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THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER •JUNE 4, 2016
NEwsXTRA
Nigeria’s Strategies against Boko Haram Still Dysfunctional, Says ICG Chineme Okafor in Abuja The International Crisis Group (ICG), a Brussels-based conflict prevention group has said that Nigeria’s adopted strategies to counter violent extremism that exists majorly in her northern region had largely failed to achieve the desired outcome. ICG said in a major report titled, ‘exploiting disorder: al-Qaeda and the Islamic state,’ which it prepared to highlight the new waves of terrorism in the world
that standard counter-terrorism toolkits adopted by Nigeria and other countries around the world had made little impacts in their fight against extremism. The report which was released Friday in Abuja by ICG explained that anti-terrorism toolkits such as terrorists designation; financial sanctions; travel bans; targeted killing; and special forces’ operations, had all proved to be insufficient against radical groups like Boko Haram. It was presented to a wide spectrum of stakeholders by
ICG’s Director for Africa, Dr. Comfort Ero; its Senior Analyst for Nigeria, Nnamdi Obasi; and its Senior Analyst for West Africa, Dr. Vincent Foucher at the official residence of the Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Eric Mayoraz. ICG in the report called on Nigeria to quickly consider adopting new strategies towards its fight against Boko Haram, adding that the country could as part of the new strategies, develop its response to Boko Haram and any other terror group in the country on a
case-by-case basis, as against its so-called standard responses to insurgency. It also recommended that in dealing with violent extremism, Nigeria should henceforth consider applying judicious force; open lines of communication despite the group’s hard-line stance; and invest more heavily in conflict prevention. Further on its recommendations, ICG said in countering terror groups in Nigeria, the government should apply force more strategi-
cally in order not to alienate local communities or even push them to support the groups. While reflecting on the bad choices the government had made in its fight against Boko Haram, the report said its initial refusal to dialogue with Boko Haram, following the 2009 Maiduguri crackdown was a lost opportunity that may have de-escalated the current conflict. It said during a question and answer session on the report that similar choice was being made
Religious Killings: Ohanaeze Youths warn against Targeting Ndigbo Senator Iroegbu in Abuja and Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
WORKING FOR RESULTS...
L-R; Managing Director Toyota Nigeria Ltd/Special Guest, Mr. Olakunle Adebola Ade-Ojo; Chairman, Lagos Chapter The Nigeria Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Mrs. Funmi Akingbagbohun; and the National Chairman, The Nigeria Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Mr. Ugochukwu Uzurumike, at the 2016 Public Lecture and Award of the Institution, held at Ikeja, Lagos SUNDAYADIGUN
Restructure Nigeria, Obey Rule of Law, NFF Staff Repel Giwa as Suspected Civil Society Coalition Tells Buhari Thugs Break Front Door A nationwide coalition of civil society groups, led by the Nigeria National Summit Group (NNSG), yesterday embarked on peaceful protests to Foreign Embassies and High Commissions in the country to seek their interventions in urging the federal government to restructure the country and obey the rule of law. The protesters, which included Lawyers led by Mr. Ikechukwu Ikeji among others started their march from Allen Avenue, Ikeja, chanting songs and peacefully marching to the United States Embassy at the Walter Carrington Avenue, Victoria Island, also displayed placards with different inscriptions like "Stop Trials by Media", Obey Court Order", Respect Rule of Law" Stop Fulani Herdsmmen", “Implement National Conference Report”, “Restructure Nigeria Now”,
among others. On the motive behind the protest, Convener of the Constitutional Rights Advocacy Initiative, CRAI, Ikeji, said, “This is a peaceful protest to ask for the intervention of international embassies and High Commissions to help prevail on the present federal government to do for us two major things; first, to restructure Nigeria, giving us a true fiscal federalism and not this kind of unitary system we are practicing. Secondly, is for the president to learn to obey and follow rule of law.” On his part, National Secretary, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Ahmed Tijani Suleiman, said “We are calling for the restructuring of Nigeria because that is the only thing that will set us right. We think the last Confab report will provide ample guidance for the restructuring.”
Staff members of the Nigeria Football Federation on Friday stood against an attempt by Chris Giwa and members of his group to take over the offices of the football ruling body. Giwa and his group who continued to claim they had a ‘court order’ to take over the NFF, had arrived in a convoy of cars at the period that some of the members of Staff had gone for the Friday Jumat service. They drove into the premises around 2pm. Giwa led Effiong Johnson, Sani Fema, Rumson Baribote, Ben Agary, Yahaya Adama, Jide Fashikun, Fatai Olayinka, Abdulazeez Mohammed and a number of suspected thugs to the Glass House when only a couple of Management Staff were around. They came 24 hours after a
peace meeting by the Sports Committee of the House of Representatives, at which the House Committee members met with NFF President Amaju Pinnick and Giwa, and announced to the world that they were close to reaching a resolution of the ‘crisis’. They met locked entrance and broke it down. Dr. Christian Emeruwa, the National Security Officer and special assistant to the NFF General Secretary, was pushed by one of the suspected thugs. Staff members in the administration department were shoved around. Tunde Aderibigbe, NFF’s coordinator of political matters and Ademola Olajire, head of communications, were punched by one of the invaders before a joint effort by the staff helped repel them.
