Blog

THE police claimed on Wednesday to have arrested three suspects in connection with the Monday and Tuesday gun attacks in Okene, Kogi State, in which a total of 24 persons, including two soldiers, were killed.

The Kogi State Police Command said the suspects were arrested at a hide-out on Idare Hills of Okene following a tip-off and after a brutal gun exchange between the police and the suspected criminals.

Among the arrested is a 50-year old woman. The suspects were said to have opened fire on sighting the policemen in their hide-out with the leader of the suspects sustaining gunshot wounds.

The wounded leader, named Yekini Isah, was said to have been picked up later in Edo State while receiving traditional treatment for his injury.

The arrest was confirmed by the Police headquarters in a statement by Force deputy spokesman, Frank Mba, on Wednesday.

Mba’s statement reads in part, “In the ensuing battle, the gang leader identified as Yekini Isah of Obehira area of Okene sustained injury on his head. Though he initially escaped from the scene, he was trailed and arrested in a hide-out at Ibilo in Edo State, where he was receiving native treatment for his gun wounds.

“Two other suspects, including a female, were arrested during the operation. One AK-47 rifle with 30 rounds of live ammunition was also recovered from the criminals.”

Mba said the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, commended the police operatives from Kogi and Edo commands for “their professionalism, courage and gallantry, and thanked Nigerians for their cooperation, partnership and faith in the police force,” adding that investigation and efforts at tracking other fleeing members of the gang continued.

Kogi State police commissioner, Muhammed Katsina, who also confirmed the arrests to journalists in Lokoja said the suspects were responsible for the Monday attack in which 20 members of the Deeper Life Bible Church were murdered in cold blood, and the killing of two soldiers at the Central Mosque, Okene, on Tuesday.

Katsina said his men shot some of the suspects and that all efforts would be made to arrest other members of the gang.

He stated that with the effort of Edo Police Command, the police also recovered the suspects’ traditional uniforms.

Katsina warned that people that concealed weapons for criminals or sponsored them would be consider as accomplish and would be treated as such.

One of our correspondents observed an increase in the number of security agents on duty in Kogi State on Wednesday. A security source said more security personnel had been deployed in the state on the orders of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria on Wednesday called for additional security coverage of churches in the country.

The President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, in a statement by his Special Assistant (Media and Public Affairs), Mr. Kenny Ashaka, also commiserated with the families of victims of the attack and the church.

He said, “Oritsejafor believes that from this attack in Okene, the enemies of Christians and Christianity in Nigeria have changed tactics from their Sunday attacks on churches to an everyday onslaught. He, therefore, urges the leadership of the various churches in Nigeria to step up security around their churches as they hold their daily devotions, crusades and vigils while also being security conscious at all times.

“The Federal Government should also change its strategies by making the various Joint Task Forces stronger through the provision of additional military and Police cover for churches in the northern part of the country and internally stiffening its intelligence network.”

According to him, CAN has been in the forefront of those calling on the Federal Government to be decisive, adding that “now is the time to save the Church and innocent Nigerians from the attacks of murderous groups who believe that the only way to fight for God is by killing those who are not of the same faith with them and those against their understanding of the Muslim religion.”

Ashaka quoted the President of CAN as saying that Christians would not be deceived to think that they were not the targets of the “murderous gangs” just because they had started attacking some fellow Muslims, adding that the Muslims being attacked were those opposed to the callous activities of the gang.

While sympathising with the Muslims, Oritsejafor urged them not to be discouraged by the threats from “bloodthirsty gangs.”

According to him, CAN believes that the attacks on them are diversionary and calculated to shield their real motives from the world. “They are to deceive Nigerians and indeed the international community that their attacks are not only aimed at Christians.”

“CAN repeats without fear that the series of gun and bomb attacks are primarily targeted at Christians in the North in order to exterminate all forms of western education and enthrone Islamic law of Sharia as the universal law in Nigeria, a country with multi-religious population,” he said.

