Ukraine's acting defence minister has said the country's army is preparing for delivering on the tasks defined by the national security council to tackle pro-Russian activists in the east.
Mikhail Koval made the remarks as Russian President Vladimir Putin said accusations of his country's involvement in Ukraine were "unfounded".
Koval said in a televised address to the nation on Monday that the armed forces would act without imposing a martial law in the framework of the anti-terrorist operation.
"The reasons for using armed forces exists," he said.
The announcement came a day after Ukraine's acting President Oleksandr Turchynov warned pro-Russian activists in the country's eastern cities on Sunday that a full-scale security operation would include the army would be unleashed unless they put down arms until 0600GMT on Monday.
Armed rebels defied the deadline, storming a police station in Horlivka and continuing to occupy government offices in at least nine other eastern towns.
On Monday, Turchynov suggested in a telephone conversation with Ban Ki-moon, UN secretary-general, that UN peacekeepers could get involved in stabilising the country's east.
Meanwhile, Russia's envoy to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Monday that any use of armed force against pro-Russian demonstrators could spark a civil war in Ukraine.
"There are units being organised of paramilitary people who will be given weapons and who will be under command of officers. It will be, as we hears, nearly 12,000 of these people. This is dangerous," Andrey Kelin said.
"In Moscow, we strongly believe in might lead to a civil war. We are very worried."
Blaming the Kremlin
The EU discussed fresh sancrions against Russia on Monday as foreign ministers blamed Russia for fomenting trouble in restive eastern Ukraine.
Events of the last 48 hours in eastern cities of Ukraine are "clearly a further escalation of the crisis", William Hague, British foreign secretary, said on arriving for the talks with his 27 counterparts.
There could be no "doubt that this has been planned and brought about by Russia," he said, adding that Russian denials of involvement "do not have a shred of credibility".
Later on Monday, Russia's President Vladimir Putin told US counterpart Barack Obama that charges of Russia meddling in eastern Ukraine were "unfounded", the Kremlin said, referring to a telephone conversation between the two leaders.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The head of the mission for destroying Syria's chemical weapons has told the United Nations Security Council that Syria can still meet the April 27 deadline to remove all chemical agents out of the country that are due to be destroyed by June 30, UN diplomats said.
Syria has suspended the transfers for what it says are security reasons, but last Sunday said it planned to resume them in the "coming days", the AFP news agency reported.
Sigrid Kaag, coordinator for the international operation to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons stockpile, warned the council on Thursday that any further delay would make it "increasingly challenging" to stick to the June 30 deadline, according to diplomats cited by AFP.
"Assuming that operations restart immediately, operations could be achieved on time," diplomats quoted her as saying.
"I have repeated to Syrian authorities the need for a swift resumption of the removal operation. Operations have to restart immediately," she reportedly said.
'Containers ready for shipment'
According to diplomats, Kaag said there were 72 containers filled with chemical weapons ready to be transferred to the main Syrian port of Latakia for shipment out of the country, adding that their removal from the country would account for 90 percent of the country's stockpile.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said in a report to the UN last week that the total percentage of chemicals either removed or destroyed inside the war-torn country is 53.6 percent. T
he report said Syria pledged to remove all chemicals by April 13, except for those in areas "that are presently inaccessible", which face an April 27 deadline.
Damascus agreed to give up its chemical weapons in September under a deal to ward off the threat of US air strikes.
The agreement was reached after deadly chemical attacks outside Damascus last August that the West blamed on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The policy forum on Nigeria’s plans and preparations for the 2015 round of elections in Washington D.C, USA, on Monday, presented Nigerian politicains as the lot quick to agree on the basic tenets of democracy, but, perhaps, only on foreign soil.
It was an unprecedented sight for many onlookers, on Monday, when self-styled attack lion of the president, Dr. Doyin Okupe embraced Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the spokesman of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.
Of course, it did not happen in Nigeria. It was in Washington D.C., United States, US, at a forum on Nigeria’s preparations for the 2015 round of elections where the inner instinct of being your brother’s keeper initially prevailed over the mutual antagonism that has marked utterances between the two major parties in the high stakes rivalry for political power.
The forum organised by the Washington based Centre for Strategic and International Studies, CSIS, was a follow up to the January forum featuring the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. However, the initial camradiere immediately turned stormy once Okupe roared like a lion in defence of his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan.
