Nigeria abductions: Parents Say Girls Still missing Despite Claims From Military That Girls Had Escaped

Mystery surrounds the fate of more than 100 teenage girls
who were abducted from a school in the remote north-
east of Nigeria. The military had come out yesterday to say
that all but eight of the 129 girls have escaped, but parents
of the girls say that figure is not accurate and many are
still missing.
There have been conflicting reports coming from various
sources concerning the over 120 girls that were abducted
a few days ago by Boko Haram in Borno state.
Another source has also said that 15 girls were able to
escape, but the rest are still being held captive. It is
thought Islamist militant group Boko Haram took the girls
to forested areas near the Cameroonian border.
A N50 million reward is being given to anyone who
provides information that will lead to the capture of the
terrorists responsible for this kidnapping according to
Sahara Reporters.

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Prophet T.B Joshua claims he prophesied about the Nyanya bomb blast

General overseer of the Synagogue Church of all Nation,
SCOAN, Prophet T.B. Joshua has released a video where
he claimed to had prophesied the Nyanya explosion that
killed over 71 persons with 126 others injured.
According to the controversial Prophet, he saw and
warned Nigerians of the calamity during his live service at
The SCOAN on November 10, 2013.
During the service, T.B. Joshua – known for his doom
prophecies said:
“Listen to me, my people in Nigeria. Once again, take note
of this: Our security should be vigilant. I am seeing a very
big strike — explosion. They should take care of Abuja —
capital. When I talk, you see me in a bad light. But I will
keep talking. I don’t need to say the state but I am saying
it. This is what I am seeing happen in Abuja. They should
pray. What can they do to capture this?”  Watch video here

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Nyanya explosion: PDP’s accusation is ploy to arrest our leaders – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the
atrocious bomb blast that left 71 persons dead in Abuja on
Monday, and urged the Federal Government to urgently
convene a National Stakeholders’ Security Summit to help
find a lasting solution to the spate of mindless killings in
the country.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Interim
National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the
party expressed its shock and sadness at the savagery of
the attack, while condoling with the families of those killed
and praying for a quick recovery for the injured.
It said it is now obvious that all efforts so far to tackle the
insurgency in the country have not yielded much fruits. It
said the PDP-led Federal Government lacks the capacity
and has clearly run out of ideas on how to tackle the
violence.
“It is time for new thinking, new ideas to stop this
insurgency before it consumes all of us. The attack, right
on the outskirts of Abuja which has been spared this kind
of spectacular strike since 2011 means those behind it are
getting bolder and bolder, and it’s time to stop them,” it
said.
APC said in the national interest and in the spirit of
bipartisanship, it is willing and ready to be part of any
positive efforts to end the daily loss of lives and the
damage to property that seem to have hit a new high since
the beginning of this year.
Meanwhile, the party has described as despicable the
PDP’s attempt to trivialise what it described as ”a very
serious issue and make the opposition the fall guy for its
own egregious failure.”
According to APC, “‘The PDP and the government it leads
at the centre should realise that this issue is beyond
politics and partisanship, and should reach out to other
stakeholders to help find a way to end the insurgency that
has now defied all measures, including a state of
emergency.
”Trying to blame the opposition for the attack, as the
harebrained PDP has irresponsibly done even when the
bodies of the victims are still lying in the morgue, cannot
advance a genuine push to end the insurgency.”‘
The party wondered whether the PDP’s ignoble accusation
was part of a sinister motive to call the dog a bad name
just to hang it.
”PDP is so desperate that it will stop at nothing to plunge
Nigeria into chaos just to achieve its objective of clinging to
power at all costs. Its baseless and infantile accusation, at
a time of great national pain, may be a ploy to instigate a
clampdown against the opposition.
”We are therefore calling on all our members, and indeed
all the good people of Nigeria, to be vigilant in the days
ahead,” the party added.

