₦airaland Forum

Before now, Lagos-Ibadan exp way was full of bushes and accidents occur there frequently unlike now that the whole place has been developed due to the presence of these churches, you now see companies, schools and residential buildings all over.
Government should expand the road urgently to accommodate the fast development of that road. We cant shy away from development because of its attendant difficulties that we may experience as a result of that.

Grammar grammar no be my language, blow it well o Patrick the comedian

Nigeria is a very lawless and carefree country, plenty nonsense going on everywhere.

CAPITAL NO.

Once rapture takes place, all believers will be gone, the Holy Spirit wont be here again to restrain certain things, that is when the great tribulation will take place.

Rented youths, i have some ikwerre boys at my work place that doesn't send Amaechi and his problems.Truth be told most rivers guys doesn't really care about what is going on in their state while some are killing themselves here

In Nigerian politics, no politician fights for anybody without any financial or political posts being in the offing for such people, so the pro Amaechi law makers and his commissioners can not be fighting for Amaechi if they are not gaining anything from him. Amaechi's second term in office is to fight enemies and share money with his cronies, so people should stop saying that it is because Amaechi refused to share money to people not in nigerian politics abeg.

Arewa youths spot on, you've spoken the truth, i just hope your northern elders will not send you guys on exile for this truth.

People are now rubbishing Odumakin for voicing out what is happening in the south west, the pro south west ACN would not want to hear this because it is affecting their masters hence they will want to blindly defend them. If it is Jonathan now they would have swallowed Yinka's statement line hook and sinker insulting Jonathan of wanting to plunge the nation into penury. Tribalism thriving in this forum so much.

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has discharged and acquitted Hamza Al-Mustapha from the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

The judgment overturns that of the Lagos High Court which sentenced both men to death by hanging.

The presiding judge accused the lower court of being "stroked to secure a conviction by all means." Mr. Al-Mustapha was a former chief security officer to the late dictator, Sani Abacha.

He was sentenced to death on January 30 for conspiracy and murder of Mrs. Abiola. Mrs. Abiola, 45, was shot in Lagos on June 4, 1996, as the lower court ruled, on the orders of Mr. Al-Mustapha.

More details coming soon ...

Amaechi used his first tenure to work for his state but using his second tenure to fight the enemies he created for himself. Amaechi is never a friend of Jonathan from the onset. Nothing much is happening in his second tenure ask correct unbiased Rivers people.

Kudos to Amaechi, he should not forget to settle the health workers in his state that has been on strike for a long time now. Pregnant women that needs care from the striking health workers are complaining bitterly.

People should allow this man Keshi be, we talk a lot in this country, we condemn virtually everything.

I just hope they are real this time,God help us

Boko Haram Begs For Forgiveness For The Killings In The Country, Signs Ceasefire Deal

09.07.2013, 7:36  Local

According to the Boko haram sect "We are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country".



I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us. I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school (Government Secondary School, Mamudo, Yobe State)."

With these words, Imam Muhammadu Marwana, an influential member of the Abubakar Shekau-led Boko Haram sect, yesterday, confirmed a ceasefire agreement with the Federal Government to end their deadly activities across most states of Northern Nigeria, which have claimed about 4,000 lives and destroyed properties worth billions of Naira since 2009.

The agreement came exactly 82 days after the Federal Government raised a 25-man committee to work out modalities for granting the amnesty to the sect.

Indeed, the Federal Government, yesterday, said that it had signed a ceasefire agreement with the militant group. Minister of Special Duties and Chairman of the Peace and Dialogue Committee in the North, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki announced the ceasefire agreement on the Hausa service of Radio France International monitored in Kano

The announcement came on the eve of the Muslim Holy month of Ramadan expected to commence today throughout the world and also coincided with a vehement denial by the insurgents that they had no hands in the murder of 30 boarding students of a secondary school in Yobe weekend.

Although details of the peace deal were scanty, Turaki who spoke in Hausa further said that the Boko Haram insurgents had agreed to lay down their arms.

