A Direct Data Capture, DDC, machine, camera and scanner, belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been discovered by the police at the residence of a pastor in Ughelli, Delta State.
In Aniocha North local government area, a top politician was said have paid between N2,000 to N5,000 to youths from other communities in a last-minute rush, yesterday, to boost his electoral strength in his area, while a PDP leader in Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili North Local Government dismissed the report that under-aged persons were being registered in the community.
Delta State Police spokesman, Mr. Charles Muka who confirmed the discovery of the INEC equipment in the pastor’s residence said two persons had been arrested by the police in connection with the incident.
He did not give details but said the suspects were being interrogated by men of the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Asaba.
The whereabout of the pastor or his involvement in the affair has not been established.
Meanwhile, a top politician in Aniocha local government area of the state was reportedly paying unemployed youths from different communities between N2,000 and N5,000 each and packing them in buses to register in his constituency to beef up the voting strength of his area.
A politician, who called Saturday Vanguard on phone from Akwukwu-Igbo, yesterday, said, “Two of the buses carrying people to the top politician’s community to register were impounded by the police but the politician came overnight to bail them”.
Delta state police image maker, Mr. Muka said he was not aware of the incident when contacted.
At about 2.00 pm, the source also called Saturday Vanguard to say that 19 buses, filled with people who were paid money by the politician were heading to his community to carry out illegal registration.
He lamented that hungry youths from his own community fell for the bait and his worry was that he does not want INEC to disqualify legitimate voters from his area who were lured with money by the politician to register in his town.
The politician dismissed an earlier report by Saturday Vanguard that under-aged persons were being registered at Akwukwu-Igbo.
Indeed, there was a mix-up as it was in Aviara ward in Isoko South Local Government area of the state that the INEC area registration officer (names withheld) was said to have sacked two National Youth Service Corps members for refusing to comply with his directive to register under-aged persons.
The Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence in a statement on the development, in a reaction to the development said, “Our attention has also been drawn to series of complaints all over the state to the effect that some politicians in connivance with some area registration officers register persons below 18 years of age.
“We call on the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Delta State in the interest of a credible registration exercise in the state to immediately investigate the case of Aviara Ward 3, Units 27 and 28 in the Isoko South Local Government Area of the State where the registration area centre officer (names withheld) is conniving with some politicians in the area to register under aged persons.
“We use this medium also to advise eligible voters in Delta State to shun the idea of registering in locations outside where they ordinarily reside, as we submit that such voters may have deliberately disenfranchised themselves owing to restrictions on movements on election day and other contributing factors that may arise there from.
“We condemn the use of monetary gratification by politicians in luring unsuspecting eligible voters into registering in locations outside where such voters are ordinarily resident. We make bold to state that under the Electoral Act, 2010 such politicians and their collaborators are liable to prosecution by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” the group stated.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
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Saturday, February 5, 2011
Ex-INEC Chief, Guobadia, Dies At 78
Jonathan Expresses Shock, Sadness
IN a rather uncanny denouement to the on-going voters’ registration exercise extended by one week and which ends today, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Abel Guobadia died in the early hours of yesterday.
Guobadia, who would have been 79 by June this year, was said to have died “after a brief illness”.
When The Guardian visited his residence off Boundary Road, Benin City, yesterday afternoon, his younger brother, Chris was seen directing people around on what to do while Guobadia’s very close friends led by former President of the Customary Court, Justice Isaac Aluyi (Rtd) were at the entrance to the main house where the late Guobadia had always granted interviews to journalists.
Chris refused to make any official comment on the death as he said that the family was awaiting the arrival of Guobadia’s first son, Ibude.
As at the time of filing this report yesterday, no condolence register had been opened in the expansive compound but hundreds of sympathisers including family, friends and church members were trooping to his residence to pay their condolences.
Reacting to his death, state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih described the loss as unfortunate as his experience would be needed for the April elections. “I think it is a big loss to the state and the nation especially at this time when his wise counsel is needed as we prepare for general election. He successfully conducted general election with very little acrimony. He was an honest and patriotic Nigerian and his level of patriotism was reflected in his areas of service to this nation. We pray God to grant him eternal rest.”
The Benin National Congress (BNC) in a statement signed by its Director of Publicity and Intelligence, David Ekomwenrenren described the death as “another great loss to the Binis and Nigerians at large.”
The statement described him as a meticulous member of the Benin intelligentia who believed in merit rather than tribal influence.
In his last public outing in September last year, Guobadia said it would take at least two years for Nigeria to have a permanent and credible voters’ register for elections. He also said security agents and electoral officers played much role in electoral manipulation in the country.
He was guest speaker at an event organised by the Benin Club where he noted that the integration of the computerized voters’ database and that of the geographic database of all the 120,000 polling units was crucial for the realization of a permanent register of voters.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed “shock and sadness” at the news of the passage of Guobadia.
In a statement in Abuja by Presidential Spokesman, Ima Niboro, President Jonathan recalled that Guobadia dedicated his life to the service of Nigeria, in various capacities, but most notably as Chairman of INEC from 2000 to 2005.
