Nigerian Newspapers
Rejection of amnesty will trigger dialogue
By Abubakar Ibrahim & Stanley Onyekwere
Former Vice Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and prominent member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Professor Ango Abdullahi, has said that the purported rejection of the proposed Federal Government’s amnesty for Boko Haram insurgents should not dim hopes as this can be the beginning of a meaningful dialogue between the sect and the government.
According to the elder statesman, the group’s reaction to the proposed amnesty plan, was not necessarily the end of the whole process but a positive indication that there might be breakthroughs towards a deal between both parties.
Prof. Abdullahi who made this known yesterday during an interview with Peoples Daily in Abuja, stated that the sect’s rejection of the plan should not spur the government into withdrawing the offer, but keep it open, with the hope of a possible change of mind by the adamant sect.
This, according to him, dialogue was the best approach as has been the practice towards the resolution of conflicts around the world.
This is coming just as Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state set up a secret committee aimed at making direct contact with the sect’s leadership.
According to Ango Abdullahi, the Korean “armistice” in the 1950s and the current American move for direct talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan as a mark of the futility of military solution to most conflicts despite the massive resources committed to the Afghan campaign with its loss of troops and innocent civilians
“Going by what we read in the newspapers as a reaction to the proposed amnesty, that the Boko Haram has rejected the initiative. For me, I wouldn’t dismiss it as totally negative, at all. In fact, I look at it as the beginning of dialogue through the media or through whatever channels that are available, because these kind of things had always happened through intermediaries, some visible, and some not so visible.
“Also looking back at the history of amnesty offered by late President Umaru Ya’Adua, to the Niger Delta militant groups; at some point he gave them a deadline of sixty days or there about within which to accept the offer; and after its expiration the offer will be withdrawn; and this is what continued until two to three days to the expiry of the official deadline, that something just broke through; and the deal was struck, and from there on till the logistic of how to implement the amnesty that was offered and accepted by the group.
“So, we have to wait now to hear a little more from the government in terms of whether it is going to take the same form of deadline like that of Niger Delta, because the fact that somebody has rejected the offer doesn’t mean that the government should automatically withdraw the offer. In fact, it should keep it there, in case the person changes his or her mind. This is the way the government should approach it”, he insisted.
In his view, it was not rational for anyone to conclude that the offer has been rejected outright by everybody within the group as somebody else may accept it.
“The offer by government is a good thing, and Nigerians have welcome it, in order for all to as soon as possible come back to peaceful co-existence with one another in the country. So, rejection here to me is a start of dialogue, because if they reject, somebody else may accept, and so on.”
He said there was the possibility that within the sect there may be other sub-groups that must have evolved, given rise to the instances where a particular leadership speaks while another speaks on the same matter.
On whether there was a disconnect between the proponents of the programme and members of the sect, he said the insurgent group is made of individuals who eventually moulded into a larger group with certain defined objectives, goals and ideologies.
Dismissing the argument that the sect was a ghost and unreachable for dialogue, he said that “at least there are mediums where this has happened. Now, even the purported talk of rejection was communicated through the media to the rest of Nigerians.
“Already these channels to me are useful as they hear reactions about what they have said, and some of them may change their minds against the argument. It is worthwhile for them and all us to accept the process to move forward. Therefore, the rejection here doesn’t mean the end of the whole process by the government and all stakeholders who are concerned about the peace of this country.”
He also noted that the committee set up on the proposed amnesty programme would define the perimeters or the nature of the amnesty initiative and its implementation, and expressed optimism that President Jonathan is serious about it.
Urging stakeholders to remain committed as the nation was now in the process of moving forward, he said: “we are aware that the bureaucracy is on, in terms of drawing up the necessary terms of reference and so on, and by and large the generality of public opinion supported the action the president took in this respect.”
“Yes, there is a reaction, a negative one at that but were there even negative reactions from the side of the civil societies; some people said that in the first place the amnesty shouldn’t be given, but what alternative have they offered? They are saying that we should then wear a uniform and carry a gun, and fight it out in the field? So this is not the way to deal with it, since the government has gone this far and it’s the government of all Nigerians.
“I think they should keep the offer there, and use all channels that are known, and including those that are to be known in the future to persuade those who are still not persuaded to come forward and accept the proposal”, he said.
NEF met with President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday April 3, 2013 where they held positive talks on the end to insecurity in the north.
Meanwhile, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has set up a committee to be chaired by him, with the task of developing strategies and making contacts with leaders and members of the Boko Haram sect preparatory to the take off of the proposed amnesty for the sect members, reliable sources informed Peoples Daily yesterday.
Governor Shettima, the sources said, is ready to lead negotiations with the sect even as he is still consulting with elders and persons that could establish contacts with the sect, and those believed to have good understanding of the sect members. This is with a view to commencing underground works ahead of possible discussions that could be useful to the federal government.
The sources also said that the governor chose to lead the committee in order to conceal the identity of members of the committee so as not to compromise their security. The governor has also consulted an expert in conflict negotiations/resolution who is to offer some tutorial to the members before they commence full work in days to come, it was also noted.
The sources said the committee is made up of citizens of Borno State who have either carried out some researches on the sect or have made useful contributions in previous attempts for dialogue with the sect, as well as those that have shown good understanding of the subject matter from presentations and public comments.
The setting up of the committee is coming just a day after leader of the Islamic sect, Imam Abubakar Shekau, dismissed the amnesty proposal but Governor Shettima was said to have told the committee that Shekau’s dismissal is one of the hurdles that must be overcome and that “no peace negotiation comes easy without an initial setback”.
The Governor even said that “only a fool will make himself so cheap by just jumping at and accepting an offer from the other party without resistance to raise his own bargain during negotiation proper. He said in every negotiation, parties start by sharply disagreeing before arriving at a truce and for that the committee must not be deterred but must rather be firm, persistent and consistent with the objective of restoring peace and nothing less”.
Governor Shettima, the sources said, also wants the committee to come up with dedicated telephone numbers and e-mail addresses that will be made public through which members of the public can participate in the efforts by assisting with useful links if any while some members of the sect may also choose to communicate with the committee members.
There were media reports that in 2012, Governor Shettima had met with some eleven commanders of the sect for peace negotiation but the meeting failed to achieve its objective following alleged disagreements between the soldiers and policemen. A faction of the sect that declared a cease fire some time back claimed to have held talks with officials of the Borno State Government even though the government’s officials insisted they had no comment.
The post Rejection of amnesty will trigger dialogue appeared first on Peoples Daily Newspaper, Nigeria.
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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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