Military Set For 'Final Onslaught' On Terrorists, Nigerian Defence Headquarters Says

The source disclosed that, “Nigerian military is reviewing strategy in the combat against terrorists to accommodate joint and combined operations with neighbouring military organisations. Massive deployment of air and amphibious assets are expected to feature in the operation. Preparatory to this mission, the Defence Headquarters has changed the General Officer Commanding the 7 Division which is the leading formation in the counter-terrorism campaign.

---

by PRNigeria Jan 23, 2015

2 3 1

Irked by the increasing manouvres of the terrorists laying claim to Nigeria’s territories, the Nigerian military has finalized plans to conduct a “once and for all comprehensive operations” towards the elimination of Boko Haram terrorists in the parts of North East to the boarders of neighbouring countries. International media and satellite images suggest that areas presently under Boko Haram occupation could already be as large as Belgium.
 
Nigerian soldiers AFP Competent sources disclosed to PRNigeria in Abuja that political authorities which now feels so disturbed by the activities of the terrorists especially after viewing the latest video release from the terror group which claimed that it already has enough weapons to take on Nigeria and its neighbours, have endorsed the military plan and expressed full support for it.

According to the source, the determined onslaught has also received the assurance of cooperation and support of Cameroun, Niger and Chad, which have now realised the danger posed by continuing to allow terrorists free movement across the borders.

The source disclosed that, “Nigerian military is reviewing strategy in the combat against terrorists to accommodate joint and combined operations with neighbouring military organisations. Massive deployment of air and amphibious assets are expected to feature in the operation. Preparatory to this mission, the Defence Headquarters has changed the General Officer Commanding the 7 Division which is the leading formation in the counter-terrorism campaign.

“The deployment for the mission is expected to facilitate the elimination of safe havens and escape routes of terrorists in or out of Nigeria.  The arrangement has enlisted the support of the military forces of neighbouring countries towards ensuring that the plan to effectively block the terrorists for elimination while they are being pounded in the ongoing counter terrorism campaign is effectively attained,” the source elaborated.

PRNigeria can reliably report that the operation will commence very soon and is expected to terminate well before the February 14 elections so that Nigerians living in every part of the country can vote in their towns and villages.

However, it is expected that innocent citizens living in the areas where the terrorists presently operate are expected to have temporarily vacated any area infested by terrorists for safe towns away from the theatre of operations.

When contacted for confirmation of this story, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, declined to give details. In a terse response, he simply declared that the military would not relent in its efforts to restore peace to every part of the country as quickly as possible but that details of such efforts would not be disclosed now.

He however admitted that all the countries bordering Nigeria are willing to compliment the efforts in Nigeria as terrorism has remained a menace or threat to all in the region.

Continue

Saudi Arabia buries its king: Thousands gather in Mecca as King Abdullah is laid to rest in Riyadh after losing battle with pneumonia 

• Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, 90, died last night in hospital after losing his battle with pneumonia
• Tens of thousands of people gathered in Mecca and Riyadh today to mourn just hours after King's death
• The late King's body was wrapped in a plain cloth as it was carried into his funeral in a grand mosque in the capital
• Family and dignitaries crowded round as he was buried in an unmarked grave, in keeping with tradition
• The new King Salman, 79, has inherited the throne and led the prayers to the late Abdullah - his half-brother
• Buckingham Palace lowers Union Jack to half-mast, with Prince Charles set to visit Saudi Arabia to pay respects

By Flora Drury and Jenny Stanton and Ollie Gillman for MailOnline

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

8.9k shares

1k

View comments

The body of King Abdullah has been buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh less than 24 hours after his death plunged Saudi Arabia into mourning.

Family, friends and dignitaries from the Arab world crowded around the grave to pay their final respects following the monarch's funeral this afternoon. 

Abdullah's body was shrouded in a simple cloth as he was carried into the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh on a stretcher.

The royal died last night aged 90 after losing his battle with pneumonia and was buried in an unmarked grave, in keeping with Muslim traditions.

Tens of thousands gathered in the capital and Mecca to pay their respects, with Prince Charles set to visit the oil-rich Kingdom on behalf of the Queen to offer his condolences.  

