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FG Confirms 110 Girls Missing: Your Tears Not Enough, PDP Tells FG, APC …We ‘ve Lost Faith In FG -BBoG …Buhari Has No More Integrity -Adebanjo

Published

6 years ago

February 26, 2018

After unfruitful attempt to down play the recent kidnapping incident in Yobe State, the Federal Government, yesterday, confirmed that 110 schoolgirls of Government Girls Technical School, Dapchi, were unaccounted for in the Boko Haram attack on the school last Monday.
Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, disclosed this to newsmen in Damaturu after a closed door meeting between a Federal Government delegation, Yobe State Government, security agencies, community leaders and parents of the missing schoolgirls.
“It was a meeting between stakeholders to get a first hand information and, out of the total register of 906 students in school that day, 110 students are unaccounted” he said.
The minister said far reaching decisions were reached among which included the deployment of police and Civil Defence Corps to all schools.
He said security agencies were synergizing to ensure the rescue of every student abducted by the insurgents.
“No stone will be left unturned in our determination to rescue these girls” the minister assured.
He said the federal, state governments and parents would collaborate with security agents to work towards successful rescue of the students.
Mohammed reiterated that the insurgents were being contained and now looking for soft targets.
“Government will remain focused and resolute in the fight against insurgency to rescue the students and every Nigerian in their custody.”
It would be recalled that Government Girls Technical College, Dapchi, was last Monday, attacked by Boko Haram insurgents, who abducted the schoolgirls
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to stop shedding crocodile tears and instead, provide answers to urgent questions surrounding the recent abduction of schoolgirls in Dapchi, Yobe State.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, said the Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency has a lot of questions to answer regarding the alleged complicity of security agencies around the area coupled with misleading reports that frustrated immediate rescue of the abducted girls.
“The PDP, and indeed, all well-meaning Nigerians are appalled by the crocodile tears being shed by the incompetent and deceptive APC-Federal Government instead of scaling up actions on the matter.
“Nigerians have been in shock over revelations by the Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Gaidam, that the abduction was preceded by withdrawal of troops around Dapchi, thereby rendering the area defenceless and paving the way for insurgents to attack and abduct our girls.
“We challenge the Presidency to come out clean on issues surrounding this abduction. Who authorized the said withdrawal of troops from the area and for what purpose? What alternative security measures were put in place to protect the people after the troops were withdrawn?
“Who controls security intelligence gathering and consequential protection action and what action was taken to guarantee adequate security in the area?
“We charge the Federal Government to open up on who scripted and released the false rescue report which frustrated prompt action that would have led to the recovery of our innocent girls? Why was that misleading report issued and whose interest did it serve?
“Indeed, from all indications, every right thinking Nigerian has deduced that there are more than meet the eyes in this ugly episode for which those in authority have a lot of questions to answer.
“We invite the world to note that after exposing the community to harm and frustrating prompt rescue, the incompetent APC-controlled Federal Government has not taken any concrete step to give the abductors the desired chase to recover our girls.
“Rather, they sent a delegation of persons with no knowledge of security to Dapchi on fact-funding missions,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the convener of the #BringBackOur Girls (BBOG) movement, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, has said that the group no longer has faith in the ability and capacity of President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to deliver on its campaign promise to rescue the children, including students, and women abducted by Boko Haram insurgents.
Making reference to the massacre of residents in Benue State on New Year day and subsequently, and the ‘lackadaisical’ attitude of the Federal Government, Ezekwesili explained that the same situation that played out during the attack on Chibok in 2014, in which the then government seemed to be more interested in campaigning for its re-election than in the incident, appeared to be replaying under Buhari.
The former minister of education also alluded to the Buhari-led Federal Government’s lack-lustre handling of last Monday’s abduction of about 105 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Dapchi, Yobe State, by Boko Haram sect, a group, the government and the military claimed to have defeated.
She made this position known in an interview with newsmen, last Saturday in Abuja.
Ezekwesili said: “Nobody was paying attention, more or less. Everything was about winning the election in 2015, so, here we are in 2018, 2019 is election year – the same pattern is repeated. So, I simply said I’ve had enough of this”.
She stressed that it was high time Nigerians went beyond merely wishing for good governance.
Speaking further, Ezekwesili, who described herself as an “impatient optimist” while the government, on the contrary, accused her of being confrontational, stated that the government had “looked for her trouble” with such comments.
She defended the cause for which her movement, the BBOG was fighting, saying that the present government, even prior to its coming into power, had promised to rescue the Chibok girls, only to come into power and become ‘relaxed’ about it.
Ezekwesili noted that even if the government had been making efforts, its manner of approach, especially towards the parents of the missing girls, was “appalling”.
“Going adversarial on us was not welcome at all,” she stressed.