The President praised the stewardship of the late Guobadia, noting that the country had lost an excellent public servant and diplomat. He stated that Guobadia passed on at a time his experience in election matters was most needed, as Nigeria prepares for the national elections in April, 2011.
President Jonathan expressed his condolences with the Guobadia family, the Government and people of Edo State and the nation at large, and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed.
Source: Guardian Nigeria
IN a rather uncanny denouement to the on-going voters’ registration exercise extended by one week and which ends today, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr Abel Guobadia died in the early hours of yesterday.
Guobadia, who would have been 79 by June this year, was said to have died “after a brief illness”.
When The Guardian visited his residence off Boundary Road, Benin City, yesterday afternoon, his younger brother, Chris was seen directing people around on what to do while Guobadia’s very close friends led by former President of the Customary Court, Justice Isaac Aluyi (Rtd) were at the entrance to the main house where the late Guobadia had always granted interviews to journalists.
Chris refused to make any official comment on the death as he said that the family was awaiting the arrival of Guobadia’s first son, Ibude.
As at the time of filing this report yesterday, no condolence register had been opened in the expansive compound but hundreds of sympathisers including family, friends and church members were trooping to his residence to pay their condolences.
Reacting to his death, state chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Dan Orbih described the loss as unfortunate as his experience would be needed for the April elections. “I think it is a big loss to the state and the nation especially at this time when his wise counsel is needed as we prepare for general election. He successfully conducted general election with very little acrimony. He was an honest and patriotic Nigerian and his level of patriotism was reflected in his areas of service to this nation. We pray God to grant him eternal rest.”
The Benin National Congress (BNC) in a statement signed by its Director of Publicity and Intelligence, David Ekomwenrenren described the death as “another great loss to the Binis and Nigerians at large.”
The statement described him as a meticulous member of the Benin intelligentia who believed in merit rather than tribal influence.
In his last public outing in September last year, Guobadia said it would take at least two years for Nigeria to have a permanent and credible voters’ register for elections. He also said security agents and electoral officers played much role in electoral manipulation in the country.
He was guest speaker at an event organised by the Benin Club where he noted that the integration of the computerized voters’ database and that of the geographic database of all the 120,000 polling units was crucial for the realization of a permanent register of voters.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed “shock and sadness” at the news of the passage of Guobadia.
In a statement in Abuja by Presidential Spokesman, Ima Niboro, President Jonathan recalled that Guobadia dedicated his life to the service of Nigeria, in various capacities, but most notably as Chairman of INEC from 2000 to 2005.
The President praised the stewardship of the late Guobadia, noting that the country had lost an excellent public servant and diplomat. He stated that Guobadia passed on at a time his experience in election matters was most needed, as Nigeria prepares for the national elections in April, 2011.
President Jonathan expressed his condolences with the Guobadia family, the Government and people of Edo State and the nation at large, and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed.
Source: Guardian Nigeria
Thursday, February 3, 2011
27 Niger Delta militants arrested in Ghana
Twenty seven former militants from the Niger Delta have been arrested by the Police in Takoradi for allegedly heckling a hotel attendant and holding their co-ordinator hostage.
The suspects and 183 others, who arrived in the country to train at the various National Vocational training institutes (NVTI) as welders and oil rig workers, were said to have locked up their leader for more than two hours in a toilet at a hotel in Takoradi where they were lodging.
The Police said at the time of the arrest, the suspects were in a meeting planning to rally support across their bases in the country to attack their offices in Accra.
According to the hotel manager (name withheld), the group had been in the hotel since Thursday, January 27, 2011 and they had booked rooms for a six-month period.
He said there had been shouting from one of their rooms, which prompted one of the attendants at the place to go and find out what was going on, but the door was locked.
“He banged on the door several times but those inside refused to open it. When the door was finally forced open, the occupants heckled the attendant and tore his shirt” the manager said.
He said just last Sunday the group started agitating that their daily allowance was not enough and on Tuesday they began a hunger strike and refused to eat the food prepared for them.
He said when he monitored the demeanour of the group he decided to first report the matter to the police, who asked him to call the station in case of any violence.
Asked if he had enquired about the calibre of people looking for accommodation before taking them in, he explained that officials from the NVTI in Accra had gone to the Hotel to inspect the facilities and had informed the management that the group was made up of students from Nigeria on an exchange programme.
“We were shocked when the people finally arrived and, through interactions they said they were former militants from the Delta State of Nigeria who had been completely purged of any acts of violence,” the manager said.
When contacted, the Assistant Director of the NVTI, Mr John Okane, said the institute had an agreement with an organisation in Nigeria called Learning Resources in Nigeria to train the former militants.
He said, however, that Learning Resources was responsible for their accommodation and feeding.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
The suspects and 183 others, who arrived in the country to train at the various National Vocational training institutes (NVTI) as welders and oil rig workers, were said to have locked up their leader for more than two hours in a toilet at a hotel in Takoradi where they were lodging.
