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

Rep in certificate forgery. University says he never attended the programme he claimed in his biodata

Rep in certificate scandal •Disowned by varsity | Print | E-mail Written by Isaac Shobayo, Jos Sunday, 21 October 2012 The authorities of the University of Jos have disclaimed a member of House of Representatives, representing Ningi/Warji Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, Mallam Abdulrazak Nuhu Bature, who had reportedly said he was a holder of  Advanced Diploma Certificate in Public Administration from the institution. He was said to have claimed to be a 2006/2007 graduate of the ADPA programme of the institution in his curriculum vitae but the university insisted that he was never its student. The authorities of the University of Jos through the office of the Registrar recently issued a disclaimer on the federal lawmaker in a national daily on the premise that he was never at any time a student of the university. Surprisingly, within two weeks,  there was  another counter rejoinder  emanating from the same institution retracting the earlier disclaimer. The purported rejoinder as published in two national dallies was said to have emanated from the office of the registrar entitled: “Re-Disclaimer,” and had claimed that the published disclaimer did not emanate from the university, urging the public to discountenance it. Worried by rejoinder  which could discredit  the Institution,  the university authorities through its Deputy Registrar (Information and Publications), Mr. Steve Otowo,  described the advertisement as a forgery designed to confuse the public and re-affirmed its earlier publication that the legislator was never a student of the institution, adding  that the university stood by the earlier disclaimer. "The recent publication claiming that the disclaimer did not emanate from the university is clearly a desperate attempt to confuse issues and it cannot stand. The person was never a student of this university. "For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to reiterate that Abdulrazak Nuhu Bature never applied for, nor was he ever given admission into, the ADPA Programme of this university. He, therefore, did not graduate with the 2006/2007 set as he claimed nor with any other set for that matter. "The ADPA testimonial and certificate that the said Abdulrazak Nuhu Bature claimed to have obtained are forged as the documents did not originate from the university", Otowo said. He said the matter had been reported to the police while the university's lawyer had been contacted over the recent publication which he described as a forgery.

EFCC re-arraigns, Arisekola’s son, others over subsidy scam

  October 11, 2012 | 3:44 am News BY  ABDULWAHAB  ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & MICHEAL OLADEPO For the third time,Abdulahi, the son of the Ibadan based business tycoon,  Alhaji Abdulazeez  Alao Arisekola was yesterday arraigned alongside four others over their alleged involvement in N1.1bn fuel subsidy scam. Abdulahi was earlier arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru as well as Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo on a nine count charge for subsidy fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in July, 2012. In a fresh six-count N1.1 billion theft charge brought against Alao,  he was accused alongside Opeyemi Ajuyah, Olanrewaju Olalusi and two companies; Majope Investment Limited and Axenergy Limited before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the state  High Court, Ikeja. The defendants were arraigned on a six count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, forgery and uttering of  docu- ments. They were said to have conspired amongst themselves on February 14, 2011 to obtain the sum of N1,110,049,444.35  from the Federal Government of Nigeria by falsely claiming that the sum represented subsidy accruing to them under the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, for the importation into Nigeria of 15,206.733 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), This according to EFCC is an offence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The Commission also accused the oil marketers of obtaining by false pretence the sum of N1,110,049,444.35  from the government on April 18, 2011, by falsely claiming that the sum represented subsidy accruing to them under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation into Nigeria of 15,206.733 metric tons  of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). They were also alleged to have forged a document enitled, “Shore Tank Certificate” dated 22nd of January, 2011 purporting the document to have been issued by an officer of Q & Q Control Services Nigeria Limited,  the offence allegedly contravened section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003. They all pleaded not guilty to the offences.  However, the court adjourned the case till  October 19, 2012 for hearing.

EFCC re-arraigns, Arisekola’s son, others over subsidy scam

  October 11, 2012 | 3:44 am News BY  ABDULWAHAB  ABDULAH, ONOZURE DANIA & MICHEAL OLADEPO For the third time,Abdulahi, the son of the Ibadan based business tycoon,  Alhaji Abdulazeez  Alao Arisekola was yesterday arraigned alongside four others over their alleged involvement in N1.1bn fuel subsidy scam. Abdulahi was earlier arraigned before Justice Habeeb Abiru as well as Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo on a nine count charge for subsidy fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in July, 2012. In a fresh six-count N1.1 billion theft charge brought against Alao,  he was accused alongside Opeyemi Ajuyah, Olanrewaju Olalusi and two companies; Majope Investment Limited and Axenergy Limited before Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the state  High Court, Ikeja. The defendants were arraigned on a six count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, forgery and uttering of  docu- ments. They were said to have conspired amongst themselves on February 14, 2011 to obtain the sum of N1,110,049,444.35  from the Federal Government of Nigeria by falsely claiming that the sum represented subsidy accruing to them under the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, for the importation into Nigeria of 15,206.733 metric tons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), This according to EFCC is an offence contrary to Section 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. The Commission also accused the oil marketers of obtaining by false pretence the sum of N1,110,049,444.35  from the government on April 18, 2011, by falsely claiming that the sum represented subsidy accruing to them under the Petroleum Support Fund for the importation into Nigeria of 15,206.733 metric tons  of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). They were also alleged to have forged a document enitled, “Shore Tank Certificate” dated 22nd of January, 2011 purporting the document to have been issued by an officer of Q & Q Control Services Nigeria Limited,  the offence allegedly contravened section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap. C17, Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003. They all pleaded not guilty to the offences.  However, the court adjourned the case till  October 19, 2012 for hearing.

