– Buhari used weapons bought by Jonathan against Boko Haram – Crisis rocking PDP
Immediate past president Goodluck Jonathan has praised the government of Muhammadu Buhari.
Jonathan in an exclusive interview to France 24 says the incumbent
government is fighting against Boko Haram insurgents with the weapons
which were purchased under his administration.
The former president stated that the terrorism caught the country
unexpectedly but his administration laid a solid foundation for
insurgency to be defeated.
He said: “The new government is working hard and I believe they
are still using the equipment we procured. Though the budget is still
being debated, no new equipment has been bought, so even those equipment
the president is using to prosecute the war against Boko Haram are
those equipment we procured.
“When Boko Haram started in Nigeria, we had no terror experience.
Yes we had armed robbery and other common crimes, but terrorism was
different because the people involved were not afraid to die. “So, you need a different mechanism to confront terrorism, you
need superior technology, so that you will be able to stop them even
before the attack. We never had the equipment, but when we were
confronted, we started acquiring and before I left office we built
reasonable capacity and I believe with what we left behind and also with
what the new government will acquire, they will be able to prosecute
this terror war to a reasonable conclusion.”
Jonathan also noted that the crisis rocking his party because of the
loss of the 2015 poll. However, he showed optimism that the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) would soon recover its stability. “The PDP definitely will have some minor issues, it is expected…
We lost the presidency and definitely we will have some kind of
leadership problems. When you have a president, everybody looks up to
the president. But when you no longer have the president, it becomes
difficult for the party to have strong leadership,” the ex-president added.
“I believe whatever you observe will be sorted out. Leaders of
the party, elders of the party have been meeting and all this perceived
disagreement will soon be sorted out.
“Every political party has misunderstanding, it is not new, it is
always there. From the beginning of PDP, even before I got to Abuja as a
vice-president and president, there were instances when the chairman of
the party will be asked to step down. And some officers leave from time
to time when there are issues. So what is happening is not new but I
promise you that PDP will stabilize.
“In fact, by March this year, we are going in to elect officers
at the lowest levels of the wards to the local government, to the
states, to the zones then of course at the national officers will be
elected; that is just in March. So the party will bounce back, whatever
you are perceiving, it always happen and we will get over it.”
Jonathan was defeated in his bid for re-election in the 28 March poll by the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ex-president yesterday disclosed
that he will speak on the controversy surrounding the appropriation of
the funds meant for the procurement of arms under his government by the
then National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki at the right time.
Nnamdi Kanu Deserves Humanitarian Bail &
Judicial Protection From State Falsehood-By SBCHROs & IPOB Worldwide
Published By Family Writers
It is the authoritative information of the
Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs);
comprising International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of
Law (Intersociety), Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties
Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy
(CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for Justice,
Equity & Defense of Human Rights
(FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights
Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International
Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY),
Street Law Africa (LawAfrica) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo
rights advocacy group) that detained Citizen Nnamdi Kanu had never
returned to Nigeria or traveled to other parts of the world including
his second home-State of the United Kingdom without following and
applying legitimate diplomatic processes and procedures.
Specifically, he did not return to Nigeria via
Lagos, Southwest Nigeria in October 2015 without international passport
of Nigerian origin. By convention or treatise (international law), which
is applicable in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, Citizen Nnamdi Kanu is
a member of international, Nigerian and UK citizenship. Also by the
provisions of Chapter Three of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, Citizen
Nnamdi Kanu is a citizen of Nigeria by birth or parenthood and by the
provisions of the relevant laws of the UK; he is also a UK citizen by
birth or naturalization. Generally, in the eyes of international law, he
is a dual national of UK and Nigeria. Further, by relevant treaties of
the European Union and the ECOWAS, Citizen Nnamdi Kanu can enter, leave,
stay or live in any member-State of EU or ECOWAS; provided he has UK
(EU) or ECOWAS (Nigerian) passport.
Citizen Nnamdi Kanu as an international citizen
of UK and Nigeria backgrounds is entitled to and has two international
passports of UK and Nigerian citizenship and they are fully and steadily
used when he is traveling out of Nigeria to UK or coming to Nigeria
from UK. Traditionally and specifically in Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s case;
visa is not required of him when he is leaving UK to Nigeria with
Nigerian Passport or when he is traveling to UK from Nigeria with UK
Passport. By law, Citizen Nnamdi Kanu is mandated to show his Nigerian
Passport to UK immigration officials at any UK international airport
enroute Nigeria and to Nigerian immigration officials on arrival at any
Nigerian international airport; likewise using and showing his UK
Passport to immigration officials when traveling to UK from Nigeria. By
law, Citizen Nnamdi Kanu is under no legal or moral obligation
whatsoever to show or surrender all or either of his two international
passports to anybody including the DSS operatives in his hotel room.
