Boko Haram has killed 3,000 since 2009 – COAS Posted by: Adekunle Jimoh Posted date: November 05, 2012 In: Featured, News Update | comment : 9 At least not less than 3,000 people have been killed by the Boko Haram sect since 2009, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika has said. He stated that the sect activities had affected people and businesses in the northern part of the country. The COAS spoke on Monday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital while declaring open the third inter-division and headquarters map reading competition organized by the Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC). Ihejirika, who was represented by the General Officer, Commanding 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major Mohammed Abubakar, added that the current security challenges in the country require collective and extra efforts to tackle. His words: “The changing nature of threats to Nigeria’s national security environment has manifested in the militancy, kidnapping, violent extremism and terrorism. It is a known fact that terrorism worldwide is characterized by extremism, violence hatred, lack of respect for human dignity and constituted authority. “The spate of bombings in parts of the north had necessitated the Nigerian Army to review its doctrine with a view to updating our training and operational procedures in order to fulfill our constitutional mandate. Success in this pursuit, therefore calls for renewed and concerted efforts and initiative. “I therefore urge all of us to remain resilient to be able to overcome the miscreants and terrorist attacks on our psyche and our beloved country through conscientious effort for the country to make good progress. It is in this line, that I commend the determination of NAEC to write and publish a book on ‘terrorism. “This will no doubt positively contribute to our determination to fight the present security challenges. The book will also serve as a reference material for researchers on NA viewpoint and strategy against domestic terrorism.” Earlier, the Corps Commander, NAEC, Major-General Lucky Banjiram, said the current security challenges in the country had continued to undermine national security. He added that the challenges had thereby placed great strains and demands on the Nigerian army’s resources. Source. The Nation

Oshiomhole: why condemned men must die Posted by: Wale Ajetunmobi Posted date: November 05, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 29 eDO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has defended his decision to sign the execution warrants of two condemned men. The governor signed the sentence few weeks ago. He said the convicts should die in the interest of the society because they committed offences the law forbids. Oshiomhole said he was not afraid to sign the execution warrants of those found guilty of murder by competent courts. The governor said he subscribed to an oath of office compelling him to obey the Constitution and its laws without fear. He said: “I have no apologies because I did not sentence them to death. I am not the one who accused them; they were accused by those they harassed. They have been tried, they have taken advantage of the appellate courts all the way to the Supreme Court and they were found guilty. The law also says having been found guilty and sentenced to death, the governor could exercise prerogative of mercy. But I say that I have no mercy on those who kill. Why should you compel me to have mercy on those who kill?” Oshiomhole criticised the Amnesty International for what he described as the self-righteous stance of the body. He noted that the history of the countries where the organisation emerged should tell discerning minds that Amnesty International does not have superior values. He said: “In this battle of values, we must not behave as if some other people’s values are superior to ours. If you feel that those who kill in your country should have right to life and we believe in our country that those who kill should be killed and those are reflected in our laws, until you reverse those laws, those laws will apply. “If you tell me that the man killed and has a right to life, I refuse that. Amnesty should not be hypocritical about it, we have the records worldwide. Nations are governed by their national values and it is debatable whether those who excuse murderers in the eyes of God are better human beings than those who insist that if you kill, you too should be killed if found guilty of killing. “I don’t believe that those who want to excuse murderers are on a higher moral ground. It is not about conviction but about whether I choose to exercise prerogative of mercy. God can have mercy on them, but I am unable having regard to the overall circumstances of the case, which are killing and dismembering the body of the victim and wanting to sell some of the parts. And some people ask me in the name of human rights to let him live. No! If those saying that were to be victims of such brutality, they would also think otherwise. It is very convenient for them to sit in the comfort of their offices and pontificate about human rights, as if the rights of the victims are not supposed to be taken into account.” Source: The Nation

