₦airaland Forum

A former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, said Nigerians were extremely frustrated with the federal government’s failure to tackle the insurgency in Nigeria’s Northeast.

He said Nigerians should brace up to defend themselves against the extremist Boko Haram sect.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/171296-atiku-charges-nigerians-defend-selves-boko-haram.html

On the last Saturday in May 2010, armed police officers stormed a compound at Ikate-Ebute village, Epe-Ajah expressway, on the outskirts of Lagos, where Victorin Kpanou and his mates were sitting.

The police officers, from the Jakande Police Station, herded all the young men into an uncompleted building in the next compound.

And then a shot was fired.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/171258-nigeria-police-murdered-republic-benin-citizen.html

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has described President Goodluck Jonathan’s claims of achievements after almost 60 months in office as a “scorecard of failure”.

In a statement issued Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed, the party said the president failed to get the usual bounce from his recent declaration for a second term because Nigerians were not the least impressed by his achievements, which have not positively impacted on the lives of the citizens.
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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/171295-apc-gives-assessment-jonathan-dismisses-presidents-claim-achievements.html

The United States has faulted the claim by the Nigerian government that it is standing in the way of the Nigerian military’s quest to procure weapons to strengthen its war against the extremist Boko Haram sect.

Answering questions during a press briefing, the U.S. Department of State spokesperson, Jen Paski, said Wednesday the American government has been supporting the Nigerian military in the area of intelligence sharing, training of soldiers and other measures in combating the insurgency.
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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/171127-america-replies-nigeria-releases-details-aid-nigerian-military-war-boko-haram.html

No treatment of the issue of christianity in northern nigeria and in hausa land in particular will be complete with out mentioning Dr. walter samuel miller who played a decisive role in the development of certain line of policy adopted by the british colonial administration in northern part of nigeria in the early years (1899-1952) it is based on the above that thus, we the selected crop of believers from wusasa zaria decided to immortalize Dr. walter samuel miller through a motion picture documentary the first christain missionary worker to arrive zaria, kano and jos.
this project which is expected to be premiered on cinimas in the diaspora launched amidst dignitaries , released on the national DVD VCD marketing outlet will not only entertain its viewers but will also inform people Dr. walter miller doggedness and astute simplicity in bringing to bear the realization of christendom in this part of the world.
it is on record that Dr. miller has not being given any serious recognition after his death on the 17th day of august 1952......
we are calling on individuals that would play an envisaged role either as donor, supporters or investors towards the realization and actualization of this great project......
if you want to be part of this great contribution to humanity please contact
for haulibeth channels--------------
idris---08037016516

hauwa---08185797440
ahmed---08115586149
friday---08099806987

Sani Ribadu, the kidnapped brother of the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, has escaped from his abductors, family sources have told PREMIUM TIMES.

Another of the Ribadu brothers, Arabi, told this newspaper that his brother escaped from his abductors “around 2a.m. in the bushes surrounding Girei Local Government where they kept him”.

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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171133-nuhu-ribadus-brother-escapes-abductors.html

The Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to name the projects he and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have executive for the benefit of the people of the state since he assumed office.

The governor also vowed that his party, the All progressives Congress, APC, would defeat Mr. Jonathan in his home state, Bayelsa, and other states controlled by the PDP in the South-South geo-political zones. The states are Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171091-apc-will-defeat-jonathan-in-his-home-state-bayelsa-oshiomhole.html

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has deplored moves by the state government to create doubts about his citizenship of the state.

In a statement on Wednesday, the El-Rufai Campaign Organisation, said rather than face serious issues of governance confronting it, the Peoples Democratic Party-led government and its rulers had desperately gone comical by focusing on his roots.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171096-kaduna-2015-desperate-pdp-goes-comical-el-rufai-says.html

At least 75 Boko Haram militants were killed by local hunters in Maiha Local Government area of Adamawa State, residents of the area have said.

Maiha town, which is about 25 kilometers from Mubi town that was captured about two weeks ago, and about 200km from Yola the state capital, has now been recovered from the insurgents.

