elections. Power is going back to the people and this is what would happen in Bayelsa too. Former President Jonathan is from Bayelsa and is expected to be the Godfather in the state. Do you have his support already or hoping to? People's perception of godfathers in politics really worries me some times. I understand that there is need to gather the support of the heavyweights. I will consult the former president. I know he is open to the voice of the youth as seen in his works while in office and this is the time for him to show again that he believes in the youth. Does the ethnic game on ground in Bayelsa favour you? And how would you ensure that you are accepted at the grassroots? I strongly believe in professionalism so I don't discuss matters like ethnicity or zoning formula. The incumbent governor is from my part of the state, he has used for years and I will also use four years. The choice is there for the people to make and they would make it rightly, I believe that we do not have buy people's vote because the people are wise now.

  • Militants attack APC chieftain, kidnap mum in Warri

    The mother of Chief Ayirimi Emami, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) was abducted and beaten to pulp on Friday evening by armed thugs, allegedly working for a former militant leader and Peoples Democratic Party enforcer in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State.

    Mrs. Elizabeth Emami, was on her way to Ugborodo, an Itsekiri riverside community, when she was snatched by the gang.

    She was only released following the intervention of an army brigade commander and a naval officer who moved in to restore sanity.

    Emami, a former Chairman of the PDP in Warri SW LGA, who recently switched to the APC with his followers, said  the attack was aimed at stopping him from going to his Ajudaibo, Ugborodo community to mobilise and vote for the APC.

    He said: “My stepmother was attacked at Kurutie community by three speedboats in a manner similar to the attack on 14 journalists last November. She was abducted and taken to a location and was only released after the intervention of some security operatives.

    “Several persons identified as my supporters and members of the APC going to cast their votes in Ugborodo were severely beaten and tortured by the gang and their sponsors who are afraid of losing the election.

    “The driver of one of the boats is battling for his life due to the torture he suffered. This is a desperate ploy by our opponents within and outside my area to intimidate me and my supporters,” Emami said by phone.

    Votes from Ugborodo and other Itsekiri communities in the area have always been strategic to the emergence of governors in the state since 1999.

  • Ijaw youths to Buhari: Sustain amnesty programme

    Ijaw youths to Buhari: Sustain amnesty programme

    The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, has urged the in-coming administration of General Muhammadu Bahari to ensure that the Presidential Amnesty Programme for ex-militants in the Niger/Delta region is sustained.

    The Council expressed satisfaction with the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying it had concluded arrangements to accord the out-going President a befitting reception back home.

    This was contained in a communiqué issued by the IYC and signed by its President, Comrade Udengs Eradiri.

    The communiqué which was made available to The Nation in Abuja reads:” We note with satisfaction the achievements of President Jonathan in his years in office despite the fact that he worked in the most difficult environment.

    “Congress observed that President Jonathan carried out a lot of reforms and achieved great feats in the areas of agriculture, power, transportation, electoral process, economy, oil and gas sector, maritime sector, peace and security in the Niger/Delta.

    “Consequently, Ijaw and Niger/Delta youths should be calm, peaceful and maintain the existing peace in the region.

    “The Presidential Amnesty Progamme for ex-agitators in the Niger/Delta region which has greatly contributed to the sustenance of peace in the Niger/Delta region, be sustained by the in-coming administration to maintain peace in the region.

    “The existing federal structures set up to develop the Niger-Delta region such as the Niger-Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Niger-Delta Ministry and other schemes should be strengthened and properly funded to rapidly develop the region by the incoming administration; address problems of environmental degradation in the Niger-Delta region including implementation of the UNEP report on Ogoni and general environmental remediation in other parts of the region which are affected by environmental degradation;

    ”The recommendations of the National Confab should be implemented by the incoming government to deepen our federal system of government where the federating units would develop at their own pace. This would address some of the imbalances responsible for political instability in Nigeria and the desperation to control government at the centre, and
    Congress called on the incoming federal government to start the process of national integration and run an all-inclusive government to address the polarization and disunity arising from the outcome of the Presidential elections.”

