Gunmen kill 117, displace 708 persons in Katsina attack – Deputy Gov
on March 15, 2014
The Katsina State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba, gave the figures at the end of his sympathy visit to the affected communities on today, saying gunmen that raided several communities in Katsina State, on March 11 and 12, had killed 117, injured 37 and displaced 708 persons.
Garba led a state government committee which visited Faskari Model Primary School, Faskari town, where displaced victims, comprising women and children, were settled.
Addressing newsmen during the tour, Garba said from the interim report obtained, 22 persons were killed at Sabonlayin Galadima and 29 at Maigora.
Others killed included 51 at Marabar Kindo, eight at Yardoka and seven at Kurar Mota villages.
Garba, who also visited the injured victims at Funtua General Hospital, urged people to pray against future occurrence.
NAN reports that the delegation had earlier visited other victims in Safana Local Government Area of the state.
The deputy governor pleaded with victims and families of the deceased, to consider the incident as ordained, saying “all livings are mortals, as every living has to undergone test in life.”
He said government had taken adequate measures to ensure the protection of lives and property, through joint efforts with neighbouring Kaduna and Zamfara states.
The deputy governor, who donated money to affected families, lauded officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Katsina State Rehabilitation and Emergency Relief Agency and other health workers, for their support to the victims.
Garba said the injured persons with severe cases that needed special attention, would be referred to tertiary hospitals, adding that government would foot the bills.
NAN recalls that the gang of bandits had raided villages in Faskari and Sabuwa Local Government of Katsina State, killing people and burning houses and shops. (NAN)
Immigrations recruitment: 7 feared dead, dozens injured in stampede in Abuja
on March 15, 2014
ABUJA – At least seven people were killed and dozens injured in Nigeria’s capital after thousands of panicked job-seekers stampeded during a government recruitment drive in the national stadium on Saturday.
Survivors told AFP that thousands had gathered to apply for jobs with the immigration department in the Abuja stadium.
One witness said the stampede broke out as applicants surged towards a central stage. They said only one entrance to the 60,000-capacity stadium was open. It wasn’t clear how many people were inside at the time of the crush.
“The immigration service was having a recruitment exercise at the stadium … there was a stampede and they brought the victims to the national hospital,” said hospital spokesman Tayo Haastrup.
No official casualty list was given, but an AFP journalist on the scene counted seven dead and dozens injured.
Many injured people could not be admitted to hospital due to lack of capacity.
Those with stable injuries “will be sent to other hospitals so that we can deal with the numerous injured that continue to arrive,” said Haastrup.(AFP)
350 killed in Boko Haram, Army clash
No fewer than 350 people lost their lives on Friday as the orgy of bloodletting in some parts of the country continued with the clash between Boko Haram insurgents and the Special Forces in Maimalari, Maiduguri, Borno State. The insurgents had attacked the 21 Armoured Brigade of the Nigerian Army in the wee hours of Friday.
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the dead included insurgents who attacked the military formation and their members who were held at the biggest detention facility on the premises of the headquarters of the Brigade.
It was gathered that the insurgents targeted the detention facility within the 21 Armoury Brigade where most of the hardened members of the sect were detained.
The military authorities were said to have received an intelligence report of an impending attack on the barracks and prepared for the insurgents.
It was learnt that the insurgents attempted to divert the attention of the military by carrying out the attack in military uniforms and vehicles painted in military colours.
The huge casualty figure was revealed amid fresh facts on why the insurgents were able to advance near the detention camp with ease. It was learnt that the insurgents’ advancement could not be immediately halted because the Shilka tank, a multipurpose self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery weapon positioned to secure the barracks, failed to fire.
An authoritative security source who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the Special Forces, told Saturday PUNCH that the Shilka tank refused to respond to signal. This situation, he said, prompted the Special Forces to fight hard to prevent what would have been a tragic outing.
It was learnt that the tank had earlier been well -positioned to secure the portion of the barracks where the insurgents had penetrated. The source said if the gun had responded to touch, the soldiers would have found it easier to repel the attack of the insurgents without any damage.
