Media Chat Shocker: Jonathan Shocks Nigerians, Says ‘I Don’t Know If Shekau Is Dead Or Alive - PREMIUM TIMES

President Goodluck Jonathan shocked Nigerians on Sunday when he declared that he did not know if the leader of the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, was dead or alive.

The Joint Task Force, JTF, in Borno State, had said in a statement August 19 that Mr. Shekau might have died of gunshot wounds he received in an encounter with Force’s troops in one of their camps at Sambisa Forest on June 30.
However, Mr. Shekau appeared in a new video last week, claiming that he was not dead.

He also claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed several civilians on September 17 in Benishek, Borno State.

The military vowed to investigate the claims as well as the authenticity of the video.

Mr. Jonathan, our Commander-in-Chief, who receives briefing from security agencies daily, repeatedly said during the media chat that he could not say if the Boko Haram leader had actually died.

“I don’t know whether he (Shekau) is dead or alive,” the President, said in a response to a question tweeted to the panel of interviewers but read to him.
“I don’t know whether Abubakar Shekau is dead or alive. I don’t know him. I have never met him. You journalists know more than us, “some of you always talk to them (Boko Haram).”

Mr Jonathan noted that the Boko Haram saga worsened because it was not “properly handled in the beginning.”

On the killing of some students at the College of Agriculture in Yobe State, on Sunday, the president debunked the claim that such acts were due to widespread poverty in the country.

“Can poor people buy AK47?” he queried.

The president said some of those arrested in the uncompleted building in the Apo District of Abuja where security forces killed no fewer than seven squatters, were member of the Boko Haram sect. According to him they confessed to terrorism.

He said the crisis in Plateau State “is more of ethnic rivalry about who controls land, but Boko Haram is different.”

Mr. Jonathan assured the people that his government would try its best to protect Nigerians in order to forestall the type of incident that occurred at a Kenya Mall recently where over 60 persons were killed by suspected Al Shabaab insurgents.

He said, “We will try our best to ensure Kenyan mall attack is not repeated in Nigeria. If the drum is changing we must change steps. I assure Nigerians we’ll continue to do what is required to protect them.”

Mr Jonathan said there would be no elaborate ceremony on Tuesday to mark Nigeria’s 53rd Independence Anniversary, because government had already planned the Centenary ceremony next year, to celebrate the amalgamation of the defunct protectorates in the country.

He added that the decision to have a low-keyed Independence celebration was not because of insecurity, insisting that most parts of the country were now safe.

According to him, “We are not going to do any elaborate ceremony until 2014″…the low key celebrations are not because of security.

“Most parts of this country are safe now for any celebration, even in Maiduguri.”

PHOTONEWS: PHCN Employees, Pensioners Protest Unpaid Entitlements As Successor Companies Set for Take over Power Companies

Employees and pensioners of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) this morning seized activities at various offices across the country in protest against their unpaid entitlements.

 Accusing government of propaganda, deception and misleading the public with claims that it had settled the employees, the staff and pensioners said the government was misleading the public against them, whereas they have not been paid.

 At the Marina office, Eko Electricity Distribution Zonal complex today, the protesting workers said only a quarter of the workers were paid to deceive the public and the payment had since stopped.

Chairman of the workers union at the Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Segun Afolohunso disclosed that the Minister of Power visited in June and had specifically promised payment would commence on 17th of June.

 " That was his promise, but the first person to receive payment got it on August 28th, and they stopped since they paid less than a quarter of the total employees nationwide " , Segun Afolohunso told our correspondent today.

 He alleged that the Government had been deceptive in its handling of the matters. " Even before that promise came in June, they had been spreading it in the media that they were paying us " , he said.

 The workers also said the government has not paid complete entitlements to the few of workers that were paid.

 " They listed fifteen Pension Fund Administrators and asked us to choose whichever we liked and we filled the forms they gave us. But that was all we saw till today " , said one of the protesters.

 In a similar development, pensioners of the PHCN also staged their own protest, separately. They said they were not aware the workers were also protesting same day and that they thought the workers had all been settled according to news.

 Vice President of the South-west Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Mr. Ganiyu Adegbuyi said the news that Government has settled labour issues in the company were all false claims.

 Udo Ekwere, Secretary of the PHCN Ijora Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners also claimed; " We heard they settled the workers and we are here so that our own entitlements would also be paid " .

 Both workers and the pensioners accused that the Government deceived the public that issues in the electricity sector have been resolved.

 Meanwhile, the successor companies from the privatization exercise conducted by the Nigerian government have set to take over from Tuesday.

 " Those companies will not inherit the liabilities and that is why we are insisting that our own employers must pay us before the companies take over. If the new companies prefer, they may enter new contracts with us and if not, we will continue our lives from payments made to us " , the protesters said, adding that they would keep besieging the venue until they are paid all entitlements.