The forum was attended by many stakeholders in the Nigeria’s democratic project and many Africa specialists from within the US. Okupe led the joint delegation of the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that also included a Senior Special Assistant to the President, Sanya Awosan; political adviser to the governor of Delta State, Fed Majemite; and Mr. Oma Djebah, senior advisor to the Delta governor on foreign affairs.The APC was represented by Mohammed and Senator Babafemi Ojudu, APC, Ekiti Central.
Among dignitaries present at the forum were Ambassador Howard Jetter, a former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, and Dr. Usman Bugaje who served as political adviser to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. The programme moderated by Jennifer Cooke, director of the Africa programme at CSIS, kicked off with opening statements on preparations by the two sides ahead of the 2015 elections offered by Mohammed and Okupe.
‘Our concerns’ The APC spokesman started by noting his party’s preparations which he said was flagged off with ward congresses across the country the week before the programme. He, however, drew attention to the party’s concerns on free and fair elections and particularly on the integrity of the voters register. He was quick to note that recent experiences, particularly the 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, did not give much room for confidence.
”Elections are not rigged only on election day, it is the process that leads to election day that are so crucial. I am happy that we all agreed on one issue, that is, a credible voters register,” Mohammed said.
”If the voter has no access to cast his vote, that election is flawed and the experience we had in Anambra State where different sets of registers were given to different political parties and another one on election day and where many people ran around and they couldnt find their names, a situation where even the Chairman of the
commission had to admit that one of his officers was induced with money to disenfranchise thousands of people is worrisome. We are not asking for much, we are only asking that, let there be a voters’ register which is credible, let the people be able to vote and let their votes count.”
’Desperate politicians’ While the APC spokesman was disposed to the intervention by the CSIS and saw it as a way of securing Nigeria’s democracy, Okupe was clearly reserved as he calmly claimed that issues about Nigeria should not be brought to the outside world.
He was, however, quick to indicate the coming tone of his roar when he sternly warned Mohammed not to bring the President into consideration in the discussions.
”Alhaji Lai Mohammed must restrict himself to the questions being asked. He must not under any circumstances cast aspersion on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. If he does, he knows me,” he said to some applause obviously from sympathisers of the administration in the CSIS hall.
The senior presidential aide was to further assert that President Jonathan had promised not to allow the shedding of blood for the purpose of winning an election. His assertion was, however, interjected by Ms Cooke who observed that the President’s election in 2011 was trailed by more than 200 deaths.
Okupe, in defence, threw the fault to those he described as desperate politicians who he claimed instigated the post-election violence. ”There are desperate people in Nigeria who, unfortunately, went and incited these people to go on the rampage. That is our problem in the country. It is not the process of the election that killed them. If the winner clearly emerges and the loser is a spoil sport, what can we do about it? That is what we should be discussing.”
The President’s spokesman was to add that he met with his principal just before departing Nigeria who told him to tell the American people that he had not made up his mind on seeking re-election.
Following him, Senator Ojudu, who made name in the Nigeria’s pro-democracy agitations in the 90s, was quick to dismiss Okupe’s assertion of internalising Nigeria’s democracy contentions as he was called upon to answer how the opposition is preparing to select its candidate for the 2015 presidential election.
”The world is one single humanity and whatever affects the people of Nigeria affects the world. I believe today that there is nothing happening in Nigeria that is not known to the world and it was only in those dark ages that one would say what is happening in Nigeria should be restricted to Nigeria,” he stated.
Ojudu cited what he claimed as challenges to free and fair elections fanned by the administration. Prominent among them was what he called the President’s dithering procrastination on giving assent to the State of the Nation Address and the reluctance of the ruling PDP to push through a Bill to provide for debate by candidates for election.
”People would like to ask what you (candidates) are going to do about employment, and you keep on hearing of $20 billion missing and people want to know,” he said as he noted that the PDP candidate in the 2011 presidential election debated with himself ahead of the vote.
’The deaf conversation’ Cooke was, quick to thumb up the idea of debate among candidates and jocularly said the CSIS would willingly offer to host such a debate in the US.Before asking Majemite to answer how the PDP would select its candidate, Okupe quarreled with the anecdotes contained in Ojudu’s contribution, saying the senator deviated from answering the questions to throwing brickbats. ”We have to turn this discussion away the conversation of the deaf. I can also pretend to be deaf,” Okupe warned.
Majemite, in his own contribution, used the opportunity to throw darts at the APC, pointing out that the PDP has a history of internal democracy. ”We have a history of internal democracy, we do not impose candidates,” he said as he went on to dismiss Ojudu’s claim of lack of transparency in the management of oil receipts.
