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 Politics › Re: PHOTOS: Nigerians Protest In The UK Over #BagaHolocaust by LRNZH(op): 9:47pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Dreal1247:What have you done yourself? All these PDPigx self.  |
| Politics › PHOTOS: Nigerians Protest In The UK Over #BagaHolocaust by LRNZH(op): 9:40pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
Nigerians in London staged a protest in front of the Nigerian House in the UK today January 25th to register their support for the people of Baga, in Borno state following recent attacks in the community where many people have been killed and abducted. https://newsrescue.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/baga-protest-uk.jpg [img]http://1.bp..com/-rNwcZMU947E/VMVMV7FLrRI/AAAAAAAEXzo/CO7DgAg1LZc/s1600/a.jpg[/img] [img]http://1.bp..com/-_v3SACkCglg/VMVMXNGNGHI/AAAAAAAEXz0/yAJXbBGdttQ/s1600/b.jpg[/img] [img]http://4.bp..com/-zNxA5NG9WkY/VMVMYFYtIvI/AAAAAAAEXz4/kInwVYHakJM/s1600/c.jpg[/img] [img]http://3.bp..com/-8mpvbk84hMo/VMVMZno0CNI/AAAAAAAEX0M/x1vhiI3EptU/s1600/e.jpg[/img] [img]http://3.bp..com/-ojKvmBrFPz8/VMVMaEtlo_I/AAAAAAAEX0U/AQHMjgafpSw/s1600/f.jpg[/img] [img]http://1.bp..com/-oNAlWUzObVM/VMVMa_ZCH0I/AAAAAAAEX0Y/LqvzsAFQv08/s1600/g.jpg[/img] [img]http://1.bp..com/-eF7VF91pfg8/VMVMbhrMCDI/AAAAAAAEX0k/Pt8EJptQYRQ/s1600/h.jpg[/img] [img]http://1.bp..com/-ASsGyMDynWw/VMVMc6n2S6I/AAAAAAAEX0s/qMp6pmsv_Q0/s1600/i.jpg[/img] [img]http://4.bp..com/-5vjJccUpflI/VMVMdkk-65I/AAAAAAAEX00/bzhNY3pn-RY/s1600/j.jpg[/img] [img]http://4.bp..com/-m-Q66bnuxm4/VMVMehYhk9I/AAAAAAAEX08/VztvPoL_vAo/s1600/k.jpg[/img] [img]http://1.bp..com/-E6ddNbgM5KQ/VMVMf2zQquI/AAAAAAAEX1E/oZ8RxO4q1SQ/s1600/l.jpg[/img] [img]http://3.bp..com/-lfEIWhXnArw/VMVMgDuP41I/AAAAAAAEX1I/5AITrYRjFcs/s1600/m.jpg[/img] http://newsrescue.com/nigerians-protest-uk-bagaholocaust/#ixzz3PxhFtAOP |
| Politics › Re: 2015 ELECTIONS: EU Observers Visit Buhari, Rule Out North-East Monitoring by LRNZH(op): 9:16pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
omenka:My bad. I should have been clearer with my assertions. They may claim really low voters turnout to suppress GMB's votes here. |
| Politics › Re: 2015 ELECTIONS: EU Observers Visit Buhari, Rule Out North-East Monitoring by LRNZH(op): 7:00pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
This is opportunity for GEJ and PDP to use state resources to rig without control. I fear for NE disenfranchisement. |
| Politics › 2015 ELECTIONS: EU Observers Visit Buhari, Rule Out North-East Monitoring by LRNZH(op): 6:55pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
[img]http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/proxy/N15LMceIZxV_S49g3hj5u6OD-nTfgSMhQ_G6_p7tXaaRbGqR92BtH3rbAgC51c3JGirYc3HkMJeJaoVIrPy9DEFikYwHFG1kAoNHXWqzfEzYAWrK60Pkjjym93k8wHA=w488-h301-nc[/img] Abuja – The EU Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) on Monday ruled out the possibility of monitoring the forthcoming general elections in the North-East due to insecurity in the region. The Chief Election Observer for EU, Mr Santiago Ayxela, said this in Abuja during a courtesy visit to the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. According to him, the mission will deploy 90 observers to monitor the election across the country except the North-East region. He added that the first batch of 30 observers had arrived the country while the second batch would be in Nigeria by Feb. 7 and final batch, before the elections. “We can’t be in the North-East for security reasons. ‘But we have people deployed very close to the North-East and we have contacts there and so, we will try to get better information as much as we can have on the region. “The present situation does not allow us to go to the North-East,’’ Ayxela said. Ayxela further said that the planned election was important to Nigeria and the EU, stressing that whatever happened to Nigeria would affect the whole of Africa and the EU. He said that the mission would monitor the process and conduct of stakeholders to ensure compliance with relevant laws not only on the day of the elections but before and after the polls. “The EU EOM is a big mission. It is a mission that started in November 2014 and will be in place till mid-April. “What happens on the Election Day is not only the problem; it is what happens during and within