The Action Congress of Nigeria also on Wednesday urged President Jonathan to immediately convoke a national conference on the worsening insecurity in the land instead of offering platitudes any time the deadly Boko Haram struck out lives out of innocent Nigerians.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in Ibadan, the party said the government must admit that it was clearly not winning the war against terrorism and as such must adopt a completely new strategy if we were not all to be consumed by the raging violence even as it condemned in very strong terms the recent needless bloodletting in Kogi, Sokoto, Yobe and Borno states.

“Nigerians today are not safe in their homes, offices, roads or places of worship. Terrorists, kidnappers armed robbers and arsonists have taken complete control of the country and all the government can offer are platitudes,”the party lamented.

The party called on Jonathan to free himself from self-serving advisers and reach out to all leaders across the nation irrespective of political loyalties, religious or ethnic prejudices to find an urgent solution to the scourge.

It also called on all leaders – political, ethnic or religious – to refrain from inflammatory statements as some of these pronouncements had done nothing but fanned the ember of discord.

However, the police also said that their men on Wednesday defused a high calibre Improvised Explosive Device planted at Rigiya area of Sokoto by an unknown motorcycle rider.

The police said that a concerned citizen gave them information about the explosive which was hidden in a black polythylene bag and planted in front of the secretariat of one of the political parties.

ABUJA—ELDER statesman and prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, yesterday, stoked his campaign against Northern leaders over the activities of Boko Haram by asking security agencies to go after former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma and former Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawal Kaita.

The former Federal Information commissioner, who challenged former President Ibrahim Babamasi Babangida to a joint public debate on national issues to ascertain who is actually senseless or senile, insisted that northern leaders must speak out on the activities of Boko Haram if they were not backing the group.

Reading a prepared text on behalf of Chief Edwin Clark at a Press briefing inAbujayesterday, Legal Adviser to the Ijaw leader, Kayode Ajulo, said that Ciroma and Kaita’s comments before the massive killings could serve as substantial evidence against them.

The E.K Clark statement

The text read in part: “Chief Clark’s challenge to the leaders of the North is predicated on the misguided statements of some of the Northern opinion leaders since the inception of this administration. For example, in October, 2010 during a build up to the last presidential election, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, a prominent Northern leader promised to makeNigeriaungovernable if the President did not come from the North. 

“And as if on cue from Lawal Kaita, several other leaders of Northern Political Leaders Forum, headed by Alhaji Adamu Ciroma, of which Gen. Babangida is a prominent member, followed suit with similar reckless comments which might not only threaten peace in Nigeria but also Nigeria’s very existence.

“Recently in March this year, Lawal Kaita issued another threat to the effect that the only condition forNigeriato be one is for the presidency to come to the North in 2015.”

According to Clark, northern leaders must show genuine commitment, be proactive and speak out now towards addressing the challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency against the backdrop that precious lives of Nigerians were being wasted daily across the country in Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Kogi, Abuja and Bauchi among others.

On General Babangida’s reaction to his public lecture last Wednesday, particularly where it was alleged that senses had since departed him,Clarksaid that the public debate or discourse with Babangida must be free of interference and prompting from aides.

He added: “Let it also be noted, for the record, that Chief Clark delivered a one hour, 20 minutes lecture very coherently and articulately without having to refer to a written text. Nigerians stand a better position to judge as to who is senseless or senile as suggested by Gen. Babangida who can only make public utterances through texts prepared by aides and speech writers.”

Insisting that the former military president was side-stepping comments on Boko Haram,Clarkurged Nigerians to ask why he had been silent for so long on the issue.

How it all started

The exchange of brick-bats between Clark and Babangida started last week Wednesday when Clark at theSecondStateof the Federation Lecture organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, NIALS inAbujaclaimed that some northern leaders were not speaking out against increasing spate of violence in the country.

He had specifically challenged Babangida and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari to condemn the activities of the Boko Haram group that have claimed responsibility for the insurgency campaign in many parts of the country.

