BORNO STATE: Governor Shettima Release N150 Million Over Missing Girls?

Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday said the initial doubt over the abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls and the theory that the kidnap was staged managed by his government was as painful as the actual abduction.
He also said that the state government would spend N150m to rehabilitate the 53 students who escaped from their abductors and the parents of those still being held.
The governor said it was a sad tale that Nigeria pays more emphasis on politics than finding solutions to the nation’s problems.
Responding to the address of the Chairman of the Presidential Fact Finding Committee on the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo (retd.), Shettima said, “I didn’t create Boko Haram, I inherited it in 2011 when I was sworn-in amidst near complete breakdown of security in Maiduguri, the largest and most populated part of the state. But I normally say that a leader is elected or appointed to solve problems, it doesn’t matter whether the leader created the problem or not. A leader is elected to find solution, this is governance. There is a whole difference between politics and governance.
“In politics, you tell the general public and victims about a problem, you tell them the gravity of the problem; and with emphasis, you tell them who to blame for it. But in governance, you identify a problem and work hard to solve it. Unfortunately for us in this country, we all appear to lay more emphasis on politics than on governance. The Chibok incident, for me, has grossly exposed our weighty weakness as leaders in terms of assuming our shared responsibilities.
He lamented that a former Minister, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, came out to cast doubt over the abduction of these schoolgirls. “That woman completely disregarded the sensitivity of that issue, the pains of the agonising parents and our pains as a government, to whom, the parents of these girls, cry out in desperation and unimaginable confusion and anguish.
“Every other unreasonable Nigerian that came to adopt that view, only anchored the unfortunate view that was first expressed by Mrs Kema Chikwe. Doubt over that abduction pained me as much as the incident itself. Doubt over that abduction pained me far more than the childish theory that as a government, we staged that abduction in order to create basis to stop the extension of emergency rule in Borno.”
He said that theory did not make the slightest sense, saying, if a government did not want extension of emergency and chose to fake happenings, the state government would rather deny that the abduction ever took place.
The governor, said he had approved N150m for the rehabilitation of the 53 girls who escaped from the Boko Haram captivity and for the assistance of the traumatised parents daughters are still held in captivity.
Earlier Brig.-Gen. Sabo had assured the state government that the committee was ready to carry on with the task with absolute patriotism and fear of God.
He condoled with the people and government of Borno State who have been traumatized as a result of the loses that have resulted from the Boko Haram insurgency over time.
Source: Punch

N20 MILLION FRAUD: Mohammadu Buhari’s Son Arrested?

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested Mr. Mohammed Buhari, an adopted son of a former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, for an alleged N20m scam.
A source at the EFCC said that the young Buhari obtained the said N20m from one Mrs. Nwokocha Florence to invest in an oil and gas business with a promise to make mouthwatering returns to the lady.
It was gathered that the adopted son of the former Head of State and presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change in the 2011 elections also promised to pay the lady 30 per cent annual interest on the N20m.
It was gathered that the relationship between the two turned sour when Buhari reneged on the agreement to pay the 30 per cent annual interest on the N20m to the investor said to have been introduced to him by his accounts officer at ECO Bank.

It was leant that once the money was transferred, Buhari cleaned out the account but never paid any interest to the woman.
The EFCC source said that Buhari claimed that he had some problems which emanated from his lost of the bank’s guarantee which he secured from a new generation bank.
He was said to have explained that the guarantee was cancelled because the bank felt that the branch from which he secured it lacked the competence to give it.
Investigation revealed that Buhari was still being held by the operatives investigating the case at the Lagos office of the EFCC as of the time of filing this report
When our correspondent contacted the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, he confirmed the arrest but would not give any further details.
He said, “It is true but I don’t have the details.”

