₦airaland Forum

How did I know you were going to come here to defend Ghana?

U sure u Nigerian when Ghana is mentioned    

Ileke-IdI:
Why do I think he's a Nigerian?

kweku - sounds like a distortion of Igbo name

Adoboli - Sounds like a distortion of Yoruba name.

Anywaz sha. . . . IF he's a Ghanaian, he's just sharing some of his Nigerian bro's free money

NDDC might be a detestable pyramid scheme, but let's not start calling the locals names.

It is the Federal Government that is depending on the locals, not the other way round. [size=14pt]You don't take resources from underneath people's feet, destroy their land and then call them lazy.[/size]

It is the Nigerian collective that is drunk on the oil of the Niger Delta.

NRI PRIEST:
And my question is,what has nddc achieved so far, u see, if u like give a million dolar to a bunch of illitrate,lazy and ogogoro drinking ppl.they will still be living in the same abject porverty they were found in after ten yrs.
The problem with that region in not the commision but the inabilities of the locals to change their mentality of dependence on government and succeed for themselves! Ekwusigom ka oram.

He didn't dissolve the organization, just the board, which is going to be replaced by a different set of pilfering morons.

alj_harem:
for dissolving the corrupt organisation where people like edwin clark have been stealing from

Seconded.

I am certainly not a fan of IBB or any of our previous misrulers - oh how I wish we could make them pay for their errors by overturning all their evil works - but. . .

. . .but before anyone begins to accuse IBB and/or Buhari or anyone else for that matter of high conspiracy & treasonable felony they had better check their facts 1000 times & then move with immediate effect and alacrity to clamp down on such perperators.

Meanwhile, useless and ember-fanning innuendos have no place in any effort to resolve Nigeria's many predicaments.

People, no matter how "big" their support for the president ought to stay away from pushing such rumours.

Gbawe:
They should simply arrest and prosecute this "Ex-head Of State". This sounds like an attempt to brow-beat folks into inaction than a genuine effort to bring offenders to justice. If several suspects have named this ex-head of state , then why has he not been picked up? Why warn him that you are on to him? Is that not the point of intelligence gathering i.e obtain information and use such information covertly to retain the element of surprise? Na wa for Nigeria OOO. Everything has to be upside down when our politicians play cat and mouse with each other.

Big B1:
Even if our heads are empty and lacking blood circulation, let us still try and use the our empty skulls well to the best of our ability.
First, What is there for IBB to gain to be involved in such a despicable act?
Second, If Jonathan does well as our president the better it is for IBB, who Jonathan has embraced publicly and even called "daddy"
And finally, IBB is too smart to get himself in any thing that will crumble this nation. As one of the most relevant and reliable statesmen, IBB wants nothing but the best for this great nation.
I'm sure that who ever this topic is referring to is absolutely not IBB.

May God bring peace to Nigeria and destroy all the enemies of progress

Kudos for what?

alj_harem:
give GEJ some credit for this

NDDC is a corrupt organisation use to steal oil wealth

Kudos GEJ and may God give u more wisdom to make the right decision

And the pyramid scheme called Nigeria matches on 

Senate Resumes, Says Constitutional, Electoral Act Amendment Are Priorities


We are all ears o.

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/news/28177-senate-resumes-says-constitutional-electoral-act-amendment-are-priorities

Written by Ayodele Adesanmi, Abuja
Wednesday, 14 September 2011

The Senate resumed from a six-week recess on Tuesday and said Constitutional  and  Electoral Act amendment were the main focus.

The senators were seen exchanging pleasantries and banter as early as 9.00a.m.  before the plenary.

While welcoming his colleagues,  the Senate President, David Mark, disclosed that  Constitutional and Electoral Act amendment were the top priorities.

He declared, “let me note that Constitutional amendment remains  one of the top priorities of the seventh Senate. Our success in the electoral reforms is now obvious and has been widely acknowledged after the 2011 general election. I congratulate members of the sixth National Assembly, once again, for breaking the jinx of constitutional amendment in Nigeria. The onus is, therefore, on us to build on this success. We shall endeavour to produce a workable constitution that will stand the test of time.

He added  that in the course of pursuing  the  legislative agenda, “we will most likely review the Electoral Act, 2010. Now that primaries and elections are over and the tribunals are addressing the aftermaths of the election in accordance with the Electoral Act, we should be able to draw from the lessons learnt and further amend the Act accordingly.

“Thus, while the 2010 Act laid the foundation for possibly the best election in our democratic history, it is still not perfect. In our quest to continue to improve our electoral process, we will work with the Independent National Electoral Commission, political parties and other stakeholders to revisit the 2010 Electoral Act, to address the issues arising from its operation ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in some states and the 2015 general election.”

David Mark, who read a  written speech, said Nigerians expected  the Senate to revisit some fundamental issues such as state creation, the local government system, devolution of powers, revenue allocation, state police, state INEC, uniform minimum wage, joint account and other contentious but important issues.

Seconded. God bless Dangote for this great example.

Just today I was wondering why the flood disasters in Nigeria has not attracted the kind of international attention Pakistan got last year or so. Or may be the scale of the Pakistan disaster was just too extra-ordinary. Pakistan seems to be in the eye of the flood - just saw news today of 200 dead in another flood there.

aloy/emeka:
God bless him.

Very juvenile and full of himself.

mikealz:
since Dangote is donating N60m to flood victims, in return, i will donate my picture by uploading it here, so that the female that were affected by the flood will look at it and it will bring them pleasure,

There is no rumination behind many of our "solutions" to problems.

Quote: “When the SIM card registration exercise began, we did not know that people will register hundreds of SIM cards and begin to sell them. When we discovered that about a month ago, we warned people against it in our jingles.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109110371615
By Everest Amaefule
Sunday, 11 Sep 2011

The arrest of five persons by security operatives for allegedly selling preregistered Subscriber Identification Module cards last week marked a new twist in the process of SIM card registration which has been praised by both critics and proponents.

A joint patrol of the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Police had on Wednesday arrested the five people for selling preregistered SIM cards to customers who did not want to go through the process of SIM card registration.

They were arrested in two popular places where telecommunications products and services are rendered in the Federal Capital Territory — the GSM Village and in front of the premises of a digital mobile operator.

Head of Media and Public Relations at the telecommunications regulatory agency, Mr. Reuben Muoka, told journalists that those arrested in the exercise would face the wrath of the law, adding that other parts of the country were also being monitored.

According to him, undercover security operators had investigated all the five culprits before they were arrested and taken into custody at the Metro Police Station in the Maitama area of Abuja.

One of the men arrested, Mr. Daniel Elom, claimed that he procured the SIM cards from a dealer who told him that the SIM cards were activated for Internet modems but not preregistered. According to him, he bought each of the SIM cards for N500 and sold each for N1000.