a space of time and how the law has been complied with. ‘It is also about the propaganda, activities of the media and any possible claims after the elections. “That is our role and not just to follow up the days of election ’’. Reacting to questions on how the 90 observers would effectively monitor the 120,000 polling units, Ayxela said, ‘it is not possible to cover everything. “I can’t tell you that we will cover all the wards either for this election or for any other election, Nigeria is a very big country with so many inhabitants.” He, however, expressed optimism that the delegation would meet President Goodluck Jonathan who is also the PDP presidential candidate in the Feb.14 election. `But I cannot tell when, because he is the President, he is the one who will tell you the ideal moment for him to receive us.” Also speaking on the outcome of the meeting, Buhari described the EU observers as “experienced people who had been covering other countries’ elections. “They are qualified to come for these elections and as you have observed, they cannot cover all the 120,000 polling units but they will place people in strategic places to advise them.’’ http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/elections-eu-observers-visit-buhari-rule-north-east-monitoring/ |
| Politics › Re: Buhari Vs Jonathan: Beyond The Election By Charles Soludo by LRNZH(m): 12:15pm On Jan 26, 2015 |
LRNZH: ocelot2006:Some of these technocrats are already in APC and some will join in the near future when GMB takes over government. This list includes but not restricted to: Oby Ezekwesili, Raji Fashola, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasiru El-Rufai, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu (if he decamps to APC), Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Barr. Festus Keyamo, Prof. Barth Nnaji, George Akume, Audu Ogbe, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Bukola Saraki, Adamu Muazu (APC will lure him after PDP's loss), Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi (will at least provide consultancy on economic olicies), potentially- Donald Duke & Emeka Anyaoku. 2 Likes |
| Politics › Re: Buhari Vs Jonathan: Beyond The Election By Charles Soludo by LRNZH(m): 6:23am On Jan 26, 2015 |
[b]Generally good piece from Soludo. That said, he has over hyped OBJ and IBB's regimes. What happened to Murtala/OBJ regime in the 70s which laid the groundwork for Nigeria's development as we know it today? Right now, give Nigeria stable electricity and see the miracles that this country will perform. Soludo is wrong to compare us with Greece and Spain who have reached a certain employment saturation. Nigera is yet to get there so electricity will guarantee jobs in Nigeria. He should be speaking 3rd world macro economics here. Why not endorse GMB who is surrounded by proven technocrats and progressives? GEJ grade F is true. But staying undecided is a vote for the incumbent. Soludo may be on the fence to avoid the ire of Igbo's who are mostly Pro-GEJ but he needs to stop burying his head in sand. GMB is untested under current economic conditions but that is a better choice than a confirmed Grade F failure like GEJ. GMB still has the room to score from grade A to F. Thank you former CBN Governor.[/b] 50 Likes 2 Shares |
| Politics › Re: UPDATE: Maiduguri is Under Partial Attack! by LRNZH(op): 2:32pm On Jan 25, 2015 |
ABJDOT: GMB will ask questions. He will inquire why the Army will get intel on impending attacks and flee instead of devising a strategy to outwit and outgun a ragtag Boko Haram. GMB will get the right commanders to lead the various arms of the Military. The ones there are more interested in filling their pockets from increased Defence budget, hence prefer Boko Haram to continue. GMB will increase the moral of our forces by adequately arming them, improving their welfare and visiting battle zones. GMB is the CHANGE we need 2 Likes |
| Politics › Re: UPDATE: Maiduguri is Under Partial Attack! by LRNZH(op): 2:10pm On Jan 25, 2015 |
gangar:How about the Army? |
| Politics › CHANGE: For Buhari’s Supporters, No Wait Is Too Long by LRNZH(op): 1:32pm On Jan 25, 2015 |