Scroll down for video

+32

Saudi King Abdullah was buried in an unmarked grave in Riyadh following his funeral this afternoon, less than a day after he died

+32

 Thousands gathered in Mecca as King Abdullah was laid to rest in Riyadh after losing battle with pneumonia at the age of 90

+32

Family, friends and dignitaries from the Arab world crowded around the grave to pay their final respects following the monarch's funeral

+32

Tens of thousands gathered in Riyadh and Mecca to pay their respects, while foreign leaders congregated in the Saudi capital for the funeral

+32

Mourners crowd around the grave of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, with some taking pictures on mobile phones, at the Al-Od cemetary

+32

A member of the Saudi security forces stands guard as mourners pray at the grave of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah at the Al-Od cemetary

+32

Saudi King Salman pledged on Friday to maintain existing energy and foreign policies then quickly moved to appoint younger men as his heirs 

+32

The body of Saudi King Abdullah, laid on a prayer mat, is carried into the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh during his funeral

+32

The body of King Abdullah was carried into the mosque as his funeral began, less than 24 hours after Saudi Arabia was plunged into mourning 

+32

Mourners carrying the body of King Abdullah, wrapped in a shroud, during his funeral at Riyadh's Imam Turki bin Abdullah mosque today

+32

The body of King Abdullah was shrouded in a simple cloth after being carried in to the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh

+32

Dozens of mourners attended the funeral prayer of Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz in Riyadh, Saudi Arabiam on January 23

+32

His body was shrouded in a simple cloth as he was carried into the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in Riyadh on a stretcher

+32

Abdullah's death was confirmed on state television yesterday with channels cutting to Koranic verses - only used following the death of a senior royal

+32

Death: Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz died last night aged 90 following a battle with pneumonia

+32

High alert: Armed Saudi troops were on heavy guard as dignitaries arrived at the ceremony in Riyadh this afernoon

Abdullah's death was confirmed on state television yesterday with channels cutting to Koranic verses - only used following the death of a senior royal. 

His funeral took place in Riyadh, where, in keeping with Muslim traditions, Abdullah's body was shrouded in a simple cloth as he was carried in by men wearing red-and-white checked headgear.

He was then buried in an unmarked grave, believed to show humility and a respect for Allah.

Abdullah's predecessors and other half brothers have also been interred in unmarked graves in the al-Aoud cemetery where he will be buried later, as well as in other simple graveyards in other cities.

Prayers were led by King Salman, 79, who has succeeded his half-brother as King of Saudi Arabia.

The funeral was attended by Muslim heads of state and other senior figures, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2922592/Has-Saudi-Arabia-s-King-Abdullah-died-battle-pneumonia.html#ixzz3PfDmVJOo
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Continue

'The year I lost my limbs was the most brilliant of my life'

By Kathleen Hawkins BBC News, Ouch

Continue reading the main story

More from Ouch

• Charities aim to get learning-disabled children playing
• Why are so many disabled roles played by non-disabled actors?
• What are you doing on Disabled Access Day?

In a few weeks Alex Lewis went from being the owner of a pub, to becoming critically ill and a quadruple amputee. Yet he still describes the past year as the best he's ever had.

"There are days when I wake up and I think gosh my shoulder hurts, or wow my stumps are sore, but I just keep on pushing forward," Alex Lewis explains.
He's on speakerphone as he is unable to hold a phone now he has no hands.
As well as losing his limbs, Lewis also lost his lips and nose. Surgeons have since grafted skin from his shoulder into lips leaving him, he jokes, looking like a Simpsons character and with a nose that constantly runs.
The positivity 34-year-old Lewis, from Stockbridge, Hampshire, has found over the past year has been remarkable for those close to him, and he says he feels happier now than before his illness. Many would find it hard to believe, but he says that great things have come of it.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

It is incredible what the human body is able to overcome”

"It's made me think differently about being a dad, a partner, a human being," he says, and a new charity set up in his name has given him a huge impetus to help others. Despite this positive attitude, he can't do a lot of the things he once loved, like cooking and playing golf. He and his partner Lucy have lost the pub they once ran.

'Survival chance of 5%' It was in November 2013 when Lewis thought he had "man flu", but when he spotted blood in his urine, followed by blotchy, bruised looking skin he knew something more serious was happening.
It turned out to be a streptococcal infection (type A) and he was rushed into hospital in Winchester on 17 November 2013. The infection penetrated deep into his tissues and organs, and triggered blood poisoning, or sepsis, a life-threatening condition that causes multiple organ failure.