Muoka said it was unlawful for anyone to sell or buy new preregistered SIM cards, adding that any operator or dealer that was found culpable in the exercise would also be made to face the consequence of contravening NCC’s regulation on registration of SIM cards.

He said, “We have just accomplished a task by arresting five people involved in the sale of preregistered SIM cards. The offence carries a liability of imprisonment, fine or both.

“The individuals arrested were involved in the sale of preregistered SIM cards contrary to the regulation on SIM card registration which outlawed the sale of new SIM cards that have been preregistered.

“The implication is that armed robbers and kidnappers can buy these cards and use them because their identities are not there. We used undercover agents who had already bought SIM cards from those involved.

“When the SIM card registration exercise began, we did not know that people will register hundreds of SIM cards and begin to sell them. When we discovered that about a month ago, we warned people against it in our jingles.”

Mouka said the sale of preregistered SIM cards could derail the purpose of SIM card registration, adding that more arrests would be made across the country.

Experts are agreed on this. The Federal Government had embarked on the SIM card registration because of the increasing wave of crimes assisted by telecommunications as criminals hide in the anonymity of telephone access to commit crimes such as kidnapping and robbery.

The rationale is that if the owner of each SIM card in the country is known, it would be easy to trace any crime committed with the aid of a phone to a person.

It therefore stands to reason that if a good number of SIM cards that cannot be identified with the rightful owners and users are allowed to circulate in the country, the purpose of the registration could be jeopardised.

It is also apparent that those that are involved in registering and selling SIM cards do not understand the implication of such a business as crimes committed with the SIM cards can be traced to them.

There is fear, among some observers, that some unsuspecting poor people could have even been used to register such SIM cards in large quantities.

According to industry experts, there is a need for NCC and operators to step up the education of the populace.

Muoka said the regulatory agency had been doing its best in this regard. According to him, the agency has been leveraging the existence of its outreach programmes to create more awareness on the ongoing registration exercise.

The commission has in the past six years entrenched consumer focused outreach programmes such as the Consumer Parliament, the Consumer Outreach programme and Town Hall Meeting all of which provide avenue for subscribers to lay their complaints and concerns to the participating operators in the presence of the regulator.

In recent times, Muoka said, the commission had dedicated the outreach programmes on the ongoing SIM card registration programme to a good effect and officials said the outreach programmes have offered a good platform for full interactions with all the subscribers from various parts of the country to share relevant information on the SIM registration programme.

He said the Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Dr. Eugene Juwah, had directed that all such programmes be dedicated to SIM registration.

“The dedication of the commission in leveraging these outreach programmes underscores the importance attached to the exercise to ensure that all subscribers register their SIM cards for the security and other benefits to themselves and the nation,” he said.

Muoka said the interesting aspect of the outreach programmes in all parts of the country were the similarities in the types of experiences subscribers had especially as it relates to receiving text messages after registration, double registration, location of registration centres and extortion of money from subscribers.

He added that the forums provided opportunity for the agency to explain procedures to subscribers, for instance that those who purchase new SIM cards have no business with NCC appointed agents but must go to their operators who have the equipment to activate such SIM cards before they can enjoy their services.

On the other hand, those engaged in illegal preregistration of new SIM cards including buyers and operators alike, would be prosecuted as new SIM cards should be personally registered by the owners with the service providers before they are activated.

“In all, the commission has explained that SIM card registration is free and that all those collecting money on account of SIM registrations should be arrested when they are sited,” Muoka added.

In addition to whatever the agency has done, experts say now is the time for both operators and the regulatory agency to collaborate and stop every person bent on derailing the registration process through the sale of preregistered cards.

Cards that have also been pre-registered by wrong persons also need to be identified and destroyed because when they fall into the wrong hands, the consequence could mar the process on which tax payers’ N6.1bn has been invested.

I hope GEJ realizes the nature of Ghaddafi, especially after openly calling on him to leave his "throne". Ghaddafi is the kind of person that would send mercenaries to cause trouble for Nigeria. Nigeria has the most to lose from hundreds of his mercenaries left jobless, heavily armed and roaming our northern border. We can expect cross-border raids or coups or rebel movements in some of these countries in the no distant future.

Ghaddafi has said that he will attack supporters of the rebels in their own lands. Openly supporting the rebels as GEJ has security implications beyond the talk and he must rise up to it.

I was half-expecting this article to say that those Libyan forces were met by a battalion or two of heavily armed Nigeria soldiers and trailed by the airforce. I was hoping that GEJ & his security advisers took Nigeria seriously enough, but it turned out I am a dreamer.

Our nation is vulnerable on all sides, but not to worry the big men are safe in their ill-gotten positions and mansions 

In case the gravity of the below did not sink in, think about this: al qaeda probably has a better electronic database of its network than Nigeria of its police.

[size=24pt]Shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/size]

Here is another one - they want to fight terrorism, but don't even know who is in the police force:
“The Nigerian Police Force does not even have a database of its own members, let alone a sophisticated, networked, electronic criminal or watchlist database. Officials at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and police have admitted to INL Off that no criminal database in fact exists within the country.”

Well, we better end Nigeria then, so PDP can rule it in the grave.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110908324953
By Olusola Fabiyi and Ade Adesomoju
Thursday, 8 Sep 2011

Eleven years into the Peoples Democratic Party rule, its acting National Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, has said the party will continue to dominate the affairs of the country forever.

Baraje said it would be difficult to wrestle the control of the nation’s governance from the PDP’s grip because governors and lawmakers on the platform of the party were posting “satisfactory performances.”

Baraje said, “When we came on board on July 28, we promised that we were going to focus on some areas, which included the review of our constitution.

“We are reviewing with the aim of making the PDP stronger and making it the doyen of Nigerians. It has always been the doyen of majority of Nigerians in the past.

“We will continue to make it and it will continue to remain on top forever as the dominant political party in Nigeria.”

He spoke in Abuja on Wednesday during the inauguration of a committee saddled with the responsibility of reviewing the party’s constitution.

At the inception of democracy in 1999, the PDP produced the President in the person of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and won the governorship seats in 23 states. In both chambers of the National Assembly it also produced the majority of the lawmakers.

While it continued to produce the President in subsequent national elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011, the PDP lost some of the states under its control.

For instance, its candidates in Edo, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti states in the 2007 governorship polls were all removed by the Appeal Court on the grounds that their victories were undeserved. While the Labour Party chased away the PDP governor in Ondo, the Action Congress of Nigeria candidates took over in Ekiti, Osun and Edo.

In the 2011 race, the party also lost Ogun and Oyo states thus completing its annihilation in the South- West geo-political zone.

In the South-East, both Imo and Anambra that were under the PDP rule in 1999 had since fallen to All Progressives Grand Alliance.

