[size=15pt]WAR DRUMS[/size]
•Northerners flee Asaba

From: TIMOTHY OLA, ISMAIL OMIPIDAN (Kaduna), David MAlomo (Yola), PAUL ORUDE (Bauchi) and TIMOTHY OLA, Maiduguri PAUL OSUYI, ASABA, Timothy OLA,

VICTOR EBIMOMI, EMMANUEL UZOR, Onitsha with agency reports

Sunday, January 08, 2012






The dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram made real its January 1 threat yesterday as it launched a deadly attack on worshippers at a church in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, killing no fewer than 11 people.

The attack came barely five hours after the Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim assured Christians and southerners residing in the North of their safety, promising that the police would nip any possible attack on the people in the bud. The attack, also came barely 24 hours after some Igbos were killed, in Mubi, also in Adamawa State, by men suspected to be Boko Haram members.
The attack was said to have been carried out at about 7.30 pm yesterday with the sect members numbering about five storming a local assembly of Christ Apostolic Church within Yola metropolis in a gulf car and opening fire on worshippers.

“They came in a gulf car and they were about five of them in the car though we never thought they were in the area for such a thing. They just opened fire at the members of the church who were holding the New Year week of prayer. Eleven people died while about 10 other members that sustained injuries from gunshots have been taken to different hospitals in the town for
treatment,” a dependable source who preferred anonymity disclosed.
Sources said there were apprehensions among residents of Yola yesterday morning as residents feared the Islamic sect might have infiltrated the city. “This is the first time the sect is launching attack here and there
are fears that more may still be coming in the days ahead,” a journalist who also lost his cousin, Deacon Emma Timothy, who was leading the prayer, at the time of the attack, disclosed.

Sunday Sun gathered that it was the tradition of the church to hold a week of prayer in the first week of every New Year to usher in a new dawn. The week of prayer was expected to end on Saturday evening with thanksgiving on Sunday but unknown to them, some assailants had laid ambush for them a day to rounding off the spiritual exercise.
Relatives of the deceased victims of the attacks were said to have stormed a few hospital mortuaries in search of the remains of their beloved ones. Spokesman of the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA) in charge of North East, Ibrahim Farinloye appealed to the people not to panic, adding that government was determined to restore peace in the troubled areas.

Fear of reprisal in Sapele
Nigerians of northern extraction have started leaving Asaba, Delta State capital in droves for fear of reprisal attacks.
The exodus started on Thursday following threats of reprisal attacks by southerners on Muslims. There have been renewed activities of the dreaded Boko Haram Islamic sect which has ordered southerners to vacate the North or face further attacks. Following the order by the sect, speculations had been rife that southerners would retaliate by attacking Muslims in the South.

Sunday Sun reports that Friday’s early morning attack on Muslims in Sapele mosque appeared to have given credence to the speculation. Despite Delta State government’s assurance to Muslim community in the state of peaceful co-existence with other religious groups, the northerners seemed to have taken their destinies in their own hands.
When Sunday Sun visited the Hausa community in Asaba, they were moving in droves packing their luggage in ‘Ghana Must Go’ bags. Their destinations upon enquiry were Kano, Kaduna or Sokoto. Chairman of Asaba Cattle Rearers Association, Alhaji Makuidi Ningi who spoke with our correspondent, expressed dismay over the seeming lack of security for Nigerians in every part of the country.

He said they now live in fear of being attacked regretting lack of police patrol around the metropolis.
Ningi confirmed that the exodus of the northerners from Asaba started on Thursday and that it would continue till Monday when the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) is expected to commence a nation-wide strike against the removal of oil subsidy. According to him, over 10,000 northerners had so far traveled out of Asaba as a proactive measure against reprisal attacks. Meanwhile, markets in Asaba at the weekend witnessed an unprecedented rush as anxious buyers trooped shopped in preparation for the work-to-rule billed to commence tomorrow as directed by NLC in protest against the removal of fuel subsidy.
They stormed the markets in efforts to stock-pile food stuff in their homes should the strike extend unnecessarily.