Strike: NULGE Chair Beaten in Ekiti, Council Boss Fingered Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti The strike declared by the labour unions in Ekiti State to press for the payment of five months outstanding salaries by the state government has turned bloody, as the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, Com. Kayode Charles, was beaten to stupor by suspected thugs. Charles, who is the chairman of
NULGE in Efon Local Government, said he was allegedly beaten on Thursday on the instruction of the Council boss, Mr . Bolaji Jeje, while trying to enforce compliance with the strike in the council. While explaining how the scenario to newsmen on Friday, Charles alleged that the council boss allegedly invaded his house with about 19 thugs and beat him up for allegedly ordering that the
gate of the council should be closed. He said : “We were at the gate of the Council with my Secretary and we saw it opened and I had to order the security man to close it because we were on strike. We instructed that the gate be closed and that was the order we got from NULGE Chairman in Ekiti Com. Bunmi Ajimoko. “After the closure of the gate, I went back to my house that
was located within the vicinity, just a stone throw to the place. The Chairman brought about 19 thugs and broke the gate to my house. I had to scale the fence , despite they still pursued me and beat me up. “As I speak with you, I am in a Clinic in Efon Alaaye where I am receiving medical attention. After the beating, I was hospitalized at a private hospital in Ado Ekiti.
The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) yesterday warned against the upsurge of religious killings in some northern states targeted at Ndigbo, saying that urgent action must be taken by the authorities to nip it in the bud. This is as The Human Rights Writes Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the killings this week in tiger and Kano States of two Nigerians of Igbo extraction by Islamic extremists over alleged blasphemy of their religion, describing it as provocative and primitive. In a statement issued in Umuahia, signed by the national vice-president of OYC, Mazi Obinna Achuonye and the chairman of states’ chairmen of OYC, Alex Okemiri, the Ohanaeze youths said that “further killing of Ndi Igbo in any part of the country because of religion would attract appropriate response. The warning came on the heels of the killing of an Igbo trader in Niger state by fundamentalist Muslims who accused him of posting a blasphemous message on facebook while a woman was callously hacked to death in Kano State over the same spurious accusation of blaspheming Prophet Mohammed. "No attack on any Igbo man or woman within or outside Igbo land will go unpunished," the Ohanaeze youths vowed, adding, “Enough is enough”. The OYC, which is the youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation said that targeting of Ndigbo for slaughter on flimsy excuses had become a pattern in recent time, noting that the events that fuelled the civil war “is beginning to rear up again”. "We want to sound a note of warning to the Federal Government, Muslim fanatics and their sponsors that the mindless killing of Ndigbo with the least provocations cannot be tolerated any longer. "It is now obvious that Ndigbo have become endangered species in Nigeria as they have continued to be the target of all religious and other crises in the country. "Igbo youths can no longer watch idly while the blood of their fathers and mothers flow like flood on the streets. If they are not massacred by security operatives in Onitsha and Aba, their throats will be slit in Kano or Niger,” the OYC said.
by the government in its fight against resumed insurgency in the Niger Delta. “This landmark report is part of a new Crisis Group project on violent extremism and modern conflict, focused on understanding the diverse movements involved and developing policy options,” said Ero who observed that the reach and strength of violent extremist groups now appear more dangerous across a wide belt that stretches
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I formerly known and addressed as M I S S ASIEBA VIVIAN ALBERT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EDEJOR VIVIAN MARTINS. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as JONATHAN ANYANWOGBOR OBODOAJU, now wish to be known and addressed as JONATHAN ANYANWOGBOR OGBONNA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as MISS AKINSUROJU OMOTOMIKE PRECIOUS, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADENEKAN OMOTOMIKE PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as HAMDALA OLUBUKOLA OYEGBENRO, now wish to be known and addressed as HAMDALA AYODELE OYEGBENRO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as TAIWO LATIFAT AYOBAMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OLATOBERU TAIWO LATIFAT AYOBAMI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as NBAJEKWE INNOCENT CHIOGOZIE, now wish to be known and addressed as MBAJEKWE INNOCENT CHIGOZIE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as ANTHONY CHUKWUEMEKA MOKWUNYE, now wish to be known and addressed as ANTHONY CHUKWUEMEKA IWUANI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as JONATHAN ANYANWOGBOR OBODOAJU, now wish to be known and addressed as JONATHAN ANYANWOGBOR OGBONNA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as SENI AWOSIKA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWASENI ADEGORIOLA AWOSIKA.All former documents remain valid.The general public should please take note. I formerly known and addressed as STANLEY MICHAEL UCHENNA NNOROM, now wish to be known and addressed as STANLEY NNOROM MICHAEL. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.