Israeli President Moshe Katsav will face questioning in a sexual harassment investigation, police said Tuesday after seizing computers and documents in a late-night raid on his official residence. The probe marked the latest in a string of scandals involving top officials and shocked the country at the time of growing malaise following the recent war. - Red Eye 8/23/06
“Police raid home of Israeli president” proclaimed the headline. Will such ever happen in that sharilized land of nigeria where more criminal acts are committed by people whose job is to enforce or interpret the law? With arab, awusa, fulani sharia culture nothing good will ever come out of nigeria with these folks still part of it. Sometimes though I feel my anger towards them has been misdirected because the misplaced support of our Yoroba neighbors who cavort and answer on a whim, all their selfish and rapacious desires feed these mallams' abhorrent behaviors. A president’s (ceremonial as it is, still president he is) official residence was invaded in the wee hour of the night whereas in nigeria, a retired colonel, serving minister or a badly corrupted business man, all always thumb their noses at court summons and things like that and you guys tell me nigeria is not overpopulated by mad idiots? Not long ago, the now bedridden Israeli ex-PM, Ariel Sharon was dragged to court for undisclosed campaign contributions he received or some like that and now their president’s official residence was raided in a night operation confirming the vibrancy of their democracy while making it urgent for the nigerian fools to quit uttering that word, democracy, they have no clue what it entails! Can you imagine an ordinary major’s apartment being visited or even a high profile clerk’s office being raided in nigeria? When people stop lying to themselves, they will understand why the only solution is a complete demarcation of that kaikai/ogogoro land for different people to seek their destinies undisturbed and without distraction.
And to the fella on the other page with questions:
See how swiftly they were answered with no room left for further distraction? This is what we do on BNW, educate or be educated. You cannot ask for special attention or favor for doing that which you're paid for.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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I guess this is Heezbola infiltration, or what do we call this?
quote: Nigeria: Syrian Community Invests $30m in Nigeria Daily Trust (Abuja)
August 23, 2006 Posted to the web August 23, 2006
Mohammed S. Shehu
Syrians in Nigeria are contributing about thirty million dollars to invest in the country, the High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Haitham Sa'ad has said.
According the High Commissioner, the amount of money the Syrians were trading in the fields of oil and gas fell between the ranges of S2.5million to S3million annually.
Ambassador Sa'ad who disclosed this while on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Chief Femi Fani Kayode said his country is still exploring new ways of better collaboration with Nigeria.
In the area of tourism, he said his country prior to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, has been recording over 55 million inbound tourists hence appealed to Nigeria to establish a bilateral collaboration with Syria.
Speaking earlier, Chief Kayode expressed Nigeria's interest in bigger collaboration with Syria adding that Nigeria has a lot of tourism attractions that can be of interest to the Syrians.
He said with the recent identification of tourism as the sixth priority sector of the Nigerian economy by the federal government, it is implied that the country is now ready to explore the tourism market to the fullest.
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Mebiafran I must say here that you never sieze to amaze me with you version of sociological instructions, but it is also instructive to note that it is not every Igbo person who speaks the kind of language you speak niether is it every Igbo who displays your type of mentality and so i feel we are still safe. It is a strange malady and every right thinking person bewails such parochialism. the language which you choose to use most atimes is blank and lacks intelligence. how you make extrapolations to come to your conclusions betrays a worrying ignorance of the difference between simple basic sociological parameters/elements namely identity, ethnicity, culture/religion and individualism as they relate to things like curroption. for instance what makes a man corrupt? is it his ethnicity, his culture/religion (which could all form part of his identity) or rather individualism which describes the innate/intrinsic characteristics of individuals? do we conclude that because a babangida stole Nigeria's money and babangida is a muslim/notherner therefore all muslims are thieves or rather all muslim/northerners are thieves? or to put it in another way, do we say because my one time niehbours 'Oke brocade' and 'Oke bythousand' were igbos who went to rob motorist off thier monies along Kaduna-Abuja highway before both were killed by police and thier other accomplices arrested all igbos are armed robbers? because if we apply your type of logic this is exactly the type of conclussion we would arrive at, but does this make sense? i doubt it, but your style becomes even more troubling because you seem to attribute even crimes commited by your fellow igbos (sane and free people not slaves and in a free country) to the hausa/fulani/muslims, displaying a strange victim mentality. I believe that individuals in niaja perpetuate their wickedness irrespective of thier ethnic/religious background and therefore curroption cuts accross all ethnic/religious boundaries, i also believe that social stratification/class can cause some influence but that also is not rigid. individuals are swayed according to their intrinsic propensity to steal and this is why even among the theives in power at any particular point in time, one can still point out one or two who remian unscathed by the curroption of thier colleages. one also does not need a microscope to see that all corrupt leaders in niaja always have helpers who in all cases cut accross all ethnic/religious groups. the closest these traits get to existing in a group could be in some sort of fraternity which is rooted in some cultist style ritualism and oath takeing which i am sure you know better than me and this also has no tribal marks. When they wine and dine they do not invite Mebiafran niether do they invite Mureed to come and enjoy with them the fruits of their 'hard stolen coins'.in this i share your pains and the pain of all the hoi polloi as some puts it on another tread,but what you do is try to exonorate your ethnic group and portray them as saints while castigating others as wicked and villians.I wonder how you hope to make it though, but even Gobels Hitlers master of propaganda will surely fail to see this through. The last time i checked all the governors in the six or so igbo states were not Hausa/Fulani/Muslims, but to deny that they are not only corrupt and self centred but wicked and that they belong to the same group as other wicked people wining and dining together will be standing the truth on its head, or could it be that they have all relocated to the north? maybe ex-gov. Alams is also a northerner, the igbenidoens (spell check pls) and the honourable sanator who was inplicated in ige's muder are all from sokoto. i mean your theory is just so flawed that one finds it difficult to engage you intellectually.but i might be willing to engage you intellectually on this issue if you provide facts on how curroption in Nigeria can be made the exclusive reserve of a particular ethnic gruop if i have enuogh time because i am very willing to learn more, however i will not, and i repeat i will not respond to demagogy even if i've got the whole time in the world. Meanwhile here is another Hausa/Fulani/Muslim atrocity for your glee and delight.
