₦airaland Forum

19naia:
The cost of feeding 300k students is not simply multiplied to match the bulk of 25million student..
Buying bulk for 25million can reduce the cost to much less per unit than was the cost oer unit for 300k students

You can reduce the total cost by half or more if you are feeding 25million...
Dont forget that a new demand for food to feed 25million students, will send the farms and food service sector into a boom which will in turn benefit the communities by giving them work.. More people will be certain that if they grow a crop, they will be sure to see income from selling it because of the demand to feed so many...
Imagine the poor students who have parents at home with no money or work.. All of a sudden there is a demand and money to pay for food service workers and farmers to produce... The child's father goes to farm a crop knowing he will be paid for every last peice of produce... The child's mother goes to work in food processing and/or food service to prepare the food.... Father gets paid, mother gets paid and then child eats at school and when he returns home, his father and mother can spend their earned money to buy the child other needed things.

And thus it is that the benefits will extend throughout the wider community... When more people are employed, they will have money and spend that money and every part of the market will see an increase in their business.. Even the people collecting rent, selling petrol, medicine, clothes, and all... The whole nation will experience better..

The end result will also bring more revenue to government as people will have more money to pay taxes or fees at governemt service outlets... Social service expenses make quite a huge positive effect on the entire economy.. Even the rich people benefit when the poor people see more money to spend at the rich people's big businesses...
The richest Shopping center business in USA, is the one that sells cheap items to the poorest people.. The customer base is huge because no shortage of poor people in the world needing cheap items to buy at Walmart..
When Telecommunications industry started setting up service to sell air time to the poorest people in small quantities for cheap with no need to buy a contract, their business swelled and the mogul for one of those companies rivaled the wealth of Bill Gates for a year or two...
Amazing economic advantage when money is spent to benefit the poorest people and make services accesible and affordable to them...

Interesting.

Persuasive.

anonimi:
Please go and find out how Jakande started IMPLEMENTING his campaign promises in 1979 of UPN's four cardinal programmes IMMEDIATELY after inauguration and even went over & above them.

That was the ACTION progressive governor who started BUILDING the metro rail before Buhari CANCELLED it and jailed the innocent yorubs man

That same rail project Thief'nuibu cabal's poster boy Fashola has been unable to implement after spending $1 billion to buy aloku metal scrap Toronto trains since 2011

What a bunch of 419ers!!!

I listened to the LAMATA CEO saying that testing of the Iganmu-Orile line will begin in 2016.

I am sure couldn't have made that statement publicly about a month ago (I.e before the elections)

When will the trains actually begin running fully?

The Lekki Expressway is still a nightmare. When will the people get a respite?

One of the campaign planks of the APC in the 2015 election particularly in Lagos has been the need for the state to be aligned with the centre.

Over the years, Governor Fashola has blamed the incompetence or political tricks of PDP for some of the problems of Lagos State.

Now that Lagos and the FG would be in the hands of APC, the following issues require immediate attention:

1. Special Status for Lagos

"Advancing reasons why Lagos voters should reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Fashola, who noted that the state once served as the Federal Capital Territory, recalled the promise made by a former Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed, that Lagos would remain the nation’s commercial capital and one of its nerve centres.

According to the Governor, the Head of State noted that “in terms of servicing the present infrastructure alone the committed amount of money and effort required will be such that Lagos State will not be ready to cope.” Fashola added however, “But we coped at great sacrifice”.

Governor Fashola also quoted the late Head of State as saying, “It will even be unfair to expect the state to bear this heavy burden on its own. It is therefore necessary for the Federal Government to continue to sustain the substantial investment in the area. The port facilities and other economic activities in the Lagos area have to be expanded”.