General Muhammadu Buhari has distanced himself from one “Mohammed Buhari” arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for scamming a woman, Mrs Florence Nwokocha, of N20 million in a ponzi scheme.
A statement issued by the General through Com Jasper Azuatalam, Chairman of the "Buhari Vanguard” stated that the tenuous link between the former head of state and the scammer in EFCC detention was aimed at smearing the general.
SaharaReporters had earlier published a report today concerning the detention of Mohammed Buhari by the EFCC, our sources within the agency claimed the detained Buhari claimed he was General Buhari's adopted son.
Read Full Disclaimer:
It is regrettable to note that after several unsuccessful attempts to smear the hard earned respect, popularity, dignity, and enviable image of Muhammadu Buhari, mischief makers have resorted to a laughable tactic of linking Muhammadu Buhari to a crime just because someone who has been alleged to have committed a crime somewhere bears the name “Buhari”.
Muhammadu Buhari wishes to state categorically that he does not have any adopted son called “Mohammed Buhari” and had no need to adopt a son at any time having been blessed with choice children, both male and females. Muhammadu Buhari and his family do not know the said “Mohammed Buhari” who is alleged to be involved in a #20M scam and is being held by EFCC.
Muhammadu Buhari is blessed with very descent and disciplined children who obviously took after their father. His children have no single record of stealing and an inordinate behavior anywhere in the world. They do not seek attention, but have proven the stuff their father is made of any time their character is put to test.
However, this is understandable, since the entire attempts by mischief makers to discredit Muhammadu Buhari as an individual has failed. We frown at these poorly articulated gimmicks to indirectly link Muhammadu Buhari and his family to a crime allegedly committed by someone unknown to him and his family just for the fact that the said suspect bears the name “Mohammed Buhari”.

DEADLY SEX: Female Banker, Lover Dead?

Tragedy struck at Eziudo autonomous community in Ezinihitte, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State when a female banker, Mrs. Adejoke Ayeola of Iperu Remo in Ogun State and her lover, Mr. Wilson Ugwunna perished during lovemaking.
Wilson, 42, had two children while his lover, who was 44 years old, was a mother of two children. She was said to have been married to a traditional ruler in Ogun State.
But the medical director of Obizie People Medical Centre, where Wilson was rushed to for medical attention, Dr. Ohanyere Alex Chibuike, said the rumour about magun was baseless. He said the real cause of their deaths was the carbon monoxide they inhaled from a generating set throughout the night, explaining that he conducted tests on the deceased.
“I repeated the tests and there was nothing suggesting that any other damage was done to his body,’’ the medical director said.
He, however, said that members of the deceased’s family were yet to pay the hospital bill and collect his corpse for burial.
The lovers had returned from Lagos on Saturday, April 26, 2014 and went to bed, but were not seen throughout the following day, a development that drew the attention of Wilson’s family members.
Sunday Trust gathered that when the door to the room where the lovers slept was forced open, Adejoke’s body had started decomposing while her lover was in deep coma.
Speaking to our reporter, indigenes of Eziudo community, who expressed surprise at the incident, said they strongly believed it was caused by magun, a Yoruba charm usually set against a woman suspected of illicit affairs. The practice is common in Yorubaland.
The traditional ruler of Eziudo community, His Royal Majesty, Eze Desmond Oguguo, who confirmed the incident during an exclusive interview with our reporter in his palace, recalled that on Saturday, April 26, Wilson, who claimed to have returned from Malaysia, brought a Yoruba lady home from Lagos and introduced her as his future wife. This was despite the fact that he already had a wife and two children who he reportedly abandoned for at least three years. He described Wilson’s action as grossly shameful.
Eze Oguguo said the matter was reported to the police who deposited the woman’s corpse in the hospital mortuary while Wilson, who was still in coma, was taken to the hospital for medical attention, but he later died.
Also speaking to our reporter, a member of the community disclosed that the lady’s husband came and took her corpse to Yorubaland.
“Her eyes were bulging out of the sockets, her face was swollen, while her tongue was gushing out. She looked like a dragon,” he said, adding that he could not bear the sight of the lady when her body was being removed.
The late banker’s husband had reportedly said that the only condition for Wilson to live was if he could walk to the mortuary to see the woman’s corpse.
It was further gathered that the lady, who worked in a new generation bank, had lied to her husband that she was attending a meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital while she went to Mbaise with her lover.
Speaking further, Eze Oguguo warned young men against anti-social activities, saying, “The way young people of these days behave is very embarrassing. They don’t respect themselves, they don’t respect anybody, and they don’t have the fear of God. They do whatever they like. They should be honest to themselves and live honest lives. It is quite unfortunate.”
It was learnt that Wilson’s children are currently staying with his mother in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
“Such boy is uncontrollable. Even his mother, who is in Owerri, has not visited home since the incident. If the boy had good manners, his mother would have rushed home,” the traditional ruler added.
The commissioner of police, Imo State command, Mr. Abdulmaheed Ali confirmed the incident.
Source: Daily Trust

EXPOSED: Immigration Officer, A Boko Haram Member?

