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Tag: reclaim

  • I ‘ll reclaim my mandate,says Abraham

    I ‘ll reclaim my mandate,says Abraham

    Dr Olusegun Abraham is a leading governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Congress(APC)in Ondo State.In this interview with DAMISI OJO, he decries the manner the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, overuled the majority decision of the National Working Committee (NWC) on urgency of a fresh primary. He also speaks about other partisan issues.

    How would you retrieve your mandate, which you said was stolen?

    The mandate is the mandate of the good people of Ondo state given to me by the delegates. so, it is the mandate of these people that I’m representing that I want to claim. I have said it severally that we have some steps that we need to explore to restore this mandate and we have only explored one step and we are disappointed with the outcome. so, we are moving towards the two other steps to claim our mandate. Fortunately, the issue is now a public matter and the whole world had seen that a crime was committed by some people in the APC at the national level. This is a criminal offence by injecting names of non-delegates and non-party members into our voting list in Ondo state. We want to know who injected those names, and whose authority was the name injected. Are they superior to the congress of the party and the panel? We want to know what the National Chairman of the party, John Oyegun, did if they are not the one who put the names illegally? Has he informed the EFCC to investigate the matter? This is a very great criminal offence.  So, if the Buhari government truly represents change, and fighting corruption, this electoral fraud must be properly investigated and punish the culprits. If not, I don’t think this government has any right or moral justification to arrest anybody for fraud . This is one of the reasons that I said I’m not going to leave the party. we will be there to salvage the party. I support the Buhari government in fighting corruption and I’m sure this menace will be brought down to minimal level if not eradicated in our land, and therefore if there are any elements, either in government or party that is trying to encourage corruption, this should be part of the things we must fight and correct.

    In specific terms, are you asking the EFCC to investigate the matter?

    Yes. I thought the perpetrators of the fraud should have been arrested by now. I thought Oyegun and his group, if they knew nothing about the padded delegates list in Ondo State, should fish out those behind the illegal padding. It is absurd, disappointing and an embarrassment to the Buhari administration and to a party that is known for fighting corruption and we now found out this fraud within the same party. this is a disgrace.

    But, do you see the party reversing its decision after submitting the name of Akeredolu as the party’s candidate? 

    Those who did not support the candidacy of Akeredolu are more than those who supported him. It is high time to fight this corruption. That somebody single handedly dropped his name at INEC against the decision of the NWC, this is another illegality. I am very surprised to find Oyegun at the helms of affairs of APC because in a very civilized society, this man ought to have resigned. He has nothing doing again. The same fraud that was perpetrated in Ondo was perfected by the national body. A candidate that was not popular was picked above favourite aspirants in the election. I was sure of over 800 delegates before the election, but they went ahead by disenfranchising my delegates from the exercise by removing their names and replacing them with non-delegates. This is even a greater offence than people stealing billions of Naira, stealing somebody’s mandate through fraudulent  means and giving their votes to an unqualified aspirant. These are the issues we need to address and this is one of the reasons we are in this mess today in Nigeria because the PDP believed in rigging from the primary to even the general election and look at the situation we find ourselves today. but, we want to put a stop to this during Buhari’s administration, because Mr. President is known to be an honest man, a man of integrity and who is determined to flush out corruption in this country and that’s why we are in this party to correct these anomalies.

    You said you have three options that you are going to explore in getting back this mandate and explore one out of the three options, what are the two other options?

    The two options are still within the party machinery. but, I don’t want to pre-empt the results of these options. when we get to that stage, the whole world will understand and knowBut the

    The NWC members has said there was no going back on Akeredolu. do you think there’s any need for the options?

    The NWC members are not the people of Ondo state. They are the organs of the party. The organs of the party must listen to what the people are saying. This is not a military regime but a democratic regime and they must learn how to be democratic.

    Talking about fake delegates, how are you sure many of fake delegates did not vote for you during the primary?