Fayose has hand in Ekiti killings--- Guber aspirants tell IG From KABIRU YUSUF, Abuja
AS investigations into the killing of Dr. Ayodeji Daramola, one of the Peoples Democratic Party’s gubernatorial aspirants in Ekiti state deepen, 25 governorship aspirants from different political parties in the state have accused the state governor, Chief Ayo Fayose, of complicity in most of the political killings in the state. The aspirants, drawn from the PDP, AD, ACD, PPP among others, made the allegation yesterday at Louis Edet House, headquarters of the police in Abuja where they converged at the invitation of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero who has personally taken over the investigation of the case. The aspirants, who earlier asked for Governor Fayose to be in their midst before they talk on the matter, later informed the Inspector-General of Police that, they have ample evidence that the governor was directly or indirectly connected to the dastardly acts. First to open up was Senator Bode Ulowokporok who told the IG that since 2003, the state governor has been threatening lives of different people and was alleged to be behind the killings of more than 20 persons in the state. “Senator mind your language or what you are saying, because this statement may lead to the providing evidence,” the Inspector General interfered. “I have the evidence“. He quickly replied the IG. Senator Ulowokporok further said though they had complained severally about the activities of the governor and his agents, nothing was done until one of them had fallen a victim. He explained, that it was a well known case in Ekiti state on how one Tunji was killed on the 20th of May last year, adding that this was an open case that had happened at the College of Education in the state. He further alleged that since Governor Fayose assumed office, the governor has developed a theory of accusing anybody who showed interest to contest the state’s governorship of plotting to kill him (Fasoye). Also speaking, Governor Fayose, former deputy Chief Abiodun Aloko, told the Inspector of Police that it was a well known fact that the state governor used to arm-twist many commissioners of police and directors of the state security services, deployed to Ekiti to seek transfer outside the state since they would not dance to the governor’s tunes. ``Inspector I disagree with you that nobody is forcing your command to transfer most of your commissioners. Times without number while I was the deputy governor, your people almost fought him on issues which you think are uncorrected.`` Said the former deputy governor. Chief Abiodun claimed that these was a time when some of his agents were assigned to go and kill one man on the process one of the agents was shot, but shamelessly he was quoted asking his colleagues to take him to the governor for medical treatment before he died. “I think, I have to stop you here because we can’t continue this sitting like this with journalists in our midst, please let them excuse us and I hope anybody making this kind of accusation will assist us by filling complaint form“, said the police boss. Mr. Ehindero then asked journalists to leave the hall after which the aspirants continued this revelation which lasted for 1 hour 38 minutes, behind close doors. Earlier addressing the aspirants, the Inspector of Police drew the attention of the aspirants, that it was unfortunate to observe that, Ekiti state, which boasts of highly educated people, has now tunned to be an assassin‘ den. He charged all the aspirants that they should remember that despite the multiple number of aspirants only one will become governor in the state, advising them to always leave everything to God. Mr. Ehindero further said currently there are over 382 aspirants who show their interest to contest one position or the other, saying that police can’t provide security to them. The Inspector General who said that police can only provide security to the candidate of each party however said as of now police could only provide general security to all the public.