Nigerians have consistently maintained that the dreaded sect Boko Haram must surely have sympathisers in government and security agencies, considering how effective their attacks have been. Finally, there is proof.
A high profile Boko Haram member, who is an officer of Nigeria’s Immigration Services, Ahmed Grema Mohammed, has named some security personnel among those carrying out terrorist attacks in the country. His confession came after he was arrested by the men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Mohammed, who is an officer of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) attached to the Nangere office of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Yobe State, was apprehended at a checkpoint on the Maiduguri-Damaturu road while on his way to kill a former special adviser to the immediate past governor of the state.
Most of the personnel named by Mohammed have been arrested, while security agencies are on the trail of others.
The news of Mohammed’s arrest was contained in a JTF statement signed by the task force spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa.
According to the statement, Mohammed had been on the wanted lists in the country and was arrested on August 17, this year for impersonating a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.
“Mohammed confessed to be actively involved in the killings of some senior civil servants, security agents, and politicians in Damaturu who spoke against the activities of Boko Haram, particularly the former chairman of Damboa Council, Alhaji Lawal Kawu.
“He also took part in the attack on the old Police Headquarters in Damaturu, where some policemen were killed and large quantity of arms and ammunition carted away.
“In addition, he was among the terrorists that attacked Damaturu Prison, burnt some primary schools, the State CID office and the Police Safety Vehicle, among others.
“The suspect revealed to JTF that he and 15 other members of the organization were intensively trained for three months on G3 and AK 47 rifles, as well as in assassinations and special operations in Niger Republic.
“He also revealed names of some security personnel that participated in terrorists’ attacks in Borno and Yobe states.”
Source: JTF

FACTS: The End Of Boko Haram Is Near

The declaration of ‘war’ on Boko Haram extremists by African leaders at a security summit in Paris is a major step to tackle the regional threat posed by the group as well as help end the insurgency if properly implemented, analysts say.

“It’s a good thing that the leaders have agreed to work together to fight Boko Haram,” said Nwolise Osisioma, a professor and head of political science and international relation at the University of Ibadan, southwest Nigeria.

“But the leaders must have the political will to execute the decision with one mind. If they do, it will go a long way in checkmating Boko Haram,” he said.

“The leaders will also have to tackle the issue of logistics, that of intelligence gathering. Nigeria for instance, has military capability to fight Boko Haram. What is lacking is intelligence,” he said.

“We hope, France as the facilitator of the summit, will assist with intelligence and satellite.”

Osisioma said he believed dialogue rather than force was a better option.

“If the government had entered into negotiation with Boko Haram and met their demands in 2009 when they started their rebellion, the crisis would not have festered to this point.

“The lesson is that when internal groups make demands, government should attend to those demands. If not, those demands can transform into other things which can be more devastating,” he said.

“The inability of the Nigerian government to meet the initial demands of the group such as reconstruction of their damaged Mosque, compensation for their slain leader and release of their members in custody has emboldened it to be more violent.”

Dapo Thomas of Lagos state university sees the Paris deal as a “game changer” in the five-year-old Boko Haram violence.

“It will see an end to the Boko Haram menace if the agreement is faithfully implemented,” he said.

“There is no way Nigeria can win the battle alone. It needs the cooperation of neighbouring countries,” he said.

He said it had been established that Boko Haram fighters usually flee across the borders after launching their deadly attacks in Nigeria.

“It is not a coincidence that most of the Boko Haram attacks in the northeast occur around the border areas and a joint military operation along those frontiers will go a long way in stemming such attacks,” he said.

“With the Paris accord, the days of Boko Haram are over.”

Thomas said there are speculations that the kidnapped schoolgirls were being held around the border with Cameroon.

He therefore called for a full implementation of the Paris deal.

“The leaders should put aside their individual differences and ensure that the terms of the agreement are implemented to the letter,” he said.

