A candidate for governor in the north-eastern Nigerian state of Borno has been shot dead, officials say.
Modu Fannami Gubio and at least four other people, including a 10-year-old child, were killed by men on motorbikes after Friday prayers in Maiduguri city.
Mr Gubio was the candidate for the opposition All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) in April's elections.
A BBC reporter says there are deep divisions within the ANPP over his selection to run for governor.
Similar ride-by attacks have been blamed on the Boko Haram sect, who have been targeting police and politicians.
But the BBC's Bilkisu Babangida in Maiduguri say politicians and the police believe this killing was politically motivated.
Our reporter says the attack happened as Mr Gubio left his father's home after Friday prayers.
He was talking to his supporters when two motorcyles, each with a driver and gunman, approached and shot into the crowd.
Five people, including Mr Gubio, were killed instantly and two other people are being treated in hospital, our correspondent says.
"Obviously it's a political assassination," Borno's police chief Mohammed Jinjiri Abubakar told AFP news agency.
People hid inside their homes and shops shut as police cordoned off large neighbourhoods searching for the killers of Mr Gubio, AP reports.
Nigeria's recent elections have been tarnished by fraud and violence.
Maiduguri has also experienced a string of assassinations in recent months blamed on the Boko Haram sect, which is known locally as the Taliban and wants to see Islamic law imposed across Nigeria.
The sect is opposed to Western education and accuses Nigeria's government of being corrupted by Western ideas.
Hundreds of people suspected of being Boko Haram members escaped from prison last September after gunmen attacked the jail where they were being held in the city.
Clashes in Maiduguri between Boko Haram and the police in July 2009 left hundreds of mainly sect members dead.
The violence began after the sect members attacked a police station in Maiduguri in 2009 and clashes spread to neighbouring areas.
Source: BBC News
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Saturday, January 29, 2011
Black Friday in Maiduguri
*As gunmen fell ANPP guber candidate, gov’s brother and five others
*Hours after Northern govs raise panel on ethno-religious crises
*Jonathan condemns his murder
The violence and killings in the North East flank of the country took a more frightening dimension, yesterday, after unknown gunmen killed the ANPP governorship candidate in Borno State, Engineer Modu Fannami Gubio, and six other persons including the younger brother of Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, Alhaji Goni Sheriff, in Maiduguri.
Engineer Gubio, 40, and until yesterday, the state Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development was killed as he arrived his family house from the Jummat prayers at the Shehu of Borno’s palace. Time was 2.15 pm.
The assailants, said to be four in number arrived the scene on two motorcycles and appeared to have trailed him from the Jummat prayers. They opened fire as Gubio was greeting his father.
Killed with him apart from Gov Sherif’s brother, were security aides and political associates.
He himself was Governor Modu’s cousin.
He was the anointed choice of the ANPP hierachy in the state to succeed the incumbent and was generally seen as the candidate to beat in the April election.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state ASP Lawal Abdullahi confirmed the incident and said the State Police Commissioner CP Abubabar Jinjiri had led a police team to the scene with a view to commencing investigation.
CP Jinjiri later spoke on phone and said seven people were killed and that the corpses had been deposited at the mortuary of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Engineer Fannami was born in Gubio town on August 28th 1960. He attended Mafoni Primary School, Maiduguri 1966 to 1972, Yerwa Government Secondary School between 1973 and 1977 Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where he obtained Bsc. Building Engineering in 1986. He also had a Masters Degree in Business Management from the same institution.
The deceased served at different times as Commissioner for Information, Home Affairs and Culture, and later moved to the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs. His last portfolio was Finance and Economic Development Ministry in the state.
Maiduguri has witnessed many killings lately most of them masterminded by members of Boko Haram.
Northern govs raise panel on etho-religious crises Gubio’s death came just 24 hours after Governors of the 19 Northern States constituted a three man panel to unravel the circumstances behind the escalating ethno-religious upheavals in the region.