The Police said at the time of the arrest, the suspects were in a meeting planning to rally support across their bases in the country to attack their offices in Accra.
According to the hotel manager (name withheld), the group had been in the hotel since Thursday, January 27, 2011 and they had booked rooms for a six-month period.
He said there had been shouting from one of their rooms, which prompted one of the attendants at the place to go and find out what was going on, but the door was locked.
“He banged on the door several times but those inside refused to open it. When the door was finally forced open, the occupants heckled the attendant and tore his shirt” the manager said.
He said just last Sunday the group started agitating that their daily allowance was not enough and on Tuesday they began a hunger strike and refused to eat the food prepared for them.
He said when he monitored the demeanour of the group he decided to first report the matter to the police, who asked him to call the station in case of any violence.
Asked if he had enquired about the calibre of people looking for accommodation before taking them in, he explained that officials from the NVTI in Accra had gone to the Hotel to inspect the facilities and had informed the management that the group was made up of students from Nigeria on an exchange programme.
“We were shocked when the people finally arrived and, through interactions they said they were former militants from the Delta State of Nigeria who had been completely purged of any acts of violence,” the manager said.
When contacted, the Assistant Director of the NVTI, Mr John Okane, said the institute had an agreement with an organisation in Nigeria called Learning Resources in Nigeria to train the former militants.
He said, however, that Learning Resources was responsible for their accommodation and feeding.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Sapele boils as gunmen kill politician, kidnap 2 raze houses, vehicles
THERE was pandemonium at Sapele in Delta Sate, today, following the killing of a PDP stalwart, Mr. Saturday Akpode, alias Agbamu and kidnap of two hotel proprietors, Mr. Benjamin Ogeregbaje, alias Apolo and Mr. Sam Akpeteyetan, alias Santos.
Some residents told Vanguard that gunshots were fired indiscriminately in the community on Wednesday night. But, the Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, alerted the appropriate security agencies, leading to the deployment of men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta and policemen same day to contain the rampage by ugly situation.
Akpode, who was the chairman of PDP in ward five, Sapele and a personal assistant to the chairman of Sapele Local Government, Hon Godwin Atose was shot dead by gunmen who allegedly trailed him on Cemetry Road, Sapele at about 10.00 pm inside his car on Wednesday night.
Despite the deployment of security agents, there was rampage, as a group of boys protesting Akpode gruesome death, set some houses, vehicles and stores ablaze.
The Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, office on Adeola Road, Sapele, was also torched. It was gathered that Akpode had barely left Hon Atose’s house that night when he was murdered.
However, the army and police had taken position at some strategic places by yesterday morning and pushed the boys out of the streets.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Some residents told Vanguard that gunshots were fired indiscriminately in the community on Wednesday night. But, the Delta Waterways Security Committee, DWSC, alerted the appropriate security agencies, leading to the deployment of men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta and policemen same day to contain the rampage by ugly situation.
Akpode, who was the chairman of PDP in ward five, Sapele and a personal assistant to the chairman of Sapele Local Government, Hon Godwin Atose was shot dead by gunmen who allegedly trailed him on Cemetry Road, Sapele at about 10.00 pm inside his car on Wednesday night.
Despite the deployment of security agents, there was rampage, as a group of boys protesting Akpode gruesome death, set some houses, vehicles and stores ablaze.
The Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, office on Adeola Road, Sapele, was also torched. It was gathered that Akpode had barely left Hon Atose’s house that night when he was murdered.
However, the army and police had taken position at some strategic places by yesterday morning and pushed the boys out of the streets.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
We’ve registered 54.9m voters so far – INEC
Twenty-four hours to the end of the voters’ registration, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Thursday said it had registered about 54.9 million people as at Monday this week, two days after the exercise was originally scheduled to end before it was extended by one week.
The voters’ registration kicked off on the January 15, 2011, amidst widespread technical hitches that dogged the Direct Data Capturing, DDC, machine as the finger print component of the machine failed to capture the finger prints of most voters.
Following the nationwide outcry that greeted the exercise in the first few days, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act 2010 to allow INEC more time to register as many voters who are willing to register as possible, prompting the commission to extend the exercise by one week which will end tomorrow.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the chairman of INEC, Mr Kayode Idowu, Thursday, noted that by the commission’s projection, “62million people will be registered by the close of the registration on Saturday, February 5, 2010.”
This is, however, 8 million short of the target of 70 million that the commission had set as the figure of Nigerians that are eligible to vote.
The statement reads: “About 54.9 million people had been registered nationwide as at Monday, January 31, 2010 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
“With barely two days to the end of the seven-day extension of the exercise, the daily average nationwide has lowered to 3.2million, as against about 4.3million per day a week earlier. It is expected that the daily average will decline even furthermore as people get registered.
“Going by the present level and pace of registration, it is projected that no fewer than 62million people will be registered by the close of the registration on Saturday, February 5, 2010 ” he said.
Meanwhile, names of candidates for the April elections would be formally released by the Independent National Electoral commission on Sunday.