Aliyu Abdulrazhi had been on his feet since 6:00 am but had no intention of leaving Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential campaign rally in Kaduna, northern Nigeria. https://dvsl3w2q45hb8.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Jonacreditsssss.jpg Pressed up against barricades and corralled by police, he was one of thousands in the mostly male crowd who had waited since dawn in the sun and the dust for a glimpse of the former army general. The crowd shouted slogans calling for political change in between appeals for water from anyone on the other side of the barriers. “Can’t you see the people are here?” Abdulrazhi yelled from the crowd. “He’s the man who’s always been here for the masses.” Buhari’s popular appeal, particularly in Muslim-majority northern Nigeria, has been taken as a given: at the last election in 2011, most of the 12 million votes he won were from the region. But this time, analysts predict that he may have wider support and with the backing of a more powerful four-party alliance known as the All Progressives Congress (APC), it could just propel him to the presidency. - Rehabilitated? - The February 14 vote is expected to be the closest-run since Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999. President Goodluck Jonathan’s ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all of the last four elections. Buhari stood in three of them, in 2003, 2007 and 2011, for smaller parties. Some in Nigeria have hailed the return of Buhari, who seized power in a December 31, 1983 military coup. But like most of the country’s leading politicians, he never really went away. The PDP has sought to portray the 72-year-old as yesterday’s man, pointing to his tough — some say autocratic — line on corruption and indiscipline during his 20 months in office. One party political advertisement even ran this week: “Once a tyrant, always a tyrant.” But for Nigeria’s first-time voters — who weren’t born at the time or were too young to remember his time in charge — Buhari has taken on almost mythological status. In particular, he is seen as a better bet to take on Boko Haram, the Islamist extremist group that has seized swathes of the country’s northeast and is now threatening Nigeria’s neighbours. He has campaigned hard on the government’s failure to end the insurgency, its alleged lack of action in tackling endemic graft at the highest level and its stewardship of the economy. - Ethnicity - Adamu Garba said insecurity was one of the main reasons that he was backing Buhari. He also hoped he would improve the lot of his Fulani people, a traditionally nomadic group whose cattle herdsmen have often clashed with farmers over grazing rights. “I believe all the masses are suffering,” said Garba, who arrived at the square at 1:00 am and planned to follow Buhari’s campaign. “But I believe Fulanis are suffering most,” he added. Garba wasn’t alone in linking his support for Buhari to a particular ethnicity — a key driver in voting intentions in a country of more than 250 tribal and linguistic groupings. Dressed in traditional “buba sokoto” (hat and robe), Samuel Aloko said he represented Buhari supporters from the southwestern Yoruba — one of the country’s three largest ethnic groups. Traditionally, the Yoruba have allied themselves politically with southern Christians such as Jonathan. “We believe Buhari for now will be able to affect the present of economy, security and infrastructure,” said Aloko, who lives in Kaduna. - New broom? - The rally followed a familiar pattern: speeches from the “big men” — the local party grandees and national officials — music from an ear-splitting sound system and regular chants of “APC”. The crowd brandished the wicker brooms that have become the APC’s symbol, swishing them in the air, hoping Buhari, as he has promised, will be the new broom to sweep Nigeria clean. A fine film of dust filled the air — blown in by the seasonal Harmattan winds from the Sahara desert — as Buhari pulled up to the stage in a convoy of black four-wheel drive vehicles. Police crackled Taser stunguns to keep the surging crowd back as the cars inched towards the stadium grandstand, where many APC honchos had waited hours for Buhari’s arrival. Buhari, dressed in white, gave a speech, its content increasingly familiar, before heading off to a plush hotel nearby. As a separate convoy of APC officials pulled out of the arena, children clung to the sides of their cars, hoping for a handout of cash from the opposition politicians to their faithful. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/buharis-supporters-no-wait-long/ |