"We have sat down and agreed that Jama'atu Ahlul Sunnah Lidda'awati wal Jihad, known as Boko Haram will lay down their arms as part of the agreement so as to end the insurgency. Government agreed with ceasefire and will look into ways to ensure that the troops relax their activities till the final take off of the ceasefire," Turaki told his interviewers.

Confirming the truce, Imam Muhammadu Marwana said: "This ceasefire, in sha'Allahu, from the time I am talking to you (Radio France Hausa Service) we have ceasefire because of the discussion held so as to have peace over this struggle."

The Boko Haram stalwart added that "we are seeking forgiveness from the people over the number of people killed in the country.

Sounding apologetic during the Radio news, Imam Marwana declared that "I appeal to those who lost their loved ones to our activities to forgive us and on our side we have forgiven all those who committed atrocities against us"

He added that "I want to state clearly that we have no hands in the unfortunate attack on the secondary school."

How the agreement was reached

A member of the presidential committee, which President Godluck Jonathan gave 90 days to hammer out a solution to the problem told Vanguard how the agreement was brokered. He said "Shekau's leadership came out through several fronts and set traps for us. The government gave them confidence, the confidence led to trust and they said they will call their men to cease-fire and they have done so."

Mixed reactions trail move

Meanwhile, Nigerians have received news of the truce with cautious optimism

A step in the right direction-Gani Adams

National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams said it was a step in the right direction. Iin a telephone chat with Vanguard, he said: "It is a step in the right direction and I think from there, they will create room to dialogue with the Federal Government and state their position.

They cannot continue to waste lives just like that. I don't know what they stand for but no matter what they stand for, their approach is wrong and deadly. Nobody in the world will support their struggle. But calling for a ceasefire will afford Nigerians the opportunity to know exactly what they want."

Identity of the group should be ascertained - Afenifere

Also, Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere was of the view that the identity of the group calling for ceasefire should be ascertained. Speaking with Vanguard on phone, Afenifere's National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said "We should be sure which of the Boko Haram sect is calling for a ceasefire. Is it a strategy to rule or what is it all about?

The identity of the group should be ascertained and its genuineness should be known before the Federal Government is taken off guard. Since emergency was declared in those three states (Yobe, Adamawa and Borno), the incidence of bombings has gone down but killings continue here and there. So, we must know how genuine the call is and the identity of the group calling for the ceasefire. Was it not Boko Haram that said it was the Federal Government that needed amnesty?".

Govt should reciprocate -Balarabe Musa

In his reaction, former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa expressed optimism that the ceasefire will resolve the insurgency.

"We hope that the Federal Government will respond favourably and effectively to the ceasefire," he said.

Committee should not concede unnecessarily-Frederick Fasehun

"Nigeria has been on the issue of amnesty for long and if they have agreed on a ceasefire, that is commendable. I see it as a roadmap to peace. I hope the committee does the follow-up to this very well. But the committee should go on with their negotiations and should not concede unnecessarily."

Committee should go on with its mandate-Abubakar Tsav

Former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, on his part said: "The development is very encouraging. I am happy about it and I commend the committee for doing a good job. The committee should go on with its mandate in order to achieve a lasting peace. The committee should be encouraged the more at this stage to conclude its job."

FG must rise to the occasion-Arewa Youths

Commenting on the development, President, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shetima said in spite of the ceasefire, the Federal Government must address the issues that led to the insurgency.

Shetima said: "Whether they cease fire or not, the truth of the matter is that Nigerians must rise to the occasion. Last year, it was the same story we heard when they called for a ceasefire and still, they unleashed a lot of mayhem in Northern Nigeria.

Also, we must appreciate the fact that the whole of Northern Nigeria has been bastardised because everybody is now a member of Boko Haram. If they call for a ceasefire, what about the remaining factions? This does not mean that the Federal Government must go to sleep, the insurgency must be condemned totally."

How sect's activities assumed deadly dimension

THE Jama'atu Allus Sunnah Lilda wati Wal Jihad, also known as Boko Haram, (Western education is sin), came into existence in the 1960s but survived through the decades under various names.