Gaddafi’s son will receive a fair trial at home’ The Guardian Nigeria LIBYAN government lawyers have guaranteed Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of its former dictator, a fair trial should he face trial in Tripoli. Philippe Sands, counsel for the Libyan government, told the first day of the two-day hearing on whether Saif al-Islam should face justice at home or at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague that accusations by ICC defence lawyers acting for the Muammar Gaddafi’s son that he was physically mistreated by Libyan authorities are false. However, ICC judges will rule on whether Libya is capable of properly trying the man once seen as Gaddafi’s heir-apparent or whether it should extradite him to the Hague. They have no way of enforcing their decision. British-educated Saif al-Islam was caught in the Libyan desert last November and the international court’s prosecutor has charged him with crimes against humanity committed during the uprising that toppled his father. An ICC-appointed defence lawyer who was detained in Libya along with three colleagues for almost a month told reporters in July that her experience showed the dictator’s son could not get a fair trial in his home country. The lawyer, Melinda Taylor, will have an opportunity to speak later in the hearing.

The Guardian. Police Walkie Talkies rendered useleess.

NCC claims due process in police spectrum allocation. A NEW twist has been added to the lingering case involving the sale of the 450MHz spectrum band said to belong to the Nigeria Police Force. The band was allegedly sold by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to a private company, Open Skys Limited. The frequency band 450MHz occupied by the police since 2009 was said to have been sold to Open Skys Ltd. without any competitive bid process as provided by the NCC Act 2003, nor consideration for national security. But the NCC said at the weekend that due process was followed in the allocation and that the process was initiated long before the existing leadership of the commission. The Guardian learnt that the police surveillance system has been left in dire straits, as all walkie-talkies recently acquired by the force have been rendered mere toys in as they are actually not in use due to the displacement of the police from the frequency band. An industry source and an expert on spectrum allocation, who spoke to The Guardian quietly corroborated the claim, saying that the 450MHZ frequency was valued at over $50million, but was sold for less than $6million by the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, on September 26, 2011, to Open Skys Ltd, a company said to be owned mainly by Mr. Emeka Offor and his associates. NigComSat Ltd is said to own 25 per cent of the company’s shares. According to the source, “nothing can be far from the truth. There is actually fraud in the sale of the spectrum. As a result of the illegal sale, I can tell you that the police surveillance system has been left in dire straits, as all walkie-talkies recently acquired by the force have been rendered useless, since the spectrum to which they are supposed to be connected has been illegally hijacked by the NCC.”

Banks record N5.8bn loss to fraudsters

B about 20 hours ago CRIMINALS' penetration into the banking sector operations is gradually slowing down, as the sector recorded a loss of N5.8 billion last year, compared to the preceding year’s figure, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The decline in the criminal activities at the nation’s money deposit banks came on the heels of report that the volume and value of cheque transactions nationwide increased by 11 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. The revelation was contained in the 2011 Financial Statement by the apex bank, obtained by The Guardian, in Abuja, yesterday. The development, according to the report, showded a decline from the preceding year’s record. On the banks’ fraud, the statement said in part: “The number of reported cases of attempted or crystalised fraud and/or forgery in the banking industry declined in 2011. There were 2,527 reported cases of attempted fraud or forgery, involving N29.5 billion, as against 5,960 cases involving N19.7 billion and $19.2 million in 2010. “Of this amount, the actual loss to the banks was N5.8 billion, compared with N11.4 billion and $10.98 million at end of December 2010. The reduction in actual loss was accounted for by improvements in risk management practices in the banking sector. “The fraud cases were perpetrated through various means, including pilfering and theft, suppression and conversion of customer deposits, illegal funds transfer and fraudulent ATM withdrawals, among others.”

Fury over govt’s refusal to appeal ruling on Bakassi abo

ut 18 hours ago THE stark reality that they have permanently lost their homeland, Bakassi, finally jolted them from their long-held hope that fortune could still smile on them. And with the loss of hope came outrage yesterday. It was fury against the Federal Government that refused to appeal the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) 2002 judgment that ceded Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun. But Second Republic Minister and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) and Femi Falana (SAN) supported government’s position. Chanting songs like “Bakassi is our birth right, Bakassi is our birth right and we will never let it go”, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly Larry Odey, led a protest to the state Governor’s Office in Calabar yesterday. Odey expressed shock over the government’s refusal to appeal the verdict. Some members of the House of Assembly who were a bit rowdy in the protest asked journalists not to cover them as they called for an impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan for not seeking a review. The state governor, Liyel Imoke who received the protesting lawmakers expressed his appreciation for the action of the House of Assembly. “It is a spontaneous reaction born out of concern and out of passion for those you represent, like you said 3.2 million Cross Riverians that you represent, they have your mandate and come before your authorities and query an issue that affects their wellbeing. “Your comments regarding the recent meeting in Abuja are exactly as you stated. I was in attendance, there were clear directives from the president and if you recall I even spoke to the press and commended the president’s leadership… “What we know is that about 12 mid night today will be the last chance that we have to retain or to even have a fitting chance of the review of the very intractable problem of Bakassi, a problem which has been very careful to manage so that we don’t politicise it because there is a number of humanitarian considerations, a number of security issues and of course being a part of a country.” Imoke continued: “Cross River State on its own has no locus standi to file an action at the ICJ. For us what is important is the authorities at the Federal Government understand the passion and the pain that the people here feel… “We may not meet the deadline for review, I hope we do, in the event that we don’t, I believe very strongly that there is still another opportunity which we will pursue to ensure that justice is done.”