His right to privacy and protection of his
property including his two international passports is sacrosanct and
unquestionable. Production of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s international
passport (s) can only be ordered by a court of competent records.
Neither President Muhammadu Buhari nor his DSS operatives has any legal
or moral power or authority to coerce Citizen Nnamdi Kanu into showing
or surrendering his international passport(s) under the guise of arrest
or investigation; except by personal volition of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu. This is more so when Citizen Kanu’s violent
arrest was carried out hours, if not days after he had returned to
Nigeria and checked into a hotel. President Muhammadu Buhari’s assertion
on 30th December 2015 that “are you aware that that man called Kanu
holds two UK and Nigerian citizenship and entered into Nigeria without a
passport”, is nothing but a clear case of “presidential ignorance and
falsehood derived from unprofessional and falsified intelligence
reports”. The falsehood is today compounded further and transformed into
“investigative perjury” to the extent that the Federal Ministry of
Justice had adopted it as its main ground of counter affidavit and
opposition to the application filed by Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s defense
lawyers before an Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
The Federal Government’s claim that “Kanu had
admitted (to them) that he is a British citizen and that he sneaked into
the country”, and that “there is the possibility of him sneaking out if
admitted to bail”; is fallacious, vexatious, unfounded, spurious,
intimidating, insulting, coercing, magisterial and totally untrue. Why
Citizen Kanu Should Be Granted Humanitarian Bail: Today marks 102 days
since Citizen Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and detained by DSS on 14th
October 2015 without conditional or unconditional release. In the
history of democracy in Nigeria, no citizen except Citizen Nnamdi Kanu
had been arrested and detained for 90 days without trial or release on
pretrial bail.
– Nigeria is 136th least corrupt country – The US, UK recorded highest ranking ever – Somalia is the most corrupt country in the world
Nigeria has been ranked as 136 on the list of world’s least corrupt countries in the year 2015.
According to Transparency International’s corruption perceptions
index, Nigeria’s rating is a far cry from the top ten in the world as is
being speculated in some quarters.
President Muhammadu Buhari and some world leaders during a recent function.
Denmark, the rating revealed, tops the perceptions index for the
second consecutive year but more countries are improving than worsening
even as the United States and United Kingdom reached their highest
rankings ever.
The list released on Wednesday, January, 2016, showed that Denmark
scored 91 points out of a possible 100 while North Korea and Somalia
remained at the bottom with unchanged scores of 8.
Nigeria’s rating is expected to be on the rise following the recent
corruption bedeviling the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal for which Sambo
Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA); Olisa Metuh national
publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), among other
top dogs in the country are presently being probed.
But the report shows that the country may have stepped up in its
corruption tag as President Muhammadu Buhari insists on fishing out
every corrupt public officer, whether serving or out of service.
The index is based on expert opinions of public sector corruption,
with a focus on certain factors like whether governmental leaders are
held to account for or go unpunished for corruption.
Nigeria’s rating on the list of least corrupt countries of the world.
Other perimeters considered include the perceived prevalence of bribery and if public institutions respond to citizens’ needs.
Transparency said there was still a lot of room for improvement in Europe and Central Asia, which is seen as one region.
It said: “In low-scorers Hungary, Poland and Turkey, politicians
and their cronies are increasingly hijacking state institutions to shore
up power.
“It’s even grimmer further down the index. In Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and others, governments are restricting,
if not totally stifling, civil society and free media.”
Check out the index of the least and most corrupt countries below:
The ranking of the least corrupt countries in the world.
Although many Nigerians may be unaware of this, Niger bridge
is one of the strongest and most reliable constructions in the country.
It is the passage into Onitsha, one of the commercial nerves of Nigeria’s eastern part, and it links Delta and Anambra states.
Niger bridge is also a heritage of the Igbos which cost approximately
£3 million. It was completed in 1965 after Nigeria had become a
republic.
The magnificent Niger Bridge popularly referred to as Onitsha head bridge in the eastern part of Nigeria. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
Many protests by the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) have taken
place towards the head bridge, partly because this area is seen as a
historic centre for the agitators.Naij.com visited the eastern part of
the country recently and saw this fascinating bridge and presents you
the video footage and pictures after the visit.
Two teenagers in Anambra state have yet again proven the
ingenuity of the Igbo tribe in Nigeria by assembling a helicopter by
themselves.
The young inventors, both 18 years of age, were at the reception held
by Senator Chris Ngige after the burial of his late father, Pa Pius
Okonkwo Ngige, who died at the age of 105.
According to the students of a local technical college, the
helicopter was a project they embarked on based on their field of study
and believe they would have done better had they gotten more sponsors
from well-to-do Nigerians.