It was learnt that the soldiers abandoned the disappointing artillery tank and relied on other weapons to ward off the insurgents’ attack.
The source said that the military was already looking into the reason behind the disappointment of the crucial weapon.
It was learnt that security operatives who were investigating the Shilka tank failure were considering two possibilities-the age of the old artillery weapon and the possibility of sabotage .
“You know that when these people came, the Shilka gun simply did not fire. It disappointed, so the soldiers had to rely on other weapons to defend the barracks.
“The gun was positioned to defend that part of the barracks where the insurgents came from. If that gun had fired, they wouldn’t have got into the barracks near the detention facility.’’
Saturday PUNCH learnt that the insurgents stormed the strategic army formation from a place called Pori, near a tomato farm close to the barracks, with some Armoured Personnel Carriers, as early as 6.30am.
A security source, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said that the insurgents fought their way into the detention facility at the barracks where they attempted to free some of their members being held.
The source said that at the end of the confrontation, the soldiers recovered a Buffalo Truck and an Armoured Personnel Carrier from the insurgents.
Although the soldiers prevented the barracks from being burnt by the invading Boko Haram fighters, it was said that the insurgents burnt the MRS, (the traditional medical facility within the barracks) and the detention facility.
A security source, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said that 53 of the insurgents were killed in action at the barracks while 297 were killed in a joint operation by the Air Force and the ground forces engrossed in chasing the fleeing insurgents.
The source further said that four children of a soldier were among those killed.
The leader of a volunteer youth vigilante group who assisted the military in repelling the attack, Abdullahi Dere, said not less than 207 suspected Boko Haram terrorists were killed.
Dere, who is the chairman of Sector 5 of the local vigilante group, popularly referred to as “Civilian JTF” in Jidari Polo near the Giwa Barracks, said several insurgents fled the town for their hideouts with injuries.
He said: “We counted 207 dead bodies of Boko Haram members shot dead by the military in Jidari Polo area alone. The suspected Boko Haram members had attacked Giwa Barracks and freed some of the detainees but the military were able to go after them and killed them. As we speak, the dead bodies of the terrorists are still within our area unattended to.”
He added: “We were also able to capture some fleeing Boko Haram suspects and handed them over to the military.”
Confirming the casualties figure given by Dere, the Vice- Chairman of the vigilante -group in the area, Tijjani Bello, said apart from 207 killed close to the barracks, many more were killed in different parts of the city.
He said, “Many Boko Haram members were also killed apart from the ones killed in Jidari Polo. But we only fear that some innocent residents may be among those killed.”
Another eyewitness told one of our correspondents that he counted 60 bodies that were dumped in a heap at the headquarters of the Brigade. It was learnt that the ground forces and the men of the Air Force were still in hot pursuit of the fleeing insurgents as of the time of filing this report.
The source said that the military operation was designed to ensure that the fleeing insurgents were prevented from getting out of Maiduguri into their safe havens in the vast Sambisa forests.
It was further gathered that a good number of the insurgents were killed en masse in a plantation not too far from the Brigade on Friday afternoon.
The source said that the insurgents were attempting to hide and to regroup in the plantation when they were stormed by security forces, which spotted them from a hilly location. “Several of them were also killed this afternoon in a plantation where they wanted to take cover; they were hiding there without knowing that security forces were watching them. All of them who were found in that location were killed and their arms and ammunition recovered.
A source said that about 60 bodies of dead insurgents were dumped at the gate of the Brigade barracks in Maimalari by 5.30 pm on Friday.
It was further learnt that the insurgents inflicted some gunshot wounds on some soldiers and barracks boys during the attacks. The injured were said to have been taken to a hospital as of the time of filing this report.
Saturday PUNCH further learnt that 10 Air Force fighter jets were deployed to provide the requisite air support for ground forces who engaged the insurgents for close to three hours.
Investigation revealed that a third year student of Mass Communication was hit by a stray bullet at the University of Maiduguri.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, said in an electronic mail on Friday that the attack was an attempt by the insurgents to free their detained members in order to boost the number of their depleted fighters.