Rights body, NBA, others oppose death penalty about 18 hours ago • EU decries torture in Nigeria AS the world marks “World Day Against Death Penalty”, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), ASF France (Lawyers Without Borders France), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Access to Justice and Hurilaws on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review the death penalty regime in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the alarming rate of torture in Nigeria in spite of concerted effort to address the trend. In a joint statement issued by the groups, they noted that “Nigeria is one of the countries where death penalty is still legally enforceable with over 800 inmates on death row across its prisons.” They also observed that “some of these inmates were sentenced to death for various offences by military tribunals during the military regime with no option or possibility of appeal.” According to them, “the denial of the right of appeal guaranteed by Section 241 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this category of inmates on death row erodes their fundamental right to fair hearing and is also a violation of their right to life.” He lamented that “the mandatory nature of the death penalty in Nigeria for capital offences leaves no room for the exercise of judicial discretion on the part of the judges in favour of the accused person.” Consequently, they called “for an urgent review of this rigid provision in the Nigerian law to enable sentences to be handed down on a case-by-case basis.” They urged the Nigerian government to make an official declaration on a moratorium on death penalty as a first step and subsequently to ratify the second optional protocol to the ICCPR aimed at the abolition of death penalty. “We also decry the spate of awaiting trial inmates in Nigerian prisons who often spend as much as 15 years or even more awaiting trial for alleged offences. We are of the view that this amounts to a flagrant violation of the rights of these inmates who are entitled to fair and speedy trial by a court of competent jurisdiction. The practice of keeping Nigerian citizens incarcerated for years under the guise of the unwholesome practise called ‘holding charge’ negates the very principles of fair hearing, which forms the pillars of every justice system”, they stated. It will be noted that Nigeria abstained from the last vote of the UN General Assembly Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the death penalty in 2010; another voting session on death penalty will come up in December 2012. The National Human Rights Commission, ASF France, the Nigerian Bar Association, Access to Justice and Hurilaws urge Nigeria to vote in favour of the moratorium. They said “death sentence does not serve as a deterrent to crime but rather has a note of finality and absoluteness giving no room for reversal in the event of an error, we hereby urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to follow the current global trend and review the death penalty in her laws.”

Oshiomhole sacks 20 teachers for absenteeism about 20 hours ago TWENTY teachers of three schools who were absent from their duty posts on Tuesday when Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole paid unscheduled visits to the schools have been dismissed. Oshiomhole who disclosed this during an unscheduled visit to Asoro Primary School, Emokpae Model Primary School, Western Boys High School, George Idah Model School and Esonere Primary School in Benin City also ordered deductions from the salaries of some teachers who got to their schools after the 8 a.m. resumption time. The governor who decried the lackadaisical attitude of some teachers to work said: “The state government has provided suitable environment in the schools, the teachers are paid good wages and inducement allowances. These beautiful classrooms are useless if teachers don’t teach the students.” Oshiomhole was at the Asoro Primary School by 7:45 a.m. He went through the teachers’ attendance register and discovered that names of teachers who were not present in school were signed in. He then directed that adequate punishment be meted out to those who filled in the names of the absent teachers.

EU decries torture in Nigeria AS the world marks “World Day Against Death Penalty”, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), ASF France (Lawyers Without Borders France), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Access to Justice and Hurilaws on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to review the death penalty regime in Nigeria. Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the alarming rate of torture in Nigeria in spite of concerted effort to address the trend. In a joint statement issued by the groups, they noted that “Nigeria is one of the countries where death penalty is still legally enforceable with over 800 inmates on death row across its prisons.” They also observed that “some of these inmates were sentenced to death for various offences by military tribunals during the military regime with no option or possibility of appeal.” According to them, “the denial of the right of appeal guaranteed by Section 241 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to this category of inmates on death row erodes their fundamental right to fair hearing and is also a violation of their right to life.” He lamented that “the mandatory nature of the death penalty in Nigeria for capital offences leaves no room for the exercise of judicial discretion on the part of the judges in favour of the accused person.” Consequently, they called “for an urgent review of this rigid provision in the Nigerian law to enable sentences to be handed down on a case-by-case basis.” They urged the Nigerian government to make an official declaration on a moratorium on death penalty as a first step and subsequently to ratify the second optional protocol to the ICCPR aimed at the abolition of death penalty. “We also decry the spate of awaiting trial inmates in Nigerian prisons who often spend as much as 15 years or even more awaiting trial for alleged offences. We are of the view that this amounts to a flagrant violation of the rights of these inmates who are entitled to fair and speedy trial by a court of competent jurisdiction. The practice of keeping Nigerian citizens incarcerated for years under the guise of the unwholesome practise called ‘holding charge’ negates the very principles of fair hearing, which forms the pillars of every justice system”, they stated. It will be noted that Nigeria abstained from the last vote of the UN General Assembly Resolution on a Moratorium on the Use of the death penalty in 2010; another voting session on death penalty will come up in December 2012. The National Human Rights Commission, ASF France, the Nigerian Bar Association, Access to Justice and Hurilaws urge Nigeria to vote in favour of the moratorium. They said “death sentence does not serve as a deterrent to crime but rather has a note of finality and absoluteness giving no room for reversal in the event of an error, we hereby urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to follow the current global trend and review the death penalty in her laws.”

