₦airaland Forum

bilms:
LETTER TO BOKO HARAM
By: Abdulrazaq O Hamzat


Assalamualaikum Waramatullahi Wabarakatu.



, I write in the name of Allah, The most beneficent and the most merciful.

Dear Boko Haram,

I am constrained to write you, Reading through the news papers page recently regarding the issue of the bombing rocking our country Nigeria, It was reported that your organization claimed responsibility. In another report, it was reported that your sect stated your reason for embarking on this bombing mission to be the killing of your ex leader and members. It was also reported that the only condition given by your Organization for negotiation is the Adoption of Shariah Law in Nigeria.

First, I would like to start from the name of your sect, Boko Haram. Meaning education is forbidden. The stand of your sect that education is forbidden to me is a shock, considering the impact of education in the history of Islam.

The rise of Muslims to the zenith of civilization in a period of four decades was based on lslam's emphasis on learning. This is obvious when one takes a look at the Qur'an and the traditions of Prophet Muhammad which are filled with references to learning, education, observation, and the use of reason.
"Are those who have knowledge and those who have no knowledge alike? Only the men of understanding are mindful. " (Quran, 39:9)



The Qur'an encourages people towards scientific research:.
"And whoso brings the truth and believes therein such are the dutiful." (Quran, 39:33)



It was through education that we got the loud speaker we use in calling for prayers, Education produces the bricks we use in building our mosques, produces the computer and internet we use in studying Islamic writing around world while sitting at home, produces the wall clock that makes it easy to know the time for prayers, produces the aeroplane we use in making pilgrim to the holy land.

The car your members used in transporting themselves to the bombing venue, the mobile phone, the bombs and guns, even the media used in publishing your information all are products of education.
These clearly show that everything your sect has been using as the impact of education (Boko) in one way or the other.



Don’t you think Boko (Education) is Halal (Lawful)?.

Saying education is forbidden is just like saying sex is forbidden, But sex can be forbidden when done unlawfully and can equally be rewarded if done lawfully.

Acquiring knowledge and skill is essential for every one living in the modern world. It is useful as well as pleasant to pursue knowledge.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

Seeking of knowledge is compulsory for every Muslim, boy or girl, man or woman.

The pursuit of knowledge and the use of reason, based on sense and observation is made obligatory on all believers.

"The best form of worship is the pursuit of knowledge.

The Islamic Empire for more than 1,000 years remained the most advanced civilization in the world. The main reasons for this was that Islam stressed the importance and respect of learning, forbade destruction, and cultivated respect for authority, discipline, and tolerance for other religions. The teachings of Qur'an and Sunnah inspired many Muslims to their accomplishments in science and medicine.

By the tenth century their zeal and enthusiasms for learning resulted in all essential Greek medical and scientific writings being translated into Arabic in Damascus, Cairo, and Baghdad. Arabic became the international language of learning and diplomacy. The center of scientific knowledge and activity shifted eastward, and Baghdad emerged as the capitol of the scientific world. The Muslims became scientific innovators with originality and productivity through education.(Boko)

For example Islamic medicine is one of the most famous and best known facets of Islamic civilization in which the Muslims excelled. The Muslims were the great torchbearers of international scientific research.
Some of the best and most eloquent praises of science came from the pens of Muslim scientists who considered their work to be acts of worship. The same motives led to the establishment of Al-Azhar (800 AD) the first university in the world. They hit the "source ball of knowledge" over the fence to Europe. In the words of Campbell, "The European medical system is Arabian not only in origin but also in its structure. The Arabs are the intellectual forbearers of the Europeans."


Further More, I would like to state here that your members were killed not because they were Boko Haram members, but because they commit an offence of murder. i.e killing of innocent people and such crime both in Shariah and the Nigerian constitution is punishable by death. If your sect had found these people guilty of any offence, it is not in your hand to take law. But despite that,I am sincerely sorry for your loss and pray that Allah forgive us all.



Lastly, About your insistence that Nigeria use the sheriah law,it is clearly stated in the Qur’an that Allah says: “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth has been made clear from error. Whoever rejects false worship and believes in Allah has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks. And Allah hears and knows all things.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 256]

One of the fundamental truths established by the sacred texts is that no one can be compelled to accept Islam. It is the duty of Muslims to establish the proof of Islam to the people so that truth can be made clear from falsehood. After that, whoever wishes to accept Islam may do so and whoever wishes to continue upon unbelief may do so. No one should be threatened or harmed in any way if he does not wish to accept Islam.

jihad in Islamic Law can be waged for a number of reasons, but compelling people to accept Islam is simply not one of them.

The reason why jihad was first permitted in Islam was so the Muslims could defend themselves against persecution and expulsion from their homes.

Allah says: “To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged and verily Allah is Most Powerful for their aid – (They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right (for no cause) except that they say, ‘Our Lord is Allah’. Did Allah not check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his cause, for truly Allah is full of strength and might.” [Sûrah al-Hajj: 39-40]

Many of the earliest scholars mention that these were the first verses of the Qur’ân that was revealed regarding jihad.

Thereafter the following verses were revealed:

“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loves not transgressors. And slay them wherever you catch them and drive them out from where they drove you out, for oppression is worse than killing. But fight them not at the sacred mosque unless they fight you there. But if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. But if they cease, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression and there prevail justice and faith in Allah. But if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 190-193]

From this point on, the scope of jihad was broadened from being purely for defense against direct attack to being inclusive of resistance against the persecution meted out by those who suppress the faith and deny people the freedom to choose their religion for themselves.