[ August 24, 2006, 08:10 PM: Message edited by: mureed ]
Posts: 36 | From: united kingdom | Registered: Aug 2006
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Certainly, not all abokis or yorobas are corrupt, wicked, lazy and/ or what have you just as we in Biafra area cannot all claim to be sanctimonious. However, if you had read deep you may have gained just a little knowledge that my post addressed whoever has taken part in ruining your country, which does not require specialized skill to figure that the awusa army bastards with the collaboration of your folks sent nigeria spiraling out on bounds. Because without the help of my neighbors in the west, no mallam dare squeak talk much acting as if nigeria belongs to them whereas they are in fact freaking strangers. A mallam selling gworo on the street corner does not have anything to do with the social demotion of your country rather your uncles and in-laws in the army are the ones in focus. So where does this simple clarification leave your "superlative' intelligence knowing I never made a sweeping statement against ordinary folks?
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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Mureed: Mebiafran has lost all his senses. The sad news is that he is still a Nigerian. the good news is that he has no power no intelligence to actualize the sickening plans in his head!
Kesu
Posts: 99 | From: New York | Registered: Jul 2006
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Obviously mureed can smell a real yamhead from oceans away. Dummy!
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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I love this guy’s delivering ability. He covers most issues with such clarity only a genius may have. This ABIRIBA born great like many other Igbo greats has earned the name he bears.
quote:Lessons from Blair’s Britain
Monday, September 11, 2006 P People and Politics - Ochereome Nnanna
DEMOCRACY is a largely misunderstood system of government, especially in our part of the Third World. We place emphasis on such basic concepts as political parties, civil rule, majority rule, constitutions, elections and power. Experience has shown, however, that you can have a thriving dictatorship even with these concepts in place. Let’s just take a brief tour of examples to drive our point home.
Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship was built around a political party known as the Ba’ath Party. Again, in Egypt, dictators from Anwar Sadat right up to Hosni Mubarak have prosecuted their life presidency projects on a “democratic” style of government, perhaps because periodic “elections” do take place. Elections in most dictatorships return massive majority votes for the dictator. Egyptian presidents are fond of scoring up to 98% of votes cast. Many of these dictatorships are governed by constitutions because they are needed to guarantee the survival of the dictators and their political movements. Many of them came to power through the barrel of the gun but later transformed into “civilians”.
The periodic elections renew their mandates in the seat of power. But the fact of their being dictatorships are beyond question because some of them (such as Syria and North Korea) go as far as transferring power from fathers to sons or husbands to wives, thus making sure that through “democratic” means, dynasties akin to monarchies thrive. Over a period of time apologists of these types of “democracies” have answered back by saying well, this is our own democratic culture.
THAT may be so. In the case of Nigeria, there has been a prolonged push and pull between the class that has sought to force the country to adopt this highly corrupt and deceitful type of democratic culture and their opponents who insist that Nigeria was designed to be a democratic, federal republic (or put in another word, a Western-type liberal democracy). During their days in the seat of power as military heads of state, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha pushed this country towards essential Ba’athism but failed. The incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo has only recently failed to amend the constitution to continue his “optional” approach to democracy.
Indications, however, are that the country is finally moving closer towards genuine liberal democratic attitudes as the next election year rounds the corner towards us. Therefore, this is an opportune time to watch the older democracies at work and learn our useful lessons.
We will do well to watch events unfolding in Britain, our former colonial overlords. Something is happening, which explains the fact that there is more to democracy than just the existence of a constitution, political parties, elections and the lot. The story in a nutshell is this: Tony Blair, Britain’s youngest Premier in recent centuries and the Labour Party’s longest serving Prime Minister, who won a historic third term in office last year, has been forced to announce he will quit office on may 31, 2007, two years ahead of 2009 when his tenure was supposed to end.
Even though he is widely praised for doing a good job on the economy of his country, the major source of his political problem is the war on terrorism, especially the long-drawn wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which he went into along with President George Bush of the United States. For about two years now, the leaders of the two countries have suffered untold image damage due to their inability to end the conflicts quickly on a clear-cut victorious note. But unlike the US, Britain runs a parliamentary system of government. Bush can brave his image crisis and stay out his term unless he is impeached. Blair cannot afford that luxury. The dynamics of British politics are far more fragile than that of the US. A leader who has lost his popularity stands a chance of damaging his party’s chances at the polls. More importantly, he also puts the destiny of his country at peril. It therefore pays the party to get rid of an unpopular Premier before the country decides to get rid of the party from power. That is exactly what has happened to Blair.
ON Tuesday last week, eight junior ministers in his government resigned over the PM’s reluctance to tell the British people when he would vacate power. The following day, another 15 Labour lawmakers rose against him. Tom Watson, a junior Defence Minister, wrote Blair telling him: “it is with the greatest sadness that I have to say I no longer believe in your remaining in office is in the interest of either the party or country”. Blair, who had stubbornly foot-dragged on the issue of leaving power before his tenure’s end, was forced to announce last Thursday that he would quit within one year. With that announcement, the stage is set for Blair’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, to replace him as Party Leader. Incidentally, Brown’s supporters have been very visible in the campaign to see Blair off as quickly as possible. There are lessons for us in this democratic caper. Number one is that the Party is more important than any member, including its current leader. And of course, the country is more important than the party. In Nigeria and most parts of Africa where “democracy” is being practised, the leader of the ruling party considers himself more important than the country and the Party. They belong to him, in any case. He will win the next election, whether the people and electorate like it or not. So, he has nothing to fear from popularity dips.