Female students protest sexual harassment Posted by: Sam Ibok Posted date: October 04, 2012 In: Campus Life | comment : 26 Students of Cross River University of Technology (CRUTECH), have protested the alleged sexual harassment of female students, molestation and extortion by some staff of the institution. The students, numbering about 2,000, blocke the traffic at Eleven-Eleven bus stop on their way to the government house, Calabar to register their grievances. Some of the placards carried by the students had inscriptions such as “sexual harassment of female students must stop”, “female molestation must be checked in CRUTECH”, “no more extortion of money from students”, and “no better CRUTECH, no better lecture hall” among others The CRUTECH Students’ Union president, Ekong Eka, accused the state government of neglecting students of the university, adding that two months ago, some group of people came to the school to tell them that government wanted to pay them bursary. Advertisment Read This And Money Will Never Be Your Problem again! Discover Secrets of Generating N175,000/Month Online working For Just 2Hours/Day and You Will Never Broke Again. 0 inShare digg ‹ Previous Next › Related posts Strengthening our varsity system (2) Building young leaders Nigeria @ 52: Students angry with govt on state of education OAU students decry ‘brown water’ Comments (26) mr abdul October 4, 2012 at 8:21 am When u r told 2 dress decently u refuse,u say its fashion…this is d result of ur so called fashion Reply Mike Jimm October 4, 2012 at 3:19 pm Mr. Abdul, may God bless u for this comment, it was like u heard our discussion before reading your comment. Reply jagudax October 5, 2012 at 4:53 pm I understand your point but is sexual harassment now the appropriate response? There are still tribes to date that move around with little body cover… Are you telling me that the natural thing to do is to start raping and harassing their females? Reply Adamu Ahmed October 7, 2012 at 6:50 pm Jagudax the truth is that if you keep your food open to the public, interested dogs and cats will definitely put their mouth inside. Is it not better you cover it and keep it inside your cupboard ? A lady who scored “F” would like to get minimum of “E” thereby exposing herself as a short cut to pass. As we condemn sexual harassment so shall we condemn indecent dressing and encourage hard work. Reply charlimann Uzon October 8, 2012 at 3:24 pm Female students have to dress in buba and sokoto, cover their head to sholder before you will call them decently dressed, this is 2012, get yourself some life, we need responsible teachers or lecturers in our universities as we need responsible leadership in Nigeria Reply Simpleman October 4, 2012 at 8:43 am They are in vouge Reply Meshach October 4, 2012 at 10:44 am Thank God u now realise the implications in dressing indecently,of course the way dress is how u’ll be addressed. keep men in suspence in wat u have under the cloths. Reply kk October 4, 2012 at 1:11 pm is everywia …go n odas in odas institutions Reply Mike Jimm October 4, 2012 at 3:27 pm Even look at the dressing of some of those protesting, half-naked dresses and they are complaining of being harassed. Why won’t they when they put on dresses that are suggestive in nature! In the name of being socialise, they expose their nakedness for people to see. They expose chest, laps and other sensitive parts which ordinarily should be covered. This is one of the great evil the Western world has caused us. Reply Humanitarian October 6, 2012 at 4:44 am Whether they decently/indecently dress isn’t the issue to be address but urgent concern should be geared toward utter eradication of this rampant&incessant sexual harassment Nigerian not only on campus but also withing the community.GOD BLESS NIGERIA Reply Abdullahi Remi October 6, 2012 at 6:26 am Gals of compus in Nigeria institutions try keep decently dress pls Reply ayo October 6, 2012 at 7:13 am i know of decent girls being sexually harassed.while indecent dressing should be discouraged it is not an excuse for harassing female sexually.not only in school it is a common practice in place of work where married women with kids are being harassed. Reply Lanre Akinwumi October 6, 2012 at 9:08 am Female students should learn to dress decently. There is no way we will look at it that we wont see that indecent dressind is a factor! Let all Nigerian Universities’ authorities come out with dress code for our female students on campus, violation of which should attract very stiff penalties. Nevertheless , Cross River State Goverment must investigate this and bring whosoever involved to face proper sanction(s). God bless all Nigerian students. Reply Ogene uno October 6, 2012 at 2:27 pm Our universities is now a dead trap. Female students dress so indecently and seductively.When checked,they will complain of being harassed sexually. They all want to get their husbands before they leave. Who is fooling who? This is not an excused for men to harass them sexually anyway. Reply Basilo October 7, 2012 at 9:51 am govt should encourage decent female student by stop sex before pass, a female student was asked to fix attachment on her hair before obtained extra mark by those evil lecture Reply Basilo October 7, 2012 at 9:56 am govt should encourage decent female student by stop sex before pass examination, a female student was asked to fix attachment on her hair before obtained extra mark by those evil lecture Reply Afamefuna October 7, 2012 at 8:22 pm Brother, thank you very much. Though we know that some lecturers are