News
High Above Its Owners …Rise, Invisibility Of Boko Haram
The seed of terror by its nature, is watered by a range of factors, some of which include, tacit support and or subservience of the community, patronage of influential people to oil their selfish ends and above all, weakness of the state’s intelligence-gathering capacity. Perhaps, the most dangerous of all others is the now perceived connivance of fifth columnists within the ranks of Security Agencies, naturally depended upon to check the menace.
At the beginning of what is today known as Boko Haram, while the state described its flock as a bunch of misinformed and irrational miscreants, the immediate community obliged them tacit support, either out of fear or conviction. That was perhaps, why no known protest was staged against its activities.
Part of the reasons for its immediate acceptance was rooted in its messages: To Islamise the Northern part of Nigeria and if possible the whole country, to abolish Western education which in their view, does not only guarantee brighter fortunes for Moslems, but prevents the girl child from getting married while still a virgin, and finally, that such insurgency would attract National attention to parts of the North and thus arm-twist the central government into appropriating huge resources towards addressing their fluctuating fortunes, as did for the Niger Delta.
There was also the selfish political class, who hoped to benefit from the insurgency and thus donated handsomely to the group, the agenda of the class being: to restore political power to the North and also seek and win tickets into plum political seats without much challenge.
But like all monsters often groomed by man, Boko Haram became an international terror group too awesome to be controlled by their original sponsors. And because such sponsors are faceless and would wish to remain so, their patronage became inconsistent, being watched by security agencies.
This perhaps accounts for why from its initial modus operandi of attacking Christian places of worship ‘infidels’ and schools the group expanded its targets to include attacks on motor parks, markets, media houses and even traditional rulers who seem non-supportive of their campaign.
It was no secret that apart from occasional bank robberies, Boko Haram benefited from contributions from highly placed Northern politicians for their protection while many others made various contributions, at one point or another, for self-relevance.
While these were on, the local and state governments on ground looked the other way, even if council chairmen and governors are chief security officers of their various areas and states for which they enjoy security votes that are never accounted for.
Perhaps, if the national security forces’ intelligence – gathering capacity had been what it should be, Boko Haram would have been checked during the Obasanjo Presidency, when it started rearing its head.
Added to this, is the protracted lack of political will on the part of the Jonathan presidency to confront the ménace as it should. The declaration of a state of emergency with a governor and other politicians in place clearly under-estimated the resolve of Boko Haram to make parts of Nigeria ungovernable.
If the Governors of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa were competent to tackle the menace, there should not have been a need for state of emergency in the first place. Who do military commanders take instructions from? Of course, their generals and the Commander-in-Chief. So, what is the role of a civilian governor in times of war? No meaningful development can take place in a clime of unabated bloodletting and carnage, so what are civilian governors doing, keeping their jobs?
This is why the Federal government must take the blame for all attacks during the period of the declaration of state of emergency, rightly or wrongly.
At normal times; the kidnap of more than 200 Chibok school girls from a school in a local government area, within a state should not have been blamed on Federal forces. But with the state of emergency, it is indeed a federal government responsibility, hence the campaign ‘bring back our girls; the sincerity or otherwise of the campaigners, notwithstanding.
My Agony is that up till now, the Federal government is unable to make public the list of Boko Haram sponsors which many Nigerians believe, the Presidency should have.
The Organised Labour yesterday, called on the Federal Government to ensure inclusiveness in policy making and guide against erosion of rights, such as free speech and association.
The President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero made the call at the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration held at the Eagle’s Square, Abuja.
The Tide source reports Ajaero and the President, Trade Union Congress, Mr Festus Osifo delivered a joint statement on behalf of the organised labour at the event.
Ajaero described May Day as, not only a moment to honour workers’ sacrifices, but also a platform to demand justice and accountability from those in public office.
He frowned at the alleged suppression of protests, and the erosion of rights of workers by some agents
According to him, workers have a duty to resist economic injustice, insecurity, and policies that undermine their dignity.
Speaking on the theme of the day, the NLC President underscored the need for Nigerian workers to reclaim the civic space and resist policies that contribute to worsening economic conditions.
“Our theme this year – “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the midst of Economic Hardship – reflects the urgent need for citizens to protect democracy and push back against repression.
“The civic space, where Nigerians express their concerns and challenge injustices is shrinking.
“If we fail to reclaim this space, the foundation of our democracy risks collapse,” he said
Ajaero, therefore, urged workers to unite and resist division, fear, and despair.
He also urged them to mobilise and organise for change, declaring that the right to demand better conditions is non-negotiable.
“Without workers, there is no society; without labour, there is no development. We must take our place in the fight for economic justice and democratic governance.”