     

  • Tension in Bayelsa as ex-militant leaders, police clash

    Tension in Bayelsa as ex-militant leaders, police clash

    Bayelsa State was soaked in tension on Friday after the police and protesting ex-militants and their leaders clashed in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    The aggrieved ex-militants were said to have taken over the road to protest alleged meddling of their pipeline surveillance contracts by the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    Guns boomed and teargas filled the air as the agitating ex-militants tried to resist a push by hundreds of armed policemen to get them out of the popular Mbiama-Yenagoa road.

    Hundreds of ex-militants led by a former commander of the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Eris Paul, popularly known as Ogunboss, took over the Tombia roundabout area of the road.

    The ex-militants were said to have stormed the roundabout at about 6am, made bonfires with two tyres and stopped all vehicular movement.

    The action of the ex-militant leaders who chanted anti-Dickson songs created traffic gridlock and panic in the area.

    It was gathered that matters went out of control when a truckload of armed policemen arrived the area to stop the protest.

    The policemen were said to have fired gunshots into the air and thrown teargas at the protesting youths.

    It was gathered that the agitating youths retaliated by hauling stones and other missiles at the police and their vans.

    The angry ex-militants were said to have vandalized the trucks of the police with Ricky stones and demobilized the truck with bonfires.

    The armed policemen were said to have further descended on them with heavy batons and butts of their rifles.

    Over nine vehicles were reportedly vandalized in the ensuing melee while some shops and a popular camp muphy relaxation spot were torched.

    It was further learnt that some of the ex-militants also fired their guns into the air forcing the police to apply more force against them.

    As the police and the ex-militant leaders battled, drivers and commuters were said to have fled their vehicles to avoid being hit by stray bullets.

    Many patrol vans and trucks of policemen were said to have arrived the area for reinforcement which compelled the protesters to retreat.

    Most of the ex-militants were said to have relocated to the house of Ogunboss while others fled to unknown places.

    Though some sources said an ex-militant was killed and eight others injured in the fracas that broke out, the claims could not be confirmed.

    Some of the protesters were said to have been arrested and taken to the headquarters of the police command in the state.

    A visit to the roundabout showed that the area was tensed with over 20 patrol vans of policemen and soldiers surrounding it.

    The armed men frisked most pedestrians and ordered them to raise their hands before passing through the roundabout.

    Speaking on the protest, the National Chairman, 6166 Presidential Amnesty Phase II, ‘General’ Aso Tambo, blamed the development on Dickson.

    He said the ex-militants were angry with the governor for allegedly encroaching pipeline security contract awarded to them by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

    “Other states like Delta, Edo, Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom are also involved because they have ex-militants like us. The governors of these states did not encroach into these contracts.

    “In the case of Bayelsa, we don’t know while the governor is making it peculiar that he wants to share the security contracts with the ex-militant leaders. He wants to take 50 per cent while the ex-militants will be given 50 per cent.

    “As at the time this contract was awarded, Dickson was not even a governor. These contracts were awarded as a result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) we undertook with the federal government that if we accept the amnesty offer, pipeline security jobs will be given to us. That was why the jobs were given to us”, he said.

    He said they would never allow any governor to hijack the jobs threatening to make the stage uncomfortable for Dickson if he refused to stay away from the contracts.

    He said: “If the governor has people he wants to empower, the state has many resources through internally generated revenues and statutory allocations. Bayelsa is a room and parlour state.

    “We are even surprised that the state till tomorrow has not been developed to our state after all the trillions that had come into the state. The governor should not interfere with our contract.

    “If he does so, we will continue to keep him restless. We will continue to suffocate him pending when his elections will come and we will definitely not give him any room to come back.”

    Also, Ogunboss, said the angry ex-militants trooped to the streets to protest wrong policies of the present administration in the state and the plot by Dickson to hijack a multibillion dollar NNPC pipeline surveillance contract to communities in the state.