Focussing on the senator’s claim that the PDP is fearful of debates, he said: ”The issue of debate is not new to us, we have been having debates; so I don’t know why the distinguished senator is saying that. We are not new, we have been having congresses. Alhaji Lai Mohammed just said that they are having their congresses, so let them come out with their officials and it is only then we will know whether the APC will stand or not.”
Credible polls Following that, Cooke charged the two parties to state what they believe would be the basis of credible elections. Mohammed itemised issues including biometrics, the removal of soldiers from election process, the design of a ballot paper not to confuse the electorate and the integrity of the media. He also charged that international observers must look at elections beyond what happened in urban centres and focus on what happens in remote areas where the INEC on election eve normally came up with polling booths only known to the ruling party.
He called for the removal of religion as an issue in politics. “A situation where our President has been going from church to church to make pronouncements on policy issues is not helpful,” The APC spokesman said. Okupe dismissed APC’s call on the use of biometrics as he said that INEC had made it clear that it is not possible.
”When they lose elections, they say biometrics was not used. Biometrics or no biometrics, nobody is going to be specially favoured and let the APC know that now so that when the elections are won and lost, nobody would say it is because they didn’t use biometrics and that is why we lost.”
The presidential aide was to further agree with Mohammed that the voters register is the most crucial element in the election process as he called on the APC to join the PDP in ensuring the integrity of the register. ”So that we can avoid what happened in Anambra State where there were two sets of voters register. Some said this is the new one, some said it is that,” he said as he claimed he was being “honest” with Anambra.
His sincerity was soon taken up by Ojudu who lauded him on his sincerity in claiming that the Anambra election was marred by fraud as claimed by the APC. As Ojudu said that to the obvious embarrassment of Okupe, the audience muttered with suppressed applause.
But, the President’s spokesma was to press on with what he described as his boss’ sincerity to free and fair election saying: “The man at the helm of affairs presently is a man that is committed to rebuilding Nigeria and he recognises that the starting block of this is by having free and fair elections. He has distanced himself and resisted party pressure to intervene in elections that have taken place since he became President and to ensure that the will of the people is not thwarted. There are many elections that have taken place where PDP, the party in power, lost.”
Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, in his summary of the discussions, praised the two sides, saying the articulation of the two parties was reflective of the high level of political discourse in Nigeria. He, nevertheless, warned the two sides not to wash the country’s linen in public even as he raised questions about Nigerians coming to discuss their country in the US.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
RECENTLY, the murky water of Abia politics wasstirred by rumours that Governor Theodore Orji had endorsed one of his officials, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu, as the state’s next governor. But the government swiftly denied the allegation before it got out of hand.
The denial came given the horde of aspirants on the prowl. There are atleast 20 people from Ukwa/Ngwa ethnic bloc of Abia State interested in ruling the state in 2015. The ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zoned the position to Abia South.
Responding to the rumour that Orji had selected someone to replace him, one of the political heavyweights in the state, Chief Ukpai Agwu, who was the immediate past Transport commissioner and close confidant of Orji, said the governor would not select any candidate for Abia South.
“The governor would not select anybody for the people of Abia South as their candidate. Whomever they select must be the one Abians would approve. It is left for Abia South to present a candidate they feel is best for the state.
The governor will not influence it. I myself do not know who will be the governor. It is left for Abia South people to produce who they want. Remember, it is not zoned to Ukwa/Ngwa. It is zoned to Abia South, which is made up of both Ukwa and Ngwa people,” he said.
Effects of zoning
One of the effects of the zoning, Agwu went on, is that, “the transfer of power to Abia South will not only ease the tension and feeling of marginalisation in the state, it will also ensure equity in all spheres of Abia polity.”
Once this is enthroned in the state, Agwu said, it would be easy for every region in Abia to know which part will produce the next governor. “Immediately Abia South completes its tenure”, Agwu said, “it would be the turn for Abia North as everybody would know which zone will be the next.”