The acting chairman of the PDP said the desire of the party to continue to dominate the political landscape of Nigeria was part of the reasons that its National Executive Committee agreed to the idea of reviewing the constitution of the party.

Baraje told the 23-member committee that the leadership of the party was not happy with lack of discipline among its members, adding that there was no way an association would grow when its members were not disciplined.

He therefore charged them to look critically into how the party could discipline its members “effectively as enshrined in our constitution.”

Other areas he charged the committee to look into included how the party’s flag bearers in elections would emerge, composition of the organs of the party and how to source for funding.

Baraje told the committee members that the leadership of the party was aware of the critical assignment before them and that that was why the members were carefully chosen in order to have representatives from all the segments of the party.

Responding on behalf of the members, the chairman of the committee, Chief Olusola Oke, promised that his members would do a thorough job.

Oke, who is also the National Legal Adviser of the party said, “We will deliver above the party’s expectations; we will handle the job with all the seriousness it deserves and we will abide by the terms of reference given to us by our party.”

Members of the committee include the governors of Delta and Niger states, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Babangida Aliyu respectively; the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu; two members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

The committee has 12 weeks within which to submit its report.

Reacting to the Baraje assertion late on Wednesday, spokesperson for the ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said there was no way anybody or any party can rule forever.

“If the PDP said it would rule forever it means Nigeria is doomed forever. If you watch what is happening in Libya, Tunisia and Egypt, You will know that there is no way anybody or any party can rule forever. The 12 years that PDP has ruled us, it has suffocated all Nigerians to the point of death,” Mohammed said on the telephone.

Also, Mr. Yinka Odumakin the spokesperson for the Gen. Mohammed Buhari, presidential candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, said PDP was deceiving itself.

“Let them continue to deceive themselves thinking that Nigeria would allow the PDP to continue to lead them,” he said. He also referred to the revolutions in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia as also possible in Nigeria.

Nigeria Offered Us, Others Full Access To Citizens’ Biometric Data – Wikileaks

As if we are not convinced that bad leadership will be the death of us all in Nigeria here are more reasons:

Our government offers foreign government full access to all our biometric data:
"The hidden chip embedded in the centre page of e-passports stores the holder’s digital photograph, name, gender, date of birth, nationality, passport number, and the passport expiry date. This data is the same data that appears on the data page of the passport. However, the chips also store biometric data like measurements of the holder’s face and the retina, which most countries do not share. "

But will not allow Nigerians to get access to even their own personal info:
“Theoretically individuals have the right to request access (or sue to get access) to sensitive data about themselves held by Nigerian government agencies, but in practice it is quite difficult. Often the government of Nigeria will determine that such information is a matter of national security, and the inquiry will then die. There are privacy laws on the books for protecting access to sensitive personal data which apply to all civil servants. In the future, access to the e-passport database should be easier.”

Here is another one - they want to fight terrorism, but don't even know who is in the police force:
“The Nigerian Police Force does not even have a database of its own members, let alone a sophisticated, networked, electronic criminal or watchlist database. Officials at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and police have admitted to INL Off that no criminal database in fact exists within the country.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109083262314
By Adelani Adepegba
Thursday, 8 Sep 2011

Some officials in the office of the National Security Adviser once offered the United States Government full access to the biometric information stored in the international passports of Nigerians.

The promise, according to a US government cable, released by whistleblower, Wikileaks, was made in 2007. The cable, Nigeria: Government practices – Info collection, Screening and Sharing, was prepared by the US embassy in Abuja that year, but released by Wikileaks Thursday last week.

It says, “Staff in the Office of the National Security Adviser have assured PolOff (political officer) that they intend to share the public key for reading biometric passport data with the USG and other governments.”

Introduced in July, 2007, the ECOWAS e-passport has a chip that stores biometric data in the form of fingerprints and digital photographs embedded electronically.

The practice, a research done by our correspondent, is for countries to exchange public keys that would allow border officials in foreign countries to read a ‘biometric signature’ to ascertain the authenticity of passports.

The hidden chip embedded in the centre page of e-passports stores the holder’s digital photograph, name, gender, date of birth, nationality, passport number, and the passport expiry date. This data is the same data that appears on the data page of the passport. However, the chips also store biometric data like measurements of the holder’s face and the retina, which most countries do not share.

The website of the Canadian passport issuing authority, for example, assures the citizens of that country that no personal data on passports will be submitted to foreign governments.

The website says, “The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has created a system to facilitate this information exchange. Called the ICAO Public Key Directory (PKD), it is a repository where participating countries, like Canada, deposit the data other countries need to ensure ePassports are authentic.

“The ICAO PKD does not contain any personal information about any passport holder. It only contains information to confirm that the ePassport has been issued by a bona fide authority and that it has not been tampered with.”

An information booklet prepared by the German government for its citizens also assures that foreign border officials would have limited access to their information.

“To read the fingerprints, foreign countries need an express authorization. Germany will decide for each individual country which ones should be authorized to read fingerprints from German passports,” it says.

The US cable gives the impression that what the staff in the NSA office promised was an unrestricted access to the biometric data of all passport-holding Nigerians. The cable says though Nigerian passport holders have a right to their biometric information, they are often not able to do so.

It says, “Theoretically individuals have the right to request access (or sue to get access) to sensitive data about themselves held by Nigerian government agencies, but in practice it is quite difficult. Often the government of Nigeria will determine that such information is a matter of national security, and the inquiry will then die. There are privacy laws on the books for protecting access to sensitive personal data which apply to all civil servants. In the future, access to the e-passport database should be easier.”

The cable also says that the Nigeria Police Force has no database on its officers and men, let alone criminals.

It says, “The Nigerian Police Force does not even have a database of its own members, let alone a sophisticated, networked, electronic criminal or watchlist database. Officials at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and police have admitted to INL Off that no criminal database in fact exists within the country.”

The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Immigration Services, Joachim Olumba, confirmed the development, saying the measure had been in force since the introduction of the e-passport.

“Since Nigeria is an ICAO country, the biometric data of all passport is accessive by every ICAO country and that is why the US has confidence in our e-passport because it is ICAO compliant,” Olumba said.

The British and Spanish are not yardsticks for defining what is terrorism - and frankly what you are referring to was before MEND crossed the dividing line from legitimate rebellion to acts of terrorism. Nobody referred to ND militants violence as acts of terrorism until they crossed that line - so you have to face reality here.

I hope you are not suggesting that everything the ND militants did in the cause of their struggle, even the planting & explosion of bombs on innocent civilians, is okay.

Your references to violence involving OPC as acts of terrorism is obviously untenable. Terrorism is defined in one of my previous messages. It gives you a good guideline between acts of terrorism and other acts of violence. Of course, I'll prefer not to have any kind of acts of violence, but this is a babaric world we live in.