The two young men who produced a helicopter in the eastern part of the country. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
In fact, they said that they attended the burial reception because
they believe they are likely to meet with the rich and mighty in the
state and country who may help sponsor them to make their project even
bigger.
One of them said: “The one we produced cannot fly yet because the
things required for it to fly are not complete and it took us a while
before we could come up with even this small one.
One of the boys holding up his helicopter. Photo: Emmanuel Osodi
“If we can get people to sponsor us, we are sure of getting more
of this projects and even produce an even bigger one which will fly.”
Check out the video featuring the young inventors here:
— Popular Ghanaian witch doctor, Priest Nana Kwaku Bonsam,
has had a ‘war’ with popular Nigerian Prophet, TB Joshua, at least once
in the last two years — Priest Nana Kwaku Bonsam says he backs up over 1,700 African preachers ‘spiritually’
Prophet TB Joshua who is the founder of Synagogue Church of All
Nations (SCOAN), has come under fire several times for allegedly hiring
people to pretend to be sick and disabled and then claim to heal them
during his prayer meetings.
Kwaku Bonsam, who operates from a shrine at Sa-Peiman, a village on
the outskirts of Nsawam in east Ghana, is assumed to be a very
strong witch doctor who is also called ‘Devil of Wednesday’.
Apparently, this Ghanaian priest is said to be very powerful, that he
has claimed he’s the ‘spiritual father’ of some of the most powerful
preachers in Africa.
Here’s what the priest had to say:
“Over 1, 700 pastors and so called men of God
from different parts of Africa have approached me, seeking powers to
perform miracles, including Prophet T.B Joshua from Nigeria. He is my
boy. I challenge him to come out and deny this. Apart from the
pastors, many prominent business people and celebrated church founders
in Africa frequent my shrine for my services and if they deny, I am
going to name them.”
Kwaku Bonsam went on to say that his god is called Kofi-Kofi, and he fortifies him with supernatural powers which he in turn provides to pastors across Africa.
The question is, why would he choose to threaten to expose his ‘dedicated’ patrons?
Soldiers invade Ondo community for Ajube, ex-MEND leader
lJTF can’t hold community leaders liable —Boyloaf
lIjaw under military siege —Rights group
By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South & Akpokona Omafuaire SECURITY operatives hunting for the militants who bombed oil pipelines in
Delta State have invaded the riverine Bolowoh community in Ondo
State, in search of a former commander of the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Bibopre Ajube, aka
Shoot-At-Sight. Vanguard learned that the security agents were hunting for
the former militant leader, a partner of former General Officer
Commanding, GOC, of MEND, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
Meanwhile, former Commander of MEND, Victor Ebikabowei Ben, alias
‘General’ Boyloaf, has dismissed the recent statement by the JTF, in the
Niger Delta that it would hold community leaders responsible for
attacks by militants on oil facilities in their areas.
Boyloaf, in an interview with Vanguard, said, “Truth is, the
JTF cannot hold any community leader responsible for any attack that
has taken place in the past or in the future, and they know it, because
the community leaders are not empowered to secure or watch over the
pipelines.”
This came as a non-governmental organisation, the Ijaw People
Development Initiative, IPDI, cried out yesterday to the international
community that the Ijaw nation was under military siege.
Ijaw nation under military siege —IPDI
National president of the organisation, Austin Ozobo, who called for the intervention of the international community told Vanguard
on phone: “Thousands of residents have deserted their communities in
Gbaramatu Kingdom and Bolowoh community, Ondo State, the hometown of
former militant leader, Bibopre Ajube, aka Shoot-At-Sight, because of
Monday’s invasion of the community.
“Movement is restricted in the area, cost of food is high and some persons are trapped,” Ozobo said.
Also, the Committee for Rural Development, Warri, Delta State,
claimed, yesterday, that security operatives searching for perpetrators
of the last pipeline bombing in the state had issued an ultimatum to
Ijaw residents living in Sandfield I and 2, Ogbogbene, int Warri over
side, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, to vacate the
areas.
President of the Committee, Mr. Asiayei Enaibo, in a statement, said:
“The issue of JTF asking Ijaw communities, especially Sandfield I and
2, Ogbogbene, at Warri over side, because they are in search of Tompolo,
is a sign of misdirected action.”
A military source, however, denied that the task force issued a quit
notice to Ijaw communities, saying people were just blowing the military
operation out of proportion.
Enaibo, who said the residents were already deserting the community,
added, “The JTF should ensure professionalism in their operations, as
they are known to be perfect in intelligence gathering. An ultimatum to
Ijaw communities to pack out on January 28, is a declaration of war
against Ijaw nation by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.”