he-goats yet many girls on campuses are instruments of destruction. They are the ‘harassers’. They are ready to go to any length to get what they want if not resort to blackmail and mischief. Reply eskor October 8, 2012 at 8:21 am right from d begining satan has been using d females to draw d males into pit. look at what is hapening now, d satanic fashion industry have realy take time to produce sexy dresses for d ladies, and they sample them through their music and movie artists on TV whom our young ladies ignorantly take them to be their models whereby desire their style and want to dress and do everything they do. The rationale behind these is to plot the fall of man. Men striev to resist d plan of d devil. Reply JP October 8, 2012 at 12:15 pm It served some of dem right, when they used 2 go half naked on the street in the name of western fashion. Unless Fed. govt address the mode of women dressing in Nigeria b/4 thyings can go well. Reply Long Mangs October 8, 2012 at 12:26 pm When a woman married/unmarried attract men in a conducive manner publicly, what is she expecting ? Unless parents check and advice their daughters on their mode of dressing indoor/outdoor, they will continue to experience harassment from men always, whether in or outside school. Women generally should adhere to Godly moral mode of dressing to avoid dis. Reply Johnson P. Datal October 8, 2012 at 12:36 pm I do strongly believe that a decently dressed woman will never be harassed by a any decent man. That is why I praised Deeper Life church members (women) and other church member on dressing. Most Muslim women do dress well that some so-called Christian women who claimed to be Christ example. Some parents even advice their daughters to dress indecently and go out. If their’s God fearing, a woman can’t dress indecently. Reply Domshak October 8, 2012 at 12:48 pm Pls the truth should be told. Most of women going half naked to seduce men on the street called themselves Christians & they claimed to shining light for Christ. Why deceiving ourselves ? Our clergies should continue to preach the true gospel and stop false teaching like some of them even preaching that smoking & drinking alcoholic is not Reply Tunde Awe October 8, 2012 at 3:13 pm Who is harassing who? I think some Lecturers who are decent and upright that are being harassed by most of their female students should stage their own protest too. It is common knowledge that most of these ladies are not ready to study hard again and they want to graduate with 2-1 at least, so they rsort to all gimmicks to take the Lecturers to bed. As it takes two to tango, some Lecturers oblige, while some go for the fun. Ironically, the decent ones that refuse to go the whole log with them are backmailed as being wicked. Most times,the ladies set their male friends who are mostl cultists after such lecturers for his “stuborness” You can now see that head or tail, the lecturers are the loosers. With due respect, some serious minded brilliant ladies are all over the campuses and they will never be part of such disgraceful manners. This protest is just a window dress, any affected lady/ies should be bold enough to lodge complaints against erring Lecturers with genuine proofs, then if nothing is done, they should cry out loud for masses to hear them out. Reply Cee October 9, 2012 at 7:07 am IF YOU STUDENTS ARE REAL IN YOUR PROTEST, YOU WOULD HAVE MENTIONED AT LEAST TWO NAMES IN YOUR PLACARDS. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A REAL PROTEST. Reply Let us desist from corruption October 9, 2012 at 8:10 am Educatnl system has fallen, & we urgently need 2 declare a state of emmergency, addressn the menace holistically. An HND holder that has being mobilised for NYSC can not write a simple applicatn letter, yet they want 2 pass, govt underfund the institutn, meagre salary 4 the lecturer, & absolutely no welfare package, like opportunist ordinary political office holder who get bumper package of salary, allowances, & fridge benefit, & they institute lots of grammer & policies wanting them 2 discharge their responsibilities in an emty stomach @ d faces of opresn & cheatn. Hwever lecturers are doin their best. The same is replicatn itself in the ministry where directors & wker has 2 resultd 2 the selling, hiring & steelling of govt property 2 urgment their deficiency. Govt in it rightful sense shd address this by bridging the gap btw the lecturer, political ofice holder,& wker at large by doing this who so ever violated human right shall be sensibly & collectively brought 2 punishmt. & for the student what is religiously bad can never be morally or societally right, shun antisocial behaviors, machineries etc. Reply Paprich October 9, 2012 at 8:34 am Dress or no dress, teachers and lectures should be professional. Most of these girls they lay in bed before passing are younger than their first child. Teachers reward they you to say is in heaven, nowadays, they want it on earth – both cash and kind. I think the whole thing has to do with the present high level of poverty, corruption and indecency ravaging the country. The state government need to investigate this and put a stop. As for our young girls, yes, a la mode, but you lot need to move closer to God. Dress properly in public. When going to disco, you can me in your nightgowns. Reply Leave a Comment Name* Email* Website Submit Comment More from Campus Life Strengthening our varsity system (2) Building young leaders Nigeria @ 52: Students angry with govt on state of education OAU students decry ‘brown water’ Day of rage at Ekiti varsi

