Nigerian Newspapers
Bigfoot is about
Fear stalks the land. There is trepidation all over the nation. Uncertainty and a sense of foreboding, of an approaching apocalyptic meltdown, grip the citizenry. The omens are dire. Never in the history of this country have its people felt more insecure, more vulnerable to man-made misfortunes. A huge monster roams the land, threatening to overwhelm its already weakened defence and resolve. It recalls the fabled Bigfoot or even the more celebrated Yeti, the Abominable Snowman of the Himalayan Summit.
Mercifully, Jonathan has cut short his foreign trip. He ought not to have gone in the first instance. It is an elementary law of sovereignty that you do not leave your domain when there is fire on the rooftop. This is the time to talk straight to ourselves. There is nothing to sell or advertise abroad about the nation at this particular point.
It doesn’t appear as if the Nigerian ruling class appreciates the grave dimension of the current crisis in all its tragic, nation-evaporating possibilities. Let us no longer quibble about our situation. Nigeria is embroiled in an unusual civil war. We are faced with a grave emergency. The earlier we recognise this fact, the better for everybody. It is no longer possible to sustain Nigeria under its current configuration.
Those who plotted the endgame of this gifted but troubled nation and the dark scenario of a war of all against all could not have been more prescient. They are spot on their money. Political prophecy has gone scientific. These amazing futurologists know the kind of political elite they are dealing with, that they will fiddle and fumble while Rome burns. A self-fulfilling prophecy requires a self-destroying political class.
This past week has been very scary for those who bear aloft the torch of hope for this dysfunctional nation. Bigfoot struck serially and severally again. The Boko Haram people returned fire in what observers consider to be a reprisal raid for the Baga mayhem. They put the town of Bama to sword, attacking police and military formations before descending on the civilian populace. By the time the smouldering and belching cloud cleared, the town had become a ghost town clogged with horrendous casualties.
As if this was not enough for a nation coming to terms with the utter devastation of its northernmost fringes, a hitherto little known traditional sect calling itself Ombatse struck in the Nasarawa village of Alayko. According to the sect, they ambushed and killed 95 security personnel in retaliation for the killing of nine of its members . It was a re-enactment of Dante’s inferno. In the fiercest of wars, the casualty figures could not have been higher.
If the police force is this vulnerable in a country, it says a lot about the state of the country and its capacity to fulfil its most fundamental obligation to its citizenry. In a ritual of reverse victimhood, the police authorities have directed their personnel to wear black bands for one week as a mark of respect and sympathy for their fallen colleagues.
It should tell us that something very serious is going on. Hitherto, it used to be the populace complaining about police brutality. Now the police authorities are loudly complaining about brutality against their own. With that level of morale, it is clear that the state is on its own.
It is instructive to note that this past week, two current state executives were known to have taken refuge in Aso Rock as the security situation in their states deteriorated beyond their capacity and capability. In Ibadan, a calamity was averted when traders at the Bodija Cattle Market discovered that some of their colleagues had been murdered in Borno State where they had gone to buy cattle.
The insurgents were reported to have separated the ambushed traders into their ethnic stock before murdering those from a particular ethnic group. As soon as the news broke, Snooper spent the entire day answering desperate inquiries from abroad, particularly from affronted intellectuals of Yoruba origins, who wanted to know just when enough would be enough. How long will restrained and civilised people put up with this flagrant provocation?
As if these flashpoints, any of which could tip the nation into terminal and irreversible chaos are not enough, Bigfoot has been at work in the Rivers State, in a political dress rehearsal for actual war. The whole place has become a boiling cauldron simmering and sizzling with intent. Only luck and his own gritty determination separate Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi from sure impeachment by a minority assembly. It is said that when that happens, heavens will not fall.
The pundits claim that such state outlawry and executive lawlessness have illustrious precedents. If heavens did not fall in Oyo, on the plateau and in nearby Bayelsa where serving governors have been tomahawked twice, why should it fall in the Rivers State? Meanwhile, the whole thing is assuming a nasty ethnic dimension with the Ikwerre people pitched against the Ijaw nationality. Are we still in a democracy or the rule of despotic strongmen who do not give a damn about the fundamental tenets of democracy?
As it is usually the case when law and order take a flight and chaos prevails in a society, the lawless and chaotically minded rule the roost, Mojahid Asari Dokubo has been feverishly and ferociously rattling his sabre, threatening the corporate existence of the nation in the process. Asari Dokubo has become the principal Ijaw spokesperson in a land that has produced the illustrious Professor Tekana Tamuno, the great Professor Allagoa and the extraordinarily cerebral if occasionally controversial Professor Tamuno David-West.
In a war situation, it is the man with the men and material that matters. How many arms bearing militiamen can the professors come up with? This is not a matter of book piracy. The real pirates are up and a-hollering. The nation is gradually coming under the odoriferous armpit of political warlords. When last did you hear of a man of ideas in Mogadishu? If the CNN is to be believed, one of Somalia’s best known professors of political science has taken up refuge in a college in Minnesota. There is no point pontificating about the post-colonial state when the real thing vanished over 20 years ago.
So while Asari Dokubo prevails as the pre-eminent warlord of the Niger Delta, the Boko Haram rules the roost in the north with the Sultan, the military and spiritual heir to Othman Dan Fodio, reduced to pleading with the sect to accept amnesty. It doesn’t occur to the well-regarded Sultan that if amnesty had succeeded in the Niger Delta, there ought not to be an Asari Dokubo still threatening the corporate existence of the nation.
Meanwhile, other insurgent groups appear to be cottoning in on the act. The Ombatse folks may yet succeed in carving out a wide swathe around the nation’s heart for themselves. In the east, MASSOB is heaving with Biafran bathos. In the west, the old militia majordomos are stirring again hoping to leverage federal political patronage to reinforce rusting ramparts.
But they will meet with other nascent civilian armies in the combustible region. The dominant political tendency in the region will not allow itself to be so summarily dispossessed by force. You cannot step into the same river twice. Bigfoot is truly abroad and God helps Nigeria and all of us boxed into the tinder box. Like a wanton schoolboy, somebody is busy setting up explosive crackers all over the country.
What we are witnessing is the failure of the post-military amnesty vision in all its material fundament. Genuine amnesty involves considerable contrition and remorse for past misconduct. What is being confused with amnesty in Nigeria is the payment of gratuity and gratification to unrepentant criminals for the cessation of hostilities against their fatherland. It is a question of political and economic expediency since the cessation of hostilities remains a temporary truce. There may yet be some method to Asari’s madness.
The fear of inter-regional and intraregional domination is real and palpable; so are the grievances. Jonathan and his government are looking for Bigfoot in the wrong direction. BOKO HARAM, MASSOB, MEND, OMBATSE, OPC etc are products of these fears with different inflections and intensity. Unless we remove the structural disfigurement of the nation which produces these fears, we will continue to be saddled with economic, political and spiritual warlords.
For many, the Bigfoot is real, an evolutionary bypass, a throwback to the age of Neanderthal hunters haunting modern man. For others, it is a myth, a mirage a troubling reminder of unfinished business, a reflection of humanity’s fear of the unknown. In other words, if the Bigfoot, the Yeti or the Yoruba ologomugomu do not exist, we will have to create them. It is left for each society to plot its way out of the dark abyss. Nigeria is not doing too well in that department. And time is not on our side.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: The Nation Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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