As for the spread of Islam, this is supposed to take place peacefully by disseminating the Message with the written and spoken word. There is no place for the use of weapons to compel people to accept Islam. Weapons can only be drawn against those who persecute and oppress others and prevent them from following their own consciences in matters of belief. The Muslims cannot just stand by while people are being denied the right to believe in Islam and their voices are being crushed. This is the meaning of Allah’s words: “And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression and there prevail justice and faith in Allah.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 193]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in his letter to the Roman governor Heracles: “I invite you to accept Islam. If you accept Islam, you will find safety. If you accept Islam, Allah will give you a double reward. However, if you turn away, upon you will be the sin of your subjects.” {Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim}.

Even when the Muslims are compelled to fight and then, as a consequence, subdue the land, their duty thereafter is only to establish Allah’s law in the land and uphold justice for all people, Muslim and non-Muslim. It is not their right to coerce their subjects to accept Islam against their will. Non-Muslims under Muslim rule must be allowed to remain on their own faith and must be allowed to practice the rights of their faith, though they will be expected to respect the laws of the land.

Had the purpose of jihad been to force the unbelievers to accept Islam, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would never have commanded the Muslims to refrain from hostilities if the enemy relented. He would not have prohibited the killing of women and children. However, this is exactly what he did.

During a battle, the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw people gathered together. He dispatched a man to find out why they were gathered. The man returned and said: “They are gathered around a slain woman.” So Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “She should not have been attacked!” Khâlid b. al-Walîd was leading the forces, so he dispatched a man to him saying: “‘Tell Khâlid not to kill women or laborers”. [Sunan Abî Dâwûd]
Therefore, even in the heat of battle against a hostile enemy, the only people who may be attacked are those who are actually participating in the fighting not innocent people.



On this note, I strongly condemn your action of killing innocent Nigerians. As the Qur’an says: whoever slays a soul, unless it be for murder or for mischief in the land, it is as though he slew entire mankind; and whoever keeps it alive, it is as though he kept entire mankind alive; (Quran 5:32).
Kindly listen to word of Allah and seize the bombing if truly you are behind it and engage in a reasonable dialogue with the Government.


Hope to see the name of your Sect change to Boko Halal and engage Nigerians through Powerful Awareness Campaign on what you consider Haram about Boko.



Massalam.

Ambassador Abdulrazaq Oyebanji Hamzat
Goodwill Ambassador for Peace of t he International Human Right Commission in Nigeria.

Good one!!! Please boko haram you are spreading mischief and murder the land.When you considered that all this your targets,They are your neighbors.Would you now say the Quranic verse below supports your actions?

"Worship Allah and join none with Him (in worship); and do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, Al-Masakin (the poor), the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who is a stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you meet), and those (slaves) whom your right hands possess.''
(4:36)

Do you also think you will be of heaven with this hadith.Because you cause alot of panic and scare in so many places in Nigeria.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer.'' It was asked, "Who is that, O Messenger of Allah?'' He said, "One whose neighbour does not feel safe from his evil".
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Presently i am working in Abuja,you don't really need that to infiltrate all our key Government establishment.I can tell you such strict government establishments are few. Most of them are so porous you could make strong face go in and out with no one saying excuse me!
BOKO HARAM is simply exploring those loop holes.Since they see them as targets of interest.Meaning they would explore such if they simply notice it like how you and i would but choose to ignore it.

^^^No mind them jare!
Will they also reject anything Christian in nature?I mean for the sake of secularism!cheap hypocrisy and ignorance.When we have alot of things at national level adopted from christian ways and nobody is saying anything.This bank will sail regardless.Pick another issue when you get to your next CAN meeting.Like abolishing all mosque since its not secular.Forcing all Muslims to be secular while Christians remain Christians right.

How Nigeria Floods Islamic Development Bank with Requests

Anas A. Galadima

20 October 2005

analysis

About two weeks ago, the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Ali, led a nine-man team on a fact finding mission to Nigeria. The purpose of their visit, primarily, was to get first hand information about Nigeria's development challenges and how the bank can come in to provide assistance to aid the country's development efforts. This is sequel to Nigeria's entry as a member of the bank in June this year following its subscription of 4 million shares of the bank.

On arrival in the country, officials of the bank were quick to point out that religion is not a criterion for membership of the bank. This became necessary in order to correct the erroneous impression in certain quarters that a country has to be an Islamic state before it can be a member of the bank.

LINK:
http://allafrica.com/stories/200510200669.html



Nigeria: Donor funds Hit $4.2bn

July 09, 2010 By: babalobi Category: nigeria, nigeria news

The combined funding support by donor agencies including the World Bank, African Development Bank (ADB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to Nigeria stood at about $4.226 billion for ongoing projects.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Olusegun Aganga disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Country Portfolio Review Meetings holding in Abuja.

According to him, the World Bank is currently supporting 24 projects valued at $3.56 billion while ADB has 13 programmes worth $564.17 million. IFAD is currently managing three projects estimated at $72.1 million while IDB has one project valued at $30 million running.

In addition, Director, International Economic Relations Department (IERD), Mr. M. A. Alao also disclosed that sixteen (16) pipeline projects with a tentative credit sum of $2.588 billion are at various stages of preparation.

It also emerged that Nigeria’s Country Performance Indicator (CPI) rating, an important yardstick which determines IDA allocations to countries improved from 3.2 in 2008/2009 to 3.5 in 2010.
As a result, IDA allocation to Nigeria increased from $600 million in 2008 to $1.5 billion in 2010, according to the IERD Director.