    “Apart from the numerous show of incompetence by the present administration, Dickson is trying to hijack the job meant for the oil-bearing communities in the state.

    “Most of the South-South states have signed the allocation of the surveillance contract but Dickson is insisting that the job be awarded to a self-styled company known as Izon Ibe, a security outfit that we don’t know.

    “Dickson should concentrate on the use of state allocation and internally generated revenue to advance the good of the State rather than hijack jobs coming to communities.”

    Contacted on the development, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Daniel Markson-Iworiso dismissed the claim of the ex-militant as “parochial”.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Asinim Buswatt, said the police did not clash with the ex-militants.

    He said the policemen only employed civil means to disperse the protesters adding that nobody died during the protest.

    “The police only shot tear gas canisters to disperse them.The police did not shoot live cartridges,” he said.

  • Between Danjuma and militants

    Even with the accord by political parties to maintain the peace during and after the elections, signals emanating from the landscape do not give comfort of mind. Not only have there been clear breaches of that agreement by party supporters, there is every thing to indicate that all is not well with us.

    Not with the recent stoning of the convoy of President Jonathan in both Katsina, Bauchi and Taraba states and the ensuing recrimination between Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory  Bala Mohammed on who sponsored the unruly mob that stoned the president.

    If such highly placed personages could accuse each other of masterminding that devious attack, it only shows how desperate things have become. It is too early to take sides on the matter. But the fact that such allegations could be traded by members of the same party from the same state is a pointer to some foreboding signals as the elections inch nearer.

    Various insinuations could also be made about the development and one may not be out of the track depending on the prism from which the matter is being viewed. But one thing that seems clear is that there are vested interests bent on fomenting trouble within this critical electioneering period to satisfy interests of sectional lure. Rising attacks on party men and their property; tearing of posters and destruction of billboards across the country are all indicative of the foreboding order.

    Matters are not helped by threats of the dire consequences that await the nation should certain sections win or lose the election. Before now, the North through sundry groups and individuals had threatened dire consequences should Jonathan run for another term. Then also some ex-militants in the Niger Delta equally warned they would fight if Jonathan was intimidated out of the race. Such had been the mood.

    Even former President Olusegun Obasanjo had in his controversial letter to Jonathan warned of severe consequences should he run for the election in defiance of the agreement he purportedly signed with some groups to serve only a single term. With the emergence of Jonathan and Buhari as the candidates of the PDP and APC, it will not be surprising these sentiments are bound to influence the direction the elections assume in the days ahead. The north wants the presidency returned to it. But the South-south would not let go this time around. It wants to complete two terms before power shifts to the north. These facts are not in doubt.

    So when Niger Delta ex-militants reportedly threatened to return to their old ways should Jonathan lose the election, they were just re-echoing their earlier threats. Dokubo-Asari, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Victor Ben Ebikabowei, aka Boyloaf; Government Ekpudomenowei, aka Tompolo and others had reportedly vowed to ensure that President Jonathan wins the coming elections.

    At a meeting they held at the Government House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, the ex-militants threatened to unleash mayhem on the country and take back “Niger Delta oil” should the president lose the election. Hear them: “for every Goliath, God created a David. For every Pharaoh, there is Moses. We are going to war. Every one of you should go and fortify yourself”.

    Boyloaf condemned the attacks on President Jonathan in the north and emphasized that nobody has the monopoly of the means of violence. For him, “keep grudges and sentiments apart. We are ready to match them bumper to bumper”.

    From all indications, the main grouse of the militants is with the attacks on the convoy of President Jonathan when his campaign team visited Katsina and Bauchi states. They view the two incidents as a clear attempt to intimidate and frustrate their kinsman in his presidential ambition. Emotions are again high.

    The nation has once more, been drawn nearer to the stark realities that await it as the elections approach. More than every other thing else, the threats have exposed the high stakes in the coming elections and issues that are likely to determine their direction and eventual outcome.