Southerners flee Yobe, Borno
Thousands of residents mostly of southern extraction fled Damaturu, the Yobe State capital and Maiduguri, Borno State early this week following the January 1 threat by the Islamic Boko Haram sect to launch offensive against southerners in the north. In Damaturu, the Christian dominated Jerusalem ward known for its bustling activities looked like a grave yard yesterday as many of the residents who celebrated their Christmas in the city were compelled to leave when the news of Boko Haram threat filtered into the state.

Johnson, one of the residents who had earlier relocated his family in November last year after the November 4 deadly attacks that left no fewer than 100 persons dead disclosed that he had vowed not to return to Damaturu again even with the state of emergency declared by President Jonathan. The situation in Borno was not different as many who did not travel for the Yuletide had to pay through their nose as the cost of transportation shut up astronomically.   
Meanwhile, the Boko Haram yesterday said it was responsible for the series of attacks in Damaturu, Maiduguri, Gombe and Adamawa, adding that it would continue to pursue its mission undeterred.   
   
Abul-Qaqa, the spokesman of the Boko Haram, said his group was responsible for the Thursday and Friday’s attacks in Gombe and Mubi in Adamawa State where many people were killed. “We are extending our frontiers to other places in order to show that the declaration of State of Emergency by the Nigerian federal government will not deter us. In fact, we can always change our tactics…we can really go wherever we want to go. For peace to return, the federal government must release all our brothers that have been incarcerated in various prisons,” he said.

He said the attack in Mubi, Adamawa State was part of actualization of the ultimatum given to Southerners to vacate Northern Nigeria. “A group in the South threatened and started attacking northerners. The truth is that we would always confront whoever attacks our brothers,” Qaqa added. Sunday Sun learnt that there was exchange of gunshots between some assailants and members of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Potiskum, Yobe State yesterday afternoon. Sources claimed the sporadic gunshots were heard around a police station in Nassarawa ward and St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Potiskum.

“As I am talking to you now, all of us have fled home for safety. The trouble started around 5pm and continued unabated. From where I am, I am seeing smoke billowing, which is a sign that some buildings must have been set ablaze,” the source who preferred anonymity said.

Boko Haram kills 3, bombs 4 banks, 1 church in Borno
Three persons including a mobile policeman were yesterday killed with many injured in separate attacks by Boko Haram  in Potiskum, Borno State.
The sect had attacked four banks and a church shooting sporadically. Among the victims was an Igbo businessman. Sources said shooting continued in the town till the early hours of yesterday.

Exodus: Yoruba’ll not fold hands –OPC
As tension grips the country over activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect and resultant exodus of people to their regions, the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has said if there was any evidence of molestation of the Yoruba in the North, it would react accordingly. The spiritual leader of the congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, told Sunday Sun yesterday that for now the congress had no evidence that the Yoruba were fleeing the North but insisted that if it happens, the congress would not fold its hands.

“Well, we have no evidence that the Yoruba are leaving the North. When we have evidence, we will react accordingly”, he said. According to him, the group was still watching events as they unfold saying the Yoruba were just still “dancing to the Nigeria tune”. The group had few weeks ago held a rally in Lagos to sensitize the government about the Boko Haram menace and other insecurity problem in the country. During the rally, which involved hundreds of members of the congress, they passed through Ikorodu road to stadium in Surulere. Fasehun said the rally was to sensitize the government about the Boko Haram menace and other insecurity problems in the country.

He also promised that the group was capable of defending the Yoruba race.
“When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. We have always been on our toes”, he said when asked whether OPC was well prepared to curtail the rampaging sect in case they ventured into the South West.
The activities of the Boko Haram, particularly the Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic church in Niger State and the recent multiple murder of innocent persons by the sect haveß reportedly led to panicking and fleeing by hundreds of people from the Northern part of the country.