Citing a recent World Bank report, Alao said Nigeria’s portfolio when compared in terms of disbursement, rates as number one in Africa and third globally coming after Vietnam and China.
Tags: ADB, african development bank, Bank, Donor, IDB, IFAD, International Fund for Agricultural Development, Islamic Development Bank, money, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, news, nigeria, nigeria government, nigeria news, nigeria news online, nigeria newspapers, world bank

hillsate:
unfortunately for you Jos people are no longer afraid of anything. Have you been to Jos of recent? May be you should ask yourself why there was no post election crises in Jos. mscewwwwww.

Okay O!

jamace:
Who told you that?

+1

Thats is his opinion and he has a right to it.but it means nothing to me.
So i stick with Islamic banking.So long as it has not and does not harm anyone directly.

The video and the particular incidence is old.Much of the event has being stopped by the FRSC and Police.I have witnessed such events.Its scary and crazy.Where its scary is the fools who mass under the bridge and even get on to the roads to watch knowing that this cars just come up from any direction.I prefer to watch from the bridge top and its better there.Safe and clear view.
   If this could be properly managed,i see formula one in the making.Otherwise we could have our own new entertainment.They should build private tracks and improve the vehicle/person safety on such tracks.People turn up in numbers for this stuff weekly then.At a fee and more publicity money could be made.
   For people saying it has passed, i doubt much.It is scaled down but not gone extinct.Cos i saw Tyre marks somewhere around CEddi Plaza suggesting they obviously performed there!!!!!Just this week.
One thing i know for sure its not stopped,Its dangerous,fun and crazy !!!!! MANY HAVE DIED IN THIS SHOW!!!! That crash in the video caused life and limbs !!!!That car crush the by standers to the concrete wall of the bridge.watched it live.you could feel the chills down your pine when it happens.

We need some law and order here before someone goes lose in real life !!!!!
I think it is only fair trouble makers or abusive NLers are cautioned and possibly penalized where they get it wrong.I got a caution and nothing do me.Its just a reminder i screwed up.So i pipe down my tone a little and am back on stage.How hard is that?

;d ;d ;d

Hibernating while learning the AIT tricks for survival !!!

NNPC has failed in solving kerosene scarcity, says IPMAN

Tuesday, 28 June 2011 02:06
Charles Okonji
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As DPR embarks on depots inspection to arrest hoarding

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has insisted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has failed in ensuring kerosene scarcity is finally address in the country.

This assertion emerged as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) said it would embark on inspection of depots nationwide to prevent hoarding of kerosene in Lagos metropolis.

The National President of IPMAN, Alhaji Abdulkadri Aminu, said that the process and method at which NNPC adopted in allocating kerosene to marketers was faulty and suspicious.

Aminu stated that NNPC ought to have allocated major percentage of kerosene to IPMAN who had about 86 per cent majority and retails outlets as against major marketers who had 24 per cent.



He said: “The process of allocating of kerosene by NNPC to marketers is wrong which cannot finally address the ongoing scarcity in the country. NNPC ought to have allocated large per cent of product to IPMAN in order to ensure it get to the nock and crannies of the country with the largest retails outlets own by members of IPMAN.”

IPMAN President disclosed that the executive members of IPMAN had schedule a meeting with the presidency and members of Senate on the way forward to address lingering scarcity of kerosene in the country, adding that NNPC had failed to meet the demand of the people on equitable distribution.

He however advised the NNPC to apply same mechanism used in 2008 during the heat of petrol scarcity where independent marketers who had major members and outlets where given the majority.

Aminu added: “As I speak nothing has been given to IPMAN while 30,000 metric tonnes have been allocated to MOMAN which has 24 per cent outlets. Senate and Presidency should urgently intervene at the ongoing scarcity and arbitrary allocation of kerosene for prompt and effective solution to the scarcity.”

He said that allocating kerosene to IPMAN was not the main issue to address the scarcity but proportional ratio and percentage in allocating product which should be 86 per cent to IPMAN and 24 to MOMAN.

It was gathered that inability of IPMAN to gets kerosene allocation from NNPC had made some of their retail outlet to sell kerosene at between N 130 and N150 per litre

However, DPR Controller of Operations, Mr. Gbenga Koku, had said that the organization would inspect the depots around Apapa and its environs to arrest the hoarding of kerosene.

Koku said that some depot owners hid under the pretence of not receiving their supply from the NNPC to hoard the product at the expense of common Nigerians.

He said: “We are going to embark on full scale inspection of all the depots in Lagos metropolis to checkmate those who were in the habit of hoarding the product. Any depot found hoarding the product will be forced to sell it immediately at depot price of N40.90 per litre, irrespective of the personalities behind it.

The controller said that the agency had resolved not to close down any depot to avoid compounding the lingering scarcity, stating that the DPR would only instruct them to discharge the product out of their tank farms.

Koku noted that the agency had instructed its surveillance and monitoring team to ensure that all depot owners comply with the simply guidelines put in place by the DPR.

He added: “Our objective is to ensure that the product is available in all filling stations and ensure it gets to all nooks and crannies of the country to ease scarcity. Any operator or depot owner found wanting for product diversion would be severely dealt with in accordance with the law.”

He said that the DPR would also ensure that depot owners or marketers did not convert the product into aviation fuel because of the price parity.

Global Fund may suspend Nigeria over $474.6m fraud
Monday, 27 June 2011 18:08 ISAAC AREGBESOLA, ABUJA
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…ICPC set to go after officials

The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria, an international financing institution that invests the world's money to save lives, may suspend or terminate its funding to organisations in Nigeria due to massive fraud involving millions of dollars.