Other commitments which the former Head of State made concerning Lagos, Governor Fashola said, included that the need for the Federal Government “to maintain a special defence and security arrangement in Lagos which would henceforth be designated a special area”, adding that “the arrangements would be carefully worked out and written into the new constitution. Kaduna and Port Harcourt are to be accorded similar status and designated as Special Areas”

He noted with dismay, “Remember that since the capital of Nigeria was moved from Lagos 24 years ago in December 1991, Lagos has been abandoned by the Federal Government. Ask yourself when the last major new road in Lagos was built by the Federal Government. It was the 3rd Mainland Bridge completed in 1990”, adding, “This is not in accord with the spirit of the promise made to Lagos when the Federal Government first declared Abuja as the capital in 1976.

http://nigershowbiz.com/constitution-amendment-fashola-canvasses-state-police-special-status-for-lagos/

2. Lagos indigenes should get senior ministerial posts not junior minister positions

"The Lagos State Chapter of PDP has described the reaction of Governor Fashola to ministerial appointees in the State as a step taken in bad faith and as an attempt to divert attention away from his inadequacies.

The Governor was reported during his unpopular celebration of days in Office to have criticised the appointment of Mr. Aganga as a minister representing Lagos State and also that Senator Obanikoro has got merely a junior ministerial portfolio. The Governor particularly accussed the President of not giving enough support to the State. The party notes that it has become convenient for Governor Fashola to always attack PDP or Federal Government at such functions.

According to the Lagos PDP "Governor Fashola is bringing up this issue of indigeneship in the State Politics to divert attention away from his inadequacies in Government. Indeed a substantial part of the so-called celebration was used on raising the petty issue of indigeneship instead of the Governor to showcase his administration's actual scorecard in the last 2500 days.

Unfortunately for the Governor, he has only re echoed his hatred for non indigenes living in the State. We are not quick to forget the unprovoked humiliation of Ibos and Hausas on the Streets of Lagos. Ironically, the same Governor is silent on the Proprietary of Remi Tinubu representing Lagos State at the Senate. Remi Tinubu is not a Lagos indigene.

It is thus wise for Governor Fashola to jettisson this Unilateral and infamous pursuit of non-indigenes in the State"

http://www.thenigerianvoice.com/news/142828/1/dont-blame-fg-for-your-failure-lagos-pdp-tells-gov.html

3. State Police

Speaking on "Options and Strategies for Restructuring the Nigeria Police Force," at a public hearing on Police Reform in Nigeria, in Lagos, Fashola said: "The opposition to the establishment of state police structures in Nigeria has largely been driven by an exaggerated, misleading and unfounded precedent focusing on the abuse of state police through political interference and manipulation."

He noted, however, that "upgrading the existing police system as the central law enforcement institution in the country cannot occur in isolation. It must be part of an overarching restructuring of the total law enforcement infrastructure, including a reform of the criminal-justice system insulated from politics.

"It is, therefore, with total conviction that I believe that there is a need for the establishment of state police. If we say we are practising true federalism, then each constituent part of the federation such as the states, municipalities and federal government all have their autonomy for their daily affairs, while issues like international affairs, common currency, defence and other unifying interests are vested in the Federal Government."

- http://odili.net/news/source/2012/may/18/338.html
- http://nigershowbiz.com/constitution-amendment-fashola-canvasses-state-police-special-status-for-lagos/

4. Repairs of Airport Road

"The Lagos State Government, Friday, blamed the deplorable state of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road on politics.

The State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, stated this at an interactive session with media executives and editors late Friday, in Lagos.

The airport is the busiest in Nigeria accounting for more than half of her foreign flights. The road leading to it is, however, in a very bad state.

Both the road and the airport belong to the Federal Government.

Mr. Fashola blamed the state government’s failure to either rehabilitate or reconstruct the road on politics. He noted that the issue had been politicised, adding that “all sorts of things are going on.”

The governor regretted his decision not to modernise the 4.2 km road when the idea first struck him, recalling that his plan was to expand the road, provide service lanes and introduce tolls for motorists who opted to use the fast lanes.
Lagos roads."