Olukolade said that the Special Forces foiled the attack with heavy casualties on the side of the insurgents.
He said that the victims of the terrorist attacks included some of the detained terror suspects. He said that the Special Forces also captured many of the terrorists and their arms and ammunition.
He added that four soldiers who sustained gunshot wounds were being treated.
He said, “Pockets of terrorists apparently in a move to boost their depleted stock of fighters this morning attacked a military location in Maiduguri with a view to freeing their colleagues who are being held in detention.
“The attack has been successfully repelled with heavy human casualties on the terrorists. Some of the victims of the terrorists fired in their efforts to break into the detention facility included those they came to rescue.
“Many of the terrorists and their weapons have been captured. Four soldiers were wounded and are being treated.
“Hot pursuits by land and air operations are ongoing along with cordon and search of surrounding localities.
“No institution has been reportedly attacked, although the effect of firing from the encounter could be noticed in surrounding facilities in Maiduguri.”
He said that the attack was a reaction to the intensity of military attacks on terrorist ‘strongholds at Talala, Monguzum, Sambisa forests, Gwoza, Mandara mountains as well as the general area of Lake Chad which were destroyed and where many of the insurgents were killed.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, David Mark, on Friday lamented fresh attacks of Boko Haram insurgents on Maiduguri, and pleaded with the insurgents to end the hostilities.
Mark, who spoke against the fresh onslaught of the insurgents on Maiduguri on Friday, reminded them that violence or crime anywhere in the World could not produce good result.
The senate president in a statement in Abuja by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, said “no matter the amount of anger in a man’s mind, resorting to violence or killing another cannot be a solution.”
He said, “There are many channels of communication to dialogue. We can still come to a dialogue table and resolve our differences.
“The spate of attacks and killings across Nigeria is becoming intolerable and indeed unbearable. The situation is degenerating. We cannot pretend not to know that the nation is endangered. We must all speak out with one voice against this growing terrorism.
“For whatever reason, let wise counsel prevail. We are not at war with each other. Nigerians and indeed Africans are known to be their brothers’ keepers.
“This time-tested position should not be compromised. Let’s respect human life. It is not too late to reverse this ugly situation especially in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Katsina and Benue states.”
He, however, implored the security operatives across the country to remain vigilant and be determined to protect lives and property even as he urged citizens to cooperate with them.
Meanwhile, the Senate President has sent a message of condolence to the Igbo apex socio- cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on the demise of its former President, Ambassador Ralph Uweche.
Mark described Uweche as an ambassador par excellence and a bridge builder who worked for the peace and unity of Nigeria. He said Uweche left a positive footprint on the sand of time.
He said, “We shall miss his frank and honest disposition especially on national issues. He was a great patriot who believed in the unity and indivisibility of Nigeria.”
Jonathan can’t allow Obasanjo rule Nigeria from Ota –Edwin Clark
In this interview with JOHN ALECHENU, elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, sheds light on some recent controversies generated by his comments on national issues
Reflect on your time as Minister of Information. How was it?
In our time, we were known as federal commissioners. As a federal commissioner of information, I took over from the late Chief Anthony Enahoro who was commissioner for special duties. He was charged with the responsibility of organising FESTAC ’77, but it was still under my ministry that the memorandum was submitted. During that time, we had very few print media organisations. We had Daily Times and others but they were very few. We didn’t have private television stations. I remember during our time, we created some of these services we have today like the News Agency of Nigeria. It was a military regime but it was very liberal. General Gowon was a very liberal man, very thoughtful, a man who was interested in Nigeria and its unity. At that time, a number of politicians were out to criticise his government; we explained the government side of the issue to the public. Today, what I see, especially with the print media, is that they are so many to the effect that many of them are not effective. The few that are national in outlook are owned by people who have their own ideas, who have their own beliefs. Politicians floated the print media to serve their purposes. You do not expect them to support government. That is what we are seeing; most of the print media in the country are owned by people who are opposed to the Federal Government. Therefore, most of the activities of the Federal Government are being downplayed. It’s only in Nigeria that the press has decided to run down their own country; to say that their own country is a failed country or a country that is failing. That’s not what happens in other parts of the world. The press should think of their own country first because without Nigeria, they will not be here, that’s the difference between the press of today and the press of yesterday. As a young man, I grew up to see the Pilot. It had the motto, ‘show the light and the people will find the way.’