Beaf:
The bolded explains it all. There is absolutely no reason for double standards when it comes to name-calling and labelling.

. . .Except that both the British and the Spanish have glaringly failed to label ND militants as terrorists like you have. That shows a lot about what Nigerians think of each other simply because they belong in different ethnic groups.

I find it difficult to understand your claims of mildness are concerning OPC. That group has taken more Nigerian lives than any other, and their battles are usually against other ethnic groups whom they have slaughtered; from the Hausa's in Ketu to Ijaws in Ajegunle etc etc. So get out your paint brush and tar them as well to ensure that your claims don't sound sectional.

Perhaps you are thinking that I see the ND struggle as terrorism. Nothing can be farther from the truth, and I thought that was clear from my replies.

ND militants have a legitimate basis for their rebellion, however many of their acts increasingly crossed into terrorism territory.

OPC does not even come close to being a rebel organization and even referring to OPC as militant is a little bit of an exagerration - the capability to quickly become militant is there however, and frankly the way Nigeria is going I hope they get ready. However, that is not an endorsement of any acts of terrorism - which is something that so far cannot be identified with OPC.

Although it is common to label some groups terrorists - only a few such groups actually claim to be terrorists. As such, it is not the organization or the struggle per se that makes a terrorist, but the act of terrorism.

The direction the ND militants were going can be compared to the Basque separatists of Spain or the IRA in Northern Ireland.

Beaf:
Something told me you wouldn't see them in the same light as you see other groups. I do not call them terrorists, but by your definition, you should.
What is the difference between the ND militants and OPC? Both have guns and both have used them in situations where lives were lost. So how come OPC isn't terrorist to you? Doesn't OPC create fear?

This is a reason why there will never be a solution to Nigeria's problems - the West, East, North & South will each call the same problem different names depending on which side they belong. When MEND blows up pipelines in protest that may be condoned as acts of rebellion, but when they start planting car boms that can and has killed innocent civilians that is an act of terrorism.

If you don't see how struggles, rebellions or even wars can diverge from their underlying legitimate basis into terrorism that is your problem. The fact is that MEND crossed the threshold many times, including the Abuja bombing - an act that is obviously making it difficult for GEJ to treat BH as they deserve.

What terrorism is: “Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror), are perpetrated for a religious, political or ideological goal, and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians). Some definitions now exclude acts of state terrorism and some also include acts of unlawful violence and war. The use of similar tactics by criminal organizations for protection rackets or to enforce a code of silence is usually not labeled terrorism though these same actions may be labeled terrorism when done by a politically motivated group.”

And yes, government can visit terrorism on citizens and are probably the biggest cuprits across the world.

This must be clear in the mind of anyone seeking a solution to such acts - something to be clearly abhored and adequate solutions fitting the source of the problem implemented without delay.

Beaf:
^
Like I said, it is only the evil in the average Nigerian that can cause a person to mention the Niger Delta struggle and boko haram in one breath. It is extremely insulting. The Nigerian govt itself has never ever used the term, terrorism to describe the ND struggle, those horrible words tumble out of the mouths of the uncaring instead.

When our peaceful representatives were being killed like dogs on the orders of Shell, I'm sure it all looked nice and sweet. Again, it is foreigners that see the truth about Nigeria and speak it in unwavering terms. Most Nigerians just tell convenient lies that make blood cheap.

Would you please point me to the terrorist acts committed by OPC?

Beaf:
I'm sure if we were discussing OPC and the June 12 struggle you wouldn't use the word, terrorism. Ask yourself why.

Although I understand where you are coming from these acts all involve the use of terror, and thus terrorism. Reasons behind such acts may all be mixed up with legitimate demands, but in the end the use of terror is terrorism.

What are you going to call the 50th Anniversary bombing of Abuja - terrorism certainly. You may argue that it wasn't carried out by MEND, but what about the bombing of the governors' meeting and the bombing of GEJ's house, etc? Terrorism pure and simple.

I will always support the fundamental rights behind the MEND struggle, but the use of terrorist means is a big no-no - particularly when you stop bombing pipelines and start planting bombs against civilians, kidnapping and the like. Legitimate-turned-terrorist is the way I characterize what happened in the Niger Delta.

A government that would address all the issues behind such acts cannot but see them for what they are - terrorism.

Now, those eventual terrorist acts in the ND were founded on legitimate demands and can thus be resolved once the wrongs are righted.

BH terrorism has no legitimate reason at its foundation, as such the approach to dealing with it must be different.

Rebel movements and warring parties always distinguish between legitimate acts of war and terror, but once the line is crossed the involved party becomes guilty of terrorism.

Beaf:
It is extremely foolish and wicked to call the militancy in the ND terrorism. We can only trust fellow Nigerians to do such when the likes of the US, the UK, France, Germany etc have staunchly refused to do so. Rather, during the insurgency, Hilary Clinton made the loud claim that the Niger Delta was like occupied territory, a people kept in bondage by the rest of Nigeria.

Nigerians hate each other, so we do not think deeply before making very odd and careless statements.

Quote: “This process of “bunkering” is what has given the business of oil-theft in Nigeria its common name. Aerial and satellite photography confirm the loading of hundreds of barges with oil each day. The barge cargoes transfer to smaller tankers, many of which foreigners operate under false names and registrations. U.S., U.K., and Lebanese citizens participate in this trade.”

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110907520215

By Our correspondent
Wednesday, 7 Sep 2011

New United States Government cables published by whistleblower, WikiLeaks, have identified a former first lady (names withheld), unnamed highly placed Nigerians, senior military officers, Lebanese, Iranian, British and American businessmen as oil thieves. The cables claim that they all played active roles in the illegal bunkering business in the Niger Delta.

The cables also put the huge loss that the country sustained from illegal bunkering at about 91million barrels of oil per annum.

The three cables containing the revelations were written by US diplomats in Abuja and Lagos and sent to their home governments between November 2004 and November 2009.

The first cable is titled, “Niger Delta: Guns and thugs rule the land”, the second, “Captain Crusader versus bunkering bandits”; and the third, “The fundamentals of illegal oil bunkering in Nigeria.”

The cables detail the security, political, and humanitarian situation in the Niger Delta based on field visits by US political and economic officers and the interviews they conducted with military officers and key players in the illegal business.

One of the cables says, “Illegal oil bunkering runs rampant in the region. Mission reporting has linked shady oil deals to XYZ (a former first lady). Ijaw and Itsekiri youths and elders accuse unnamed high-ranking politicians in Abuja. Unconfirmed reports claim that Lebanese nationals possibly funding the terrorist groups Hamas and Hizbollah, the Russian Mafia, and drug cartels are (also) involved.”