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Map Showing Boko Haram Attacks & Casualties Since 2009

Pause! Look at the map of the the amount of damage Boko
Haram have caused in Nigeria over the past 5 years, and
the number of states they have successfully pulled off
attacks.

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Apo Killings: Aturu Commends Human Rights Commission’s Indictement Of SSS, Army

Human rights lawyer,
Mr. Bamidele Aturu, has hailed the National Human Rights
Commission for its report on public hearing which indicted
the Nigerian Army and the State Security Service in the
killing of eight innocent Nigerians in Apo District, Abuja.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Aturu said that the
ability of a government institution like the NHRC to criticise
and indict other government agencies such as the army
and the SSS was commendable.
The commission said that the security agencies’ joint
operation in an uncompleted building in the Apo district of
Abuja on September 20, 2013, did not respect the victims’
right to live as they were killed extra-judicially, contrary to
the claim by the army and SSS that they were shot and
killed in self-defence.
He said, “I salute the courage of all the members of the
Governing Council of the Commission, its Executive
Secretary and other staff for giving us something to cheer
under this administration.
“Honestly, one is pleased that we can see a government
agency speak truth to government. We can only hope that
they will move their searchlight into other dark alleys of
government human rights practice in Nigeria”.
The NHRC had indicted the government agencies and also
awarded N135m in favour of the families of the deceased
and the survivors.
Aturu said the decision of the NHRC was bold, well-
reasoned and fair, adding that what the commission did
used to be unthinkable.
“The commission has shown by its bold, well-reasoned and
fair decision that what we need in Nigeria is a combination
of independent institutions and independent but patriotic
and competent persons to run the institutions”, he stated.
The Lagos lawyer also warned government against taking
any action against the commission or members of its
governing council because of the report.
“One is also cautiously enthused that Nigerian political
authorities did not dismiss the decision as the handiwork
of the opposition. If the silence from them is as a result of
a sober realization that security agencies went overboard
in the irresponsible way they falsely labelled the deceased
as Boko Haram and wickedly cut off their lives, then we
can only encourage them to continue in that path of
honour.
“However, if they were just too dazed that a government
agency had the liver to criticize and embarrass them and
are then waiting for the right time to strike, then it would
mean they do not know the immeasurable good that the
decision of the Commission has done for the government.
Serious governments need responsible Commissions to
whip overzealous security agents into line from time to
time”.

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Abuja bus station bombed in rush hour,death toll 35

At least 35 believed killed in bus station bombing during rush
hour in the capital Abuja, with toll expected to rise.
A blast at a bus depot on the outskirts of the Nigerian
capital Abuja has killed dozens of people during the morning
rush hour .
The blast , around 7 am at the Nyanya Motor Park , destroyed
more than 30 vehicles and caused secondary explosions as
their fuel tanks exploded and burned.
Reporters saw rescue workers and police gathering body
parts.
"We have been able to bring some of the dead to the
morgue and some injured have been taken to the hospital ,"
said Charles Otegbade, head of search and rescue at the
National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) .
He said his team had not yet been able to provide precise
figures on casualties .
A Reuters camerman reported seeing 20 bodies at the depot
at Nyanyan bridge, around 8 km south of Abuja, and two
witnesses said another 15 had already been removed by the
emergency services.
"I was waiting to get on a bus when I heard a deafening
explosion then smoke . People were running around in
panic ," said Mimi Daniels, who works in Abuja. Another blast
followed , she said , according to Reuters news agency.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility but
suspicion is likely to fall on armed group Boko Haram . The
group has been involved in increasing levels of violence in
the northeast .
Suspected Boko Haram members killed at least 60 people in
an attack on a village in northeast Nigeria late last week.
Eight people were killed in a separate attack at a teacher
training college, witnesses said .