The Office of the Inspector General of Global Funds to Nigeria discovered the fraud in a recent audit of 15 grants amounting to US$474,519,260 disbursed between 2003 and 2009, for the purpose of saving lives in the country.

The Independent Corrupt Practice and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to investigate, prosecute and bring any erring official involved in the scam to book.

The funds were disbursed to the following beneficiaries in Nigeria: The Yakubu Gowon Centre for International Co-operation, the National Action Committee on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (NACA), the Society for Family Health (SFH), the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP), the Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), the Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN) and the CHAN-MEDIPHARM (MEDIPHARM).

Mike Sowe, head, Publicity Unit, ICPC, who confirmed the development, said the commission has concluded arrangements to bring erring officials to book using all available legal instruments, after which a system study and review will be conducted to forestall further breaches.




About N7 billion donor funds sent to Nigeria for the fight against malaria, HIV and tuberculosis were frittered away, according to an audit report by the international agency that provided the funds.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) said in a report filed with the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission that beneficiary agencies failed to account for up to $475 million meant to "save lives".

The agencies are the Gowon Centre, National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Society for Family Health (SFH), National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CHAN) and CHAN-MEDIPHARM.

Part of the audit report said, "The Office of the Inspector General of Global Funds to Nigeria discovered the fraud in a recent audit of 15 grants amounting to $474,519,260 disbursed between 2003 and 2009 for the purpose of saving lives in the country."

Spokesman for the ICPC Mike Sowe said the commission will investigate the accusations of fraud against those organisations and charge those indicted to court.

The report said, "The value for money audit report indicates that the Yakubu Gowon Centre for International Cooperation illegally transferred funds outside the country amounting to $15.5million, incurred extra budgetary expenditures of $5.2m, and had undocumented expenditures amounting to $3m. The unretired expenditures of the centre for the period under review amounted to $1.2m, while the management fee not accounted for was $659,000.

"The National Action Committee on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria incurred extra-budgetary expenditures of $71,000 in addition to $679,000 as unretired expenditures; while the Society for Family Health had $861,000 admin charges not accounted for and $68,000 unretired expenditures.

"The National Malaria Control Program had $711,000 unretired staff advances and $10,000 underfunded balance of rent grant."

It said there was lack of transparency in the programs procurement management process which resulted in price inflation. It added that some suppliers could not be located at their given addresses.

The Association for Reproductive and Family Health, the report said, "could not account for $335,000 listed as administration charges while its unretired expenditures amounted to $168,000."

Also, the report said, "Christian Health Association of Nigeria illegally transferred foreign currency amounting to $11.6m to non-program related account abroad and later refunded the money in local currency. The association was also accused of having a weak procurement and logistics management resulting in inflation of prices."

It accused "CHAN MEDIPHARM, of over-charging on distribution of products to the tune of $256,000; with $77,000 as unexpended amount on training."

When contacted for comments, Kenji Goyit of the Yakubu Gowon Center, said the matter was under investigation. He said a team of investigators from Global Funds have been in Nigeria three times over the matter with the last being in May, acting on a petition to find out if any money had been lost or not. He said since the matter is still under investigation, it would not be advisable to make public comments.

Spokesman for NACA, Mr. Sam Archibong, said when contacted that they were not aware of any investigations. "We are not aware because we did not receive any query from ICPC," he said.

For his part, national coordinator for the National Malaria Control Program Emmanuel Babajide Coker, said "the amount involved is $132,000 not $710,000 and it was used to pay rent."

He said "The situation is not as bad as it is made to seem. And NMCP and other NGOs involved have made their country position clear on the issue."

The Global Fund is a public-private partnership and international financing institution dedicated to attracting and disbursing additional resources to prevent and treat HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria. The funds model, according to information posted on its website, is based on the concepts of country ownership and performance-based funding, which means that people in countries implement their own programs based on their priorities and the Global Fund provides financing on the condition that verifiable results are achieved.

Since its creation in 2002, the Global Fund has become the main financier of programs to fight AIDS, TB and malaria, with approved funding of US$ 21.7 billion for more than 600 programs in 150 countries as of 31 December 2010.

Expect harsh economic policies -Jonathan
On June 28, 2011 · In News

By Kolade Larewaju, Providence Obuh & Emmanuel Elebeke
President Goodluck Jonathan has said the Federal Government would take hard decisions in its bid to move the economy forward.

He, however, assured that government would protect local manufacturers from dumping and would also support them with incentives like waivers.

Speaking at the official commissioning of the May and Baker Pharma Cenre in Sango-Ota, Ogun State, the President said: “Government will take hard decision that will create some inconveniences, but bear with us.

“The private sector will play a key role. We will take hard decision that will appear painful to the ordinary people, but in the long run, it will be for the good of all.

“We cannot talk of achieving Vision 20: 20-20 if we continue to import most of our industrial needs. We will create an enabling environment by tackling, the power challenges.

“Nigeria will no longer be a dumping ground for all sort of products. That’s why we take time in selecting our economic theme for building a strong economy.”

The President said that Nigeria would no longer be a sleeping giant. He cited China and Uganda as examples of countries which, he said, shut their doors on importation.

He said: “Those hard decisions will affect importation of products.” He promised to use the next four years to work in ensuring that irritating investment environments were addressed.

The President commended the efforts of the management of May and Baker, adding that other companies should emulates them.
The chairman of the company, General Theophilus Danjuma, who described May & Baker as the country’s leading pharmaceutical company, told President Jonathan that the company currently has 800 staff on its payroll.