Speaking in the same veins, Osifo said workers are the backbone of the nation—the educators, healthcare providers, builders, farmers, and innovators who sustain its economy -.
He stressed the need for the labour to reclaim the civic space even in the midst of economic hardship.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disassociated itself from a fraudulent site requesting payments from candidates who missed the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
The board said that the site, “Copyrightwriter Personal J Rescheduling Flw” and account number 8520641017 at Sterling Bank, associated with it, are scam.
The disclaimer is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Thursday by the Board’s Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin.
Benjamin said the account is being exploited to defraud unsuspecting candidates who missed their UTME.
“We issue this urgent notice to inform the public about this nefarious scheme targeting candidates who were unable to participate in the UTME.
“Some unscrupulous individuals are deceitfully soliciting payments of N15,700 under the false pretence of offering rescheduling services for the examination.
“Let us be unequivocal: this, it is a blatant scam, and we are confident that the public will not fall prey to such cheap and regressive tactics.
” The individuals behind this scam have no affiliation with JAMB or any legitimate government agency.
“The account details provided in these communications are entirely fictitious and bear no connection to any official processes; they exist solely for the purpose of perpetrating fraud,” he said.
Benjamin called on Sterling bank to take immediate and decisive action against this criminal activity.
According to him, JAMB has reported the matter to the relevant security agencies and actively pursuing those responsible for this deceitful act.
He further said that “JAMB does not reschedule examinations for candidates who miss their scheduled tests due to reasons unrelated to the Board’s actions”.
He, however, said that the Board is conducting a thorough investigation for candidates whose biometrics failed during verification and were thus unable to sit for the examination.
He said those without discrepancies would be invited to retake the examination at no cost , stressing that “no cost is required”
“It is imperative to understand that JAMB does not charge any fees for examinations after a candidate has completed their registration.
“We strongly urge all candidates to remain vigilant and not to succumb to these fraudulent schemes.
“Protect yourselves and report any suspicious activity immediately,” he explained.
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has expressed its willingness to partner with the United Nations (UN) to accelerate the development of the Niger Delta region.
Dr Samual Ogbuku, Managing Director of the NDDC, made the appeal in a statement issued by the commission’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mrs Seledi Thompson-Wakama, in Port Harcourt on yesterday.
According to the statement, Ogbuku sought the UN’s support during his visit to the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRHC), Mr Mohammed Fall, at the UN regional office in Abuja.
He called on the global body to provide the NDDC with technical assistance and expert services to support the region’s development.
“We are eager to collaborate with the UN, recognising that the state governments in the region and the NDDC alone cannot achieve the level of regional development required,” he said.
Ogbuku identified key areas where support would be needed, including the provision of portable and affordable drinking water powered by high-tech solar energy sources.
He also highlighted the importance of reforesting the mangrove swamps, which have been severely damaged by decades of environmental degradation caused by oil exploration in the Niger Delta.
“Although the NDDC has made progress in providing solar-powered streetlights across the region, we still require UN support in delivering solar energy solutions for residential buildings.
“We also wish to explore the possibility of installing solar mini-grids in homes across communities, which would boost local commerce and trade,” he added.
The NDDC managing director further appealed for increased UN involvement in areas such as healthcare, education, youth training, gender development, and food security.
Ogunku stated that such interventions would significantly enhance the standard of living in the region.
In response, Fall affirmed the UN’s readiness to collaborate with the NDDC to fast track development in the Niger Delta.
He assured that the UN would support initiatives in food security, job creation, education, and renewable energy, among other areas.
“We aim to approach development in the Niger Delta holistically, rather than focusing solely on environmental pollution.
“This is merely an entry point; however, the UN’s development vision aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are designed to positively impact various aspects of people’s lives,” Fall stated.
He assured the NDDC of continued and fruitful engagements to drive the region’s development.
-
Politics4 days ago
Bayelsa PDP Crisis Deepens As Factional CTC Sacks Party Management Structure
-
Featured4 days agoRSG Commits To Workers’ Welfare …. Calls For Sustained Govt, Labour Partnership
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Health Professions Not Superior To Others – Bayelsa Dep Gov
-
Nation4 days agoCBEX Resumes Operations Despite SEC Ban, N1.2trn EFCC Probe
-
Women4 days ago
Justice Prevails Over Osinachi’s Death
-
Rivers4 days agoBook Title “Managing Projects Successfully” Launch In Port Harcourt
-
Politics4 days ago
Enugu LP Loses Pub Sec To PDP
-
Nation4 days agoHYPREP Inducts 100 Ogoni Youths For Creative Arts Training