Ohanaeze to kinsmen: Don’t quit the North
The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned what it described as the senseless killings of Christians and mainly Igbo in some northern states in the country by the Boko Haram sect even as it said Ndigbo should remain wherever they are. In a statement issued yesterday, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, said recent developments on the country’s security were worrisome, adding that the federal government should expedite action to arrest the situation.

“Ohaneze Ndigbo has observed with rapidly mounting concern the alarming deterioration of security in the northern parts of Nigeria, involving the wanton serial destruction of innocent lives, especially Ndigbo living in that part of the country. It is now clear that unpatriotic political and religious elements are bent on making our country ungovernable.”
It said the group will to hold the federal government responsible over the series of attacks on innocent people, especially Christians and Igbo.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is convinced that enough is enough while reiterating its urgent demand for the federal government to arrest this dangerous development capable of destroying our nation. Ohanaeze calls of Muslim leaders of our country to take immediate steps to rein in their hawks to prevent irreparable damage to the delicate ethno-religious harmony all well meaning Nigerians are strenuously striving to maintain.”
On the ultimatum given by Boko Haram that all non-Northerners and Christians should leave, Ohanaeze called on all Igbo living in the North to remain where they are, adding that the country belongs to everyone irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political diversity.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges Igbo, who over the years have established national fruitful presence in different parts of Nigeria, to remain where they are in this country that belongs equally to all its citizens and organize appropriately and effectively to collectively defend their lives and property wherever they are while awaiting appropriate steps by the federal government as well as other bodies concerned to put an end to this calamitous phenomenon,” Uwechue said.
In a related development, other Igbo leaders yesterday also described as unwarranted the attacks on their kinsmen living in different parts of the country even as they sent a warning to the federal government to tackle the insecurity.
Addressing journalists yesterday against the backdrop of the growing insecurity in the northern part of the country, the immediate past Ohanaeze Ndigbo president-general, Dr Dozie Ikedife, called on President Jonathan to ensure adequate security of the lives and property of Ndigbo in all parts of the country.

The former President General, who addressed the media along with Chief Rommy Onwuka, proprietor of Rojenny Village, Oba, and Chief Fidelis Okafor, a prominent opinion leader, maintained that the Igbo have the constitutional liberty to live in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation, stating that if the Federal Government fails to protect Ndigbo in any part of Nigeria, they will resort to self-defense.
Attributing the crisis to misunderstanding and selfish interest, Ikedife noted that the investments of Ndigbo in the North run into trillions of naira and they will not jettison all that for fear of any religious or ethnic militant group no matter the threat.

They said if the Nigerian state cannot continue to exist as a single entity, it should be dissolved without further shedding of blood. “The country is playing into the hands of the unknown, those that want the country to split and if anybody wants Ndigbo to remain in one Nigeria and massacre them, we will not accept that. It is offensive for the Federal government to say that they are on top of the security situaion while the number of casualties is growing.”

Adamawa govt declares curfew in major towns
Adamawa state government has declared a dusk- to- dawn curfew in major towns across the state, following Friday’s incident in which unidentified gunmen killed 12 people at a church in Yola. The Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Abdurrahman Jimeta, who disclosed this on Saturday, said that the curfew affected major towns like Mubi, Numan, Michika and Gombi. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that unidentified gunmen in two separate attacks killed 14 people between Jan. 5 and Jan. 6.  Jimeta urged  people of Adamawa to remain calm and be law abiding, noting that government had taken necessary steps to contain the situation.

Also speaking on the issue, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the command, Mr Altine Daniel, an Assistant Superintendent of Police confirmed that 12 people were killed in the church attack while four other victims injured were receiving treatment. He also confirmed that 14 people died in the two separate attacks that took place in Mubi on Thursday and Friday adding that the police had not  identified the culprits, but that he has drafted men to strategic places for stop and search exercise.

