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Boko Haram Is Fighting Jonathan, Christians, Shekau Claims

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Boko Haram Is Fighting Jonathan, Christians, Shekau Claims

Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

The wanted leader of the outlawed Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, has emerged in a new video making it clear that the group’s agitation was a religious fight against Christians and the Christian-led federal government.

Shekau, who has a N50 million bounty on his head, threatened to carry out vicious attacks during the Yuletide season, particularly against Christians.

“They try to brainwash the people that we are fighting an ethnic war. No, we are fighting a religious war, we are fighting Jonathan, we are fighting Christians. If you are not lucky you will not celebrate this your December. If you are not lucky this December you will not go to your churches or you will celebrate it in fear,” he taunted.

Shekau’s claims about the sects agenda against Christians is, however, untrue as the Boko Haram sect has carried out attacks on several mosques and Muslim interests, killing scores of Muslim faithful in the process.

In the new video, the wanted man also took responsibility for the attack on a military barracks in Bama, Borno state on December 20.

He also claimed that the sect inflicted huge fatalities on the Nigerian military.

A visibly excited Shekau who was surrounded by some members of his gang said the victory recorded in Bama was unprecedented and came as a shock to the group.

He said had he received clear instructions from Allah, he and his men would have feasted on the remains of the soldiers killed, attributing the success of the attack to God.

“It is in the same Bama that our brothers pulverized 21 armoured tanks. People in multitudes were killed, bodies scattered all over and the sight would astonish any onlooker. Soldiers hid under blankets in their rooms and our fighters pursued them and blew out their brains. This is to show our muslim brethren that victory comes from Allah,” he said.

“We were amazed by the victory in Damaturu, then a greater victory was achieved in Maiduguri and now Bama operation is better than Maiduguri. And tomorrow we will go to….”, he added, before his speech was interrupted with shouts of “Allahu Akbar”.

As for the N50 million bounty placed on him by the federal government, Shekau said: “What is N50 million. Do you know what we are doing? Your armoured tank is worth more than N50 million and we burnt it. Haven’t we burnt your aircraft? What is N50 million. We do not worship money.”

The United States of America had also promised a reward of $7 million to anyone who can turn in the sect leader but Shekau boasted that he could never be caught as he receives protection from Allah.

“It is difficult indeed. The way you hide Jonathan in Aso Rock and hide Obama in White House, so does Allah hide me under His protection. You are with Jonathan and Obama while I am with Allah. Let’s play then,” he said.

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Confirming the gravity of the Bama attack, the director, Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, a Major-General, said high caliber weapons such as anti-aircraft and rocket propelled guns were “freely used” in the operation which lasted several hours.

He had said that attack was carried out by terrorists who came from cells located across the Nigerian border with Cameroun, but that they were repelled by ground troops backed by the Air Force.

Olukolade said details of the casualties recorded would be released as soon as search operations in the area are concluded, but its been more than one week now with no details from the Army and the Boko Haram sect now claims to have had an upper hand in the exchange of gunfire.

kidnappers Kill Nurse After Taking N1.5 million Ransom

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kidnappers Kill Nurse After Taking N1.5 million Ransom

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Despite collecting a ransom of N1.5 million, kidnappers of 43 year-old Bridget Osawaru have killed their victim and dumped her mutilated body near Okhuahie hill, located along Benin/Asaba expressway, in Uhunmwode local government area of Edo State.

Osawaru, a nurse, was reportedly abducted from her residence along Sapele Road in Benin City on December 10.

It was gathered that family members of the late nurse had paid the ransom money three days after her abduction, hoping that she would be released to them immediately.

Sadly, her dead body was found near a hill with marks which the Police say suggested she must have been stabbed to death.

A police source who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that stab wounds made by a sharp object were found on her body.

The source added that the police is working on the theory that she could have been assassinated and that the case has been transferred to the homicide section at the state police headquarters.