Danjuma also stated that the company was in the process of obtaining the World Health Organisation’s global regulation certificate and assured that it would continue to meet and promote global standard.

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in his address, assured local manufacturers in the state that his administration would do everything humanly possible to encourage them.

“We shall assist her to recoup part of the investment with viable and encouraging incentives. This also applies to other organizations that have invested or planning to invest in the state. We will do everything possible to support your business and investment aspiration.”

“Members of the Organized Private Sector (OPS) would soon be invited to a round table conference to agree on the various ways in which we can give this support.

“We must realize that government alone cannot should the responsibility of wholesome development. We must find ways of encouraging private partnership for the development of our dear state.”

He urged the people of the state especially host communities, to provide the necessary support and co-operation for the expansion of both public and private investments in their communities.
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NiyiB 12 minutes ago
story!story!! monkey born 1 but 2 die. Oga presido we already dey feel the hardship, sir no let the masses suffer 4 this your economic plan. things dey worst already otherwise me and my family go move to NIGER OR CHAD for a better life.

D Nackson 34 minutes ago



The next time you tell us about the success of China, do not
forget to tell us that price for corruption in China attracts capital
punishment. This is the secret of China success. You can emulate them in that
direction as well.
7 people liked this.

el nino 46 minutes ago
Too much talk and less work will not lead you anywhere GEJ. If you are really serious about what you just said, here´s one for you: Place a ban on the importation of fully built Toyota etc vehicles into the country and save Peugeot and volkswagen of Nigeria. Toyota sell more vehicles in Nigeria than they do in the whole of west and central African combined and yet they still do not see the need to have an assembly plant in Nigeria? Place a 1000% import tax on all fully built vehicles (save for the used ones) and save Nigeria some hard currency.

Repair our refineries and start work on the new ones you promised in your acting capacity as president. Nigeria has no reasons importing petroleum products of any kind. You do not need a cabinent to do this you only need to give the orders and the custom and NNPC will swing into actions. Thats how to be serious and expect to be taken seriously not by merely talking on the pages of newspapers.
6 people liked this.

D Nackson 50 minutes ago



All these talks without electricity will amount to futility.
The simple thing Nigerians need from you at this time is electricity and not
all these vision 20-20 blablablabla. If you cannot provide stable power to ordinarily
Nigerians within a short period, forget your economic policies. No economy survives
without stable power supply. Declare state of emergency on power supply. Only
then, I will take you serious!!
2 people liked this.

Benchris Adaa 50 minutes ago
Companies making money on our shores,should be made to sponsoring some students within the area of their host community.Not harsh policy that will yield no fruit later.

Oliver 55 minutes ago
This man is insane. Was it not this same jonathan that some time in 2010 removed taxes on many useless imported items that can easily be produced in this country? My goodness, we are in serious trouble. We shall continue to remind the goatheads who claimed they campaigned and voted for this man and not the pdp. Nigerians listen, we have made the worst mistake of our lives since the departure of the Brittish. How on earth did we end up with such a brainless goon. SInce 1976 when I was a kid, Nigerians have been subjected to untold hardship by every successive administration in the name of belt-tightening for a 'better tomorrow' that never comes. He is simply telling Nigerians he is going to remove the so-called fuel subsidy with its spiralling, debilitating inflationary effects on the poor as he allueded. Tell me how any sane person would increase elctricity tarrif when providing 5% of electircity needs of the public. It is only an insensitive opportunist that would implement such a satanic policy. Once again, it is up to Nigerians to confront these vampires called pdp and rescue the country from them otherwise there would be no Nigeria in 2015. We are talking of pdp leadership that has failed in all sectors of our life since 1999 and we have in our hands a clueless, confused opportunist that doesn't seem to know his left from his right. Jonathan knew he had no capacity to rule a country like Nigeria and never aspired to. He was thrust on Nigerians, like his late principal by that ape-looking beast called obasanjo who felt he was the only Nigerian alive who knew what was best for the rest of the country. Knowing full well that he (jonathan) lacks the capacity to govern this country, the least I expected of him during the last transition was to ensure that level grounds existed that would allow capable Nigerians to aspire to leadership positions conscripted by pdp gangsters since 1999. Instead he is calling for GNU (whatever that means) and threatening more hardship for the long-suffering masses of this unfortunate contraption called nigeria. Goodbye Nigeria!
5 people liked this.

kiziking 58 minutes ago
GEJ is right: It's necessary to stop the importation of Nigerian made goods for the value of our currency to rise and stablize in the international market. With high value of Naira, it will be easy for Nigeria to off set her debts, promote the internal industries, create many job opportunities. This means going against the false charity and selfishness of the Westerners, especially England, who pretend to be for our good while they are serving their own interest. Nigeria is one of the major pillars upon which the English economy is built. But they will pretend that we need them more than they need us. When Buhari closed every road to importation, the economy was growing and the value of Naira was high, until the fool and ignorant IBB overthrew a flourishing govt. to introduce 419 and high rate of corruption, causing Naira to lose its value. Nigeria needs harsh and forced economic and political policies and to go against the Western Greek gift and false charity in other to grow. This also means the prohibition of fuel importation and building more refineries, which will create job opportunities for Nigerians. When China and Uganda understood this, they reacted and today they are alright.
2 people liked this.

hugomy 1 hour ago
Good luck good luck good luck jonathan , you don't lead a nation by luck but by vision & discipline . We have lack of this qualities in our previous and current rulers in every level of governance

My Fellow Nigerians , for how long and when are we going to reap the fruit of this beautiful land as citizens of this nation if truly we are one We have suffered enough and a lot of dreams has been shattered , a lot of carers has been ended without beginning so many lives has been lost to Zero (O) health care system , poor educational implementation has turn most of our graduates to gangsters , fraudsters , drug dealers etc. every year the level of illiteracy in our country is growing to a large number evidence of hunger & starvation lack of nutrition leading to the death of so many innocent children and old people who are left to care for themselves even at the age of 70 plus , as if this is not enough for us to bear president jonathan is now asking us all to fasten our seat belts for a more harsh economic policies . DID HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES CONSIDER THIS WHEN THE USE HUGE AMOUNT OF OUR MONEY TO CELEBRATE GOLDEN JUBILEE AND THEIR RECENT INAUGURATIONS ! ARE WE STILL HERE NIGERIANS ?
2 people liked this.