We have seen that the first source of pressure for an unpopular Premier to go comes from the ruling party. It happened in the days of Lady Margaret Thatcher, when the Conservatives got rid of her after eleven years of very eventful reign. In Nigeria, when Obasanjo was faced with some disagreements within the ruling PDP, he got rid of them one by one. He now owns the PDP, the evidence of which is the fact that his daughter, Dr. Bello will use her father’s party to become a senator next year, while his son in-law, Akeem Bello, will use his father in-law’s party to become president in 2007! PDP, which was formed while Obasanjo was still in jail, is now a private property of the Obasanjo extended family.
WHO is that aide who will resign because Obasanjo has become unpopular? He will have the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) agents in his hair within hours of such a foolhardy affront on the President! If Gordon Brown were operating in Nigeria, he would be seen as a “disloyal” party man who is ungrateful for the “juicy” financial portfolio the President, in his kind graces, gave him. For “sponsoring” the revolt within the Party, Brown can be expected to be treated like Atiku, Okadigbo, Ngige, Ogbeh, Okonjo-Iweala and Gemade all rolled into one.
Until we mature to understand that democracy thrives on the moral power of legitimacy which comes from the people rather than the raw force of office, ours and the Arab democracies will look on events unfolding in Britain as nothing but another dimension of the “white man’s madness”. But that is what gives them all we wish we had!
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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OBJ Aide Scales Fence To Evade Arrest • Atiku's Aide Still In Custody By: admin > > Published: 2006/9/20 - Read 785 times Article Rated: 0.00 > > (0 votes) > > > > By Tony Orilade/Abuja > > The man accused of collecting N30 billion for President Olusegun Obasanjo by the Atiku Campaign Organisation through the alleged embezzlement of $110 million belonging to the Petroleum Development Fund, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, has escaped EFCC arrest. P.M.News gathered that Bodunde scaled the fence of his official home in Aso Rock and jumped into the adjoining compound occupied by another top aide of President Obasanjo, to evade arrest by EFCC operatives who stormed his home. > > Aso Rock sources told P.M.News this morning that Bodunde jumped down from his window when he learnt of the presence of the EFCC operatives in his house and scaled the fence to escape being caught by them. The operatives stormed Bodunde's official residence following allegations levelled against him by Malam Garba Shehu, media consultant to Vice President Atiku Abubakar that he (Bodunde) collected N30 billion on behalf of President Obasanjo from the MOFAS account at Trans International Bank, operated by Otunba Reuben Oyewole Fasawe, a close friend of Atiku. > > The Atiku Campaign Organisation had in several statements revealed that President Obasanjo and members of his family, including girlfriends, benefited from the PTD Fund allegedly misappropriated by Atiku. The findings of EFCC on the fund and the report of an administrative panel set up on the matter, which indicted Atiku of gross abuse of office, was forwarded to the National Assembly two weeks ago by President Obasanjo, with an accompanying letter calling for the impeachment of Atiku if he failed to resign. In response to this, the Vice President, through his media consultant, Garba Shehu, issued a lot of statements, accusing President Obasanjo too of being corrupt as he benefited immensely from the PTD fund. > > Atiku disclosed that Obasanjo also collected millions of naira from the fund through his Personal Assistant Bodunde Adeyanju. Following these revelations and public outcry, calling on EFCC to investigate Obasanjo's alleged involvement in the mismanagement of the PTD Fund, EFCC Chairman, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, reportedly ordered his men to arrest Bodunde in order to verify the claims of the Atiku camp. P.M.News also gathered that EFCC decided to go after Obasanjo's aide because it didn't want to lose its credibility or be seen as fighting a selective battle in the crusade against corruption. > > Meanwhile, Atiku's media consultant, Malam Garba Shehu, who was arrested yesterday by operatives of the state security service is still being detained. Efforts by P.M.News to ascertain where he was being detained proved abortive but an unconfirmed security report said he is being held somewhere in Abuja.
Posts: 88 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2006
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This thing is going to get messy, the breakup of two armed robbers is going to be a good soap opera. Obasanjo is pot calling kettle black as some people here have stated.