Turkish Ministers Resign Over corruption Probe

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Turkish Ministers Resign Over corruption Probe

Three Turkish ministers have resigned over a high-level corruption crackdown in which the sons of three cabinet ministers and renowned businessmen were arrested.

Economy minister Zafer Caglayan, Interior minister Muammer Guler and Environment minister Erdogan Bayraktar, announced their resignations on Wednesday.

Turkey has been shaken by sensational corruption investigations since last week that led to dozens of detentions and 24 arrests of people ranging from influential business leaders to senior bureaucrats and the ministers’ sons.

Caglayan’s son, Salih Kaan Caglayan, Guler’s son, Baris Guler and Bayraktar’s son, Oguz Bayraktar, were among those arrested in the sweep, which Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called a “dirty operation” to smear his administration and undermine the country’s progress.

Bayraktar, while addressing the media on Wednesday said he was resigning his seat in the parliament along with his position in the cabinet.

Announcing his resignation, he said he expected the prime minister too to do the same thing.

“I am stepping down as a minister and a Member of Parliament. I believe the prime minister should also resign,” he said.

Similarly, Caglayan announced his resignation in a written statement on Wednesday morning, calling the investigations a ‘dirty set up’ against Turkey and the ruling Justice and Development Party, AKP.

Rejecting any wrongdoing during his time, he said he was resigning in order not to disrupt investigations.

“I am stepping down from my post as economy minister so that this ugly game targeting my close colleagues and my son would be spoiled and the truth would be revealed,” Caglayan said.

The government started reshuflling the Turkish police force hours after the investigation was revealed, moving dozens of senior police officers, including the Istanbul police chief, to passive positions over Ankara’s claims of ‘abuse of office’.

Retired Justice Saidu Kawu Dies At 85

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Retired Justice Saidu Kawu Dies At 85

A retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Saidu Kawu, has passed away at a private hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He was aged 85.

Justice Suleiman Kawu, the eldest son of the deceased, confirmed his death to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, saying the retired justice died Wednesday evening after a brief illness.

Suleiman said that the deceased would be buried on Thursday morning in IIorin according to Islamic rites.

Kawu was the pioneer Chief Judge of Kwara State and was appointed as a justice of the Supreme Court on August 12, 1984. He retired in 1993.

The Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, described Kawu’s death as painful and a great loss to the state and the country.

According to him, Kawu’s death marked the close of a chapter in the annals of the country’s judiciary.

He said Kawu, through his judicial pronouncements, helped in shaping and developing judicial processes in the country.

Meanwhile, sympathisers, including members of the bench and the bar, have started paying condolence visit to the family compound of the late jurist.

Gov Wada Rallies Support For PDP in Kogi

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Gov Wada Rallies Support For PDP in Kogi

The governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada on Wednesday urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state to remain steadfast in spite of the recent defections by some members to opposition parties in some parts of the country.

The governor spoke at Kpata, Bassa local government area while inaugurating the permanent secretariat of PDP Ward 5 built at a cost of N7 million.

“PDP remains the toast of the people at the grassroots,” he said.

Wada commended members in the state for what he called their loyalty and commitment to the ideals of the party and lauded the effort of members in the ward for building a befitting secretariat, describing it as the first of its kind in the area.

Wada, who was accompanied by his wife, Halima, urged other wards in the state to emulate Ward 5.

Earlier, the commissioner for rural development, Umar Mohammed, described the secretariat as a dream come true.

He said PDP had also won new members from the opposition parties in the area.

Also speaking, the chairman of the party in the ward, Idris Amodu, appealed to the governor to ensure early completion of the hospital in Kpata

FG repatriates 80 Illegal Nigerian Immigrants From Saudi Arabia

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FG repatriates 80 Illegal Nigerian Immigrants From Saudi Arabia

The first batch of 80 out of 508 Nigerians to be repatriated from Saudi Arabia arrived the country Wednesday, an official of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has said.