World holds breath as US government shutdown imminent

Hundreds of thousands of US government workers came to work Monday without knowing whether they will be needed on Tuesday, as federal agencies faced a devastating shutdown.

Lawmakers in the bitterly divided Congress had only a few hours left to pass a stopgap budget measure and to beat the midnight deadline, but there was little sign of compromise.

President Barack Obama has warned that a freeze in non-essential federal spending could have catastrophic effects on the shaky economic recovery, and cost thousands of jobs.

But Congressional leaders have been unable to wrangle a compromise from feuding clans of lawmakers, arguing instead over who takes the blame for the first shutdown in 17 years.

If the deadline expires without a deal the failure will have a global impact. Oil prices slid and European and Asian shares fell, amid fears for the world’s largest economy.

And, at a more domestic level, as the Washington day began staff at federal agencies were warned that their children would not be able to attend government daycare centers on Tuesday.

Some members of Congress tried to put a brave face on the impasse with 15 hours left to thrash out an improbable compromise between the Republican-led House and Democratic Senate.

But most observers agreed the moves were dead in the water from the moment Republicans linked budget legislation to a bid to thwart Obama’s health care law.

After the Senate passed a straightforward spending bill on Friday, the House countered by attaching amendments seeking a one-year delay to Obamacare and the repeal of a medical device tax which helps fund the law.

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who refused to call the chamber into session over the weekend despite the looming deadline, warned that this would not stand.

“The Senate will do exactly what we said we would do and reject these measures,” Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson said.

“At that point, Republicans will be faced with the same choice they have always faced: put the Senate’s clean funding bill on the floor and let it pass with bipartisan votes, or force a Republican government shutdown.”

As lawmakers traded blame, the Democratic leadership sounded resigned about a pending shutdown.

Asked if he believed government would shutter on Tuesday, Reid’s number two Senator Dick Durbin said: “I’m afraid I do.”

Republican House Speaker John Boehner has been under intense pressure from a small band of conservative diehards who forced the party to double down on their anti-Obamacare strategy.

With polls showing most voters would blame a shutdown on the Republicans rather than Obama, Reid insisted: “The American people will not be extorted by Tea Party anarchists.”

But Boehner branded the brinksmanship “an act of breathtaking arrogance by the Senate Democratic leadership.”

Some Asian markets fell sharply, and Europe followed suit, albeit in part because of fears for the political crisis in Italy.

Oil prices were also down, and analysts said traders were following the situation in the United States closely.

“Things are far from the ‘panic stage’, but they don’t have to be for investors to be spooked by the apparent intractability of the US political deadlock,” said Tachibana Securities market analyst Kenichi Hirano.

US and foreign investors fear a shutdown will create a poisonous environment ahead of mid-October talks to increase the amount of money the country is authorized to borrow.

If the debt ceiling is not raised, Washington could run out of cash and default on its loan payments, and Republicans have already warned they will make this their next battlefield.

Fresh fighting breaks out in Mali rebel bastion

Fresh fighting broke out in the streets of the Malian rebel bastion of Kidal on Monday, the local government and residents told AFP, after Tuareg separatists and the army exchanged gunfire the night before.

“The shooting has resumed in the centre of Kidal. Shots were fired around 7:00 am (0700 GMT). We do not know what is happening at the moment. But this is the same place as on Sunday,” an aide of the regional governor Adama Kamissoko said.

A resident confirmed that fighting had resumed in the city centre.

“We can’t see anything. Everyone in the area has gone back into their homes. We do not know what is happening. We are afraid,” he said.

The Malian army came under attack in central Kidal on Sunday from fighters from the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), the main Tuareg group involved in peace talks between rebels and the government which broke down on Thursday.

The exchange ended more than an hour later with the MNLA saying three of its fighters had been wounded.

Sunday’s firefight followed two militant attacks on soldiers since Tuareg rebels claiming autonomy for northern Mali pulled out of the talks, dealing a blow to hopes of a durable peace in the troubled west African nation.

Kamissoko’s office said international troops and UN peacekeeping forces already present in the city had been deployed after the attack to protect the town hall, where the governor lives and works.

The MNLA accused Mali troops of “flagrant aggression”, saying in a statement that its chief, who was badly injured, had been leaving his vehicle with his hands raised when the army fired.

That incident led to exchanges of fire as the rest of the unit responded, the statement added.

Mali has suffered a series of attacks claimed by Islamist insurgents since France launched a military operation in January against Al-Qaeda-linked groups occupying the north of the country.

Four suicide bombers blew up their car at a military barracks in the desert city of Timbuktu on Saturday, killing two civilians and wounding six troops, less than 24 hours after militants threw grenades at the army in Kidal, wounding two soldiers.

But no Islamist group has claimed any of the recent attacks, with the spotlight falling on the MNLA.