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Insecurity: Butchers Union denies allegation of breeding Boko Haram in Borno

Alhaji Abubakar Gula, Chairman of the Borno State
butchers association has denied the allegation by the
Gwoza Christian Community Association (GCCA), that they
were using the Maiduguri abatoir as a breeding ground
for the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
He described the allegation as reckless, false and a
misrepresentation, under the guise of religion,
advertently to disrupt the relative peace being enjoyed by
the citizens of Borno State.
The Christian Community in Gwoza Local Government
Council of Borno State had in the recent past suffered
numbers of attacks, which they claimed was caused by
some politicians, who allegedly use the butchers of
Gwoza community in Borno to slaughter Christians.
The butchers’ association in a statement made available
to DailyPost in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital on
Monday, also stated that the sum of N25, 000,000
(twenty-five million naira) given to the butchers by Borno
State Governor, Kashim Shettima, was a grant to the
National Butchers’ Union of Nigeria, Maiduguri Branch.
“It is a common knowledge that such a gigantic
commercial site cannot be said to have consist of only
people from Gwoza, but it comprises of people from
different states of the federation irrespective of their
religion or tribes as well as people from the neigbouring
countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon republic”, the
statement signed by Alhaji Gula stressed.
They condemned the allegation that the abattoir was a
breeding ground for insurgency in the state, describing it
as malicious, baseless and devilish, intended only to
instigate hatred and disaffection among the peace loving
people of the state.
Also, Alhaji Mala Modu, the Chief Butcher at the Borno
Abattoir, said the allegation by GCCA was a deliberate
attempt to paint the group black and also tarnish the
image of its operators.

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Boko Haram attacks wedding convoy, kills groom, 30 others

Gunmen in north-eastern Nigeria city of Borno state have reportedly killed 30 people in an attack on a wedding convoy. The incident occurred on a notoriously dangerous road between Bama and Banki in Borno State. The groom was one of those said to have been killed in the attack. Despite the state of emergency declared by the Nigerian government, the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram has continued to attack Borno residents and the special security forces mobilized to the state. A commercial driver who ran into the scene of the attack had told AFP news agency that many of the victims appeared to have died out of bullet wounds. “All the victims were brutally murdered by the attackers,” said the driver, who had pleaded that his identity be concealed. “My passengers and I were shocked when we met the dead bodies lying by the highway.” It is not clear whether the bride and his family members survived the attack.

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Yobe students’ massacre: HURIWA asks for sack of heads of Police, SSS

Angered by the brutal murder of scores of students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba, Yobe State, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has called for the sack of the state’s Commissioner of Police and Director of the Department of State Security. HURIWA said it was an apparent dereliction of duty on their part as they were to protect innocent civilians. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and its Director of Media Affairs, Miss. Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said the failure of the Federal Government to hold top security chiefs responsible for failure of security in their areas of jurisdiction was partly responsible for the continuous breach of peace and security by all sorts of armed non-state actors across Nigeria since this administration assumed office. The rights group also said governments at every level have the constitutional obligation of safeguarding lives and property of every citizen in Nigeria and that the continuous violation of this sacred task was undemocratic and unconstitutional. It said this may gradually erode people’s confidence in the ability of the government to exercise its constitutional authority and legitimacy. HURIWA chided Federal Government for continuously failing to take urgent, comprehensive and result-oriented measures to build up the intelligence gathering capacity of armed operatives of Nigeria’s security forces. It described this as the root -cause of the dare-devil ‘successes’ recorded so far by armed Islamic insurgents and other armed non-state actors responsible for the spate of organised mass killings of Nigerians across the Northern states of Borno, Yobe, Plateau and Kaduna.

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Breaking News! Another Plane Crash in Nigeria! Plane Carrying 27

iSalute Media just got word there has been a plane crash in Nigeria. It is believe that former governor and former minister of Power’s Olusegun Aguagu family was on the plane with the dead body of the former governor. The family was flying the body home for burial. It is believed that the plane that crashed was a chartered-private jet. According to sources there have been 20 casualties but it has not been confirmed. According to a witness, the crash occurred at the local wing of the airport close to the section were JET-A1, plane fuel, is stored. Fire service officials were seen evacuating the occupants of the plane. The spokesman of the Nigeria aviation agencies, Yakubu Datti, asked for more time to get details of the incident, Premium Times reports.
The Ondo State Government has described the crash of the plane bearing the corpse of former Gov. Olusegun Agagu as it was taking off from Lagos, as shocking.
A statement on Thursday in Akure by Mr Eni Akinsola, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Olusegun Mimiko, said that a commissioner, family members, associates and other top government officials were involved in the crash.