UNIPORT 4: Students burn houses •Reps summon IG •Parent petitions Senate •Police charge 11 to court •School closed indefinitely | Print | E-mail Written by Bolaji Ogundele, Ayodele Adesanmi, Jacob Segun Olatunji, Kolawole Daniel, Chris Agbambu and Olayinka Olukoya Wednesday, 10 October 2012 Student Protesters Hijacking Police Van THE situation surrounding the killing of the four students of the University of Port Harcourt worsened on Tuesday evening, as students of the institution, led by the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), stormed Omuokiri-Aluu, burned houses and forced the closure of the school. Matters went out of hands when members of NANS from institutions in the South-South and South-East organised a protest, demanding justice for the murdered students. Speaking during the protest, South-East and South-South coordinator of NANS, Iyere Prosper Onono, said they would not leave until either the vice chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka, or Governor Rotimi Amaechi addressed them. However, when the vice chancellor attempted to address the protesting students, he was booed and sachets of water were thrown at him. Situations got worse when the students marched over to the community where the students were killed and set a few houses on fire. In response to the escalating crisis, the university, speaking through its public relations officer, Dr William Wodi, announced the indefinite closure of its campuses, adding that the school would remain closed until normalcy returned. The number of houses torched could not be immediately ascertained at the time of filing this report. Police charge 11 to court Meanwhile 11 persons suspected to be part of the mob that killed the four students have been charged to a High Court in Port Harcourt. The state Police Commissioner, Mohammed Ndabawa, who made this known on Tuesday when the Executive Secretary of the National Human rights Commission, Professor Ben Angwe and his team visited him at the police headquarters in Port Harcourt, said a total of 13 persons had, so far, been arrested in connection with the incident. Represented by deputy commissioner of police, Thomas Etomi, the Rivers police boss said two persons out of the 13 were kept behind to aid police investigation. Senate tasks security agencies Worried by the murder of four students of the university on Friday, the Senate, on Tuesday, directed security agencies to apprehend the killers. This followed a resolution arrived at during a motion sponsored by Senator Ayogu Eze, condemning the manner the three male students of the University of Port-Harcourt and their friend were brutally murdered in the full glare of a cheering crowd. The Senate, therefore, ordered the police and other security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the crime, including the spectators captured on video and try them for murder. Eze, in the motion, informed that the lynching and burning of the three students was dehumanising and unacceptable. Senate President, David Mark, condemned the act, adding that the attacks showed how incapable the police were in securing lives, having failed in their duty of apprehending the perpetrators. Meanwhile, the bereaved mother of Chiadika Biringa, in a petition addressed to the Senator Mark, said “we do not want this thing to be swept under the carpet like most investigations. We seek the help and intervention of the Senate to ensure that justice is done. Justice is the only thing that can assuage the pains and emotional traumas consuming us and clear the name of our son, so that he can rest in peace.” Reps summon IGP over killings The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Muhammed Abubakar, over the recent attack on students of Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, Adamawa State and last Friday’'s murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt, over allegation of theft and rape. The police chief is expected to face the House Committee on Police Affairs, “to explain the perceived late or outright absence of response of the police and other security agencies while the attacks lasted.” The resolution to summon the IGP was sequel to a motion moved by Honourable Abubakar Wamba, who condemned the killings. The House observed a minute silence in honour of the deceased students and resolved to set up a visitation panel to visit Mubi, Port Harcourt, and, by extension, Maiduguri, where over 30 people, including soldiers were killed on Monday. NANS gives FG, Rivers ultimatum NANS has given the federal and the Rivers State government 48-hour ultimatum to apprehend the perpetrators of the killing of undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt. The students’ body described the killings as “inhumane, barbaric and uncalled for.” The body, in a statement signed by its national public relations officer, Clement Olusegun, threatened a showdown with the Federal Government if it failed to meet its demand by the expiration of ultimatum. Mubi killings: Police arrest 30 suspects No fewer than 30 suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with the killing of over 40 students of the Federal Polytechnic, Mubi. Informed police sources disclosed to the Nigerian Tribune that out of the 30 arrested suspects, three of them were students, 12 confirmed Boko Haram suspects; while others were involved in the killing. The source revealed that two of the students were from the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, while the other one was a student of Federal University of Technology, Yola. How To Last Longer In Bed. 7 Effective Secrets That Work. Guaranteed Fast Re