The assistant director, relief and rehabilitation, NEMA, Daniel Obot, disclosed that the 80 deportees, mainly women and children, arrived Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on board an Ethiopian Airline plane at about noon.

They are among the 508 Nigerians illegally residing in Saudi Arabia, who had indicated interest to return home following the clampdown on illegal residents by the Saudi government.

The federal government quickly approved the repatriation of those Nigerians who had voluntarily agreed to return.

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Obot said the deportees who hail from eight states in the North-east and North-central parts of the country would be handed over to officials of agencies in their various states after due clearance.

Thirty-one of the deportees are from Kano state, 19 from Borno, three from Bauchi, eight from Jigawa, seven from Yobe, two from Plateau, one from Nasarawa and nine from Katsina.

More deportees are expected to arrive in the country on Thursday, while about 951 Nigerians, who were arrested in Saudi, are still being held in a camp.

Former Anglican Primate, Peter Akinola, Feared Kidnapped

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Former Anglican Primate, Peter Akinola, Feared Kidnapped

Even in this yuletide season, the business of kidnapping continues to thrive, as gunmen have abducted Peter Akinola, the former Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, in Abeokuta.

The Ogun Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident but said it was too early to conclude that it was a kidnap.

Adejobi, a deputy superintendent of Police, DSP, said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered a manhunt for the suspects.

“We are aware of the incident, but it is too early to jump to conclusion that he was kidnapped. We were told that some armed men waylaid him and went away with his vehicle, himself and the driver; but we have seen cases where armed men will steal a vehicle and go away with its owner or occupant for their own safety, therefore, it’s too early to draw the line that it is kidnapping,” he said.

He added: “We have alerted our men and we have details of the vehicle and by God’s grace, it will not be a sad situation. The primate will be safe. The CP and the Area Commander are out to make sure he is safe.”

The police spokesman urged the public to assist the command by volunteering information on criminal activities in the state.

EFCC Says It Has No Score To Settle With Oronsaye

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has denied media reports that it is witch-hunting the former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye, over his perceived support for the Financial Intelligence Agency Bill, currently before the National Assembly.

It would be recalled that the commission had commenced investigation on Oronsaye for diverting N6.2 billion pension fund through the award of bogus contract meant for biometric enrollment and payment for computer accessories that were never supplied while he headed the federal civil service.

The EFCC had closed investigations in the Pension case in 2010, but in a twist on December 7 reopened the matter saying it has fresh evidence of Oronsaye’s involvement in the fraud.

The commission said that as a law enforcement agency, it can determine when to commence investigations on anyone it finds wanting, adding that it was not the place of interested parties outside the EFCC to determine when an investigation is closed in a particular matter.

“Let it be made manifestly clear that the EFCC is a responsible and responsive law enforcement agency and has no scores whatsoever to settle with Mr. Oronsaye or any other person for that matter,” it stated.

According to the EFCC, “the pension scam investigation is an ongoing exercise and if anyone is mentioned as having played a role in it at whatever stage (as indeed Mr. Oronsaye is alleged to have done), he or she will be invited to shed more light on his/her alleged involvement (as indeed, Mr. Oronsaye has done).”

It noted that what it has done is in line with standard practice in the best tradition of law enforcement worldwide, stressing that “time does not run out on criminal investigation or prosecution and if fresh information is brought to the attention of the EFCC at any time on any matter the Commission is handling, we are duty bound to look into it.”

It urged Nigerians not to be misled by attempts to divert attention from unravelling those behind the theft of N6billion belonging to pensioners.

Oronsoye is the chairman of the Presidential Committee on the Financial Action Task Force and he had recommended the merger of the EFCC with Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related offences Commission, ICPC.

He is also a strong supporter of the autonomy of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, a unit presently under the EFCC which has been battling the Commission for autonomy.

Amnesty International Decries Police Brutality In South Korea

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Amnesty International Decries Police Brutality In South Korea

A global watchdog, Amnesty International, has called on the South Korean authorities to stop unlawful police raids and arrests of trade unionists and respect the rights of striking workers in the country.

