₦airaland Forum

23 February 2011 Last updated at 23:04 GMT
Beersheba residents took shelter in safe rooms before the rocket hit

A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip has hit a house in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba.
The strike on the city was the first since Israel's 2009 offensive in Gaza. No casualties were reported and the situation was said to be under control.
Israel responded by carrying out an air strike on eastern Gaza City which reportedly injured three militants.
The attack came hours after an Israeli tank fired on Palestinians in Gaza, killing one person.
Palestinian sources said 11 people were injured, including three children.
The Israeli army said a group of militants had been planting explosives on the border in an attempt to attack their patrols.
Beersheba is about 30 km (20 miles) from the Gaza Strip.
Officials said one house in the city was extensively damaged when it was hit by a Grad rocket, which have a longer range than the homemade rockets which have been fired from Gaza before.
Residents took refuge in safe rooms prepared for such incidents before the rocket hit.
A second Grad rocket was reported to ha

9ija dispute the facts on the post and stop talking about the site the sit u got ur PTF comment who is the author also if it is , the site i got the the 2 post from are more credible than your afriasia far far better even if it is from a biafra site is people of biafra or afenefere are more knowledgable about nigerian issue than a lame site that is called afriasia u make me laugh.

YOU AND YOUR LIKES SHOULD CONVINCE ME WITH FACTS AND FIGURES AND NOT WHERE I GOT MY INFO FROM. ANSWER A SIMPLE QUESTION


THE TOTAL PECENTAGE OF ROAD DONE BY PTF DURING BUHARIS TIME AS HEAD OF IT?

PERCENTAGE OF ROAD DONE IN THE NORTH WEST WHERE BUHARI AND ABACHA CAME FROM?

PERCENTAGE OF ROAD DONE IN THE NORTH EAST WHERE THE SOLE CONSULTANT WHO COMMITED SUISIDE AS THEY CLAIMED WHEN THE CAN OF WORM WAS OPENED ABOUT PTF AFRIPROJECT?
WHAT IS BUHARIS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OWNER OF APC THE SOLE CONSULTANT FOR THE WHOLE PTF PROJECTS?

AND FINALLY WHAT IS THE % OF ROAD DONE IN THE SOUTH AS AGAINT THE NORTH?

QUOTE FROM DAMAS11111
Most of your points against Buhari, if at all valid, are NOT as weighty and damaging as what we've witnessed with GEJ. With GEJ, it's total state of insecurity in the land: bombing, kidnapping, sectarian violence etc

BY THIS QUOTE I HAVE SEEN HOW CLUELESS U ARE DID ALL THIS VICES U MENTIONED DID IT START DURING GEJ 9MONTH REGIME PLEASE IS IT NOT FACT THAT NIGERIAS OIL PRODUCTION HAS BEEN ON THE RAISE SINCE GEJ TOOK OVER?CHECK OUR OIL PRODUCTION NOW AND WHEN YAR ADUA(ANOTHER GOOD MAN GOD BLESS HIS SOUL) AND DURING GEJ ADMINISTRATION AND COME BACK AND TELL ME IF THERE IS STILL KIDNAPPING IN NIGERIA THE SAME ON THE SAME SCALE AS OBJ’S WHEN BOMBING OF PIPE LINE AND KIDNAPPING STARTED,THANK GOD FOR VISIONARY LEADERS OF YAR ADUA AND GEJ FOR CUBBING IT.AS PER SECTARIAN VIOLENCE IT HAPPENED DURING ABACHAS TIME DID IT NOT AND BUHARI SERVED IN THAT REGIME. AND SECTARIAN VIOLENCE HAS BEEN PART OF NIGERIA SINCE INDEPENDENCE. TO PEOPLE LIKE ME WE KNW WHO THERE SPONSORS ARE.AGAIN YOUR BROTHER IBB(DELE GIWA) STARTED BOMBING AND UNDER A REGIME BUHARI SERVED IN ABACHA’S REGIME THERE WERE BOMBING TOO SO THEY STARTED IT DON T OUT OF SENTIMENT GIVE GEJ THESE HONORS.

QUOTE FROM 9IJAMAN Who's sillier? Where is the so called link? If na another biafran website, forget story I go simply ignore you. Show it to me on the pages Guardian as you've claimed earlier.



THAT IS WHY I SAID YOU HAVE TO GO AND RESEARCH WHO U FOLLOW AND STOP BLABBING. CLICK ON THE LINK AND SEE WHAT COMES UP OR SOMEONE SHOULD HELP HIM OUT AND TELL HIM THE NEWSPAPER COLUMN THIS APPEARED ON WHEN


Salihijo Ahmad IS AND HIS firm, AfriProjects Consortium.CALL ONE OF UR LECTURERS IN THAT PERIOD TO LECTURE U ON WHO HE IS AND WHAT HIS FIM DOES. RESEARCH WHO U SUPPORT BEFORE U RUN TO NL TO POST

@ DAMAS11111

Prominent against these charges was an act that amounted to nothing less than judicial murder, the execution of a citizen under a retroactive decree. Does Decree 20 ring a bell? If not, then, perhaps the names of three youths – Lawal  Ojuolape (30), Bernard Ogedengbe (29) and Bartholomew Owoh (26) do. To put it quite plainly, one of those three  Ogedengbe – was executed for a crime that did not carry a capital forfeit at the time it was committed.

PLEASE ANSWER WITH PROOF!!! WERE THESE PEOPLE EXECUTED OR NOT UNDER HIS REGIME AND WHY? GIVE US UR OWN ANSWER.
@9ijaMan  

can  YOU OR anybody answer this question from buharis camp on the PTF ACHIVEMENT
, what his rationale was for making Salihijo Ahmad's firm, AfriProjects Consortium (APC)?, the principal consultant for Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF)? And for those that have no idea, APC recommended companies for award of contracts to PTF.The firm's partners were all northerners, and within its organisation, Hausa-Fulani's had the highest posts, and also made the bulk of the members in the partnership.Is it an accident that Buhari, who was in charge was also a fulani man?

If Buhari had a good judgement, how come APC is no longer in existence or handling any other consultancy job currently? Why did the APC collapse after the death of Salidjo Ahmad? What killed Ahmad ? How was Salidjo related to Buhari?

 we shouldn't shy away from critically looking into his past activities instead of sentiment. If Nigeria was the western world like USA, BRITIAN .He should probably be one of the most investigated persons alive

CLLICK ON THE LINK AND SEE WHAT COMES UP AND STOP YOUR STUPID DENIAL

@9ijaMan

can YOU OR anybody answer this question from buharis camp on the PTF ACHIVEMENT
, what his rationale was for making Salihijo Ahmad's firm, AfriProjects Consortium (APC)?, the principal consultant for Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF)? And for those that have no idea, APC recommended companies for award of contracts to PTF.The firm's partners were all northerners, and within its organisation, Hausa-Fulani's had the highest posts, and also made the bulk of the members in the partnership.Is it an accident that Buhari, who was in charge was also a fulani man?

If Buhari had a good judgement, how come APC is no longer in existence or handling any other consultancy job currently? Why did the APC collapse after the death of Salidjo Ahmad? What killed Ahmad ? How was Salidjo related to Buhari? CAN YOU

we shouldn't shy away from critically looking into his past activities instead of sentiment. If Nigeria was the western world like USA, BRITIAN .He should probably be one of the most investigated persons alive.

QUOTE FROM 9IJAMAN

Abeg try post something new and don't forget to site from balanced media sites and not such bigoted sites as you've always been posting. How many international or even main stream Nigerian media reported all these falsehoods you are peddling.


^^^^
if u can read u will knw that the like is from the achives of ng gaurdian of 2002 is not a mainstream 9ja newspaper go and gba research on who u are following blindy

@9ijaMan
IT IS A BEER PALOUR GIST PROVE IT WRONG WITH THE FIGURES OF ROAD BUILT IN ALL THE 6 ZONE OF NIGERIA

North-West States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara had a lion share of 5020 kms or 27.42 per cent because the Fund’s Chairman, Buhari AND OF COURSE THE OTHER PERSON HE POTRAYED AS A SAINT DURING HIS REMEMBERANCE MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE ABACHA.
zone four comprising the North-East States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe picked 23.48 per cent. This is the zone where Salihijo Ahmed, the late Chief Executive of Afri-Project Consortium APC, the sole consultants that supervised all PTF projects came from".--- Afenifere
COMPARED TO THE WHOLE Southern States 4,440 Km (24%) of the so called buharis PTF achievement THAT U LAY REFRENCE TO. PROVE THIS FIGURES WRONG IF U CAN. READ MY POST BEFORE THIS U WILL SEE SOME MORE OF HIS ACHIVEMENT AS PTF CZAR. THIS IS A MAN THAT FORMED A PARTY AND TWO OF THE SLOGANS ARE EQUITY,AND JUSTICS!!! WHERE IS THE EQUITY AND JUSTICS IN HIS 5YEARS AS THE HEAD OF PTF OR DURING HIS RIEGN AS HEAD OF STATE.
AM SURE PEOPLE LIKE U LEAVE IN THESE AREAS THAT YOUR SAINT AND HIS INLAW DEVELOPED WITH PTF MONEY, THAT IS WHY U CAN COME HERE AND INSULT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT HE DID BLA BLA BLA .WHEN HE WAS IN PTF.LET ME REMIND U THE LAGOS BENIN EXPRESS ROAD ,EAST WEST ROAD, THE ONITCHA OWERRI ROAD,THE BENIN BYE PASS ROAD WAS ACHIEVED BY PDP AND GEJ, TODAY U CAN TYPE AND PROMOTE BUHARI ON THE NET I ASK U WHO MADE IT POSSIBLE? IT CANT BE BUHARI, HE WOULDVE PROMOGATE DECREE 4(ONE OF HIS ACHIEVEMENT TOO) YES PDP AND GEJ,AM SURE U HAVE BLACK BERRY OR ANY TYPE OF PHONE THAT U USE TO MAKE CALLS WHO MADE THAT POSSIBLE TOO PDP AND GEJ. ALL THE PEOPLE THAT U CALL THEIF,OLE. HOW MANY OF THEM HAS BEEN CONVICTED? NONE!!! DON’T WE HAVE A COURT? WHERE IS YOUR PROOF THAT THEY STOLE U DON’T HAVE. TO NIGERIANS LETS NOT BE BLINDED BY THE GOVERNMENT IS CORRUPT IS CORRUPT> THAT IS THE SAME REASON BUHARI GAVE TO TAKE OVER POWER AND USED DECREE 4 TO HUSH EVERYBODY SO AS NOT TO TALK ABOUT HIS REGIME AND ASK QUESTIONS JUST AS U ARE ASKING NOW THAT IS TO SHOW U HOW PDP UNDER GEJ HAS GIVING U FREEDOM OF SPEECH WHAT HE SENTENCED PEOPLE TO DEATH FOR. TODAY PEOPLE INSULT GEJ WITH NAMES LIKE,IDIOT,ODE,FOOL,MUMU ETC DURING BUHARIS REGIME CAN U CARRY A PLACADE (OFCOURSE WE ALL KNOW WE DON’T EVEN HAVE INTERNET THEN TILL AFTER ABACHAS DEATH R.I.P)CALLING BUHARI THOSE NAMES DURING HIS REGIME?