CAN to Jonathan: take drastic measures against sect Posted by: Gbenga Omokhunu Posted date: November 05, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 21 The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday advised President Goodluck Jonathan to adopt radical steps to conquer the new method of killing by the Boko Haram sect. CAN described killings in the North as ‘senseless and uncalled-for’. A communiqué issued in Abuja at the end of the meeting of the 19 Northern States and Abuja Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the 17 Southern States CAN held in Abuja and jointly signed by Chairman, 17 Southern States CAN, Primate Nicholas Okoh and Chairman, 19 Northern States and Abuja CAN, Archbishop Peter Jatau (Emeritus), said: “The meeting deliberated frankly and exhaustively on issues bordering on the state of the nation and CAN. “The meeting noted the advantages derivable from regular comparison of notes by the two chapters of CAN and resolved that a wider forum, comprising a cross-section of members of the two chapters would meet to discuss specific issues that concern the future of the Church in Nigeria . Accordingly, it called on all Christians, irrespective of their denominational persuasions, to unite and that the unity of Christians is most crucial at this time when the Church is undergoing major challenges that border on persecution. “However, the meeting urged President Jonathan to adopt drastic measures that are proactive to match the new tactics of the insurgents in order to halt the senseless killings of innocent Nigerians, especially Christians and the destruction of Churches in the northern part of the country. “It took a scrupulous look at the activities and pronouncements of the leadership of CAN and re-affirmed its confidence and support for the leadership under Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (OFR). The meeting commended the President of CAN for the excellent job he is doing on behalf of Christians, giving the current challenges while also applauding his efforts at uniting all Christians in Nigeria through the five blocks. It encouraged the CAN President to continue on that path. “The meeting noted, with pleasure, President Goodluck Jonathan’s undertaking to deal decisively with the security challenges facing the nation and commended the Federal Government under his leadership for its management. “The meeting noted with a sense of satisfaction President Jonathan and his government’s humane and prompt management of the flood that ravaged most parts of Nigeria . While it thanked the President and his team for a job well done, the meeting called on the Federal Government to do all within its powers to ensure that the victims are assisted to regain their lives to enable them settle down to their various vocations. It feared that if the funds are not disbursed directly to the victims, they may be wasted on items the direct victims do not require. The meeting, therefore, called on the Federal Government to monitor the distribution of its financial assistance to avoid a hijack that may end up reducing what should accrue to the victims. “Present at the meeting were executive committee members of both chapters of CAN.” Source : The Nation

Controversy trails Boko Haram’s dialogue proposal Posted by: Tony Akowe, Kaduna and Adesoji Adeniyi Posted date: November 05, 2012 In: Featured, News | comment : 48 SHOULD the Federal Government dialogue with Islamic sect Boko Haram, which last Thursday waved the olive branch? This was the poser yesterday amid reactions to the sect’s proposal for talks wit h the government. The Senate endorsed the talks; former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Solomon Lar gave conditions for the dialogue and Oodua Peoples Congress founder Dr. Frederick Fasehun rejected the sect’s choice of former military leader Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as mediator. Last Thursday, Boko Haram opted for dialogue with the government and proposed Saudi Arabia as the venue. It picked Buhari, Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno, Ambassador Gaji Galtimari, Mrs Aisha Alkali Wakil and her husband Alkali Wakil and former Yobe State Governor, Senator Abba Bukar Ibrahim as mediators. Ibrahim said yesterday that he had not been contacted by the sect. Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Media and Publicity Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, responding to a text message by our reporter, said the Senate was delighted to read about the sect’s proposal for dialogue. He said: “The Senate will support any measure that will bring peace to all parts of Nigeria.” Ibrahim, Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Land and Urban Development said since he had not been contacted, he “cannot say anything based on newspaper publication or television broadcast.” The senator said a similar thing happened in the past when some newspapers published that the sect named him and others to dialogue with the government on their behalf. He said: “The earlier one ended without any result. One group was reported to have called for dialogue and allegedly named some people to negotiate on its behalf. “Another group denied it and the whole thing ended up just like that. I cannot say any thing based on publication by newspapers or television broadcast. “Nobody has contacted me for any dialogue. “But I hope that this time around, this one will work and produce result. “I hope that this one will work and not end up like the earlier one. “That is what most Nigerians have been praying for, a dialogue to ensure peace in the country.” Lar said the talks should take place only after members of the group revealed their identity. He told reporters in Kaduna that talking with the group when it has chosen to remain faceless does not make any meaning. Lar said: “I disagree completely (with dialogue) unless they show their identity that Mr. X, Y, Z is Boko Haram. For them to name some people to be their representatives, who are they? They are faceless people, let them come out and reveal their identity”. He said it was not enough for the sect to nominate people to negotiate on its behalf, urging them to identify themselves rather than remain faceless. Lar wondered whether Buhari, Monguno and others picked as mediators have accepted the job, asking: “Has Gen. Buhari agreed? Is Gen. Buhari their representative? Is Ali Monguno their representative? You see, I didn’t want to mention names, but if they (Buhari and Monguno) said yes, they are their (Boko Haram’s) representatives, we would know. “But have they agreed to represent them? Let them come out. During the Niger Delta militancy, some people came out and said they were the leaders of the militants. That was very reasonable and that was how the late President Umar Yar’Adua was able to tackle the problem of militancy in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta militants were not faceless like Boko Haram. Why didn’t Boko Haram follow the example of the militants by showing their faces?” he said. Fasehun, who spoke after a public lecture by the Ife Business School in honour of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, urged the government not to allow Gen. Buhari to be in the negotiating team in the interest of peace and tranquility. Buhari, he said, was not qualified to negotiate on behalf of Nigerians or the government. Fasehun, who agreed that the government should dialogue with the sect, said Gen. Buhari’s presence in the negotiating team, would aggravate things. Referring to Gen. Buhari’s alleged disaffection with the government over his defeat by President Goodluck Jonathan in last year presidential election, Fasehun said the former military leader could not represent the interest of the government and Nigerians well in the negotiating team. “Buhari should not be part of the negotiations because he has a serious grouse with the present administration. His grouse is because he was not elected the president of Nigeria. How can such a fellow represent the interest of the government and the good people of this country if he’s part of those that will negotiate and dialogue with Boko Haram. “I would rather advise the Federal Government to set up a formidable team comprising responsible Nigerians to dialogue with the sect if the government wants to end terrorism and insecurity. Also, the government should be civilised in its discussion with the sect members to ensure absolute peace in the land. The dialogue between the Federal Government and the sect, if well handled would bring about peace in the country.” source. the Nation