A source at the commission told Vanguard yesterday that ‘although the commission had initially targeted Saturday for the release of the official list, it seems highly unlikely that we would meet the target we had set for ourselves’.
The commission will also begin the process of uploading all the registered voters to a central data base in the commission’s headquarters on Sunday, a day after the voters registration exercise officially closed.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
The voters’ registration kicked off on the January 15, 2011, amidst widespread technical hitches that dogged the Direct Data Capturing, DDC, machine as the finger print component of the machine failed to capture the finger prints of most voters.
Following the nationwide outcry that greeted the exercise in the first few days, the National Assembly amended the Electoral Act 2010 to allow INEC more time to register as many voters who are willing to register as possible, prompting the commission to extend the exercise by one week which will end tomorrow.
A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the chairman of INEC, Mr Kayode Idowu, Thursday, noted that by the commission’s projection, “62million people will be registered by the close of the registration on Saturday, February 5, 2010.”
This is, however, 8 million short of the target of 70 million that the commission had set as the figure of Nigerians that are eligible to vote.
The statement reads: “About 54.9 million people had been registered nationwide as at Monday, January 31, 2010 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the ongoing voter registration exercise.
“With barely two days to the end of the seven-day extension of the exercise, the daily average nationwide has lowered to 3.2million, as against about 4.3million per day a week earlier. It is expected that the daily average will decline even furthermore as people get registered.
“Going by the present level and pace of registration, it is projected that no fewer than 62million people will be registered by the close of the registration on Saturday, February 5, 2010 ” he said.
Meanwhile, names of candidates for the April elections would be formally released by the Independent National Electoral commission on Sunday.
A source at the commission told Vanguard yesterday that ‘although the commission had initially targeted Saturday for the release of the official list, it seems highly unlikely that we would meet the target we had set for ourselves’.
The commission will also begin the process of uploading all the registered voters to a central data base in the commission’s headquarters on Sunday, a day after the voters registration exercise officially closed.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Monday, January 31, 2011
Jos, Bauchi mayhem: SSS finds bomb in church
SECTARIAN crisis in the northern part of the country, especially in Plateau and Bauchi States which has claimed hundreds of lives took a dramatic turn, yesterday, as the State Security Service and the police averted a bomb blast in a church in Bauchi even as anti-riot police corporal was slain and an inspector injured by hoodlums as they tried to repel an invasion of the students’ hostels of the University of Jos.
In Bauchi, the death toll in the crisis that engulfed Tafawa Balewa Local Government has been put at 20 even as 20 suspects had been arrested with dangerous weapons including guns believed to have been used during the crisis.
The Bauchi State chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society declared that 4,000 people were displaced as a result of the crisis.
Also the Borno Police Command said it had arrested 19 suspects in connection with the killing of the ANPP governorship candidate Alhaji Modu Gubio and six others in Maiduguri.
SSS, police avert bomb blast in Bauchi Security operatives, yesterday, said they averted a bomb blast attempt by an unknown person during a church service in Bauchi.
The state’s Police Commissioner, Muhammad Indabawa and the Director of State Security Services, SSS, Mr Adeola Ajayi, separately disclosed this at news conferences in Bauchi.
Ajayi said that an unknown bomber had gone to the United Methodist Church, UMC, opposite the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH, Bauchi, during a church service and dropped a bag which contained the improvised explosive.
The SSS boss said a member who saw the man with the bag trying to leave the church after he dropped it, raised an alarm while church members run after him but could not arrest him.
The man, the SSS chief added, had rushed to the motorcyclist who brought him and escaped to an unknown destination.
Efforts by the police to arrest the suspect did not yield result as he had escaped, using the commercial motorcycle.
The explosive device, which was made with a metal casing, was jointly detonated by officers and men of the SSS and police.
Ajayi said investigation had started but appealed to the public to provide the security agents with relevant information that would ensure the security of lives and property.
Indabawa, at a news conference, said that following the receipt of the information from the church leaders, SSS personnel and some bomb experts attached to Governor Isa Yuguda detonated the explosive.
He noted that experts said if the bomb had exploded, it would have killed many people and destroyed many property. The police chief urged the people to be more vigilant and report any suspected person to security operatives.
In Jos an anti-riot police corporal was slain and an inspector injured by hoodlums as they tried to repel an invasion of the students’ hostels of the University of Jos.
Scores of hoodlums wielding sophisticated guns and other weapons were said to have attempted to gain entry into the Village Hostel of the university from the back though a place called Yelwa following which an alarm was raised.
A team of mobile policemen were said to have been deployed to the area but were attacked by the apparently well armed hoodlums who shot one of them and slit his throat forcing the others to retreat and call for reinforcement.
Source: INFORMATION NIGERIA
In Bauchi, the death toll in the crisis that engulfed Tafawa Balewa Local Government has been put at 20 even as 20 suspects had been arrested with dangerous weapons including guns believed to have been used during the crisis.
The Bauchi State chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society declared that 4,000 people were displaced as a result of the crisis.
Also the Borno Police Command said it had arrested 19 suspects in connection with the killing of the ANPP governorship candidate Alhaji Modu Gubio and six others in Maiduguri.