However, it started drawing attention to itself in 2002, when Mohammed Yusuf became its leader. In 2004, it moved to Kanamma, Yobe State, where it set up a base called 'Afghanistan' from where it attacked nearby police stations, killing police officers.

In July 2009, the Nigeria Police started investigating Boko Haram, following reports that the group was arming itself. Yusuf, the leader and others, were arrested and on July 30, 2009 allegations were made that Yusuf was extra-judicially killed by Nigerian security forces after being taken into custody.

The development invigorated deadly clashes with Nigerian security forces and attacks on churches, public institutions and military facilities, among others, which have led to the death of about 3,500 people.

Litany of attacks Before the clashes, many Muslim leaders, and at least one military official, had warned the authorities about Boko Haram. Those warnings were reportedly ignored.

According to Human Rights Watch, between July and December 2010, at least 85 people were killed in some 35 separate attacks in four states in northern and central Nigeria, as well as in Abuja, the nation's capital. Attacks attributed to Boko Haram in 2011 left at least 550 people dead in 115 separate incidents.

Between January and December 2012, Boko Haram-related attacks occurred in 14 of the country's 36 states, including all the 12 states that have already adopted Sharia Islamic law, Plateau State and in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Violence blamed on Boko Haram, which said it wants to create an Islamic state in Nigeria, has killed more than 900 people in 2012, in about 290 separate attacks in 12 north-eastern and central states, and Abuja, making 2012 the deadliest year since the group began its attacks in 2009. And in 2013, about 250 people have been killed in Boko Haram-related attacks and incidents.

The litany of attacks include those of the United Nations Office, Abuja, Police Headquarters, Abuja, the building housing ThisDay Newspapers, Sun Newspapers and Daily Trust in Abuja, St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, Deeper Life Bible Church, Okene; Military Cantonment, Jaji, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office and other numerous security facilities, especially police stations.

The security agencies also went on counter-offensive arresting, detaining and in many instances, killing Boko Haram members and leaders.

Disturbed by the escalating violence many northern leaders and groups, including the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, urged government to dialogue with the group to end the killings.

A picture taken from a video distributed to journalists in recent days through intermediaries and obtained by AFP on March 5, 2013 reportedly shows Abubakar Shekau, the suspected leader of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, flanked by six armed and hooded fighters at an undisclosed place.

Last November, the group gave the government conditions for ending the hostilities. Acclaimed spokesman of the group, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulazeez, in a tele-conference with journalists in Maiduguri, stated that if the state and the Federal Government wanted the group to cease-fire completely, then former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, must be arrested and prosecuted according to the laws of the land. He also said that the government should compensate the group and rebuild their places of worship which were destroyed during the 2009 uprising.

He pointed out that for dialogue to take place, it must be through the following elders: Dr. Shettima Ali Monguno; former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari; former Yobe State governor, Bukar Abba Ibrahim; Ambassador Gaji Galtimari and Barr Aisha Alkali Wakil and her husband, Barr Alkali Wakil, insisting that the dialogue must take place in Saudi Arabia.

Abu Abdulazeez also said that the group had mandated five members who are to mediate on their behalf; they include himself (Abu Mohammed Abdulazeez), Abu Abbas, Sheikh Ibrahim Yusuf, Sheikh Sani Kontagora and Mamman Nur.

Buhari later distanced himself from the group and the Federal Government said it could not negotiate with pre-conditions, thus the crisis festered. With the latest decision of the group to sheathe its swords, it is hoped that all stakeholders will play their required roles for normalcy to return to the country.

Porous ceasefire

However, a peace deal was brokered on January 28, 2013 after a marathon meeting between some leaders of the group, which has been terrorizing some states in the North, particularly Borno State, since July 2009, and the Borno State Government, led by Governor Kashim Shettima with other top government officials and religious leaders from the state in attendance.

The cease-fire came after a 42-month multi-pronged attack unleashed on the polity by the sect.

Briefing newsmen after the marathon meeting in Maiduguri, Sheikh Abu Mohammad Abdulazeez Ibn Idris, a commander of Boko Haram in-charge of North and Central Borno, said after due consultation with the leader of the sect, Shiekh Abubakar Shekau, as well as intervention and pleadings from respected individuals and groups in the state, we ''have all come to terms and agreed to lay down our arms."