| Politics › Re: Dozens of Armed Boko Haram Vehicles Launch Attack on Maiduguri by LRNZH(op): 12:51pm On Jan 25, 2015 |
CyberWolf:See feeble attempt to derail thread. Focus on GEJ's complicity and stop going off point. Clueless like your boss. 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: Dozens of Armed Boko Haram Vehicles Launch Attack on Maiduguri by LRNZH(op): 12:21pm On Jan 25, 2015 |
For GEJ, everything is about elections. While he was campaigning with heavy security in Maiduguri, BH were ransacking a town 5km away on Saturday. Such recklessness is not needed in leadership. GMB 2015 is a reality. 1 Like |
| Politics › Dozens of Armed Boko Haram Vehicles Launch Attack on Maiduguri by LRNZH(op): 12:05pm On Jan 25, 2015 |
[img]http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/714vnVDa57Zbk415vzzBvTwxzk5L3hcUqEqe5bTglDqJgQD5tEo8ngA6-jpy8oQ6SrrYchvdbkKVX_RiSh7LmkrEkOmoa2IgzeCz-lAZLadV9nhdavLbopl0VmnwReUu=w512-h288-nc[/img] Yesterday afternoon, BH terrorists where seen gathering with heavy armour at the Shehu of Dikwa’s Residence with a suspecting attack on Maiduguri and the informant specifically requested the Nigerian army to intensify air support and dismantle them but the aircraft was busy patrolling the airspace of Maiduguri and venue of president Goodluck Jonathan’s Rally, maybe that was why the Chopper that was to take the President to Damaturu for PDP Rally was cancelled – the president and his security staff were all aware, NewsRescue sources detailed. Last night (Saturday night) was terrible in the capital. From 12pm till 5:00am the people experienced heavy sounds of bombardment but our contacts cannot say exactly where and what fire for fire it was, between Army and BH, but all residents of Njimtilo, Moromti, 1000 Housing Estate, 707 Housing, 33 Military Base, NAF Command, Ngomari and Airport area did not sleep at all because of the bombs. NewsRescue reporters are now trying to reach out to our military sources for further details. The number of vehicles that moved around yesterday night was very alarming. In the early hours of Saturday, Boko Haram terrorists erased Kambari village, killing 15 citizens and the village head. Kambari village is just 5 kilometers from Maiduguri. The terrorists are believed to be possibly headed to the capital via this route after the many unsuccessful attempts via Konduga. The terrorists made several unsuccessful attempts on the capital which were thwarted in fierce combats by the Nigerian army and Civilian JTF at Konduga. In one such attack, a Boko Haram leader, “Shekau” double was killed by the Nigerian army. Nigeria’s president just concluded a visit to Maiduguri in which he had hundreds of soldiers deployed for his protection. It is hoped that these soldiers are still in the capital and will be part of the defense against Boko Haram’s invasion. Distressingly, Boko Haram burned down the Kambari village while hundreds of troops were stationed in the capital to secure the president of Nigeria’s re-election campaign barely 5 kilometers away. The terrorists amassed serious weapons, armored tanks and personnel carriers and communications equipment in their successful raid on Bama barracks early January in an attack that saw them kill over 2500 defenseless civilians. The terrorists have visibly been more aggressive ahead of the February elections. It is perceived that they are eager to make as much gains as they can before a change in administration to a General Buhari government that is expected to be intolerable of their carnage. http://newsrescue.com/dozens-armed-boko-haram-vehicles-launch-attack-maiduguri/#ixzz3PpWB26Tn 1 Like |
| Politics › Re: UPDATE: Maiduguri is Under Partial Attack! by LRNZH(op): 9:13am On Jan 25, 2015 |
IbnSultaan:They can. Only a blind bat won't decipher BH tactics in the past couple of months. They have been attacking towns in Gombe and Yobe in a bid to encircle Maiduguri. They look like they're succeeding so far. Maiduguri will fall unless the Nigeria Forces change their approach of just trying to hold positions. 8 Likes |
| Politics › Re: 2015 Election Shift May Return Military Rule - Ex-Generals by LRNZH(op): 8:16am On Jan 25, 2015 |
The fear of those Army boys is the beginning of Wisdom. 5 Likes |