The group took control of Kidal in February after the French-led military operation ousted Al-Qaeda-linked fighters who had piggybacked on the latest Tuareg rebellion to seize most of northern Mali.

The Malian authorities reclaimed the city after signing a ceasefire deal with the MNLA but the situation has remained tense.

Independence: Boko Haram plans more attacks – Police

Following the massacre of about 77 persons including 50 students of a College of Education in Yobe State by the Boko Haram terrorist group at the weekend and intelligence reports showing that the group was planning more strikes on the eve of Nigeria’s Independence anniversary, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has placed all officers and men of the force on red alert.

The directive of the IGP in a signal to all Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Command Commissioners of Police in the 36 states and Abuja, is for them to ensure that pre-emptive actions and proactive actions aimed at intercepting the murderous plans of the terrorists before they carry them out.

Special Juma’at Prayer: From left: Inspector General Of Police Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar; Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and Chief Of Defence Staff Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim during Special Juma’at Prayers for the 53rd Independence Day Celebration at Central Mosque in Abuja On Friday.

A statement from Force headquarters signed by Force Public Relations officer, CSP Frank Mba said, “As part of deliberate and comprehensive efforts by the Nigeria Police Force to ensure a hitch-free Independence Day Anniversary Celebration, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar has placed officers and men of the Nigeria Police, as well as other special operatives, on red alert nation-wide.

“The IGP has specifically directed all Zonal Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Command Commissioners of Police, including the Maritime Command to ensure adequate and effective deployment of all operational tools and manpower within their Commands”

“They are to pay special attention to Shopping Malls, Public Parks and Beaches, Highways and other critical infrastructures and sensitive areas in order to guarantee the safety and well being of the citizenry”.

The IGP assured Nigerians that the Police will do everything within available resources to discharge their constitutional and statutory responsibilities of providing safe and secure environment for all, particularly during this period of Independence Anniversary.

The IGP has equally, on behalf of Officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, heartily congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan and the entire people of Nigeria, on the nation’s 53rd Independent Anniversary.

He saluted the courage and determination of Nigerians to build and sustain a strong, indivisible and virile nation, in spite of all confronting circumstances.

Furthermore, the IG called on Nigerians to put their differences aside and courageously continue to support the Police in the face of current security challenges confronting the country.

He enjoined all well meaning persons and groups to cooperate with the Force by providing useful information, especially with regards to the on-going fight against terrorism and other forms of crimes and criminalities, for the mutual benefit and collective interest of the citizenry.

33 feared dead as herdsmen, farmers clash in Benue

No fewer than 33 persons were feared dead in a fresh outbreak of fighting between suspected Fulani herdsmen and native farmers in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Vanguard gathered from eyewitnesses that the crisis, which erupted Saturday and lasted till yesterday, some of the victims burnt beyond recognition. It also led to the burning down of over 30 houses and huts, including several farmlands and fish ponds owned by the natives.

According to the source, “the Fulani herdsmen had invaded Ojantele, Okpagabi and Ibadan in Agatu council on Saturday, killing close to 10 people.

“From there, they ambushed about three people from Agatu, who were going to a neighbouring villages in Apa Local Government Area of the state and slaughtered them in cold blood.”

The unwarranted killing and destruction of houses, huts and farms prompted a reprisal attack on Sunday at the Fulani settlement in a boarder village between Apa and Agatu, where a free for all ensued leading to the death of many more people.

“The development has led to villagers living at the border of both Apa and Agatu councils fleeing their abode and taking refuge in neighouring towns and villages for fear of being killed by the mercenaries, who have taken over the fighting.”

When contacted, Secretary, Miyette Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Benue State chapter, Garus Gololo told Journalists that last night, no fewer than 20 Fulanis were killed in the fighting.

Nigerians ‘ll determine 2015 Presidency, say S-East, S-South govs

Governors of the South East and South South states, yesterday, in Enugu, declared that the determination of who will be the President of the country in 2015 would be made by the Nigerian electorate, in line with democratic tenets, warning that the power of the people should not be usurped by any group or individuals.

The governors, who met at the Government House, Enugu, in a communique issued at the end of the meeting, also thanked Nigerians for their continued support of President Jonathan’s administration and urged the President to remain focussed on governance and not to allow himself to be distracted.

MEETING—From left: Governors Theodore Orji (Abia), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Peter Obi (Anambra), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom state and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) at the South East/S-South Governors meeting at Government House, Enugu, yesterday.

Call for continued dialogue

They further called for continued dialogue at resolving national issues and management of the security situation in the country to guarantee the continued corporate existence of the nation.

They also commended the security agencies for their efforts in managing the challenges, while lauding the federal government for the massive reduction in crude oil theft.

On ASUU

The governors called on the leadership of ASUU and other players to be sensitive to the plight of students and call off the strike while resolving issues through dialogue.