When people thought you were too old to get married, you shocked them by marrying again to a younger woman. How did you manage that?
My wife is not a very young lady. My wife is a medical doctor with about 33 years in practice. She went to Queens College many years ago and proceeded to the University of Ibadan to study medicine. She was a commissioner in Ogun State on two occasions; Commissioner for Health and Commissioner for Commerce at different times. She has practised under the World Health Organisation. Today, she is 57. Is that a young lady? Women do not tell their age but because of this question which some newspapers have published all kinds of things, I have to say it. I am a man with a pedigree; I come from a good family. I am not one of those made by politics. Those who are abusing me are making a mistake. I know what is good and what is bad, or don’t you want me to marry someone who is good?
Do you feel your campaign against former Delta State governor, James Ibori, was successful with what happened to him and what he’s going through?
Ibori’s case is just one case. I am sorry to say that many of the governors have been charged to court and their cases have been in court for over six years unheard; nobody cares about them. I wrote an open letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria at the time and he replied and said yes, I was right and he tried to pinpoint what went wrong. Senior Advocates of Nigeria go to court to adjourn cases; they do all kinds of things to delay trials. Meanwhile, justice is being denied. Some of these governors are now senators in the National Assembly. They behave as if they have not committed any offence. Can you imagine people like Bukola Saraki are now senators? Nobody has asked about what he did to Societe Generale Bank where shareholders and depositors lost their money. He behaves as if nothing has happened. What of the money which he borrowed that has been written off by the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria? Today, the (suspended) governor of CBN is one of those shouting on top of their voices about corruption. What a disgrace. Some of these people should be charged to court. You had a former President of this country who left prison penniless. Today, he is one of the billionaires in this country. Yet, he is the one who shouts the loudest about other people. These are some of the problems we are facing. Ibori is just one out of many cases. Ibori has not done what others have not done. If he had not gone to Britain, he couldn’t have been jailed; he wouldn’t have admitted that he committed the crime. The charges against him here were 70 and a judge freed him in two hours and that judge has just retired. I am surprised that the judiciary has not dealt with such judges. It is only in this country that you have perpetual injunctions, you cannot be arrested, you cannot be prosecuted. But today, people talk about this government not being able to tackle corruption. I think that Ibori’s case should be a lesson to the judiciary. The bar association should do something about its erring members. It is not enough to say Mr. President is not fighting corruption. The President is an individual; he cannot do it alone. Is he the prosecutor in court? Is he the judge in the court? EFCC and ICPC should do their jobs; they do not need interference from the government.
You and President Goodluck Jonathan are from the South-South. Is that why you support him?
Your assertion is misplaced; your assertion is not objective. It is a negative assertion. This is not correct. I supported (the late President Umaru)Yar’Adua between 2007 and 2010; I supported Yar’Adua throughout. He called me father and I called him my son. And I can show you correspondence between me and him. He normally wrote ‘Your son, Yar’adua’ and I addressed him as my son. He was from Katsina and I am from Delta. He was a Fulani and I am an Ijaw man. When former President Olusegun Obasanjo started to run him down, I was the only person in this country that defended him. I asked Obasanjo to stay at his home in Ota and stop interfering with the government of Yar’Adua. I took full pages in the papers to defend Yar’Adua and I also remember when the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, went to court against Yar’Adua, I wrote an open letter to Atiku Abubakar to forget about the suit because of his relationship with his elder brother, Musa Yar’Adua, coupled with the fact that he visited their mother during his campaign in Katsina. I told him that since he lost, he should take it as a man. I was the only one who wrote a letter to Atiku Abubakar and I sent a copy of that letter to the then President Umaru Yar’Adua and he replied me. I still have a copy of the letter. When he gave an account of his 100 days in office, I was one of those who hailed him. You think because Jonathan is Ijaw and I am an Ijaw man, therefore I am saying things about him; tell me one thing that I have said about him that is not true. Is it the railway that he has resuscitated that is not true? Is it the power that he has privatised that is not true? Is it the fact that he has established 12 universities in Nigeria that is not true? That he has improved agricultural services, is that not true? That fertilizer is now being sold directly to farmers, is this not true? That during his time, free and fair elections are now being held, is that not true? Did you watch the governorship election that took place in Ondo and Edo states? What of the 2011 elections? People said an incumbent President could not hold a free and fair election, are these not true? What have I said about him that is not true?