___________________ Defend your Believes and Integrity. Posts: 130 | From: Smyrna GA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Folks, Nigeria has lost it all. My question is, why do people think this entity called Nigeria is a country? The present govt. of OBJ should resign in shame. Enough of this big joke called Nigeria, it is upsetting. Imagine this sad story of a military plane crash. Tufiakwa!!
ow I rescued crash victims, by heroic boy By ROSE EJEMBI, Makurdi Wednesday, September 20, 2006 �Detimber PIX: Sun News Publishing
National Index His name is Detimber, which means �Don�t delay.� No wonder he acted fast in climbing to the top of the mountain when he heard the thunderous crashing sound of the military plane that fateful Sunday morning.
Speaking with Daily Sun in his father�s compound at Mbakumu, a village separated by Ngokugh mountain from Obudu cattle ranch, Detimber said the day started with a very cloudy weather and it was threatening to rain when the sound of a passing aircraft was heard at about 8 am.
"Shortly after the aircraft had passed through our compound, we heard a very fearful noise on top of the mountain which lasted for about thirty minutes or more."
Determined to find out what really happened, Detimber took off to the top of the mountain, a journey which lasted three hours. And what he saw shook him � a crashed plane with human beings trapped inside.
"I saw books flying everywhere and then a large expanse of land that looked as if it had just been cleared. When I trailed that route, I saw a plane that had crashed with human beings trapped inside," he said.
Detimber disclosed that when he was about to run away from the scene, one of the victims who he suspected to be the pilot beckoned on him to come and tried to convince him get help for them fast.
"When I moved closer, I saw human beings in army uniforms, some dead and a few still alive and rolling in pains. I began to shiver and started crying."
At that point, Detimber who only communicates in pidgin English said the man gave him his GSM handset which he used to call his father whose compound is at the foot of the mountain to mobilize people with axes and cutlasses so that they can bring out the trapped victims from the wreckage.
This took another three to four hours and by the time the villagers were done, 18 persons were brought out, among whom were 12 Generals, three lieutenant colonels and three crew members. "Thirteen among them were dead while five persons were still alive but most of them were badly injured and unconscious," offers the heroic boy.
The villagers immediately set in motion machinery to resuscitate the dying solders and to also get in touch with the state government via the local council, informing them of the air disaster in their village.
A health worker in the village, John Toryila who was also contacted to give first aid to the victims, said he had to place some of the survivors on drips because of their critical condition after cleaning up their wounds and applying iodine and bandages.
The villagers also mobilized to take food and water to the survivors and when it was too late to come down from the mountain top, they all decided to stay with the victims until the next morning when the helicopter marked NEMA Rescue came to evacuate them.
Benue State Government Dr. George Akume who still made it to the village around 11pm that Sunday night on hearing about the accident described it as unfortunate and condoled the Nigerian Army and families of those who lost their lives, while also praying for the quick recovery of the survivors.
He gave scholarship to Detimber from primary to the university level for the great feat and directed the State Commissioner of Works, Engr. Charles Mary to open an account in his name with immediate effect.
The villagers were not also left out as the Army Chief Andrew Azazi who was impressed by their commitment to helping fellow Nigerians gave them the sum of N 480,000.00 as gift.
The Chief of Army Staff who said the victims were supposed to be having a meeting with him at Obudu Cattle Ranch that Sunday evening noted that the aircraft was to drop them and come back to pick him and others.
Also, the Chief Press Secretary to the Benue State Governor, Tyodzua Atim who rode on a bike from Adikpo to the site of the crash described it as one tragedy too many in the annals of Nigeria as a country.
Indeed, it is unfortunate that an incident such as this could happen to these great Leaders of Nigeria! Maybe and only maybe that others in the Leadeship will learn a great lesson from the above incident. The cash that is stashed in foreign banks abroad can better be utilized in providing adequate emergency medical services' facilities throughout the nation. That couple with an effective emergency response system similar to the "911" facilities that is obtainable in developed countries such as in the U.S.A can enable emergency response team to attend to emergency and disaster situations such as the subject tragedy. Death has no boundaries and can happen to the wealthiest or the poorest person. We cannot compromise our health and safety with any money that is stashed in foreign banks. The opportunity costs far outweight the benefits, if there is any. The issue with out Air Traffic Control in itself is a joke. These great men took off on a journey of less than 50 minutes and the Controllers could not communicate with the airport where they were disembarking. Even the host (the Chief of Army Staff) to the so-call retreat could not question the whereabout of Attendees to the retreat that left their destination by 8 am; and the Governor of the State did not arrived at the scene until 11 pm. Ewoo, e get as e be!!!
Posts: 88 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2006
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”How I rescued crash victims, by heroic 14 year old boy”
lololol!! A fourteen year old toddler rescued sharia Generals, the alpha, omegas and gods of nigeria are what a 14 yr old rescued with bare knuckles? LOLOLOLOL!