--------------------------------------------------------------How Buhari Managed Ptf------------------


WHEN, in 1994, the late General Sani Abacha, invited former Head of State, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to serve as head of the newly created Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), the latter gave one condition for this acceptance: He must be given the title of Executive Chairman, and he must have a free hand to run the Fund as he saw fit, without any interference from anyone.

The PTF was itself a child of controversy. Abacha had, in 1994, increased the price which Nigerians had to pay for petrol, diesel and kerosene. The Nigerian populace vehemently opposed the hike, both because the increase was exorbitant, and because most Nigerians were certain that the windfall from the price hike would find its way into the hands of a few highly placed Nigerians.

To assuage this fear, Abacha summoned Gen. Buhari from retirement, to administer a new Trust Fund into which all excess income from the price increase would be paid, and from which the Fund would intervene in critical areas of the economy in such a manner as to directly benefit ordinary Nigerians. Buhari's main qualification was that he was considered to be both a strict disciplinarian and an incorruptible man. And he was for this reason expected to ensure that the fund was properly used, and that it would not become another avenue from which public funds were simply carted away by a handful of well-placed Nigerians. That was the expectation. But the reality, in the end, was a story of massive and cynical looting of the public treasury.

How the Fund became a funnel

Gen. Buhari was Executive Chairman of the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund from its inception in 1994, to its disbandment by the Obasanjo administration in 1999. According to the report of the Interim Management Committee, which was set up in that year to investigate the affairs of the Fund, the total income accruing to the Fund from mid-1994 to July 1999 was in excess of N181 billion. There were six major areas in which the PTF intervened directly during the period. They were: roads and waterways; supply of educational materials and rehabilitation of educational infrastructure; food supply; health; water supply; and what was curiously termed other projects.

The management structure of the Fund was so capricious, from start, as in retrospect to suggest that the executive chairman was far more impressed by his position as an alternate Head of State, an Interventionist Czar who was answerable to no one, not even the Head of State himself, than anything else. First, he unilaterally appointed a single consultant, Afri-Projects Consortium, as the sole adviser to the Fund. Then he delegated virtually all his powers to this agency. Afri-Projects Consortium was given the exclusive power to initiate projects, assess their probable cost, approve the costs, execute the projects, and assess the quality of execution, all alone. The Consortium's decisions could not be questioned by anyone outside the Fund. Even the statutory members of the Fund's Board of Trustees found themselves helplessly watching as huge sums of money were paid out for questionable projects. And not surprisingly, the three professional management firms recruited by the Interim Management Committee to audit the performance of Afri-Projects Consortium came up with the unanimous conclusion that APC had over-charged the Fund for its services to the tune of over N2 billion.

APC directly managed the HIV/AIDS Intervention Programme of the Fund. Its managerial incompetence was found to be staggering. It knowingly imported sub-standard, poorly packaged, poorly stored, expired, or soon to expire treatment kits and drugs. And in the end, the auditing firms that investigated APC's performance concluded that it had cost the government N579 million by stocking huge silos of useless drugs and kits, purchased at inflated prices.

PTF's intervention in other areas of the health sector was equally atrocious. For instance, under the supervision of the omnipotent APC, PTF purchased large quantities of spectacle frames which were at the time costing only N800 a piece locally, for N1,900 a piece. This cost the public treasury over N45 million in inflated charges.

Ambulances whose going price at the time was N3 million each were found to have been purchased for N13 million each, leading to a loss to the treasury of N900 million.

PTF, through APC, purchased general drugs at the cost of N3 billion. The Interim Management Committee's consultants concluded that the Fund had been cheated by as much as N1.5 billion through inflated charges, and because most of the drugs had already expired before they could be safely used.

The Interim Committee's consultants also discovered that PTF had decided, without approval from the government, to build a residential estate in Wuse, Abuja, a project which was clearly outside the scope of its intervention mandate. The project purportedly cost PTF N703 million. But the consultants concluded that a realistic valuation of the project could not exceed N328 million. The project cost was inflated by more than 100 per cent, at N375 million.

In virtually every other area of PTF activity, three separate consultants engaged by the Interim Committee, and working independently, concluded that there had been massive fraud or criminal mismanagement of funds belonging to Buhari's empire. The Headquarters Extension and Renovation Project of the PTF cost the Fund N461 million. The consultants determined that it should not have cost more than N326 million. The Fund had been defrauded by N135 million.

The PTF had three main bank accounts. The independent consultants concluded that the Fund had been short-changed by as much as N3.6 billion by way of short payment of interest accruals from deposits, or excessive charges on Cost of Turnover by preferred banks.

The Rural Water Supply Scheme was another funnel from which huge sums of money were siphoned away. The independent consultants determined that as much as N1 billion was recoverable from inflated costs and mobilisations for work that was never done. They discovered, also, that the Fund had lost as much as N900 million in the Educational Materials Supply Scheme, through inflated charges and non-performance of contracts duly paid for.

The Rural Telecommunications Development Scheme was another such scheme from which money was cynically carted away by favoured clients. The scheme was designed in two parts: a Pilot Phase, and the Main Phase. The Pilot programme was intended to determine the viability of the project. But this did not deter PFF, under Gen. Buhari, to award contracts for the main programme to the tune of N1.6 billion, without any contracts signed, and before any conclusions could be drawn from the Pilot project.

It is a horrendous story of criminal negligence, cynical fraud, and unprecedented disregard for all civilised standards of prudence and transparency in the disbursement of public funds. In the end, the independent consultants concluded that of the N181 billion that accrued to PTF in the four and a half years of its existence between July 1994 and July 1999, as much as N25 billion was either stolen or improperly expended.

The great man's defence

Sources from within the PTF Interim Management Committee assert that when Gen. Buhari was invited to comment on the findings of the committee's consultants regarding the conduct of the empire over which he presided, he coyly retorted that he was not aware that such massive fraud went on his watch, but that in any event, he could not have benefited personally from the hideous purloining of the treasury. .

That may be true, but it does not detract from the fact that he delegated to this outfit the sole and exclusive power to initiate projects, assess those submitted by other companies, approve variations on contract sums, and determine the quality of work done. He also, by his own admission, according to our sources, approved in writing all recommended payments from the Fund. But he did not know, he claimed, that those to whom he had delegated virtually all his powers were stealing the country blind. And no one has a right to call him to account, since to do so would be to question his famous reputation.

Former president Shehu Shagari was kept in jail for nearly one and a half years by Buhari, and almost lost his sight, when Buhari seized power on December 31, 1983, not because he was found guilty of any criminal offence, certainly not for abuse of his office. Shagari's only crime, it appeared, was that Buhari was convinced that the buck stopped at his desk, for as President, he had to pay vicariously for the purported crimes of his lieutenants. Umaru Dikko, Shagari's ubiquitous Minister of Transport, almost died in a crate, contrived by Buhari, that was en route from London to Nigeria, where he no doubt would have suffered worse than Shagari's fate. Some state governors were jailed for 200 years and more, because they could not account for how they spent their security votes (which were often no more than N20 million).





http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/ngguardian/2002/nov/03/article12.html

@adah1010
its soo funny how this Karl max thinks

why didnt you break the northern states into Regions: North West, North Central and North East so u can compare appropriately
do u realise that the "whole north" comprises of 19 states
do u need a map of Nigeria for assistance
do u know the projects were allocated based on federal character principle??





Anwer that is why I said and would continue say that buharis supporter follow with the ass instead of there head please maybe u don’t knw how to read let me break it down for u

“Northern States zone three comprising the North-West States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara had a lion share of 5020 kms or 27.42 per cent”

Read the post this statement is there

BUHARI FANS COME WITH PROOF TO DEBUNK THIS CLAIMS IF U DONT HAVE IT DONT CONCEDE DEFEAT BY CALLING NAMES IF U SAY IT IS A PROPOGANDA CAN U PLEASE GIVE US THE. THE FIGURES OF ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN EACH ZONE OF THE FEDERATION UNDER PTF BUHARI!!!
OR HEALTH PROVISION UNDER HIS PTF.LETS BE OBJECTIVE LETS TAKE THE VIEWS WITH FACTS

Submission of Afenifere to the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (HRVIC) led by Justice Chukwudifu Oputa

I) DETENTIONS

Prominent Yoruba people like Senator Abraham Adesanya, Otunba Solanke Onasanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu, Chief Olu Falae, Chief C.O. Adebayo, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, Chief Bola Ige, Senator Bola Tinubu, Dr. Beko-Ransome Kuti, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, Comrade Ola Oni, Alhaji Lam Adesina, Chief Olabiyi Durojaiye, Chief Segun Osoba, Baba Omojola, Wale Oshun and others were variously detained by Abacha for periods raging from weeks to years.

II) HOUNDING INTO EXILE

Leading lights of the Yoruba like Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Prof, Wole Soyinka, Chief C.O. Adebayo, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Senator Bola Tinubu, Dr. Amus Akingba and others were hounded into exile for years because of their legitimate activities within the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO)

III) Bombs and arsonist attacks: Agents of Gen. Sani Abacha and his government launched bomb attacks in Yoruba cities like Lagos and Ibadan. Arsonist attacks were targeted at the homes of Yoruba June 12 activitist. In one of such the home of General Alani Akinrinade in Opebi, Lagos was set ablaze in 1996 and property worth several millions of naira destroyed. The residence of Mr. Ayo Opadokun was also set ablaze in the Oniwaya area of Lagos in 1994. Prof. Wole Soyinka equally had his Abeokuta home vandalised

IV) ASSASSINATIONS

On November 6, 1995, agents of the military junta murdered a strong backer of NADECO, Chief Alfred Rewane in his bedroom. Rear Admiral Omotehinwa’s assassination in 1996 has also been linked with security agents.

Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of detained June 12 President -elect, was assassinated in broad daylight by Sergeant Rogers and co. acting on the orders of the military junta on June 4 1996. But ironically, Senator Abraham Adesanya, Otunba Solanke Onasanya (80 years then), Chief Ayo Adebanjo and Alhaji Ganiyu Dawolu SHA were detained by the Abacha junta for about five months on the allegation of being the killers of Kudirat.

On 14 November 1996, Dr. Shola Omoshola and his cousin Nelson Kazeem were killed along the Airport Road in Lagos in a bomb blast planted by unknown persons.

V) ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION AND PRECIPITATED MURDER

On the 14th of January, 1997, unknown gunmen (now identified as Sgt. Rogers & Co.) opened fire on Senator Abraham Adesanya at the ELF Filling Station near Sura market in Lagos Island about 200 meters to his law chambers at 12 Simpson Street. They pumped 8 bullets into his Mercedez car marked Ogun AE 3775 GB. But he miraculously escaped unhurt.

Pa Michael Ajasin was arrested and detained with over 40 leaders of Afenifere during a meeting in his house in Owo on May 25, 1995. Those arrested included; Olu Falae, Ayo Fasanmi, Abraham Adesanya, Ganiyu Dawodu, NF Aina, Ade Adefarati, Abdulazeez Afolabi, Wunmi Adegbonmire, Wole Alabi, M.A. Baruwa, Adekunle Salami, Rafiu Jafojo, Adeyemi Alade, Ademola Ademoye, Mufutau Ajisebutu, Olu Dawodu, Olaniwun Ajayi, Titi Adeniran, Wole Oke, Pade Aderibigbe, Allison Balogun, Babatunde Adebanji, Rotimi Ogunrinde, Niyi Owolade, Samuel Adeyemi, Joseph Alabi, Kofo Bucknor- Akerele, Bodunrin George, George Akosile Taoridi Adisa, Moses Danyilu, Mrs Abiola Buraimoh, Olajide Oyewumi, Ayo Adebanjo SAB and Gbolahan Okuneye. Pa Ajasin (87) was released after spending one night at the Owo police Station while the others were released on June 4.

And in December 1996, the Administration of Ondo State, Navy Commander Anthony Onyearugbulem stormed the residence of Afenifere patriarch, Chief Micheal Adekunle Ajasin and harassed the old man through psychological torture and excruciating questioning. He was reported to have taken the tape of his encounter to his handlers in Abuja as a proof of having tamed the old war-horse. Papa Ajasin fell ill afterwards and never recovered from the trauma of the Onyearugbulem invasion of his house till he died.

VI) MARGINALISATION OF YORUBA IN ALL FACETS OF NIGERIAN POLITY.

Since independence there has been an organised and systematic marginalisation of the Yoruba in the Armed Forces, Police, Civil Service, the commanding heights of the economy and government appointments.

We shall attempt to deal with these acts of marginalisation sectorally:

(I) Federal Capital Territory: When Lagos was considered a federal territory, the Ministers for Lagos Affairs from 1959-1965 were Northerners: Muhammadu Ribadu (1959-1960) and Musa Yaradua (1960-1965). But since Abuja became the Federal Capital territory, except Mobolaji Ajose Adeogun who was FCT Minister from 1976-1978, all subsequent ministers from 1978 till date were Northerners: John Kadiya (1979-1982), Iro Dan Musa (1982-1983), Halilu Dantoro (1983-1984), Mamman Vatsa (1984-1986) Hamza Abdullahi (1986-1989, Gado Nasko (1989-1993, Jeremiah Useni (1992-1999).

Ministry of Defence: Apart from Brigadier Olusegun Obasanjo’s sojourn from 1977-79, the closest Yoruba has ever moved in the political head of the ministry is the present Minister of State (NAVY), Mrs. Dupe Adelaja. There have been Tafawa Balewa (North) 1960, Inuwa Wada (North) 1960-1964, Muhammadu Ribadu (North) 1965, Inuwa Wada (North) 1966, Yakubu Gowon (North) 1968-1975, ID Bisala (North) 1976, Olusegun Obasanjo (South) 1977-1979, Iya Abubakar (North) 1980-1981, Akanbi Oniyangi (North) 1982-1983, Shehu Shagari (North) 1983, Domkat Bali (North) 1984-1988, Ibrahim Babangida (North) 1989, Sani Abacha (North) 1990-1998.

Mines and Power: No Yorubaman ever headed this ministry. There were Muhammadu Ribadu (North) 1955-1959, Yusuf Maitama Sule (North) 1959-1960, R.O.B. Dikko (North) 1966-1967, R.B.A. Dikko (North) 1968-1971, Shetimah Ali Mongunno (North) 1972-1975, Efom Ekong (South) 1976, Kachala Barko (North) 1977, Shehu Kangiwa (North) 1978, Professor Justice Tseayo (South) 1979, M. I. Hassan (North) 1979, Paul Unongo (North) 1983, Ali Makele (North) 1981-1983, Audu Ogbe (North) 1983, Idrisu Ibrahim (North) 1983, Tam David West (South) 1984-1985, Rilwan Lukman (North) 1985-1986, Bunu Sherif Musa (North) 1986-1989, Nura Iman (North) 1989-1993. Security Printing and Minting Corporation: No Yorubaman has ever been appointed as a Chief Executive of this corporation. The preponderance of Northerners perhaps explains why the 20 Naira notes, a national currency carry the Arewa logo. From 1981 when Nigerians started heading the NSPMC the following have been the heads: A. E. Ekukinam (South) 1981-1984, A. A. Abdulkadir (North) 1984, W. I. Aleyideino (North) 1985-1989, Muktar Bello (North) 1989-1993, S. S. Baffa (North) 1993-1999.

Passport Office: From independence till 1999, no Yorubaman was ever appointed the Chief Passport Officer. Out of the eighteen between 1958-1999, only 2 were from the South and the remaining 16 were from the North; Mr. C. O. Egbunike (South) 1958-1960, Alhaji C. A. Bukar Kolo (North) 1961-1962, Alhaji Bukachuwa 1963-1965, Alhaji M. W. Lamino (North) 1966-1970, Alhaji Ibrahim Karfi (North) 1971, Alhaji Mohammed Sagie (North) 1971-1972, Alhaji S. A. Yakubu (North) 1972, Mrs. Rhoda Mohammed (North) 1972-1973, Mr. Mustapha Sam (North) 1973, Mr. E. U. Akang (South) 1973-1975, Alhaji S. A. Yaro (North) 1977-1978, Alhaji M. W. Lamino 1979-1982, Alhaji S. T. Adamu (North) 1982, Alhaji Ibrahim Karfi (North) 1982-1984, Alhaji Dattijo Ahmed (North) 1984-1985, Alhaji M. Kolo (North) 1985-1988, Alhaji A. T. Abdulkadir (North) 1988-1999.

It should be noted that Alhaji Ibrahim Kafir and Alhaji M. W. Lamino both served twice each.

Head of Immigration: This has also been a no-go area for the Yoruba. Six out of eight between 1962 – 1999 were Northerners. There have been H. E. Harrison (Exp.) 1962-1966, J. E. Onuboju (South) 1966-1967, E. I. Aleyideino (North) 1967-1976, Aliu Mohammed (North) 1972-1979, Lawal Sambo (North) 1979-1986, M. Damulak (North) 1986-1990, Garba Abass (North) 1990-1999.

Customs and Excise Head: The only Yorubaman that had a stint there was Mr. Oyebode Oyeleye in 1976.

Chief of Army Staff: Of about 20 occupants of this office, since 1964, only Adeyinka Adebayo (1964/65) and Alani Akinrinade (October 79-April 1980) have been Yoruba. There have been 16 from the North. Alani Akinrinade had to be taken to newly created innocuous office of Chief of Defence Staff in six months following a powerful Northern lobby to make way for Major General Jalo, a Northerner. In thirty-seven years of the Army under the command of Nigerians, Yoruba have been in charge for only one and half years.

JAMB Registrars: The Registrars of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the body that controls admission into universities since 1977 have been Northerners. Perhaps this was a deliberate ploy to “faithfully” implement the quota system. There have been M. S. Angulu (North) 1977-1986, Dr. M. S. Abdulrahman (North) 1986-1991, Professor Salim Bello (North) 1992-1999.

Executive Secretaries of NUC: The National Universities Commission (NUC), just like JAMB has had only Northerners as its Executive Secretaries since 1975 except Dr. I. A. Guobadia (1979-81) in acting capacity. Are we being told that there were no qualified Yoruba professors up till the recent appointment of Professor Peter Okebukola? There were Dr. Jubril Aminu (North) 1975-1978, Alhaji Yahaya Aliyu (North) 1981-1986, Professor I. A. Abdulkadir (North) 1986-1999.

Police Commissioners in Lagos: Despite being a Yoruba territory, of the 23 Police Commissioners that have been in Lagos since 1961, only 6 have been Yoruba. Compared with Kaduna, only Mr. J. Adeola (1973-75) has been a non-Northerner to be appointed a Police Commissioner in the state.

Secretaries to the Government of the Federation: Since independence in 1960, only 2 Yoruba have held the position of secretary to the government of the Federation out of 16.

Commercial Banks in which the Federal Government has Equity Participation: Before 1979, only one of the seven commercial banks in which the Federal Government had equity participation was headed by a Yorubaman. But by 1979, none of the seven banks: Arab Bank Limited, Allied Bank of Nigeria Limited, First Bank of Nigeria, International Bank of Nigeria Limited, Savannah Bank of Nigeria Limited, United Bank for Africa Limited and Union Bank of Nigeria Limited was headed by a Yoruba.

PTF Projects: The Abacha regime created a parallel government through the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) headed by Major General Muhammed Buhari. Nothing else typifies the marginalisation of the Yoruba than the lopsidedness of the projects carried out by the PTF. Figures from PTF Situation Reports (Vol. 2 Dec. 98) show that the PTF carried on as if there was no South West.

Of all the roads rehabilitated by he PTF, only 1984.5 kilometres of roads representing 10.84 per cent were carried out in the South West; from where the bulk of the PTF revenue came since the zone consumes over 60 per cent of refined petroleum products. All the Southern States had 4,440.43 kms or 24 per cent of road rehabilitation as against 13,870.47 kms or 76 per cent in the Northern States zone three comprising the North-West States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara had a lion share of 5020 kms or 27.42 per cent because the Fund’s Chairman, Buhari and the military dictator Sani Abacha were from there; zone four comprising the North-East States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe picked 23.48 per cent. This is the zone where Salihijo Ahmed, the late Chief Executive of Afri-Project Consortium APC, the sole consultants that supervised all PTF projects came from.