SSS, police avert bomb blast in Bauchi Security operatives, yesterday, said they averted a bomb blast attempt by an unknown person during a church service in Bauchi.
The state’s Police Commissioner, Muhammad Indabawa and the Director of State Security Services, SSS, Mr Adeola Ajayi, separately disclosed this at news conferences in Bauchi.
Ajayi said that an unknown bomber had gone to the United Methodist Church, UMC, opposite the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, ATBUTH, Bauchi, during a church service and dropped a bag which contained the improvised explosive.
The SSS boss said a member who saw the man with the bag trying to leave the church after he dropped it, raised an alarm while church members run after him but could not arrest him.
The man, the SSS chief added, had rushed to the motorcyclist who brought him and escaped to an unknown destination.
Efforts by the police to arrest the suspect did not yield result as he had escaped, using the commercial motorcycle.
The explosive device, which was made with a metal casing, was jointly detonated by officers and men of the SSS and police.
Ajayi said investigation had started but appealed to the public to provide the security agents with relevant information that would ensure the security of lives and property.
Indabawa, at a news conference, said that following the receipt of the information from the church leaders, SSS personnel and some bomb experts attached to Governor Isa Yuguda detonated the explosive.
He noted that experts said if the bomb had exploded, it would have killed many people and destroyed many property. The police chief urged the people to be more vigilant and report any suspected person to security operatives.
In Jos an anti-riot police corporal was slain and an inspector injured by hoodlums as they tried to repel an invasion of the students’ hostels of the University of Jos.
Scores of hoodlums wielding sophisticated guns and other weapons were said to have attempted to gain entry into the Village Hostel of the university from the back though a place called Yelwa following which an alarm was raised.
A team of mobile policemen were said to have been deployed to the area but were attacked by the apparently well armed hoodlums who shot one of them and slit his throat forcing the others to retreat and call for reinforcement.
Source: INFORMATION NIGERIA
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Fresh Jos violence, Borno killings heighten security concerns
The outbreak of fresh violence in Jos, the Plateau State capital, yesterday, and the Friday ’s killing of the ANPP gubernatorial candidate in Borno State, Engr Fannami Modu Gubio, along with six others by suspected terrorists, at the weekend, heightened security concerns in the country.
Thick smoke billowed into the sky in Jos yesterday as property were torched and a yet to be ascertained number of people killed in another orgy of violence.
The Plateau State capital has, for several times in the recent past, been a theatre of violence which claimed scores of lives.
Worried by the spectre of violence, governors from four of the nation ’s six geo-political zones, who met, yesterday, said they had commenced moves to end threats to security in the country.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Sarki Yarki Bello, identified internal security problem as one of the contemporary challenges facing the nation.
Senate President David Mark condemned the Borno killings of Friday, tasking security operatives not to leave any stone unturned in the effort to unearth the killers.
The Acting National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, described the killings as wicked while ANPP, whose members were the victims of the Borno incident, challenged President Goodluck Jonathan, saying “the state of insecurity in the land has reached its peak.”
Jos boils again
No fewer than 20 houses and two filling stations were torched in the Jos violence, yesterday, which was a fall-out of the stabbing, on Friday, of some students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) by hoodlums and the subsequent shooting of about 12 of them by soldiers when they trooped out to protest the stabbing of their colleagues.
However, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, said though none of the students shot died, but they were being treated at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital. A claim that two of the shot students had died was said to have triggered fresh demonstration by students, yesterday morning, as they took over the Farin-Gada highway and were joined by a group of women protesting unjust killings in the state.
The protest was said to have been hijacked by some street urchings who unleashed violence on those perceived to belong to the opposite camp, attacking them and burning houses and other properties.
The violence threw the city into panic as people hurriedly closed their businesses and ran for safety. Sound of gunshots rent the air for many hours as security agents tried to restore normalcy.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdulrahman Akano, confirmed that the protest by students and the women was hijacked by hoodlums, adding that he had not got report of any death. He urged parties to the crisis in the state to be ready for dialogue and make compromises as the cycle of violence was doing damage to all sides, adding, “ this is madness.”
Reacting to the situation, the state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gregory Yenlong, condemned the violence and the killings. He said in a statement: “Government condemns these acts of terrorism and unprovoked attacks on citizens by hoodlums and miscreants and hereby directs the Special Task Force to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“Government also notes with serious concern and dismay the use of firearms on harmless and unarmed citizens by men of the Special Task Force who are not observing the simple rule of engagement thereby causing grievous hurt and deaths among women, children and innocent citizens merely protesting actions of miscreants and hoodlums terrorising the state. ”
The statement, however, called for restraint from citizens urging them not to take the law into their hands as the state government works with security agents to contain the situation.
Insecurity worries govs
Yesterday’s meeting of the governors in Ilorin, Kwara State capital under the auspices of the Nigerian Governors ’ Forum (NGF), was attended by the state chief executives from four of the six geo-political zones and discussed threats to the nation ’s unity with a view to fashioning ways of reconciliation among the various tendencies seen as responsible for the threats.