Altine appealed to the public to assist the police and other security agencies with necessary information that could led to the arrest of the perpetrators. Meanwhile, Gov. Muritala Nyako, has announced a N25 million reward for any person that could give information to the arrest of the culprits.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2012/jan/08/national-08-01-2012-001.html

Ohanaeze to kinsmen: Don’t quit the North

I am sorry, but this is the most eediotic advise I have read in recent times.

Shortcut to Peace in Nigeria

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-841456.0.html

hmm.

T8ksy:



Haba! My ibo brothers, wetin dey do una? Abi dem tak una region swear for you ni? Why don't you all want to rush back to your "land of the rising sun"

and turn it to the "japan of africa"? The indigenes say, dem no want you in their region, una dey talk say, you wan defend yourselves. Na bi force?

Na now u know sey u bi "nigerians" but when it suits your delusional minds you go on an assault course of our eardrums with tales of what biafra would have been now had it

been actualised. Oh well, here's your chance- go back to your region and develop it instead of been slaughtered gratuitiously in another man's region.

If you assure us you will not betray and stab us in the back like before, we will be glad to be rid of Nigeria. Now we are hesitant to make that move because you will most certainly gang up with the North to bring us back. Just leave us with the North, don't interfere and see how we do it. Okay?
BTW, what are Yorubas doing in the North and also in the East and SS? Are you a hypocrite?

Nchara:

If you assure us you will not betray and stab us in the back like before, we will be glad to be rid of Nigeria. Now we are hesitant to make that move because you will most certainly gang up with the North to bring us back. Just leave us with the North, don't interfere and see how we do it. Okay?
BTW, what are Yorubas doing in the North and also in the East and SS? Are you a hypocrite?

to be honest, they have every right to defend themselves. there was never a betrayer. mean while why can't ohnaeze ask why there are no protest against the killing ?

alj harem:

to be honest, they have every right to defend themselves. there was never a betrayer. mean while why can't ohnaeze ask why there are no protest against the killing ?

why can't OPC ask the same?

Chyz*:

why can't OPC ask the same?

there is protest already alone side arewa which is what people across the nation are protesting for as well

T8ksy:

@ bolded,

Yes you have our assurance as long as you don't venture into our region in the course of your "dealing" with north.

I bet you, no yoruba man worth his salt will still remain in the north after they gave you all an ultimatum like they did. But see as the ibo man is talking about protecting his

business in another man's turf.

Do tell me how many yorubas are in the SE and how many ibos are in yorubaland?

Most of the ibos who fled the north rather than go back to their villages opted to come to yorubaland. Yet you ingrates have no kind words for us.

it is ok, there is no time for that right now

alj harem:

it is ok, there is no time for that right now

There are protest in relation to subsity,not boko haram.

they say the north is dangerous
violent and riotous
they say the people are blood-thirsty
angry and feisty

but for me, as a south easterner
the north will always be pleasanter
for me and my family
a tempestuous land of milk and honey

tomorrow I will be caught bare
but until then, let me remain here
just send my ashes home, son
to the land of the rising sun

Chyz*:

There are protest in relation to subsity,not boko haram.

are you sure ? Are you on the streets to know the minds of the people ?

It has gone way beyond the subsidy issue. that is why what GEJ said today would not really make them change their minds.

the protest is 3 things in summary

1. Corruption from the government

2. Against boko haram and the killing occurring in the NE of Nigeria. The recent Church bomb etc.

3. Accountability from the government because of so many lies the government have been tell us.

T8ksy:

what's ok? BK slaughtering fellow nigerians?

Nope, I meant it is Ok because you were going through the baifra talk and there is no point in opening healing wounds

The truth is that organizations like Ohanasilly, Arewa Consulting Ltd, Afenefire on th Mountain and co have all failed their people and are not to be taken seriously. Igbo folks should have since learned their lessons, and yet they are back in their thousands in the "north", talking about constitutional right lol.

