₦airaland Forum

Before this man joined ISIS, I wonder about his connection to boko haram.

SECURITY and intelligence circles in Abuja are not surprised about the news that one of the sons of a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) (names withheld) has allegedly joined the Islamic terrorist group of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

For them, it has been long in coming as the group has targeted children of affluent Nigerians who they believed are not favourable disposed to the modus operandi of the Boko Haram Islamist group fighting in the Northeastern part of the country for the Islamisation of Nigeria.

The Nigerian military and its West African allies are fighting to defeat Boko Haram which is responsible for thousands of brutal killings and deadly bombings in Northern Nigeria and parts of Cameroon and Chad.

The first Nigerian from a privileged family to join a foreign terrorist organisation, the Al Queda, is Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, popularly referred to as the “Underwear Bomber.” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is the youngest son of Katsina State born Alhaji Umaru Abdulmutallab, a very wealthy Nigerian banker and businessman.

Presently serving a life sentence without parole in the United States, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab confessed to and was convicted of attempting to detonate plastic explosives hidden in his underwear while on board Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day, 2009.

Although security sources declined to speak in Abuja on the self-enlistment of the son of the former CJN who reportedly left Nigeria a few days back for Syria with his two wives and children to fight alongside ISIS, they noted: “It has been long in coming. We have been alerting Nigerians on this for some time and we are sure people didn’t take notice or chose to ignore it. But it is a reality we have to face.”

Indeed, warnings have been issued on the recruitment drive by ISIS on Nigerians. On December 22, 2014, Coordinator of the National Information Centre and Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mike Omeri warned that ISIS agents operating under the guise of humanitarian support groups for refugees and orphans in Nigeria are scouting to recruit Nigerian youths as fighters for the terrorist group.

Omeri said then that intelligence reports show that ISIS was scouting for fighters around the Islamic world and from Africa, cautioning Nigerians against being lured into joining the terror group.

According to Omeri: “Nigerians are known the world over to be selfless, hospitable and humanitarian. We believe in the brotherhood of all mankind and no one should be allowed to take advantage of these virtues or turn them into vices. Nigerians are therefore advised to report to security agencies without hesitation, any group or non-governmental agency whose overt or covert activities are suspicious or have tendencies to jeopardise the innocence of our youths and the security of our people wherever they are in the world.”

Omeri followed this up last week Thursday when he expressed the alarm that ISIS agents were continuing their recruitment and radicalisation of the nation’s youth through social media and other sources, noting that the alert had become necessary to enable parents and guardians keep a watch on children and wards.

Targets of the ISIS recruiters, he said, “are mostly children of the rich and affluent who are schooling abroad. The Nigerian National Information Centre wishes to alert the nation of intelligence reports indicating the radicalisation of our youths through the social media and a variety of other sources. We therefore call on parents and guardians, especially those whose wards are schooling abroad, to closely monitor the activities of these students who may be susceptible to the antics of the promoters of the ISIS ideology.”

Described variously as ‘reserved’, ‘a committed Muslim’, according to reports he gave his parents and everyone around him, the impression is that he hates Boko Haram because of the damage they are doing to Islam. But as it has turned out, it was all a smokescreen as he has now gone to Syria apparently to join the Islamic State (IS) militants.

According to reports, his distraught father was still trying to come to terms with the news when he suffered a suspected armed robbery attack last weekend.

The 41-year-old has two wives and four children, the elder heading a private school in Abuja while the younger worked with a Federal Government agency.

When he took the decision to go to Syria to team up with the terrorists of the Islamic State, he reportedly called his wives aside and told them they were free to return to their parents.

“But both of them said they would go with him,” a source disclosed.

When the retired justice was alerted, he sought assistance from out the security agencies who reached out to the Turkish Embassy which confirmed that his son might have gone to Syria.

“The embassy confirmed it issued visas to the man and members of his family, details of his arrival in Turkey were made available, while images of CCTV recordings were also said to have been analysed by the Turkish security agencies to establish their movement.