“Information available indicates that there were casualties and a few survivors of this unfortunate crash. We are, however, still expecting more information.
“No doubt, this is an unfortunate disaster in the life of our dear state. We can only pray that God will visit the state with mercy and give us all the strength to bear these unfortunate losses.
“We ask all residents to be in a sober and prayerful mood at these trying times, as God is indeed the only person we should call upon in this period,” Akinsola said.
According to him, government assures that further and better information will be released on the crash as soon as they are available. (NAN)

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Military will never solve Boko Haram insurgency – Former CDS, Agwai

A former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Martin Luther Agwai, has stated that Nigeria’s military will not end the current Boko Haram insurgency. Agwai made this declaration on Saturday in Jos at the public launch of a book entitled, ‘Integrity Matters: Men of Honour in the Public Square’, written by the Dean, Graduate School, ECWA Theological Seminary, Jos. In his words: “You can never solve any of these problems with military solutions. The military can always be an enabling force. They will sensitise; they will stabilise the area. It is a political issue; it is a social issue; it is an economic issue, and until these issues are addressed, the military can never give you a solution. “So, to say the military has failed or is overwhelmed or has not failed is incorrect. But I will say that if anybody expects the military to give him a solution to this problem, it will be difficult, since it is not a military problem, it is not a war. You are not fighting another country invading Nigeria. So, you cannot get a military solution to that.” Agwai wondered how he is expected to pass judgement on the performance of deployed troops when he does not have “all the operators gathering the information and what is happening, the overall plan and the exit plan.” The one-time Chief of Army Staff (COAS), attributed his time in as head of the army and the armed forces to the grace of God, adding that there was insurgency in the southern part of the country at that time but was managed. On the nation’s 53 years anniversary, Agwai said he was glad when Nigeria became Independent, recalling that he started Senior Primary School that same year. “I remember vividly how we used to sing the old National Anthem, ‘Nigeria we hail thee’. I remember also vividly the Coat of Arms, the Green White Green they (the British) gave us. We have come a long way. Continuing, “As human beings, there are always high expectations. And I have always said that the most difficult thing to manage is expectation. There were other challenges, which included the civil war; we had our challenges, but we have also had our good points. “We have championed freedom in Africa. Everybody knows what role Nigeria played in getting South Africa and the southern part of Africa to become free and independent. Everybody knows what we did in Angola, everybody knows what we have done in our sub-region, in Liberia, in Sierra Leone, in Guinea Bissau and so many other places,”Agwai said.

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Several Students killed as Boko Haram attacks College of Agriculture in Yobe

Many students have been killed after suspected members of the Boko Haram sect last night, attacked a tertiary institution in Yobe state. The insurgents moved into the College of Agriculture, Gujba, 50 Km south of Damaturu, the state capital and killed several students. A staff of the school told Channels Television that several dead bodies are still being recovered from bushes, hostels and classes in and around the school. The source also revealed that surviving students are at the moment making efforts to reunite with their families in fear of further attacks by the insurgents. There is no reaction yet from both the federal and state governments, as well as security agencies regarding the incident.

