Nigerian Newspapers
Boko Haram: Disquiet in Presidency as North backs Sultan over amnesty
• South-South leaders oppose proposal
• NSA opens talks with Algeria, Mauritania, others
In spite of the position of the Presidency, Northern leaders are supporting the recommendation of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad for granting amnesty to leaders of Islamist Boko Haram sect.
The support is causing anxiety in government following fears that Northern leaders might not be keen in collaborating with the administration in tackling the insurgent menace.
It was also gathered that the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) had just returned from Algeria as part of steps to seek the support of neighbouring countries where Boko Haram leaders have purportedly relocated to.
But a former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, yesterday raised it alarm that the insurgency was is getting out of hand.
Musa said the insurgency has reached a level that it would amount to a waste of time for President Goodluck Jonathan to be waiting for the leaders of the group to come out before he grants them amnesty.
Investigations show that Northern governors, Emirs, opinion and political leaders are backing the Sultan’s call for amnesty.
It was gathered that the Northern leaders were unhappy that the government did not take time to debrief the Sultan on the evidence at his disposal before rejecting his suggestion.
There were indications that the Sultan might have privileged information on the way out of the Boko Haram menace.
A top source who is in support of the Sultan’s call said: “The truth is that since the Sultan demanded amnesty for Boko Haram leaders, many Northern governors, leaders and Emirs have been backing him.
“Already, some Northern leaders have been angry that Sultan’s recommendation was just dismissed with a wave of hand by the President.
“They think the government needs to take a second look at Sultan’s suggestion or else it might end up not enjoying the support of the North in addressing the menace.
“Yet, there is no way the government can solve the Boko Haram challenge without the involvement of Northerners.”
But it was learnt that the National Security Adviser had been trying to persuade Northern leaders to appreciate that the President is not opposed to dialogue with the sect leaders.
Another source said: “The NSA has been making them to realize that the President is only after a well-tailored amnesty programme not just mere mouthing of such option.
“Dasuki said these Northern leaders should take cognizance of the fact that the government opted for dialogue option when he came on board and that was why he embarked on shuttles to all the troubled spots in the North and key opinion leaders.”
As at press time, it was gathered that Dasuki had just returned from a trip to Algeria to plead for collaboration against Boko Haram following intelligence report that most of the wanted leaders of the sect are holed up in the desert nation.
A reliable security chief added: “In the last few weeks, Nigeria has been trying to open up talks with strategic neighbours. Besides leading a team to France, the NSA had collaborative talks with Algeria, Mauritania, Chad and Niger Republic.
“The exchange with neighbouring countries was necessitated by intelligence reports that both Boko Haram and Ansaru leaders are now operating outside Nigeria.”
But speaking with our correspondent yesterday, Musa, a former Kaduna State governor, asked Jonathan to have a rethink and declare amnesty for Boko Haram leaders.
He said: “The security situation is getting out of hand; it seems to be slipping off the control of security agencies. The Sultan is talking for Nigeria, not the North. President Goodluck Jonathan should give amnesty a deep thought.
“ If this Boko Haram crisis is not solved, it will spread to all parts of the country. Let me remind you of the Nigerian civil war in the late 60s. At a point, the late Biafran leader, Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu took control of the South-East and the South-South. When he was almost seizing the Mid-West in order to march to the South-West, all Nigerians knew that there was a major challenge at hand.
“The situation has reached such a level that asking the Boko Haram leaders to come out as the President had done is a waste of time.”
He asked, “How can he (president) say that these sect leaders are faceless when he is the chief security officer of the country, when he has so many of them in detention, and when the nation spends a quarter of its budget on security and defence?
“Secondly, Boko Haram leaders are already in detention. By now they should know those behind the sect. The President is not a market leader and he has to be in charge. He said in his own words that Boko Haram members are in his government. If he is unable to dialogue with them, then it is his fault.
“Those who are calling for dialogue are actually saving his government. Let him use those in detention to identify the leaders of Boko Haram and open dialogue with them. When Yar’Adua realized the Niger Delta crisis was getting out of hand he did not wait for a long time to declare amnesty. And more militants came out to embrace amnesty than it was initially imagined. Why can’t he do the same thing unless some forces in government are behind Boko Haram.”