Yoruba, despite having elected leaders since 1999, have not developed one inch of their land outside of the metro zone of Lagos.

The north is still the same as it always has been, with its leaders choppn plenty money under the radar.

The only groups/regions that has been serious recently are the Niger-Deltans and these Boko boyz who are doing somewhat what the average "Nigerian" ouught to be doing=Taking the bull by the horn.

Exodus: Yoruba’ll not fold hands –OPC

As tension grips the country over activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect and resultant exodus of people to their regions, the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) has said if there was any evidence of molestation of the Yoruba in the North, it would react accordingly. The spiritual leader of the congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, told Sunday Sun yesterday that for now the congress had no evidence that the Yoruba were fleeing the North but insisted that if it happens, the congress would not fold its hands.

T8KSY Did you read the above from Fasehun? Why are Yorubas in the North not leaving or do you want to claim there are no Yorubas in the North? Many Igbos have already left as you can read from many threads here.

T8ksy:

@ bolded,

Yes you have our assurance as long as you don't venture into our region in the course of your "dealing" with the north.

I bet you, no yoruba man worth his salt will still remain in the north after they gave you all an ultimatum like they did. But see as the ibo man is talking about protecting his

business in another man's turf.

Do tell me how many yorubas are in the SE and how many ibos are in yorubaland?

Most of the ibos who fled the north rather than go back to their villages opted to come to yorubaland. Yet you ingrates have no kind words for us.

There are no Igbos fleeing the North to Yorubaland. Please provide the evidence for that. It does not matter how many Yorubas are in SE, the fact is that they are there and living peacefully. It is a matter of population. Nobody kidnaps the Yorubas in Igboland like Yorubas kidnap Igbos in Yorubaland.
There are still millions of Yorubas in the North as we speak. Why are they still there?
Biafra did not attack Yorubaland. Biafra aimed to attack Lagos (Federal territory from which the North and Yoruba were attacking them).
How sure is your assurance abi na like Awo assurance?

^^^^^^^^

again the yorubas have the right to protect themselves on their land be it lagos or not. now drop the issue already

T8ksy:

And did you bother to read the title of the post that said "Yorubas will not fold hands"- OPC?

What did its ibo counterpart said? Don't leave until we get intelligence report. Just like oju-iku sent ibos back to the north after the first wave of pogrom by the northerners.

Of course, many ibos have left already - to abuja or yorubaland yet another 17 ibos were gunned down whilst mourning those that were killed after the 3-day ultimatum expired.


If yorubas are kidnapping ibos in yorubaland then pi.ss off back to your "land of the rising sun".

So there are no ibos fleeing the north to yorubaland? No, they stopped at abuja where they get slaughtered again. Case in question is the man who lost 4 daughters in the latest

attack by BK at a village in abuja. The man fled kano during the last attacks but instead of taking his family back to his "Land brimming with milk and honey" he chosed to relocate to

abuja where his family met their waterloo.

Show me the Igbos fleeing the North for Yorubaland? Until then, it is not worth discussing with a blatant liar.
Like Igbos, yorubas have been killed in the North, OPC is still planning how not to fold their hands.
Do you know those killled in Deeper life church? Do you know those killed in the Apostolic Church? Those are Yoruba churches, remember?

T8SKY:

Just to round off with you: Igbos are documenting their deaths in the North. Where is the documentation of Yoruba death? Or do you think Yorubas are not being killed in the North? Dying unsung and unnamed

All southerners and/or Christians with roots from the south that live and continue to go to the north are not serious. That's why the international community will never care about them being killed. If the fly doenst want to hear word, it will be buried with the corpse. Finish

@ T8SKY
Don't spilt hairs over this matter,the treath/marching order that BH issued was to all southerners no exceptions.
As i pointed out in an earlier thread,  the core northern ethnic/religious extremistswhich include BOKO HARAM are equal opportunity killers they make no discriminations with their victims you just have to be  a southerner not yoruba not igbo not itsekiri or efic or whatever they will punch your ticket when  their period(to kill) starts if you are found hanging around.
I know that a good number of those killed in the Apostolic Church attack were yorubas which is why i consider the statement by OPC (an act of self denial) just as clownish as that of OHANEZE telling their people to stay back.
How many people have the means to defend themselves from gunmen?How many have the skill to use those means?
Folks these people are in denial.