    He who pays the piper dictates the tune. Those who put them there have an arrangement with them because they have predetermined the results, there’s no need mincing word, they all voted for Akeredolu. They’ve been discovered and as a patriotic democrat, I am so confident that anytime there is rerun, I will win again and again. That’s one of the reason they are afraid to go back to the field. If these perpetrators had been arrested by the EFCC, we would have known the truth and we won’t be talking of this now.

    Do you think you can get redress in court?

    We have not reached the option of court because we know there are mechanism within the party which we can explore to correct these anomalies and to restore my mandate.

    Do you suspect the involvement of the presidency in this fraud of padded delegates for the primary?

    We can’t  rule it out but, what I know is that Mr. President will not have hand in that fraud. But, I believe they cannot perpetrate this fraud without the connivance of the people at the party secretariat. That’s why they took our delegates list and injected the list with their own delegates. I was surprised that the legal adviser did not even tell them the implication of what they have done; that  they have no right to do that or tamper with the authentic delegate list.

    Do you see any nexus in the statement credited to Akeredolu before the election that the result of the election will shock Tinubu, and the alteration of the delegate list?

    The result of the election confirmed this. God has a way of exposing something ahead of time. Has he not shocked the whole world with the result? not only Tinubu, but the whole world and the shock was multi- dimensional. It shows people could be so daring to the extent of fraudulently inputing names illegally into the delegates list. He also shocked the whole world by calling some members of the opposition to come and vote for him during the primary, calling people on the street, non-members of the party, paying them to vote for him. We should be talking about this act in the 15th century and not 21st century. It is also shocking that even the apex body of the party kept quiet about the foreign names injected into the list; it’s a big embarrassment to the party. This might have an adverse effect on the foreign investors who are thinking of operating in Nigeria because they do not want an atmosphere where corruption thrives and they have been showing interest in investing in Nigeria because they’ve seen the seriousness of President Buhari in fighting corruption.

    In the face of this crisis, what do you think should be the position of the NWC of the party? would you advise them to resign or what?

    Well, that should be determined by the leaders of the party. As for me and my people, my mandate should be returned to me. Again, those who perpetrated that criminal fraud by bringing in a fake delegate list must be prosecuted so that it will serve as deterrent to others and there won’t be a repeat of such act in another state . But, once they allow the perpetrators to go scot-free, then, we are in problem in this country, because an enemy of the state can be pushed forward as a candidate and once they succeed, the general election will not count again and the INEC will be irrelevant in elections in the country because they will use the same power to prevail on the INEC and make it redundant.  This is what the NPN did in 1983 and that was the beginning of the end of the NPN then and President Buhari should not allow this fraud and irregularities to go on in the APC and appeal to him to look into this and reverse the decision to give me my mandate.

    If the leadership prevails on you and ask for your support, will you abide with this?

    I will only ask them to prevail on the people of the state because what has taken place was a fraud and a slap on the people of the state. They want to prevail on the people by producing fraudulent result and fraudulent candidate that emerged through fraud, the people have said it repeatedly that they will not support fraud and fraudulent person to rule them. So, I stand by them and I stand with them and calling me or prevailing on me is immaterial. The answer to their request is that what  have they done to those who perpetrated the initial fraud? We can’t continue this way in this country. We have a lot of young undergraduates and youths who have no job, women who are jobless, and elderly people who cannot afford to eat three square meals because of the corruption in our country. we must think and find a way of putting an end to this corruption and fraudulent act. I want the fraud in the Ondo APC primary to be investigated.

    In other words you are saying that selling the candidature of Akeredolu will be a very difficult task in the election. Do you see the APC winning the state with him as the party’s candidate?

    With Akeredolu as the APC candidate, it’s automatic loss. there’s no need wasting time on somebody that is not loved by the people. the party dislikes him, the electorate do not like him, and not the sellable to the electorate, because the moment his name was mentioned as the candidate for Ondo election, the party went into comatose. Members of the party in the state have started dumping the party for the PDP. that’s an indication that the candidate picked by the party is not popular and not acceptable to the majority of the APC members in the state. Some people have joined the Action Alliance (AA) too. we don’t need crystal ball to know that the party is finished in the state. If we are lucky in this coming governorship election in the state, we will be number five, unless the party reverse its decision.