Paul Uzoechi 1 hour ago
He should start by reducing his cabinet members. Then we will take him serious.
1 person liked this.

Paul Uzoechi 1 hour ago
He should start by reducing his cabinet members. Then we will take him serious.

PDP to the rescue !!!!!!

Lobbyists offering us millions to stop ministerial nominees – Senator – Punch

A key figure in the Senate has cried out that lawmakers at the upper chamber are being offered bribes to reject some of Jonathan’s candidates.

He did not mention the nominees who were the targets of the lobbyists but he said they were ex-ministers renominated by the president.

A second term senator and Vice Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum, Smart Adeyemi, on Monday alleged that some “political opponents and multi-nationals and their agents” were offering “millions of Naira” to lawmakers at the upper chamber to reject some of the President’s nominees.

We’ll get you, COAS warns sect
From MOLLY KILETE, Abuja
Tuesday, June 28, 2011

More Stories on This Section

The Chief Of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Azubuike Onyeabor Ihejirika yesterday assured Nigerians of the capability of Nigerian Army to bring the activities of members of the Boko Haram sect to a stop any moment from now.

Ihejirika who spoke at the opening of the second Chief Of Army Staff conference holding in Abuja, said the activities of the group which has resulted in the loss of innocent lives and property in some parts of the country in the last one year, is an opportunity for officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to prove to the generality of Nigerians of its capability to adequately protect and defend the nation’s territorial integrity from external and internal aggressions.

The COAS, while noting that the bomb blast tactics implored by the group was relatively new to the country, announced that the army will use the opportunity of the conference to fashion out a lasting solution so that Nigerians can move freely and go about their lawful businesses without fear of being attacked by members of the group.

The army chief while assuring Nigerians to be calm as the army was on top of the situation, said, “I want to assure Nigerians that we are equal to the task. But as you are aware, we need to convince Nigerians beyond doubt of our capability and this is again the reason for this particular conference.

The Boko Haram menace and the tactics they implore are relatively new to the country and hence the need for this particular conference so that as commanders we will put our heads together and find out solutions. I am sure very soon the country will begin to witness improved security performance generally.”

Gen. Ihejirika, while stating that the two-day conference was aimed purely at discussing the current security situation in the country vis-a-vis the Boko Haram activities, told defence correspondents that “at the end of this meeting, we will come out with several decisions and I think during my press briefing on Wednesday,(tomorrow), we will give you highlights of some of the decisions. It is going to be a closed-door session because the issues we are tackling are issues bothering on security.

On the deployment of soldiers to man security check points in all the entry points into the Federal Capital, Ihejirika said the measure put in place is not limited to Abuja alone but that the army would extend same to other parts of the country.

^^^^^ LOL
Na wa for una !!!!! This na early warning to avoid anyone saying he was not informed.

^^^^ Why?If i may ask how would you Know?
Even in the Niger delta when the military was involved, They had people in the Military providing weapons and sales of such to the militants.Some included even Military information.I do remember in one occasion where a classified military document meant for the DHQ and ministry of defense was intercepted and the details made available to the militants about Government plans to fight militancy.With that said ,no be today! At the end government always have there way.Because the FG has more at her disposal than just a group.The FG would always out live or survive it!!!

LMAO
Gojes fear of Boko haram is the beginning of his wisdom.when you consider even the police couldn't defend itself,talk more of rendering security to an exGov.It is only wise to do this and live to fight another day.

ZnO:
It is not islamic banking per se that is the problem. It is the type of islamic banking that will be practiced by the type of muslims we have in Nigeria.
Nigerian muslims behave differently than other muslims elsewhere, so their islamic banking is bound to be different from the NORMAL islamic banking. Crazy butchers.

Well said then push for such to be addressed.So that the baby is not thrown out with the bathing water!

solayemi:
Haka nai. u too dey run your mouth with insult.irrespective of ppl's opinion u shld not abuse them.islamic banking may work in european nations dominated by christians, but we must understand how volatile religion issues are in this country. if sanusi can make the idea clear to the uneducated people in our society, if the muslim fanatics of the north would not make issues out of it, then it will be right to introduce it to nigeria.

Noted and i hope they would consider such to make it acceptable and understandable.
mean while i frown at your utterances,that i run my mouth with insults.How is that? considering the attacks by the likes of Zno and co on me.They were response to such comments from his likes and you only noted mine.

commendable !!!!

Two Killed In Anambra Communal Clash •School, 11 buildings razed
On June 26, 2011 · In News

BY Vincent Ujumadu
AWKA — Soldiers and heavily armed policemen have been deployed to the village of Nkputu, Owerre Ezulaka in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, following last Thursday’s killing of two persons in the renewed clash between the community and its Awuka, Ogbunka, neighbours.