“The man, who dropped out of the university and went into full-time business in his early 20s, is the most unlikely man to volunteer for the Islamic State,” according to a family friend.

“He hated everything Boko Haram stood for, and often queried why they would be killing innocent women and children in the name of Islam.

With the benefit of hindsight, he was probably trying to cover up his plans. There was no way you would have suspected that he was ever going to be a fundamentalist himself.”

- See more at: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/lead-story/200734-no-surprise-in-security-circles-over-ex-cjn-s-son-joining-isis#sthash.izGLSEDL.dpuf

asuoka:
Well it doesn't mean Nigeria military doesn't have paratroopers

I did not say we don't paratroopers. Let's not mislead the public with fake pictures.

diluminati:
i even had to give you a rare like.you see how your fellow gej bootlickers dey spoil gej campaign

This is not about GEJ's campaign. The Nigerian army is not a political party.

asuoka:
No its not...

Scott Goodknight
http://findingyourhero.com/keep-your-eyes-on-the-horizon

OP that picture is from the US army airborne school in fort benning, Columbus Georgia. Don't insult the Nigerian army with fake pictures.

Why is this bad news? Abi you people don't want peace again?

notobs 10 more gboza for you.

notobs, one man demolition machine.

In our series of letters from African journalists, writer and novelist Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani looks at journalists' struggle for survival in Nigeria.

Nigerian journalists are typically paid wretched salaries, and even the pittance to which they are entitled is often owed for months at a stretch.

A former editor with Nigeria's ThisDay newspaper last month became something of a celebrity in local media circles after an Abuja court awarded him damages against the newspaper's publishers.

Paul Ibe had in 2011 filed proceedings against his former employer, seeking payment of outstanding monthly salaries and other allowances.

"I went to court not because of the money but because of the principle involved," he told me.

"Every labourer deserves his pay."


They just do not think that the staff's income should come from the organisation's pockets.

My friend, who was a reporter with one of Nigeria's popular newspapers, said her boss often justified his non-payment of salaries by saying: "I've given you a platform to make money. Use it."

He was referring to the opportunity to collect payment from individuals or organisations in exchange for publishing their stories.

Nigerian journalists are known to prowl to and fro in search of anyone whose pay will inspire their pens.

It is common for "brown envelopes" containing cash to be handed out during press briefings - a practice that has been going on for so long that many young journalists with whom I have spoken have no idea that it is unethical.

After covering an event, they linger expectantly until the envelopes stuffed with cash arrive.

Woe betide you if you fail to meet their expectations.

Whatever you read about yourself and your event, if the item manages to find space in the newspaper, will be entirely of your own making.

With this kind of goings-on, you cannot expect the average Nigerian journalist to be fair in the presentation of facts.

'Strikes at democracy'
I know a top Nigerian politician who goes beyond brown envelopes to listing a number of editors on his payroll.

As he disburses his staff salaries monthly, he also makes payments into the editors' bank accounts.


This ensures that whenever he has any "news" to disseminate, it gets published in several media without any questions asked or facts checked.

The Nigerian media has become a thriving arena for all sorts of sponsored falsehoods.

The judicial system is equally dysfunctional, making it tortuous to win a libel case.


This strikes at the very core of democracy, where the electorate, to make sensible choices, relies on the media for facts.

In 2008, I joined Nigeria's now-defunct Next newspapers as one of its pioneer editorial staff.

Founded by Pulitzer-winning journalist Dele Olojede, it was celebrated for its vehement policy against brown envelopes.

Within months of its launch, it was boldly reporting several important national stories that most mainstream newspapers would not touch.

When its reporters began garnering local and international awards for investigative journalism, Mr Olojede reminded us that most of those stories had been lying in the public domain, simply waiting for someone to report them.

"Real investigative journalism requires dogged digging," he said.

He explained during an editorial meeting: "I wanted to pay salaries that would enable the average reporter buy a beer for himself and a friend after work on Friday, and a small car for himself."

'Aggrieved marketers'
But revenue soon began to dry up.

In Nigeria, established newspapers are paid to keep big stories off the front page. Adverts are supposed to buy silence.