In another cable, a senior military officer who spoke to the Americans likened illegal oil bunkering in Nigeria to the drug trade in Colombia.

While describing how illegal bunkerers operate, one of the cables says, “A tanker (mother ship) anchors approximately 50 miles offshore during daylight to avoid being spotted by Navy coastal patrols. Arrangements are made for villagers to tap into the Delta’s vast network of pipelines, usually in the swamps, and fill small oil barges. At nightfall the mother ship moves closer to shore, where the barges are pulled alongside and the crude is transferred, allowing the tanker to slip away without detection.

“This process of “bunkering” is what has given the business of oil-theft in Nigeria its common name. Aerial and satellite photography confirm the loading of hundreds of barges with oil each day. The barge cargoes transfer to smaller tankers, many of which foreigners operate under false names and registrations. U.S., U.K., and Lebanese citizens participate in this trade.”

One of the key players in the region who also spoke to the Americans said that “powerful men from Abuja” hired locals who worked with oil company employees, security forces and militants to carry out the illegal trade.

According to the cable, “Higher ranking military officers or civilian leaders protected barges of illegal oil against attacks by militants before the amnesty by “settling” (paying) the militants in advance. Operators of tankers and tanker terminals, including employees of major international oil companies and local contractors, allegedly colluded in many illegal transactions.”

The cables claim that Nigeria loses billions per year to oil theft, lamenting that individuals benefitting from the sale of stolen oil do not re-invest in oil exploration or production.

One says, “While some of the revenues may filter down to inhabitants by way of pay-offs, the bulk of earnings are diverted outside the country into the international bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

“Oil theft siphons off the “life-blood” of the Nigerian economy for private gain before taxation or crediting to the national account. Various experts have estimated the volume of oil theft at between 100,000 and 250,000 barrels per day or as much as 91 million barrels per year. This amounts to billions of dollars in lost revenue for the Nigerian treasury every year, regardless of the price of oil on any given day. (NB: At current oil prices the annual revenue loss is between $2.9 and $7.3 billion. END NOTE.)”zzzzzzz

The diplomats who filed the cables wrote that though government officials had repeatedly requested U.S. assistance to prevent bunkering, it was a problem that Nigeria could and should solve.

“The reality, however, is that most oil bunkering is not a global phenomenon readily susceptible to international deterrence, but a largely Nigerian development that requires domestic resolution. No other, major oil-producing country, to our knowledge, loses as much revenue from illicit oil bunkering as Nigeria, largely because the political elite, militants, and communities profit from such operations. Tackling this problem will require resolute political will from many sectors of Nigerian society.”

As always this obviously makes them feel like they are doing something useful, but the fact is that Nigeria is still in denial. Nothing short of fundamental changes to the structure and operation of this mess called Nigeria is going to solve our problems.

Quote: "National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi, who briefed the meeting said that the issue of terrorism has not been brought under control because Nigeria was not prepared until now to tackle the menace of terrorism at the current level as[b] it was alien to the country[/b]."

Terrorism was alien to the country until now? What were all those BH attacks up north, Jos Inferno, ND militants? Thoughtful leaders would have known that the U.N. kind is what you prevent, not what you wait for to start singing about the "menace of terrorism".

Nothing will be achieved by assembling the same eggheads that have run down the country for a useless "peacock show" of feathers.

http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=60276:council-of-state-okays-rejig-of-security-system-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 00:00 From Madu Onuorah, Abuja News

AN overhaul of  Nigeria’s security architecture was approved yesterday by the National Council of State in an emergency meeting in Abuja.

The nation’s top advisory body indeed put the issue of security on the front burner. National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Andrew Azazi, who briefed the meeting said that the issue of terrorism has not been brought under control because Nigeria was not prepared until now to tackle the menace of terrorism at the current level as it was alien to the country.

The National Council of State consists of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Federation, former Presidents and Heads of State and governors of the 36 states. Yesterday’s meeting, presided by President Goodluck Jonathan, was attended by former Presidents Shehu Shagari and Olusegun Obasanjo; former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and most governors of the states.

Azazi, who briefed journalists along with the Governors of Benue (Gabriel Suswan), Cross Rier (Liyel Imoke) and Jigawa (Suleija Lamido) said that “I was asked to brief the Council on security issues across the country. We reviewed what we believe was the true situation. There are security issues all over, problems in the Niger Delta, crisis in Jos, kidnapping in parts of the country. But I think the focus was on what was considered topical at this point, the issue of explosives everywhere especially Police headquarters, UN building. And although there are claims as to who was responsible, the important thing is that we as a nation should realise that we are facing challenges that are relatively new to us. It has happened in different parts of the world but today it is happening in Nigeria. And we must resolve as a nation to solve these problems.

“There is a lot of sensation in the media as to what has been happening, people arrested, people not arrested, people who died and all that. The Police at some point will reveal names of  those who died, people arrested and as suspects are taken to court, you will get to know who is being prosecuted. But we don’t want to make the nation feel so unsafe. These problems of religious sect and all that could have started maybe over 15 years ago and they have escalated up to this point. The problem is that we were not, as a nation, prepared this new level of terrorism. The buildings we have, the public facilities we have, were not prepared for that. So, when these things happen there is a lot of devastation. All over the world especially after 9/11 and the July bombings in London, public facilities have been improved to give restricted access but we have not had that.

“To solve crime sometimes you need a national identity database. We are trying to put that together. We are talking of putting a strategy on protection of critical national infrastructure, what do we do, what guidelines do we give to the nation on what to do about them? We are talking of public enlightenment, is it possible to enlighten the Nigerian public to make them more aware of the challenges. The security challenges are here to stay but we don’t think they will go away over night, the more the public is aware of their responsibilities the better they partner the security services. If we are more aware you could pass the information to them, but the security services themselves must also improve. If you have not had a problem, it is difficult to find a solution over night. Even our attitude towards the public performance of our routine duties to all the security services, not just one security service, it could be the police, the SSS, the armed forces required an urgent review. We are discussing seriously how we want to meet the aspirations of the Nigerian public and to assure them of their safety. But we all know that at some point, it is always very difficult when you face these terrorists activities. But at least we want to make sure that the security services provide enough information from which you can produce intelligence; and to be more proactive. And once you are more proactive, you can do a lot to stem the tide.

“Today, as we see, a lot of work is being done by security services but when investigations are not complete it may not be the proper thing to expose the level of investigations to the media. But from time to time, we have tried to engage with the media either from the services themselves or myself, not necessarily publicly, but I have talked to the media persons at different levels. I have engaged the nation on security on radio talk shows to give the public certain level of confidence. A lot of issues were resolved but security is continous, you don’t take all the measures one day but the need is to create awareness even in the states, that even at their level they have to take measures to improve public safety all around the country. Generally, these were the issues that were addressed.”

