Jonathan’s era of denial of terrorism has ended –Soyinka

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka

Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, granted an interview to the Cable Network News on the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State. Excerpts

What did you make of the swaggering, gleeful laughter of this leader when he just sort of appeared with face uncovered to the world and said he was going to sell these girls?  Just give me your impression psychologically of what he’s up to.

Hmmm…most bullies whether on a small scale, on a national or international scale…they bluster, they do more of the same thing when they spite a community or nation state which is on its knees, which doesn’t confront them directly. It’s a normal condition. If you remember, when the United Nations headquarters was blown off in the capital of the nation; you want to go further back when extreme Islamists literally sacked the capital (Abuja) under former President  Olusegun Obasanjo because they claimed that religion was offended because there was a beauty contest going on there…there have been numerous instances like this. And when Yussuf (first Boko Haram leader), remember, a former head of state went on a mission of appeasement to Boko Haram family asking, virtually on his knees, “please forgive and forget.” But these were killers. I mean, those who killed the leaders should have been punished, yes, but you should not go and appease killers.

Now with these girls, the longer this goes on, the fact that it is so public…what do you think is going to happen to these girls? Are they all together? What do you think? Will they be sold? What do you think? I know nobody knows.

American security experts may hit Abuja today

| credits: http://www.heritage.org

Strong indications emerged on Wednesday that security experts from the United States of America may arrive in Abuja, today (Thursday) to help in the rescue of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in Borno State.

Impeccable sources at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport told one of our correspondents that the flight document indicating that the security team would be in Nigeria today had been tendered to the NAIA authorities.

The source, who noted that the government had stepped up its fight against terrorists, stated that delegates for the World Economic Forum had been guarded around the airport by both local and foreign security officials who were mostly in mufti.

Asked if he was sure that the security experts from the US would arrive Nigeria today, our source said, “Yes, I will call you once they land at the airport. The fight against terror in Nigeria is gathering momentum and the information I have is that the security experts are likely to come with an American flight. As of today (Wednesday), they (security experts) have not arrived, those that we saw are delegates and officers of the WEF.”

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Northern Elders Oppose The Use of Force To Free Girls.

**the elders, politicians and Islamic scholars said that they do not want the deployment of foreign troops in N/East.

Northern elders and groups from the North comprising Islamic scholars and politicians claimed to be reaching out to Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau to secure the release of the 276 abducted girls.

The groups who have contacts with the terror group are suggesting the two options to secure the girls freedom.
The options are either payment of ransom or the release of some detained members of Islamic terror group, Boko Haram as a form of swap.
Besides the deployment of troops, the government has not made up its mind on the two options favoured by many Northern leaders.
Northern leaders, including Borno elders who met with President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Abuja, are opposed to the use of force to rescue the girls or deployment of foreign troops.

Man uses CofO as collateral after selling house

Enekwechi Onyimba
| credits: EFCC

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arraigned one Enekwechi Onyimba before Enugu State High Court for allegedly selling a property to one Enyinnaya Igwe and also using the Certificate of Occupancy of the house to secure a loan.

The house was said to be worth N30m.

Onyiba was brought before the Chief Judge of Enugu State High Court, Justice I. A. Uwazulike, on two counts of criminal diversion of funds and obtaining money by false pretences.

The EFCC, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said Onyimba sold a property located at plot 622, Trans-Ekulu, New GRA, Enugu, Igwe, but “fraudulently withheld the C of O” and used it as collateral to secure a loan for his company, Ojaz Nigeria Limited.

“The complainant alleged that he bought the said property from the accused via an irrevocable power of attorney dated December 12, 2000 and registered as no 77/77 in volume 1473 at the Land Registry in Enugu, in August, 2005,” the statement read.