LASTMA and KAI Career Evaluation Training Programme Posted by: Our Reporter Posted date: October 23, 2012 In: Photo / Video | comment : 1 12345Pix 2839 & 2841: Cross section of Batch 3 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) at the induction parade of the ongoing Career Evaluation Training Programme for Law Enforcement Officers at the Public Service Staff Development Centre, Magodo, Lagos on Monday, October 22, 2012. Pix 2926: Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport Education, Dr. Mariam Masha interacting with Batch 3 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) during the ongoing Career Evaluation Training Programme for Law Enforcement Officers at the Public Service Staff Development Centre, Magodo, Lagos on Monday, October 22, 2012. Pix 2922: Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Transport Education, Dr. Mariam Masha (right) and the General Manager of LASTMA, Babatunde Edu (2nd right) interacting with officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) during the ongoing Career Evaluation Training Programme for Law Enforcement Officers at the Public Service Staff Development Centre, Magodo, Lagos on Monday, October 22, 2012. Pix 2905: Cross section of Batch 3 officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) during a class session at the ongoing Career Evaluation Training Programme for Law Enforcement Officers at the Public Service Staff Development Centre, Magodo, Lagos on Monday, October 22, 2012. Source: The Nation

over twenty die scooping fuel from fallen tanker Our Reporter November 5, 2012 79 Comments » -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From OKEY SAMPSON, Aba Tragedy struck at the weekend at Umuokpo in Amairinabuo Community of Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State when a fuel tanker exploded, killing several people and injuring others. Unconfirmed report had it that over 20 people, who rushed to scoop fuel from the fallen tanker, were burnt to death, while others, including 10 persons, said to be on danger list in a mission hospital in the area, sustained various degrees of burns. However, another source said only three persons had been confirmed dead. The incident, which happened at Kilometre 10 on the Aba/Ikot Ekpene Highway last Friday, was said to have occurred when a Mack fuel tanker with the registration number ABIA: XA 976 KKE, heading towards Aba, got stuck in mud as a result of bad road condition. The driver, in an attempt to move the tanker, hired a towing van. And in the process of pulling it out, the tanker fell on its side and spilled the content. Immediately the incident occurred, some villagers were said to have rushed to the scene to scoop fuel. Chief Friday Erengwa, a community leader in whose house frontage the tanker fell, told Daily Sun: “Immediately the incident occurred, villagers rushed to scoop fuel and despite the fact that I came out from my house to warn them against the dangers inherent, they did not listen. “Even the driver of the tanker made every effort to dissuade the villagers from scooping fuel from the tanker, but they turned a deaf ear.” It was gathered that some of the villagers were still scooping the product when a commuter bus going to Aba from the Ikot Ekpene wanted to pass through where the tanker had fallen. In the process, the bus fell into a crater on the road, the exhaust pipe touched a hard surface on the road and ignited fire, which immediately spread to the nearby fallen tanker and burnt everything within its range. When Daily Sun visited the scene, the fuel tanker was still on fire 24 hours after the incident, even as the villagers decried the attitude of fire fighters from Aba who they said, came when the fire was raging but went back.