Asked to state the specific issues towards tackling terrorism, Azazi said that “we recognize the need to rejig the security architecture, what are the steps to be put in place to make sure that the security services are more effective. We agreed on the use of technology and you don’t acquire those things overnight. Issues like registration of sim card are properly effected. We talked about border control, how to help the immigration to make sure that there is proper border control, we talked of security in maritime environment. Those issues were addressed. But the critical thing is to keep everybody abreast that there are challenges and everybody must stand up to face the challenges together as a nation.”

He confirmed that on the Suleja bombing at the INEC office, “everybody who was involved has been arrested. By the time you see them being prosecuted, you will see that there  is no deliberate attempt by the government not to prosecute those behind the insecurity in the country. Everybody is concerned. I can assure you that we have made arrests and we will let you know in due time.”

On the escalating crisis in Jos, Azazi said he has been directed by President Jonathan to prepare all the facts “so that we can make a decision on what to do.”

Governor Suswam had earlier said that besides security, the Council deliberated on the award of national honours, appointment of the chairman and commissioners for the National Population Commission (NPC) and the reconstitution of the prerogative of mercy by the President.

Boko Haram: Sss, Northern Leaders’ Deal Exposed 

The SSS hinted they were "going" to do this with BH suspects after the police HQ bombing, we didn't know this was already an ongoing process.

For some reason Nigerian officials feel they have "special" solutions to Nigeria's problems, when in actual fact a blind-from-birth person does not need help to see the complete failure of their "efforts" decades on.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109062211993

Tuesday, 6 Sep 2011   

A United States Government cable released by Wikileaks has exposed a deal that helped terrorism suspects of Northern origin to escape trial and prison after arrest.

The cable with reference id: #08ABUJA538 was sent to the US State Department by a former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Robin Rene Sanders, on March 20, 2008.

The cable reveals that the State Security Service and the Northern traditional system reached an understanding for the secretive release and non-trial of terrorism suspects from the region. The deal provided that terrorism suspects from the region would be released to a carefully selected group of traditional rulers and Imams shortly after their arrest.

Our correspondent reports that nearly all of the terrorism suspects arrested in the North belong to the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Sanders wrote that that the deal was part of a SSS program called “Perception Management,” which aimed to reform terrorism suspects and promote the notion that religious extremists in the region had no foreign affiliations. Among other conditions, terrorism suspects who benefitted from the programme agreed to submit to routine monitoring by the SSS, report regularly to the SSS and abandon extremism.

The cable says the SSS programme was “aimed at de-radicalising and reforming Muslims, who have espoused or otherwise participated in extremist-precipitate-terrorist activities. Under this plan, individuals are released from police or SSS custody and entrusted to “sureties,” most of whom are imams or respected traditional leaders in the North.

“In late January, the Sultan of Sokoto (Nigeria’s preeminent traditional ruler and communal leader of Nigeria’s 70 million Muslims) told PolOff (political officer) (that) the Sultanate in concert with the 13 emirates of the North is “quietly” working to leverage influence on the region’s Islamic leadership to combat rising extremism and radicalisation of Muslim youth.

“A member of the Sultan’s inner circle told PolOff the SSS Director (General) reportedly gave the Sultan his assurance that the SSS would not legally pursue the suspects if the North agreed to take custody of them and “reform their ways.”

The cable says that in some cases suspects were released despite been caught with explosives, arms and ammunition, or linked to the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. It says 12 suspects arrested and detained by the SSS in October 2007 for allegedly plotting terrorist attacks were released at different times in January and February 2008. Another US government cable says some of the suspects were later implicated in bombings and attacks claimed by Boko Haram.

The cable says despite what an SSS agent described to an American official as “overwhelming” and “undeniable” evidence, at least one suspect arraigned in court was cleverly left off by the SSS who did not provide evidence that could nail him.

The SSS, according to the former US ambassador, claimed the suspect’s release was facilitated because his health had failed. But Sanders countered that the suspect “did not appear to PolOff in ill health, but rather in good spirits and fully coherent.” The cable claims that the SSS went to a great length to ensure that terrorism suspects from the North did not end up in jail. Some of the desperate actions taken by the SSS included persuading Imams to take the suspects under their wings.

The cable says, “The PolOff (political officer) spoke January 21, and again March 16, with Kaduna- and Kano-based imams, who had been contacted by the SSS and entreated to serve as “sureties” for the 12 individuals noted above.”

However, Sanders noted that while the SSS pushed on with the plan, some of the imams “contended that the so-called de-radicalisation efforts of the SSS were not only ill-conceived, but also ineffective, counter-productive, and unimpressive.”

The cable claimed that Nigerian leaders and the Northern establishment in particular didn’t want terrorism to be associated with the country or the region.

“The release of the 12 individuals suspected of AQIM links and to planning terrorist attacks in Nigeria may be connected to overtures made by the SSS to northern traditional and Islamic leaders. While several imams have been reticent to concede that extremism (or terrorism) may obtain in the North, several others have told PolOff that they (and not the Government of Nigeria) are far more capable of dealing with extremism, contending that the matter must be dealt with internally, given local sensitivities and customs.

“In addition, the Sultan’s many public statements, remarking that al-Qaeda and terrorists do not exist in the North, may concern the North’s desire to protect its image. In any case, the Sultan has no special access to information to determine if terrorists indeed have inflitrated the country or not, or whether individuals are being actively recruited for terrorist activities. All the while, it remains important to note that while terrorism represents a salient issue for the USG, neither the GON nor the Islamic leaders we have talked with necessarily give it as much prominence as we would like or expect.”

You are a lost cause, always twisting and turning when your claims fall flat.

Now it is a stream, but if it had flooded over and caused massive loss of property as in previous years it would be an "ocean" to you naysayers, which Aregbe should have cleared. If you bothered to read full story the contract behind the initial work was to implement a drainage system for Osogbo.

U always do and then turn around to accuse others of doing the things. You complain that this story about Aregbe's plan for an Osun State drainage system has nothing to do with a story about flooding in Osun, yet you are the one who came on here with talk of how he didn't choose commissioners on time and other such nonsense. Seems you should have asked yourself what these had to do with the story before putting out such missive.

If it appears to you that the story is a stretch it is because of loudmouth, do-nothing representatives of PDP like you. You have made objective commentary on newspieces precarious because you are dishonest observers. As such, what you get are people preempting you and trumpeting their achievements so that good is not made into bad for them. You & your PDP ilks are race-to-the-bottomers.

"Ko se ko je ko lu r'ese o se" people.

Beaf:
What has Beaf got to do with your weak story? Dude, its best you learn to tackle issues, I am not the OP.
I'm not sure if you are taking to clowning or something with the rest of what you wrote tho, cos I don't see how clearing a mere stream in a single town, Oshogbo amounts to saving the whole of Osun state from floods.