Those after the Abia top job
Those reportedly gunning for the top job so far are Rt. Hon. Uzor Azubuike, Isiala Ngwa South; Chris Nkwonta Akwete, Ndoki Ukwa East; Barrister Emeka Wogu, Umuogle Aba South; Alwell Asiforo Okere, Ohuru Ndoki Ukwa East; Barrister A. C. B Agbazuere, Isiala Ngwa South; Sir Mac Wabara Ohambele, Ukwa East; Mr. Okey Emuchay, Ukwa East; Gabriel Onyendilefu, Isiala Ngwa South; Chief Reagan Ufomba, Isiala Ngwa North; Senator Nkechi Justina Nwaogu, Isiala Ngwa South; Senator Enyi Abaribe, Obingwa; Rt. Hon. Eric Acho Nwakanma, Obingwa; Comrade Chris Akoma, Obingwa; Barrister F.N Nwosu, Obingwa; Chief Nyerere Anyim, Obingwa; Prince Paul Ikonne, Aba North; Chief Okezie I Orji, Obingwa; Uche Nwankpa, Obingwa; Okezie Ikpeazu, Obingwa and Udo Ahaiwe, Obingwa.
Zoning formula raises stakes
The ruling PDP’s zoning of the governorship to Abia South is upturning political settings in the state’s local governments and senatorial districts. For example, in Abia North which has been allotted the deputy governorship, there is already an agitation over which LGA will produce the next deputy governor. Currently there are many aspirants and communities saying it is their turn to produce one office or the other.
Agwu said that in Abia North, the equity policy is being worked out between the Ohafia, Nkporo, Abiriba on one hand, and Arochukwu, as well as Bende, Isikwuato, Isiochi among others on the other. The positions for zoning range from councillorship, members of the House of Assembly, the federal constituencies, senatorial seat and state deputy governor. This may affect the chances serving federal lawmakers like Senator Uche Chukwumerije and Arua Arunsi from returning, if different local councils were to produce occupiers of the offices. While Arunsi is on his first lap in the House of Representatives, Chukwumerije has done multiple terms.
Ohafia, Aro bicker over deputy gov slot
Elders of Ohafia LGAs are not left out in the political scheming in the state. In a chat with the Vanguard recently, they said it is fair that their people produce the deputy governor.
But Aro Chukwu LGA says it is its turn. One of its sons, Chief Kalu Kalu Diogu, a former president of World Igbo Congress (WIC) from Ihechiowa town of the LGA, is reportedly running with Abaribe as his deputy. Commenting on the centrality of Ohafia in Abia politics, Agwu, a two-time chairman of Ohafia LGA, said his council has always given over 70 percent votes to the winning party in the state.
Agwu, a well known grassroots politician in the state, noted that the governor would fulfill his promises to Ohafia, including the Isiugwu-Ndi Oji Abam road which had been awarded over three years ago but with nothing to show for it.
We’ve not been compensated—Ohafia elders
The Ohafia elders also decried the non-appointment of their people into federal government agencies and parastatals, saying the people gave a big support to the government during the 2011 elections.
The leaders, who spoke to Vanguard included former Abia State PDP Deputy Chairman, and former Chairman, Ohafia LGA, Chief K.K. Owen; immediate past Abia commissioner for Transport, Mr. Kingsley Imaga, and Rev William Onyema Agbai, Abia state Commissioner for Local Government Service Commission.
Rev Agbai explained that the Federal Government did not forget Ohafia people rather, their slots had always been hijacked by one known politician in their area with his Abuja connections.
The people, he said, should be more proactive in asking for what belongs to them. They should have a presence in Abuja to reach out to powers that be in the capital territory so that no one will short change them. On his part, Imaga, blamed the professional elites in the area for the non presence of the people at the federal level, claiming that the political elite had done their duty. Owen in his remarks said the Ohafia community would want the deputy governor to come from their council as a way to compensate them for their bloc votes.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Delta State, Elder Godsday Orubebe, in this interview, spoke on why President Goodluck Jonathan should be handed a second term in 2015 and his governorship pursuit among others. Excerpts:
On President Jonathan’s perceived reluctance to seek re-election?
I played a key role in the election of President Jonathan in 2011 and I am still playing that key role to make him by the grace of God, the president of Nigeria again, to complete his eight years.
I do not think the president is reluctant to come out again to contest, there is always a time for every activity and he is waiting for the right time to come and declare to Nigerians as he did in 2011. The president surely will contest.
That he is contesting for the presidency of this again for re-election is non-negotiable. Even if he was not going to contest, we will draft him to come and complete his eight years.
This is the first time somebody from the South-South has come on board to preside over the affairs of this country and I think it is only reasonable to allow him to complete his two terms of eight years, particularly when he is doing very well to take Nigeria to the next level.