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/119454-lagos-airport-road-bad-because-of-politics-fashola.html

5. Repair of Lagos-Apapa Expressway

http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/news/2015/01/16/20150116N01.html

6. Return Apapa To Commercial, Industrial, Resid- ential Hub

"Blaming the Federal Government for the continued traffic snarl that have been a source of great stress to residents and workers in Apapa, the Governor promised that when elected, the incoming Governor, Akin Ambode, would continue with the work "so that life can return here and Apapa can become the commercial, industrial and residential hub that it used to be".

He appealed for patience among the people of Apapa saying all of the problems that they have in hours of traffic, "caused by a government that prefers to import instead of produce fuel, will soon stop when Buhari is elected into office by you", adding that the transfer of the tank farms would change a situation where thousands of tankers currently cause the traffic holdup in Apapa while trying to load fuel."-

http://www.tundefashola.com/archives/news/2015/01/16/20150116N01.html

7. Piracy of creative works (movies, music, etc)

"It must be clear to everyone that the greatest problem that people in the entertainment industry have is that their intellectual property rights are not being protected.

This is a law enforcement issue, rather than a cash solution that the PDP and its government has continued to proffer.

It is simple copyright law enforcement and the PDP simply does not get it."-

http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=167098

8. Lagosians should have greater access to mortgage loans at around 9% p.a.

"“What this means, is that every Nigerian must first buy a house with a mortgage loan, and then apply for his share of the $300 million as a refinancing facility. That is the PDP model for Housing”."-

http://blogs.premiumtimesng.com/?p=167098

9. End to fuel queues

“Please ask them why smaller economies could get petrol easily for their people and why we have to queue for hours and days to get petrol in a biggest economy in Africa."-

http://www.punchng.com/news/fashola-blames-pdp-for-nigerias-woes/

10. Power sector reforms

“When people come and say that there is no power, they only speak of their inefficiency and incapacity to deliver power. Electricity, as an invention, is over 100 years old; so there is no excuse for Nigerians to continue to live in darkness.”-

http://www.punchng.com/news/fashola-blames-pdp-for-nigerias-woes/


11. More and working Federal Fire Service Stations in Lagos

Governor Fashola, who also reminded Lagosians that the men and women of the state Fire Service have taken over admirably from the inept and non-performing Federal Fire Service, noted that although the Federal Government has the constitutional obligation to support the Nigerian Police Force it was the Lagos State Government that was actually doing so.

http://www.thegazellenews.com/2015/04/09/gov-poll-fashola-advises-lagosians-to-vote-for-apc-candidates-put-lagos-at-the-centre/


According to Fashola:

"In 2011, President Jonathan made a total of 91 (Ninety One) electoral promises around power, security and the economy.

Majority of them remain unfulfilled."

Now that FG and Lagos are aligned, we would not accept any excuses.

You can add yours.

Are Americans comfortable with political dynasties?

BY NANCY BENAC, ASSOCIATED PRESS December 25, 2014 at 12:52 PM EDT

The Bush and Clinton families keep popping up when it comes to picking a president. It turns out that even though Americans profess to reject dynasties, in politics they’re quite comfortable with familiar names.

WASHINGTON — Again? Really?

There are more than 300 million people in America, yet the same two families keep popping up when it comes to picking a president.

The possibility of a Bush-Clinton matchup in 2016 is increasingly plausible.

After months of hints and speculation, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he’s actively exploring a bid for the Republican nomination.

And while Hillary Rodham Clinton hasn’t revealed her intentions, she’s seen as the odds-on favorite for the Democratic nomination.

Between them, the two potential rivals have three presidents and a U.S. senator in the branches of their family trees. And three governors, as well.

Why are these two families so dominant in modern politics?

It turns out that even though Americans profess to reject dynasties, in politics they’re quite comfortable with familiar names.

And a famous name can bring a candidate instant brand recognition, important fund-raising connections and a ready network of political contacts. It may also suggest competence at a time of dysfunction — like now.

“Power begets power,” says Dartmouth College political scientist Brendan Nyhan. “Dynasties can self-perpetuate.”