The governors further resolved to continue to strengthen economic ties among their states and to continue to pursue the development of the zones as well as prosecute the various infrastructure projects earlier identified.
The communique read: “The SouthSouth/South East Governors met in Enugu on the 29th day of September to deliberate over issues affecting the Zones and the nation in general.

“After extensive cordial deliberations, the governors of the South South/South East zones resolved to continue to pursue the development of the zones as well as prosecute the various infrastructure projects identified.
“We thank Nigerians for their continued support for the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan who they elected overwhelmingly.

“We urge Mr. President to remain focused on governance and not to allow himself to be distracted.

2015

“We note that the determination of who will be President of this country in 2015 will be made by the Nigerian electorate in line with democratic tenets and the power of the people should not be usurped by any group or individuals.

“We call for continued dialogue at resolving national issues and the management of the security situation in the country to guarantee the continued corporate existence of our great nation.

“We commend the security agencies for their efforts in managing these challenges and commend the federal government for the massive reduction in crude oil theft.

“We call on the leadership of ASUU and other players to be sensitive to the plight of our children and call off the strike while resolving issues through dialogue.

“Finally, as we celebrate our 53rd Independence anniversary, we felicitate with Mr. President and all Nigerians as we resolve to work for the peace and continuous stability of our great nation.”

Attendance

Governors in attendance at the meeting were Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Peter Obi (Anambra), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) Theodore Orji (Abia), Martin Elechi (Ebonyi) Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Godswill Akapbio (Akwa Ibom) and Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.

‘Presidency plots crack down on nPDP’

THE Abubakar Baraje-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, raised alarm of alleged moves to crack down on its members across the country by the presidency by committing the leadership to prison, just as it urged all its leaders and members to, as a matter of urgency, write their wills.

The group, which boasted that it was not afraid of arrest or death in the course of fighting against injustice in the party, however, urged the presidency to wait till October 7, when a meeting would be held with President Goodluck Jonathan and use the opportunity to pick, arrest and lock them up rather than being in a hurry.

It said: “Though it is sad that instead of employing diplomacy to attend to the issues that brought this conflict to bear, the Presidency prefers to use force, we are not disturbed as we are ready for any of its tactics.

*Baraje

“In this regard, we wish to urge both the Presidency and those detailed to attack us not to waste further time or wait till October 7 to start arresting us as there are thousands of Nigerians ready to step into our shoes and fight this cause to its conclusion.

The new PDP also described as ridiculous the report associating former President Olusegun Obasanjo with the Baraje-led PDP, saying that the former PDP BoT chairman was not a member and has no proxy with regard to the existence and operations of the group.

In a statement, yesterday, by the new PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chukwuemeka Eze, the group said: “Some days ago, we received intelligence reports that the Presidency was putting finishing touches to what it calls Operation Total Crackdown on G7 and their allies in the New PDP.

“When we got details of the plot to arrest and commit the leadership of New PDP to prison without charge, we thought it was a joke. The reality, however, dawned on us after we read the interview of our friend and brother, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, confirming that President Goodluck Jonathan is under pressure to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar without any further delay.

“The sin of these two distinguished Nigerian statesmen, according to those plotting their ‘demystification,’ is their alleged support for the New PDP, including the G7 Governors.

“That this evil plot is being conceived by the Presidency confirms that the Abacha days are truly here again with us.

“In view of the seriousness of this devilish plot to crack down on us in total disregard of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, National Chairman of the new PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje, summoned an emergency meeting of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party to brainstorm on how best to respond to the situation.

“Our conclusion at the end of the meeting was that we would not be intimidated for any reason.”

2015: I didn’t sign one-term deal with anybody – Jonathan

PRESIDENT  Goodluck Jonathan yesterday vehemently denied signing a one-term agreement either officially or unofficially with any individual or group in 2011 as has been widely speculated.

Jonathan, who spoke during his periodic media chat with a team of journalists, said: “I have not signed agreement with anybody. If I have signed agreement, they would have shown you.”

Similarly, the President  refused to clear the air on his intention to re-contest, saying that it was early to comment on 2015.

According to him, early politicking was against the spirit and letters of the Electoral Act and could also destabilize the polity.

53rd Independence Anniversary — From left, Pdp Bot Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih; former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; Senate President, David Mark; President Goodluck Jonathan; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Gov Jonah Jang of Plateau State and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim at the 53rd Independence Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service in Abuja, yesterday. 

His words:  “We have laws in this country. I quite appreciate that Electoral Laws tend to regulate political activities. If you do it earlier, you will destabilize the country. Don’t force a President to declare. It is against the Electoral Law. It has time.”

He, however said that any Nigerian, who is seeking to contest the office of the President in 2015 should not wait for him to declare before making his or her intention known.