    Despite denying you your mandate, the people of the state still love you. what is in Abraham that people are after?

    If you see my campaign concepts, I’ve not been campaigning like a typical politician. I campaign of facts and figures and not running anybody down. I tabled before people what I can offer, based on my experience, training, both here and abroad . My campaign was purely on content and issue-based and how to industrialised the state . I demonstrated wealth creation in a practical way. I basically hinged my campaign on people’s welfare, and I identified that we have the problem of value, virtues and our conscience and these are real thing and my campaign was like preaching the word of God to them and this makes me unique and acceptable because I don’t tell them what I cannot do.

  • APC launches ‘Operation reclaim Ekiti’

    APC launches ‘Operation reclaim Ekiti’

    •Hundreds dump PDP

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has launched ‘Operation Reclaim Ekiti’. This is aimed at membership mobilisation and sensitisation of the electorate towards achieving victory at the next governorship election.

    The Chairman, Olajide Awe, kicked off the exercise  at the weekend in  Okemesi Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government.

    Members of several political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party  (LP), took part in the rally

    Among those who defected to the APC from the PDP were the former Chairman of Ekiti West Local Government, Gbenga Ogunleye and ex-House of Assembly member Ajibade Owolabi, who represented Ekiti West Constituency 2 between 2007 and 2011.

    Awe was joined on the podium to receive the defectors by his Deputy, Mrs. Keri Olaleye; Secretary, Paul Omotoso; Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun and other members of the executive.

    Ogunleye said he had no option but to take the “painful” decision of quitting the PDP, which he said had derailed from the dream of its founding fathers, and did not meet the expectation of Ekiti people.

    Owolabi regretted that the impact of the PDP government had not been felt in Okemesi, unlike during the APC administration, which he noted executed life-changing projects.

    He said: “I am interested in the development of this community. I believe if the APC should come to power, this state will be safe. We want to move along with the progressives because our people benefited more under the APC than the PDP government.”

    Awe said: “I congratulate all of you for leaving the locust party. Never again shall we allow that party (PDP) to come to power in Ekiti because our people have learnt their lesson.

    “We are here to launch ‘Operation Reclaim Ekiti’ from those currently destroying it, to send a signal that the APC is on ground. Our people have weighed both parties and they now know which one is better.

    “We (APC) did our best, managed Ekiti better and gave our people the best. Today, they have seen that ‘stomach infrastructure’ does not hold water again. By the grace of God, APC is coming back to give our people good governance again and make life better for them.”

  • ‘Rangers reclaim winning aura’

    ‘Rangers reclaim winning aura’

    Enugu Rangers head coach, Imama Amapakabo has said his side have fully recovered from the past poor results in the ongoing league season.

    The Flying Antelopes earned a deserved 2-0 win against newcomers, Wikki Tourists in Wednesday’s top flight match day 27 clash at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

    Amapakabo said his side hope to build on the immediate good result at oriental neighbours, Heartland on Sunday in Owerri.

    “I believe the players have finally overcome the initial past shocks over the Federation Cup exit as well as the follow up poor results in the league.

    “We are back to winning ways with the superb performance against Wikki Tourists.

    “The hard fought victory will serve as confidence building and great motivation in our subsequent matches in the league especially the oriental clash at Heartland on Sunday in Owerri.

    “We are quite positive to get something positive in the clash expected to be difficult considering the fact that the opponents lost the first fixture clash in Enugu.

    “However, we are determined to profit maximally from the fresh air to further secure decent result that will help our rating on the league log,” said the former Enyimba and Sharks coach to supersport.com.

    Enugu Rangers are 12th on the 20-team top flight log on 37 points from possible 81 in the 27-week old league.

  • Troops reclaim Gwoza

    •Hunt for Shekau, Chibok girls

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday claimed that troops had dislodged Boko Haram insurgents from Gwoza,Borno State,  and recaptured the town which had been under the control of the terrorists since August 6,2014.

    The Defence Headquarters, in a tweet, said the town was recaptured yesterday morning by troops.

