Nasarawa crisis: Gunmen kill 9

Gunmen, suspect­ed to be Fulani, on Tuesday laid siege to Ashige community of Lafia East Development Area killing nine persons and injuring several others bringing an abrupt end to the gradual return of peace in the state capital after the recent cri­sis.

An eyewitness said the gunmen attacked farmers who were returning home at about 5p.m. after laying ambush for them at River Ashangwa.

Gimba Audu, one of those who conveyed the corpses of their kinsmen to the Dalhatu Araf Special­ist Hospital (DASH) Lafia said his younger brother was one of those attacked by the assailants and was currently receiving treat­ment in an undisclosed hospital in Lafia.

One of the survivors, Mr. Michael Danladi told Daily Sun: “Fulani men attacked us on our way back from the farm at about 5p.m. shooting sporadically at us and killing nine instantly.”

He said nine other per­sons sustained injuries and had been taken to private hospitals in Lafia and Ashige for treatment. He disclosed that the where­abouts of five other per­sons are still unknown.

Danladi, who noted that the attack took place four kilometres from Ashige town appealed to the state government to provide security in the area es­pecially as it is presently hosting the internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Alawagana, As­sakio and other adjoining villages ravaged by the recent spate of attacks in the state.

Juliana Esla Dauda, the councilor representing Ashige/Ugah in Lafia Lo­cal Government Area said she was briefed on the in­cident on Wednesday.

Coffin at PDP secretariat

Peoples Democrat­ic Party (PDP) as­pirants, who were disqualified from participating in last week­end state assemblies pri­maries yesterday stormed the party’s national secre­tariat in Abuja with coffin in protest.
The aspirants, who came with party thugs, carrying emp­ty coffins, blocked the entrance to Wadata Plaza.
National Woman Leader, Kema Chikwe and National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, Cairo Ojougboh, were turned back by the aspi­rants.

Some of them, who spoke with newsmen accused the PDP National Working Com­mittee and the state chapter of the party of conniving with former Minister of State for Education and governorship aspirant, Nyesom Wike of frus­trating their aspirations.

A state Assembly aspirant, Davis Saloka, from Eleme constituency, said they were at the PDP secretariat to kick against the “open robbery per­petrated against them by the party.”

Saloka told newsmen that no fewer than 107 members of the party paid to obtain the expression of interest and nomination forms, but noted that only 32, whom he claimed were loyalists of Nyesom, were given what he called “dubious clearance,” while the rest of them were disqualified.

“We all bought forms to participate in the PDP primary election but what we saw was out of the ordinary.
“We attended the screening exercise but we did not know our fate until Friday night when we saw a list pasted, in­dicating that only 32 persons were cleared to participate in the election.
“We discovered that those nominated from Wike’s camp were given clearance which gave them automatic ticket while the rest of us were screened out.

“The most annoying thing was that we were not told the reason we were disqualified, and it is more curious to note that all we saw was a list that was neither signed nor was on a PDP letter head, but just contained the names of Wike’s boys as the only ones cleared to participate in the party pri­mary.

“On Saturday, they just wrote the names of these peo­ple and said they were the win­ners of the PDP party primary where elections were not held.
“It is injustice, we won’t ac­cept it,” he said.
Another aspirant, Jude Nwi­bie, from Kana Constituency 2 spoke in similar vein and sub­mitted that he was disqualified without any cogent reason.

He further disclosed that he went through the rigour of the screening exercise like his col­leagues in accordance with the party’s guideline for the elec­tion, but was surprised that the result of the screening exercise was not made public.

He, however, said he was stupefied to see a list of 32 per­sons pasted a night before the party primary as the cleared aspirants for the race.
“A huge injustice was vis­ited on us by the party just to please Wike an Ikwere man who wants to succeed another Ikwere man.

“Money was collected from us for nomination form but we were prevented from partici­pating in any party primary,” he said.

In a joint petition signed by 31 of the aggrieved aspirants under the aegis of Coalition of Rivers State PDP House of As­sembly and National Assem­bly aspirants, they demanded the dissolution of the Rivers State chapter of the party, led by Felix Obuah and the re­moval of Deputy National Chairman of the ruling party, Uche Secondus.

Nigeria’s private sector donates $34m to fight Ebola in West Africa

The Internat ional Criminal Court yes terday gave prose cutors a week to de­cide whether to proceed w ith their case a gainst Ke­nyan President U huru Ke ­nyatt a for crimes agai nst humanity or to withdraw the charges.

Prosecutors say Kenyatta, accused of orchestrating a wave of deadly violence after Kenya’s 2007 elections, has used his political power to obstruct their investigation, especially since becoming president last year. They had asked for the case to be sus­pended until they had enough evidence to proceed.
The cases against Kenyatta and his Deputy President Wil­liam Ruto are the highest-pro­file proceedings in the history of the court set up 11 years ago to try cases concerning grave international crimes that local courts cannot handle.

The court has finished only three cases, all involving little-known Congolese war­lords, and has yet to show that it can hold the most powerful offenders to account. Judges agreed that Kenya had not co­operated in “good faith” with the court, but decided against referring the matter to the body representing the court’s 122 member states, saying a referral would not help bring about a fair trial.

Prosecutors did secure one small victory in that the court did not acquit Kenyatta of the charges, as his lawyers had requested. That means the charges could be brought again in future if more evi­dence becomes available.