Simon Kolawole, a columnist with the independent daily ThisDay said it was “a shame” that it took the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from the remote northeastern town of Chibok by Boko Haram extremists before the leaders could agree to work together.

“President Goodluck Jonathan had in the past sought the intervention of French President Francois Hollande to talk to our franccophone neighbours, especially Niger, Chad and Cameroon where the militants gain access to Nigeria,” he lamented.

“Better late than never, and I think the Paris summit has redefined the war against Boko Haram,” he said.

“It is now left for the countries to draw up their strategies and show sincerity and commitment to the war,” he added.

Last month’s abductions of the teenage girls and the Nigerian government’s slow response to the incident sparked global outrage and street protests in Nigeria and across the world.

Hollande, who hosted the regional summit at the instance of Jonathan, slammed the Islamist group, with the African leaders declaring war on the sect, blamed for 2,000 deaths this year as well as the abduction of girls.

Just hours ahead of the summit, the Islamists carried out another brazen attack, this time killing one Chinese worker and kidnapping 10 others in Cameroon — underlining the regional threat posed by the group.

“We have seen what this organisation is capable of,” Hollande said at the close of the half-day summit on Saturday.

“We are here to declare war on Boko Haram,” Cameroon President Paul Biya said, while his Benin counterpart Thomas Boni Yayi added: “Religious intolerance has no place in Africa.”

Chad’s Idriss Deby warned: “Terrorists have already done enough damage. Letting them continue would run the risk of allowing the whole region to fall into chaos.”

Jonathan stressed his commitment to find the abducted girls.

“We are totally committed to finding the girls, wherever they are,” he said.

“We’ve been scanning these areas with surveillance aircraft,” he added, saying Nigeria had deployed 20,000 troops to find the girls.

“Boko Haram is no longer a local terror group,” he said.

“From 2009 to today it has changed and can be described as Al-Qaeda in western and central Africa,” he said.

The countries also agreed to push for UN sanctions against the leaders of Boko Haram and another Nigerian Islamist group, Ansaru.

Source: PM News

Photos of Police averted bomb blast incident in Kano this morning

This afternoon, the Nigerian Police released a press statement claiming to have averted what could have been another devastating bomb blast in the ancient city of Kano this morning. Read that here.
Well, they've just released photos from the incident.

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has replied Asari Dokubo

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima has replied Asari Dokubo who has in recent times alleged that the missing Chibok girls is all a scam and the handiwork of the governor. In a statement by the Governor's spokesperson, Isa Gusau, Shettima described Dokubo as a jester who no serious minded Nigerian should take serious. The statement below...

"Governor Shettima is too serious minded to reply Asari Dokubo who is just a joker as most Nigerians regard him. As a onetime journalist covering the Niger Delta, I had come in direct contact with Asari when he organized a rally in support of late Gaddafi in Port Harcourt and also when he organized the 2011/2012 Isaac Boro lecture in Port Harcourt which he kept interrupting, taking over the microphone from people like respected lawyers like Festus Keyamo, intermittently speaking without protocol and without shame like a child. He is just a joke, no reasonable Nigerian takes him serious. He was reported saying Chibok abduction was a sham, I won’t be surprised if by next week the same Asari Dokubo leads another rally to counter the one he just held. Last year, Asari was reported speaking against Presidency, then he changed tune now we don’t know what happened but that is how he is, he uses the media for personal interest and some sort of blackmail." Continue...

“He wants to be regarded as a hero but I tell you that no one sees him as such in the Niger Delta that I had covered. He is trying to force unwilling public to see him different from who he is but like a say goes, ‘you can fool some people all the time, you can fool all the people sometime but you cannot fool all the people all the time. Asari dubiously took advantage of Isaac Boro event which attracts participants to say what he said so that the procession would seem like a support base for his isolated opinion. I saw some pictures of some girls in one house displaying some placards, from the faces, I think he probably assembled some of his immediate and extended family members and gave them placards. One person wrote on all the cards, the same writing, all of which look like a sort of Mickey Mouse scene in cartoon series. How can Governor Shettima reply a jester, how can he respond to such a play by Asari that falls far below the standard of Nollywood when he is busy working very hard with all relevant bodies finding ways on how to secure the freedom of his and Borno’s precious daughters in captivity?” Gusau said.

Gusau advised the President to distance himself from Asari...