A political pedigree can have its negatives, though. A prominent surname sometimes carries unsavory associations and the risk of a fatigue factor.

Both sides of that equation were evident after Bush, 61, the son and brother of a president and the grandson of a senator, made his announcement.

Party activists said the Bush name would help Jeb attract early money, talent and supporters around the country.

But Bush’s brother, George W. Bush, was hugely unpopular at the end of his presidency six years ago. And while people seem to think more of him now, the recent release of a Senate report on Bush-era torture practices was a ready reminder of past controversies.

Clinton, 67, a former secretary of state, senator and first lady, will face the same competing dynamics of familiarity vs. fatigue if she enters the race.

Former President Bill Clinton is enormously popular now, and would be sure to campaign for his wife as he did in the 2008 race, but there is still plenty of lingering unwanted baggage from his White House years.

After Bush edged closer to a run last week, the liberal RootsAction group quickly set up a NoBushesorClintons website and began collecting signatures on a “declaration of independence” that pledges to “reject future domination of government by the Bushes and Clintons and by Bush/Clinton-like policies.”

But Princeton historian Julian Zelizer thinks the comfort element might be more important to 2016 voters than any same-old, same-old worries.

“Washington’s broken, and voters and campaign donors are looking for people who seem to know what they’re doing,” he said. “The familiarity of these names becomes a big benefit and counteracts any sense that, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe these are going to be the candidates again.’ ”

Despite some groaning about a possible Bush-Clinton sequel, there’s plenty of reason to think voters will simply take a breath and size up the primary election candidates on their merits.

“It’s all about alternatives,” Zelizer says. “If that’s the best choice available, people will get over it.”

Dynastic politics, in which multiple family members hold elected office, are more common than people might think in the U.S.

The U.S. has had 44 presidents, and eight of them came from four families (two each of Adams, Harrison, Roosevelt and Bush).

Nyhan points to a 2010 study published in Legislative Studies Quarterly that found that over the previous two centuries, nearly 9 percent of members of Congress were closely related to someone who had served in a previous Congress. It concluded that such politicians “enjoy ‘brand name advantages,’ giving them a significant edge over comparable nondynastic opponents.”

That kind of talk makes Jeff Cohen’s skin crawl.

Cohen, a co-founder of the RootsAction group, said even his non-political friends frequently complain about the dominance of the Bushes and Clintons.

“It’s a source of frustration and it’s broad,” he says, calling the Bushes and Clintons “symbols of a corrupt system and a permanent governing class.”

Even Bush’s mother has suggested a third President Bush could be one too many.

“If we can’t find more than two or three families to run for high office, that’s silly,” she said earlier this year.

(Mom supposedly has since come around to the idea of another Bush candidacy.)

Clinton, for her part, may have to worry as much about Obama fatigue as she does about Clinton fatigue.

“She served in Obama’s Cabinet, she’s been around a long time, and she’s quite old for a presidential candidate,” says Nyhan. “So the Republicans have an opportunity to run a turning-the-page campaign against her.”

Of course, if she’s running against a Bush, that’s a harder case for Republicans to make.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/americans-comfortable-political-dynasties/

Martin O'Malley Is Absolutely Correct: America Doesn't Need a Bush or Clinton Dynasty
Posted: 03/30/2015 10:49 am EDT Updated: 03/30/2015 10:59 am EDT

Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley echoed the sentiment of millions of Americans, especially Democrats, when he made the following statement about "crowns" and political dynasties:

"Let's be honest here, the presidency is not some crown to be passed between two families. It is an awesome and sacred trust to be earned and exercised on behalf of the American people," O'Malley said in an interview on ABC's "This Week."

With these words, O'Malley is the first Democrat to openly challenge a deep-seated paradigm within the Democratic Party and unfortunately within American politics. If you're a liberal, and you were asked why Hillary Clinton deserves to be president, how would you answer?