    Matters are not helped by the fact of the emergence of the candidates of the two major political from the nations’ two dominant geo-political divide-North and South. Not surprisingly, the threats by the ex-militants (though not entirely new) have drawn the ire of some influential persons in the country. This is more so when the meeting was held at a government house with some state and federal officials in attendance

    When therefore a former minister of Defense, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma called on the authorities to arrest the ex-militants for their unguarded statements, he was only drawing collective attention to the inherent dangers and potentially explosive nature of the coming elections. Danjuma who described the statements as reckless called on the authorities to arrest the ex-militants

    But the ex-militants have fired back questioning Danjuma’s intention since he did not speak out when similar threats came from sections of the north. They are also piqued by the silence of the likes of Danjuma on the Boko Haram insurgency which had been dubbed political grievances masquerading in religious garb. These views were shared by the secretary-general of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Joe Nworgu when he urged Danjuma to concern himself more with the destructive activities of the Boko Haram sect rather than mere verbal threats. “They should prevail on all those behind the insurgency in the north to stop. Let them do that and not to call for the arrest of people who are merely issuing verbal threats”, the Ohaneze scribe reasoned.

    Implicit in this is the widely held belief that Boko Haram is the north’s similitude of the Niger Delta militants. Its main objective is to ensure that power returns to that section of the country. If this is so, Danjuma is being put to test for not showing sufficient concerns for the actual war that has been going on in the north-east.

    He is being put to test for his silence on the source of the sophisticated military hardware, arms and ammunitions freely available to Boko Haram and with which they have been waging war against the nation. He may also have to speak out on the silence of the northern elite on the insurgency and their body language that seems to give covert support to the group. If we are not sufficiently frightened by the raging war in the north-east, why the ruse over mere verbal threats, one may wish to ask?

    That is however not to justify the threats by the ex-militants. We do not need to heat up the polity any more. But what all these point to is that ethnicity and religion are the key factors in determining the direction of the coming elections. The north and south-south are laying claims to Presidency as a matter of right. They seem to be saying that only one of their own can sufficiently protect their interest within this unity in diversity. They seem to be implying that sections benefit most when a person from their stock ascends that high office. They may be right. But that in itself is an admission of the pervasive systemic inequities that accentuate bitter competition for power.

    The choice is ours either to address these nagging national issues or allow the bitter competition that arises out of the desire of sections to corner the apparatus of governance for their own good. That is the real issue which the arrest of thousands of ex-militants cannot resolve.

     

  • Osun: COSEG warns against ‘importation’ of Niger Delta militants

    Osun: COSEG warns against ‘importation’ of Niger Delta militants

    The Coalition of Oodua Self-Determination Group (COSEG), has on Monday raised the alarm over plans by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains to import hundreds of Niger Delta boys for the Osun election.

    In statement COSEG Chairman and Secretary, Ifedayo Ogunlana and Rasaq Olookoba, the pan Yoruba Organisation said it had it on good authority that the plans were concluded at the weekend.

    COSEG said the plan was the brainchild PDP chiefs.

    The organisation said a top government officials deeply involved in the Niger Delta struggle and who knows the militants inside out, was said to have volunteered to hire the militants.

    COSEG condemned the plan which it described as “double jeopardy” in view of the “heavy policing and militarisation of the state by the Federal Government”.

    The statement added: “We heard from sources that the PDP has enlisted the help of NIGER Delta militants to come to Osun for the election.

    “We in COSEG know the antecedent those linked with this plan and so do not take lightly the sinister plan to storm Osun with militants.

    “We are sending caution to President Goodluck Jonathan to counsel his party chiefs to desist from such obnoxious plan as the people of Osun will resist with all their might any attempt to destabilise the state.”

    The organisation advised Osun people not be intimidated by the presence of the security men saying it had become clear to the security agents that Osun’s election “cannot be rigged because of the massive support of the people enjoyed by Aregbesola”.