Figures in other sectors were more scandalous. For instance, under the National Health and Educational Rehabilitation Programme (NHERP), the South West had zero allocation in the tertiary programme, while the North picked 100 per cent. In the vocational programme, the South West had zero while the North had 97 per cent. In the primary area, the South-West had zero against 88 per cent for the North and in the secondary area, it was zero for the South-West and 86 per cent for the North.

The health sector is similar. For the Teaching Hospitals, the South-West had zero while the North had 62 per cent. For the Specialist Hospitals, it was zero for the South-West and 71 per cent for the North; in General/State Hospitals the Yoruba had nothing while the North had 56 per cent for health clinics, it was zero for the South-West against the North’s 100 per cent.

Under the food supply summary, the Southwest had 7.26 per cent compared with 83 per cent for the North, Buhari’s zone having 60.54 per cent to itself.

Demographic Manipulation: The Northern wielders of power have skewed all demographic indicators to marginalise the Yoruba and confer undue advantage on the North. For instance, while the old Kano and Lagos used to have the same number of divisions, various demographic manipulations over the years have brought about absurd disparities between the two states. While the old Lagos remains a state with 20 local governments, the old Kano has become two states-Kano and Jigawa with 77 local governments. These are some of the indices used for revenue sharing.

As PTF Chairman, he was an ethnic champion with the way projects under your supervision were executed. The Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, Shagamu/Benin Expressway and their Ibadan/Ilorin counterpart became death traps because you deliberately ignored these national arteries of commerce and social mobilisation due to a myopic vision of ‘punishing’ the Yoruba Nation for standing up to Abacha.and he came out to say ABACHA DID NOT STEAL. IF U HAVE PASSED THE ABOVE MENTIONED ROAD FOR THOSE WHO TRAVEL BY ROAD U WILL SEE AN IMPROVEMENT UNDER 9 MONTH I REPEAT 9 MONTHS OF GEJ RULE HE DID WHAT U SO CALLED MESSIAH CANT DO IN 5YRS SHAME ON HIM

WHEN, in 1994, the late General Sani Abacha, invited former Head of State, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to serve as head of the newly created Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), the latter gave one condition for this acceptance: He must be given the title of Executive Chairman, and he must have a free hand to run the Fund as he saw fit, without any interference from anyone.

The PTF was itself a child of controversy. Abacha had, in 1994, increased the price which Nigerians had to pay for petrol, diesel and kerosene. The Nigerian populace vehemently opposed the hike, both because the increase was exorbitant, and because most Nigerians were certain that the windfall from the price hike would find its way into the hands of a few highly placed Nigerians.

To assuage this fear, Abacha summoned Gen. Buhari from retirement, to administer a new Trust Fund into which all excess income from the price increase would be paid, and from which the Fund would intervene in critical areas of the economy in such a manner as to directly benefit ordinary Nigerians. Buhari's main qualification was that he was considered to be both a strict disciplinarian and an incorruptible man. And he was for this reason expected to ensure that the fund was properly used, and that it would not become another avenue from which public funds were simply carted away by a handful of well-placed Nigerians. That was the expectation. But the reality, in the end, was a story of massive and cynical looting of the public treasury.

How the Fund became a funnel

Gen. Buhari was Executive Chairman of the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund from its inception in 1994, to its disbandment by the Obasanjo administration in 1999. According to the report of the Interim Management Committee, which was set up in that year to investigate the affairs of the Fund, the total income accruing to the Fund from mid-1994 to July 1999 was in excess of N181 billion. There were six major areas in which the PTF intervened directly during the period. They were: roads and waterways; supply of educational materials and rehabilitation of educational infrastructure; food supply; health; water supply; and what was curiously termed other projects.

The management structure of the Fund was so capricious, from start, as in retrospect to suggest that the executive chairman was far more impressed by his position as an alternate Head of State, an Interventionist Czar who was answerable to no one, not even the Head of State himself, than anything else. First, he unilaterally appointed a single consultant, Afri-Projects Consortium, as the sole adviser to the Fund. Then he delegated virtually all his powers to this agency. Afri-Projects Consortium was given the exclusive power to initiate projects, assess their probable cost, approve the costs, execute the projects, and assess the quality of execution, all alone. The Consortium's decisions could not be questioned by anyone outside the Fund. Even the statutory members of the Fund's Board of Trustees found themselves helplessly watching as huge sums of money were paid out for questionable projects. And not surprisingly, the three professional management firms recruited by the Interim Management Committee to audit the performance of Afri-Projects Consortium came up with the unanimous conclusion that APC had over-charged the Fund for its services to the tune of over N2 billion.

APC directly managed the HIV/AIDS Intervention Programme of the Fund. Its managerial incompetence was found to be staggering. It knowingly imported sub-standard, poorly packaged, poorly stored, expired, or soon to expire treatment kits and drugs. And in the end, the auditing firms that investigated APC's performance concluded that it had cost the government N579 million by stocking huge silos of useless drugs and kits, purchased at inflated prices.

PTF's intervention in other areas of the health sector was equally atrocious. For instance, under the supervision of the omnipotent APC, PTF purchased large quantities of spectacle frames which were at the time costing only N800 a piece locally, for N1,900 a piece. This cost the public treasury over N45 million in inflated charges.

Ambulances whose going price at the time was N3 million each were found to have been purchased for N13 million each, leading to a loss to the treasury of N900 million.

PTF, through APC, purchased general drugs at the cost of N3 billion. The Interim Management Committee's consultants concluded that the Fund had been cheated by as much as N1.5 billion through inflated charges, and because most of the drugs had already expired before they could be safely used.

The Interim Committee's consultants also discovered that PTF had decided, without approval from the government, to build a residential estate in Wuse, Abuja, a project which was clearly outside the scope of its intervention mandate. The project purportedly cost PTF N703 million. But the consultants concluded that a realistic valuation of the project could not exceed N328 million. The project cost was inflated by more than 100 per cent, at N375 million.

In virtually every other area of PTF activity, three separate consultants engaged by the Interim Committee, and working independently, concluded that there had been massive fraud or criminal mismanagement of funds belonging to Buhari's empire. The Headquarters Extension and Renovation Project of the PTF cost the Fund N461 million. The consultants determined that it should not have cost more than N326 million. The Fund had been defrauded by N135 million.

The PTF had three main bank accounts. The independent consultants concluded that the Fund had been short-changed by as much as N3.6 billion by way of short payment of interest accruals from deposits, or excessive charges on Cost of Turnover by preferred banks.

The Rural Water Supply Scheme was another funnel from which huge sums of money were siphoned away. The independent consultants determined that as much as N1 billion was recoverable from inflated costs and mobilisations for work that was never done. They discovered, also, that the Fund had lost as much as N900 million in the Educational Materials Supply Scheme, through inflated charges and non-performance of contracts duly paid for.

The Rural Telecommunications Development Scheme was another such scheme from which money was cynically carted away by favoured clients. The scheme was designed in two parts: a Pilot Phase, and the Main Phase. The Pilot programme was intended to determine the viability of the project. But this did not deter PFF, under Gen. Buhari, to award contracts for the main programme to the tune of N1.6 billion, without any contracts signed, and before any conclusions could be drawn from the Pilot project.

It is a horrendous story of criminal negligence, cynical fraud, and unprecedented disregard for all civilised standards of prudence and transparency in the disbursement of public funds. In the end, the independent consultants concluded that of the N181 billion that accrued to PTF in the four and a half years of its existence between July 1994 and July 1999, as much as N25 billion was either stolen or improperly expended.

The great man's defence

Sources from within the PTF Interim Management Committee assert that when Gen. Buhari was invited to comment on the findings of the committee's consultants regarding the conduct of the empire over which he presided, he coyly retorted that he was not aware that such massive fraud went on his watch, but that in any event, he could not have benefited personally from the hideous purloining of the treasury. .

That may be true, but it does not detract from the fact that he delegated to this outfit the sole and exclusive power to initiate projects, assess those submitted by other companies, approve variations on contract sums, and determine the quality of work done. He also, by his own admission, according to our sources, approved in writing all recommended payments from the Fund. But he did not know, he claimed, that those to whom he had delegated virtually all his powers were stealing the country blind. And no one has a right to call him to account, since to do so would be to question his famous reputation.

Former president Shehu Shagari was kept in jail for nearly one and a half years by Buhari, and almost lost his sight, when Buhari seized power on December 31, 1983, not because he was found guilty of any criminal offence, certainly not for abuse of his office. Shagari's only crime, it appeared, was that Buhari was convinced that the buck stopped at his desk, for as President, he had to pay vicariously for the purported crimes of his lieutenants. Umaru Dikko, Shagari's ubiquitous Minister of Transport, almost died in a crate, contrived by Buhari, that was en route from London to Nigeria, where he no doubt would have suffered worse than Shagari's fate. Some state governors were jailed for 200 years and more, because they could not account for how they spent their security votes (which were often no more than N20 million).





http://news.biafranigeriaworld.com/archive/ngguardian/2002/nov/03/article12.html

1,ESSENCO(WHEN POOR TRADERS ARE FORCED AT GUN POINT TO SELL BELOW COST PRICE)
2,DECREE 20(Miscellaneous Offences Decree, BUT WHEN HIS INLAW WAS INVOLVED HE LOOKED THE OTHER WAY)
3,DECREE 4(THE PRESS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT HIS REGIME evn if is true, no wonder the proof of the stolen 2.8billion nnpc acount during his time as the head in 1976 never came out but we still have strong Nigerians like vera ifudu who should us evidence of the money cooling of in his private act at midlands bank in london)
4,WAI(WERE PEOPLE ARE BEATING BY SOLDIERS LIKE ANIMAL ALL IN THE NAME OF DECIPLINE). is this the achivement his talking about ?or this ones

5, The change of colour of the nation's currency notes (except the fifty kobo note) in April 1984 to stop currency trafficking. The exercise rendered almost half of the estimated N6 billion in circulation worthless at the expiration of the chang.or is it his economic reforms people who understand economy in buharis camp repond


6 The introduction of N 100 airport special levy for travellers going outside Africa

7The closure of the Nigerian borders in January 1984 to stem smuggling

or In 1984, Nigeria's recognition of the Sahara Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on November 11, 1984.

please argue with facts and stop name calling


PTF ROAD PROJECT UNDER BUHARI
Of all the roads rehabilitated by he PTF, only 1984.5 kilometres of roads representing 10.84 per cent were carried out in the South West; from where the bulk of the PTF revenue came since the zone consumes over 60 per cent of refined petroleum products. All the Southern States had 4,440.43 kms or 24 per cent of road rehabilitation as against 13,870.47 kms or 76 per cent in the Northern States zone three comprising the North-West States of Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara had a lion share of 5020 kms or 27.42 per cent because the Fund’s Chairman, Buhari and the military dictator Sani Abacha were from there; zone four comprising the North-East States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe picked 23.48 per cent. This is the zone where Salihijo Ahmed, the late Chief Executive of Afri-Project Consortium APC, the sole consultants that supervised all PTF projects came from".--- Afenifere

Breakdown from above

Total Road projects through PTF funds under Buhari =13,870.47 kms

South West Road Projects=1984.5 kilometers (10.84)

Southern States 4,440 Kl (24%)

Northern States =13,870.47 kms (76%)

South East?