N1bn subsidy scam: Accused claims to be deaf •Stalls arraignment | Print | E-mail Written by Lanre Adewole, Abuja Wednesday, 10 October 2012 A drama enacted by one of the accused in the alleged N1 billion fuel subsidy scam led to the stalling of the planned arraignment of four new accused in the on-going multiple trial being conducted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the controversial issue. The commission had charged the quartet of Alhaji Saminu Rabiu, Jubril Rowaye, Alminuur Resources Limited and Brila Energy Limited for alleged fraudulent claim of N1,051,030,434,63 as payment for the purported importation of 10,000 metric tonnes of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS). After being docked on Tuesday before an Abuja High Court, Gudu, counsel for Rabiu who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Alminuur, Blessing Omoaghe, told the trial judge, Justice Adebukola Banjoko, that his client had medical challenge in his hearing ability which required information being shouted into his ear-drum. At this point, the trial judge had to stop the accused from taking their plea, though she granted the leave sought by the prosecution to prefer the criminal charge against the accused. She subsequently fixed 17 October, 2012 for the reading of the charge and taking of the accused plea.

Bakassi: C-River challenges Adoke, Says ‘we presented new facts’ On October 10, 2012 · In Headlines 12:00 am.. By Our Reporters LAGOS — THE Cross River State Government, yesterday challenged the Federal Government over claims that there were no fresh evidence to challenge the International Court of Justice, ICJ, judgment of 2002 ceding Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. In a statement, it said it was not true that no fresh facts were presented to the presidential committee. Political stakeholders in Cross River State and some of the committee members were also peeved by the declaration by the AGF that the government would not be appealing the decision. Emotion overflowed in the Cross River State House of Assembly, yesterday, as members called for the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan should he not countermand the AGF at the end of today. In Abuja, however, emotion was more subdued as stakeholders from within and around the region expressed mixed feelings on the declaration of the AGF that Nigeria would not be appealing the judgment. Adoke, it was learnt, successfully pushed his case that there was no material evidence to retrieve Bakassi from Cameroon despite a presidential directive for the country to appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice, ICJ, which awarded the disputed territory to Cameroon 10 years ago, today. A man petting his daughter who was crying for attention as Bakassi Peninsula indigenes awaited solution of their problems at the Ikang Resettlement Camp, Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State, yesterday. Following consultations with the National Assembly leadership and other stakeholders last Wednesday, President Goodluck Jonathan had directed a committee comprising stakeholders from the National Assembly, the National Boundary Commission, among others, to prepare the grounds for an urgent appeal to the ICJ. Resolving the problem At the meeting in the Presidential Villa, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, had reportedly summarised what emerged were three options by the National Assembly on how to resolve the problem. The options were to go to war, do nothing or seek a review of the judgment. Senator Mark, it also emerged, inclined himself towards the third option with nearly all present at the meeting agreeing that it was best for Nigeria to uphold its interests primarily ahead of whatever is the opinion of the international community. At the end of the meeting that Wednesday, an eight-man committee comprising select legislators from Cross River State including Senators Victor Ndoma Egba, SAN, Senator Bassey Otu who represented what was until today Bakassi in the Senate, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Rep. Nnena Ukeje,among others was mandated by the president to prepare the grounds for an immediate appeal. However, when the committee members gathered at the residence of Senator Ndoma-Egba for a meeting, animosity immediately developed as members of the committee were angered by what they claimed was a dilution of the assignment given the committee by the president. Adoke, it was learnt, told the committee members that the mandate of the committee was to pursue a review of the human rights contents of the judgment and not to appeal the territorial handover of Bakassi to Cameroon. Faced with a deadlock, it was suggested that the committee members revert to their principals, that is Senator Mark for the legislators and President Jonathan for Adoke for a confirmation of the mandate of the committee. It was learnt that both President Jonathan and Senator Mark agreed that the mandate of the committee was for a review of the judgment but the body language of the presidency officers according to committee members was that a review would not go ahead. FG lied, says CRS govt Countering assertions by the AGF that there was no evidence to demand a review and assertions of lack of time, the Cross River State Government in a statement issued by its Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Attah Ochinke said: 1. Last night the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke announced its decision not to seek a review of the ICJ judgment on Bakassi despite a preponderance of oppinions to the contrary. 2. The Federal Government adduced severally reasons for its decision, including the claim that the Committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan could not get new information from the proponents for a review to warrant seeking a review of the judgment. 3. While Cross River should not be seen as joining issues with the Federation Government, it is however, pertinent to state our own side of the story for the sake of posterity. 4. First, it must be emphasised that for us in Cross River Bakassi is not about oil; it is about the people. 5. Having said that, I regret to say that it is not true that new facts were not made available to the committee that would have compelled Nigeria to seek a review of the ICJ judgment. If anything, the Federal Government decision is coming after several days of frenzied activity towards applying for a review of the judgment. While we concede that the Federal Government has the prerogative not to apply for a review, we find the reasons given for that decision most unfortunate in the least. 6. A lot of work was done on this and about seven grounds were raised upon which the government could have based a review. And these were well documented, copies of which we have for any further scrutiny. 7. To say that there were no fresh facts to apply for review is to insist that the Nigerian Bar Association, the Institute of International Affairs, the several professional bodies and the National Assembly that called for the review acted in total ignorance. 8. It must be stated that since Bakassi was a Nigerian territory, the Federal Government also had the responsibility of looking for new information that would warrant a review. It is therefore, baffling when it said proponents of a review failed to furnish it with new information. 9. To convince the Federal Government that facts exist upon which the application could have been made, an international law firm based in London was briefed to examine the case and advice. The firm did this and advised that there are sufficient facts upon which a review may be based; more importantly the firm prepared the papers for Nigeria to file at the ICJ. All the Federal Government needed to do was to simply dispatch the papers for filing. 10. The claim that seeking a review will tarnish Nigeria’s image in the committee of nations is also very unfortunate. 