But replying the elder statesman on Sunday through his spokesman, Prince Kassim Afegbua, Babangida slammed Clark for not recognizing the historic role he played in unifying the country, just as he warned Clark not to crucify him, adding that with his age, what should be the cardinal posture of Chief Clark was to proffer solutions to the problem of insecurity in the country.

According to Babangida, “we view this misguided and senseless statement in very bad taste and we take very strong exceptions to his drooling and implied conclusion.”

Countering yesterday, the elder statesman, who described Babangida’s statement as total insult and total misconceptions, said, “the statements showed nothing but insulting miscomprehension and misconception of Chief E. K. Clark’s innocuous expressed opinions and the challenge thrown down to the leaders of the North on the need to resolve the Boko Haram menace.

“Ordinarily, Gen. Babangida should have joined many other Nigerians who applauded Chief E. K. Clark for crying out over the wanton loss of lives being experienced daily over the senseless killings ofNigeria’s women and children, Christians and Muslims alike.

“Chief E. K. Clark is committed to the unity ofNigeriaand peace within its borders. This was aptly demonstrated when some youths in the Niger Delta took arms against the Federal Government of Nigeria, resulting in the near total shut down of oil production; crude oil production which normally stood at 2.5 million barrels per day was reduced to 700, 000 barrels daily. Chief Clark led a delegation of Niger Delta leaders into the creeks to appeal to the youths to lay down arms and embrace peace.

How Clark ended militancy in Niger Delta

“Chief E. K. Clark also went to the creeks with the then Vice President, now President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, particularly to Okerenkoko and Camp 5 (which was the headquarters of the militants), thereby laying the foundation for late President Yar Adua’s amnesty programme.

“Therefore, amnesty did not come on a platter of gold, but through the genuine determination of the leaders of the Niger Delta, led by Chief E. K. Clark. Today, crude oil production inNigeriahas risen to about 2.7 million barrels per day.

“It is therefore imperative, irrespective of the name calling, to restate what was said at the NIALS lecture on the state of Nigerian Federation that ”Gen. Babangida and other Northern leaders must speak out, be proactive as well as demonstrate genuine commitment to address the challenges posed by the Boko Haram.” This is more so as precious lives of Nigerians are being wasted daily across the country in Borno, Yobe, Sokoto,Kano,Kaduna, Kogi,Abuja, Bauchi, etc.

“Chief (Clark) is surprised that Gen. Babangida would belatedly suggest that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should use Moslem clerics, when he, by his experience, and position is fully abreast of what to do in the circumstances of Nigeria bearing in mind his exalted membership of the Council of State and his former position as President and Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces of Nigeria. After all, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, a former President like Gen. Babangida not only spoke out strongly on this issue but went toMaiduguriin the aim of securing peace for the country.

“The attempt to label Chief Clark as an ethnic jingoist has no basis whatsoever as he has always believed and maintained that no ethnic group should be a second class citizen in Nigeria and that no Nigerian life whether from the North or South, East or West should be wasted.

“Taking regard of his age and stature, Chief Clark wants to state that he fully forgives Gen. Babangida whom he regards as a younger friend for the unfortunate statement attributed to him. If anything, Chief Clark holds the view that the thoughts and energy exerted by Gen. Babangida against him should urgently be redirected towards finding a lasting solution to the Boko Haram menace in the North.

A call for dialogue

“It should be restated that Chef Clark has severally emphasized the need for dialogue with Boko Haram and other aggrieved groups with a view to resolvingNigeria’s current security challenges.

“It is in this vein that Chief Clark speaks to his good friends in the North, including General Babangida once again, irrespective of Gen. Babangida’s threat of litigation, that they should openly condemn Boko Haram and join hands with the Government and good people ofNigeriatowards finding a lasting solution to the challenge posed by the Boko Haram menace. Any laxity on their part would, either wittingly and unwittingly, potentially put them out as accessories to the present security scourge in the Northern part ofNigeria.

‘’If this simple advice above is urgently heeded, it will save Gen. Babangida the need to wear uniform once again at the age of 71 to fight for the unity of Nigeria.”