South South ?

Both South South and South East share a marginalized 14% or 7% for each zone

Read the full story at: http://www.nigerianmuse.com/20061228122222zg/nigeria-watch/all-about-the-oputa-panel-hrvic/nigeria-has-persecuted-the-yoruba-submission-of-afenifere-to-the-human-rights-violations/

“In the education sector, Nigerians can celebrate an allocation of almost N1 trillion (N933 billion) in the proposed budget for 2011 to a sector which had less than a third of that amount (N249.08 billion) allocated to it last . In addition, THANK TO GEJ FOR THE addition of one new Federal University in each of the six geo-politcal zones for which work has already begun. The six new federal universities did not exist last BEFORE GEJ”

9 MONTHS OF NO FUEL SCARCITY “Note that this did not happen by accident but is a deliberate effort by his administration to ease the pains of Nigerians “

the country could boast of four airlines (Arik, Continental, Delta and United), with direct flights from the United States (US) while the country could only boast of one last year.




Nigerians could boast of five functional international airports.

“These new international airports made it easier to airlift Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu (please pray for his recovery) instead of risking his life further by driving him to a farther airport.
“In the manufacturing sector, Nigerians can celebrate the reopening of three textile mills in Kaduna that had previously been closed including the United Nigeria Textile Mills Ltd.; which has reopened as a result of accessing funds from the N200 billion textile industry bail out funds leading to the re engagement of 2000 workers that were laid off when the company went out of business






“In the area of human rights, Nigerians have seen improvements. there were 27 soldiers serving a life sentence for an incidence that some claimed was not their fault but GEJ they have been released and ARE with their families. BEFORE GEJ several exiles such as Nuhu Ribadu and Nasir El Rufai etc RAN FROM their friends and families, but UNDER GEJ they have the liberty to be with their friends and families in Nigeria plus there are NO Nigerian political exiles outside Nigeria NOW CAN THE SAME BE SAID ABOUT BUHARIS REGIME OF 1983?

@beaf stop wasting ur time exchanging words with people like this who probably are beneficiaries of the buhari reign in power and regime.either through PTF (who trained mostly hausa/fulani tribes abroad,and had 70% of it project in north west zone) or the following that we know as facts as his so called achievement

1,ESSENCO(WHEN POOR TRADERS ARE FORCED AT GUN POINT TO SELL BELOW COST PRICE)
2,DECREE 20(Miscellaneous Offences Decree, BUT WHEN HIS INLAW WAS INVOLVED HE LOOKED THE OTHER WAY)
3,DECREE 4(THE PRESS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TALK ABOUT HIS REGIME evn if is true, no wonder the proof of the stolen 2.8billion nnpc acount during his time as the head in 1976)
4,WAI(WERE PEOPLE ARE BEATING BY SOLDIERS LIKE ANIMAL ALL IN THE NAME OF DECIPLINE). is this the achivement his talking about ?or this ones

5, The change of colour of the nation's currency notes (except the fifty kobo note) in April 1984 to stop currency trafficking. The exercise rendered almost half of the estimated N6 billion in circulation worthless at the expiration of the chang.or is it his economic reforms people who understand economy in buharis camp repond


6 The adoption of stricter austeThe introduction of N 100 airport special levy for travellers going outside Africa

The closure of the Nigerian borders in January 1984 to stem smuggling

In 1984, Nigeria's recognition of the Sahara Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) on November 11, 1984.
please argue with facts and stop name calling

people who make cheap comments about GEJ anytime their is a post about the economy or any issue are not been truthful ,gej has only been in office for 9 months.and every idiot on nairaland call him names. expecially those from the northern part of the country and some clueless people that dont know there history. for those who call him names can you compare ur c.v with his own.EVEN THE PERSON U SUPPORT. is it buhari that has been in power since our independent. that put us were we are today and u expect someone to turn it around in 9 months.

By

Ebenezer Babatope

I was a Buhari detainee. For nearly 20 months, the General Muhammadu Buhari military regime kept me inside three of Nigeria's prison centres, from 1984 to 1985. There were many of us (politicians) who were caught in the Buhari military web after the New Year eve's coup of December 31, 1983. Some of my colleagues unfortunately were not lucky to survive the ordeal. I am not in anyway writing this piece as a result of bitterness against what General Buhari and his colleagues of the military did to me and other politicians. Ours was a price that had to be paid in the struggle to create a lasting democracy in our dear country.



I write to produce answers to certain verdicts delivered by the former Head of State on men, matters and events in our country since January 15, 1966 when the Khaki boys rolled out the tanks to dismiss the Shagari administration. In a lecture, General Buhari delivered under the auspices of Bayero University Kano Centre For Democracy, he came very hard on politicians describing them as their own worst enemies.



While not dismissing the entire paper as conveying nothing, it is however pertinent to point out to Buhari certain areas where his submissions amount to mere window dressing and a total distortion of the facts of history.



The most contentious areas of General Buhari's lecture are where he said the following on politicians and soldiers in Nigeria: "In 37 years of independence, Nigeria has had four separate successful coups and several other unsuccessful attempts with ten different programmes. While these frequent changes have no doubt been quite disruptive, the political class has no moral right to present this fact as its excuse for failing to learn the ropes. And like all other patriotic Nigerians, members of the Armed Forces have every right to resent the mismanagement of affairs by the politicians, "Nigerian politicians have no one to blame but themselves when they find themselves out in the cold. They are their own worst enemies. They have very little commitment to democracy beyond election day. And as I said elsewhere, many Nigerian politicians are not true democrats; they are democrats of convenience - extolling the virtues of democracy when they campaign, that's the rule of the jungle with the added burden of having to vote for it. Conversely when they lose, politicians refuse to accept the verdicts and invite the military to return."



The above represents the thoughts and ideas of Buhari on politicians. While he clearly sent the politicians to the junkyard of history, he cleverly justified the incursion of the military into politics. One wonders why General Buhari did not discuss the inordinate ambition of some soldiers in seizing power. Neither did the General talk about some soldiers coming into power via military coup as a result of bitterness over some state matters in which they have been active participants and collaborators. We ask General Buhari in all humility whether any politician did invite him and his military colleagues to stage the coup of December 31, 1983. We submit that long before that coup, Buhari and some of his colleagues in the Army had made up their minds to terminate the life of the Second Republic.



General Muhammadu Buhari is fully aware of the speech he made sometime in 1982 calling on Nigerian soldiers to start reading the Nigerian constitution for a future role they (the soldiers) might be called upon to perform. On September 19, 1982, I took him (Buhari) on in my column POLITICAL PANORAMA in the Sunday Tribune for making this statement which was a clear signal for a coup detat against the democratic government.



I concluded my column by stating inter alia:- "If tomorrow Nigerians are woken up once again by the familiar slogan of "GOOD MORNING Fellow Nigerians we would have known that the signal for such had long been given". That column (which Nigerian Tribune republished on January 16, 1984 after the Buhari coup) was to send me to a near twenty month detention by the Buhari regime. Dr. Ibrahim Tahir told me in March 1984 at the Kirikiri prison, Lagos that a young Major who had visited his house after the Buhari coup had inquired about my residence in Lagos.



If General Muhammadu Buhari may want to debunk the idea that his call on soldiers to start reading the Nigerian Constitution represented a call to overthrow the democratic government, I will further wish to humbly submit that moves made by General Buhari within the military between 1982 and 1983 clearly confirmed this interpretation. The story I am about to narrate has been fully told in my book THE STRUGGLE FOR DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA (1960-1983).



There is the need to retell the story here: " A soldier in the 3rd division of the Nigerian Army based in Jos had gone to the office of the then civilian Governor of Plateau State, the colourful Chief Solomon Dashep Lar, to report on some strange operations in the barracks. The soldier gave vital information to Solomon Lar that soldiers were being taken for an early morning exercise in the military training grounds in Jos for what the soldier suspected was aimed at overthrowing the civilian regime. The soldier named General Muhammadu Buhari as having participated in the military exercise as the Divisional Commander. This information was given to Chief Solomon Lar about the time that President Shehu Shagari was paying an official visit to Plateau State. Chief Solomon Lar took the opportunity of the President's visit to intimate him of the information he had received about preparations of the military for a possible coup d'etat. "Alhaji Shehu Shagari, instead of passing this crucial information to the security agencies for their investigation, decided on inviting Major-General Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos.



Alhaji Shehu Shagari was said to have told the General what Chief Solomon Lar had told him of preparations by soldiers under the Command of Buhari in Jos for a coup. President Shehu Shagari when pressed by General Buhari to disclose the source of his information, was said to have named Chief Solomon Lar as the main source. "Major General Muhammadu Buhari on reaching Jos went straight to the office of the Governor (Chief Lar) where he was said to have told the Governor (whom he was fond of calling uncle) in no unmistakable terms his displeasure at the information passed to President Shehu Shagari instead of Chief Lar calling him for clarifications on the military exercise programme of his division. "Chief Solomon Lar was rather surprised that such crucial information could have been so lackadaisically treated by Alhaji Shehu Shagari instead of being very discreet in inquiring into it.