Alex Lewis's lips were completely destroyed by the infection

The skin on his arms and legs, and part of his face had quickly turned black and gangrenous. For his family and friends, at his bedside every day while he was on a life support machine, it was shocking to see.
But for his son Sam, just three at the time, it looked merely as though Daddy was covered in chocolate.
Lewis's infected limbs were starting to poison his body and, as soon as he was off life support, he was told he would have to have his left arm amputated above the elbow.
He says he felt no sadness or emotion at the news because the doctors were incredibly matter-of-fact. "It was a case of 'this arm is killing me so it has to go,'" he says.

Lewis with his family before his illness

It was the second week of December and although he had lost an arm, he wasn't yet out of danger. His damaged legs were beginning to poison his body and, in quick succession he had two more operations to amputate first one leg, then the other, leaving him with just one limb - his right arm.
"I processed every amputation individually," he says. "Part of me thought let's just get this process done so I can get out of hospital and home." But ultimately he says he didn't have much time to think.
His right arm had been damaged too, but doctors thought there was a chance of saving it. It took 17-and-a-half hours in an operating theatre on Christmas Eve 2013 to rebuild it. Surgeons stripped the arm to scrape the dead tissue away. Then they took 16.5ins (42cm) of his left shoulder blade, along with the skin, muscle, nerves and tissue and grafted it on to his right arm.
Having lost three limbs already, use of that remaining hand was seen as crucial by doctors and Lewis was desperate to do what he could to keep it.

Lewis says his grafted lips make him look like a Simpsons character

"I learned along the way that all the quadruple amputees I've met say the one thing they'd kill for is a hand," Lewis says. "It means you can still do your daily stuff, get a drink, write."
But the damage proved to be too severe and, one night, while he was asleep, Lewis rolled over and snapped the arm in two.
"My hand was dangling down by my elbow," he says. His partner Lucy was devastated, and imagined a far harder life for him now he had no limbs - but Lewis says he didn't care.
"There is no point waiting for five years trying to get an arm working again," he says. "I think psychologically it would have been much more damaging to wait all that time and then lose it."

Continue reading the main story

Find out more

• Alex Lewis was interviewed on the BBC World Service programme Outlook
• Outlook airs Mon-Thurs
• Tells personal stories from around the world

• Listen to Alex Lewis's interview
• Subscribe to Outlook podcast

With all four limbs amputated, Lewis had to learn how to go about his new life. He could no longer get himself up and washed and dressed in the morning, so had to get used to a carer coming in once a day - but first on his to-do list was learning to walk.

He began a 10-week walking course at Queen Mary's Hospital in Roehampton but after just two weeks he surprised everyone by successfully walking on devices called "rocker pylons" - prosthetics on a short pole, with a large rocking foot.
He's been walking on them for almost three months now and says he is making great progress but still finds them awkward. "Going up stairs is difficult because of the shortness of them," he says, "and different terrains are hard."
He has chosen to use prosthetic arms and currently uses ones with hooks. His attitude is: "I might as well try what is best and then make my mind up."

Continue

<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' data-rocketsrc="//ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?" type="text/rocketscript"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?"> <IMG SRC="//ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=90 ALT="Advertisement"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

Jonathan

Jonathan okays N26bn for 2015 dry season farming

Posted by: Augustine Ehikioya and Frank Ikpefan, Abuja in News Update 1 hour ago

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday announced the release of N26 billion for the 2015 dry season farming.
Jonathan, who spoke at the 2015 Agrifest held at the Eagle Square, Abuja, pledged the support of his administration to farmers.
The President used the event to highlight his administration’s successes in Agriculture.
Nigeria, he said, will not be held hostage by rice importers, adding that the country is working to attain self – sufficiency in rice production.
Jonathan said: “To further boost your efforts to produce more food for our nation, I am pleased to announce here today the release of N26billion naira towards the 2015 Dry Season Farming Programme.
“Nigeria our dear country will not be held hostage by rice importers. There will be no sacred cows under my watch. All those owing Nigeria on rice import duties must pay.”
The President said the private sector have put over N45 billion private investment in new oil palm plantation.
The investment, he said will allow farmers to cultivate 70,000 hectares of new plantations to allow Nigeria to become self-sufficient in palm oil production by 2016.
He said: “I am excited that today, Okomu, Presco, PZ – Wilmar and medium size oil palm estate operators such as Wilbahi are taking the lead in revamping our vast oil palm plantations.
”We will continue to support the revamping of our oil palm industry and support the private sector to build new refineries to process crude palm oil produced in Nigeria.”
Earlier, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said that government was supporting 27 Nagropreneur with N122 million take off grant to do their business.
The youths were given N5 million each under the Youth Empowerment in Agriculture Programme.
The minister added that the ministry will work closely with all states government to in other to ensure capacity building for youths.
Also, Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Okonjo – Iweala, said that many of the 1.2 million jobs created in 2014 were in the agriculture sector.
Dr. Iweala explained that without agriculture Nigeria cannot make much progress.
“Because of agriculture, inflation has reduced. We are showing that we can feed ourselves,” she said.