“Don’t wait for me to declare before you declare your intention if you want to contest”, the President added. A lot of people are misinforming Nigerians. I was in Addis-Ababa, that was the time I advocated a single tenure. The way you look at the politics of Nigeria now,  the country is just developing, in terms of the political evolution, this is about the first time; if you look at the way our polity is, I suggested that probably if the president has a single tenure of seven years running without interference, it will be productive.”

Electoral laws

He said that politicians declaring early for various respective positions are bound to over-heat the polity.

His words: “I know that our electoral laws give people time to campaign but if you start early, you will create more problems for the system. I know what it takes to campaign, for you to go round the country, you will spend a lot of money in campaigning. The electoral law gives INEC the power to set time frame for politicians who are interested in elections to begin to inform Nigerians. If you do it earlier, you will destabilize the country.

Any president, whether it is Goodluck Jonathan, as long as you still have the opportunity to contest, if you declare it early, you will create more problems in the system than solving the problems… So, don’t even force a president to declare his interest. It is even against the Electoral Act, even if it is not a sitting president. The electoral law has a time for political parties to conduct their primaries. Whatever you are doing is clandestine. You can tell your friends. A lot of people have been holding meetings silently, who has declared?”

On Apo killings

Speaking on the recent killings in Apo, President Jonathan said ‘though innocent persons may have died, there were confessions from arrested Boko Haram operatives that there were arms in that building. “Some of the people that were arrested confessed and they were leading them to where they said arms were kept and there was an exchange of gunfire. In the process some people were arrested some died. I cannot say clearly that all those who died were members of Boko Haram but definitely there were Boko Haram elements there” he said.

FG is committed to education

 On the continued face-off between ASUU and the Federal Government, he said: “Some of the issues in the 2009 agreement with ASUU, maybe those who sat down to do the negotiations were civil servants, there were certain things that some of them know and agree that cannot be implemented. How can they say that assets of government should be transferred to universities? The Federal Government has so many assets, government cannot take care of universities alone. So if we transfer all the landed property of government to the universities, what about the armed forces?

“We have been faithful to the agreement because after the 2009 agreement there have been other strikes. So this strike is beyond the 2009 agreement because it is apart from those ones that talk about transferring assets of government to universities. You cannot just do that. Talking about infrastructure, the government was not forced into that but we on our side decided to go and take inventory of the infrastructure. So they should not capitalize on it, you cannot change this overnight but we are looking at this with serious commitment. We still have our challenges but you have seen the commitment of government.

On how the government plans to resolve the  ASUU logjam, he appealed to ASUU to call off the strike saying that government is committed to effecting the changes.

“Members of ASUU are our brothers and sisters, they should look at the country, they should look at the young men and women and they should also look at the commitment of government. We are very sincere and my commitment is total to make changes but you cannot make this overnight. If you see the sincerity in government and given the extra things government is doing, we are committed. You should not expect us to close down other sectors of government and bring all the money to solve the problem over night.

We’re not bankrupt

Clearing the air on whether the country was bankrupt or not, the president said, “People play politics because for anybody to say that Nigeria is bankrupt, there must be some indicators. You just don’t wake up from your sleep and say Nigeria is bankrupt. Nigeria, as a nation, in terms of foreign direct investment, shows that the business environment is viable. More than 90 per cent of those who invest in our capital market are non-Nigerians. If Nigeria was bankrupt, the investors will remove their money overnight. Anybody who talks about Nigeria being bankrupt is just playing politics. If Nigeria is broke, there are parameters you use.”

Corruption

Commenting on the high rate of corruption in the country, he said: “When you talk of corruption in Nigeria, it is all about perception and index. Perception is like when you say something is wrong 100 times, it becomes true. There was a time we assembled civil society people and asked them to compare and contrast what the major problem of Nigeria was, I think corruption came third. I am not saying corruption does not exist in this country, corruption is existing and it is as old as the human race. What our administration is doing is to ensure that public funds are not exposed to people to steal.”

Sacking of ministers

Explaining the rationale behind the sack of nine ministers from the Federal Executive Council, the president said the sack had nothing to with the G7 governors.

Said he: “It has nothing to do with the G7 governors. I can tell you that some ministers dropped from different states are ministers nominated by governors very close to me. The minister dropped from KadunaState where the Vice President is from did not have issues with my Vice President. Sometimes, you just want to do something differently and since as president, you have the power to hire and fire, you just have to do it to reposition your government.”

From 1999 during ex-President Obasanjo and during Yar’Adua, was there no time ministers were not dropped? So I am surprised people are reading meaning to this sack of ministers. If they have committed an offence, that would have been a different thing but they have done nothing wrong, I just want to retool my government.”