. . .Anyways, its obviously the season for bizarre and absurd claims. Ride on, sir! Operation "streeeetch the mind!" Nutin do you!

The point is not that anybody can absolutely prevent flooding or destruction by hurricane, but a government that does what is required to minimize and possibly prevent such destruction deserves praise.

We were all here on NL when people, including the do-nothing loudmouths that call themselves PDP, were lambasting Fashola over inadequate and blocked drainage network for Lagos - as if he has the funds to do all that.

The fact is that based on past experience in Osogbo Aregbesola specifically made sure that those rivers that tend to overflow during heavy rains were immediately cleared as the start of the first phase of a comprehensive drainage system for the state capital. This deserves praise in my opinion.

The problem with Nigerians is being quick to lambast people that fail to do their jobs or act corruptly and so on, but failing that recognizing merit and responsible action with deserved praise is just as important.

I would rather over-praise a Nigerian govt. official that does one thing right, as long as he realizes that equal negative appraisal awaits if he/she is found to be irresponsible with his duties or act corruptly and so on. We are never going to change or kick out the do-no-gooders that mostly make up our leadership class if we don't let them know that when and if they show us real effort we will equal be full of praise.

kosoro:
you read my mind. Lousy propaganda.

moremi2008:
Pure foolishness! What specifically did he do to prevent flooding? It's like governor of Texas claiming that Dallas was not destroyed by Hurricane Irene because he took precautions. Errant nonsense.

gfus:
Really?  www.livenigeriapost.com/2011/09/01/gov-aregbesola-prevented-flood-disaster-in-osun-acn/

@Beaf & his lies

The below was in Osun State news on July 6 2011, and Aregbesola specifically pointed to the flood that devastated Osogbo the previous year. In another newspiece he also promised to extend this program to other Osun State cities as soon as funds permit.

Instead of using your internet skills to search the freely available information in the world to help GEJ tackle the multifaceted problems besetting Nigeria you are here distracting and telling stories about a man with zeal for the welfare of his people. You disappoint no be small.

Go here to educate yourself on actions Aregbesola has  being taking to better Osun State even with very limited resources: http://www.osunstate.gov.ng/view-all-news.html?start=40

Aregbesola deploys swamp bogey to tackle Osogbo flood http://www.osundefender.org/?p=17917
[size=14pt]The phase One of Osogbo Township Drainage scheme entered another phase on Monday as a large Swamp Bogey swung into action to clear refuse and debris from Korokoro stream which had been over-flooding and causing loss of lives and damages to property in the Osun State capital.[/size]

The project which attracted large crowd of residents of Osogbo, the state capital took off under the watchful eyes of the state Deputy Governor, Otunba Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori and the state Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Prince Adegboyega Famoodun.

Governor Aregbesola had last week approved the release of N187.5 million to Messrs Accord Engineering to carry out the phase one of the project within 16 weeks.

It would be recalled that exactly one year ago, many people were swept away by the flood in Osogbo after heavy downpour which lasted several hours.

This article is a lot of hogwash. Why is the Tribune engaging in hearsay and mental gymnastics. Look at the below:

Quote: "A source also confirmed that the international intelligence networks, including the  Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Israel’s MOSSAD, the Mi5 in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Russian KGB were already in the full picture of the security grand plan."

If that is not a load of dudu I don't know what is. Sounds like an old wife's tale. A "security grand plan" involving the CIA, MOSSAD, Mi5 and KGB - all agencies that are closed to each other and often competing in the field? It is only in the made-up world of Nigerian journalists that these agencies are working together to develop a "security grand plan" to help Nigeria.

It is either a masterplan or grand plan with Nigeria and 50 years on the country is going from bad to worse. Somebody had better sit their bottom down and start doing real work of governance.

If what you are suggesting is the case then, while not easy, it is imperative that the president decide on what must be done and get to it quickly. These people are sending a message that I hope the president is listening to.

They threatened the U.N., it was reported to the government and yet BH got its way. Note that the same group has said they have Aso Rock in their sights - I doubt if they are refering to the physical Aso Rock.

If our security agencies are infected by BH nothing short of a coup-against-own-government is going to save Nigeria from this oncoming train of disaster. It really seems to me that these people have decided they want to leave the shell called Nigeria. Better to say bye to them on our own terms rather than theirs.

There is fire on the mountain.

Beaf:
The bolded shows you already know the answer that boko haram is made up of our intelligence, army and police officers with a certain ethnic and religious persuasion. So why are you asking strange questions?

To the observant, boko haram is as pervasive as, and almost the same as whole sections of the security agencies. Some pretend it is an easy fight on NL in order to score cheap political points.

Dude, Nigeria is at war. Again, it is for the observant to decipher what the weapons and battlefronts are.

Nigeria as currently constituted is a shell, it has no substance from head to toe.

You mention the fact that our security services "did nothing to liase with Western intelligence". In what language are they going to be communicating - and I am not talking about inability to speak English. Think of what you suggested as a 1980s Atari computer trying to link up with an iPAD in 2011.

What our security agencies know is to carry their guns, look on the pages of newspapers, use whatever sophisticated equipments they purchase on the international market to spy on enemies of the "government" and trail people that are of zero potential danger to national security because they "publicly" said a word or two against the people "above".

kulutempa:
My only surprise is that although our security services knew about this dangerous development, they did nothing to  liase with Western intelligence agencies and track this dangerous link between Boko Haram and Al Queda.  I am also surprised that those responsible for this oversight have not yet been given the boot by our President.   Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like things are going to get much worse before they get better. If at all they get better.

The West warned on the threat of Boko Haram after the police HQ bombings - very seriously. Nothing happened to the head of police who embarked on a trip to the U.S. right after that event. GEJ set up a group that was at first going to negotiate with BH, then was only going to find out the truth about BH, then . . .BH bombed the U.N. HQ.

Commissions upon commission after every round of violence is all we know. This may "work" for a nation of bufoons, but not for more reasonable nations.

Nigeria has become a high security risk in the comity of nations.

This unitary journey that started in 1966 must end - the only option we have now is how. A terrible crash or orderly disembarkment. We need to know who is with al qaeda and who is not.

http://www.businessdayonline.com/NG/index.php/news/76-hot-topic/26647-un-underestimated-security-threat-in-nigeria-says-security-chief-
Tuesday, 30 August 2011 18:13 AMETO AKPE, ABUJA . .The United Nations (UN) has revealed that it clearly underestimated the security threats in the country, noting that, overall, the Nigerian government is responsible for providing security to the agency.