The Boko Haram Commander, however, insisted that government should immediately release all their members from custody unconditionally, re-build their places of worship and compensate them, among other demands.

Sheikh Abdulazeez said that, the sect observed that during the lingering insurgency, many Muslim women and children had suffered untold hardship, adding that, they also decided to lay down their arms for peace to reign in Borno State and the country at large.

"I am appealing and calling on all our members through this medium to lay down their arms henceforth, till further notice," Abdulazeez stated.

However, a few hours after the cease-fire, a faction of the sect distanced itself from the peace-deal and accelerated its deadly attacks, which have claimed about 250 lives since then.

The search for peace took President Goodluck Jonathan to Borno and Yobe states last month. The series of parleys during the two-day visit did not yield amnesty as President Jonathan insisted that the Federal Government could not grant amnesty to ghosts. He urged leaders of Boko Haram to come out of their hiding and dialogue with government as was done in the Niger Delta before amnesty could be granted.

The matter was on the front burner this week following the exchange of brick-bat between Buhari and the Presidency. While Buhari accused the Presidency of being responsible for 'political Boko Haram' and should take responsibility for the escalating mayhem, the Presidency countered that Buhari was responsible because he threatened to make the country ungovernable if he lost the 2011 polls.

The government asked Buhari to act like a patriot and get Boko Haram leaders to embrace dialogue. Buhari refused and advised the government to carry its cross

GEJ is very gentle patient with critics and very hard working, though he can't do everything at the same time. Clearing the rot he inherited from our past leaders.

Please don't compare Fashola with Amaechi because they are miles apart in terms of the development of their respective states. Amaechi's developmental strides are over hyped, the schools he built was in his first tenure, how about other infrastructural developments. The money that comes to rivers government coffers can not be compared with what gets to the Lagos state government yet Fashola is still trying his best to make Lagos a better place even in his second tenure.

Why is Amaechi not working in his second tenure, what is the problem, or is it only schools that are needed in rivers? Lagos is bigger than Por-harcourt yet Fashola is performing above Amaechi, there are no road network in Port-harcourt when it rains there are floods every where. The monorail he has sunk billions of naira on is not more than 2 kilometers yet the completion is still a far cry, if it is GEJ now people would have insulted the hell out of him.

Compare Fashola's monorail and that of Amaechi and you will understand that Amaechi doesn't know what he is really doing.

People should take time to analyse the real sincere commitment of these state governors before commending or criticising them. Mind you i leave in Port-harcourt.

President Jonathan and the wife has really suffered in the hands of people, whatever might be the sins of this couple can not be measured with the kind of insults received from those that are not even qualified to insult them. Most people in this forum insult the living day light out of this first family I know that the Junaid of a man that insulted Patience Jonathan only did that because of the president's interest in contesting in 2015 nothing else and it is very common with the housas who felt they are born to rule this country. People should show a little respect for the president and his wife because God is watching, he is not the worst president neither did the wife started this first lady of a thing, it all started with Maryam Babangida who was almost ruling Nigeria like her husband.

Even Port-harcourt of recent, trailers were bringing in materials for rail line that will be built from port-harcourt to maiduguri and it is Fed. Govt. project. The fact is that there are projects going on in most states of the federation which we are not aware of until they are completed, there are a lot of rots in our system as a result of the many years of neglect by our past leaders.

The electricity project being embarked by the present administration is very capital intensive and time consuming, if the past govt has embarked on projects like these it wouldn't have been the way they are today. None of our past leaders has ever performed in this country for the past four decades, so why do you expect Jonathan to perform magic in less than three years.

We read a lot of rubbish posts here, the crowd were rented by sokoto PDP exco to show support for their governor. Trust our aboki friends they don't know the rules of aviation, they had to defy the rules to get to the governor moving massively to the Apron so the Pilot found it difficult to land the plane before it was diverted to Kaduna having hovered in the air for 20 minutes. Pls read well before commenting.