On why he refused to re-appoint another defence minister, he said, “people talk out of ignorance sometimes in this country. Those who handle defence are the four service chiefs and not civilians. I don’t envy service chiefs because if they are to be sacked, the President just call you in and brief you and before you step out, another person has been appointed. There is no provision for gaps in the office of service chiefs. You can do away with Defence Minister but not service chiefs.

Cost of governance

Speaking on the cost of running government, he said:  “We are doing well in terms of that. Recently, we just reviewed that in the parastatals. I can tell you that political appointees are not that much as people think. As a minister, you need competent people around you to function properly. Government doesn’t sponsor plenty people anytime we are traveling out of the country for events, so I wonder where people get number of people they seem to claim anytime I travel out for events. People don’t compare notes. For you to function well as president, you need competent people around you. I can tell you that there are many African presidents that travel with many more people when they attend events  than me. In many countries, even when the President is sick, you won’t know because there are technocrats running the government.”

Social Media: Civil Society Will Resist Any Attacks Against Freedom Of Expression

Information minister, Labaran Maku

As the world marks the International Right to Know Day, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to drop threat of attacks against social media, as “any such threat can only continue to strangle freedom of expression and limit the accountability of government.”

In a statement dated 29 September 2013, and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization stated that, “The 2011 Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression has underscored the importance of freedom of expression on the Internet, and urged governments not to arbitrarily restrict this right.”

According to the organization, “The call by government officials for censorship of social media is entirely unnecessary as social media has played an important role in educating the ordinary citizens about the performance of their governments, and on issues of transparency and accountability. Social media are important to the work of human rights defenders everywhere. Any attempt to undermine this work will be resisted by civil society through national and international legal actions.”

“Freedom of expression on the Internet is a fundamental freedom. It is absolutely crucial to citizens’ rights to communicate and associate, and to the enjoyment of their other human rights, including the right to know how their governments are run, and to hold their leaders accountable,” the organization also said.

The organization also stated that, “The threats against the social media such as PREMIUM TIMES and SaharaReporters patently offend the constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments. Any arbitrary restrictions to freedom of expression including on the Internet through social media will be unnecessary in a democratic society, and clearly inconsistent with the conduct of a government reputed to have passed the Freedom of Information Act.”

“Rather than equating the role of social media in promoting transparency, accountability, and the rule of law to incitement to violence, any serious and people-oriented government should actually work to promote it. Indeed, the best solution to terrorism, insecurity and violence in any country is good governance and the rule of law and not flagrant infringement of internationally recognized human rights,” the organization added.

The organization said that, “While it is important to protect personal integrity in social media, a clean, transparent and accountable government that has nothing to fear will not use this ground as an excuse to undermine the sacred right to freedom of expression.”

According to the organization “Secrecy practices foster corruption. Public access to information is vital for anti-corruption efforts. Corruption undermines democracy, human rights and sustainable development.”

 “This government needs to move faster to implement transparency commitments made under the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by demonstrating a higher level of tolerance for human rights, including freedom of expression. The president can show this by releasing to the public his asset declaration details, and publicly committing to improved transparency, accountability and the rule of law. The president should urgently introduce public registers of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) and for those PEPs to file and publish comprehensive declarations,” the organization further said.

It would be recalled that the federal government on Friday through the Information Minister, Labaran Maku, claimed that social media community “are publishing reports capable of undermining military strategy against extremists, and stir mutiny within the military.”

SIGNED

Adetokunbo Mumuni

SERAP Executive Director

29/9/2013

Lagos, Nigeria

www.serap-nigeria.org

How PDP Plans To Rig 2015 Polls, Destabilize Nigeria - APC

Lai Mohammed

The All Progressives Congress says it has uncovered a ‘grand and serpentine’ plot by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency to rig the 2015 general elections, especially the presidential poll, and to destabilize Nigeria. In a statement issued in Lagos today by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the multi-faceted strategy includes suppression of votes in areas where the President's chances are slim, using the police and the military.

According to APC, the PDP and the Presidency also plan to use what they have tagged a ‘Third Force’ to:

    •    Bamboozle Nigerians and project the image of a performing Presidency, even when they admit that the current public perception of the government is less than salutary because of its weakness and lack of vision;

    •    Engage in the destabilization of the APC using moles and fifth columnists; 

    •    Instigate chaos in the South-West using what they called the ''Old Afenifere Guards'' and 

    •    Infiltrate and weaken socio-cultural and socio-political organizations in areas they deem to be unfavourable to the President.