Over 500 arrested after declaration of Biafra Republic Our Reporter November 5, 2012 81 Comments » -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BY DOTUN OLADIPO Over 500 persons who took part in the declaration of the Republic of Biafra on Monday have been arrested by the police. Top on the list of those arrested by the police was the leader of the Biafra Zionist Movement, Mr. Ben Onwuka. They were arrested in Enugu, Enugu State where the declaration took place. source .

subsidy quarrel

Last Friday, the task force on petroleum subsidy earnings led by former EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan amid drama. The task force was set up last January following the week-long fuel subsidy protest that grounded the country. Ribadu and the deputy chairman of the task force and former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsaye, openly quarreled at the presentation in the presence of President Jonathan and the Petroleum Minister, Mrs Deziani Alison-Madueke. PAULINUS AIDIGHIE presents excerpts from Ribadu and Oronsaye’s interviews. Ribadu’s report: “There was a slight drama during the presentation of your report. Mr. Oronsaye said the process of the whole exercise was what he quarreled with and not the substance. What is your take on that? Well, with due respect, what are the processes he is talking about? He was not there at the inauguration of the committee. He did not participate even for a day. He did not come out to sit down at the time when we came out with our rules and how we were going to conduct the business of the task force. He never participated even for a single day; not even a single hour. “The only time he came was when he was intervening on behalf of a company that was supposed to come and pay money to government. About $1.5 billion. That was the only time Steve came in. And when he got in, it was very embarrassing and we respected him. He said you brought in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials to be interrogating people and that he thought that was not part of the process. You see, he was never there for him to even know the process. He was never involved in anything. He still used the task force to even get an appointment in government. “Instead for him to respect himself to just maybe, resign from the task force, he refused to do so. And the next thing was of course, the day we saw him at the Council. So, it is a bit unfortunate. It is tragic and I feel sorry for our country. And in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), he said he is not an executive director and that he is a non-executive director. He is a board member and not an executive director of the NNPC. “He is a board member of the NNPC. It is the highest authority of the NNPC. He said it is not conflicting with his job because he was not the chairman of your panel, that he was just a member. Secondly, that he didn’t intervene on behalf of any petroleum company and that he even asked the people more biting questions and that if he was intervening, what pressure did he then put on the committee? That is what he is saying. And that he was in the private sector and rose to become a partner in KPMG and that his image is dented and that he may consider legal option. “These are the things he is saying. Well, I wish him well and it is not like I do have any personal thing. And that you never liked him even right from when you were working with Obasanjo, that you have never been friends. He is not going to drag me into any altercation or controversy with him because I have passed that. I do respect myself and I would not allow myself to get into this type of thing. I would not have said a word if not because of what he did right in front of the President. The explanation was very clear. I thought that was very unfortunate and it was very misplaced. “There was no sense in what he did. Moreso, he had no reason whatsoever. He didn’t play a role in the work of the committee and he couldn’t come at the tail end… And only two of them out of the 17 people. So many people worked so hard to produce that report. I felt it was very unfair, very, very unfair to all of them and for him to have come to play that role he played, it was very, very disappointing. And you put a caveat emptor. Somebody pointed out that in your summary of the report, whether number four there, you said the figures have not been reconciled, and that is like a disclaimer. Yeah. No, no, no. “This is also the genuiness of the work we did. You see, we took records from different departments: from the NNPC, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). What we just said was that we didn’t have the time to go to every detail of what they gave us to cross check what they gave us. We are not disclaiming anything. We just said that those figures that you got for example, from the CBN, we will not go back to the CBN and look at every single detail and it will take endless time to do so. That is all what we are talking about. No more, no less. And I thought that was like trying to be fair and honest and just in what we did. And he was talking about process and not content. “What even worries me and including of course, Nigerians and the media, I think pay attention to what the report says and not the controversy that they tried to create. They are deliberately building this thing to make it an issue and then we forget the real thing, that is, the content. This controversy shouldn’t be given prominence over what clearly is more important to Nigeria and to Nigerians. I feel the intent was maybe to just create a controversy and thereby diverting attention. That is what is even happening now when we should be examining how much was looted. “Absolutely! That is why I want us to go back please. And it matters for us to pay attention to what is in the content. The media, Reuters and others circulated a bit of it. Is there any way that you will sensitize the media on the content of that report? How much essentially was looted from the process? You see, I have the report and it is out there. I wouldn’t want to say things more than what is in the report itself. We gave highlight of some areas that we felt very important in the speech that we delivered at the point of handing over the report. The report is almost like in the public domain now. People will see what is there. It is there. Very sober report. Nothing abusive, nothing accusing. “Oronsaye said the language was subjective. I don’t think it is true. I don’t think it is true. It is just the plain truth. Simple, straight-forward and it is meant to help the government if they want to do what is right. Do you have confidence that your report will come to light or it will be buried or it will gather cobwebs in government’s coffers? I hope not because a lot of work has gone into it to produce it. And we believe them when they said come and give us this honest opinion, views and facts about this industry. You believe it will be implemented? I pray so. It is not about belief but I hope and I wish that they will implement what they have been given. “It is good for the country, it is good for the President and it is good for the future of Nigeria. It will help strengthen the industry. It will bring people to come and invest in the industry from outside. It will make Nigeria to get more money. In other words, develop the oil industry for our country. And that is what is needed now. It may also help to fight corruption in Nigeria because if you are able to reduce or control corruption in the industry, you are doing more than half of the work of fighting corruption in Nigeria because that is where the money is. “And that is where we get the money to run our affairs. The funding of government comes from that industry. So, to stop the corruption there, it is very possible you can double what we are today earning from the industry in a short period.”