The committee comprises Governors Bukola Saraki, (Kwara); Dr. Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Ibrahim Shehu Shema (Katsina).
The setting up of the committee was a highlight of the 9 point communiqué issued by the Governors at the close of their consultative forum in Yola, Adamawa state.
The governors, in the communiqué, reaffirmed their determination to continue confronting the challenges of insecurity to lives and property, particularly unemployment and ethno-religious upheavals.
They appealed to politicians and religious leaders across the country to stop using religion and ethnicity in the current political dispensation merely to advance the political interest of some candidates, and charged political actors and the people to be focused on issues that will engender national unity and development and the consolidation of democratic gains in the nation, stressing that, peaceful co-existence and national interest should be of utmost concern.
Jonathan condemns murder
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, in Ethiopia expressed shock over the murder of the ANPP gubernatorial candidate of Borno State, Alhaji Gubio.
The President’s reaction was contained in a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Mr Ima Niboro, who said: “President Ebele Jonathan, who is in Addis Ababa to attend the 16th African Union Summit, has received with shock and consternation, the news of the murder, by suspected assassins, of the ANPP gubernatorial candidate of Borno State, Alhaji Fantami Gubio.
“President Jonathan unreservedly condemns this killing and wants security agencies to find those behind it ”.
The President, said the era of do-or-die politics in Nigeria was over, and those bent on taking us back to that arbitrary past have no place in renascent Nigeria.
“President Jonathan condoles with the Government and people of Borno State, as well as the families of those who were killed in cold blood and prays Allah to grant repose to their souls”.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
*Hours after Northern govs raise panel on ethno-religious crises
*Jonathan condemns his murder
The violence and killings in the North East flank of the country took a more frightening dimension, yesterday, after unknown gunmen killed the ANPP governorship candidate in Borno State, Engineer Modu Fannami Gubio, and six other persons including the younger brother of Governor Ali Modu Sheriff, Alhaji Goni Sheriff, in Maiduguri.
Engineer Gubio, 40, and until yesterday, the state Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development was killed as he arrived his family house from the Jummat prayers at the Shehu of Borno’s palace. Time was 2.15 pm.
The assailants, said to be four in number arrived the scene on two motorcycles and appeared to have trailed him from the Jummat prayers. They opened fire as Gubio was greeting his father.
Killed with him apart from Gov Sherif’s brother, were security aides and political associates.
He himself was Governor Modu’s cousin.
He was the anointed choice of the ANPP hierachy in the state to succeed the incumbent and was generally seen as the candidate to beat in the April election.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state ASP Lawal Abdullahi confirmed the incident and said the State Police Commissioner CP Abubabar Jinjiri had led a police team to the scene with a view to commencing investigation.
CP Jinjiri later spoke on phone and said seven people were killed and that the corpses had been deposited at the mortuary of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.
Engineer Fannami was born in Gubio town on August 28th 1960. He attended Mafoni Primary School, Maiduguri 1966 to 1972, Yerwa Government Secondary School between 1973 and 1977 Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where he obtained Bsc. Building Engineering in 1986. He also had a Masters Degree in Business Management from the same institution.
The deceased served at different times as Commissioner for Information, Home Affairs and Culture, and later moved to the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs. His last portfolio was Finance and Economic Development Ministry in the state.
Maiduguri has witnessed many killings lately most of them masterminded by members of Boko Haram.
Northern govs raise panel on etho-religious crises Gubio’s death came just 24 hours after Governors of the 19 Northern States constituted a three man panel to unravel the circumstances behind the escalating ethno-religious upheavals in the region.
The committee comprises Governors Bukola Saraki, (Kwara); Dr. Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Ibrahim Shehu Shema (Katsina).
The setting up of the committee was a highlight of the 9 point communiqué issued by the Governors at the close of their consultative forum in Yola, Adamawa state.
