THE NATION WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2012
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NEWS
I would have been Boko Haram member, says Onoja A
FORMER Military Governor of Plateau and Katsina states, Brig.-Gen. Lawrence Onoja (rtd), yesterday said the Boko Haram sect is pursuing a just cause. The retired soldier, however, faulted the killing of innocent people by the sect to get antional attention. Onoja spoke in Minna, the Niger State capital, when the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) submitted a report on Road Map for Peace Unity and Development of Northern Nigeria to Governor Babangida Aliyu, the Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF). The former military governor stressed that the sect has a “genuine case”.
From Jide Orintunsin, Minna
Onoja said he would have joined the sect if it had not resorted to indiscriminate killings of innocent lives. He said: “If you look at it from the beginning, they (Boko Haram) have a genuine case. I have told people that I would have been a member of Boko Haram before they started killing people. But if they had started going after those who rigged elections and killing them; those who carried ballot boxes to their homes, thump-printed and started announcing fake
results the next day, which is what most people are doing; if they go after such people, I would have joined them. What we don’t want is to start wasting people’s lives.” The retired soldier recommended dialogue with the leadership of the sect to prevent further killings. Gen. Onoja noted that security challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria. According to him, advanced nations, despite their technological wherewithal to get information fast and wage military war against similar sects, still dialogue with some dissident groups for peace.
Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu yesterday in Minna, the state capital, received the report of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on the need to restore peace in the North. The Chairman of the National Executive Council of the forum, Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, submitted the report, entitled: The Road map for Peace Unity and Development of Northern Nigeria. The governor advocated the merger of the ACF with Northern Elders Forum (NEF). He said: “ACF should swallow the NEF.”
Anambra police pensioners protest unpaid arrears •63 die of ‘starvation’ •National Assembly, Obi petitioned
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OME retired police officers in Anambra State yesterday protested at Amawbia over the non-payment of their 15 months’ pension arrears from the Federal Government and the Police Pension Service Commission. The Chairman of the Association of Retired Police Officers of Nigeria (APRON), Chief Harold Chike Onyeonwu, a retired Deputy Superintendent (DSP), told reporters that they had not been paid their pension since August, last year. He wondered why the pensions should be withheld, despite the fact that the verification of pensioners was done in July, last year. Onyeonwu said at the last count, over 100 pensioners had died of starvation. The state chapter of the APRON said it has the records of 63 deaths of its members. The union leader said those without records of their deaths did not make formal entries with APRON but heard about their deaths informally. He said the families of the deceased members were being tossed up and down for the entitlements of their late breadwinners. Onyeonwu urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to intervene in the matter to save the pensioners, many of who he said
From Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Nnewi
are on danger list. The APRON Chairman was with the Administrative Secretary of the union, Mr Nwobi Bernard, and another executive member, Chief Charles Onyechi, as well as Chief Chris Nnaemeka and Chief Godwin Obiorah. The union petitioned the National Assembly, urging its leadership to prevail on the Pension Office and the Police Service Commission to pay their arrears. The retired policemen also appealed to Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to make President Goodluck Jonathan intervene on the matter. He recalled that the police pensioners in the state converged at the police command on November 28 to protest the alleged ill-treatment meted out to them by the Federal Government and the Pension Office in the last 15 months. Onyeonwu wondered why a police commissioner who retired before 2006 should be paid a N93, 069.55 a month pension; an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), N57,953.06; an Inspector, N27,722.85; a Constable N5,560. According to him, their colleagues, who retired after the period under review, collect 10 times their pensions.
Man arrested for monarch’s murder •The new Oyingbo Market during the inspection...yesterday. INSET: Fashola (right) and the Managing Director of the Construction Company, Mr. Ziad Saimua.