Shockingly, APC said, the PDP/Presidency's grand plot also does not exclude even the PDP itself, as they are pursuing a strategy of decisively and ruthlessly purging from the ranks of the party's inner decision-making caucus all recalcitrant members, including governors and House of Representatives members. '

'The dogged pursuit of this action of dealing with supposed recalcitrant members has led to suspensions, expulsions and alienation of some PDP members, and it was the immediate trigger of the collapse of the party of tattered umbrella,'' APC said. ''After all, it is said that a house divided against itself cannot stand." Elaborating on the plot, APC said the North-East and the North-West have been singled out as areas where votes must be suppressed in 2015, by creating an enabling environment for the deployment of ''special forces'' in the run-up to the 2015 elections. To that end, it said the plan involves launching police/military actions in the run-up to 2015, to ensure most of the registered voters in the zones are disenfranchised. ''The reason these two geo-political zones have been singled out for 'vote suppression' is because of what the PDP/Presidency called the 'voting demographics' in the zones in 2011. The North West had 18,900, 543 registered voters in 2011 while the North-East had 10,038,119.

By contrast, the President's 'safe support base' of South-South and South-East had 8,937,057 and 7,028,560 respectively, the total of which was less than that of the North-West alone! ''The PDP/Presidency therefore believe that unless the votes in these two zones are suppressed, and those of the South-West (14,298,356) stifled one way or the other, the chances of the President winning re-election are very poor. Needless to say that these three zones (NE, NW and SW) are considered to be hostile to the President, hence must be tamed,'' APC said. With regards to the Third Force, APC said it involves railroading unsuspecting credible and independent-minded Nigerians with deep knowledge of, and extensive penetration of the media, civil society, labour, youth, women and ethnic nationalities into the plan, in which they will be given scripts written by the government and sent out to inundate the airwaves and the print media, posing as experts and public analysts to peddle lies and reel out statistics that have no bearing on the standard of living of the average Nigerian. It said that perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the plot is the determined attempt by the PDP/Presidency to constrict the democratic space by moving against the main opposition party which they regard as a ''real threat'' to the President if it (the party) does not implode or is forced to break up before 2015.

“The strategy to achieve this is multi-pronged: The PDP/Presidency will use those they called fifth columnists, disillusioned party members and 'deep cover plants' to fracture the APC; Play up clash of ambitions among its leaders, as well as create and empower a new anti-APC political force in the South-West, comprising the old Afenifere guards whom they described as spent and disillusioned forces, but who can be manipulated to achieve the desired objective of neutralizing the APC; And to revive some dormant political forces.” APC said while it is not bothered by the desperation of the PDP/Presidency to engage in unfair and foul means to win elections, it is astounded that a democratically-elected President will resort to actions that are far from democratic just to retain power at all costs.

''The PDP/Presidency should know that no power in the world can stop an idea whose time has come. For Nigeria, this is the time for change, and change will come in spite of the shenanigans of the devilish duo. Our hope is that these desperadoes do not destroy the country in their rabid ambition,'' the party said. It called on Nigerians to be vigilant in the days, weeks and months ahead as the PDP/Presidency begin to roll out their grand plot.

Gunmen massacre 78 students in Yobe

Gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram sect members yesterday went on rampage in Gujba community, Yobe state where they opened fire on the students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, at 3a.m. as they slept in their hostels. They later moved to other houses, where they killed residents at will.

They also blocked the Damaturu-Maiduguri road and killed travellers.

At the end of the attack, 78 persons lay dead, while several others were still missing.

According to members of the community, soldiers arrived the scene two hours after the gunmen had left.

The gunmen were said to be wearing military camouflage with black bandanas round their heads.

An official of DamaturuSpecialistHospital, who requested anonymity, said “immediately after the attack, 40 bodies were brought to the morgue and all are believed to have been students of the College of Agriculture in Gujba.”

The number, however, increased as more bodies were recovered from the bush.

Military spokesman, Lazarus Eli told newsmen that security forces were at the scene, but that details on the number of dead and injured were not yet available.

He added that the early morning assault was targeted at the College of Agriculture in Gujba, YobeState.

“It was carried out by Boko Haram terrorists, who went into the school and opened fire on students while they were sleeping,” he added.

A police source, who requested anonymity, said that initial reports indicated the death toll could be higher, but he was not prepared to discuss figures.

Provost of the College, Molima Idi Mato, said: “They attacked our students while they were sleeping in their hostels. They opened fire at them.”

He said he could not give an exact death toll as security forces were still recovering bodies of students mostly aged between 18 and 22.

”The school’s surviving students have fled,” he added.

One of the surviving students, Idris, who would not give his first name, said: “They started gathering students into groups outside, then they opened fire and killed one group and then moved onto the next group and killed them.

“It was so terrible. They came with guns around 1a.m. and went directly to the male hostel and opened fire on them”

Ahmed Gujunba, a taxi driver who lives by the college said: “The college is in the bush, so the other students were running around helplessly as guns went off and some of them were shot down.”

Gujba is about 30 kilometres (18 miles) from Damaturu, the state capital.

Yobe has seen a series of brutal attacks targeting students in recent months, all blamed on Boko Haram.

By afternoon after the attack, scores of travellers were also killed, by suspected members of Boko Haram in YobeState.