FG may pay compensation to Boko Haram members … starts drawing criteria for payment • We didn’t kill Gen. Shuwa – Sect November 5, 2012 by Oluwole Josiah and Olalekan Adetayo 163 Comments The Federal Government may have commenced considering the criteria for compensating members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, particularly those who had suffered one form of injustice or the other. Also there were indications on Sunday that the government might be willing to pay compensation to the sect’s members “who were seen to have been killed unjustly.” A very dependable source in the Presidency told The PUNCH on Sunday that the Federal Government was not willing to miss the opportunity for dialogue as offered by a man believed to be the sect’s second-in-command, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz. For this reason, he said, the government was willing to pay compensation, otherwise known as Diyya, to halt attacks by the sect. He said, “I can confirm to you that it is true that the group is currently dialoguing with the government. The good news is that they are talking and they have promised to cease fire once some of their demands are met. “For conditions that are not difficult to meet such as the demand for Diyya for their 24 identified members that were killed, the government may meet such demands. “Government can also give critical thought to those found to be innocent, but are being detained or prosecuted, particularly women and children as demanded by the group since they do not have any objection to the trial of those genuinely involved in crime.” It was, however, learnt that the government might not reach out to former Head of State, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to head the team that would dialogue with Boko Haram, as requested by the sect. The sect had on Thursday expressed its desire to ceasefire and enter into dialogue with the government but demanded that Buhari should lead the discussion that must be held in Saudi Arabia. But the Congress for Progressive Change had already said that Buhari, who is the national leader of the party, had nothing to do with members of the sect. Our source said, “He (Buhari) is a former Head of State and he has people who speak for him. It has been widely reported that he would not take the offer, so why will government reach out to him?” The same source had in August told one of our correspondents that government might accede to the sect’s demand for the payment of compensation or Diyya to Boko Haram members considered “killed unjustly” by security forces. This formed an August 19, 2012 exclusive report published by SUNDAY PUNCH. In the report, the sect was said to have identified about 24 of such members whom it claimed were killed unjustly. One of them was the leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, who was killed in 2010 in Maiduguri, after he had been reportedly captured alive by soldiers. Yusuf was then handed over to the police, under whose custody, he died mysteriously. The PUNCH learnt that the sect had put the compensation to the family of the 24 deceased members at N2m each. Consequently, for the 24 families, the Diyya to be paid is N48m. Apart from compensation, the sect is also pressing for the release of those unjustly detained. Shortly after the sect rolled out its conditions for ceasefire on Thursday, the Presidency described it as a welcome development, “if it was intended to achieve the objectives of peace and security.” Meanwhile, one of the people named by Boko Haram as mediators, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim, said on Sunday that neither the Federal Government nor the sect had reached out to him over the proposed peace talks between the two parties. The senator, however, refused to answer the question on whether he would be willing to play a mediatory role if invited by any of the parties or not. The former governor said, “I have not been contacted by anybody, either from the Federal Government side or Boko Haram. “What you have been hearing on radio or on televisions is false, thank you.” Ibrahim is among the six mediators named by the sect on Thursday that would represent it in the proposed negotiation with the Federal Government Others are a former Yobe State Governor, Shettima Ali Monguno; Ambassador Gaji Galtimari , Hajia Aisha Wakili and her husband, Alkali Wakili. The group also gave a condition that the discussion with the government must take place in Saudi Arabia . Ibrahim, who represents Yobe Central in the Senate, had been outspoken on issues of marginalisation of the North-East, saying that the situation had resulted in the heightened insecurity problem in the region. Only last week, he denied predicting a situation “bigger than Boko Haram” after newspapers quoted him as justifying the sect’s insurgency as a result of long period of neglect of the North-East. Meanwhile, Boko Haram on Sunday denied allegations that it was behind the killing of Maj-Gen. Mamman Shuwa and other politicians in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Shuwa was gunned down on Friday in his house at Gwange in Maiduguri along with his guests shortly before the Juma’at prayer, and the Joint Task Force in a statement said the killers were members of the sect. Forty other people were reportedly killed in a bloodbath in another part of Maiduguri on Thursday night. source Punch