What of his performance so far, is it satisfactory to you?
As I said earlier, it is very satisfactory. In 2015, Nigerians will vote for him again if he decides to re-contest. What he has achieved cannot be hidden in a bushel. He is performing. He gave the record of his performance at the centenary dinner through his Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. Last year too, he did it during the Democracy Day celebrations. He has nothing to hide and he has asked his opponents to prove him wrong. Has he started a road that he has not developed? Has he mentioned the Railways that he has not resuscitated? But his opponents have not been able to challenge him about his performance.
But recently, people have criticised you for being tribalistic with the way you defend Jonathan?
I believe I have answered this question. There is nothing tribalistic about what I have said.
Some Nigerians who voted for Jonathan feel excluded, are you not worried?
Everybody in Nigeria cries marginalisation. Even our own people, the Ijaws, the South-South people complain about marginalisation. That is why I listed in my open public letter to the former President the number of offices that went to the South-South. They were very few. I do hope that time will come when we will be able to publish a full list of all the appointments in this country to know who is being marinalized and who is not being marginalised. For instance, today, you find some geo-political zones out of the six holding about ten of the topmost posts in this country but they are still crying.
Some Nigerians were alarmed when you made utterances that implied that there would be no Nigeria without Jonathan?
I did not say so. At no time did I say that without Jonathan, there would be no Nigeria. Jonathan is a Nigerian; he is a citizen of this country. There will be Nigeria without Jonathan; there will be Nigeria at all times. Nigeria does not belong to any individual; Nigeria does not belong to any tribe, no matter how big you are. Nigeria belongs to everybody in this country and Jonathan. No matter what he has done to improve the lot of Nigerians, there will be Nigeria without Jonathan. Jonathan is part of this country and all that I pray for is that he should be allowed to serve this country as provided for in the constitution. That is all I’m saying. I have never said that there will be no Nigeria without Jonathan. I have never said there will be crisis without Jonathan. Jonathan was voted for in 2011 by the people of Nigeria and they expect so much from him and he is doing everything possible. That is why he has not declared (for 2015) and the same Nigerians will vote for him in 2015 if he satisfies them. No individual can stop him; no group of persons can stop him. Nigerians from the 36 states and the FCT are the only people who can stop him either by voting for him or not voting for him. And I am very sure they will vote for him because by the time he declares, he must have done a lot to satisfy Nigerians.
Despite your age, why do you still want to be heard at every opportunity?
People who say such things are narrow minded illiterates who call themselves PhD holders, but they are ill-literates. There are people in the world who are 89, 90 and still ruling their own countries. I am 86 and Nigerians have seen me speaking, I have not lost my senses and I am not holding any position in Nigeria, I have not asked to be made a board member or board chairman or a minister or anything. I know I am old; I am not in a position to hold any office. But, I’m in a position to speak for the betterment of this country and that’s what I do from time to time. I speak the truth when others do not want to speak the truth. I believe- my slogan is when you are 70 and above, you are at the departure lounge waiting for your boarding pass and you have a duty to speak to defend your country at all times. Speak against evil, speak against injustice, speak against oppression, speak against marginalisation; anything that is not good in your country. If you do not, you are already a dead man; you don’t need to go to the departure lounge. Those who make those mistakes are already dead. Some of them are corrupt; some of them are bankrupt; some of them have no character; some of them had nothing to offer this country even in their younger age, they have nothing to offer Nigerians, I do not listen to them. When I speak, I speak my mind, I speak the truth without fear or favour.