Demdem said the port harcourt monorail distance is like from Ketu to Maryland, that is not true, it is like from Ketu to Ojota if not even less and nothing is really happening there. They have spent multiple billions on that silly recreation or amusement park called monorail, a huge waste of public fund.

Those that lives in a glass house should not throw stones

Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Sanusi, Unable To Shake Off Sex Scandal As More Evidence Surface

07.06.2013, 18:56  Features

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Nigeria's Central Bank Governor, appears unable to shake off a report that he funneled public funds to Maryam Yaro, a married mistress whom he gave a job at the bank he oversees.



Premium Times was first to report the scandal in which Mr. Sanusi was accused of abusing his office in order to advance an amorous relationship with a woman.

Several sources told SaharaReporters that Premium Times has been under intense pressure from associates of the CBN Governor since the expose was published. In the wake of the report, the CBN also issued a widely circulated rebuttal claiming that Ms. Yaro was never a staff of the bank, that she was employed at Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing Systems For Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), and that the governor had no hand in her recruitment.

But records obtained by SaharaReporters suggest that the bank's claims are an attempt to muddle up the facts. NIRSAL, to which Ms. Yaro is attached, is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up by the Federal Government through a partnership between the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Besides, the project is domiciled in the Development Finance Department of the CBN.

It is the CBN's human resource department that hires staff for NIRSAL, and it is Mr. Sanusi who approves all recruitments into the agency, insiders say.

Records available to us indeed showed that, contrary to the CBN's claims, Mr. Sanusi directly and personally approved Ms. Yaro's recruitment.

Investigations by SaharaReporters revealed that, after approving Ms. Yaro's hiring and sending her file back to the bank's human resource department, Mr. Sanusi sent a message to his mistress on June 25, 2012 saying, "I'm in South Africa. I approved your recruitment last week."

Ten minutes later, Ms. Yaro responded: "You have made my day. Thank you so much. Let me know when you are back."

When the human resource department delayed in sending her appointment letter, Ms. Yaro contacted Mr. Sanusi to complain.

"I have not heard anything from CBN since you approved my recruitment," she wrote in a July 9, 2012 message. "Is there anything I need to do?"

A source told SaharaReporters that, following her complaint, Mr. Sanusi contacted the CBN human resource department urging them to expedite action on her case.

Eight days later, on July 17, 2012, Ms. Yaro informed Mr. Sanusi that the human resource department had finally acted on his instruction.

"Allah nguro, I have been issued my letter of offer," she said in a message. "Thank you so much. When can I come and see you?"

When she submitted her acceptance letter to human resource, Ms. Yaro promptly informed Mr Sanusi and thanked him again for helping her to get the job.

After Ms. Yaro assumed duties at the CBN headquarters in Abuja, the human resource department produced a business card for her. In it she was described as follows: "Dr. Maryam W. Yaro, Nirsal Project Implementation Office (NPIO), Development Finance Department, Central Bank of Nigeria."

Even the documents released by the CBN are clear as to whether Ms. Yaro could be regarded as a staff of the CBN, and whether the governor played a role in her recruitment.

For instance, official memos detailing the processes leading to her recruitment are marked "internal," originating from NIRSAL to other units of the bank. Her appointment letter, written on CBN letterhead, was signed by Chizoba Mojekwu, director, human resources department of the bank.

The CBN's so-called rebuttal did not say why its human resource director would sign an appointment letter for a staff or consultant of another agency independent of the bank.

In its rebuttal, the bank provided evidence of communications leading to Ms. Yaro's employment in 2012, but provided none relating to any public announcement of the vacancy she filled. The law requires that such a post must be publicly announced to enable interested candidates to apply.

The details show that the bank treated Ms. Yaro's employment expressly, with memos between NIRSAL office and CBN's top management indicating how Mr. Sanusi endorsed her recruitment.

In one document seen by SaharaReporters, a helpless staff of the bank raised concern about Ms. Yaro's recruitment. In a memo requesting Mr. Sanusi's approval of the recruitment, the concerned staff minuted: "Please approve as prayed above. We should take into account diversity in future recruitment."