Governors at the meeting included Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Timpriye Silva (Bayelsa), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi), Bukola Saraki (Kwara) and Peter Obi (Anambra) while Nassarawa was represented by the deputy governor.
Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who briefed newsmen after the meeting, said the governors discussed the Friday ’s violence in Borno where the gubernatorial candidate and a brother to the state governor were gunned down along with four others in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Obi said the meeting started in Kwara, a north central state, in honour of the state governor who also is chairman of the Nigerian Governors ’ Forum.
He explained that the meeting was conveyed for the purpose of ‘reconciliation’ and was a follow-up to a previous one held by governors from the South-South and South-East zones hosted by Uduaghan in Asaba, Delta State capital.
He, however, failed to clarify on what he meant by the reconciliation although it was thought to refer to recent conflicting positions being canvassed publicly by some stakeholders on the coming general elections.
According to him, “Basically, this is a meeting of governors in a kind of what we say a reconciliation in our polity. The South-South and South-East governors met about a week ago and decided to consult round the country with our colleagues on how to stabilise the polity.
We have commenced that from the North-West and we move to the North-East and South-West all in a bid to reconcile the polity and ensure that the unity of the country is paramount in whatever we are doing. ”
He described the meeting as a furtherance of the progressive roles of governors across the country, saying they will continue with the task.
Obi also told journalists that the meeting would move to other geopolitical zones as they will continue to spread the message of unity across the country.
Internal security a challenge —GOC
Identifying internal security as a challenge facing the nation during a courtesy visit to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in Port-Harcourt, yesterday, the GOC, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Bello, said the problem manifests in the form kidnapping, terrorism, etc.
Bello said the army was set to tackle the challenge head on.
Consequently, the 82 Division under him, he said, was setting up more forward base operations.
Bello said, already, the recently launched Operation Jubilee in Abia State had produced 95 percent success rate, and would soon rise up to 100 per cent, adding that the 82 Division was the first in the country to have “full compliments of three fighting brigades”.
Senate to probe Borno killings
Meanwhile, Senate President David Mark, at the weekend, condemned the Borno incident, tasking security operatives not to leave any stone unturned in the effort to unearth the killers.
Mark, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, also said that relevant standing committees of the Senate will be mandated to investigate the killings with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
The statement said, “The Senate and indeed the National Assembly will invoke the relevant sections of the law and bring it to bear on the perpetrators of this mayhem. Nigeria is bigger than any individual or group interest.
“The Senate would move in to complement the efforts of security operatives to unmask the killers of the Borno six.”
Mark empathised with the families of the victims and government of Borno State, noting that the spate of violence in the country and Borno State in particular had become a thing of grave concern.
The acting PDP national chairman, Mohammed, also, yesterday, described the gruesome murder of the governorship candidate of ANPP in Borno and six other members as wicked and barbaric.
In a statement signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the leadership of PDP said, ‘’meanwhile, we call on all security agencies to track down the perpetrators of this assassination and urge all Nigerians to brace up to this challenge.‘’The Peoples Democratic Party wishes to state in unambiguous terms that this ugly spectre of violence that took place in Borno State is both condemnable and unacceptable in our body politics.‘’
The gruesome murder of Engr. Fannami and several other innocent citizens, no doubt is a direct affront to our collective resolved on democracy as the only alternative to peaceful, united and prosperous nation.
‘’We wish to commiserate with the government and people of Borno State and the families of all those caught up in this unholy act. ”
Also deploring the Borno killings, the ANPP challenged Jonathan, saying ‘’the state of insecurity in the land has reached its peak. ”
Reacting to the incident, the ANPP national publicity secretary, Emma Eneukwu, in a statement, said the party condemned the act, adding that, ’’the sad incident is clearly retrogression into the dark days of political violence where bloodshed was an option to outwit an opponent. ’’
The statement described the Borno killings as ‘’one too many’’, adding that it was a gross failure on the part of the government to provide adequate security for its citizens.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Thick smoke billowed into the sky in Jos yesterday as property were torched and a yet to be ascertained number of people killed in another orgy of violence.
The Plateau State capital has, for several times in the recent past, been a theatre of violence which claimed scores of lives.
Worried by the spectre of violence, governors from four of the nation ’s six geo-political zones, who met, yesterday, said they had commenced moves to end threats to security in the country.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Sarki Yarki Bello, identified internal security problem as one of the contemporary challenges facing the nation.
Senate President David Mark condemned the Borno killings of Friday, tasking security operatives not to leave any stone unturned in the effort to unearth the killers.
The Acting National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed, described the killings as wicked while ANPP, whose members were the victims of the Borno incident, challenged President Goodluck Jonathan, saying “the state of insecurity in the land has reached its peak.”
Jos boils again
No fewer than 20 houses and two filling stations were torched in the Jos violence, yesterday, which was a fall-out of the stabbing, on Friday, of some students of the University of Jos (UNIJOS) by hoodlums and the subsequent shooting of about 12 of them by soldiers when they trooped out to protest the stabbing of their colleagues.
However, Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, said though none of the students shot died, but they were being treated at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital. A claim that two of the shot students had died was said to have triggered fresh demonstration by students, yesterday morning, as they took over the Farin-Gada highway and were joined by a group of women protesting unjust killings in the state.
The protest was said to have been hijacked by some street urchings who unleashed violence on those perceived to belong to the opposite camp, attacking them and burning houses and other properties.
The violence threw the city into panic as people hurriedly closed their businesses and ran for safety. Sound of gunshots rent the air for many hours as security agents tried to restore normalcy.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdulrahman Akano, confirmed that the protest by students and the women was hijacked by hoodlums, adding that he had not got report of any death. He urged parties to the crisis in the state to be ready for dialogue and make compromises as the cycle of violence was doing damage to all sides, adding, “ this is madness.”
Reacting to the situation, the state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gregory Yenlong, condemned the violence and the killings. He said in a statement: “Government condemns these acts of terrorism and unprovoked attacks on citizens by hoodlums and miscreants and hereby directs the Special Task Force to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“Government also notes with serious concern and dismay the use of firearms on harmless and unarmed citizens by men of the Special Task Force who are not observing the simple rule of engagement thereby causing grievous hurt and deaths among women, children and innocent citizens merely protesting actions of miscreants and hoodlums terrorising the state. ”
The statement, however, called for restraint from citizens urging them not to take the law into their hands as the state government works with security agents to contain the situation.
Insecurity worries govs
Yesterday’s meeting of the governors in Ilorin, Kwara State capital under the auspices of the Nigerian Governors ’ Forum (NGF), was attended by the state chief executives from four of the six geo-political zones and discussed threats to the nation ’s unity with a view to fashioning ways of reconciliation among the various tendencies seen as responsible for the threats.
Governors at the meeting included Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Timpriye Silva (Bayelsa), Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Sullivan Chime (Enugu), Martins Elechi (Ebonyi), Bukola Saraki (Kwara) and Peter Obi (Anambra) while Nassarawa was represented by the deputy governor.
Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who briefed newsmen after the meeting, said the governors discussed the Friday ’s violence in Borno where the gubernatorial candidate and a brother to the state governor were gunned down along with four others in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Obi said the meeting started in Kwara, a north central state, in honour of the state governor who also is chairman of the Nigerian Governors ’ Forum.
He explained that the meeting was conveyed for the purpose of ‘reconciliation’ and was a follow-up to a previous one held by governors from the South-South and South-East zones hosted by Uduaghan in Asaba, Delta State capital.
He, however, failed to clarify on what he meant by the reconciliation although it was thought to refer to recent conflicting positions being canvassed publicly by some stakeholders on the coming general elections.
According to him, “Basically, this is a meeting of governors in a kind of what we say a reconciliation in our polity. The South-South and South-East governors met about a week ago and decided to consult round the country with our colleagues on how to stabilise the polity.
We have commenced that from the North-West and we move to the North-East and South-West all in a bid to reconcile the polity and ensure that the unity of the country is paramount in whatever we are doing. ”
He described the meeting as a furtherance of the progressive roles of governors across the country, saying they will continue with the task.
Obi also told journalists that the meeting would move to other geopolitical zones as they will continue to spread the message of unity across the country.
Internal security a challenge —GOC
Identifying internal security as a challenge facing the nation during a courtesy visit to Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in Port-Harcourt, yesterday, the GOC, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Bello, said the problem manifests in the form kidnapping, terrorism, etc.
Bello said the army was set to tackle the challenge head on.
Consequently, the 82 Division under him, he said, was setting up more forward base operations.
Bello said, already, the recently launched Operation Jubilee in Abia State had produced 95 percent success rate, and would soon rise up to 100 per cent, adding that the 82 Division was the first in the country to have “full compliments of three fighting brigades”.
Senate to probe Borno killings
Meanwhile, Senate President David Mark, at the weekend, condemned the Borno incident, tasking security operatives not to leave any stone unturned in the effort to unearth the killers.
Mark, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, also said that relevant standing committees of the Senate will be mandated to investigate the killings with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
The statement said, “The Senate and indeed the National Assembly will invoke the relevant sections of the law and bring it to bear on the perpetrators of this mayhem. Nigeria is bigger than any individual or group interest.
“The Senate would move in to complement the efforts of security operatives to unmask the killers of the Borno six.”
Mark empathised with the families of the victims and government of Borno State, noting that the spate of violence in the country and Borno State in particular had become a thing of grave concern.
The acting PDP national chairman, Mohammed, also, yesterday, described the gruesome murder of the governorship candidate of ANPP in Borno and six other members as wicked and barbaric.
In a statement signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, the leadership of PDP said, ‘’meanwhile, we call on all security agencies to track down the perpetrators of this assassination and urge all Nigerians to brace up to this challenge.‘’The Peoples Democratic Party wishes to state in unambiguous terms that this ugly spectre of violence that took place in Borno State is both condemnable and unacceptable in our body politics.‘’
The gruesome murder of Engr. Fannami and several other innocent citizens, no doubt is a direct affront to our collective resolved on democracy as the only alternative to peaceful, united and prosperous nation.