Is it not because of this that Raymond Dokpesi said that you have used the time of your children and grand children?
Dokpesi is not relevant. I cannot compare myself with Dokpesi. If I reply Dokpesi, I am lowering my position. I have younger ones who will reply him. Nigerians know who I am. I am a father and a statesman. I have served my country and when I speak, Nigerians listen. Who is Dokpesi to comment on me? Whether I did my time, what has he done? They will reply him; I don’t have to reply him. I have spoken my mind about him and why he should not be appointed as Chief of Staff; that he was not a fit and proper person to be appointed, period. I don’t want to make further comments.
Is it true that you said Dokpesi would be appointed Chief of Staff over your dead body?
I never said so. Who is he that I will say over my dead body for him to be appointed? Not at all.
People expect you to be cautioning someone like Asari Dokubo, but it seems that the two of you are in tandem.
I think Nigerians are being unfair to this man. Asari Dokubo is about 50 years old. Asari Dokubo is no longer a young boy. There was a time when he was the President of the Ijaw Youth Council and you remember how long Asari Dokubo was in prison or detained by a former President of Nigeria. You also realise when Rivers State was burning, Asari Dokubo and Atake Tom were fighting but the governor of the state at the time was behind the scene, using one against the other until the Federal Government invited the two of them to Abuja. Asari Dokubo is not issuing statements just now. He has his own record. Yes, Nigeria will not burn if Jonathan does not contest the elections. Yes, he made statements to the effect that Nigeria will burn if Jonathan is not allowed to contest the elections. But people have failed to realise that Asari Dokubo was not the first to make that statement. There were older persons than Asari Dokubo from a certain part of the country who said there would be no Nigeria if a northerner did not become the president of this country. Someone said that Nigeria would become Somalia if a northerner did not become President of Nigeria. There are others who said there would be bloodshed. So, People should check when these statements were made; was Asari Dokubo’s statement the first? Or the other people who made the statement made them first? Check it out. Asari Dokubo did not wake up overnight to say those things. You will realise that the same Asari Dokubo was abusing Mr. President when he said he was not fit to run this country again to the applause and jubilation of some people, even the elders. Asari Dokubo should not be made a scapegoat. That is why I wrote an open letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives when a member from Kano said that Asari Dokubo and Kingsley Kuku should be investigated for those statements. However, Kingsley Kuku denied ever making such statements thereafter but I wrote a letter to the Speaker of the House and I listed all the people who made such provocative and inflammatory statements. I asked why only Asari Dokubo and Kingsley Kuku should be investigated? I said that in the interest of this country, the totality of all those people who made the provocative and inflammatory statements should be investigated because this country belongs to all of us. Some people have even said that oh, I am the enemy of Mr. President. When they abuse him and nobody says anything, they are happy and when we reply, they say we are the enemies of Mr. President because they don’t want us to reply. But I believe this country belongs to all of us; let us love one another. Jonathan will rule for only four years more. Four years will not break Nigeria, four years will not end Nigeria, I condemn all those who make those provocative and inflammatory statements whether it is Asari Dokubo or others. That is my position. We need one another, we have lived together in this country for 100 years, there was no negotiation. Out of the 53 years since independence, some people ruled for 38 years; others have ruled for 11 years, some have never ruled at all. Some are just ruling, if this country belongs to all of us, we must respect one another. Nobody is superior to the other; we are all equal. The moment one person is superior to the other, then we don’t have a country. Today an Afro-American is ruling the United States of America. Martin Luther King said about 47 years ago that ‘I have a dream.’ Now the dream has come true without firing a shot, without oppression, today a black American is ruling. If his first term was a fluke, he is ruling for a second term. Mandela came and ruled South Africa and everybody, including the white people who ruled for years, listened to him, obeyed him. Today, they are living side by side, why can’t we in Nigeria adopt the system adopted in South Africa and in the United States of America? Nobody is superior to the other; we must have a country where everybody is equal. That is why many of us are asking for a national conference. Let us discuss the basis of our living together.