How is he taking Nigeria to the next level?
From 1960 to the time he took over, power infrastructure was completely dead but he has brought in the private sector, there is a power master plan now on how Nigeria can get power so that we can key into the global industrial revolution.
Today, the trains that were dead over the years are working, our roads are better. The East/West Road that was meant not to be completed is about to be completed now, every arrangement had been put in place.
In the education sector, there is no government in recent time that has given concern to the education of young men and women. The other day when the education minister was having a meeting with the vice-chancellors and when they gave their reports, I was marveled that a lot is being done in our educational institutions.
Economic empowerment programmes are being put in place for our young men and women to keep them engaged and employed.
This president has done very well in many areas; talk about aviation and agriculture, there are a lot of programmes being enjoyed by grassroots farmers and today people now see farming as a good business unlike in those days when farming was considered as a vocation of poor people.
President Jonathan has done very well and he is moving this country forward and my appeal to the rest of the country is that Mr. President should be allowed to complete his eight years. For me, it is not negotiable and Mr. President must have to complete his eight years to give to Nigeria what God has invested in him.
On comments that President Jonathan is worried by the opposition from the North, hence his reluctance to declare his re-election bid?
So many people do not actually know the kind of president that they have. If you get close to the president the way some of us have been close to him, you will know that the president is not jittery but he is a president that is calculating, a president that believes in the rule of law and that as a president of this country, he needs to show good example and that is what he is doing. He cannot come out to declare now considering the regulations that have been put in place by INEC.
On chances of Jonathan at the polls
Mr. President is going to win massively. Nigerians are becoming more aware, it is not a situation where somebody somewhere is coming to tell stories.
Educational institutions
They are aware that our railways have started working, our educational institutions are getting attention, our airports are better and agriculture is seen as a serious business now.
For the sustenance of what is on ground, Nigerians will definitely vote for Jonathan.
On his aspiration for the governorship of Delta State It is on and I am waiting for the INEC’s timetable to declare to the good people of Delta State that I am humbly willing to come and offload what God has deposited in me from the councilor level to the presidency level.
With the people of Delta State, we are thinking of bringing a new concept of governance, concept of love and we all working together.
Concept of governance
We will take from the past activities of previous governments and build on them to be able to contribute our quota towards the development of Delta State.
On the necessity of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan embarking on new projects a year to his hand-over
The only time Governor Uduaghan should stop working is the day he hands over and that is May 29, 2015. Government is a continuum. If that is what they are saying now, then immediately after swearing in and the man knew that after four years he would go, people would have expected him to stop from that day. The man has to work till that day. Governor Uduaghan has been a friend right from when I was the chairman of Burutu local government area of the state. He is man that is well calculating. He started very well and he is finishing very strong.
I cherish a lot of things that he is doing, particularly this new programme, ‘Delta beyond Oil,’ I think that is a noble programme. Here you have a governor, who is already thinking about the future of his people, there is nothing that can be compared to that.
Secured future
By the grace of God when I take over from him that is one of the programmes that we are going to run with to be able to provide a secured future for the people of Delta State.
On whether he had mended fences with Chief Edwin Clark
I never had problem with my father and leader, so the issue of mending fences does not arise. Chief Clark remains my father yesterday, today and tomorrow.
On comments that he is at war with Clark over the structure of PDP, especially in Burutu LGA where they both hail from
I don’t think that is true. First and foremost, my leader is not involved in local political activities. I think the problem we have was that the chairman, who won the election from day one had some issues with some leaders in Burutu LGA, the thing changed and the man went to court.
The leader was aware when they went to court and when they won the case I told the chairman that this is a family activity. Whatever we do in Burutu LGA, it has always been my style to go to the leader to ask for direction and then I go and work with his directive. In the same way, it has been a family activity, no victor, no vanquished. I will soon meet with my leader and whatever he directs is what we are going to do and that is what it is going to be.
I have always work with Chief Clark and I will continue to work with him, even in this case whatever he directs is what we are going to do in moving the party forward in Burutu and beyond.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Abuja – The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has expressed shock at the dastardly act of terrorism perpetrated on Monday at Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja, saying it is unwarranted wickedness to fellow Nigerians.
A statement signed by Ayo Adewuyi quoted the first lady as describing the killing of the innocent souls as a crime against humanity, which must be condemned by all Nigerians.