Few years ago when some of us started calling the sharialized land of no good by its rightful names – Banana Republic, Kai-kai land, Lugard’s cage and stuff the sons of these terrorists saw us as people who could find nothing good about a worthless dungeon. Luckily, some of them are waking up to the realities and if this well articulated article below does not convince even the most agnostic that things have ripped open at all angles in that Banana Republic, then nothing could. “I have gone to the station to lodge a complaint about how I was robbed of my two phones in my car in a hold-up at 9.30p.m. by some teenagers. After writing my statement, the Investigating Police Officer told me if I see the boys who robbed me again, I should bring them to the station. I quietly left the station because I knew I was in the wrong place. ” So wrote Mr. Hakeem Jamiu.
quote:Ehindero's revelation and the Nigerian State By Hakeem Jamiu Guardian 9/20/06
THE revelation by Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero to the National Assembly on Wednesday September 6, 2006 that his Mobile Policemen are ill-equipped to match the sophistication of modern day robbers should be a source of worry to all Nigerians. What is more worrisome is that nobody has expressed any serious fear since Ehindero made that statement as if we don't know its implications.
It means that the Nigerian State has failed and everybody is on his or her own. Any state that cannot guarantee the security of life and property is a failed state. The next stage after State failure is State collapse. The primary purpose of the state according, to John Locke (1690), 'is the preservation of lives, liberty and estates which were not safe in the state of nature and for which men agree to unite into commonwealths by putting themselves under governments'.
A state that cannot perform this task has failed. In the question and answer session with the senators which spanned over three hours, Ehindero was a pitiable sight as he reeled out his travails and by extension that of the Nigeria Police which he heads. The travails of Ehindero's police is a corollary of the decay at the top and in other public institutions in Nigeria. He said it was so bad that the police had to make do with a caterpillar's tyre for its armoured vehicle because there were no spare tyres. The result of this was that armed robbers easily demobilised the armoured vehicle when the tyres were shot. Other problems of the police he listed were: logistics problem, recruitment of criminals into the organisation, refusal of his men to carry out orders which he called part of logistics problems and the proliferation of arms in the country especially by politicians.
If the Nigeria Mobile Police cannot confront armed robbers who will then confront them? Women and children? Robbers are now more emboldened by the inability of the Nigeria Police to match their fire power as admitted by Ehindero. The security situation in Nigeria today is so bad that armed robbers operate on a daily basis leaving sorrow, blood and tears in their trail. Armed robbers no longer operate only at night, but also in the morning and afternoon. On two occasions, I have witnessed armed robbery attacks that occurred on Sunday morning as early as 8.a.m..in the Abule Egba area of Lagos with everybody scampering to safety as the staccato of guns boomed. This was in early July, 2006. Stories were told by eyewitnesses about how some robbers in Agege area killed about seven people in August 2006, because they had no money on them when the robbers came calling.
There are similar sad stories across the country too numerous to mention on a daily basis. Armed robbers now go for operations in 30s, 40s and 50s or more. Apart from sophisticated guns, they go with other equally sophisticated accessories that will facilitate their operation like gas cylinder, welding tools, hammer, powerful beam lights and explosives for blowing up safes. That 'gentleman' walking casually towards you may have an AK 47 assault rifle, tucked under his Kaftan. A knock on your door these days (even on a Sunday morning) may be a visit by armed robbers.
The issue goes beyond apportioning blames to the Nigeria Police; it is rather a structural issue. The question will be asked though if Ehindero had tabled his needs before the appropriate authorities and they were not met. If this is so, is the Nigerian government so broke that it cannot afford to buy sophisticated weapons for her police? If money had been budgeted and released for this and other materials, was there an audit for the purpose of a follow up to know if the items were actually bought? What is the function of the Ministry of Police Affairs? What is the relevance of the Ministry of Police Affairs to the Nigeria Police as regards finance matters?
It is very unlikely that the Nigerian government cannot afford to buy sophisticated weapons that can match those of the robbers but the problem is either that the huge amount budgeted to the police and Ministry of Police Affairs is not released or the money when released ends up in private pockets.
My experience in a police station recently left me dejected ever since. Stationery such as the statement sheet, detention order, invitation sheet and so many other materials even common biro were bought directly by the officers on duty who will in turn levy a complainant. One man brought the stationery and was selling them to the policemen and I wonder who the man was but definitely not from the Police Affairs Ministry (I stand to be corrected). The question is how can the police be effective when it operates in this crude and unorganised manner? Why can't the Ministry of Police Affairs entrust a group of officers with the responsibility of distributing these writing materials to the police stations across the country say every three months and thereafter conduct an audit? Why has sanity taken flight from our public institutions and policy makers?