| Politics › Re: BAYELSANS TELL GEJ: Secure Home-Front First! by LRNZH(op): 7:55am On Jan 25, 2015 |
GEJ cannot win in 2015. He has too many disgruntled people in his supposed homebases both in the SS and SE. The '5 Presidents' under his tenure are not helping. Clueless as usual. |
| Politics › UPDATE: Maiduguri is Under Partial Attack! by LRNZH(op): 7:34am On Jan 25, 2015*. Modified: 9:34am On Jan 25, 2015 |
Edit: Update: Maiduguri is currently under partial attack! We are receiving disturbing reports that Boko Haram armies are headed for Maiduguri, capital of Borno state. A message from a security officer read “Salam.We just got a report that Book haram will strike Maiduguri tonight. Pls wake up n pray with ur family now. May Allah save us all.” In the early hours of Saturday, Boko Haram terrorists erased Kambari village, killing 15 citizens and the village head. Kambari village is just 5 kilometers from Maiduguri. The terrorists are believed to be possibly headed to the capital via this route after the many unsuccessful attempts via Konduga. The terrorists made several unsuccessful attempts on the capital which were thwarted in fierce combats by the Nigerian army and Civilian JTF at Konduga. In one such attack, a Boko Haram leader, “Shekau” double was killed by the Nigerian army. https://newsrescue.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/shekau-dead.jpg Nigeria’s president just concluded a visit to Maiduguri in which he had hundreds of soldiers deployed for his protection. It is hoped that these soldiers are still in the capital and will be part of the defense against Boko Haram’s invasion. Distressingly, Boko Haram burned down the Kambari village while hundreds of troops were stationed in the capital to secure the president of Nigeria’s re-election campaign barely 5 kilometers away. The terrorists amassed serious weapons, armored tanks and personnel carriers and communications equipment in their successful raid on Bama barracks early January in an attack that saw them kill over 2500 defenseless civilians. The terrorists have visibly been more aggressive ahead of the February elections. It is perceived that they are eager to make as much gains as they can before a change in administration to a General Buhari government that is expected to be intolerable of their carnage. Our calls to corroborate this information rang out. More as we get it… http://newsrescue.com/breaking-report-boko-haram-armies-heading-maiduguri/#ixzz3PoQBKsur 7 Likes 2 Shares |
| Politics › 2015 Election Shift May Return Military Rule - Ex-Generals by LRNZH(op): 7:16am On Jan 25, 2015 |
https://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Brigadier-General-Ayodele-Ojo-retd.-360x225.jpg 7 Likes 3 Shares |
| Politics › BAYELSANS TELL GEJ: Secure Home-Front First! by LRNZH(op): 7:01am On Jan 25, 2015 |
https://cdn.akamai.thisdaylive.com/0bef99d6-acf5-4e2c-9779-8fa02ba3fcd4/assets/Goodluck-Jonathan-011115.jpg?maxwidth=400&maxheight=540 As the countdown to the 2015 elections continues, President Goodluck Jonathan’s kinsmen have advised him to ensure that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State are in one accord. The advice was given by a Bayelsa State-based group, Concerned Bayelsa Elders (CBE), during a media briefing with some senior editors in Lagos on Saturday on the issues threatening the party in the president’s home state. The group’s leader, Elder John Ebeletimi Wilson, in a speech, said, “Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, who is our brother, ought to be coasting home to an easy election victory in 2015. But he is not so sure, as it stands today. As a veteran of many political battles, Jonathan seems to have run foul of the touchstone of African politics, which is to secure the home front, as charity must begin at home.” The visibly angry CBE leader’s worry is that the main opposition, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is poised to cash in on the overbearing attitude of Dame Patience Jonathan and her role in the state PDP. According to Wilson, “This may sound ironical, but as it stands presently, except something urgent is done, APC may not know that their best ally is Dame Patience Faka Jonathan, the all-conquering wife of the president, who literally transverses the corridors of power in her distinctive gait and retinue of aides. Our worry is further compounded, as the