While commiserating with the families of those who lost their loved ones in the heinous act, she prayed that God Almighty will continue to console them and grant them enduring fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
“Dame Patience Jonathan shares the pains of the families of the victims, while also praying that God assuage the pains of the survivors and grant them quick recovery.
“The First Lady further prays for the continued repose of the souls of victims of the bomb blast, beseeching the Lord to grant them eternal rest in His perfect peace.
She urged Nigerians to use this period to pray God to enable the nation overcome acts of terrorism perpetrated by enemies and grant our leaders the wisdom to check these acts” the statement concluded.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
In the wake of Monday morning bomb blast in Nyanya, which killed no fewer than 88 Nigerians and injured over 124 others, All Progressives Congress governors, reviewed the security situation in the country and concluded that the Federal Government had run out of ideas on how to checkmate terrorists and other criminals.
The governors, who commiserated with the families of the blast, regretted that the death of innocent Nigerians had become a daily occurrence with little respite.
The statement, which was released by the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, noted with concern that no fewer than 1000 innocent Nigerians had been slain in the last two weeks.
The PGF also commiserated with the parents and families f the candidates, who were killed over the weekend while trying to sit for the University Matriculations and Tertiary Examinations, UMTE, in Mmaiduguri in Borno State.
The PGF said the tragic deaths indicated a major failure on the part of the Federal Government.
The PGF noted: “As if failing to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency is not bad enough, the security situation has deteriorated to a level where so-called gunmen are now on the rampage across Nigeria, killing and maiming at will with no response from our poorly equipped and informed security operatives.
“Is it too much for government to, at the very least, identify the perpetrators of these terrible crimes?
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
A 14 year-old bride, Wasila Tasi’u, was on Monday charged before a Rijiyar Zaki Magistrates’ Court in Kano for alleged culpable homicide.
Wasila is facing the charge for allegedly killing her 35 year-old groom, Umar Sani, and three others in Kademi village in Gaya Local Government Area.
The prosecutor, Insp. Yusuf Sale, alleged that the accused poisoned Sani’s food with some substance, popularly known as Ota pia pia.
According to him, the husband and three other persons died on the spot after eating the food.
The prosecutor also alleged that the other six persons who ate the meal in the same dish were rushed to General Hospital Gaya, but were later treated and discharged.
However, the accused person pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Sale said the offence contravened Section 221 (B) of the penal code.
The prosecutor urged the court to adjourn the case to enable the Police to seek for the advice of Director Public Prosecution.
The Magistrate, Binta Muhammad, adjourned the case to May 12 for mention.
She, however, ordered that the accused person to be remanded in prison custody. (NAN)
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
(AFP) – The United States on Monday condemned a bomb attack on a packed bus station in Nigeria which killed 71 people, and called for a full investigation.
“We are outraged by this senseless act of violence against innocent civilians,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters, also condemning a series of attacks on three villages in Borno State over the weekend.
The bomb, which also injured 124 people, rocked the Nyanya station on Abuja’s southern outskirts as it was filled with morning commuters, leaving body parts scattered across the terminal and destroying dozens of vehicles.
President Goodluck Jonathan blamed Boko Haram militants for the attack, but Psaki called for a “full investigation to identify and bring justice to the perpetrators of these attacks.”
“We continue to stand with the Nigerian government and people as they grapple with violent extremism,” she added.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
ABUJA-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has condemned the Monday morning bomb blast which killed dozens of commuters and other innocent Nigerians in Abuja.
In a statement issued in Calabar by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, Tambuwal described the attack as cowardly and barbaric.
He said all Nigerians must join hands to bring an end to the spate of wanton killings in the country.
According to him, considering the pattern of previous attacks in the country, security agencies should beef up surveillance around motor parks and related areas all over the federation.
The Speaker further urged security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of the violent act are brought to justice.
He said the gains recorded by the security agencies in their battle against terror should be consolidated in order to protect the citizens at all times.
While condoling with the families of those who lost loved ones in the blast, Tambuwal prayed for the quick recovery of those injured.
Another Rep member, Ibrahim Shehu Gusau representing Gusau/Tsafe Federal Constituency, Zamfara state said “It is a very sad day for everybody and I want to use this opportunity to condole all of us on the event that happened today.
It is very sad, I do not know what anger on the need to do this to vent their anger, it is sad that early this morning citizens woke up to go for their daily bread and then for this callous thing to happen.
I really do not know how to explain this because every Nigerian is one of us regardless of where he/she is from. I condole all of us and may God stop this henceforth”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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