Fashola, Exco members, perm secs tour projects
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AGOS State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) yesterday led members of the State Executive Council (Exco) and permanent secretaries in some ministries on a tour of projects. The tour began at the Oyingbo Market and passed through Tejuosho Market. It took the team to Shitta Homs Project and the inspection of the Apapa- Iganmu drainage channel. The team also inspected projects at Babs Animashaun, Surulere, the Ilasamaja pedestrian bridge, the Olu-Aina Street site of Mushin Homs as well as Kodesho Road, Ikeja. The governor likened the inspection to real field work, which he said could be related to the paperwork the members of the team had been seeing in their offices. He added that it would en-
able the government officials to understand their roles in working as a team. On the team with Fashola were Deputy Governor Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs Ranti Adebule; the Commissioners for Economic Planning and Budget, Ben Akabueze; Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Energy and Mineral Resources, Taofik Tijani; Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye and Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba. Among the local government chairmen who received the team, were Tajudeen Ajide, (Surulere); Babatunde Adepitan, (Mushin); Bayo Alli, (Odi-Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area and Adewale Odunlami, (Ikeja). Members of the House of
Assembly, who received the team include Mrs Funmi Tejuosho, Bashir Oloto and Moshood Oshun. Fashola addressed reporters after the tour. He said: “We are going round our project sites because we’ve just finished a budget. The essence of the 2013 Budget is to focus on the completion of ongoing projects. Now, we have received briefs from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on what they plan to do. “We have made provisions for them, but there are interministerial, inter-departmental impacts. We’ve decided that whoever is in charge of any project, whether they need to do environmental work or traffic work there, we will all go out and see what needs to be done, instead of staying in the office.”
Fashola said council chairmen and lawmakers were in team to ensure that it was allencompassing. The governor gave details of the projects the team inspected. He said he started at the Oyingbo Market, where seven of the eight sections had been completed. He noted that the last section would be completed in November or December, to be followed by the roofing. According to him, the projection is that by the middle of the second quarter of next year, the Oyingbo Market will be completed. The governor was at the Tejuosho Market to see the level of work. He said there was the challenge of funding the project, adding that this would require further planning.
ACN donates materials to Imo flood victims
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HE Imo State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday donated relief materials to the victims of floods in Oguta and Ohaji-Egbema local government areas. The materials include bags of rice, clothing, toiletries and assorted food items. Addressing stakeholders at Oguta Civic Centre, the leader of the delegation and the
Chairman, Chukwudi Charles Ubah, said the party was moved by the plight of the victims. He described the ACN as a caring party. Ubah led the party’s team to the palace of the traditional ruler of Oguta, Eze Nnani Nzeribe. The party chairman told the residents that ACN is committed to the welfare of
its supporters. He said: “We keep in touch with our members during and after elections. ACN is the only political party in Nigeria that has remained committed to the welfare of its members, even in states where the party is not in power. We have come today to commiserate with our people and other victims who lost their homes and means of livelihood to the un-
fortunate disaster.” A resident, Prof. Ike Azogu, thanked the party for the gesture. He said: “We are happy that you are here to assist our people. Oguta has a soft spot for the ACN. As you may be aware, the flood has receded and we are battling with the post-disaster challenges. We solicit your kind support in any form.”
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HE Enugu State Police Command has arrested a man for his alleged involvement in the murder of a traditional ruler, Igwe Moses Ugwu. The late Ugwu was the traditional ruler of Umuode, the hometown of the former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji. He was killed by unknown persons on October 9. Umuode and its neighbor,
From Chris Oji, Enugu
Oruku, have been at loggerheads over communal land. Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said the suspect, Chukwuemeka Nwatu, hails from Oruku community in Nkanu East Local Government Area. The police had rounded up 20 other persons over the monarch’s death.
Floods: Abia hails NDDC
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HE Abia State Government has hailed the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), for responding promptly to the plight of flood victims in the state. The Special Assistant to the Governor on NDDC, Fidelis Nwachukwu, made the com-
mendation while receiving relief materials procured by the commission at Oke-Ikpe in Ukwa East Local Government Area. “We are proud of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for intervening at a time like this. Please keep it up,” he said.
Okorocha assures indigenes in Diaspora of security
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MO State Governor Rochas Okorocha has assured indigenes in the Diaspora, who want to return home for the Christmas and New Year, that his administration would provide tight security for them. The governor spoke in London at a meeting with Imo indigenes in the British capital. He said his administration had reduced kidnapping and armed robbery. Okorocha said: “We will continue to go after criminals and the homes of those who engage in these crimes will be pulled down; all businesses
built from the proceeds of crime will be forfeited.” The governor said his administration has started building a Diaspora village to make it easier for those living abroad to relocate and contribute to the development of the state. He promised to complete the projects that will transform Imo into a modern state. A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Chinedu Offor, said Okorocha was received by Imo born-British Olympic gold medalist Christie Okorogu, among other dignitaries.