In approving the recruitment, Mr. Sanusi dismissed the staff's concern, and wrote: "Approved. I think gender is a good basis for diversity here and candidate is qualified."

Ms. Yaro's recruitment process took a matter of weeks, and she received her letter of offer in July 17, 2012 and promptly communicated same to the CBN boss while also informing him of her planned date of assumption of duties.

Some sources within the CBN suggested to SaharaReporters that some of the documents circulated by the CBN were forged and backdated as a face-saving measure. However, SaharaReporters was unable to independently confirm the allegation.

SaharaReporters learned that the details of the affair between Mr. Sanusi and Ms. Yaro have stirred anger and outrage within the bank and beyond. Critics have focused on the fact that Mr. Sanusi, a public officer, traveled on jets funded by taxpayers to keep appointments with Ms. Yaro at expensive hotels. Until this scandal broke, Mr. Sanusi was highly respected even if some of his policies, like doling cash to victims of terrorist attacks in Kano, were controversial.

Mr. Sanusi led revolutionary reforms in the banks when he came on board in 2009 and has remained critical and outspoken on several government policies despite serving in the administration. He has also repeatedly advocated adherence to the rule of law.

On the other hand, Mr. Sanusi has had his defenders. Many of these defenders have brushed aside glaring evidence of misconduct by Nigeria's chief banker, instead accusing news reporters who worked on the story of witch-hunting Mr. Sanusi and attempting to defame him.

Senior officials of Premium Times said they expected the backlash, even as they stated that they stood firmly by their story. "We knew the story was going to shock a lot of people," said Idris Akinbajo acting managing editor at the publication. "We were under no illusion that it would take a lot of time for many to swallow the bitter truth of the revelations made in the story." He added, "We have discharged our responsibility of providing information we believe citizens need in order to hold officials accountable.

Mr. Akinbajo continued, "Our job is done, as we will only continue to provide additional information as necessary. It is left for Nigerians to either demand accountability or live without it - and so continue to celebrate the indiscretions of their leaders."

The executive added: "We stand firmly by our story and look forward to the moment the CBN Governor will boldly look Nigerians in the face and say any of the things we reported did not happen."

I stay in PH, I'm among those that are bitter about the state of rivers. The road along my house and its link roads are nothing to write home about, on few occasions I have fallen into mud water on my way to work, once did I summon the courage to go back home and change my cloths, the second time I refused to go back home I took my wet shoes to work like that being so bitter with the govt of the day.Amaechi comes to visit a former senator at the back of this same road I'm talking about,one can hardly get a dry land to step his foot on because of bad roads. Same goes to other roads in PH city not to talk of the local govt areas of the state

You can forgive your cheating wife, though it is not easy but with the grace of God you can do it.

God commanded that we forgive those that offended us so that we too can be forgiven.

No hard feelings carry go, we are good to go as usual.

Some blind posters here, you talk about the holy Spirit of God as if you are talking about the spirit of the devil that rules the earth.

Give due respect to God and his Holy Spirit or else the danger is much nearer than you think.

If the Spirit of God says you should confess your adultery to your wife, he said it because he loves you and doesn't want you to end up in hell,
obey the word of the Lord immediately dont bring it to a forum like this where people that have disregard for God post what will destroy their souls eventually if they fail to repent from their sins.

A lot of people has written off the super eagles, this might turn out to be their victory at the mundial, i suspect they will surprise Nigerians.

No Christ no heaven, whatever you resight is nothing without the cleansing blood of Jesus. Repent from sin now and give your life to Christ without that no heaven, a sinner can not get to heaven dont be deceived heaven and hell is real, repent now.

Most of them are not qualified to be norminated.

I will prefer Akinwunmi and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, they are the one eyed figures in the midst of the blind.

Pastor has left the real reason why he established a church, he has now turned it to a political arena.

Last day events as said by God

I was very eager to see my first son, very happy that very day. I really thaak God for making it possible. God has even given me another son.

Nigerian police, we tire o, like Nigeria like its police.