The other thing I noticed at the police station was that the morale of the police officers is very low. The officers I met on the counter wore the mien of mourners. One of them, a woman was bemoaning her fate and said "what prompted me to join the police? I am tired of this job, everyday, the public will abuse you, the police will abuse you and at the end of the month your salary is nothing to write home about", she concluded. I have gone to the station to lodge a complaint about how I was robbed of my two phones in my car in a hold-up at 9.30p.m. by some teenagers. After writing my statement, the Investigating Police Officer told me if I see the boys who robbed me again, I should bring them to the station. I quietly left the station because I knew I was in the wrong place.
The lamentations of the above policewoman are that of the average Nigerian Policeman. This leads us to the issue of Welfare of the Police. Members of the police are about the least paid in the country today. I read in one of the dailies recently that the salary of some policemen is N9, 000 monthly and this has not been refuted by the police authorities. This is dehumanising as no human being can leave on such a salary and be expected to give his best. The least paid policeman should be on about N50, 000 (fifty thousand naira) per month. No wonder, the directive that policemen should no longer mount road blocks may not be effective. Some policemen at checkpoints, when reminded of the Inspector General of Police's order, will tell you the IG has no power to stop police check points. I can now understand what they mean. It is that bad. Ehindero is like a father who cannot provide for his household probably as a result of bad economy his household now resorts to stealing to survive but he has no moral right to condemn their actions. So what is the way out?
The first thing to do is to review the emoluments of the police upwards to a living wage as I mentioned earlier on. Secondly, higher education should be a major criterion in recruitment into the police; thirdly, the IG should prepare a list of all the sophisticated weapons including armoured vehicles he feels the police will require to overrun armed robbers and present this to the appropriate authorities. If it means the presidency will make a supplementary budget let it do it please. Fourthly, the ministry of police affairs should be more alive to its responsibilities especially by supplying stationery to the police formations across the country quarterly. Lastly, the officers and men need a complete re-orientation about the need to be public friendly so that they can effectively carry out policing with the co-operation of the public. Above all government should do more to reduce poverty.
But there is a problem with these solutions. The recent altercation between the President and his deputy has compounded the problem more. While we cry for security, our leaders are crying for power. Most people these days have resorted to anti-bullet charms like ayeta, odechi etc, Christians have become prayer warriors and Moslems have turned to their Alfas and marabouts for protection. We may be gradually going back to the Hobbesian state of nature where the life of man is' solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short'. May God help us.
• Jamiu is a company executive in Lagos
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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he revelations are flowing, the finger-pointing are endless, the cash and loot involved are bottomless, the party men are all plunderers, what brought them together is putting them asunder, and their greed cannot even be assuaged any more by billions; now we need to start talking trillions. The Plunderers and the devils are in the same boat called the Peoples' Democratic Party or Peoples' Demonic Plunderers, a party known for legislators and senators who steal, kill and destroy, a three-fold ministry shared with the devil, and executives at states and federal levels who also fulfill the party's three cardinal programme of stealing, killing and destroying. This is indeed a sad season for our people and for our nation even as the nation turns 46 in a few weeks' time.
The unfortunate people of Nigeria are at the mercy of a band of thieves, looters, murderers, pranksters and vagabonds. I am hurting so bad but finding the space to enjoy the endless revelations going on and the exchanges. The dirty linens are now being washed in the public, and it is to the advantage of all of us. However, it is a very sad development and a clear indication that we are once again witnessing make-believe war on corruption, and at best a do-as-I-say rather than a do-as-do, leadership-by- example approach. The Shehu Shagari's National Party of Nigeria government (1979 - 1983), the Ibrahim Babangida's self-design presidency (1985 - 1993), the Sani Abacha contraption of 1993 - 1999 all looted while pretending to be waging war on corruption with so many crusade labels such as Ethical Revolution (Shehu Shagari), War Against Corruption (Babangida) and War Against Indiscipline and Corruption with the acronym WAIC courtesy of the rogue Sani Abacha. Now it is the EFCC that is dealing with corruption, but will the EFCC be able to bring the top fishes and far more corrupt national leaders (what with perfect impunity?) book and prosecute them? I think the Nigerian people need more facts, more information about how the money is shared, whom the other conduit pipes and postmasters are, and details of the cheques and bank drafts. We also need a closure where the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the ubiquitous EFCC will recover and prosecute everyone who has stolen, posted, looted, and accepted stolen money, ensuring that the cash is at least recovered and returned to the nation's coffers for projects dedicated to our hospitals, schools, and roads. I am not sure any Federal or State hospitals in Nigeria offer procedures such as colonoscopy, MRI, CT scans (using advanced digital technology and equipment (ADT&E) such as 64-slice CT scanners, MRI 1.5 Teslas and