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Apo killing: The squatters attacked the security men first – Army Chief, Azubuike Ihejirika

The Nigerian army had joined the SSS to further justify the claim that the squatters killed at the Apo legislative quarters attacked the combined team of SSS and the military first. The SSS had since the incident claimed that those killed in the operation were suspected members of Boko Haram who attacked the military during their operation in the uncompleted building. Army Chief, Azubuike Ihejirika, had further strengthened the claims of the SSS that the soldiers only returned fire after they were attacked. The claim has since been refuted by those who witnessed the incident, as they have continued to say that the squatters were innocent and did not launch any attack as claimed by the military and the SSS. The SSS had claimed in a statement issued just immediately after the incident that while it went to exhume some weapons purportedly buried by some Boko Haram members, they came under heavy attack, leading to the exchange of gunfire that killed about seven of the attackers. However, the SSS and the military that went for the operation are yet to make available to the public the weapons recovered from the site of the operation. Those who were at the site, had equally disclosed that there was nothing close to weapon excavation, and that the incident resulted from mere eviction of occupants of the building by the owner. Ads by safesaver Meanwhile, the House committee on Public Safety and National Security commenced investigation on the killing on Thursday. Lawmakers are of the opinion that it was completely against the law of the federal republic of Nigeria to have killed those young men, instead of an arrest, terming the action of the military and the SSS unfortunate. “We could not sleep that night and we were even scared to come out the following morning. It is not acceptable for the SSS to shoot people whether they are Boko Haram or Keke NAPEP (tricycle) operators. They should first be arrested and investigated,” said Clever Ikisikpo (PDP-Bayelsa) Mr. Ihejirika told journalists after a closed door meeting of the first hearing on the matter that, the operation was a success as it pre-empted attack in parts of Abuja. “I appeared before the House Committee on Public Safety and National Security on the joint operation conducted by the Directorate of State Security Services and a unit of the Nigeria Army,” he told reporters. “We briefed them and informed them of the mission which was to recover arms and weapons and make arrests. We also briefed them on the fact that on approach to the area, the security men were fired at and they had to return fire and also make arrests.” Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed had claimed that his office was not informed before the operation, yet claimed responsibility for the attack and the eventual killings. He said that henceforth, uncompleted buildings that have stayed more than the approved two years will either be demolished or turned to a police post.

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Apo killings: Findings link building to Obasanjo’s sister; Keke riders confirm Boko Haram infiltration

Emerging facts have punctured earlier claims that the uncompleted building in Apo legislative quarters, where seven squatters were killed with several others injured, is owned by a top military officer. State Security officers and men of the Nigerian Army had raided the shelter around 3am of Friday, September 20, on the ground that some Boko Haram members were residents. The occupants had told Nigerians that an unnamed Army Colonel (sic) issued to them, a one-week vacation notice to vacate the premises or face damning consequences. They also denied harbouring any insurgent/s in their midst, saying they all do menial jobs – including selling water, food, petty goods and riding tricycle (commonly called Keke) to earn a living. But a PREMIUM TIMES investigation has corroborated our Sunday’s exclusive report wherein a reliable source dismissed reports that a military officer owns the building. The online news site on Wednesday revealed that the ownership of the yet-to-be completed mansion was sucesssfully traced to one Mrs. Adunni Oluwole Salisu, believed to be the sister to former President, Olusegun Obasanjo. It reports that the documents from the Abuja Geographical Information Systems (AGIS) shows that the property, located at No. 8 Bamanga Tukur Street, Gudu District, near the Gudu cemetery, belongs to Mrs. Salisu. “Ownership details of property OG247326, unmistakably point to Mrs. Salisu land rights, but neither her, nor the former president, could be reached for comment; although authoritative family sources confirmed the ownership and the relationship.” the paper adds. An SSS officer who spoke under condition of anonymity, told DailyPost, that their mission was “not in anyway related to a military officer’s instruction.” “There’s nothing like that at all. We had placed that area under surveillance for some time as one of the suspects we arrested earlier, confirmed that a strong member of the sect, in company of his foot soldiers, was squatting in that building. “The guy was described as a rugged fellow who would not go down without a fight. Our source added that “This suspect (in detention) also disclosed that the militant buried the arms at a cemetery close by and that he and others would open fire if they see any movement around the (Gudu) cemetery, especially if it was not during the day. On the shootings, he explained that “The truth is it was the Boko Haram guys within that house that started firing when they heard movement. We are professionals; we know what is at stake. So we could not have gone there and open fire just like that. The SSS always respect the rule of engagement. “As we were digging the suspected location of the armoury, several gunshots were directed at us. We had no choice than to defend ourselves. “It was that point we realized that the suspect told the truth when he warned that we would be attacked. If you check, virtually all the survivors were hit at their back, buttock, or leg. He added that “This tells you that they were probably the innocent ones who were trying to flee because some of the occupants actually confronted us. A spokesman for the tricycle association himself confirmed the position of security officials, when he told Channels TV, that “because two or three Boko Haram people were in the building offers no excuse to kill innocent people.” The statement has been received in circles as an admittance that the SSS was right in the first place. Another cyclist speaking to DailyPost, said it is true that some members of the violent sect have infiltrated the riders union, “but what do we do,” he querried. “We have no evidence against them and even if we do, who will dare report to security people. “If you open your mouth to say anything and these people (Boko Haram) catches you, you and your family are finished,” the rider who plies the Galadimawa-Jabi route confided in our reporter Wednesday afternoon. Meanwhile, most of the squatters arrested at the building have been freed after they were found to be clean. Already, the Senate, the Police and the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, have all promised to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident.