“It is time for us to have better governance in the society. It is time to stop failing.
“Nigeria needs to claim the 21st century, and for us to do that, the quality of our leadership would matter.
“I haven’t been excited at the fact that we keep losing opportunities that we have, to catch up with the rest of our contemporaries in the world as a nation.
“APC and PDP are the dominant players in our political space. We don’t have a political party crisis, we have a political class crisis, and so, I said as a citizen, I’m putting out my red card, and when I put it out, other citizens said they had red cards to put out too”.
Ezekwesili challenged the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to be proactive in efforts to rescue the remaining Chibok school girls, and also ensure that the just kidnapped Dapchi school girls by Boko Haram insurgents are returned to their parents as quickly as possible.
Also, Elder statesmen, Ayo Adebanjo has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has lost his integrity.
He also advised the Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo to step down in solidarity with Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s struggle for true federalism.
Asked if some corruption scandals in current administration have stained the reputation of integrity with which Buhari campaigned for president in 2015 and won, Adebanjo said that the president’s integrity was already gone.
According to him, his (Buhari’s) integrity is gone. He should know that, except those who are still ‘chopping’ (eating) under his government. All those who thought he had integrity have seen that none of it is there.
“When a man who has integrity authorises his attorney general to go and meet a criminal in a strange land, and then reinstates that criminal? It’s a pity.”
Adebanjo, claimed that the ‘juju at Aso Rock has turned Vice-President Yemi Osinbanjo into worst devil’.
Speaking on Osinbajo, he added, “Don’t mind that one. I have told him to remember the son of who he is. His father and I were the followers of (Chief Obafemi) Awolowo on federalism.
“He was born in federalism. And when he was the attorney general in Lagos, he took Obasanjo to court over local government allocation that was depriving Lagos of its due resources. He won the case up to the Supreme Court. Now, he is the vice president.
“It just reminds me of what Reuben Abati wrote that there is something wrong; the moment some people get to Aso Rock, there is a ‘juju’ there that turns the good people among them into the worst devils.
“He should have resigned. I say that without any hesitation. The vice president — I know him from his youth — highly intelligent and highly qualified.
“He is a professor, who is very sound. He has a job of his own. He is not jobless. Why shouldn’t he resign? He went there with the thought to serve, maybe thinking of the West that, if there are any excesses of the president, he would be able to check it.
“No! He was brought into wealth and he was silenced because of office. So, the vice president has no excuse. Bola Tinubu has no excuse, particularly the vice president, who is a professional in his own right. He knows about all these ills. He has fought against them before. All these things are going on and you are seeing it?”
In another development, the Governor of Yobe State, Ibrahim Gaidam, has blamed the Nigeria military for the attack on Dapchi town and the abduction of schoolgirls from the community by Boko Haram.
Mr. Gaidam said the attack came barely a week after the military withdrew troops from the town.
He said if the soldiers had been on ground, the attack on the town and subsequent abduction of schoolgirls would not have been possible.
Mr. Gaidam said this when he hosted the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, who was in Damaturu on a sympathy visit.
“I blame the whole attack on Dapchi on the military and the defence headquarters who withdrew troops from Dapchi. The attack occurred barely a week after the military withdrew the soldiers from there,” the Yobe governor said.
“Before then, Dapchi has been peaceful, there was never such incident. But just a week after they withdrew the troops, Boko Haram came to attack the town.
The governor said the Dapchi incident was not the first time the absence of soldiers in the Boko Haram troubled state would be expose residents to such kind of attacks.
He also recalled that in 2013, a secondary school in Buni-Yadi was attacked a week after the military removed soldiers guarding the town. At least 29 students were killed in that attack.
“Let me be quoted anywhere, the military must take blame for the attack on Dapchi. The same thing happened in 2013 when the military suddenly removed troops guarding the town and a week later Boko Haram went there to attack the town and the secondary school there killing 29 students.”
The military is yet to release any official statement on the Dapchi attack, but told our correspondent last week it was not aware any of the girls had been rescued contrary to a claim by the state government which was later withdrawn.
The Yobe State Government recently said it has spent N15.8 billion in the last three years on fighting the Boko Haram insurgency. Most of the expenditure are in form of support for the military, the state said.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr. Shettima who was in Damaturu on behalf of the Northern Governors’ Forum which he heads, expressed his sympathy to the government and people of Yobe State over the “unfortunate incident”.
“On behalf of the 19 Northern Governors’ forum, we have come to show our sympathy and let you know that we are with you in this traumatic period,” he said.
Mr. Shettima called on the security agencies to ensure the abducted girls are rescued on time.
Over 100 schoolgirls were kidnapped last Monday by the terrorists when they attacked the Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi.
The federal government is yet to acknowledge the exact number of girls kidnapped by the terrorists. Parents of the girls, however, released 105 names of missing girls believed to have been abducted by the terrorists.
The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and that of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, are currently in Yobe as part of efforts to review the situation.