  • Boko Haram: FG acquires 40 attack helicopters to fight militants

    Boko Haram: FG acquires 40 attack helicopters to fight militants

    •DHQ orders troops to rescue Damboa from Boko Haram

    The  Federal Government is adding 40 attack and transport helicopters to the air force  arsenal  in the battle with Boko Haram.

    Other   sophisticated  hardware  have also been  ordered for the armed forces  by the government, according to military sources in Abuja.

    The Defence Headquarters is understood to have  ordered troops to rescue Damboa from Boko Haram insurgents who have hoisted their flag in the town.

    The Nation gathered  that  the first batch of the aircraft is  due is the country  early next month and the remaining  not later than December.

    Some security men are said to be  frustrated about their inability to storm the  Sambisa Forest  base of the insurgents on account of the unavailability of the required hardware.

    The over 200 school girls abducted in April in Chibok, Borno State, by the sect members are believed to be  kept in the massive forest.

    “With the continuing hostage of about 219 Chibok girls, the military is saying enough is enough. The military said it has reached a stage it will declare total war against Boko Haram. It is only waiting for the necessary political will to launch a campaign,” one source said yesterday.

    “A special unit of anti-terrorism forces has just been trained under an international agreement and is ready to be fully deployed to volatile  areas of terrorism activities.

    “Security operatives are not only aware of the locations of the girls, but are also closely monitoring the way that the girls are being moved around, but are afraid of the backlash should any harm befall the girls in the course of a forced rescue.

    “Past incidents  during attempts to rescue British and Italian nationals in Sokoto and SETRACO workers, which boomeranged,  are the reasons  the security forces have been reluctant in storming the forest and rescuing the girls.”

    Responding to a question, the highly-placed source added: “As a prelude to the full-scale war, the DHQ has ordered troops to chase the insurgents away from Damboa and its vicinity.

    “We have firmed up our operations in the area; troops will soon rescue Damboa which is a major transit town for the sect.”

    Another military source said: “Oh I wish we could have a consensus of opinion from Nigerians that we should storm the forest and rescue the girls.

    “The day Nigerians decide that enough is enough in one voice, to clear the forest will take less than one week.

    “Already, security forces have succeeded in ridding Zamfara, Kaduna, Jigawa and part of Bauchi states of Fulani cattle rustlers. These have been completely eliminated.

    The source faulted  what he called the politicization of the insurgency in the North-East and North-West and local support for Boko Haram by some communities.

    The source added: “Let me tell you, some communities are peculiar in their perception of the  war on terror, as some of their residents supported Boko Haram in the ambush and attacks on our troops.

    “In the past, they gathered at  village  squares to cheer the insurgents whenever military personnel were  captured and  murdered. Young ones in the town even played with severed heads of victims.

    “That is why we always warn Nigerians to report activities of these devils because giving them support is like dining with the devil or simply riding on the back of the tiger as they now turn against them.

    “That was why some soldiers were reluctant to lay down their lives in some communities where innocent troops who were out to protect them were being misled for ambush.

    “The situation is changing now as community leaders and youths are supporting the military offensives.”

  • Boko Haram, Ombatse, militants on prowl

    Boko Haram, Ombatse, militants on prowl

    Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN examines the security challenge and its debilitating effects on the polity

    This year’s budget is a special one. Over one trillion naira was budgeted for defense. The goal is to stem insecurity nationwide. But this objective has not been achieved. Never has insecurity of this magnitude threatened Nigeria’s existence since the end of the civil war.

    No state is insulated from terror. The key strategy of government has been to shore up the capacity and of law enforcement agencies for prompt response to emergencies. This also includes the implementation of the key recommendation in the 2006 Presidential Committee Report on the Reform of Administration of Justice, with regards to the police and prisons, targeted at improving the welfare and operational capacity of law enforcement agencies.