opposition’s mission to unseat the president appears to be facilitated by the cannon fodder provided by his wife.” He said, “A quick analysis of the bad press received by the president reveals that over 60 per cent of the negative reports about the president in the mainstream media have links to the actions and pronouncements of his beloved wife.” He further explained that on social media, posts relating to the Jonathans are ever trending in different categories, “They include jokes, politics and security, as well as the economy and even religion in a ratio of 8:2; while 80 per cent of such are attributable to Mrs. Jonathan, while a paltry 20 per cent goes to Mr. President. Consequently, there is an enormous amount of avoidable collateral damages being done to the Jonathan brand, as the clock ticks towards the all-important Valentine Day polls.” He further explained that, in Bayelsa State, the governor’s tenure will not end until February 2016, yet the atmosphere is as charged as if the elections are imminent. The reason they gave is that Mrs. Jonathan is allegedly at war with Governor Seriake Dickson, for reasons they cannot understand, moreso as Dickson has remained one of the most loyal to the president, just as he has within three years transformed the state in areas of infrastructure development and security that have placed the state as an investors’ haven. For him, “What we find difficult to understand is why Mrs. Jonathan is at daggers drawn with a performing governor, and to have chosen the eve of her husband’s re-election to start pulling the rug off the feet of Governor Dickson, instead of allowing the young man to focus on helping her husband to get re-elected!” http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/secure-home-front-first-bayelsans-urge-jonathan/200034/ |
| Politics › Re: Jonathan Refuses Help From UN Forces To Tackle Boko Haram by LRNZH(m): 8:20am On Jan 24, 2015 |
We can handle Boko Haram but only without GEJ as President 1 Like 1 Share |
| Politics › ELECTRICITY: Abuja Business Groups Protest High Tariff by LRNZH(op): 3:41pm On Jan 23, 2015 |
Business groups in Abuja on Friday protested the hike in electricity tariff by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company. The groups, under the name Co-operative Business Societies of Abuja, in a protest letter signed by its Coordinator, Mrs Maricel Romero, said the increase would ruin business in the city. The letter appealed to the National Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Federal Ministry of Power to intervene in the interest of the public. The letter stated, “We are objecting to the sudden 58 per cent increase on the kilowatt rate from N22.08 to N35.03 for commercial power consumers in the FCT. “According to the Multi-Year Tariff Order guideline of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission, the maximum stipulated increase for 2015 is five per cent. “We are shaken by this blatant disregard of the commission’s guidelines and a total lack of interest in the wellbeing of businesses operating in the territory.” It said that many businesses had collapsed under the weight of the ever increasing cost of operating and harsh economic status. “This increase will run our businesses down and have a negative impact on our stakeholders and by extension on the growth of Abuja. “This is a protest and a passionate appeal to the NERC, the Federal Ministry of Power and all other concerned citizens to intervene in the interest of the general public http://www.punchng.com/news/abuja-business-groups-protest-high-electricity-tariff/ |
| Politics › Re: BOKO HARAM: Nigeria’s Prospect Is Bleak Under GEJ! - International Analysts by LRNZH(op): 8:51am On Jan 23, 2015 |
Gbawe:Everyone should know this by now. Tribalism has overriden some people's sense of judgement and perception. 1 Like |
| Politics › BOKO HARAM: Nigeria’s Prospect Is Bleak Under GEJ! - International Analysts by LRNZH(op): 7:05am On Jan 23, 2015 |