Chief Solomon Lar was said to have handled the situation maturely and both parties parted company on friendly terms. Buhari certainly did not forget the incident. "Interesting too was the fact that General Muhammadu Buhari as G.O.C 3rd division of the Nigerian Army was a member of the Plateau State security council presided over by Chief Solomon Lar as Governor of the State at the time of this incident. "The Attorney-General of Plateau State during the second republic, Mr. Gregory Goltona Golu, who was also a member of the state's security council told me in Jos Prison (where we were both detained after the coup) that Major-General Muhammadu Buhari had attended the Plateau Security Council meeting held on 24 December 1983. Golu said General Buhari participated very actively in the deliberations of the meeting. He (Buhari) was however conspicuously absent at the annual Christmas Party of the Governor, Chief Solomon Lar, held in his home town Langtang on 26 December 1983. General Muhammadu Buhari was said to have sent an officer to represent him at the party.



Little did all the participants at Chief Lar's Christmas party know that the country was only a few days away from martial music which a soldier had warned Chief Lar about a couple of weeks before. On the day of the coup, a Nigeria Airways Boeing 737 plane piloted by Captain Gowon flew out of Lagos at about 4 p.m. to Jos. When the plane returned to Lagos that evening, it had on board the army officer that was to be announced by Sani Abacha at midnight of 31 December 1983 as the country's new military head of state. The important passenger was Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, the General Officer commanding the 3rd infantry Division of the Nigerian Army, Jos. "A few days after December 31, 1983, Chief Solomon Lar who had been privileged to be told of the military preparations of the Jos centre of the coup was to later join his other civilian politicians as inmates of Kirikiri Prison. Chief Solomon Lar was subsequently jailed by the Buhari regime for 25 years sometime in 1984".



The imprisonment of Solomon Lar was to let him know that he had opened his teeth too wide by leaking Buhari's preparation for a coup to President Shehu Shagari long before it took place. I will never forget that twenty four hours before the Special Military Tribunal in Jos pronounced a jail term on Solomon Lar, General Hananiya the then Nigeria's high Commissioner to Great Britain had been reported by the BBC to have told the British press of the conviction of Lar by the Tribunal.



Chief Lar and all of us inside the Jos prison were quite peeved by the Hananiya announcement in London. Of course, Lar went to the Tribunal the next day to collect the sentence which had alrady been released in far away London. Though Shagari's NPN regime had prepared the grounds well for its collapse, no politician invited General Buhari and his soldier-politicians to come and take over power. They invited themselves and later turned their guns on themselves. General Buhari cannot dispute the fact that he did a bitterness coup to avenge what he considered wrongs that had been done to him by certain people.



In one of his early press conferences after he had come to power, General Buhari did tell the gentlemen of the press that he would tamper with the freedom of the press. He was particularly bitter with the way the Nigerian press had reported the Justice Irikefe Oil probe of 1980. He (Buhari) felt the press was not fair to him as a former Minister for Petroleum resources of the period the Justice Irikefe panel was to inquire about. Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor of The Guardian newspapers later went to prison as ransom for the rascality of the Nigerian press. Haroun Adamu was incarcerated for once writing a critical essay on the General inside the Kano based Triumph newspaper. Mr. Rafindadi was appointed as the head of the N.S.O and all the Intelligence officers who favoured a fair treatment for detained politicians were weeded out of the organisation. Mr. Ndukwe then the Deputy Director of NSO now (SSS) and Mr. Oshodi, two fine officers, were all retired at the instruction of Mr. Rafindadi.



The last point, I will like to comment on relates to what General Buhari said of his political programme. While talking about the military class, General Buhari had said the following on his regime's political programme: "The regime that took over on 31 December 1983 decided that in the then corrupt atmosphere of 1983 Nigeria, it was virtually impractical to attempt any meaningful political reorganisation without tackling the issues of corruption and indiscipline.



Perhaps, it was a mistake to have put our political transition programme on the back burner since it probably tended to portray us as a sit-tight group. We were nothing of the sort". General Muhammadu Buhari ruled Nigeria for one year and eight months without giving Nigerians an inkling of what would be his political programme. In an interview with the FINANCIAL TIMES of London, General Buhari had said that his (military) regime would hold a referendum before handing over power to politicians.



He never gave the paper what were to be the issue to be decided upon in the referendum by the Nigerian people. The only hint of the possible Buhari political programme was given by respected Dr. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari the then External Affairs Minister while delieving a lecture in America very early in the life of the Buhari administration in 1984. Agboola was quoted too have said that Nigeria might experiment with an indigenous system of government for the next period of civilian rule.



The rest is for Nigerians to decide. General Buhari's observations about politicians in Nigeria by and large are correct. We politicians have allowed selfishness, petty jealousies and unguarded lust for power to becloud our sense of judgement. We are equally too narrow minded to be objective in our stand on various national issues.



Despite all these however, it is my humble opinion that politicians inside military barracks are not the ones to condemn civilian politicians and teach our country men and women about democracy - Certainly not General Buhari. Teacher don't teach us nonsense (apologies to the late Pan Africanist musician Fela Anikulapo Kuti). General Buhari still needs to tell Nigerians more stories about his difficult and tough regime. Like Muffet said, "we must all let the truth be told". God bless Nigeria.



December 2001

Security agencies have launched a manhunt for two terrorist leaders allegedly behind killings in Borno and Bauchi states.

The moves followed an intelligence network.

The suspects are 24-year old Abdullahi Yunusa (aka Nasiru) and 21-years old Inusa Bello.

The agencies have also declared them wanted with a reward of N10million on whoever could assist to locate their whereabouts.

It was gathered that after many months of intelligence gathering, security agencies traced mass killings in Borno and Bauchi to these suspects.

It was also learnt that the jailbreak in Bauchi was traceable to the suspects.

A top security source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We are closing in on those behind insecurity in some parts of the North.

“We have already made a significant breakthrough in identifying two key suspects. They are Abdullahi Yunusa aka Nasiru (24years) from Garin Chindo Village , Fika Local Government Area of Yobe State and Inusa Bello (21 years) from Bumsa Galami Local Government Area of Yobe State

“The two persons are wanted for crimes against the State bordering on kidnapping and terrorism in the Northern flank of the country.

“Members of the public are advised to note that these men could be armed and therefore dangerous.”

It could not be immediately ascertained if the suspects were behind the recent killing of the governorship candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party in Borno State, Modu Fanami Gubio, and six others in Maiduguri .

Security agencies last night were unable to confirm whether the wanted suspects are members of the Boko Haram sect.

Shortly after Gubio’s gruesome killing alongside six others, the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wl-Jihad (aka Boko Haram) claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The source added: “There is a mandate to restore peace and order to some Northern states, especially Borno and Bauchi, and that is why security agencies have increased surveillance there.

“It is too early to reveal our findings but at the appropriate time, we will brief the press.

“We are appealing to the public to assist the security agencies to arrest these two suspects. A reward of N10m on each of the suspects awaits anyone with useful information.”

Already blabbing like the tyrant that he is .I wonder how it would be let me guess my inlaw can be corrupt but others can't.this is the same man that his inlaw brought in 53 suitcases of cash from abroad as at the time he placed inbargo on bringing in money and taking money out of the country while he jailed fela for having 9500 pound.confused mallam

Libya: Death toll from escalating unrest 'tops 100'

20 February 11 10:54



At least 104 people have been killed in Libya since anti-government protests erupted on Wednesday, the campaign group Human Rights Watch says.

It said the figure included at least 20 people who died when troops reportedly used heavy weapons in the second city, Benghazi, on Saturday.

The group said its estimates were conservative.

Thousands of people in the east of the country have been protesting against Col Muammar Gaddafi's four-decade rule.

Libya is one of several Arab countries to have experienced pro-democracy demonstrations since the fall of long-time Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in January. Egypt's Hosni Mubarak was forced from power on 11 February.

Reports are difficult to verify as Libyan authorities have not allowed foreign journalists into the country.

In Benghazi - the main focus of the unrest - violence escalated on Saturday, when a funeral procession for victims of previous violence made its way past a major security compound.

Witnesses said troops used machine-guns, mortars, large-calibre weapons, and even a missile, against the mourners.

Opposition supporters said the attack was unprovoked, although security sources suggested some protesters threw firebombs at the compound.

Some described scenes of chaos as army snipers shot from the roofs of buildings and demonstrators fought back against troops on the ground.

Bodies in the streets

One doctor told the BBC that at least 45 bodies and 900 injured people had been brought to Benghazi's Jala hospital - most of them with gunshot wounds.

"Ninety percent of these gunshot wounds [were] mainly in the head, the neck, the chest, mainly in the heart," she said.

She added that she has been in contact with other Benghazi hospitals, which she says were overwhelmed by casualties and have not been able to count the dead.

She said some of the victims had been shot outside their homes by neighbourhood militias and bodies had been dumped on the streets of the city.

There are reports that Col Gaddafi's government is bringing in elite forces, as well as foreign mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa.

Another Benghazi resident said the government compound was the only part of the town still under military control.

In an appeal sent to Reuters, a group of religious and clan leaders from across Libya urged "every Muslim, within the regime" or anyone helping it: "Do NOT kill your brothers and sisters, STOP the massacre NOW!"

There have been reports of anti-government protests in other eastern cities, including al-Bayda and Dernah, as well as Misrata further west, about 200km (125 miles) from the capital Tripoli.

There is no sign of major unrest in Tripoli, Col Gaddafi's main power base.

Imagine what they would do if one of them is on helms of affair.2011 vote wisely

The era when u people use divide and rule tactics used by ur ogas (british people) are over.all this stupid propoganda by blind hausa/fulani who follow hopeless like their cattles will never work on we southeners that nigeria is like tis is becos of the misrule of the hausa/fulani people.is their any country they are ruling that is developed.niger,sudan,chad,mali.look at the states of those country.by the support given an IJAW by all ss,se,and there people in the sw should show u that the era of divide and rule is over that is why the north has started writing propoganda just look at the site he got it from http://www.gamji.com

My friend go and sit down is people like that go about carring propoganda about.has since GEJ has not accused buhari of anything has buhari accused GeJ of any corruption or has any court in nigeria convicted Gej? If u are not stupid show me proof am sure ure one of those beneficiaries of the PTF 419 programme and of course u where born in 1986.

BEFORE I CAN SUPPORT BUHARI, !

Before I can consider joining the BB Train. Below are my concerns:

I thought it was the rot of the SHAGARI Government, then followed by the decay of the Military ERA and climaxing with the STENCH of the ABACHA Government (of which GENERAL BUHARI WAS PART AND PARCEL) that 'brought Nigeria to a dangerous and sorry state, a state that life has become short and brutal', and from which it has still not recovered since then. PLEASE CHECK YOUR HISTORY AND YOUR FACTS!