Maiha fell into the hands of Boko Haram insurgents in a fierce battle with the Nigerian troops on Monday.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/171092-local-hunters-kill-over-70-boko-haram-insurgents-recapture-adamawa-town.html

Worried by heightened activities of Boko Haram which has seen the group annex at least six local government areas in Adamawa an Borno States, Christian leaders in the region have called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the opposition figures to suspend all political activities to allow the Federal Government face the insurgents.

Thousands of Nigerians have been displaced by the activities of Boko Haram with residents of the areas captured by Boko Haram threatening to secede.

On Monday, a suicide bomber killed 47 people and injured many more in a school in Yobe State.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170999-boko-haram-suspend-all-political-activities-christian-leaders-tell-jonathan-others.html

Two child rights non-governmental organisations have lambasted President Goodluck Jonathan, for going ahead with his public declaration for a second term in office a day after 47 students of Government Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe State were killed by a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber.

Mr. Jonathan, on Tuesday, formally declared his bid for a second term in office on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at a rally held at Eagles Square, Abuja and attended by a crowd of supporters and party leaders.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/171043-child-rights-groups-attack-jonathan-for-declaring-for-second-term-despite-yobe-massacre.html

The Boko Haram on Monday expanded the territory it controls in Adamawa when it captured the town of Maiha, residents have told PREMIUM TIMES.

Maiha is about 25 kilometres from Mubi, the commercial town captured by the insurgents in Adamawa last week. Maiha is also about 200km from Yola, the state capital.

Even before the town fell to the insurgents, it was already a shadow of itself as commercial and social activities were paralyzed. People were already leaving the town due to its proximity to Mubi.

Fleeing residents said they saw many soldiers running away from the area with some of them hitch-hiking in residents’ vehicles. The soldiers told the residents that if the insurgents caught up with them, it would lead to instant death.
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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170914-nigerian-soldiers-flee-as-boko-haram-captures-more-territory-in-adamawa.html

Disappointed by the refusal of the United States to help Nigeria procure military weapons to combat Boko Haram, the federal government has now openly expressed its dissatisfaction with the American government decision, arguing that the Americans were letting Nigeria down at her hour of need, Empowered Newswire reports.

Speaking Monday while receiving a delegation of the U.S. Council on Foreign Relations, the Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Professor Ade Adefuye said both the Nigerian people and the government feel abandoned by America.
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170879-nigeria-blasts-america-says-u-s-has-let-nigeria-down-in-war-against-boko-haram.html

The Nigeria police have issued a warning on the diversion of vehicular traffic around the Eagle Square in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal capital city.

In a statement, the police spokesperson, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said there will be traffic diversion around the Eagle Square on Tuesday for “a major event”.

Mr. Ojukwu also advised Abuja residents to make use of alternative routes, as vehicular traffic would be diverted from most of the roads leading in and out of Eagle Square Central Business District, Abuja between 5 a.m. and 8p.m. on Tuesday, November 11.
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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170892-nigeria-police-to-lock-down-abuja-for-jonathan.html

Lagos lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has said the Delta state governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, is a disgrace to governance for playing “Ping-Pong” with the affairs of the state with ex-militant, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

Mr. Keyamo, in an open letter to the governor, alleged that Mr. Uduaghan interfered in the duties of the state electoral commission during the last local government chairmanship election by replacing the Warri South-West candidate with Mr. Tomopolo’s younger brother on the eve of the election.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170867-youre-a-disgrace-to-governance-lawyer-keyamo-tells-governor-uduaghan.html

The Nigerian police on Monday said 47 people were killed while 79 others were injured in the Monday morning bomb attack on Government Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum in Yobe State.

The police said a suicide bomber disguised as a student detonated the explosive at the school’s assembly ground at 7.45 a.m.

Police bomb experts are already at the crime scene while the victims have been taken to hospital, officials said.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/170861-police-confirm-47-killed-79-injured-in-yobe-school-explosion.html

A senator, Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, has described as “untrue” the claim that President Goodluck Jonathan granted automatic tickets to 40 of the 72 Peoples Democratic Party senators to return to the Senate next year.

This is contained in a statement on Sunday by his media aide, Michael Jegede.