    “FLASH: Troops this morning captured Gwoza destroying the Headquarters of the Terrorists self-styled Caliphate,” the DHQ said.

    It added: “Several terrorists died while many are captured. Mopping up of entire #Gwoza and her suburbs is ongoing.”

    The claims could not be independently verified.

    There was no mention of the over 200 Chibok school girls who were abducted by the terrorists last April.

    A woman freed from Gwoza by Boko Haram  earlier in the week had said the girls were in the town.

    There were fears that the  Chibok girls might have been hurriedly relocated by Boko Haram leaders following the  heavy bombardment of Gwoza.

    Many of the insurgents were killed in the attack and others captured.

    President Jonathan had said on Thursday that the town would be liberated yesterday.

    The Defence Headquarters said all border areas that hitherto served as hideouts for the terrorists have been actively dominated by troops in the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

    The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said some of the insurgents were already fleeing.

    His words: “Just this morning(Friday), the gallant troops of the Nigerian military in a concerted and well-coordinated land and air operations have liberated Gwoza, the headquarters of their so called caliphate which they renamed ‘darul hikima’.

    “This was preceded by successive sack of terrorists from towns and villages leading to Gwoza, the main objective.

    “Several of the terrorists have died and many of them captured in the process. A lot of arms and ammunition have been recovered and the administrative Headquarters completely destroyed.

    “A massive cordon and search has commenced to locate any of the fleeing terrorists or hostages in their custody.

    “As at yesterday (Thursday), the military had been able to take over virtually all the enclaves and hideouts where the terrorists were marauding.

    “It is observed that some of the terrorists are currently fleeing towards border areas. The fleeing terrorists will expectedly run into subsequent encounter with contingents of partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force who have been mandated to contain them accordingly.

    “The mop up operation in Gwoza and other liberated areas will continue in order to ensure that no vestiges of terrorists or terrorism remain in our country.

    “The Nigerian military and security agencies therefore thank Nigerians and our partners in the sub-region who have consistently encouraged and supported us in the course of these operations.

    “The military is more than ever before determined to once and for all stamp out every trace of terrorism and insecurity in our country. All citizens are urged to remain vigilant and report every movement or assemblage of suspicious characters to the security forces so that NEVER AGAIN shall the evil elements regroup to terrorize or cause mayhem in our country.”

    Olukolade said the recent reinvigoration of a partnership between Nigeria and these neighbouring countries under the auspices of Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) had boosted the battle against the insurgents.

    The statement added: “Sequel to the violent and heinous crimes perpetrated by terrorists in North Eastern Nigeria, the Armed Forces of Nigeria was tasked to halt the carnage and restore sanity in that region. This resulted in the deployment of land and air forces.

    “The deployment denied the terrorists the freedom of action they had hitherto enjoyed and they resorted to diversionary tactics known with terrorist groups around the world by carrying out isolated attacks and bombings.

    “The series of deployment and operational effectiveness of the military were however challenged by the porosity of the borders, which gave the terrorists leverage to operate in Nigeria and retreat into safe havens in neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

    “The recent reinvigoration of a partnership between Nigeria and these neighbouring countries under the auspices of Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) provided the desired response to the challenge, as these border areas that hitherto served as hideouts for the terrorists have been actively dominated by troops in the MNJTF.

    “ This development decimated the fighting capabilities of the terrorists, as the Nigerian military carries out a final onslaught on the nation’s enemy within the country. These successful operations have culminated in the dislodgment of terrorists from towns and communities in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states.”

    A top military source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Troops have begun a manhunt for Boko Haram leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau and top Boko Haram leaders.

    “The troops have also been looking for the whereabouts of Chibok girls who some Boko Haram captives claimed were in Gwoza.

    “We are suspecting that the Chibok girls might have been relocated after heavy air strikes, but we will liberate these innocent students.”

    Usman Ali, a 35-year-old Gwoza farmer, said  Shekau addressed his fighters on March 15 and told them to kill the women they have taken as wives.

    “He said they should go back to Gwoza and kill all of their women they left behind. He said if they didn’t kill them they would not join them in paradise,” he told AFP after managing to escape.