https://cdn.akamai.thisdaylive.com/0bef99d6-acf5-4e2c-9779-8fa02ba3fcd4/assets/005-Boko-Haram-fighters.jpg?maxwidth=400&maxheight=540 Nigeria’s current military strategy for defeating Boko Horam is unlikely to succeed, analysts have warned, with the international community largely powerless to defeat the increasingly rampant Islamist group. Corruption inside the Nigerian army, unpaid wages and mutinies among troops have all facilitated Boko Haram’s rise, they said. On Sunday, the sect, which has killed thousands in its bid to carve out an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, kidnapped about 80 people in neighbouring Cameroun. The victims of this latest cross-border attack included many children. The Cameroun army subsequently managed to free 24 of the hostages. Dr. Marc-Antoine Pérouse de Montclos, an associate fellow at Chatham House’s Africa programme, said Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, had been manifestly unable to halt Boko Haram’s advance. The opposition leader, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, who is seeking to unseat Jonathan in the election on 14 February, may be better able to overhaul the country’s dysfunctional military, he suggested. “The best hope (of defeating Boko Haram) would be the elections. For me the problem is in Nigeria. The answer is in Nigeria.” He added: “I’m confident that so long as President Jonathan is in charge there isn’t much that can be done. He isn’t in control of the military leadership. And the leadership doesn’t control the soldiers on the ground.” Others, however, were sceptical that the elections would bring about change, predicting instead that they would further polarise divisions between a largely Muslim north and Christian south. Buhari, a Muslim, draws most of his support from Nigeria’s northern provinces, where Boko Haram is active. The group rejects the idea of a secular state. It has promised to disrupt the polls. “Nigerian politics is a violent and dangerous game. Gangs of thugs are hired to intimidate rivals,” Martin Roberts, senior Africa analyst at IHS Global Insight, said. Roberts predicted that neither side would concede defeat, with suspicion in the north that Jonathan was deliberately allowing Boko Haram to flourish in an attempt to disenfranchise Buhari’s supporters. Montclos, meanwhile, said there was relatively little the international community could do, following several well-meaning but doomed attempts to boost the Nigerian military. The US offered surveillance and intelligence help after Boko Haram kidnapped 279 schoolgirls last April during a raid in Chibok, deep in north-eastern Nigeria, sparking global outrage. But an American plan to train a new Nigerian battalion ended last month in an acrimonious squabble between Washington and Abuja. Nigerian commanders insisted that the US supply them with attack helicopters and fighter jets to wipe out Boko Haram, something that the White House was unwilling to do, given the army’s poor human rights record. The Nigerian government then abruptly terminated the final phase of the programme. Successive central governments have also deliberately hollowed out the army because of a pervasive fear it could stage a coup. Tensions between Nigeria and its neighbours, meanwhile, make the prospect of a regional peacekeeping operation fraught. At a summit last May, the French president, François Hollande, announced a new regional force, comprising troops from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroun and the Republic of Niger. Each country was meant to supply 700 troops. But by November, the force had failed to materialise. Ghana’s president, John Mahama, who currently heads the West African ECOWAS bloc, last week said that an army to fight Boko Haram could be created under African Union auspices. “It’s pie in the sky. It isn’t going to happen,” Roberts predicted. With Boko Haram staging a series of audacious cross-border raids, Nigeria’s neighbours are now busy defending their own territories. On Monday a convoy of troops from Chad arrived in Maroua, the main town in Cameroun’s far north. The Chadian army – which helped French forces drive out al-Qaida-linked jihadis from northern Mali in 2013 – has deployed around 2,000 soldiers. Cameroun has also sent thousands of additional troops to its border with Nigeria. According to Montclos, Chad’s chief goal is to protect its economic interests. Much of Chad’s oil is exported via northern Cameroun. “This is the main reason they intervened,” he said. The obstacles preventing a regional task force appear insurmountable, observers say. Cameroun and Nigeria have difficult relations. Niger – a stable, smaller state, with a relatively disciplined army – has found it