UN undersecretary general for security affairs, Gregory Starr, made this known to journalists at a press briefing Thursday in Abuja, saying that the agency had formerly classified Nigeria as “a low to medium threat situation”.

He however insisted that the organisation had reinforced whatever security system provided by the authorities with internal measures.

Starr said, “We looked at this country and we believed that it was a low to medium threat situation; this is not the type of country where we expected this type of attack. Nevertheless, the installation where the United Nations was, was quite well protected. We think that the security measures that we took in spite of this horrendous attack saved a tremendous amount of lives. Overall, the security situation we thought was low to medium proved to be incorrect. We need to take further measures in the future.”

The Nigerian government is said to be fully in charge of the investigation being conducted into the attack with the help of the FBI which is in the country on the invitation of the authorities.

Starr stated that attempts were currently being made to recover images from CCTV cameras on and around the premises, though he noted that the servers for the devices were close to the blast.

The AU came too late to the table in my opinion. They should have covered Khaddafi's mouth so he didn't promise to go from house to house to destroy the rebels. It was that statement that gave NATO visions of Kosovo, Rwanda & Darfur all rolled into one - plus, admittedly, the "little" matter of Libyan oil flow. So yes, one might complain about the excesses of the rebels, but the alternative under Khaddafi would have been much worse. The one who caused it all was the ruler who thought that 42 years of rule was not enough.

Let them declare sharia law - we have seen how that is working out in nations & subnations (aka Nigeria's Zamfara state et al) that have abandoned common sense fitting of the 21st century.

All these re-colonize Africa theories are not really necessary, thanks to our puppet, incompetent and non-people serving crop of African leaders. The West does not need a single army to take the rest of what they don't already control on the continent. All they have to do is open swiss accounts for the AU HOS. Their opposition to Khaddafi's removal is not because of love for Africa, but because they are basically in the same shoes - corrupt & sit-tight. If the West is bringing armies to Africa it is only because al-qaeda is finding our continent easy target and al-qaeda represents a real threat.

cap28:
On this occassion i back the AU's stance - they are right in their refusal to recognise a murderous gang who i hear are getting ready to institute sharia law in libya. All throughout the conflict in libya the AU have appealed to america and the EU to stop the bombing and allow a peaceful resolution but NATO were not interested in this becuase their aim was to foment total chaos in libya, well since you say it serves gaddafi right, hope you are bracing yourself for africom becuase it is headed towards nigeria. if you think NATO's expansionist plans will just stop in libya you have another think coming. Africom which is the military wing of the pentagon is now moving foward with their earlier plan to militarise and recolonise the entire continent, the next targeted countries are eritrea, zimbabwe and sudan, nigeria and angola are targets also because of the oil reserves which america seeks to "secure" out of the reach of the chinese (just like they've done with libya)

NATO's long term plan for africa is to set up military bases all over it destabilise it by using the divide and rule tactics which are currently being used in nigeria by way of boko haram and thereby plunge the entire continent into a state of permanent chaos which will leave it weak and ineffectual.

hope you're looking forward to all of that.

You indeed have a point about the treatment of African leaders. The problem is that most of them deserve very little respect. The amount of respect they deserve is the same as they give to their people  - close to zero in my estimation.

cap28:
At least we still have some politicians in nigeria who can still think straight
When you look at the way that america treats african leaders you can see that they have no iota of respect for our continent, think about it, a criminal gang who have been helped into office by an equally criminal gang of terrorists are now making veiled threats to the remaining african countries that have refused to accept the criminal TNC, a criminal gang that are still going from house to house in tripoli massacring black people and yet america still expects african countries to turn a blind eye to all of that and accept them. this is further evidence that the west have zero regard for africans.
Goodluck Jonathan and the other african pawns that have accepted this murderous regime are a disgrace.

What African Union are we talking about here? - oh you mean the group of no-good leaders whose chief objective is to sit tight till death like Mr. Khaddafi planned.

I actually agree with GEJ's positions here, but he probably didn't need to say it given that Nigeria is itself going through dire straits. However, the Western powers must have being seeking Nigeria's support, especially given South Africa's attitude. GEJ seems to be a tard too happy to oblige Western requests.

Bottomline, SERVES KHADDAFI RIGHT. Nobody called him into our affairs when he went public several months ago suggesting that Nigeria ought to be divided. [size=14pt]Like GEJ, Khaddafi was not necessarily wrong, but it wasn't any of his business[/size].

olas2u:
It was an hasty decision,which did not make sense in the short and longrun.The African union position is right.Nigeria is just disorgansing the union .

Aregbesola may appear to be slow, but I think he is being delibrative in his approach. In any case, he probably realizes the need to show concrete results in another year or so time - otherwise delibration soon becomes paralysis.

O'YES is a quick way to pump the economy and cannot become a permanent program. Having said that, it is a great idea in my opinion - note that the program did not require you to be a graduate. If a graduate actually joined O'YES it says something about the dire situation of these youths in Osun State - hence the need for such a palliative, but temporary, measure.

On the minimum wage, the problem was not that Osun could not pay the minimum wage, but that the higher pay grades you mentioned also wanted proportional increments according to the payment ladder - this is the same problem most states are facing. The new agreement means that those higher pay grades will now get substantial increases, but not the proportional increases they wanted.

rman:
Don't let us get carried away with this news.
Why allow the workers to go on strike for a whole month in the first place if you can pay more than the 18,500?

What the state government have done may be similar to what Kwara used to deceive its workers. The state will pay the lowest level in the civil service (level1 step1) the 18,500 or 19,001 in this case, and as you move up, that value is no longer used to calculate your salary. So, a level 15 or level 16 personel may actually still be earning something very close to his/her old minimum wage. So level 1 workers salary may become double with this while older and senior staffs may only see a very very small marginal increase in their pay(in kwara's case, it is as low as 5000 naira from level8 above). And Kwara is claiming to be paying the minimum wage. I know the media houses have been trying to make civil servants look bad with their news and programmes in the state(I have seen quite a few). Aregbesola have also been on the lesser hajj(Humrah) for sometime now allowing the strike to linger for too long. I am sure what Osun has done may actually be similar to what we have in Kwara.

By the way, Aregbesola has not struck me as the performing governor that we all read about in the papers. He hasn't really done much since he has been in power. O'YES that we all hear about (20,000 jobs in first 100 days) is a scheme where graduates are employed as cleaners and sweepers of major streets across all the LGA's , that to me is not job creation. If you have ever visited the state , you will see O'YES all over moving in groups in uniforms like corpers. Mind you, the same state has declared all saturdays of the month as sanitation days for three months, rendering the state paralysised on most saturdays between 7am till 9am. That to me is not a fantastic idea for a state that just employed 20,000 new cleaners (O'YES) across all the LGA's.

These are my own little observation since doing bussiness in the state and I don't have any political affiliation.