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Be Firm In Fight Against Oil Theft, Fubara Tells CNS …As Navy Moves Training Hqtrs To Rivers …Seizes 14 Vessels In Three Months

Published

16 hours ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has encouraged the Nigerian Navy to be firm in the fight against all forms of economic sabotage, particularly crude oil theft, in the nation’s waterways.
The Governor noted with delight the positive results already recorded by the Navy in the State due largely to the tremendous support it has received from his administration.
Governor Fubara spoke when he hosted on courtesy visit, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla with his delegation of top officers of Navy High Command at Government House in Port Harcourt,yesterday.
The Rivers State Governor stated that Nigeria was facing myriad of crises, including economic challenges, rising insecurity and criminal activities that threaten the national economy, which should not be overlooked.
He said, “We are working together, we will give you all the support to make sure that you deliver on your mandate.
”And what is the mandate? You were appointed at a time when our country is facing a lot of crises, and your duty, among others, include to reduce, if it cannot be eliminated completely, the criminalities perpetrated on the waterways; oil theft and others.
”And I am happy that they are positive and commendable records of achievement so far, in the course of your tenure.”
Governor Fubara said the good news of reduced level of oil theft in Rivers State is evidence of the many positive things that are happening in the State beyond the much hyped negativity, and assured that such positive achievements will be sustained.
The State Chief Executive insisted: “The success of the Nigerian Navy in our State, in the areas of oil theft, is because the State Government has given you all the necessary support.
”We have collaborated with the command here. We supported them morally, and with all the necessary logistics.
”We have also maintained good relationship with the communities to make sure that whatever it is that is required for these operations to be successful were granted. I am happy to be associated with these very laudable achievements.”
Governor Fubara said: “So, I have to say that I am happy that the Chief of Naval Staff, today, is commending the success of the exercise. He is commending the doggedness of the men in fighting oil theft, not just in the Niger Delta, but particularly in our State.
”I want to assure you that we will continue to give them the support, and discourage any act that would be a sabotage to the economy of our State.”
Governor Fubara said that Rivers State was not named in error: there are several water channels that can boost the operations of the Navy. This is why we are requesting that the Nigerian Navy move all its bases to the State.
”It was not a mistake they called it Rivers State. It is surrounded with all forms of rivers. You want the Atlantic region, you can get it here. You want those small creeks, you can also get it here. Maybe, if you want an Island, you can also find it here.
”So, it is proper if we work with you and you have all that is required within this geographic region, to have all your bases relocated to Rivers State,” he said.
He further said: “We must continue to give you the necessary support to make sure that you succeed. I am happy to also say that, as the Governor of the State by the special grace of God, we are still here, not minding the dramas here and there. We will not let our people down in ensuring that we protect their interest.
”We will support the genuine course of governance; the protection of lives and provision of basic amenities. And these can only be achieved when there is a peaceful environment.
”And the peaceful environment can only come when there is a collaboration with security agencies to prevent crimes, and protect lives and property of residents.”
In his address, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, reiterated that the Nigerian Navy and Rivers State are like conjoined twins who cannot do without each other.
This is because, he said, they needed collaboration on various aspects of their activities ranging from training, operations, logistics, adding that Rivers State is key to their performance.
”My purpose of coming here today are three folds. The first is to inform His Excellency that on Saturday, we are graduating a set of former civilians who have been trained at our Basic Training School, Onne, and are graduating to join the ranks of the Nigerian Navy as ratings in order to beef up our strength.