Often, Next would run a story in its popular weekend edition, only for editors to arrive at the office on Monday to meet an aggrieved marketing team - certain big advertisers had terminated their business that morning.

After one revelation about corruption in the oil trade, scores of advertisers instantly pulled out.

Many organisations began to distance themselves from the newspaper, for fear of being seen to be supporting the enemy of their friends.

At the time Next eventually called it quits in 2011, staff were owed more than five months' arrears.

Rumours of the newspaper's reporters accepting brown envelopes had begun to filter in, but few editors had the heart to reprimand offenders.

It is difficult to ascertain whether corruption in Nigeria's journalism emanated from pressure by the political and business elite, or if the media themselves initiated jukebox journalism.

Following Mr Ibe's court victory - which only one newspaper reported - journalists from around the country have been sending congratulatory messages, thanking him for giving them hope.

He has shown that the country's journalists do not have to put up with being used and abused by their employers.

However, it will take more than one court victory to bring an end to this kind of malpractice and create a thriving Nigerian media.


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31748257

The Boko haram newspapers and media outlets are starting to feel the heat.

What has this same OP done, with daily accusations coming from Punch, Premium times, Sahara reporter, Osun defender etc on persons working in the PDP government. We should treat the AIT documentary the same way APC noise makers treated accusation against PDP. That should be fair. Tinubu is a thief till his supporters prove otherwise.

Good development, all countries monitor web traffic. Pleased, Nigeria is able to keep an eye what is happening online.

Forward ever, backward never.

GEJ TILL 2019

By Emma Amaize
ASABA- GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan, of Delta State, Wednesday, brokered a truce between Ijaw and Itsekiri nationalities over the $16 billion Delta Gas City project.
Chairman of Ogidigben Export Processing Zone Committee, Mr Austin Oboroegbeyi, Ijaw leader, Chief Godspower Gbenekema and Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, NNPC , Mr David Ige, confirmed that the controversy had been laid to rest.
Mr Oboroegbeyi told journalists at the end of the meeting presided over by Governor Uduaghan that the two nationalities have agreed on separation of the project – Gas city in Ogidigben and Deep Sea Port in Gbaramatu.
He confirmed that the meeting was successful while Chief Gbenekema corroborated his statement that the both sides have agreed that the projects be separated as proposed by NNPC.
He said the terms of settlement would be conveyed to the president by the relevant officials after which a date for the groundbreaking would be approved.
He said, “Both nationalities agreed that there will be peace.”
Mr Ige said it was true that the matter has been resolved, saying the resolution would be conveyed to the presidency for necessary action.
He stated that the two projects were interwoven as one cannot exist without the other.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/at-last-ijaw-itsekiri-agree-on-epz-groundbreaking/#sthash.ZhsvYCUE.dpuf

By Emma Amaize
WARRI- AHEAD of the March 13 groundbreaking of the $16 billion Delta Gas City project in Delta State, the governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, is meeting with stakeholders from Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups at Government House, Asaba, today, to fine tune arrangements.
The meeting followed directives by President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the areas of conflict between the nationalities were resolved, as he does not want anything that would cause bloodletting and threaten the project after the groundbreaking.
Ex militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, and Itsekiri leader, Chief Ayiri Emami, who are two principal personalities from both sides are among thoses invited to the meeting.

- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/epz-groundbreaking-uduaghan-meets-tompolo-ayiri-others-today/#sthash.FeuiqSWA.dpuf

[s]

mrmetoo1:
Wow!! What's this? I'm really trying to understand this.

I'll tell you this, my trainer told me she's not voting anyone but her brother wants to vote GEJ. Obviously I educated her about both candidates hoping that she'll try to talk to her brother about Buhari because his reasons for not voting for him were all these untrue rumors about him. Anyway I asked her last weekend how it was going with the postponement because GEJ's team would like us to believe that with the postponement all of Buhari's supporters pre-postponement have dropped off a cliff or something. She was like "abeg this postponement is even making it worse for the guy especially that Fayose guy" she went to say she didn't think those people were working in GEJ's interest. According to her, she thought GEJ would gain more ground doing his own thing himself without their interference.