Despite what appears to be growing Northern consensus, leading Niger-Delta leaders are rising against the amnesty calls.
President of Conference of Ethnic Nationalities of the Niger Delta, Prof Kimse Okoko, has kicked against it.
According to him, the sect had wasted too many lives and shown no remorse or commitment to dialogue.
“Boko Haram is an insurgency that I find difficult to reconcile with the calls for amnesty. It is an ongoing insurgency and these people have not laid down their arms so how can we even consider dialogue, let alone amnesty?’’
He argued that advocates of amnesty should remember members of the sect have not embraced dialogue or negotiation under any guise.
The former President of Ijaw National Congress (INC) also punctured claims by Northerners that the Niger Delta region is deriving too much from the federation.
He stated that compared with the environmental degradation and massive fund contributions to the federation account, what the Niger Delta region receives as allocations is grossly inadequate.
Okoko said: “People should not be making these unscientific statements. If you look at the deprivations in our region and what we contribute to the nation, you discover we really do not get much.
“The only road linking the region, the East-West road has not been constructed after several decades. We have not been compensated for all that we are suffering and there is no commensurable returns for what we contribute.’’
He said such arguments would have been needless if Nigeria were practising true federalism.
“These people talking are politicians who do not have a clear idea of what is at stake. We are talking development while they are politicking. Let’s control our resources and then we see who is really who.’’
Other prominent leaders from the Niger Delta region have faulted Kano State Governor, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, over his perceived justification of Boko Haram violence and his call for amnesty for members of the Islamic sect.
Ms. Ann Kio Briggs of the Ijaw Republican Assembly, former MEND leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, the Izon-Ebe Oil Producing Communities Forum (IOPCF) and pioneer Chairman of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, (TROMPCON) Pere Charles Ayemi Botu, yesterday reacted angrily to statements credited to the governor.
IOPCF President, Mr. Edougha Moses, accused the governor and other prominent northern politicians of hiding under the violence of Boko Haram to unleash mayhem on hapless Nigerians in order to score cheap political points.
He said, “The North should also know that using religion as a cover up to cause destruction of lives and properties with the ill motive of distracting President Goodluck Jonathan can no longer be acceptable to the oil and gas producing communities. The insecurity in the nation is hatched by evil machinations of those who wish (for) Nigeria’s disintegration.”
Ayemi-Botu said Kwankwaso’s statement is in tandem with his “anti-Niger Delta antecedents.” While noting that the Kano State Governor has a history of being against the people of the oil bearing communities, said the statement was also an eye-opener on the sponsors of the violence bedevilling the country.
He said northern politicians are behind the plot to make the country ungovernable having lost power.
“Kwankwaso could be one those sponsoring Boko Haram. It is an irony of fate that somebody of his status could open his mouth to incite a section of the country against the other. Is it because they think Niger Delta is getting too much that they want to use Boko Haram to tear the country apart?”
He cautioned that the magnanimity of the Niger Delta people should not be taking for granted.
Media aide to Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), Paul Bebenimibo, decried the statement by the governor, describing it as careless and capable of plunging the country into another civil war.
He said: “It is unfortunate that Kwankwaso has a history of making very careless statement. It was he who recently advised Ibos to leave Kano State because government could no longer protect them.”
Ms Ann KioBriggs also lambasted Kwankwaso for making statements unbecoming of his position and status, stressing that his utterance seems to justify violence as a means of objecting to perceived injustice.
She noted “Is he (Kwankwaso) saying that it is also not unjust that we suffer environmental degradation from oil exploration, that it is unfair that Bayelsa, which produce oil, has only eight local government areas while Kano has 44?
“I want to tell him it is not fair that Kano has 44 local government areas while Bayelsa which produces the money he is using to develop Kano and running of the 44 LGAs, has only eight. I want to tell him that that is not fair.”
She said the position of Kwankwaso suggests that that Igbo, Yoruba and other ethnic groups should take up arms and hack hapless Nigerians to untimely death whenever they are displeased with government’s policies.
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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
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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