The governors, in the communiqué, reaffirmed their determination to continue confronting the challenges of insecurity to lives and property, particularly unemployment and ethno-religious upheavals.
They appealed to politicians and religious leaders across the country to stop using religion and ethnicity in the current political dispensation merely to advance the political interest of some candidates, and charged political actors and the people to be focused on issues that will engender national unity and development and the consolidation of democratic gains in the nation, stressing that, peaceful co-existence and national interest should be of utmost concern.
Jonathan condemns murder
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, in Ethiopia expressed shock over the murder of the ANPP gubernatorial candidate of Borno State, Alhaji Gubio.
The President’s reaction was contained in a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Mr Ima Niboro, who said: “President Ebele Jonathan, who is in Addis Ababa to attend the 16th African Union Summit, has received with shock and consternation, the news of the murder, by suspected assassins, of the ANPP gubernatorial candidate of Borno State, Alhaji Fantami Gubio.
“President Jonathan unreservedly condemns this killing and wants security agencies to find those behind it ”.
The President, said the era of do-or-die politics in Nigeria was over, and those bent on taking us back to that arbitrary past have no place in renascent Nigeria.
“President Jonathan condoles with the Government and people of Borno State, as well as the families of those who were killed in cold blood and prays Allah to grant repose to their souls”.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Suspected importer of N1.6bn cocaine arrested
A joint team of the Customs and the National Drug Laws Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has arrested one Elihu Essiet, suspected to be the brain behind the Importation of the 165 kilogram of cocaine seized earlier in the week.
The hard drug was intercepted at the Tin-Can Port Island.
The Customs Area Comptroller of the Tin-Can Island Command, Mr Austen Warikoru said that the interception of the drugs was facilitated by intelligence made available to the officials of the NDLEA.
The suspected importer, Warikoru said he was arrested at Agege, Lagos and that the drugs came from South America.
He warned drug barons to steer clear of the Command.
He stated that information came from the Anti-smuggling division of the United Kingdom Border Agency to the Nigeria Customs Service, which in turn alerted the NDLEA.
“The seizure came as a result of intelligence from the Nigeria Customs high Command in collaboration with the United Kingdom Border Agency (Anti-smuggling Division).
“The container was shipped in on board ‘MV/Jasmine which arrived our port in December 2010.
“This is another proof of my officers alertness in the ports and I wish to use this medium to let the world know that we are prepared for the fight against illicit drugs and unwholesome imports.
“The perpetrators are advised to look else where because no matter their antics, our preparedness is not in doubt.
In our collaborative effort, we invited the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for a joint examination of the container and there after, the 1×20 feet container with No MSCU 128723/1 was handed over to NDLEA by the Customs authorities after preliminary tests and evaluation for further investigation”.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
The hard drug was intercepted at the Tin-Can Port Island.
The Customs Area Comptroller of the Tin-Can Island Command, Mr Austen Warikoru said that the interception of the drugs was facilitated by intelligence made available to the officials of the NDLEA.
The suspected importer, Warikoru said he was arrested at Agege, Lagos and that the drugs came from South America.
He warned drug barons to steer clear of the Command.
He stated that information came from the Anti-smuggling division of the United Kingdom Border Agency to the Nigeria Customs Service, which in turn alerted the NDLEA.
“The seizure came as a result of intelligence from the Nigeria Customs high Command in collaboration with the United Kingdom Border Agency (Anti-smuggling Division).
“The container was shipped in on board ‘MV/Jasmine which arrived our port in December 2010.
“This is another proof of my officers alertness in the ports and I wish to use this medium to let the world know that we are prepared for the fight against illicit drugs and unwholesome imports.
“The perpetrators are advised to look else where because no matter their antics, our preparedness is not in doubt.
In our collaborative effort, we invited the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for a joint examination of the container and there after, the 1×20 feet container with No MSCU 128723/1 was handed over to NDLEA by the Customs authorities after preliminary tests and evaluation for further investigation”.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
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