Mr. Jonathan, accompanied by the National Chairman of the PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, had met with about 60 of the party’s senators last week over their agitation to seek re-election to the upper house.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/170851-jonathan-did-not-concede-tickets-to-40-senators-says-senator.html

A bomb that exploded this morning on the assembly ground of Senior Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe state, may have killed dozens of students, witnesses and security officials have said.

Witnesses said Boko Haram insurgents perpetrated the attack at about 8a.m. when the students converged for the morning assembly session.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170854-fresh-explosion-rocks-high-school-in-yobe-many-feared-dead.html

g from Boko Haram.

The Nigerian military and a mobile police unit have started advancing to the commercial border town of Mubi, Adamawa state.

The town along with some other communities in Adamawa and Borno states were taken over by Boko Haram in the last few weeks.

Sources say that the police unit, which appeared battle ready, was headed to the troubled area not only to flush out the terrorists but also to liberate Vintim, the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh, one of the communities currently under the control of Boko Haram.

One of the fleeing residents, Bitrus Gajere, said the mobile police special anti-terrorist unit had already reached Marraba Mubi Junction, about 18 kilometres from Mubi town.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170715-nigerian-troops-mobile-police-unit-advance-towards-mubi-to-flush-out-boko-haram.html

he Nigerian Prisons Service says Wednesday it is currently holding 56,785 inmates around the country with 38,734 of them awaiting trial.

The public relations/correctional officer, Nigerian Prisons, Ope Fatinikun, revealed this at a media chat organized by a non-governmental organization, 1-Nigeria Initiative.

He said as at June, the prisons collectively held 55,616 male inmates and 1,169 females’ inmates.

Mr. Fatinikun explained that only 17,474 men and 301 women were convicted, while 37,875 men and 868 women were awaiting trial.

He said there were 151 foreigners; 10 babies with their mothers; 947 young male offenders and 1,439 condemned inmates.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170701-nigeria-prisons-holds-over-56000-inmates-over-30000-awaiting-trial.html

Zainab Usman, a doctoral candidate in International development at Oxford University and her colleague, Dr. Olly Owen, worked on this scholarly analysis of the coming general elections in Nigeria for months. They have now published their report, making projections on the likely outcomes of the election.

How accurate the predictions might turn out to be remains to be seen. But it is an interesting analysis that anyone interested in the election anywhere in the world should read.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170688-analysis-how-the-2015-elections-will-be-fought-and-won-analysts-say-jonathan-may-get-overall-majority-in-first-ballot.html

President Goodluck Jonathan and two other West African leaders have brokered a deal to resolve the political impasse in Burkina Faso.

The three West African Presidents brokered an agreement on a one-year political transition that would lead to elections in November 2015, local media reported on Thursday.

According to the agreement, the military, which is currently controlling the country after citizens’ protests forced the former leader out of power, would hand power over to an eminent civilian personality to lead the transition.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170681-burkina-faso-jonathan-others-broker-civilian-transition-deal.html

he embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Wednesday, came down hard on President Goodluck Jonathan, asking him to resign from office for running “a system that does not have the interest of the country at heart”.

Addressing supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ilorin, Kwara State, during the formal declaration of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed for a second term, the Speaker warned that should the president failed to do so, Nigerian voters should revolt against him at the February presidential poll.
The Speaker had, at the APC extra-ordinary convention last week, said the party would chase out the “cabal” running the country at the poll next year.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170649-resign-now-tambuwal-tells-jonathan.html

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is deliberately planning to shut out Christians in the country from voting in the 2015 general elections.

The President of CAN, Ayo Oritsejafor, who stated this at the association’s national executive council meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, said he was suspicious of a sinister motive by the Commission following its poor handling of the distribution of the permanent voters’ cards.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170655-can-accuses-inec-of-plotting-to-disenfranchise-nigerian-christians.html

Adamawa people fleeing from Boko Haram.

Contrary to the claim by the Nigerian military that it is on top of the security challenge in the commercial town of Mubi in Adamawa state, the dreaded Boko Haram sect is consolidating its position in the the captured town and has indeed renamed it “Madinatul Islam” meaning the city of Islam.