Security operatives, who stormed Ondo State, were reportedly working
on intelligence that Ajube took part in the Delta pipeline bombing,
which the ex-militant leader denied.
Narrow escape
The details were still sketchy, yesterday, as the JTF in the Niger
Delta was keeping its current operation in Ondo State secret, but our
source said, “Ajube was not at home when they stormed his home.”
Our source said, “Soldiers narrowly missed arresting him, he escaped
before they could seize him. They seemed to be targeting people close to
Tompolo and have made more arrests. Ajube is one of the top Tompolo
generals that accepted amnesty.
“We do not have the identities of the people they have arrested so far and the purpose of the army invasion,” he added.
Last week, the Arogbo Ijaw National Front raised alarm that the
Nigerian Army was exacerbating inter-ethnic tensions and other forms of
violence in the riverine parts of Ondo State with an ill-advised manhunt
for the founder of a vigilante group.
In a statement, its president, James Akubirisei, accused the military
of declaring an unwarranted search for Ajube, saying that security
agents accused members of a local anti-crime group, Gallery Security
Services, founded by Ajube, abandoned their duty posts to carry out the
Delta attacks.
Meanwhile, the Okerenkoko Federated Communities have advised the JTF
not to bring reproach on the military through indiscriminate arrests of
Gbaramatu people over the recent crude oil and gas pipelines bombing in
the state.
Secretary, Okerenkoko Federated Communities, Ernest Bebenimibo, in a
statement, said, “I want to call on the security agency to stop
harassing, arresting and detaining Okerenkoko and Gbaramatu youths
without cogent reasons after the recent pipeline bombardment which was
roundly condemned by us.”
However, General Boyloaf, in an interview with Vanguard, was asked:
How do you see the present travail of Tompolo concerning a
bench warrant by a court for his arrest and insinuation that he was
party to the last pipeline bombing in Delta State?
What we have to do is to place events in their proper prospective to
avoid over heating the polity and causing unnecessary friction. Most of
us have our private businesses and in the course of doing business, we
interact on a corporate platform with other businesses and institutions
of the government.
In business, there may be misunderstanding, claims and counter claims
and I believe that there are ways and means to resolve whatever
differences that occur in the process of doing legitimate business. They
should explore that process.
A group of ex-militants which said ex-President Jonathan did
not grant them amnesty had claimed responsibility, saying that they
struck to draw attention to their demand. Do you think they are
justified?
The late President Umaru Yar’Ádua, may God bless his soul, granted
the amnesty. It was continued by President Goodluck Jonathan and
President Buhari is sustaining it. Those who claimed responsibility
should open up. They should show their faces so that we will know if
they are beneficiaries of the amnesty or not.
It is not enough to make bogus statements that you cannot
substantiate. Anyone who is under amnesty has no justification to blow
pipelines. If you do so and they identify you, the normal thing is that
you automatically lose the benefits of the amnesty and they treat you as
a common criminal.
JTF had said it would hold community leaders responsible for future attacks in their domains. What is your opinion on this?
Truth is, the JTF cannot hold any community leader responsible for
any attack that has taken place in the past or will take place in the
future, because the community leaders are not empowered to secure or
watch over the pipelines.
The communities do not have the wherewithal and capability to protect
the pipelines, except the government is encouraging communities to
start carrying arms to protect the pipelines, because you cannot protect
the pipelines with your bare hands, as the people who destroy the
pipelines do not come with bare hands.
I can recall that in the run- up to the last presidential election,
mindful of all the threats and tension in the country at the time,
government awarded pipeline protection contracts to community based
entities. However, uptil now, the government has not paid and most of
these community entities are now indebted to their banks that provided
funds for the execution of the contracts.
Now, the government is still expecting them to risk their lives to
protect the pipelines. The best the community can do is to provide
information to the JTF and they can only do this in a discreet manner or
else there will be consequences. It is a matter of life and death.
What is your advice to Tompolo, to submit himself for arrest or continue to defy the law by not coming out?
I really have no advice, other than to say that all responsible
adults should be able to discern and count their teeth with their
tongues.
What is your advice to militants in N Delta regarding the Buhari regime?
First thing is that they should remember that it was not President
Jonathan that granted the amnesty, so the future of the amnesty is not
tied to the tribe of the occupant of Aso Villa. With that in mind, the
end of Jonathan administration is not necessarily the end of the
amnesty.
The sad part is that Jonathan’s administration, through Kingsley
Kuku, mismanaged the programme. I cannot fully understand the political
agenda and direction of the Buhari administration on the amnesty
programme. However, the Coordinator, General Boroh, is doing his best.
So my advice is that our people should understand the issues and the
times we are in, and as far as the government has not made any
categorical statement against the amnesty, the people should continue to
support the government to succeed.