11. Several countries applied for a review of similar judgments delivered against them without losing credibility. El Salvador against Honduras in 2002 applied for a review of a judgment given almost ten years earlier on September 11, 1992. The application for review of the judgment in Yugoslavia and Bosnia and Herzegovina case was presented in 2001 for a judgment delivered in July, 1996. The ICJ statute provides that an application for a review cannot be entertained unless the party applying first complies with the judgment prior to submitting the application for a review. So the fact that Nigeria had complied with the judgment is the ground that should qualify us to apply for a review and should not be the reason why we should be ashamed to do what is necessary to protect Nigerians.” Another member of the committee also rebuffed suggestions of shortness of time given by the presidency team, saying that the superiority of the fresh facts would have expressly reverted the peninsula to Nigeria. “We had facts Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw showed to us including that although the British signed the 1913 Anglo-German treaty, the German ambassador to Britain, Prince Lichnowsky stated that his country did not sign the treaty before the first world war broke out which rendered it inchoate, meaning that Cameroon and Nigeria were citing an illegal document. “It was unknown to both Nigeria and Cameroon that the treaty was inchoate and was not recongised in the 1919 treaty. There were also revelations by Prof. Walter Ofanogoro that the April 1893 boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon was valid and they were internationally recognised.” C-River House members protest Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Chief Larry Odey, at the end of the session of the House led members on a protest march to Governor Liyel Imoke at the Government House. He said that the reports in the newspapers, yesterday, were contrary to the directive of Mr. President that the eight-man committee should pursue the review of the judgment. Receiving the lawmakers, Imoke said he had no confirmation as at the time of the protest that any appeal had been sent to the ICJ from the Federal Government for a review of the judgment and that the only thing he knew was that the window of opportunity to appeal would expire by mid night today which should be the last chance. He, however, appealed that the issue should be carefully managed and should not be politicized even as he told them that the state lacked the locus to file any action at the ICJ, adding that the consequence of the judgment on the people was significant and that to the best of his knowledge, not much had been done over the matter. The governor advised them to be calm and also understand that there were processes and procedures to follow such a matter, adding that though one end of the matter may have been reached, there were still other opportunities that could be followed. Call for impeachment Some Hopuse of Representatives members before the protest march, had called for the impeachment of President Jonathan over alleged breach of the oath of office which he swore to uphold and protect. One of the initiators of the call, Joseph Bassey, representing Calabar South Local Government Area, said there was no need to allow the president to remain in office for his alleged treason to the country and that Nigerians should, by the action of the president, not allow him to hold any other position in the country. He said: “We have lost confidence in the presidency. The president himself has failed. We have also proposed to the National Assembly that by tomorrow (today) if he does not file any appeal to the ICJ, the National Assembly should commence an impeachment against him, because he has betrayed his people he swore to protect. Bassey who said he was an Efik son, but has Bakassi as his ancestral home, further said: “I feel so sad and I always make this known to the people. The issue of Bakassi I knew will not be resolved because of the interest involved. Bakassi was sold out by the stakeholders of Nigeria especially former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Donald Duke and a former senator. “They sold out Bakassi for their personal interest and the president of Nigeria today, Goodluck Jonathan, does not want to have a loggerhead with all these big wigs. They are still playing politics with Cross Riverians, playing politics with our inheritance, playing politics with our own origin; it is something that was very sad. “Now that we have lost Bakassi, what is the way forward? I will like to say that Bakassi is not gone, the ICJ appeal might go, Bakassi is not gone, this is peoples inheritance, we will always go back to Bakassi. By tomorrow we in the Cross River State House of Assembly have already proposed, we do not have much to say, most of us are ready to sacrifice to go on hunger strike and pray. it shows that the neck of the woman is bent. I think the mistake was done ten years ago by the then government, so I absolve the present government.” Reacting to the development yesterday, Senator Ewa-Henshaw described the situation as regrettable noting that it appeared that some persons had made up their minds to cede Bakassi believing that nobody will challenge their action. Henshaw said: “I think it is very regrettable the position our government has taken. It looks like there are people that have determined that Bakassi must be sold out by all means and there is nothing they believe anybody can do about it. Nigerians have not heard the last “The president set up a committee on Wednesday night last week in which we understand that the mandate was for them to obtain the necessary papers and prepare documents to file, then suddenly we heard that there was not going to be any filing. We as a people, we are determined that this will not be the end. Nigerians have not heard the last on the issue concerning Bakassi “We also in the Bakassi Support Group have consulted solicitors and the solicitors had produced papers for us that we could have filed if government officials were not able to do that. All they needed to do was to ask for the papers so that they could go and file. The papers had been prepared and we are going to publish it to the world and Nigerians in particular to see and let Nigerians ask the government why they have refused to file the appeal, what the problem is, what kind of promise did we make to the Cameroons, to the international community, to the International Court of Justice. “If by the wisdom of those that drew this statute that sometimes it will be necessary for litigant to come and produce evidence of fundamental nature, what is wrong with Nigeria taking advantage of it. Let them ask Nigerians what commitment was made and to whom. Was it so strong that the fate and well-being of Nigerians must be sacrificed to honour commitment?” Rep Nkoyo Toyo in her reaction told Vanguard yesterday that her people would not give up the fight for justice. She said: “Much as we are not happy that the Federal Government did not use the option of engaging the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as a basis for further addressing the problems of the Bakassi people, our belief is that the proposal which was mentioned in the statement of the Attorney-General yesterday morning has opened up a new vista for engaging even the ICJ and many other United Nations bodies including the Secretary General. “This, therefore, means that we have to go back and organize ourselves and take many other things into account. This is because it is obvious to us from what has happened so far that the Federal Government would not go out on its own to protect the interest of the Bakassi people. We have to protect our people’s interest and then come to present it to the Federal Government. “You would have expected that it is the Federal Government that should seek to find out if there is a problem and then consider what to do about it. But this is not the case now since the Federal Government is too busy to address problems concerning its citizens. As a result of this, the ordinary citizens of Bakassi have to go and find out new facts which they can present to the ICJ. This is how the Nigerian Government operates now. “So we have to go and search for those affected who would then come and tell us their stories and present the fresh facts that are needed. “My only worry is that the Attorney-General spoke about not wanting to create diplomatic problems for the nation. I do not know what those diplomatic problems are. He has also said that what we have talked about so far do not constitute fresh facts; I do not know what kind of facts we shall present before he would become convinced that we have fresh facts to warrant asking for a review of our case before ICJ. “At this stage we are appealing that the failures of the Green Tree Agreement which would expire by August 2013, should be addressed. “We are hereby giving them a one year notice and they should not say that the people of Bakassi came late”. FG has failed Cross River people — Monarch The Paramount Ruler of Efut nation, Muri Munene Effiong Mbukpa, said it was unfortunate that the Federal Government had failed the people of Bakassi and indeed the people of Cross River State over the decision to cede their ancestral land to Cameroon. Mbukpa said everybody had hoped and relied on the Federal Government to start the process of filing documents for the review of the ICJ ruling which did not consider human beings and the right to self determination before giving its judgment. The monarch said even if the Nigerian government would abandon the people, there was the belief that God will not abandon them and commended the Cross River State government for taking the pains all the time with the meager resources to take care of the displaced people. Call for the resignation and trial of Adoke Meanwhile some members of the Cross River State House of Assembly yesterday called for the resignation of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Bello Adoke, for allegedly misinforming the nation that there were no fresh facts that would warrant appealing against the ICJ judgment. Read more here