Aliyu Bala, one of the residents, who could not leave Mubi at the time of the invasion of the town by the insurgents, disclosed this in a telephone chat with journalists. He said the insurgents had taken complete control of the town.

“They mounted check points and surveillance at strategic locations, brandishing riffles but asking us not to panic or run away,” Mr. Bala said.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170571-boko-haram-renames-captured-adamawa-town-mubi-madinatul-islam.html

t in Gombe, at a Bus Station.

Gunmen, believed to be members of the extremist Boko Haram sect, have launched a vicious attack on the police station in Nafada local government area of Gombe state, residents and security officials have told PREMIUM TIMES.

Police officers attached to the station have been overpowered even as some of the officers reportedly fled on sighting the insurgents said to have superior fire power, security sources said.

Police sources said the Gombe State Command of the Police had already sent reinforcement to the town to explore the possibility of restoring normalcy and retaking the station from the insurgents.

The detachment, our sources said, are on their way to the town.

Arms and ammunition are however believed to have been looted from the station.

The spokesperson of the Command, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed there were reports of attacks in Nafada, and that reinforcement had been sent there. He however said details of the incident were still sketchy.

“You can call later for details. We just sent our team there . They are on their way and I don’t want to give you inaccurate information,” Mr. Atajiri said.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170570-boko-haram-on-rampage-in-gombe-attacks-police-station.html

The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday called on aspirants interested in contesting the 2015 presidential election to come forward to the party`s national secretariat to pick the nomination and expression of interest forms, in what is a reversal of its policy of having only President Goodluck Jonathan as its only presidential aspirant.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Olisa Metuh, the party’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja.
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170549-pdp-makes-u-turn-opens-2015-presidential-race-to-other-aspirants.html

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has blamed the rot in the country’s power sector on on the administrations that succeeded him, including the present under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonthan.

Mr. Obasanjo, who spoke at the ‘First Green Legacy Moment with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Leadership and Human Security in Africa’ in Abeokuta., Ogun State, said the foundation for the little supply of electricity the country was currently enjoying was laid by his administration.

According to him, successive administrations after his rule as military head of state between 1976 and 1979 failed to do anything in the sector in terms of power generation and distribution till he returned to power in 1999 as elected president.

Before his exit in 2007, the former President said his administration’s estimate was that the country needed to generate an average of 2,000 megawatts (MW) annually to ensure stability in electricity supply.

He said after he handed over power to the late former President Umaru Yar’Adua, no significant achievement was recorded in the power sector till he died, adding that the situation has deteriorated since President Goodluck Jonathan took over in May, 2010
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https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170551-hold-jonathan-others-responsible-for-rot-in-power-sector-obasanjo-tells-nigerians.html

A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has issued a warning to Suleiman Abba, the Acting Police Inspector-General, over the series of “illegal policing” that have continued under his watch.

In a letter to the police boss, on Sunday, Mr. Falana said he would head to court to challenge Mr. Abba’s competence if the police failed to desist from their involvement in partisan politics.

Mr. Abba was appointed in an acting capacity last July following the retirement of the previous Inspector-General, Mohammed Abubakar.

In his letter, Mr. Falana cited three instances where the police had displayed “political bias” since Mr. Abba’s appointment.

“Firstly, the Osun State governorship election which took place on August 9, 2014 was almost marred by the Police and other security forces which arrested and detained over 700 leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC),” said Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“Indeed, some electoral officers who were assumed to be members of the APC were also railroaded to police custody. But for the personal intervention of Professor Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the said electoral officers would not have been released.

“Thus, the election would have been disrupted by the police and other security forces whose duty it was to maintain law and order during the democratic exercise.”

Mr. Falana noted that since their release after the election, the detained APC leaders had not been charged to court for breaching the provisions of the Electoral Act or any other law whatsoever.

“Secondly, Mr. Joseph Mbu, the controversial Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7 of the Nigeria Poilice Force announced a ban (on) any rally demanding for #bringbackourgirls within the federal capital territory,” Mr. Falana said.
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has issued a warning to Suleiman Abba, the Acting Police Inspector-General, over the series of “illegal policing” that have continued under his watch.