Continue

Home » News Update » Buhari’s certificate a forgery – PDP

<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' data-rocketsrc="//ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?" type="text/rocketscript"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?"> <IMG SRC="//ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N7928.1916796THENATIONONLINENG.N/B8074030.112533107;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=640x90;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=640 HEIGHT=90 ALT="Advertisement"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

Buhari’s certificate a forgery – PDP

Posted by: Gbade Ogunwale, Assistant Editor, Abuja in News Update 17 mins ago

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign organisation has described the West African School Certificate result of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, as a “forgery.”
At a news conference in Abuja, the Director of Media and Publicity of the organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said the result sheet issued by the Cambridge examination body was superimposed on another document
Asked if the PDP had contacted the authorities in Buhari’s old secondary school to verify the authenticity of the document, Fani-Kayode answered in the negative and maintained that the party was not interested in such exercise.
Fani-Kayode said: “The column lines on the part where names are printed do not align with the blank columns, while there is an introduction of extraneous lines on some other columns.
“The document contains an obvious alteration on the Mathematics column of the candidate, Mohamed Buhari, who was assumed to have scored an “F” in the subject.
“This raises a very fundamental issue of validity in view of the fact that the accompanying result sheet states that “any alteration or erasure renders this statement of Results invalid.
“This is the standard practice in all interpretation of documents especially academic records. The question we put to Gen. Buhari and his party is whether this alteration was done by the University of Cambridge.
“One of the footnotes on the document purportedly issued by the University of Cambridge said “the results of this candidate in all subjects except English Language have been carried forward from the 1960 examination.
“The question arising from this is: When exactly did Buhari sit for all the other subjects claimed to have been passed in the Secondary School Examination?
“Our conclusion from all these is that the documents purportedly released by Government College (Pilot) Katsina, upon which the APC Presidential candidates hopes to bury the doubt about his eligibility for next month’s election are forged, manipulated and fraudulently procured. They are therefore untenable in fact and in law.
“We do not know who the authors and masterminds of this forgery are but whoever they are, we urge them to come forward and be identified.
“If they fail to come forward voluntarily, we hereby call on the police and other security agencies to seek them out, find them, arrest them, interrogate them and prosecute them in accordance with the laws of the land.
“We reiterate our call on Gen. Buhari to submit himself to the police to answer charges of perjury, having lied on oath about his academic qualifications. This is what a man who claims to represent integrity and due process ought to do in this situation.”

Continue

"The Niger Delta Is An Occupied Territory"—Nnimmo Bassey

"The Niger Delta is an occupied territory. Citizens raise their hands in the creeks each time they see the military."

---

by HEDA Jan 22, 2015

0 8 0

The question of whether or not the 1956 discovery of oil by Shell D’Archy in Nigeria’s Niger-Delta region has been a blessing or a curse remains a relevant topic in contemporary Nigeria, although most environmentalists believe that the discovery and exploration of oil in the region has been more of a curse than a blessing. The argument of these eco-activists is that oil exploration, which has led to oil spillage, has caused the region and its people environmental degradation, extinction and death of their sea animals and loss of their economic source of income (fishing and farming).

Nnimmo Bassey

In order to have a better understanding of this highly topical issue, HEDA, through its weekly #MondayTango tweet chat session, hosted Mr. Nnimmo Bassey to discuss the topic, ‘Oil Spillage, State Response and Implications for the Environment’.

Bassey is a Nigerian architect, environmental activist, author and poet. He was the Chairman of Friends of the Earth International from 2008 to 2012, and, is currently the director of the Health of Mother Earth Foundation. Bassey is also a 2010 co-winner of the Right Livelihood Award.