You described Olusegun Obasanjo as a liar and manipulator, why?
Because, he had no right to write that letter he wrote to Mr. President. Not only that he accused the Ijaw of possessing Jonathan, he accused Ijaw of taking positions and as the leader of the Ijaw people, I had the right to reply him and tell Nigerians who was making those statements and the people he was making that statement about. That’s what I did.
You also accused Obasanjo of begrudging the President because he’s not allowing Obasanjo to dictate to him. How did you know this?
Ah, ahh, it’s an open secret. He tried it with Yar’Adua, that is why I attacked him. He did not succeed. Yar’Adua should have stopped him, unfortunately he died. Now, he wants Jonathan to allow him to rule from Ota farm. But Obasanjo alone did not vote for Jonathan; all Nigerians voted for him and he can only listen to the dictates of Nigerians, not to individuals, not to a person who has ruled before. You also know, one of his former ministers, (Nasir) El-Rufai, said in his book, “Accidental Public Servant,” that when they were leaving office, they had breakfast with Obasanjo on the last day and he told them that they should not go anywhere; that they would soon be relevant to rule; that he would be dictating from Ota farm. And he (El-Rufai) told Obasanjo that he was going out of the country. This is in the public domain; I was not the one who said this. When you asked how I knew, this is one of the ways. I saw the way he (Obasanjo) was intruding into the government of Yar’Adua. He thought that these people were weak rulers and he felt he could control them but unfortunately, they refused. That’s why he is begrudging them.
Why did you say that Yoruba people lack good leadership?
I never said Yoruba lacked good leadership. The Yoruba are the most sophisticated, the most educated people in this country. How can I say the Yoruba have no leader? All that I said was that (Bola) Tinubu cannot be the leader of Yoruba land; the Yoruba know who should be their leader. That’s what I said.
Missing $20bn: 96 anti-corruption groups, CSO, embark on forensic audit
As controversy continues to trail the alleged unremitted $20 billion, about 96 anti-corruption groups including Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organisations have set up an independent forensic audit to ascertain the level of culpability in the remittance of government funds by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to the federation account.
Meanwhile, the 96 anti-corruption groups have said that they were mobilizing to embark on what they described as the mother of protests over the alleged missing money.
Addressing Journalists yesterday, the Executive Secretary of Anti-Corruption Network, flanked by other members of the anti-corruption groups stated that now President Goodluck Jonathan had announced through his spokesman, Reuben Abati the conduct of forensic audit of the NNPC account, there was the need for the Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke to step aside so as not to use her influence against the probe.
Besides, the group also said that if the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala should claim ignorance of not being aware of the non remittance of the subsidy funds in the last three years, she has no business to continue to act as the Cordinating minister.
Melaye who was a former member of the House of Representatives said, “The protest is being organized, the organization is at the highest gear and we are mobilizing like never before for this mother of all protests. We shall never be intimidated by the police, we shall not be cowed by the security agencies, we cannot and we will not be threatened by anybody.
“What we are organizing is a peaceful protest and it is in consonance with the provision of our constitution as enshrined in Chapter 2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
“I want to use this opportunity also to educate the Nigeria Police that in the case of ANPP versus the Nigeria Police, the Court of Appeal had ruled that the Nigeria Police have no powers to stop any peaceful protest.
“That judgment also stipulated that no one needs any clarifications or orders from the Nigeria Police for peaceful protests, rally and processions and that judgment even over rules the public order act. So the police is advised to allow this peaceful protest hold because any attempt to stop us from holding the peaceful protest will be met with stiff resistance.
“We are law abiding Nigerians, we abhor violence but we live in peaceful resolution to national issues. Our protest has never been violent, we had never been violent, we will always be peaceful, so the security agents have nothing to fear than to give us protection.
“We also want to use this opportunity to call for the immediate resignation of the minister of petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke and the Group MD of NNPC. Just yesterday, the President ordered a forensic probe of the NNPC and we are saying he who must come to equity must come with clean hands.