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I did not kill anybody – Fayose

A former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr.
Ayo Fayose, yesterday dismissed the
rumour making the rounds that he
was a murderer, saying that his
political opponents were the people
behind the unfortunate rumour.
Speaking against the backdrop of the
renewed political crisis in the state,
and the rumour that he was behind
it, the former Governor said that the
rumour was part of a smear
campaign ahead of the 2014
governorship election in the state.
He said, “ My popularity in Ekiti
ahead of the 2014 governorship
election is a dilemma to my
opponents and that is why they are
looking for any opportunity to
blackmail me.
“I am not a murderer as they
claimed. Nobody or court has
arraigned me for murder in the last
seven years. Are we saying that the
system is not working.’’
Fayose said his political opponents
had nothing to use in campaigning
against him.
“It is all political gimmicks and
intrigues. They are running a failed
propaganda,’’ he said.
“Look at it again; there had been
renewed violence, attacks and killings
in Ekiti in the last couple of months
now just because people are
defecting from Action Congress of
Nigeria,CAN, to PDP to give me
support, ’’ he said.
He appealed to his supporters to
remain resolute and shun all acts
capable of heating up the polity.

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Amnesty for Boko Haram is legalization of terrorism – Anglican Youths

Anglican Youth Fellowship, Nigeria, had on Friday,
opined that the Federal government’s decision to
grant amnesty to the Islamic fundamentalists was
nothing but to legalize terrorism in Nigeria.
The President of AYF, Wuse Archdeaconry Council,
Barrister Isaac Harrison stated this during a workshop
organised for youth, with the theme; “Empowered To
Impact The World”, in Abuja.
According to him, “We cannot grant amnesty to people
we do not know, we cannot also grant amnesty to
people who had already made up their minds that
whether there is dialogue or not, they will go on with
whatever they are doing, If Boko Haram actually need
peace, they will not be killing those that are moving
towards that peace.
“So, the Anglican Youth Fellowship members are not
in support of the amnesty to Boko Haram.
“You should remember that some months ago, US
listed Nigeria as a terrorist country, it was by the
grace of God that we were able to release ourselves
from that situation, so, if we grant amnesty to Boko
Haram, it will means that Nigeria is a terrorist
country, because we will be seen to be legalizing
terrorism.”