Bassey stated that although the discovery of oil is ‘neither a curse nor a blessing’, but the major problem with oil activities ‘starts when men decide not to leave it (oil) underground’. He further explained that due to the country’s sole reliance on oil, its exploration has greatly affected the ‘politics and socio-economic progress’ of the country. He listed the oil companies, the Nigerian government, oil contractors, oil subsidy scammers and oil thieves as the major groups that have benefitted from oil exploration activities in the Niger-Delta, overtime. According to him, "without security breaches no one can successfully steal and transport crude in the creeks."

Given this background, Bassey defined oil spillage as ‘the release of crude oil into the environment from compromised pipelines or related facilities.’ He proceeded to explain the effects of oil spills, and stated that oil spillage is highly ‘damaging to the eco-systems,’ and poses great hazard to ‘water, land and even air.’

On the question of the major perpetrators of oil spill cases in Nigeria, Bassey stated that the oil companies are mostly responsible for the number of oil spillages in the Niger-Delta region. He explained that the problems of poor standards, poor maintenance and expired pipes used by the oil companies are also responsible for the cases of oil spills in the region. He added that although, there is a connection between oil theft and oil spillage, but the connection is not as major as that of the oil companies. Bassey mentioned that Shell’s recent admittance of responsibilities in the Bodo oil spill was a step in the right direction and that the oil company still has to admit other major oil spills that it was responsible for. He charged the oil companies to also ensure they clean up the affected areas. According to him, military presence is an intimate part of the problem. They bomb crude laden boats, burn bush refineries.

He explained that in order to ensure that compensations paid by oil companies get to the affected communities and individuals, proper documentation of the compensation payments must be made. He added that ‘compensations can never pay for environmental harm,' as he believes that the effects of oil spillage are not limited to humans, but also extended to the entire eco-system as well.

On the question of how effective the Nigerian government has been in prosecuting perpetrators of environmental injustice caused by oil spills, Bassey said he is yet to see any prosecution by the federal government, and he added that, ‘the government and the oil companies are joint venture partners.’ He also said, "The Niger Delta is an occupied territory. Citizens raise their hands in the creeks each time they see the military."

On his stance on the recent reduction of the fuel price to N87, as announced by the federal government, Bassey stated that the reduction should also be extended to other petroleum products, and should not be limited to only fuel.

The chat session ended with Bassey explaining that he, like other eco-activists, isare actively clamoring to save the Niger Delta region from further degradation. He stated that part of their strategies include restrategising, exposing the spills and demanding cleanups of areas affected by oil spills.

Firdaws P-IBRAHIM
Communication Officer, HEDA

Continue

Non-Transformation Agenda: What President Jonathan Said On Power By Timi Frank

Non-Transformation Agenda: What President Jonathan Said On Power By Timi Frank

Speaking with United Nations diplomats on Monday, 31st January 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, President Goodluck Jonathan made this promise: “If I’m voted into power, within the next four years, the issue of power will become a thing of the past. Four years is enough for anyone in power to make a significant improvement and if I can’t improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything…”https://www.facebook.com/ReportYourself/photos/a.183323277702.132568.96184337702/10152362828962703/?type=1

Continue

We gathered some most important information about this controversial person.

We gathered some most important information about this controversial person. 

Ali Modu Sheriff. Photo: saharareporters.com

1. Young years

He was born in a rich family in Ngala Town, Ngala Local Government Area, Borno State in 1956. His father was a successful businessman Galadima Modu Sheriff.

Ali Modu Sheriff studied in Business School of London, where his main subjects were Insurance, Banking and Finance.

2. Start of political career

He became a member of a Social Democratic Party in 1990. In 1997 he joined National Republican Convention. He became a senator representing Borno Central on the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party. It happened during General Sani Abacha’s military regime. After democracy was restored, in April 1999, he was again elected Senator, Borno Central, on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

Ali Modu Sheriff was elected governor of Borno State in Nigeria in April 2003. He was the first governor in Borno state to win the seat for two consecutive times.

3. Arrest

In 2012 Modu Sheriff, a former senator, was arrested upon entering Cameroon from Chad. He was arrested by neighbouring Cameroon’s security forces, allegedly for his link with Boko Haram. But after some time he was just escorted back to the n=border of the country. His connection with Boko Haram was not proved.

4. Younger brother

Alhaji Goni Mustapha Sheriff, a younger brother of the former politician, also had a political career. But in 2011 he was killed. Rumors said that the ones who are responsible for it are the Boko Haram. So Ali Modu Sheriff  often uses this fact to prove that he has nothing in common with this group.