So keep hailing Fayose & FFK while you guys keep losing potential supporters. FFK & Fayose are pandering to an extreme part of their members. Those members that if GEJ were to even do worst thing imaginable, they'll still support. What they don't know is they're really putting off undecideds and potential converts.

I've seen at least two people on twitter after GMB's chattam speech say I support GEJ but I think we need to give GMB a chance. This is what PDP needs now not this nonsense.

[/s]

RUBBISH

GeneralBosco:
Attention seeking fool...stay off my mentions.

APC rodent next time watch the comment you reply. Now go and Die.

GeneralBosco:
Look for a river and drown your useless self.

Go and hang yourself. That's the only value your miserable life has.

GeneralBosco:
[s][/s]
Only a dull cretin reasons the way you do. Please run along

Look for a rope and hang your miserable self.

MzJackBaueress:
Wow! You just rebranded your stupidity.

Smh

Transgender fraudsters what part of your body, are you re-branding?

GeneralBosco:
[s][/s]
While I'm not sure about APC being the cause of fuel scarcity, I'm sure APC is not the cause of your dead brain.

Doing what you rats do best. The only people with dead brains in Nigeria are APC followers.

Nollywood actress Mercy Johnson and her daughter Purity avoided the incessant traffic gridlock on Lagos roads, especially the Ikeja axis, on Monday, by taking a ride on one of the fully air-conditioned trains commissioned by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration


According to Mercy Johnson, she decided to take the train to Ikeja instead of going through traffic in Lagos. She posted a picture of herself and daughter on her instagram page with the caption ‘Traffic emergency last night.. Ran with my heels off, Purity & I caught the train to Ikeja. No dulling’

She also posted a video of them on the train with the caption ‘Purity and I braved a train ride to Ikeja… Not Everytime Endure Lagos Traffic for 5 Hours, Sometimes….take the tube!’

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/03/mercy-johnson-daughter-avoid-lagos-traffic-by-riding-gejs-train/#sthash.JB2sosSi.dpuf

giantstrides:
Do you think he is doing GEJ a favour? GEJ portrays a gentle meek man but appoints FFK as his spokesman, who is being decieved, those of us who listen to him just do it for the comic relief, saying someone wears pampers, someone has bad breadth, the other day he said he had a party with bianca ojukwu, lol ...we will laugh now because it is so amusing to see all this from a presidential campaign spokesman, then we will vote on march 28 and see how much help he was for the GEJ's re-election bid.

He is giving you people a dose of your own medicine. Nigerians like any man able to return fire for fire and then some. Vote as you like, FFK and Fayose are the best things happening to Jonathan's media team in last 60 days. You people will suddenly learn how to communicate with respect

Just imagine the APC apologists coming here to seek bad news, only to be sadly disappointed.

Nigerians will suddenly notice a cooling down of the political temperature in this country. FFK and Fayose have accomplished what Jonathan's media wouldn't in 5 years. APC have met their match and then some.

APC has stepped on the tail of a boa.

How old is that rail yard. Why did you not have one in Nigeria before 2010. How much does Norfolk southern invest in their rails yearly? Most likely, more than the Nigerian government budget.

When the CBN chairman goes on business news networks to accuse his country's primary oil company of stealing or not accounting for $49.8B, why are we surprise everybody in the world thinks Nigeria is made up of only corrupt people.

If elections need to be shifted, it will be be shifted and the United States will not do jack.

APC getting a dose of their own medicine.

Collynzo9:
It is very difficult to satisfy these evil APC plebs, all of a sudden, Chad is now their darling.
These are the same people that were complaining when Chad first entered Nigeri's territory.
What is wrong with limiting Chad's involvement in fighting in Nigerian territory?
See what this hypocrite posted when Chad first entered Nigeria.

Most of them are driven by hate and bitterness. That's why they speak from both sides of their mouth. Imagine the one quoted