Similarly, if you're a conservative, why does Jeb Bush deserve to be commander in chief?

Asked differently, if Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush were not related to former presidents, would they still be viewed as worthy of the presidency?

To answer this question in an honest manner, let's look at how each politician ended their previous post as public servant. Also, it's important
to evaluate the legacy each politician has left their country.

As Governor of Florida from 1999-2007, Bush's impact on his state isn't necessarily what most Americans would want for their country. In a 2007 Washington Post article titled The Jeb Bush Era Ends In Florida, the former governor's tenure is summarized in less than admirable terms:

In the ensuing eight years, Bush sent shivers through Florida's status quo as he gathered more power than any previous governor and reshaped state government to fit his vision.

Nicknamed "King Jeb," the Republican transformed what he saw as a tangle of red tape and squanderer of public money into a smaller, business-friendly administration needing fewer tax dollars to run.

... Yet, while his tenure coincided with a sizzling economy and an overflowing treasury, Bush's back-to-back terms were marred by frequent ethics scandals, official bungling and the inability of the government he downsized to meet growing demands for state services, including education and aid for the infirm and the elderly.

In 2007, a Washington Post article referred to Bush as "King Jeb" (a reference to Bush amassing more power than any previous Florida governor) and cited "frequent ethics scandals" during his tenure. Therefore, how does this bode well for the rest of America? Bush's conservative "business friendly" policies had the usual economic consequences; education, the elderly, and others paid the price.

Regarding Jeb's ethical scandals, a Newsweek article by Lou Dubose titled Tricky Ethical Questions Jeb Bush Must Answer highlights one of several scandals during Bush's tenure:

Bush was both a director on the corporate board and a marketing consultant for InnoVida Holdings LLC while it was the subject of a criminal investigation that sent its two top executives to jail.

..."A Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit filed against InnoVida alleges that Bush was brought on 'to add an air of legitimacy to InnoVida.'"

...Why didn't Bush or someone on his staff look deeper?

...And Jeb Bush either had a front-row seat to a corporate scam or he ignored his duty to the shareholders he represented on a corporate board.

If Jeb Bush had a different last name, would conservatives inquire as to why he was both a director and consultant for a corporation that was "the subject of a criminal investigation" and lost investors millions? The fact is that Jeb isn't that far removed from his brother George in regards to his economic philosophy. Unfortunately, this also means that another 2008 financial collapse (that resulted in $19.2 trillion in lost American wealth) could be on the horizon with a future Bush administration in 2016.

As for Hillary Clinton, the former New York Senator and Secretary of State has accomplished a great deal, however Democrats should engage in a more sober assessment of her tenure as public servant. According to a Foreign Affairs article by Michael Hirsh titled The Clinton Legacy, Hillary's tenure as America's top diplomat wasn't groundbreaking:

At other times when Obama's foreign policy team was forced to act on its feet, the results were not as impressive. The administration failed to anticipate the increasingly Islamist bent of the countries whose regimes were ousted in the Arab Spring, and it has been slow in formulating a coordinated response to the abuses against democracy by Morsi and other Islamist leaders.

... In her final testimony before the Senate, commenting on the new wave of jihadism in the region, Clinton said, "We've got to get our act together." It was a helpless remark that recalled former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's notorious lament from a decade ago: "We lack the metrics to know if we are winning or losing the global war on terror."

... The post-Qaddafi chaos in Libya, the civil war in Syria, the emergence of a terrorist sanctuary in northern Mali -- all these developments have taken the Obama administration by surprise.

True, both Obama and Clinton were forced to deal with two wars (started by Jeb's brother) that never had a true definition of "winning." However, her decisions can rationally be linked to the chaos in Libya, the failure to provide Egypt with a credible alternative to a former American ally in Mubarak, and the "helpless remark" she made that essentially was an admission of frustration.

Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton must be judged by their accomplishments, not by their family tree. Martin O'Malley is absolutely correct in stating that the presidency must be earned; not simply handed down to relatives as if it were a crown. Interestingly, the man who made these profound statements is a prime example of an American politician who deserves the presidency.