EMANY 01:

@ T8SKY
Don't spilt hairs over this matter,the treath/marching order that BH issued was to all southerners no exceptions.
As i pointed out in an earlier thread,  the core northern ethnic/religious extremistswhich include BOKO HARAM are equal opportunity killers they make no discriminations with their victims you just have to be  a southerner not yoruba not igbo not itsekiri or efic or whatever they will punch your ticket when  their period(to kill) starts if you are found hanging around.
I know that a good number of those killed in the Apostolic Church attack were yorubas which is why i consider the statement by OPC (an act of self denial) just as clownish as that of OHANEZE telling their people to stay back.
How many people have the means to defend themselves from gunmen?How many have the skill to use those means?
Folks these people are in denial.

pls tell him.tnx

Nawa o! Boko north ar busy kiling u, u ar busy fightng and confusng urslfs! Y cant u jst unite against Boko north fo now and do the in-fightng later?

Jenifa_:

they say the north is dangerous
violent and riotous
they say the people are blood-thirsty
angry and feisty

but for me, as a south easterner
the north will always be pleasanter
for me and my family
a tempestuous land of milk and honey

tomorrow I will be caught bare
but until then, let me remain here
just send my ashes home, son
to the land of the rising sun

hahahà. Once u go north, u dont wanna go back. My sister u are welcom to enjoy urself. Becareful though.

I don't know why Yorubas suffer and smile at the same time. Its a good thing that Igbos records number of theirs that has been killed in this crisis.

But I ask again does it mean that yoroobas are not killed alongside which the media kept mute to that effect? I know that churches as Deeper Life and Apostolic Churches to mention the two are solely and purely Yoruba churches, you hardly find Igbos in such churches unlike Anglican and Catholic Churches where Igbos are so many in numbers.

The hundreds and thousands of people killed in Deeper Life and Apostolic churches which are almost 100% Yorubas should be a thing of concern to SW, instead they have left their own people buried in mass graves while thinking that it was only Igbos are being killed.

Well it is a known fact that Igbos takes note of their kinsmen who are killed unlike Yorubas who does not care just like their Hausa almajiri brothers. When the chips are down we shall know who will laugh last.

T9ksy:

old boy, we all know that the witch that cried last nite has something to do with the death of a baby the following day. Didn't Ciroma, buhari, Atiku and co. warned you lot that if you vote Jonathan Badluck in to Aso rock , they will make the country, ungovernable? And what do we have now? who voted that retardeean into aso rock 'cause he appended "ebele" to his name?

Yes, yorubas and other southerners are being killed in the north but we all know that they were just collateral damages. the main target are ibos, period.

At any rate, didn't you read the demonstration by OPC last month about BK? What was ohaneze's response? Stay put! Noithing surprising there as that was the same message oju-iku gave his returning ibo people after the first spate of pogrom in the north by the hausa/fulanis.

Cry me a river, loser.
Like Igbos, your people are being killed, their churches being bombed and they remain in the North and you have the guts to talk about Igbos. You see, we know the names and identities of our people being killed; we are doing everything we can to bring the living back home. Thousands have returned on their own which is a good sign. Your man Fashehun says no evidence of Yoruba returning yet, even though we know millions of Yorubas live in the North. You cannot sustain any argument here because you are porous. Now be gone. BTW, Which one are you?
T9ksy OR T8ksy?