MRI 0.2 Teslas, radiography and fluoroscopy, angiography, nuclear medicine cameras, digital biopsy units, DPX units for bone density), mammography and state sponsored breast screening programs, ultrasound, dialysis and diagnostic radiography. Not a single public hospital in that nation has a functional Emergency Medical care program and long term care for seniors, but we have a president and vice president who run the nation at their personal pleasures and for their personal well being and fun. Aso Rock has remained the looters den, the very way the first occupiers, Ibrahim Babangida and his Better Life spouse exploited and abused it. The Presidency is a rich soil for growing postmasters and conduit pipes. Atiku Abubakar has Umar Pariya while Baba Iyabo has Bodunde Adeyanju. The two postmasters go by the same title of "Personal Assistants." I recently heard the story of another Personal Assistant and postmaster to a governor in the South West who made for safety in Canada, tired of being the person whose name is used to draw all the cheques and bank drafts. Atiku Abubakar and his sidekicks are really spilling the beans; providing more details than ever before and have vowed to do more in this debacle that has set Aso Rock on fire, a fire that may purify and clean the rot that is making everyone so desperate and hell-bent to occupy that sit of power. But we want to hear more from the two camps. We want to hear about the brains behind the murders, including the killing of Chief James Ajibola Ige. We want these people to truly come clean and spill it all out. Atiku Abubakar has opened a can of warms that portrayed President Obasanjo as a looter using the postmaster Bodunde Adeyanju. According to Atiku's Media Consultant Mallam Garba Shehu, "The President's Personal Assistant, Mr. Bodunde Adeyanju, made over 100 sorties to TIB Abuja (located at tafa House in the Central Business District) between 1999 and 2004," adding that "from 1999 until after the elections in 2003, the President through Bodunde Adeyanju collected over 3 Billion naira from MOFAS account at TIB Abuja branch." It was also revealed that the "MOFAS account is a dedicated account run by Otunba Fasawe which is made available to the Presidency and party …". Further revelations included the cheques worth over 100 million naira issued to IBAD Nigeria Limited, a construction company solely owned by Obasanjo, from Fasawe's MOFAS TIB accounts, the purchase of a brand new Peugeot 607 for a woman friend of the president, Ms. Lamide Adegbenro, a Prado Jeep for Mrs. Ajoke Mohammed and two coster buses (valued at 11 million naira) for Obasanjo's Bells Comprehensive High School from the same MOFAS accounts. Another amount that went to Baba Iyabo from the bottomless MOFAS accounts was a N4 million no-work-done cash given to the Ibogun-Olaogun Development Association, Obasanjo's village. On his part, Atiku Abubakar had accepted that his own postmaster, Umar Pariya collected N500 million from the almighty MOFAS account "for campaign activities and settling debts arising from the election expenditures by the PDP." These two men are not fit to hold any elective positions in Nigeria. These two men are direct enemies of the Nigerian people and obstacles to national progress and development. These two men, President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar are undesirable elements who should face public inquiry. Is this not the best time to hold all recent Nigerian leaders accountable for looting the treasury a la what Jerry Rawlings did in Ghana in recent memory? I think we need to conduct a public Anti-Corruption Commission under the leadership of Justice Chukudife Oputa to try General Ibrahim Babangida and Admiral Augustus Aikhomu (1985 - 1993), Generals Sani Abacha and Oladipo Diya/Bamaiyi (1993 - 1997), General Abdusalam Abubakar and Admiral Mike Akhigbe (1997 - 1999) and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (1999 - 2006). The National Assembly has the powers to set up this judicial commission to safe the nation from the rigmarole of looting and official robbery. But where is Mr. Otunba Reuben Fasawe the sidekick who runs the bottomless pit of a company called MOFAS? Why is the man quiet and unpleasantly silent about all the billions of naira he was said to have dished out from several bank accounts at TIB? And where are the billions of naira coming from, not the people's oil dollars and sweat I hope? We eagerly await the account from where all the billions of naira are taken from and who authorized the transfer of such large sums to MOFAS's accounts. To imagine that these were the same people who kept increasing the prices of petroleum products like that was the only solution to improving the earnings and managing the funds of the state! While making life more miserable, tough and unpleasant for the masses, OBJ and Atiku were busy living life to the hilt, providing for their families, mistresses, concubines and sidekicks, and generally looting the state treasury with perfect impunity. There is actually very little to choose between the devil and the deep blue sea. I am just not sure which of the two men is the devil and which one is the deep blue sea, but both are bad news, bad eggs that do not deserve to hold any elective position again. There was also the N100 million Mr. Joshua Dariye, the Plateau State Governor paid into the account of the Obasanjo-Atiku campaign Organization, money meant for special projects in the State. I think OBJ should be ashamed of himself for bring the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to disrepute. That he refunded N50 million back to Dariye (and God knows what Dariye went on to do with the N50 million) is all the evidence we need to link OBJ to the crime of looting state funds. Added to this was the claim that Atiku and Mr. Fasawe contributed N200 million in 1998 to pay off Obasanjo's debt to banks. It will be nice to get more evidence of such contribution, but the way things stand at the moment it is very clear - and painfully, too - that those who manage the
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