According to a 2013 Washington Monthly article, O'Malley successfully addressed issues important to all Americans as Maryland's governor:

Halfway through his second term as governor, O'Malley has a handful of big legislative victories to be proud of, as well as some managerial ones.

...Maryland school system has been ranked first in the nation for five years running, up from third place in 2008; that his administration was able to hold down the cost of tuition at state colleges and universities; and that crime rates, following trends across the country, are the lowest ever recorded in the state.

He can also brag about incremental but important progress on issues like pollution in the Chesapeake and eliminating the DNA backlog from Maryland's criminal justice sector.

While Bush was linked to bankrupt corporations as governor, and Clinton's tenure can be linked to chaos in Libya and elswhere, Martin O'Malley made "big legislative victories." O'Malley championed issues like education, government backlogs, and crime; all topics that are important to the majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation.

Finally, it's important to note that recent polls stating Hillary Clinton enjoys advantages over the competition were taken before "Emailgate" evolved into a contentious issue. For example, a Gallup Poll titled Clinton Favorability Among Dems Better Than Last Campaign reads, "Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted March 2-4, 2015." Since March 2, the scandal mushroomed, so perhaps it's time for a paradigm shift within the Democratic Party. People like Martin O'Malley, Elizabeth Warren, Jim Webb, and Tim Kaine are just as capable of getting 270 Electoral Votes in 2016, and none of them own their own server.

As for another Bush or Clinton in the White House, America needs new blood; literally. Martin O'Malley was wise to make this topic an issue since it allows others in the Democratic Party to challenge the belief that only two surnames will compete for the presidency in 2016. The fact is that only Martin O'Malley, not Clinton or Bush, has been compared to JFK by people in Iowa. This alone, in addition to his tremendous success as Maryland's governor, should warrant greater attention to O'Malley in 2016.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/h-a-goodman/martin-omalley-is-absolutely-correct_b_6967144.html

SOUNDKING:
Pdp got 95 percent of total vote in surulere,, confirmed.

Just Kidding?

How come you are reporting only PUs where PDP allegedly won?

itetemi:
so its true that politicians now use the army as a tool,apc pls don't do same with the army

Isn't that what amaechi did here calling an army officer?

HzRF:
8 wetin
Dem carry keeper come ?
Even basketball don upgrade na dif of 2 to 3 dem dey use beat each oda

This your signature na wa o

I expect this thread to be longest on Nairaland ever.

homesteady:
The man announcing this Nasarawa result is very smart!

I agree with you

CHM11:
Just the same way he made cow and goat business more lucrative than crude oil and gas business.

Mumu old man who can't remember the meaning of APC.

He can't even remember the name of his vice!!!!...

I don't recall him saying he would achieve NGN-USD parity this at that event but I distinctly remember him addressing the Lagos State governor as "Chief Fashola!"

In short,

PDP =APC?

Nice analysis!

Where is the conclusiom?

Did I hear GMB say "Chief Fashola?"

Can someone answer these question?

1. Between what hours was Jonathan in Lagos?

2. At what time did the roberry incident take place?

3. At what time did Jonathan leave Lagos for Ijebu Ode?

4. Did Jonathan leave for Ijebu Ode by road?


5. What happened to all the policemen put on stanby after Jonathan left Lagos? Didn't they return to their beats?


Answers, anyone?

Demdem:

The cctv control room provided by lasg was empty. Policemen on duty were ask to go out for field work to ensure Jonah-daft security.

Wonderment!

Sad.

May God comfort the victims.

I hope oga Fash will not blame GEJ for this one too.

Ok, so all the police cars in Lagos were put on standby for Jonathan.

What about the helicopter(s) oga Fash provided the police?

Na Jona carry those ones too?

I hear the robbers escaped in a speed boat. Wouldn't the choppers have been more effective in tracking them than cars?