As gunmen storm Damaturu, attack state varsity

Gunmen, suspected to be members of Boko Haram, on Monday morning stormed Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
Their first port of call was the Yobe State University located in Damaturu.
The attack, which was ongoing at the time of filing this report, has seen residents of the town scampering for safety.
One of the residents, who reached out to journalists via the telephone, said there was confusion in the town.
The resident spoke with shaky voice.
The resident said it was obvious the attackers were out to overrun and take over the capital city.
A military source in the town said scores of insurgents flooded the town from Gujba, a stronghold of the sect.
He said they attacked the town as early as 4am on Monday, trying to take control of the security facilities. According to him, they attacked the Police Mobile Unit where they exchanged gunfire with the police on duty.
The military source said: “A military jet was deployed to push the insurgents back and the situation is now under control. The entire town has been cordoned off.”
He revealed that. “The number of casualties remain unknown, though many person were killed. The insurgents suffered a lot of deaths but few police officers were also killed in the crossfire.”
A resident of the town, who called in on phone, said: “The people of the town were woken up by the sound of gunshots and explosions and we still cannot leave our homes as we are still hearing gunshots which seem to be subsiding.”
Details soon

PDP Reps caucus vows to stop impeachment moves against Jonathan

Peoples Democrat­ic Party (PDP) caucus in the House of Repre­sentatives at the weekend vowed to thwart moves to issue President Goodluck Jonathan an impeach­ment notice.
Deputy Majority Leader, Leo Ogor, who disclosed the position of the caucus, declared that they would do everything within their power to resist any attempt to commence impeachment proceedings against the president.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the House recently claimed that over 120 members had signed impeachment regis­ter against the president.
Accusing the APC law­makers of chasing shadows, Ogor told newsmen yester­day: “I have said it in differ­ent fora that the impeach­ment process is not a tea party and on what grounds do they want to impeach Mr. President.
“We members of the PDP will slug it out in whatever shape it takes on the floor of the House because we strongly believe in Jona­than’s policies and his ad­ministrative capabilities.
“His policies are second to none in the history of Nigeria, so why make any attempt to impeach a presi­dent that has touched every segment of the Nigerian economy positively.”
On the alleged impeach­ment notice which also in­cluded his name, Ogor said: “That is another APC scam designed to frustrate us, but it won’t fly because as a South-South leader in the House, it is virtually impos­sible for me to append my signature on such a notice.
“If they are bold enough let them officially publish such a list and you will hear the public outcry immedi­ately that is done.
“Please ignore that scam of a list, it is just a figment of their imagination as they do not have more ideas to deceive Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, Tajudeen Yusuf (Kogi, PDP) has said he did not sign any regis­ter for the impeachment of President Jonathan. He challenged promoters of the impeachment move against the President to publish the names and sig­natures of those behind the move to oust the president.
The lawmaker in a state­ment said he remained a loyal member of PDP and a core supporter of President Jonathan in the House.
He said; “I have never, at anytime, and will never sit, join, participate in any meeting to discuss any move that will work against President Jonathan’s lofty transformation agenda, his government or the PDP.
“It is ridiculous and evil for APC in its unfortunate propaganda to insert names of PDP members in their ungodly and inept antics to cause crisis in the polity.
“As at the moment, just like in the past, since the inauguration of the Sev­enth Assembly, the PDP remains the majority in the House and at no time, did PDP lose majority in the House.”

Colonel named in arms deal

Task force boss says Army officer escorted 10 weapons trucks

FROM FRED ITUA, ABUJA 

The Director-General, National Task Force on Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons (NATFORCE), Mr. Osita Okereke, has raised the alarm over an alleged involvement of a serving Army Colonel in illegal importation of arms and ammunition into the country.
Mr. Okereke told reporters in Abuja that one Colonel serving in 242 Division and a businessman have been aiding and abetting importation and release of arms, ammunition, light weapons and contraband from Seme border.
He disclosed that one Nura who he alleged had been working for a top officer of the Nigeria Customs Service at Seme border for nine years invited the Army officer to the border on November 20.
The Colonel, according to him, came to Seme border with his officers in five Toyota Hilux vans and overpowered the men and officers of the task force and escorted 10 trucks loaded with ammunition into the country.
His words: “It is not an allegation. It is something that happened. There are witnesses. When we say somebody came with Army officers, all of them dressed like they are going for war. He came from 242 Division. I called him on phone, he told me he was at a club, he could not talk to me.
He said: “I travelled and I was somewhere in Makurdi and he called me asking me where is my office, telling me they had to go and drive out some vigilante. He said he never knew about NATFORCE. He said the message came from the Office of National Security Adviser.
“Let me tell you, those trailers, we have been monitoring them for the past three months because we told them we must have 100 per cent examination. We had information on those trailers and Customs became scared. Those trailers have been there for over three weeks at the Seme border. They didn’t know what to do than to go and bring the Army,” Mr Okereke said.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to investigate so as to bring the culprits to book.

Again, Boko Haram attacks Borno town

Scores feared dead
From TIMOTHY OLANREWAJU, Maiduguri
Suspected Boko Haram insur­gents have again invaded a Borno State town in the southern part of the state, forcing residents to flee, sources said.
Scores were also feared dead.
The insurgents allegedly arrived Shani, headquarters of Shani Local Government Area at about 8p.m last Sat­urday, throwing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) into houses and shooting at fleeing residents.
A source said the insurgents numbering about 20 came on motorcycles. “Many people have fled the town now,” the source, who also fled to neigh­bouring Adamawa State, told Daily Sun.
A security source said the insurgents allegedly set the police station, telecommuni­cation mast and some houses ablaze, shooting sporadically. “Many people may have died in the attack,” the source, who did not want to be named, said.
Meanwhile, some vigilant residents have averted another  explosion in Maiduguri barely two days after earlier foiled bomb attack around Custom Area.
Vigilant residents inter­cepted three teenagers at­tempting to plant explosive devices near a church at the outskirts of Maiduguri. “The people around quickly alerted the military who immediately contacted the police bomb disposal squad to diffuse the IEDs,” the source told Daily Sun.