5. Wedding of his elder daughter

His eldest daughter was married to Alhaji Babagana Muhammed Sherriff in 2011. One strange moment of the wedding was that it was closed and only men were allowed to attend it. The wedding fatiha was conducted by the Chief Imam of the Yahaya Road Jumat Mosque.

6. Owner of an Airline

He is a third ex-governor of Nigeria who owns his own airline. So he became a stakeholder in the Nigeria`s sphere of aviation. He is also an owner of the most expensive private jet in Nigeria, which is worth N11.5 billion.

7. Is he really a sponsor of Boko Haram?

This fact can`t be proved or rejected now. Usually he easily denies all allegations against him. When Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davis, accused him of being one of the sponsors of Boko Haram, he insisted that he had never met any leaders of this sect. And that he will sue the Australian negotiator.

Continue

How Cameroun arrested, released Sheriff – Falana

on September 06, 2014   /   in News 9:49 am   /   Comments

By Olasunkanmi Akoni and Monsur Olowoopejo
Lagos based human Rights Lawyer, Femi Falana, yesterday, revealed how Former Governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff was arrested in 2012 by the Cameroonian government for the crime committed by the deadly Boko Haram sect.

Meantime, ahead of the 2015 election, former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Professor Tam David-West, Professor Akin Oyebode and Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, have, unanimously, urged Nigerians to wake up from their slumber and use the next year’s election to bring relief to their unwholesome circumstances.

Ali Modu Sherrif at the conference

Falana and other eminent personalities spoke at the 5th Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Lecture, titled; ‘State of the Nation and 2015 general elections: Issues, posers and challenges before us, held in Lagos.

“In October 2012, Sheriff was arrested in Cameroun on crime committed by the Boko Haram he sponsored. The state government pleaded with the Camerounian government to release him because he is a well known man here and he cannot be arrested.” Falana stated.

The Lagos based lawyer said that the former governor was not sincere in his relationship with the Boko Haram sect in the country.

Sue me not Davis

He however, asked Sheriff to sue him rather than planning to seek redress in court by suing the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davies, even as he reaffirmed that Sheriff sponsored of the Boko Haram activities.

This came few days after Sheriff said he would seek redress in court by suing the Australian negotiator, Dr. Stephen Davies, who recently fingered him as one of the sponsors of the Boko Haram insurgency. According to Falana, “I am expecting Senator Ali Madu Sheriff to sue me. I heard that he wanted to sue an Australian (Dr. Steven Davies). He doesn’t need that. He should sue me. I am waiting for him to sue me. Not only did he fund that organization (Boko Haram), he also had a deal with them.” He noted that Sheriff cannot denial all the allegations made against him, saying. “In 2003, he had a deal with the Boko Haram leaders to help him win the election and that if he wins his re-election, he will compensate the organization.

\When he won the election, he appointed one of them as Commissioner for Religious Affairs to implement Sharia in that state.”

He however, accused the Federal Government of shielding certain facts from its citizens.

Falana said “The Federal Government is yet to react to the statement by Dr. Stephen Davies against Sheriff. I expect the central government to have made its position known on the issue.”

The lawyer therefore, called for concerted effort to tackle the menace of Boko Haram, saying, “People’s Democratic Party, PDP and All Progressives Congress, APC should stop politicizing the Boko Haram issue but what is important is unity to tackle the menace”

In his remarks, David-West lamented the nefarious activities of Boko Haram sect in the country, saying, “We do not have a nation. If we have a nation, the problem confronting the country will have been resolved earlier than now.”

He added, “In fact, we are not at crossroad but we have missed the road. There is no road at the moment for the country to attain greatness.”

Explaining the reason for the longevity of the challenges facing the country, David-West said, “What do you expect from a country ruled by a Ph.d holder who said that 16 is greater than 19. The country when the president budget N1 billion for food in a year and cannot pay N18, 000 minimum wage. Daily I have begun to lose faith in our election and leadership.

ON 2015 ELECTION

David -West dispelled the claim that the country will fail to exist after 2015 election, saying, “we will not break in 2015.”

But he said “The citizens need to wake up from their slumber. We are too complacent and this was the reason why the current public office holders take the citizens for granted.