The often MOUTHED BUHARI ERA and REGIME (of NEARLY 30 YEARS AGO) used as a reference point by his 'admirers' and apologists, was marked by BRUTE FORCE, LACK OF VISION, LACK OF POLITICAL IDEOLOGY AND AGENDA AND ANY ECONOMIC POLICY, BUT FOUNDED ON GRA-GRA.

In fact, the ONLY ECONOMIC policy that I can still remember and associate his regime with was the era of ESSENTIAL COMMODITY (ESSENCO), where people were being BULLIED, WHIPPED AND FORCED TO SELL THEIR OWN wares and goods (NOT GOVERNMENT OWNED) BY FORCE.

BUHARI SHUT DOWN NEWSPAPER HOUSES AND HARASSED JOURNALISTS AND THREW THEM IN GULLAGS OR SENT THEM TO GALLOWS.

BUHARI'S GALLOWS OR GULAGS, UNDER THE SSS (OR NSO) WERE NOT FIT FOR HUMANS. And this contributed largely to the DEATH of some of those that were SELECTIVELY and UNLAWFULLY DETAINED there. PLAIN MURDER.

BUHARI passed OBNOXIOUS LAWS, including RETROSPECTIVE LAWS and MURDERED INDIVIDUALS, SIMPLY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKING.

BUHARI ABUSED THE DIGNITY OF AN INDIVIDUAL and CRATED HIM like a CHICKEN, while attempting to UNLAWFULLY EXPORT HIM OUT OF THE UK, IN GROSS ABUSE OF THE PERSON'S DIGNITY, AND IN CONTRAVENTION OF INTERNATIONAL LAWS.

BUHARI WATCHED ABIOLA JAILED AND DIE IN JAIL in the HANDS of ABACHA, while he watched and carried on BUSINESS AS USUAL SERVING AND WORKING FOR THE SAME ABACHA'S GOVERNMENT.

BUHARI WATCHED ON AND WATCHED JUNE 12 DIE IN THE HANDS OF ABACHA.

BUHARI also WATCHED KEN SAROWIWA MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD BY THE SAME ABACHA GOVERNMENT, while HE (BUHARI) WATCHED ON and carried on BUSINESS AS USUAL.

AS ALWAYS, AND CONVENIENTLY, BUHARI SAW NO EVIL AND HEARD NO EVIL ABOUT THOSE ATROCITIES.

HE SAW NO EVIL AND HEARD NO EVIL EVEN WHEN LATE PRESIDENT YARADUA LEFT NIGERIA IN AUTO PILOT STATE AND 'RULED' FROM THE 'GRAVE' (a la ANDOAKAH)

NEED I SAY MORE? NEED I CONTINUE AND REMIND YOU WHY BUHARI IS NOT FIT OR QUALIFIED TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE THAN AT THE HAGUE AND ANSWERING TO HIS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY?

VISIT THIS LINK ON THE CRIMES OF BUHARI FOR MORE: http://www.republicreport.com/the-crimes-of-buhari-wole-soyinka. And you'll feel ASHAMED TO EVEN PRONOUNCE HIS NAME OR BOAST WITH HIM.

As for Pastor BAKARE, I am simply SHOCKED BEYOND WORDS OR SPEECH. I can only but ask, IS THAT WHAT ALL THAT 'NOISE' ABOUT 'BRIBE' OR NOT BRIBE AND BUHARI BEING THE BEST PRESIDENT, ALL ABOUT. ALL of that were for PERSONAL GAIN!

NIGERIANS may suffer from/with AMNESIA, but not ALL NIGERIANS are so plagued. GREAT MINDS DEAL WITH ISSUES, FACTS AND SUBSTANCE, AND NOT SENTIMENTS.

reply

, Babangida

- From Ibrahim Shuaibu in KanoViewed 1466 Times Rating: by 0 users
The late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, did not loot the national treasury contrary to the general impression, two military former heads of state have said.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who ruled Nigeria between 1983 and 1985, and his successor, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, gave Abacha the clean bill in Kano yesterday after the rememberance prayers marking 10 years of the death of Abacha, who ruled between 1993 and 1998.

Abacha was accused of stealing nearly £5 billion while in office, out of which over $1 billion has reportedly been recovered from various sources around the world.

But Babangida, who described Abacha as a “courageous, loyal and honest military head of state who stood for the unity and development of the country during his years in government”, has dismissed the allegations.

He said the looting allegations against Abacha were unfounded and baseless, stressing that “it is not true that he looted public treasury. I knew who Abacha was because I was close to him”.

Babangida said: “Abacha was a courageous person who stood firmly in handling the affairs of the country during his regime.”

He added that the regime of Abacha brought positive changes in the country which should have been emulated.

He said 10 years after the death of Abacha, his contributions to the nation’s economy remain indelible.

“There is no doubt, during his administration as head of state, Abacha contributed his best to the nation’s economy which we are still enjoying,” he said.

Babangida’s new position however contrasts with what he told Newswatch magazine in July 2000.

He had said: “The revelations [on Abacha’s loot] surprised me. I am surprised, because I didn't know.”

He had also explained that Abacha's death brought "relative stability", adding that "it gives us, oh well, let's see, there is hope after all".

Babangida, in that interview, also blamed the society for allowing Abacha to grow into the dictator he became.

"I feel bad that society failed to realise that they have a duty to protect whatever values they hold dear to their hearts as far as this country is concerned. At any rate, there are people I like and do respect those who stood against the regime, who are not military officers but civilians who are able to speak out. They didn't mince words and if their views had been heard, he wouldn't have [done enough harm]," he had said in response to a question.

Buhari, in his own comments yesterday, described the allegations of looting against Abacha as “baseless”, because according to him, “ten years after Abacha, those allegations remain unproven because of lack of facts”.

While also commenting, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who took over when Abacha died on June 8, 1998, commended his predecessor for initiating Vision 2010, saying that the economic vision of the present administration termed Vision 2020 is a replica of Abacha’s 2010 initiative.

Abubakar also tasked Nigerian politicians to concentrate on how best to contribute to national development instead wasting time and money investigating their predecessors, adding that probing past administrations “does not yield anything positive to the nation and should be discouraged”.

Babangida also spoke on the probe of his government by the immediate past administration, saying: “We are still waiting for the outcome of the probe.”

The three former leaders sat close to one another during the special prayer session which started exactly 10am and lasted for over one hour at an open compound belonging to the family of the former head of state.

The prayer session was attended by former Abacha’s aides, Emirs of Hadejia, Gumel, Jema’a and Chief Fredrick Fasehun of Odua Peoples Congress (OPC).

@quote from LFJ
I think the worst of Buhari is better than the best of your Jonathan going by what we have seen so far. Jonathan is a man of double character, a friend to all knowing criminals.


THOSE PEOPLE U ARE CALLING CRIMINAL THERE CRIMES ARE ALL ALLIGATIONS,BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TRIALED AND FOUND GUILTY OF ANY CORRUPTION CHARGES LIKE BUHARI.BUT AT LEAST THEY WHERE AT THE OPUTA PANEL TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON ISSUES BUT SAINT BUHARI DID NOT SHOW UP.IF U CALL THEM CRIMINAL WITHOUT PROOF THE BUHARI IS A BIG CRIMINAL TOO

,
written by Republic Report New York 308 views View Comments
New York [RR] ABUJA—the challenge of administering a multi-system inside a multi-country called Nigeria will remain the tough issue in days, months and years to come if Nigeria didn’t break up as predicted by several intelligence agencies. Character and integrity remains the hallmark for administrative affectivity and efficiency of any society, including Nigeria.
PHOTO: General Buhari addressing the press over 2011 presidential election.

RepublicReport New York has learnt the former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari replied former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir el-Rufai of his recent attack at him, stating that El-Rufai lacked the “integrity and moral pedestal to refer to him as an expired politician and should therefore quit the stage”.

Variously sources told RepublicReport that the former minister was reported to have told two presidential aspirants, Generals Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida to quit the presidential race because “they are too old and having been in the system for so long”, adding, “the world is tilting towards generational change in governance”.

Buhari who spoke through the National Publicity Secretary of his party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Dennis Aghanya, charged that Mallam el-Rufai, “based on his alleged corrupt background and shoddy performance as FCT Minister just a few years ago, lacks the moral authority to advise Nigerians on who stands the chance of providing them with good things of life, as their President in 2011.”

The Statement added, ”In contrast, Buhari spent all his years as the Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Minister of Petroleum and the Chairman of the defunct Petroleum [Special] Trust Fund (PTF) without an iota of corruption charges against him during and after discharging his duties in these capacities”.

Stating further, “How can el-Rufai compare these sterling qualities of Buhari, to his own dirty past and corruption-ridden administration even as Minister of Federal Capital Territory [FCT]”.

Sources told RR El-Rufai camp fired back stating: “…he is boldly contesting the false charges which the Yar’Adua government filed against him in court. It is strange that a Buhari who protests when unproven claims of N2.5 billion (about US $3billion in those days!) missing oil funds are leveled against him can gleefully elevate similar claims into facts when it concerns another. How would Buhari feel if the corruption allegations made against him by Group Captain Usman Jibrin, then a board member of PTF, are today reported as if they were proven facts? So much for “corrupt background” and “shoddy performance”.

Curiously who this accusation and counter accusations play-out depends on which audience you’re addressing at given pointing time and space.

Read Full Text Buhari & El-Rufai’s Responses below:

Response to General Muhammadu Buhari and his Party by Nasir El Rufai – ‘Buhari should stick to facts’

The attention of Mallam Nassir El-Rufai has been drawn to statements from Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida purporting to be responses to the advice he gave both men to retire.

Since Babangida libelled whole generations of Nigerian youth as being unfit for leadership, age has become an issue in the coming elections. While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. That is all El-Rufai asked of these men who seem to think that their failure to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.

El-Rufai is amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts. Mallam El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT minister was a period of stellar performance in remaking our federal capital. Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerized land registry and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital. Buhari is perhaps one of a tiny few blinded by their prejudice from recognizing the quality of El Rufai’s service.