“If the NNPC is going to be investigated or audited, the minister of Petroleum in the person of Diezani Allison-Madueke is the Chairman of the Board of NNPC and we all know the popular saying that you cannot be a judge in your own case.
“If you are calling for a forensic audit of the NNPC, then the minister of petroleum who doubles as the Chairman of NNPC and the Group MD of NNPC will have to be suspended, excused or temporarily suspended so that transparency and openness will be observed in the course of this auditing.
“The minister cannot be sitting, the Group MD of NNPC cannot be sitting in office while a forensic investigation and auditing is going on. We all know that they will impede on investigation. So it is a natural law of justice that you cannot be a judge in your own case,” he stated.
Melaye also disclosed that the anti-corruption groups have started their own independent forensic audit and that in few weeks time, they would make available the results of their audit.
“We are also carrying out our own independent forensic auditing of the PPPRA and PPMC and other subsidiaries of NNPC and in few weeks, we will be making our revelations.
“Already, primary investigation has revealed that the NNPC and her subsidiary are colossus for corruption in Nigeria. Our common patrimony has been misapplied, the future of our children and grand children is bleak, God forbid, never again shall we keep quiet over issues and matter that will determine the future of this country.”
Gusau: Northern elders demand probe of insubordination
The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) yesterday asked the National Assembly to investigate the puported act of insubordination by Service Chiefs to the Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau .
The Deputy Leader of the NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo,told reporters in Abuja that the alleged insubordination,if true, was a dangerous development.
Unongo said: It is not done in the Armed Forces. It dents the credibility of the minister. If they refuse to appear before him, what right has he to oversee the entire Defence Forces?
“Disrespect is not tolerated in the Armed Forces. If he resigned, I support him. If he did not resign, what happened? I heard Mr. President pleaded with him to withdraw his resignation letter.
“This is a serious issue that the National Assembly should investigate because it is an attack on our democracy. This is a very serious thing in a democratic set-up.
“When such a thing happened in the United States, the Head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces was dismissed. The President is allowed to choose anybody whom he feels can do the job.
“This kind of thing should never be tolerated. Such officers should be flushed out of the system because if hey are not flushed out, it is dangerous for our democracy.”
Dr Unongo,Second Republic Minister of Steel Development, hoped that President Jonathan “will take note of the grave implications inherent in the drama of his Armed Forces refusing to carry out instructions of civilian cabinet ministers appointed to oversee their various departments.”
He added: “To oversee these functions, Mr. President invites cabinet ministers to assist him run the departments and the military is a department.
“These heads of the Armed Forces, according to the Constitution, unless they have changed it, are directly under a director within the Ministry of Defence.
“This is a man that has been a General for over 20 years with the Nigerian Armed Forces. This is a person that became the Chief Spy; his nickname is the Chief Spy of the Nigerian Federation.
“This is a man that all governments, including this present administration, tap his knowledge and I know this person and how long the Government of President Jonathan tried to get him to accept this position of Minister of Defence.”
Meanwhile, the Minister of Defence, General Gusau yesterday met with Service Chiefs in what appeared a likely resolution of the crisis of confidence between the minister and leaders of the Armed Forces.
Gusau and the Service Chiefs reviewed the situation in Maiduguri and other parts of the North-East.
A reliable source, who spoke in confidence, said the Service Chiefs, led by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, decided to honour the invitation after the intervention of the Presidential Villa.
The source said: “The Defence Minister and the Service Chiefs met to iron out grey areas on the management of security challenges and out to forge a common front.
“I think we are closer to the resolution of the misunderstanding between the minister and the Service Chiefs.
“We expect a better co-ordination of all operations against the Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East.”
Asked if the Service Chiefs will now report to the minister, the source added: “Not likely because National Security Agencies Act does not mandate them to do so.
“But what yesterday’s meeting has achieved is the need for mutual respect and how to collaborate without friction.
“It is also about drawing inspiration from Gusau who is respected globally as an expert in counter-insurgency.
“The crisis in Maiduguri was a catalyst for the session between the minister and the Service Chiefs. It jolted all of them into action.”
ConcreteNews Online 