Several persons were also injured in the violent clash that left, at least, eight houses burnt.

The two communities have been fighting over a piece of land that separates them since 1987.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the villagers abandoned their homes following the presence of soldiers and fierce-looking mobile policemen.

During last week’s clash, part of Owerre Ezukala Boy’s Secondary School was burnt and the principal’s office looted, while members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, serving in the school were chased out of their rooms.

Caretaker Committee Chairman of Owerre Ezulaka Town Union, Mr. Alphonsus Ikegwu, who came out of hiding to address newsmen in Awka, said his people had been at the receiving end since the crisis began.

He said: “We have been intimidated, harassed and killed by the people of Ogbunka because we must pass through their town to get to our town. The other option is to come home through either Imo State or Abia State.

“Most of our people have not been able to visit our village for the past three months since the people of Ogunka renewed their attacks.
“They went as far as digging illegal bumps where they stop, harass and intimidate us.”

He said his community had petitioned the state Commissioner of Police, the Area Command and the Divisional Police Officer for the area over several attacks on his people.

He also said the matter had been brought to the attention of the state government, explaining that the governor directed earlier that both parties should keep away from the disputed land.

Ikegwu appealed to law enforcement agents to ensure the protection of their lives and property, while appealing to the state government to set up a body to look into the matter and find a lasting solution.

“What is happening has gone beyond normal boundary dispute. It is now sheer hatred that is being sponsored by some people we already mentioned in our petition to the police. We want them to investigate the matter to find out who supplies the arms they are using against our people.

“The annoying part of the whole crisis was the arrest of our people who were running for their dear lives and were accosted by the police who came to make peace. We are entitled to our lives and property, but as it stands, we are not sure of our lives any longer.

“Our people are law abiding citizens. We have grown above this level of criminality and we cannot descend to the level of marching force with force.

“We have resorted to tactical diplomacy because we know that we must pass through their town and so, it is not to our own benefit to retaliate,” Ikegwu said.

He explained that when his administration was inaugurated by the state government, they were mandated to settle the problem between the two communities and prepare the ground for election in his town, regretting that the people of Ogbunka had been a stumbling block to peaceful resolution of the crisis.

The deputy governor, he also said, had visited the communities and advised on the need to maintain peace, noting, however, that the directives were not enough to stop the attack on his people by their neighbours.

| Print | E-mail

Written by Okodili Ndidi, Onitsha Saturday, 25 June 2011

The lingering communal crisis that has bedeviled the Owerre Ezukala and Ogbunka communities in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Friday, took a dangerous dimension when two persons were killed and about 11 houses burnt.

Briefing newsmen on the incident, the caretaker committee chairman of the Owerre Ezekala Improvement Union, Mr. Alphonsus Ikegwu, lamented that the people of the community have been living in fear occasioned by continuous invasion of the community by hoodlums from Egbunka who have intimidated, harassed and raped their women, adding that all efforts to bring the attention of government to the predicament of the people was yet to yield any result.

According to him, the two communities, which share ancestral ties, have been on warpath for more than three decades over boundary adjustments with Egbunka laying claim to the sole ownership of a stone quarry site located between the two communities.

Ikegwu, who disclosed that most indigenes of Owerre Ezukala could no longer visit their village for fear of being kidnapped or killed as the only road to the village is through Egbunka village, maintained that their plea was for government to mobilise security personnel to maintain law and order and ensure security of lives and property. He added that they are law-abiding and cannot take up arms in self-defense.

The visibly shaken community leader insisted that government has not done enough to restore peace and order in the crisis-torn communities, stressing that all pleas and letters to Anambra State governor, the state Commissioner of Police and other relevant authorities had not been given the seriousness it deserved.

25 killed in attacks in northern Nigeria: securtity sources

(AFP) – 38 minutes ago

KANO, Nigeria — At least 25 people were killed Sunday when suspected Islamists threw a bomb and fired on a beer garden in the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, security officers and witnesses said.

Two attackers on motorcycles, suspected of being members of the radical Islamist sect Boko Haram, threw bombs and fired several shots indiscriminately on a crowded tavern in a suburb of the city, the sources said.

The attack, which targeted pub drinkers, also injured dozens, said police and military sources who did not want to be named.

"The attackers believed to be Boko Haram members threw bombs and fired indiscriminate gun shots on a packed tavern at Dala Kabompi neighbourhood, killing at least 25 people and seriously injuring around 30 others," a police superintendent said.

The attackers fled the scene, said the police official on the phone from Maiduguri, capital of northeastern Borno State.

"It will be difficult to say with precision the number of casualties but it can't be less then two dozen," said an army captain in the city.

A witness, Emmanuel Okon, who sells roast beef locally called 'suya' on the fringes of the tavern, described the chaos and panic caused by the attack.

"I just heard a loud bang followed by sporadic shootings and plumes of black smoke filled the area with people screaming and running in all directions," said Okon who rushed to his home after the attack.

Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved. More »

shocking!! Hope when people go see obama no be the clone dey pose for chair sha!!!!

Obama's signature: Is it real or is it autopenned?

WASHINGTON – It's the open secret that nobody in government wants to talk about: That cherished presidential signature that's tucked away in a scrapbook or framed for all to see might never have passed under the president's hand.

For decades, presidents of both parties have let an autopen do some of the heavy lifting when it comes to scrawling their signatures. The machine was recently put to use signing a bill into law, apparently a first.

Overseas and out of reach when lawmakers passed an extension of certain provisions of the Patriot Act, President Barack Obama employed the autopen to sign it, a step the White House has been mum about ever since.