That same prejudice accounts for the baseless claims of corruption Buhari levels against El Rufai. The fact is that Mallam El-Rufai served Nigeria with integrity and has never been convicted of any corrupt act. He is boldly contesting the false charges which the Yar’Adua government filed against him in court. It is strange that a Buhari who protests when unproven claims of N2.5 billion (about US $3billion in those days!) missing oil funds are leveled against him can gleefully elevate similar claims into facts when it concerns another. How would Buhari feel if the corruption allegations made against him by Group Captain Usman Jibrin, then a board member of PTF, are today reported as if they were proven facts? So much for “corrupt background” and “shoddy performance”.

Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded. His insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known. In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal and not regular courts of law. Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials’ immunity even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance. These are facts of recent history.

The story of counter-trade and import licensing, the cornerstone of Buhari’s stone-age economic strategy and those whose interests it served, is a tale for another day.

Mallam El-Rufai respects both Generals Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen. He believes their age, experience and guidance may contribute to the success of any future government. El-Rufai however believes that it is time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude to move our nation forward. The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership. Buhari and his cohorts may wish to reflect that it will take more than attacks on personalities to become electable. Having seen his version of discipline, Nigerians are not likely to cherish an encore. But they will welcome an engagement with the issues and problems of everyday life that have hobbled the peoples of this land.

2011: Buhari To El-Rufai: “You Lack Character to Criticize Me”.

Former Head of State, General Mohammadu Buhari yesterday replied former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir el-Rufai, saying he lacks the integrity and moral pedestal to refer to him as an expired politician and should therefore quit the stage.

The Presidential aspirant faulted the position of el-Rufai over his age, pointing out that age was not part of the criteria for election and performance in office. He noted that given his alleged corrupt background; he (el Rufai) was not in a position to advise Nigerians on whom to choose to lead them in 2011.

The former minister was reported to have told two presidential aspirants, Generals Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida to quit the presidential race because they are expired having been in the system for so long adding that the world is tilting towards generational change in governance.

Buhari who spoke through the National Publicity Secretary of his party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Dennis Aghanya, charged that Mallam el-Rufai, “based on his alleged corrupt background and shoddy performance as FCT Minister just a few years ago, lacks the moral authority to advise Nigerians on who stands the chance of providing them with good things of life, as their President in 2011.”

Aghanya in a statement said the “remark by El Rufai has finally revealed his shallow grasp of global political history, and his complete ignorance of the issues at stake in the Nigerian polity. Whatever is his motivation for such bandy-legged pronouncement, we wish to remind him that there are some salient and undeniable points he needs to consider before raising his fingers in the direction of Buhari”.

It said el-Rufai should consider that age is not one of the criteria for governance, but integrity, accountability and a connection with the governed. These sterling qualities Buhari has, but which the former does not possess any. Buhari pointed out that el Rufai, who is currently embroiled in corruption charges leveled against him for his questionable administrative actions during his tenure as FCT minister was being misguided in his myopic view”.

The Statement added that ”In contrast, Buhari spent all his years as the Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Minister of Petroleum and the Chairman of the defunct Petroleum [Special] Trust Fund (PTF) without an iota of corruption charges against him during and after discharging his duties in these capacities.

This has nothing to do with age but character and a sense of patriotism in the discharge of one’s duty as an able public servant.

How can el-Rufai compare these sterling qualities of Buhari, to his own dirty past and corruption-ridden administration even as Minister of Federal Capital Territory [FCT] Abuja?

___________

By Davidson Iriekpen

18 Feb 2011
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CJN Justice Katsina-Alu



The trial of two persons, an Iranian, Azim Aghajani and a Nigerian, Alli Abass Jega, for illegal arms shipment from Iran to Nigeria continued Thursday with a shocking revelation that the Nigerian, Jega, had been arrested when he was a teenager for illegal possession of firearm.

The prosecution revealed that Jega was arrested 23 years ago by the police for illegal possession of locally made gun.

The evidence of the alleged offence was contained in a document dated October 27, 2010, which the prosecution tendered through its first witness, Mr. Charles Okpekor, and which it prayed the court to admit as an exhibit.

A serious legal battle ensued between the Prosecution, led by Mrs Olufemi Fatunde and Jega’s lawyer, Mr. Aliyu Yawuri, on the issue of admissibility of this document as an exhibit before the court.

While Mrs Fatunde maintained that Jega voluntarily made the confessional statement concerning his previous arrest for the possession of the firearms on October 27 last year and that the statement was therefore qualified to be admitted in evidence, Yawuri vehemently disagreed.

Yawuri, who did not deny the previous arrest of his client, said ‘My Lord, this kind of evidence is simply inadmissible. It is an evidence of bad character of the accused which has been rendered inadmissible by virtue Section 69 (1) of the Evidence Act.

“It is not competent of the prosecution to give evidence of past record of the accused since it does not relate to the present charge before the court. This does not even fall under the few exceptions allowed under Section 69 (2) where evidence of bad character may be given.

“I urge your Lordship to reject the evidence.” Fatunde, on her part, said ‘This evidence is admissible because it was voluntarily made by the accused person.

“The main issue to consider when considering the admissibility of confessional statement is its voluntariness. This document passed this test and ought to be admitted.

The judge reserved its ruling on the admissibility of the document till today. Meanwhile the Prosecution tendered seven other documents all of which were admitted in evidence yesterday.

Two of these documents are warrants of search employed on November,17, 2010 to search the office of Jega in Suite 6b Magnal Plaza, Abuja and his residence at Karu, Abuja.

Prosecution’s witness, Okpekor, who said he was part of the search team, added that a number of items were recovered during the searches, a list of which was endorsed at the back of the warrants.

The prosecution also led evidence to prove that Jega sent e-mail messages to Aghajani and a purported confessional statement of Jega in support of this was also tendered in court.

The accused, who were brought to court amid tight security, were first arraigned before Justice Okechukwu Okeke on a fresh three-count charge on February1, 2011.

The new charge which was filed by Fatunde, alleged that on July 17, 2010 the accused imported 13 container loads of firearms into Nigeria from Iran in contravention of the S1. (14) of the Firearms Act, Cap MI7 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

In the second count, the accused were alleged to have imported the said 13 containers loads of firearms into the country ‘without licence’ in contravention of Section 18 of the Firearms Act which is punishable under Section 27 of the same Act.

In the third count, the accused were said to have ‘recklessly made a false declaration’ that the 13 container loads of firearms they were importing into Nigeria were glass wool and pallets of stone in the original bill of lading documents for the purpose of Customs & Excise and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 161 of the Customs and Excise Management Act.

The Accused had pleaded ‘Not guilty’ to all the counts in the charge. The prosecution had also informed the court that it would call six witnesses to establish its case against the accused.

Tags: News, Nigeria

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Friday, 18 February 2011 00:00 Editor Business Services - Business News

.THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has observed that Nigeria has weathered the global economic recession and its own domestic banking crisis reasonably well.

This was stated by the Executive Board of the IMF in the Article IV consultation with Nigeria.

According to IMF, economic growth in the first half of 2010 remained above 7½ per cent and is expected to reach about 8½ per cent for the whole year on the back of a recovery in oil production and continued strong growth in other sectors.

However, inflation has been stuck in the low double digits for the past two years and foreign reserves have been falling as the Central Bank of Nigeria has focused on maintaining exchange rate stability and low interest rates, observed the financial institution.

Stating further, IMF observed that the fiscal stimulus intensified in 2010, notwithstanding the already solid growth performance and high inflation. After rising by 10 per cent in 2009, consolidated public spending increased by 37 per cent in 2010. The non-oil primary deficit has increased by five per centage points to 32 per cent of non-oil GDP.

Its words: “Despite world oil prices well in excess of the budget benchmark price, the government spent all current oil revenues and drew on savings in the Excess Crude Account, at a time when stabilisation called for a rebuilding of buffers. Despite high inflation, the CBN reduced the rate on its standing deposit facility.

“In response to pressure on the currency, the CBN sold reserves rather than raise interest rate or let the exchange rate depreciate. The CBN recently raised interest rates, but short-term real interest rates remain negative.

“The economic outlook remains positive and risks are generally balanced. Nigeria’s economy is projected to grow by seven per cent in 2011, moderating gradually in subsequent years. Inflation is projected to decline to nine per cent by the end of 2011.

“Near-term risks to growth mostly relate to domestic factors. On the upside, a shift in government spending towards capital formation and planned reforms in the power sector could boost growth, and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill could unlock additional investments in the oil sector. On the downside, there is a greater risk of lower rather than higher oil production.

“The inflation risk hinges crucially on the 2011 budget. The National Assembly could pass a more expansionary budget for 2011 than was submitted, undermining the CBN’s ability to deliver on inflation. Finally, speculation against the naira could become intense should reserves continue to fall.

However, the Executive Directors noted that Nigeria’s strong external position and low debt helped mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis, adding that a pro-cyclical fiscal stance and an accommodative monetary policy have resulted in high inflation and a loss in international reserves.

Directors supported the authorities’ planned fiscal consolidation to rebuild fiscal space and contain price pressures.

They welcomed efforts underway to strengthen nonoil revenues, as well as the draft budget for 2011, which aims to reverse the expansion in real public spending in 2010.



The directors also saw the need for a strong oil-revenue rule to prevent policy pro-cyclicality going forward. In this regard, they welcomed the authorities’ intention to establish sovereign wealth funds under the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to shield the budget from oil-revenue volatility and enhance the management of oil wealth.

However, noting that one of the NSIA funds would finance infrastructure projects, they encouraged the authorities to channel such expenditures through the budget in order to safeguard the stabilisation function of the NSIA and the quality of public investment.

Directors considered the central bank’s recent increase in policy rates appropriate.

Further monetary tightening may be needed should inflation pressures continue. Directors took note of the staff’s assessment of an overvaluation of the naira, and stressed that greater exchange rate flexibility would prevent one-way bets in the foreign exchange market and cushion external shocks.

They expressed concerns about potentially conflicting objectives of monetary policy and advised that the policy framework should focus more clearly on price stability. They generally agreed that moving gradually toward an inflation-targeting regime, once the necessary institutional underpinnings are in place, would help anchor inflation expectations.

The directors generally supported scaling back the central bank’s development finance initiatives as soon as feasible while protecting the central bank’s balance sheet and pursuing reforms to deepen capital markets.

They also commended the authorities for their actions to stabilise the financial sector. They welcomed the establishment of an asset management corporation to clean up bank balance sheets and encouraged the authorities to maintain full transparency in bank resolution

Like the ones that cost 50million in lagos per unit.remember when he said Tinubu and audu ogbe are criminals?now his dining with criminals and making promises.how many of the common man were present when he was making the promise while they were dining in abuja.Action Criminals of Nigeria