    In this decade, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has suffered a major setback , due to widespread insecurity and inconsistencies in policy decisions. Foreign investors have been discouraged to invest, despite the vast economic opportunities.The telecommunication giants have suffered sustained attacks on their critical infrastructure in the North. There have been persistent attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta. The kidnapping of foreign nationals in the region is also a disincentive for foreign investments.

    In the North, the dreaded Boko Haram sect is on the prowl. Poverty in the geographical zone seems to have worsened as many business enterprises have shut down operations due to carnage. If concerted efforts are not intensified by the government, security experts warn that the North may be cut off from trade and commerce.

    So far, the security strategies employed by the military are not yielding substantial results. Experts have suggested that tackling the security problems goes beyond rhetoric or partisanship. It requires political will.

    Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr Young Arebame said the Federal Government should be held responsible for the security challenges. He alleged that the Federal Government has failed to put in place an effective and efficient police system.

    Arebame noted that the allocation to the police in the annual budget, which is grossly inadequate, shows the value that government places on life.

    His words: “Without security, nothing works and nothing will work in Nigeria, for as long as we relegate the police to the background in security matters. For goodness sake, how do you send your troop to the war front with bare hands and expect them to win? Are we not deceiving ourselves going abroad to look for investors? Who will come and invest in an insecured environment?

    “The stability of a nation is dependent on the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation’s police because it is the sole responsibility of the police to provide security and safety for all and sundry.

    “Before the civil war, Nigeria Police was among the highest paid. As a result, it attracted other professionals like bankers, teachers and career civil servants to enlist. Today, well to do Nigerians would not encourage their wards to join police because they regard it as profession meant for drop outs and street urchins.

    “Cosmetic approach or buck passing will not solve the problem. Lagos is working because the state government spends heavily to equip the police and pays them allowances . People are happy working and living in Lagos. If the Federal government wants to secure the country, it should be ready to spend.”

    On the poor state of the police, the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar said: “We do so much with so little, even with nothing. This is the only country in the world where you go to a police station and there is no water, there is no light, there is no vehicle, no communication equipment and the police is expected to perform miracle. This is the only country that you see policemen on the street fighting armed robbers, fighting terrorists without bullet proof jackets, working in the rain without raincoats and he still stays there. I don’t know of any other country.”

    Former Commissioner of Police for Federal Capital Territory Mr Lawrence Alobi said a nation that underfunds its police is likely to face internal security challenges. He said that many agencies are collecting funds for doing nothing. Such funds, he suggested, should be channelled towards the procurement of equipment and facilities for the police.

    Making a case for the state police, Arebame noted that 400,000 policemen are grossly inadequate for a country of over 140 million people. The establishment of state police will complement the efforts of the federal police and enhance capacity, not only to fight crime, but to protect lives and property.

    He said as long as Nigerian Police is unitary, intelligence gathering will remain a farce. That is what we have seen in Borno, Yobe and other states being terrorised by Boko Haram. Those who know them are not the one policing the states.

    He cited the case of the late Lawrence Aninih, the kingpin of the underworld, who terrorised Edo State. “Aninih was captured when a Benin police officer was sent there. He achieved this feat because he was familiar with the terrain and the Benin culture”.

    The Federal Government had declared a state of emergency in Bornu, Yobe and Adamawa states. But the measure has not reduced the violent activities of Boko Haram. A section of the sect has even rejected amnesty.

    Last year, President Goodluck Jonathan could not even celebrate the independence anniversary at Eagles Square, Abuja because the sect members threatened to bomb the venue.

    Sources said that many federal legislators, ministers, and special advisers are afraid to spend their weekends in the troubled states. They stay in Abuja.

    But the Federal Capital Territory has also come under attack by the terrorists. What therefore, is the way out?

    Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said the issues can be discussed at the national conference. “The issues can be discussed at the conference. For example, some people are fighting. They say they want this or that. If we get there, we will discuss all these issues”he added.