It is well!

juman:
http://www.punchng.com/news/policemen-robbers-in-gun-duel-on-lekki-ikoyi-bridge/

Where was the helicopter lagos claimed was bought for the police.

Brilliant question!

Only in Naija!

Only in Naija!

:-)

zick19:
why not?? eat d cake and ignore the inscription....

Even if it is poisoned?

To allow him bolt if Buhari wins?

I am sorry but somebody just got scammed!

How come people are not talking about this?

A group of 158 women and children abducted by Boko Haram militants in north-eastern Nigeria in December have been reunited with their families.

They were kidnapped during a raid on Katarko village in Yobe state and spent about a month in captivity.

The circumstances of their release are unclear but they were eventually handed over to the state authorities for counselling and rehabilitation.

Officials said the reunion in the state capital, Damaturu, was jubilant.

In April last year, the Islamist insurgents caused worldwide outrage when they kidnapped more than 200 girls from a boarding school in Chibok in Borno state, which borders Yobe.

The schoolgirls have yet to be rescued despite military assistance from countries such as China, France, the UK and the US.

'Very happy'
Of the 158 people reunited with their families, 62 were married women and the rest were children, Musa Idi Jidawa, the secretary of Yobe's State Emergency Management Agency (Sema), told the BBC.

He said husbands of 16 of the women had been killed by Boko Haram during the attack.

Muhammdu Katarko said he was very happy to see his two daughters at the reunion on Thursday.

"I had given up when they were kidnapped; my hope was to see even their dead bodies," he told the BBC Hausa service.

"But fortunately I have now seen them alive, health and hearty."

One of the abductees, who requested anonymity, told reporters in Damaturu that they were treated humanely by the militants.

The Chibok girls' abduction sparked a social media campaign calling for more to be done to rescue them

She said the insurgents did not rape or abuse the women during their stay.

The BBC's Ishaq Khalid reporting from neighbouring Bauchi state says there were conflicting accounts about how the abductees gained their freedom.

Some reports suggested the insurgents released them voluntarily and took them to the outskirts of Damaturu, he says.

But Mr Jidawa said the militants had come under attack from the security forces and they had run away, leaving behind their captives.

The reunited families will stay in Damaturu until it is safe to return to their village, which is still occupied by Boko Haram fighters and is in an area where the military is carrying out operations.

Boko Haram at a glance

Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing Western-style education -

Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language

Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state

Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - has also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja

Has abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls

Controls several north-eastern towns

Has launched attacks on Cameroon

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-31551127?post_id=597875524_10155246007810525#_=_

gabrielahamz:
The real tragedy of the matter is, Libya is just 3 countries away from Nigeria. With the lawlessness going on in the north, invading Nigeria would be a walk in the park for them. That is what I'm really, really scared of. ISIS is a more sophisticated, more intelligent and more ruthless terrorist group than boko haram. They will not limit their activities to the north alone.

Boko Haram is already receiving funding and training from ISIS!

Vado:
Obama is such a pu33y. America was to an extent even firm and resolute in international politics and military campaigns during Bush era. Now USA is such a toothless bulldog nobody fears no more. People were chanting "change" before Obama came in too. May we not seek a change that'll slowly consume us.

I wonder if this makes Obama clueless?

ajoguegbe:
There is a massive tidal wave of change sweeping over the world. The reason for this change is the desire to remove existing corrupt governments.

In all these cases the desire for change was genuine but not properly worked out.
It begins with you!

God bless you!

There is what has been termed "politicial disenchantment" which is a recent global phenomenon.

It has influenced the recent change of government in Greece for instance where the people effected a change to remove the austerity yoke.

Now the newly elected goverment is running from pillar to post trying to keep campaign promises.

The surge in popularity of paeties like UKIP in UK and the SNP in Scotland also underscore this phenomenon.

Angela Merkel's party in Germany did not find the last elections easy.

Recent mid term elections which saw the Republicans take majority in Congress is yet another example.