Northern youths under the aegis of the Arewa Youth Forum on Tuesday in Kaduna  asked President Goodluck Jonathan to “call to order,” his kinsmen – former Federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Clark; and the leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer  Force, Asari Dokubo for their “unguarded utterances” which could lead to the disintegration of the country.

National President of the AYF, Mr.  Gambo  Gujungu, in a statement, insisted that the region was not afraid of war.

He said, “People like  Clark and Asari had forgotten that the region was the mainstay of the Nigerian state before the discovery of oil.

“It is pertinent to let the war mongers know that the North is not afraid  of war. But we are advocates of peace.  We are not war mongers and will not and will never call for war within the polity of Nigeria.

“But we are bothered that Asari Dokubo, Edwin Clark and co are turning President Goodluck Jonathan into an Ijaw  leader instead of the President of the Federal republic of Nigeria that he is.”

He warned people beating the drum of war as according to him, in the past two decades, apart from Sri Lanka, nobody had won a war against another country.

Gujungu  said it was unfortunate that the likes of Asari  were blaming the North for Boko Haram as if every northerner is a member of Boko Haram. “That is not good enough,” he added.

Gujungu said in the statement, “Having taken a keen interest and appraisal of what has been happening in the Nigerian polity of recent culminating in the recent outburst and frontal attack on the North by the leader of Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, we have deem it necessary to react as follows.

“Let it be known that the youths of the North under the umbrella of the AYF are peace loving people who believe in the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria and has been working and will continue to work for the peaceful co existence of the country.

“Asari should know that some of us are quite aware of the type of person he is. We know his antecedents and the type of person he is. The Volunteer Force leader is not the one to threaten any body and should not continue in the way of threat or else we will be force to expose him for who he truly is.”

Justice Marcel Okoh of the High Court of the oil-rich Delta State was reportedly abducted by suspected kidnappers on Tuesday in Asaba, the capital.

The judge was reportedly kidnapped on his way to the State high court today.

As at the time of filing report, no contact has been made with members of family of the judge by the kidnappers, neither has any ransom been demanded.

The Delta State police image maker, Charles Muka who confirmed the incident to P.M. NEWS however disclosed that the official jeep from which Justice Okoh was kidnapped had been recovered by the police.

He however could not confirm if he was alone in the car before his abductors struck.

Okoh was among the six judges appointed in May, 2012 by the administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Gunmen on Monday invaded the Deeper Life Church at Otite area in Okene, killing 16 worshippers and leaving many others wounded NAN reports. The Commander of the Joint Military Task Force in Lokoja, Lt-Col. Gabriel Olorunyomi, confirmed the incident. He said 15 worshippers died instantly.

One of the South African hitmen, Mziwamadoda Qwabe (pictured above on the right), accused of killing honeymooner Anni Dewani was this morning sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to her murder.

28 year old Anni Dewani (pictured above with her husband) was shot and killed after the taxi she and her husband were travelling in was hijacked on the outskirts of Cape Town on November 13, 2010 while on their honeymoon. Her British husband Shrien Dewani is accused of masterminding the killing in a murder set up to look like a botched carjacking. He allegedly hired three men to kill Anni. He says he's not guilty.

South Africa is still awaiting his extradition. Qwabe is the second of three South African suspects to be jailed. In 2010 another man turned state witness and implicated Dewani in plotting to kill his new bride. He was sentenced to 18 years

While addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday,the former Ijaw Youth Council president and founder of Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force said: 

The arrogance of B/H is un-islamic. The type of bomb they are using is small small pikin bomb. If we begin, nobody will stay in Abuja. 

We don’t manufacture bomb but we buy bombs & dynamites. I started armed struggle in the N/Delta. It's because of GEJ that we at quiet. Soon, we will not be able to guarantee our patience any more. If Ijaw people should retaliate, every household in the North will cry. It is the North that needs peace more than us.

can nigeria d tigers beat usa dream team today?it would be a miracle if u ask my opinion