The militants were said to have blocked Damaturu-Maiduguri Road, shooting indiscriminately.

An eyewitness, who was on his way to Maiduguri, told the media that at least 20 persons were killed.

The witness said: “The situation is terrible. They blocked our way, and were spraying people with bullets.

“Some of us managed to run into the bush. At least, 20 persons were shot dead in the three buses before us.”

NGF seeks end to attacks

Meanwhile, the Northern States Governors’ Forum, yesterday, urged security agencies to “take urgent steps to halt the senseless killing of defenceless citizens.”

Speaking through its chairman, Governor Babangida Aliyu of NigerState, the forum in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Danladi Ndayebo, also called for an end to “attacks on places of worship and educational facilities.”

It said: “The forum is particularly alarmed that the shooting to death of 38 students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, YobeState, followed the same pattern as the killing of 22 students and a teacher at GovernmentSecondary School, Mamudo, in the same state last July.”

It called on security agencies to intensify efforts at protecting the lives and property of citizens, and also ensure that those behind the violence in the region, were apprehended and brought to justice.

Mark, Ndoma-Egba  condemn massacre

Senate President, David Mark and Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, have described the massacre of scores of students at the college by gunmen as a dastardly act and unfortunate as it has a negative impact on the future of Nigeria.

The Senate President and the Senate Leader in their separate condolences commiserated with the people and government of YobeState over the massacre

Senator Mark said: “Violence has never produced any positive result neither has it any solution to problems or grievances.

“If you have any grievances, the only way out is through dialogue. Resorting to killing others can only add to the problem and not solution.

“There are more than enough channels of communication and ways of redressing misgivings.

“These killings, especially innocent citizens are not part of our culture. They are truly alien to us. All right thinking members of the society must rise up to end this carnage raging our land.”

French national kidnapped by Ansaru calls for “negotiations”

Nigerian Islamist group Ansaru (Ansar al-Muslimeen) on Friday released a video of a French national kidnapped in December, the SITE jihadi tracking website said.

In the video, posted online, the hostage identifies himself as 63-year-old Francis Collomp, an engineer with the French firm Vergnet, who was “kidnapped in Rimi in Katsina state on 19 December 2012 till today, 25 September 2013.”

This image taken from a video released by the SITE Intelligence Group shows French enginner Francis Collomp, who is being held hostage by the Nigeria-based Ansar al-Muslimeen. 

The hostage appears wearing a white t-shirt, with an unidentified person holding a weapon in the background.

If authentic, it would be the first video of Collomp to emerge since his abduction.

Parts of the short statement are not clear, but he can be heard calling for “negotiations” for his “safe release.”

In the latter half of the three-minute video, the camera focuses on an Arabic statement that addresses “the government(s) of France and Nigeria,” according to the translation provided by SITE.

While there is no direct threat of further attacks, or on Collomp’s life, the statement vows to treat “treachery and treason” by the French or Nigerian governments with “reciprocity.”

France’s foreign ministry told AFP it was trying to authenticate the video and was in contact with Collomp’s family.

Ansaru is considered by some to be a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, Nigeria’s more prominent Islamist group which has waged a deadly insurgency since 2009.

The links between the two organisations remain in question, but some analysts have said that Ansaru might have emerged from a faction within Boko Haram that sought to specifically target foreign interests.

Ansaru has been blamed for the 2011 kidnapping of a Briton and an Italian national in northern Nigeria. Both hostages were killed in March of last year.

Britain, which has formally labelled Ansaru a terrorist organisation, said the group likely has ties to Al-Qaeda’s north Africa franchise, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb

Collomp, who had been working on a wind power project in Katsina, was taken after a group of some 30 gunmen stormed the compound where he was staying.

The gate outside his home was said to have been riddled with bullet holes after the attack.

Ansaru claimed the abduction days later, citing as a justification France’s push for military intervention against the Islamist rebels who had seized northern Mali.

Ansaru also claimed the kidnapping of seven foreign nationals working on a construction project in northern Bauchi state in February.

A video later posted online appeared to show some of those hostages being killed.

After raising its international profile, Ansaru’s prominence faded and it has not been linked to an attack for several months.

The Islamist violence in northern Nigeria has however continued unchecked, with hundreds of people killed this year in attacks blamed on Boko Haram.

Northeast Nigeria has been under a state of emergency since mid-May, when the military launched an offensive aimed at crushing the insurgency.

But the slaughter of dozens of people in recent weeks, mainly civilians, has cast doubt on the success of the military campaign.

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and top oil producer, where most in the north are Muslim and the south is predominately Christian.

Boko Haram has said it wants to create an Islamic state in the north and is thought to primarily have a domestic agenda.

Ansaru is seen by some as having a more international outlook, perhaps more closely aligned with Al-Qaeda-affiliated groups.