    “They took us along to Gwoza where we witnessed the carnage.”

    Shekau declared Gwoza the capital of a new Islamic caliphate after he seized the town in August.

    As soon as the terrorists seized the town, one of the biggest in the state, they embarked on a systematic killing of the residents .

    Thousands of others, including the Emir, Alhaji Muhammed Timta, fled.

    The group also erected its flag, declaring the area as an Islamic caliphate.

    The failure of the government and military of President Goodluck Jonathan to rescue the girls created international outrage and continues to dog him as he stands for re-election.

    Nigeria’s military, with support of troops and military aircraft from neighboring countries, in the past two months has retaken dozens of towns from Boko Haram.

    Jonathan’s opponents have said the offensive is a political ploy, asking why Nigeria’s military, of which Jonathan is the commander in chief, suddenly is capable of doing what it has failed to do for nearly six years.

  • Boko Haram: Troops reclaim Madagali, seven others

    Boko Haram: Troops reclaim Madagali, seven others

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday  announced the reclamation of  Gulak,  the headquarters of the Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, and seven other key towns from Boko Haram by soldiers.

    Many insurgents were arrested  during the battles for the  reclamation, while   arms  and  ammunition were recovered.

    The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, in an  update on the ongoing campaign against Boko Haram in the North-East, said the troops “routed terrorists from Bara, the headquarters of the Gulani Local Government Area of Yobe State and Gulag, the headquarters of the Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State in the early hours of yesterday.

    “The fierce fighting that preceded the clearing of towns and other communities resulted in the killing of many terrorists; the capturing of some of them; and the recovery and destruction of arms, thousands of assorted rounds of ammunition as well as vehicles and other equipment, including anti-aircraft guns, Ggeneral pPurpose machine guns (GPMGs), grenades, multi-barrel bombs, multi-barrel grenade launchers, rifles and mortar guns.

    “Other locations also cleared in the course of the two-day operation included, Shikah, Fikayel, Tetebah, Buza, Kamla and Bumsa.”

    A military source said the soldiers’ exploits    had provided a ray of hope that the North-East would be safe  for the forthcoming general elections.

    The source said: “Virtually all communities under Boko Haram siege in  Adamawa State have been liberated and reclaimed. The troubled Adamawa North Senatorial District has been cleaned up.

    “Nigerian troops have gained some mileage in the last few weeks. We are hopeful that normalcy will be restored in all the towns and villages in the zone.

    “Apart from reclaiming these territories, troops have also been mandated to maintain high presence and embark on 24-hour surveillance.”

  • 2015 and PDP’s fight to reclaim Kano

    One interesting state to watch in the run off to the 2015 general elections is Kano. Kano is what, in the American political lexicon, termed a swing state. You just cannot predict what will sway the unpredictable and huge number of voters in the state.

    Added to this is the imminent showdown between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC). The people of Kano, of course, are not new to PDP. In 1999, the people overwhelmingly voted the then freshly formed PDP. Four years later, the PDP lost to the then ANPP. However, eight years after, the same people turned to vote for the PDP. This shows the unpredictably of the voting populace and, at the same time, the fact that both parties could be interpreted to be on the support pedestal.

    However, with the incumbency factor to its advantage and the fact that the current governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso has succeeded in building a strong support base at the grassroots, APC is poised to give the PDP a tough fight to retain the job at Kano Government House. But it is not necesarilya hopeless case for the PDP. In fact, the party has a lot of advantages that it can turn on in making sure that it hands a clean defeat for the APC in Kano.

    A number of serious and not so serious aspirants have thus far indicated interest by purchasing the nomination forms. And it is in sieving the array of aspirants to come up with the better one that the PDP can make or mar it’s chances. Some of the people on the posters dotting the streets of Kano are politicians that have used up their goodwill or have no good standing to confront the massive structure that Kwankwaso has built for himself. For PDP to weather the storm, there is the need for a new face and one who can pull the crowd. It is in this that one would see Abba Risqua Mohammed, the son of late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed as one with the right credentials.