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Boko Haram: Presidency faults amnesty promoters By Ameh Comrade Godwin

The Presidency, yesterday fired back at those calling
for amnesty for the Boko Haram sect, saying they
were politicising the issue.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public
Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said this in statement in
Abuja.
It would be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan
had, in his recent visit to Yobe State said the Federal
Government can not grant amnesty to the Islamic
Boko Haram and its allies, because, amnesty can only
be granted to people with a face and an identity..
He had said, “We cannot declare amnesty for Boko
Haram because we cannot declare amnesty for ghosts.
You cannot liken Boko Haram to what happened in
the Niger Delta.”
Prior to his declaration, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji
Saad Abubakar III, had called on the Federal
Government to grant Boko Haram total amnesty for
peace to reign.
Some prominent Nigerians, including a former Federal
Capital Territory Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and
an ex-Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, faulted the
President.
According to Ribadu, “Jonathan was wrong to have
said that he will not grant amnesty to Boko Haram; he
should not fail to protect the people and when people
call saying ‘we are tired; we are down’ even if it
means to dialogue and have a solution to the whole
process, he should opt for such.”
But Okupe, in a communique issued on Monday, said
the proponents of Boko Haram Amnesty should learn
from how the amnesty programme in the Niger Delta
was brokered.
He added that Jonathan had nothing to gain from the
prolonged wanton destruction of life and property by
members of the sect.
Okupe disclosed that Monarchs in the affected states
should prevail on the leadership of the sect to
abandon “their destructive pursuit and embrace
dialogue”, like the Militants in the Niger Delta did
before amnesty was granted to them.

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Stop hiding under the canopy of religion – CAN tells dreaded Boko Haram

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has blamed
the Boko Haram insurgency on bad leadership.
According to the state chairman of the association,
Rev. James Folaranmi, the Boko Haram menace will
stop if political leaders stop playing politics with
religion.
The cleric urged politicians to desist from playing
politics with religion to be able to tackle the
insurgency.
He said, “Political leaders should be faithful in
addressing the Boko Haram issue and desist from
using it to their advantage.
“The idea of allowing people to hide under the canopy
of religion should be disallowed. The Boko Haram
issue is politicised to the detriment of innocent
Nigerians,” he said.
Speaking further, the CAN chairman called on the
need for government and other stake holders to join
forces to tackle the spate of insecurity in the country.
He appealed to government to do more in its efforts
toward ensuring the safety of lives and property.
Folaranmi also called on traditional rulers and leaders
of thought to collaborate with government and
security agencies in order to find a lasting solution to
the growing insecurity in the country.

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Fear of Boko Haram: Ijora landlords may evict Northerners

Following the recent arrest of a Chadian and four
other suspected terrorists in a raid on Thursday by
over 100 soldiers and secret service agents in Ijora,
Lagos, many landlords in the community may have
decided to evict tenants of Northern extraction.
DailyPost gathered that the soldiers and secret service
agents reportedly found an improvised explosive
device, AK47 rifles, cartridges and daggers during the
raid at number 24, Aromire Street in the densely
populated community.
Two persons were reportedly arrested at 24, Aromire
Street and three others at a location in an adjacent
street.
The arrest caused a sudden palpable fear in the
community, with many of the residents saying there
might still be more suspects living among them being
an area noticeably with high population of Nigeriens,
Chadians and Northerners.
A landlord, Alhaji Ibrahim AbdulKareem, said that one
of his tenants, a Northerner, had been living in his
house for two years.
“He has never caused trouble for me but how can I
be sure he does not have a link with these people?
I’m not sure I will let him finish the nine months he
has left. My life and that of my family members are
important to me,” he said.
Another landlord simply who gave his name as Alhaji
Bashiru Igbalaye, said, “No, no, nobody is going to
hide a bomb in my house. I’m not even sure whether
the one is my house is from
Niger or Katsina. But he has to leave by the end of
this month.
“We are all afraid right now. We have been living
with two of the suspects probably for many years.
Who knows how many are still here?,” he added.

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PHOTOSPEAK: Ex-Boko Haram leader Kabiru Sokoto in Abuja court on Wednesday

Kabiru Sokoto is accused of masterminding the 2011
Christmas Day church bombing in Niger State, which
left more than 20 people dead. His trial was stalled
on Wednesday, due to negligence on the part of the
prosecuting lawyers.

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