impossible to coordinate actions against Boko Haram with its Nigerian counterpart. “Military officers from the Republic of Niger complain that when they call the Nigerian army nobody picks up. What kind of regional cooperation are we talking about?” Montclos asked. His recent Chatham House report argues that Boko Haram, which has taken large swaths of Borno State in Nigeria’s north-east, is adept at exploiting the state’s chronic institutional weaknesses. It knows the local terrain well, can navigate around a demoralised and deficient security presence, and is able to attack villages with total impunity. Government troops on the ground suffer from low morale. Local vigilante forces have been unable to stave off violent Boko Haram operations. On 3 January, Boko Haram launched a bloody assault on the towns of Baga and Doron, killing hundreds and razing the area to the ground. Roberts said that Chadian troops had withdrawn ahead of the raid, after being told the Nigerian air force was about to bomb the rebels. But the plane never arrived. Typically, Nigerian troops run away when Boko Haram advances, he said. Since 2009, Nigeria’s security forces have waged an anti-insurgency campaign, characterised by massacres, extra-judicial killings and arrests without trial. This onslaught has alienated many civilians and driven communities into the arms of Boko Haram. This repression has driven recruitment, with Boko Haram expanding from an estimated 4,000 members in 2009 to 6,000-8,000 in 2014. A new report on Tuesday said that the rapidly escalating insurgency had forced a million people to flee their homes. The International Organisation of Migration said there was “growing evidence” of turmoil spreading across Nigeria’s frontiers into neighbouring Cameroun, Niger and Chad, in addition to those internally displaced by the fighting. • Culled from The Guardian of London http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigeria-s-prospects-of-defeating-boko-haram-look-bleak/199918/ 1 Like 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 11:27pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 7:36pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
SLIDEwaxie:Duhhhh That is why there's 'FRAUD' in the OP title. The seller put them up for N520Million each but CBN allegedly paid N1.7Billion each for 10 units. Of course someone or some people have pocketed the difference. Please wake up. I can't be explaining simple tricks to you. |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 6:43pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
GEJ's body language encourages corruption. This story is another evidence of it. 2 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: Cambridge Says It Offered Hausa Language Exam In 1961- Sahara Reporters by LRNZH(m): 6:41pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
Good man. Thanks for the inquiry OP. Uneducated PDP over to you. 15 Likes 1 Share |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 5:02pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
waternogeteneny:Section 58 (4a) of the Public Procurement Act No. 14 of 2007, states that it is a crime to procure government property above the prevailing market price. PDP doesn't understand or follow the law. 2 Likes |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 4:48pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
SLIDEwaxie:Read the OP carefully. 10 units of houses at inflated price of N1.7Billion each will total N17Billion. LRNZH: |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 4:18pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
major466:That's how Stella Oduah was protected until the voice of the people prevailed. liberty300:But but.... Haha You assume Nigerians are stupid. The kickback from inflated sales price goes into someone's pockets. 2 Likes |
| Politics › Re: PHOTOS: CBN Governor Spends N17Billion Fraudulently On Mansions by LRNZH(op): 3:54pm On Jan 22, 2015 |
Trut:I didn't do the investigation. There's a source in the OP. That said, in Abuja, a N200 Million mansion can easily go for N400Million in a choice area. Notice that N520Million was the asking price for those mansions. They could have been bargained for less. 1.7Billion per mansion is outright fraud. 1 Like |
...This OP is a clown I swear.. 
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