Traders count lost after fire razed plaza in Lagos. Patience Ogbo Traders of the six storey building affected by an evening inferno at at Breadfriut street Lagos Island on Saturday,have started counting their loses. The traders said they lost goods estimated at over N1.2 billion in the incident. Mr. Greg Azubuogu, the Chairman of the Plaza, also said that the plaza , housed a branch of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, warehouses, shops and offices. Azubuogu, who owns a shop in the plaza, alleged that a power surge from the electrical wires in the building caused the fire . “I think that it is an electrical spark that caused the fire because Saturday was a weekend and a holiday. “We take preventive measures whenever we were closing for the day at the plaza. We normally switched off the control switch, but the fire started from the warehouse on the fourth floor. It is like the cartons in the warehouse aided the spark, as well as the spread of the fire,” he said. Azubuogu who sells shoes and bags in the plaza stateD that the fire was noticed at about 4 p.m.and lasted till about 8pm after fire fighters put it off. " I lost about N15 million in the incident. I and other traders are appealing to the Lagos State Government to come to our aid as this lost is too much". It was gathered that despiite the traders' lost hoodlums in the area were busy snatching goods from the wreackages but policemen from the Lion Building police station and officials of other security agencies tried desperately to prevent hoodlums from looting some wares salvaged from the plaza. Meantime, the St Paul’s Catholic Church on Breadfruit Street situated directly behind the affected building could not hold their usual Sunday Mass as the area was cordoned off while the worshippers were turned backed by the security personnel. Some of the security officers who spoke stated that Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola has ordered that the building be cordoned off, " we appealed to the traders to stay off the building for a while in order to enable the emergency authorities carry out proper investigation and also determine the structural integrity of the property. " NAN