    In this knowledge-driven and youth-oriented world, the greatest treasure of a people is to have a leader who is in sync with modernity to lead it to the utopian world of progress. If a state as historic and important as Kano routinely gets into the news for the bad reason – from drug abuse to breakdown of epidemics, it certainly needs redemption. We need someone to rescue the state to a better clime.

    The Kano of today requires a pragmatic leader who is in tune with current events trends and development all over the world. Indeed, the future of Kano depends largely on a quintessential leader blessed with vision, focus, commitment, resourcefulness, exposure, dynamism, hard work, fearlessness, noble family background and above all, credibility and the fear of God. For the state to fit rightly into the modern society, the major catalyst is for it to be steered by one who knows exactly the right direction  to go.

    By way of introduction, Abba Risqua Mohammed is the only surviving son of late Head of State, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed. When his father was tragically murdered by some people opposed to Nigeria’s progress, in 1976, Abba Risqua was only six years old. He is now 45: fully made man and accomplished in all respects. A graduate of Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos, he also holds a Postgraduate Diploma from the prestigious Cardiff Business School, Wales, United Kingdom. He is also a trustee of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, an NGO that has done a lot for Kano people and other Nigerians.

    In terms of leadership and management acumen, Alhaji Abba Risqua had served as Special Assistant to President Olusegun Obasanjo on International Relations from 2000 to 2007. He is now managing his booming business as the Group Chief Executive of AMG Petroenergy Limited, one of Africa’s foremost energy service providers.

    Coming from that golden heritage of a hero that was late General Mohammed, Abba has no hiding place for people looking for credible individuals to take critical leadership roles. It is therefore for this and his personal attributes as an accomplished man that a number of times people of Kano approach him to make himself available to serve the people by standing in for election. This time around, the magnitude and intensity of the demand is huge. As the 2015 general election beckons, the call is for Abba Risqua to come and take up the governorship seat of Kano per chance the state will have a Midas touch that Nigeria witnessed during his late father’s short sojourn in power.

    There is no gainsaying that General Murtala Ramat Mohammed is still regarded as one of Nigeria’s true heroes. He was not only one of those fiercely patriotic sons of the land who defiantly fought to keep Nigeria as one united country; he possesses startling qualities that are cherished by all.  He was detribalized, he was authentic, he was enthusiastic about the progress of the country, he was extraordinarily bold, and he was a patriot who truly loved his country. He was a man in a hurry to accomplish great things. He died in that hurry, in the prime of his life. Imagine what he could have done with power had he lived for a little longer?

    It is also worthy of note to mention that as a mark of his prudence and uprightness, when General Murtala Ramat Muhammed was assassinated in 1976 while serving as Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he left only N13,000 in his account and one bungalow in Kano – this was despite serving in various other positions at a time of the celebrated oil boom.

    As the Hausa say the offspring of antelope also runs like it’s parent, it is everyone’s expectation that anyone from the respected home of General Murtala Mohammed will just be as good! More over, for the PDP, the name of the Kano’s illustrious son alone is a huge asset that they can capitalise on to win the election. Additionally, Abba’s reputation is also intact with the people as he was never found wanting in all the key national assignments he has held. These, among other advantages that Risqua have, make him an easy-sale candidate for the PDP if at all the party wants to take back the Kano Government House easily.

     

    • Iliyasu wrote from Gwammaja, Kano.

  • Military launches attacks to reclaim Gwoza

    Military launches attacks to reclaim Gwoza

    •Five missing policemen back

    A military operation is underway to reclaim Gwoza, Borno State from Boko Haram, a week after the sect proclaimed the district an Islamic Caliphate.

    Five of the 27 policemen who went missing during the Boko Haram seizure of the town and the attack on the Nigeria Mobile Police Academy in Gwoza, have rejoined their units unhurt, it was learnt yesterday.

    Expected to be liberated immediately from the terrorists are Gwoza and 14 surrounding villages.

    The terrorists are understood to have blocked access roads to the town prompting the troops to launch what a security source described as “fierce attacks.”