‘’We wish to commiserate with the government and people of Borno State and the families of all those caught up in this unholy act. ”
Also deploring the Borno killings, the ANPP challenged Jonathan, saying ‘’the state of insecurity in the land has reached its peak. ”
Reacting to the incident, the ANPP national publicity secretary, Emma Eneukwu, in a statement, said the party condemned the act, adding that, ’’the sad incident is clearly retrogression into the dark days of political violence where bloodshed was an option to outwit an opponent. ’’
The statement described the Borno killings as ‘’one too many’’, adding that it was a gross failure on the part of the government to provide adequate security for its citizens.
Source: Vanguard Nigeria
Glo launches 4G-LTE network
Second National Telecommunications Operator, Globacom, has launched the fourth generation mobile technology, 4G-LTE network, in Nigeria.
Long Term Evolution LTE is a revolutionary mobile technology which enhances the data transfer rates delivering faster mobile broadband experience and highest data speeds and reliability.
LTE is an advancement in technology to the 3.5G and High Speed Packet Access, HSPA. It provides ubiquitous services for users on the GSM technology curve and also others on CDMA and WiMAX platforms and is touted to offer the path breaking 4G experience for consumers.
This is due to its ability to deliver very fast data speeds in excess of 100Mb/s uplink and 50Mb/s downlink.
Group Chief Operating Officer of Globacom, Mr. Mohamed Jameel who unveiled the technology to newsmen in Lagos, at the Mike Adenuga Towers, headquarters of Globacom on Victoria Island, Lagos, said though people could already browse the Internet or send e-mails using HSPA-enabled systems or send and receive video, music using G-phones, the experience with LTE will be even better.
He added that the technology would further enhance more demanding applications like interactive TV, mobile video blogging, advanced games or professional services, enabling more Nigerians to be on top of their game and thereby ruling their world”, he added.
Meanwhile, Jameel noted that Globacom has already deployed the services on over 100 sites in Lagos alone, adding that “for our subscribers, LTE offers the key benefits of performance and capacity”.
There are over 24 networks in the world which have already adapted and launched 4G-LTE networks across the world and Globacom is expected to plug on the ubiquity of this technology to connect the demanding corporate customers and high data users from the latest 4G-LTE wireless broadband to Glo 1 and perhaps the rest of the world.
Jameel, however confessed that the company was being proactive in meeting the mobile broadband need of its growing subscriber base, bearing in mind that as the data dependence and applications grow, the need to deliver higher speeds on wireless would also continue to grow.
He disclosed that by 2012, an estimated 1.8 billion people worldwide will have access to broadband services and that nearly two-thirds of this number will be mobile broadband consumers who will be served by LTE networks.
For him, “Globacom is committed to bringing all such latest and best technologies available in the world to Nigeria”.
Source: Vanguard Newspaper – www.vanguardngr.com
Long Term Evolution LTE is a revolutionary mobile technology which enhances the data transfer rates delivering faster mobile broadband experience and highest data speeds and reliability.
LTE is an advancement in technology to the 3.5G and High Speed Packet Access, HSPA. It provides ubiquitous services for users on the GSM technology curve and also others on CDMA and WiMAX platforms and is touted to offer the path breaking 4G experience for consumers.
This is due to its ability to deliver very fast data speeds in excess of 100Mb/s uplink and 50Mb/s downlink.
Group Chief Operating Officer of Globacom, Mr. Mohamed Jameel who unveiled the technology to newsmen in Lagos, at the Mike Adenuga Towers, headquarters of Globacom on Victoria Island, Lagos, said though people could already browse the Internet or send e-mails using HSPA-enabled systems or send and receive video, music using G-phones, the experience with LTE will be even better.
He added that the technology would further enhance more demanding applications like interactive TV, mobile video blogging, advanced games or professional services, enabling more Nigerians to be on top of their game and thereby ruling their world”, he added.
Meanwhile, Jameel noted that Globacom has already deployed the services on over 100 sites in Lagos alone, adding that “for our subscribers, LTE offers the key benefits of performance and capacity”.
There are over 24 networks in the world which have already adapted and launched 4G-LTE networks across the world and Globacom is expected to plug on the ubiquity of this technology to connect the demanding corporate customers and high data users from the latest 4G-LTE wireless broadband to Glo 1 and perhaps the rest of the world.
Jameel, however confessed that the company was being proactive in meeting the mobile broadband need of its growing subscriber base, bearing in mind that as the data dependence and applications grow, the need to deliver higher speeds on wireless would also continue to grow.
He disclosed that by 2012, an estimated 1.8 billion people worldwide will have access to broadband services and that nearly two-thirds of this number will be mobile broadband consumers who will be served by LTE networks.
For him, “Globacom is committed to bringing all such latest and best technologies available in the world to Nigeria”.
Source: Vanguard Newspaper – www.vanguardngr.com
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