Coroner Inquest,Two policemen served with bench warrant. By Patience Ogbo Two policemen risk immediate arrest following the decision of an Ikeja District Coroner, Tajudeen Elias who had on Wednesday issued a bench warrant against the policemen constant refusal to appear in court. Magistrate Elias is conducting a coroner inquest into the death of Abiodun Ademola, who was allegedly shot dead at Agege area of Lagos state during the January subsidy protests in Lagos. Ademola was allegedly shot dead on January 9 by the Divisional Police Officer of the Pen Cinema police station Segun Fabunmi, during the nationwide fuel subsidy removal protests. Ademola's death provoked public outcry and following his death, Access to Justice ,a non for profit justice reform organisation approached the Coroner's Court over the police alleged murder . The bench warrants against Rexman Ihekweazu, an assistant superintendent of police, and Athanasius Ohaire, an Inspector, according to Elias is necessary following the policemen alleged blantant refusal to appear before the coroner as key witnesses in the alleged murder case. Elias said “A bench warrant is hereby issued against these two police officers and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police is ordered to ensure that they attend the court sitting at the next adjourned date.” During proceedings on Wednesday, the police lawyer, Cyril Ejiofor,an Assistant Supretendent of police said he had made spirited efforts to get the two policemen to appear in court to no avail. He said, “I have called these two officers on the telephone, sent signals and even taken summons to them yet they refused to come to court. “There is this notion that policemen cannot be arrested by their colleagues. I want this court to make an order compelling the Commissioner of Police to do everything possible to ensure their presence in court or preferably issue a bench warrant against them.” Chinelo Chinweze,a lawyer to Access to Justice, who instituted the inquest, said she had no objection against the application for a bench warrant. “I have no objection with the application made by the police counsel. In fact, I express commendation for the bold step taken by him in this matter,” she said. Elias subsequently adjourned the next hearing on the case till November 14.

Tension as colleagues of lynched victims storm Mushin to retailate brutal killing.

By Patience Ogbo. The killing of five suspected armed robbers by the residents of Mushin on Sunday has sparked tension in the area as colleagues of the killed victims are spoiling for revenge. A number of them from Idi oro were said to have stormed Mushin on Monday with dangerous weapons. The lynched victims were arrested by the vigilantee group and later beaten and burnt to death on Vono street a notorious area in Mushin. The residents alleged that the lynched victims weere armed robbers though nobody said what they stole. The suspected armed robbers were said to be six in number with a lady said to be amongst them but she escaped being lynched. It was gathered that the victims were from idi oro community but nobody knew why they were at Mushin. Following their grusome death,where three of them were also said to be burnt beyond recognition,youth from Idi oro after hearing the brutal killing of their friends were said to have stormed Mushin on Monday to retailate their death but the police rescued the situation and disperse the boys said to have come heavily armed. It was further gathered the policemen from the Olosan police station have arrested some members of the vigilante group and some landlords in Mushin for aiding and abetting the lynching. The residents are said to be on guard for fear of any retailation but policemen from the Area "D" Command,the Olosan police station and the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti Yaba are said to be moving about while others are in strategic positions to prevent breakdown of law and oRder.

My removal was to destroy EFCC – Ribadu

November 5, 2012 by Olusola Fabiyi and Olalekan Adetayo 116 Comments Mallam Nuhu Ribadu | credits: A former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, on Sunday said he was removed from office in order to destroy the anti-graft agency. He said his removal came a few days after operatives of the EFCC arrested and charged an ex-Delta State Governor, Chief James Ibori, to court for corruption. Ribadu, who spoke on Frontline, a current affairs programme on the African Independent Television, which was monitored by our correspondent, said he pitied the current leadership of the commission. Ribadu said, “When I was removed from the EFCC, they brought people with the intention to destroy the work of the EFCC. “It is easy to destroy than to build. I pity the people who are in EFCC today because they are coming after the people who destroyed it. “When you fight corruption, it will fight back. We saw that corruption fought back at the end of 2007 in Nigeria when corruption took over, when the leadership of Nigeria embraced corruption and they were ready to fight those who were fighting corruption and replaced those who were fighting corruption with corrupt people to turn things upside down. “Nigerians must remember that it was (Michael) Aondoakaa who was the Attorney-General of the Federation as at that time. I don’t need to say anything in addition.” He said the commission under Waziri was able to do this for three years with the connivance of Aondoakaa and people like Ibori. Ribadu said, “They did that for three years. They reversed everything that was good. The first thing they did was to withdraw the prosecutorial powers of the EFCC. “With the Aondoakaas of this world and the Iboris, they were happy they took over. They took over the cases we had and destroyed them. “I don’t want to be repeating these things. These are very sad developments, very unfortunate in the history of our country.” He said it was unfortunate that the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, nominated him for a course at the Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies when he took Ibori to court. He said the $15m with which the former governor tried to bribe him remained with the Central Bank of Nigeria. “That money remains with the CBN up till now. Suddenly, five days after I charged him (Ibori) to court, I was asked to go to NIPSS, Kuru. It was Okiro who did that. Of course, he did not do that alone,” Ribadu added. Before his removal from the commission, Ribadu said there were two attempts aimed at eliminating him, adding that scars of bullets fired at him were still on his car till today. He said, “I was removed from the EFCC; they attempted to kill me twice. I still have bullets holes stain on my car. “There was no place for me to stay then. They tried to get anything that could be used to nail me. They investigated me in and out, but they could not get anything wrong that I did to charge me. It took them one year to look at everything they could imagine but they could not charge me.” He said because of the attempt on his life and his ordeal in the Nigeria Police Force, he decided to go abroad, having been offered jobs by two agencies. Source The Punch