    “Some active military operations are ongoing but we will not talk until we have regained the town and other villages,” the source said yesterday

    “All I can tell you is that Nigerian troops are capable. They did it in Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and other places. There is no basis for not dealing with the insurgents at home.

    “We have launched fierce attacks both on land and in the air. We are prepared to reclaim Gwoza from the insurgents who have become tired of Sambisa Forest because the terrain has become marshy.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “Troops would have taken over Gwoza by now but the operation is tactical because we are sticking to the rules of engagement.

    “We have discovered that the insurgents have been using most of their captives as human shield in launching attacks on troops and invasion of villages. But their antics cannot last.”

    It was also gathered yesterday that   five of the 27 policemen who went missing from the Nigeria Mobile Police Academy during the Boko Haram invasion of Gwoza have  returned safely to their units.

    The Police hierarchy was hopeful yesterday that the remaining 22 police trainees would rejoin their formations soon.

    A source familiar with the development said: “Following the invasion of the Academy by the insurgents, some of the mobile policemen ran into the bush and they have been trying to find their path in the last few days.

    “Do not forget that some of them are not used to the Gwoza terrain because they are not from the area. They also have to navigate their ways in such a manner that they will not fall victims of Boko Haram.

    “Most often, those who survived Boko Haram attacks have been linking up with their different units through Adamawa State.”

    When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu, said: “Five of the policemen have returned safely to their stations. Some may have gone back but yet to officially report.

    “Let me assure you that we will recover the Academy in Gwoza from the insurgents, we are not giving in at all.”

  • Akingbola, Atuche could reclaim banks with N1tr, says Chike-Obi

    Akingbola, Atuche could reclaim banks with N1tr, says Chike-Obi

    For the first time, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Mustafa Chike-Obi has broken his silence over the takeover of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc and Bank PHB Plc. He said previous owners of the banks could come forward and retake the lenders, but must pay AMCON a total of N1 trillion for the banks.

    Dr. Erastus Akingbola and Francis Atuche were former Managing Directors of the defunct Intercontinental Bank and Bank PHB respectively. While Access Bank acquired Intercontinental Bank, Bank PHB now runs under the name, Keystone Bank Limited.

    Speaking yesterday at the Bank Directors’ Association of Nigeria (BDAN) 2014 Symposium held in Lagos, Chike-Obi said he understood that there were plans to petition regulators to reclaim those banks. He said he would sign any deal authorising such transaction provided the money is paid back to AMCON, adding that  AMCON put in N600 billion in Intercontinental Bank, while Bank PHB got N400 billion bringing the cost of rescuing both lenders to N1 trillion.

    “The banking crisis in Nigeria was very severe. I heard recently, because the suspended Governor of the Central Bank seems to be under a cloud, at the moment. People are going back and saying they are going to petition to get their banks back. I will use this opportunity to say: anybody who wants their banks back; any of those banks, and are ready to give AMCON back the money AMCON put in those banks, I will sign that deal immediately.

    “If Mr Akingbola wants Intercontinental Bank tomorrow; and is willing to give me back the N600 billion AMCON put in there, I will sign immediately. The same thing with Bank PHB, we put N400 billion there, I will take the N400 billion and give the bank back.  Those banks were in very bad shape, and had to be rescued,” Chike-Obi said.

    Defending the reforms in the banking sector, he said the actions taken so far were honest, genuine, expensive, time-consuming.

    “When some people say the banks were healthy and that the banks were not healthy, even today as we sit, we are not completely out of the woods. We have issues with foreign obligations in Nigerian banks. If something happens to the naira, many banks will be under pressure,” he said.

    According to him, those running around thinking the matter has been solved; those that sit back and want their banks back, blaming the regulators to keep watching out because the crisis is not completely over.

    He however assured that the  banking system is stable, adding that at the end, everybody involved in this reform has done the best they can.

    Speaking further, he said although AMCON wants bad loans recovered,  it will not do that at the expense of the businesses of the debtors. He said being too tough with the debtors could lead to shut down of many manufacturing companies. That will also lead to job loss. “We will be irresponsible to shut down businesses jut to prove that we are working hard,” he said, adding that the act of borrowing money from banks and not paying back is a civil matter.