"I always heard the autopen was the second most guarded thing in the White House after the president," says Jack Shock, who had permission to wield former President Bill Clinton's autopen as his director of presidential letters and messages.

Jim Cicconi, who oversaw the use of autopens for President George H.W. Bush, recalls that the plastic signature templates for the machines — yes, there was more than one autopen — would wear out from repeated use.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]

Ronald Reagan had 22 different signature templates, including "Ron," "Dutch" and other iterations, to boost the aura of authenticity surrounding his fake signatures, says Stephen Koschal, an autograph authenticator who two years ago published a guide to presidential autopen signatures.

It's not just ordinary Americans who get the autopen treatment.

Koschal says he once visited Vice President Dan Quayle's office in the Capitol and spotted a signed photograph from the first President Bush that he said had clearly been autopenned.

Obama took the presidential autopen out of the closet and into a new realm.

While traveling in Europe last month, Obama directed his staff in Washington to use an autopen to sign into law an extension of certain Patriot Act powers to fight terrorism. The legislation had been approved by Congress at the last minute, and there was no time to fly it to France for Obama's signature before the anti-terrorism powers expired.

It was believed to be the first time a president has used an autopen to sign legislation, and that didn't sit well with a number of Republicans. Twenty-one GOP House members sent Obama a letter on June 17 asking him to re-sign the legislation with his actual signature because use of the autopen "appears contrary to the Constitution."

Obama's team relied on a 29-page legal analysis crafted during the administration of President George W. Bush to argue that the faux signature passed constitutional muster.

Ari Fleischer, White House press secretary under the younger Bush, says the Bush White House had considered using the autopen to sign a minor piece of legislation as a test case, "but in the end Bush just kept signing the parchment himself." Bush used the autopen for routine correspondence and photos but not on matters of importance, Fleischer said.

While a number of White House aides from administrations past were willing to discuss the presidential autopen, that kind of talk is frowned upon while a president is in office.

"You want to preserve the president's semblance of reaching out and being connected," says Shock. "But the cold hard facts are that when you get 10,000 letters a day he can't possibly handle all that kind of correspondence himself."

It turns out there are varying levels of fakeness in presidential signatures.

There are preapproved form letters with digital signatures. There are preprinted cards for birthdays and other special events. Autopen signatures generally are reserved for more personalized correspondence that doesn't score a real signature, say officials from administrations past.

Obama's staff is loath to talk about his use of the autopen.

The president prefers to keep the focus on the sampling of 10 letters a day that he reads from among the tens of thousands that ordinary people send to the White House. In many cases, he writes back to these people, with his own signature.

But the president couldn't get around explaining how the Patriot Act got signed into law without briefly shining a spotlight on the autopen. Once that news was out, though, the White House clammed up. It declined to provide any further details about how many autopens the administration uses, what they look like, where they're kept, or who makes the machine.

And don't ask Bob Olding, whose company is the leading manufacturer of autopens, to discuss his clientele.

"I'm not going to help you," he said. "Our customers do not want anyone else knowing they have these machines."

Olding did reveal, though, that "when there's a major change in government, we get an uptick in business."

Olding is president of Rockville, Md.-based Damilic Corp., whose signature machines run from $2,000 up to $10,000. Hulking older versions look like a drafting table and are too big to fit through a doorway. Newer models, with microprocessors and digital controls, sit on a tabletop. But they still feature two mechanical arms that move a pen back and forth, up and down.

The machines sign letters at about the same pace as does the human hand. An autopen machine that automatically signs a stack of documents can spit out roughly 500 signatures an hour; those with manual document feeders, about 200 an hour.

As recently as the second Bush administration, the autopen in use was a large piece of furniture that looked like a drafting table, says Heidi Smith, who served as Bush's correspondence director for two years. She says those with clearance to use the autopen would head over to the executive clerk's office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, next to the White House, where the autopen wielded Bush's pen of choice — a Sharpie.

Autopens have been used by presidents since Dwight Eisenhower, says Koschal, and President John F. Kennedy put them to heavy use. Many presidents have had secretaries sign their names to correspondence and documents, he says.

More than 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson acquired a mechanical copying device called a polygraph that attached to his pen and made a second copy of what he was writing. Jefferson liked it so much he wrote that "I could not, now therefore, live without the Polygraph."

It's not just busy presidents who rely on autopens. They're used by thousands of organizations, companies and government officials.

Donald H. Rumsfeld got in hot water for using one as defense secretary to sign letters of condolence to the families of U.S. troops killed in action. When word leaked out in 2004, Rumsfeld said he'd done it to "ensure expeditious contact with grieving family members."

"I have directed that in the future I sign each letter," he said.

Other officials and candidates have fingered the autopen as an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for documents that appeared to bear their names. One was Enron executive Kenneth Lay, who was convicted of fraud, conspiracy and lying to banks despite his lawyers' arguments that he shouldn't be held accountable for documents signed by autopen. His conviction was later vacated on other grounds.

So how to tell the difference between a real signature and an autopen version?

Koschal says the best way to detect a fake is to lay the signature in question over a known autopen version and hold the two documents up to a light. If they're exactly the same, chances are that the top one was created with an autopen. But presidents often create multiple autopen signatures to make it less obvious when they're letting a machine do the work.

As for Obama's autopen signature on the extension of Patriot Act powers, it may pass the constitutional test, but not Koschal's.

"I'd pay peanuts for it," the autograph authenticator said. "It's not a real signature."

___

^^^
Can you see the horror called Nigeria! does it look like good planing or vision?