Brazil 2014: Yobo, Osaze in, Uche out

Joseph Yobo
| credits: www.goal.com

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has sensationally left out Ike Uche from the 2014 World Cup, thus making good his earlier statements that the Villareal forward would not make the flight to Brazil. Keshi however selected Joseph Yobo and Osaze Odemwingie on a provisional squad released on Tuesday after the meeting he held with officials of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim also made the list. The decision to include or drop Uche, Agbim, Yobo and Osaze was reportedly central during the first meeting held last month on the provisional squad. It was said that while the Technical Committee members were not too disposed to Agbim being in the squad, they wanted Keshi to include Uche whom he had publicly denounced. No agreement could be reached on Yobo and Osaze. The meeting was eventually adjourned to yesterday.

Uche, the leading Nigerian scorer this season has scored 12 goals in the Spanish league and he is regarded as one of the Super Eagles most reliable strikers. But in rejecting him, Keshi said he was not tactically disciplined. Uche has not played for Nigeria since featuring at the 2013 Africa Cup Nations which the country won in South Africa.

Agbim was in goal for Nigeria at the 2014 Africa Nations Championship and was largely criticised for his performance which fell far below expectations. He was eventually dropped by his club Rangers but has picked up with Gombe United in the Nigerian league.

Boko Haram kills 300, abducts 11 more girls

Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau
| credits: saharareporters.com

IN another daring operation, members of the terrorist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, on Monday night killed about 300 people in Gamboru Ngala, Borno State. Gamboru Ngala is a border town with Cameroon.

The Boko Haram insurgents also abducted 11 more girls in Warabe and Wala communities in the Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State late on Monday.

The insurgents reportedly drove into Gamboru Ngala in armoured vehicles.

It was learnt that the insurgents, who seemed to have targeted a local market, shot sporadically at traders at the market before proceeding into the town to wreak more havoc.

Gamboru is situated along Nigeria-Cameroon border and is the administrative headquarters of the Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State. It is about 200 kilometres  from Maiduguri, the state capital city.

Senator Ahmed Zannah, who is representing the area in the Senate, confirmed the killings. He said the invaders spent about 12 hours wreaking havoc on defenceless Nigerians.

He revealed that several other persons were injured in the attack, while almost all the houses and shops in the town were burnt down.

The senator, who spoke in a BBC Hausa report monitored in Maiduguri on Tuesday, said many people were wounded, while surviving victims rendered homeless as thousands of houses and shops were burnt by the rampaging gunmen.

He claimed that the attackers were armed with dangerous weapons comprising Armoured Personnel Carrier, Improvised Explosive Devices, petrol bombs, assault rifles and Rocket Propelled Launchers.

“The attackers stormed the communities in the night when residents were still sleeping, setting ablaze houses and shooting residents who tried to escape from the fire,’’ he said.

He added, “About 300 persons were confirmed dead after the incident, with several others injured. Almost all the houses in the communities were destroyed by the hoodlums who threw IEDs at the buildings.

“My brother who was at the scene of the attack told me that the actual number of the dead cannot be ascertained but at least they are up to 300. In fact, as he spoke he wept following the high number of the dead bodies which littered the market.”

Girls’ parents go on hunger strike

Left: One of the mothers of the missing Chibok schoolgirls wipes her tears as she cries during a rally by civil society groups in Abuja. (R)Protesters gather outside the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC, to demand action for the release of Chibok 200 schoolgirls... on Tuesday
| credits: AFP

The Head, Chibok Community in Abuja, Mr. Hosaih Sambido, on Tuesday said some parents of the abducted girls had embarked on hunger strike to protest against the incident.

Sambido said this when a former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, led a protest to the Defence Headquarters to demand the urgent release of the girls.

Sambido, who broke into tears while pleading for help from the military, said the development had instilled fear among female students in the area.

He said some parents had refused to eat as a result of the development.

Sambido said, “Since April 14 we have entered this trauma which is no more news in the whole world that insurgents came and set part of our village ablaze and cart away 276 girls. Though 53 of the girls escaped on their own effort but up till now we don’t know where the rest girls are and the situation they face.

“Their parents cannot do anything. Some have refused to eat. Some of the men mobilised themselves and went to the forest twice but they came back because the kidnappers are too strong.