In a letter to the police boss, on Sunday, Mr. Falana said he would head to court to challenge Mr. Abba’s competence if the police failed to desist from their involvement in partisan politics.

Mr. Abba was appointed in an acting capacity last July following the retirement of the previous Inspector-General, Mohammed Abubakar.

In his letter, Mr. Falana cited three instances where the police had displayed “political bias” since Mr. Abba’s appointment.

“Firstly, the Osun State governorship election which took place on August 9, 2014 was almost marred by the Police and other security forces which arrested and detained over 700 leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC),” said Mr. Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

“Indeed, some electoral officers who were assumed to be members of the APC were also railroaded to police custody. But for the personal intervention of Professor Attahiru Jega, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, the said electoral officers would not have been released.

“Thus, the election would have been disrupted by the police and other security forces whose duty it was to maintain law and order during the democratic exercise.”

Mr. Falana noted that since their release after the election, the detained APC leaders had not been charged to court for breaching the provisions of the Electoral Act or any other law whatsoever.

“Secondly, Mr. Joseph Mbu, the controversial Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 7 of the Nigeria Poilice Force announced a ban (on) any rally demanding for #bringbackourgirls within the federal capital territory,” Mr. Falana said.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/170508-falana-warns-acting-police-i-g-over-illegal-policing.html

South Africa is united in grief after fallen hero Senzo Meyiwa was laid to rest at an emotional service in Durban on Saturday.

Not since the funeral of world statesman, Nelson Mandela, last December, has there been such an outpouring of emotion.

The Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and captain, Meyiwa, was shot dead in a botched armed robbery in Vosloorus outside Johannesburg last Sunday.

There was an immediate outpouring of grief as the nation tried to come to terms with the senseless tragedy.

What made the 27-year-old’s death more heart-wrenching was the fact that his appointment as national captain had coincided with a remarkable turnaround in the team’s performance.

After all, in the first four fixtures of the African Cup of Nations qualifying matches, he didn’t concede a single goal.

Meyiwa also played an instrumental role in Orlando Pirates’ successes over the last three seasons.

His sterling performances helped to propel his club to its second African Champions League final last year.

An emotional Bafana Bafana coach, Shakes Mashaba, on Sunday said that as much as he didn’t want to accept that his captain was gone, he had to accept it for the sake of finding closure to the matter.

“Senzo never stopped smiling even when the chips were down. He once told me he had no time to get angry.

“What has upset me of all things was that Meyiwa died when he was starting to realise his cherished dream of leading the national team to dizzy heights. I have no words to describe my emotions,” said Mashaba.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/sports/170484-slain-south-africa-goalkeeper-meyiwa-buried.html

A bomb attack has reportedly occurred in Potiskum, Yobe state.

Witnesses say a suicide bomber targeting members of the Shiite group, Islamic Brotherhood of Nigeria, detonated his explosive vest, killing many instantly.

A resident of the town, Adamu Mohammed, told PREMIUM TIMES over the telephone that nearly 20 persons were killed and several others injured.

“My sister lost three of her sons in the blast,” he said.

The bombing took place at Faydia Islamic school, ran by the Shiite. It is located near the old market in Potiskum.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170499-explosion-rocks-yobe-as-suicide-bomber-strikes.html

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Sunday warned the federal government and security agencies that they must ensure nothing happens to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.

The NLC gave the warning in a statement by its president, Abdulwahid Omar.

Mr. Omar described the withdrawal of Mr. Tambuwal’s security details as “shameful, distasteful, unconstitutional and demonstrates our parochial sense of power and very little knowledge of history.”

The Speaker’s security details were withdrawn by the police because he left Nigeria’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC.

Since that decision by the police, ostensibly under the instruction of President Goodluck Jonathan to whom the police chief reports, the government has come under attack by political, labour, and human rights groups including the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, and now the NLC.

Read Mr. Omar’s full statement below:
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/170494-nlc-spits-fire-says-nothing-should-happen-to-tambuwal.html