He continued; “Election affords citizens the opportunity to change government which they do not like. I do not believe in revolution but the citizens must go on the street to stop bad government. If 2015 election will be selection rather than election, Nigerians must rise up to stop it. It has to be election and not selection.”

Oyebode while delivering his lecture said the power to change any government resides in the citizens. “And this they can do through their vote.”.

According to him, “The 2015 election constitute yet another opportunity for Nigerians to see themselves as master in the political game rather than servants of the governing class.”

Continue

Stephen Davis’ Allegations: SSS to quiz Sheriff as Boko Haram sponsor

Stephen Davis’ Allegations: SSS to quiz 

Sheriff as Boko Haram sponsor 

The State Security Service, SSS, has said it has invited a former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff for questioning over his alleged sponsorship of the Boko Haram insurgents. It however absolved a former Chief of Army Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika, over the same allegation. The spokesperson of the service, Marilyn Ogar, disclosed this at a press conference Friday in Abuja during which some suspects of the Nyanya bombing were paraded. An Australian, Stephen Davies, who was contracted by the Federal Government to negotiate the freedom of the abducted Chibok girls had alleged that both Messrs. Sheriff and Ihejirika were major sponsors of the sect. They however denied the allegation. On Wednesday at a press conference in Abuja, Mr. Sheriff, a former senator, described the allegation as “callous and unwarranted, and that those linking him with the sect were either ignorant or completely out for mischief. He also threatened to sue Mr. Davies. Ms. Ogar, a Deputy Director however said the former governor had been summoned for interrogation though he had earlier been quizzed twice. “Sheriff has been invited twice and he has been invited again (over his alleged sponsorship of Boko Haram). Investigation is ongoing to review every aspect of Davies allegations,” Ms. Ogar said. On Mr. Ihejirika, she said it would be “uncharitable for Nigerians to reward someone who laid down his life, to associate him with the sponsorship of the sect.” “I would want to say here that it is absolutely uncharitable for us as Nigerians to reward somebody who laid down his life in pursuing this same people (Boko Haram) for us to accept that he can in any way be associated, be seen as sponsoring the same sect,” Ms Ogar said. She added: “He together with this service, the military together with this service succeeded in bringing their activities in Kano, Okene and other parts of Nigeria to a halt and pushing them to Sambisa forest. Its the same man we want, because he is no longer in office, to say he is the one sponsoring the sect. I think its being wicked. That shouldn’t be the way we reward people who lay down their lives to provide a secure environment for us.” Ms. Ogar described Mr. Davies as “a self-styled and self-appointed negotiator.” During the briefing, the SSS spokesperson paraded the alleged mastermind of the Nyanya, Abuja bomb blast. Those paraded are Sadiq Ogwuche, Ahmed Abubakar, Muhammad Ishaq, Yau Saidu, Anas Isah and Adamu Yusuf. She denied Mr. Davies’ claims that the CBN official, who coordinated the funding of Boko Haram, was an uncle to three of those arrested in connection with the Nyanya incident. According to her, none of the six suspects in the agency’s custody had any blood link with one another. She stated, “In other words, none is a cousin or nephew to any other and only two suspects namely Yau Saidu and Anas Isah have ever lived together at the makeshift clinic called ‘Kishi Clinic’ operated by Rufai Tsiga, a co-mastermind of the bomb blast who is still at large.” She said the clarification was being made to correct the wrong impression being created in the media. In a chat with journalists, Mr. Ogwuche, who was repatriated to Nigeria from Sudan, said he was not a member of Boko Haram. He said he was in Sudan at time the incident occurred. He however admitted giving the widows of some Boko Haram members N30, 000 through one Tsiga, who has since been declared wanted for allegedly participating in the Nyanya bomb blast. Mr. Ogwuche said he left the army to enable him pursue a course in Arabic in Sudan. He however confessed that he received lectures and trained with a jihadist group in the United Kingdom when the incident occurred before returning to Nigeria. “I am not a member of Boko Haram and I don’t know anything about the Nyanya blast. I deny it because I was studying in Sudan when the incident happened,” he said. However, Mr. Saidu said Mr. Ogwuche regularly visited to Tsiga “clinic” where the plot to carry out the bombing was hatched.

Read more at: Stephen Davis’ Allegations: SSS to quiz Sheriff as Boko Haram sponsor | LATEST NIGERIAN NEWS BREAKING HEADLINES NEWSPAPERS

Continue