  • Union to reclaim UNILORIN branch

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) plans to bring back the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) branch of the union into its fold, it has been learnt.

    The university’s ASUU branch, in the last 13 years, has been factionalised along pro-university authorities and anti-management.

    The Ilorin Zone of ASUU described recent statements credited to Prof Abdulwahab Egbewole, a factional leader of the union at UNILORIN, on behalf of the university’s branch of the union for opposing the ongoing strike, as adding insult to injury.

    In a joint statement by the chairpersons of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti; the Federal University of Technology, Ado-Ekiti; Obafemi Awolowo Univerity (OAU), Ile-Ife; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso; Osun State University, Osogbo and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Dr Ayan Adeleke, Dr Alex Odiyi, Prof Akinola A. P, Dr Oyegoke O. O, Dr Seye Abiona and Dr Busuyi Mekusi, the union said: “As a responsible union, which believes in the rule of law, there is no going back on the mandate to recover the UNILORIN branch of ASUU from the grips of impostors, interlopers and charlatans.

  • Troops reclaim key town as Nigerians soldiers arrive

    Troops reclaim key town as Nigerians soldiers arrive

    BAMAKO  – The Malian army, backed by French troops, yesterday wrested control of the central town of Konna from Islamists as the first West African regional forces arrived to shore up the offensive against the Al-Qaeda-linked rebels.

    The retaking of the key town, about 700 kilometres  from the capital Bamako, came amid a crisis in neighbouring Algeria where Islamists took hundreds hostage in a gas field, sparking a deadly commando raid, to avenge the French intervention in Mali.

    “We have wrested total control of Konna after inflicting heavy losses on the enemy,” the Malian army said in a brief statement. The claim was backed by a regional security source and local residents.

    Islamist rebel groups who have controlled northern Mali since April pushed south into government-held territory and seized Konna on January 10, spurring former colonial ruler France to launch a military campaign to halt their advance.

    The French forces began with air strikes under the Operation Serval campaign but rapidly extended it to a ground offensive on a triad of Al-Qaeda-linked rebels who gained control of the country’s vast desert north.

    France said it already has 1,400 soldiers in Mali and this will progressively be increased to 2,500 troops.

    About 100 Togolese and Nigerian soldiers arrived in Mali late Thursday, the first African troops pledged by nine regional countries to boost the French-led effort.

    The regional Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has pledged to send 3,000 soldiers for the MISMA (International Mission for Support to Mali) in line with a United Nations resolution.

    Chad, which is not an ECOWAS member, has also offered to send 2,000 soldiers.

    The force will be headed by Nigerian General Shehu Abdulkadir and some 2,000 soldiers are expected in Mali by January 26.

    West African countries will review the crisis at an emergency meeting on Mali today  in Abidjan,  Ivory Coast. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius is due to attend.

    The recapture of Konna is a significant boost for the Malian army which has struggled to drive out the rebels from there.

    They had claimed to have taken it earlier but French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian then said the zone was still in the Islamists’ hands. On Tuesday Aboul Habib Sidi Mohamed, a spokesman for one of the rebel groups Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith), said they were still in control of the town.

    The area is not accessible to independent observers.

    The UN special envoy for the Sahel, Romano Prodi, said the French air and ground intervention in Mali was the only way to stop Islamists creating “a terrorist safe haven in the heart of Africa”.

    Further support for France, which has already won offers of logistical help from several European countries, came yesterday  from Italy and Poland, whose defence minister said Warsaw could send instructors to train Mali’s embattled troops after European foreign ministers on Thursday agreed to accelerate the deployment of an EU training force to the country.

    Italian Cooperation Minister Andrea Riccardi said the week-old French air and ground offensive was not “a colonial war” because it was “Africa that first asked for help… to stop the threat posed by Al-Qaeda.”

    Italy was preparing to lend support to “a United Nations operation, which we believe should have an overriding objective of stabilisation, of humanitarian assistance to the displaced and supporting the emergence of a political and civilian management of the region,” he told the daily La Repubblica.

    Source: AFP