”The second reason is to first appreciate the Governor and the entire Rivers State Government for the schools they donated to us: the Ambassador Nne Krukrubo Model Secondary School at Eleme in Eleme Local Government Area, and the Model Secondary School, Egbelu in Oyigbo Local Government Area.”
Vice Admiral Ogalla stated further: “We also want to use this opportunity to inform His Excellency that following that donation, and based on our strategic plan of moving our facilities to areas where we have enough space to be able to carryout out duties, we have renovated the school at Eleme.
”We are happy to report, today, that the erstwhile location of Headquarters of Naval Training Command, Lagos, is moving to that particular school location in Eleme, tomorrow.’
Speaking on the operational successes recorded thus far, he said that propelled by the charge given to them by President Bola Tinubu, the Nigerian Navy, under his watch, has impounded 14 vessels caught to be conveying stolen crude oil and several other individuals arrested, adding that investigations into their culpability were ongoing.
”I am here today to report Sir, that, with the “Operation Delta Sanity”, launched in January, 2024, we have been very successful, and within the period, we have recorded tremendous successes and achievements.
”Over 14 large crude carrying vessels have been arrested within that period. Most of them are at various levels of investigation. We have also arrested several barges and other companies and organizations that are involved in oil theft.
”As a result of the operations, we are happy to report that there has been tremendous improvement in terms of security in the maritime environment,” Ogalla added.

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118 Inmates Escape As Rainstorm Destroys Niger Prison

Published

17 hours ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

A heavy downpour has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Suleja, Niger State, resulting in extensive damage to the facility and facilitating the escape of 118 inmates.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the spokesperson, Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Adamu Duza, yesterday.
Duza noted that the downpour which occurred on Wednesday night, caused severe damage to the custodial centre’s infrastructure, including a breach in the perimeter fence, which allowed the inmates to flee.
However, 10 fleeing inmates had been recaptured following a swift response by the NCoS in collaboration with other security agencies.
Duazu promised that efforts were ongoing to recapture the remaining fleeing inmates, adding that their database would soon be made known to the public.
Recognising the vulnerability of ageing facilities, many of which were built during the colonial era, Duza acknowledged that the NCoS was committed to modernising its infrastructure.
The statement further noted that the Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Francis John, assured the public that the situation was under control and urged them to carry on with their daily activities without fear.
The public was encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities or sightings of escaped inmates to the nearest security agency.
The statement read in part, “A heavy downpour that lasted for several hours on the night of Wednesday, April 24, 2024, has wreaked havoc on the Medium Security Custodial Centres, Suleja, Niger state, as well as surrounding buildings, destroying parts of the custodial facility, including its perimeter fence, giving way to the escape of 118 inmates of the facility.
“The service has immediately activated its recapturing mechanisms, and in conjunction with sister security agencies, has so far recaptured 10 fleeing inmates and taken them into custody, while we are in hot pursuit to recapture the rest.
“The service is not unmindful of the fact that many of its facilities were built during the colonial era and that they are old and weak. The Service is making frantic efforts to ensure that all aging facilities give way to modern ones.
“The Controller of Corrections, FCT Command, Francis John, wishes to assure the public that the service is on top of the situation and that they should go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance.”
Meanwhile, the United States has underscored the significant challenge of overcrowding in Nigerian prisons.
The US, according to its ‘2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria,’ published on its website on Tuesday, noted that numerous correctional facilities were grappling with a staggering 50 per cent increase in the number of inmates beyond their intended capacity, revealing a systemic issue.
Furthermore, it disclosed that a notable proportion of these prisons, some with histories dating back 70 to 80 years, faced difficulties in meeting even the most fundamental standards of living.