Suspect stood surety for co-suspect

–IPO November 5, 2012 by Temitayo Famutimi 23 Comments An Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos has berated the police for allowing a co-suspect in a criminal case, Nicholas Onwusi, to stand surety for an alleged accomplice. The police had arraigned Onwusi before Magistrate A.A. Adefilure on charges of conspiracy to commit felony and obtaining N2.65m from a man, Popoola Joel, under false pretences. However, the third count of the charge stated that Onwusi failed to produce Emmanuel Ugwu who he stood for as surety at the ‘X’ Squad unit of the Lagos State Police Command. The Investigating Police Officer, Sgt. Olu Olugbuyi, while buttressing the third count told the court that Emmanuel Ugwu, the principal offender, had since jumped bail. Olugbuyi, who is attached to Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan, Lagos, while fielding questions from the court said he was also surprised that Onwusi could be allowed to stand as surety for Ugwu. He said, “The matter as it were was initially with the Lagos State Police Command. But the complainant in the matter (Popoola Joel) wrote a petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 about this same issue. “He said he was dissatisfied with the way the case was handled. As a result of this, I was asked to take up the matter. The former IPO can be summoned by the court to explain why he allowed that to happen.” But Adefulire said it was wrong for a suspect to stand surety for another suspect in the same criminal matter. “This looks ridiculous and it is a serious indictment on the police as it is never done anywhere. It was even placed in the charge sheet,” he said. Adefulire later admitted Onwusi to bail in the sum of N500,000 with two responsible sureties after he pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him. He subsequently adjourned till November 28 for further hearing. Source. The Punch

NSCDC arrests two for laptops, money theft

NSCDC arrests two for laptops, money theft November 5, 2012 by Segun Olatunji 2 Comments The suspects. | credits: Segun Olatunji Men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Ogun State have arrested two suspects for allegedly stealing three laptop computers, cash and other items in Abeokuta, the state capital. Other stolen items recovered from the suspects, Seun Ogundimu, 26 and 30-year-old Jelili Idowu one LIFAN motorcycle with registration number OGUN FFF 791 QR, Sony digital camera and cash sum of N7,495. The NSCDC Public Relations Officer in the state, Kareem Olanrewaju said that the suspects were arrested by civil defence personnel who were on a routine patrol around of electricity power transformers and other government installations around Igbore area of the state capital. Olanrewaju said that following a tip-off by some members of the public the civil defence patrol men forced the suspects who were then riding on the motorcycle to a stop and arrested them when they failed to give satisfactory explanations about the items they were found with. “Items recovered from the suspects include:one Lifan motorcycle with reg.no.ogun FFF791QR,HP Laptop,HP mini laptop no.210-2090NR and another HP mini laptop no.210-2080NR.other items are,sony Digital camera and cash sum of 7,495,” he said. The NSCDC spokesman stated that in the course of preliminary investigations the corps discovered that the items were stolen from a house the suspects allegedly burgled in the Onikolobo area of Abeokuta. Olanrewaju however assured that the suspects would be transferred to the appropriate quarters for prosecution when investigations had been concluded Sourcen The Punch