It said about 130 trade unionists were arrested on Sunday when 5,000 policemen raided the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, KCTU, in response to a strike by railway workers over fears that large-scale layoffs may be looming.

Several workers were injured when police used pepper spray.

The police raid, which was carried out without a search warrant, was the first on the KCTU’s headquarters since it was given legal status in 1999 and the body of trade unions describes the action as “illegal”.

“The police raid on the Kyunghyang Daily building without a search warrant is an apparent crime. We will file a complaint against the police for their criminal act to hold them accountable,” KCTU said at a press conference.

It said the Police had requested a search warrant, but a Seoul district court had dismissed the request, and, with only arrest warrants, the Police proceeded to break into its office and carry out “violent operations” which it had no right to do.

“We will ask police and President Park Geun-hye to take responsibility for this illegal labor-suppressing,” the group said, adding that it will launch a massive strike on December 28 in a protest of the Geun – hye administration.

The Lawyers for a Democratic Society in a statement said that such a police raid without a search warrant is, “an abuse by the police force.”

But the Police has flatly denied allegations that the raid was illegal.

National Police Agency Chief, Lee Sung-han, said asking the Police to take responsibility is unfair, insisting that the entry was a legitimate enforcement of law made with strong evidence that the labout leaders were hiding in the building.

The police chief said: “Police had requested search warrants before the operation, but it seems that the court dismissed it because the court didn’t consider search warrants necessary.”

He explained that police raided the office because they could not ignore wanted criminals staying at a certain place and masterminding an illegal strike.

“I made all the decisions regarding the operation and I’m the one who should take responsibility,” the Police boss said further.

The strike began on December 9 to protest a decision by Korea Railroad, KORAIL, to set up a separate company to run a new bullet train line.

The Korean Railway Workers Union, KRWU, which is part of the KCTU, fears that the move would lead to a privatization of KORAIL and large-scale layoffs.

On December 18, Prime Minister Chung Hong-won reportedly branded the railway workers’ strike “illegal” and said the government would counter the industrial action with stern measures.

KORAIL subsequently suspended 7,927 workers participating in the strike as a disciplinary action.

Warrants for arrests of 28 union officers were issued based on criminal charges of ‘obstruction of businesses’ and two union leaders were arrested.

KORAIL has also filed a lawsuit worth $7.25 million in damages against the KRWU and its 186 leaders.

Amnesty International says these developments are in direct contravention of internationally recognized labour standards.

“This is a blatant attempt by the Korean authorities to deny the rights of striking workers and to cripple the legitimate work of the trade union. It is a clear breach of international standards,” the Asia-Pacific deputy director at Amnesty International, Polly Truscott said.

Borno Group Berates Rep For Supporting Jonathan

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Borno Group Berates Rep For Supporting Jonathan

Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

A group known as the Maiduguri Patriotic Front, MPF, has criticised the House of Representatives member representing the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Kyari Gujbawu, for abandoning his legislative duties and acting as a mouthpiece for President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement signed by its secretary, Abba Kime Lawan, the MPF accused Gujbawu of “selling out his constituency of Borno mainly to please the Presidency for his selfish interests which can best be described as errand sycophancy”.

Lawan said Gujbawu may have resorted to sycophancy and bootlicking in order to win the heart of President to appoint him minister upon his calculation that he may not be re-elected.

The group reminded the lawmaker that he was elected to speak on behalf of the people of Maiduguri who are now displeased with him, especially in the way the Boko Haram crisis is being handled by President Jonathan

“it is unfortunate that Gujbawu has made it his ‘new legislative duty’ to regularly and unnecessarily speak against the overall interest of Borno people over matters the Rep member shows clear ignorance of,” the statement said.

The MPF expressed concern that Gujbawu was fast becoming a “lost son” and adviced him to retrace his steps and begin to take decisions that are in the interest of the people he represents “before it is too late”.

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