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Rivers’ll Be Known For Peace, Not Crisis -Fubara

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2024

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that peace has prevailed because he draws strength from God to resist insults and tantrums thrown at him while frustrating attempts by some disgruntled persons who wanted to plunge the State into unending crisis.
The Governor also said that because he has anchored his Government on promoting peace, the enabling atmosphere has been provided for investments and sustainable development to flourish.
Governor Fubara made the assertion when he received a delegation of members of the Bishops and Gospel Ministers’ Association International Incorporated, Rivers State Chapter, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara said while most people took his meekness for weakness, his stance on peace has unarguably enhanced harmonious atmosphere of concord as residents sleep with their two eyes closed, and investors and shareholders are happy with the returns on investment.
He said, “Before, what they hear of Rivers State is that they are fighting, and some genuine investors will not come. Some people even ask you: How are you coping in Rivers State?
“But now”, he asserted: “The Governor has brought about a lot of changes in the State. One of the most important things is that he has changed the negative narrative. It is no longer Rivers of blood. It is now Rivers of peace.
“We are enjoying our lives here. Why? Because there is a change in the narrative. We have peace. The Governor is, as much as possible, absorbing any level of insult at him only for one purpose: that Rivers State may have peace; that we may grow; that this state will experience genuine development.”
Governor Fubara urged them, as members of the Christian family in the State, to continue to pray for the State and the Government so that the enemies of the State will be put to greater shame.
“This peace is what I want you to embrace. Go and continue to pray, because when the sower of the seed went and sowed, the enemy went in the night and sowed tares inside there. But the Governor is sowing peace.
“When I listened to the leader of the team, His Grace Eddy Ogbonda, he said you came all the way from Eleme Junction, and stopped at major junctions, and you uttered prayers for the peace of Rivers State.”
He also said: “I, hereby want to thank you for identifying with the Governor at a time like this. At a time when it looks as if someone wants the Governor’s peace posture misunderstood as weakness.
“When someone has the strength to fight back, but refuses to fight back. That is a bigger strength; that power of restrain does not just come, it can only come from God.
“You cannot give peace, if you do not have peace within you. The Governor is not interested in any form of trouble or violence. What he is interested in is known, and it is: let there be peace in Rivers State,” he said.
In his address, leader of the group, Archbishop Eddy Ogbonda, said they had observed a week-long intensive prayers that culminated into a peace rally, which brought them to Government House, and assured the Governor that God will continue to give him victory over his adversaries while preserving Rivers State.
“It is Rivers State Prophetic Prayer Convocation and Rally 2024 with the theme: ‘Peace be still’. Of a truth, everyone of us understands that we live in a time when we need peace much more than any other thing.
“Rivers State needs peace. Everyone as individuals need peace. The country needs peace, and the world at large needs peace. So, we are here to do a peace march. We pray that God will command His peace to reign in Rivers State,” he said.