At least 10 more persons were feared killed as the recent violence in Jos, the Plateau State capital, continued to escalate to other parts of the city yesterday.

This is even as several houses and vehicles were burnt by some irate youths to avenge the killings of their kinsmen.


Following the development, two socio-political groups in Plateau State, Miango Youths Development Association (MYDA) and Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO), have demanded an investigation into the allegation that fake soldiers took over the streets and perpetrated the killings.

Violence had erupted in Jos on Friday following the killing of 11 persons by some unknown gunmen at Rukuba road in Jos North Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The riot however, turned ethnic and religious on Sunday, leading to an attack on a church and counter attack, which resulted in more deaths.

While the security agents battled to control the violence, it was however, gathered that the situation took a frightening dimension between Monday and yesterday when some people suspected to be fake soldiers in military uniform invaded Tina Junction, Dutse-uku and Nasarawa-Gwom communities and opened fire at the residents, some of whom were keeping vigil over their communities.

The fake military men reportedly shot indiscriminately at the people and set houses ablaze at random, holding the community hostage for close to two hours before the arrival of the real security agencies, which later repelled them.

It was also gathered that the situation got worse in the early hours of yesterday, when some Hausa/Fulani youths and the natives squared it up in areas like Rikkos, Dogon Dutse, Yan Shanu, Nasarawa-Gwom and burnt several more houses, including other places of worship.

A community leader in the area, Mishkaham Mupum of Nasarawa Gwom, Mr. Samuel Dawam, became a victim of the fake soldiers, who killed him in his house.

The Police have ordered that residents of these communities to remain indoors for 24 hours, while the city centre, especially the commercial area of Ahmadu Bello way is also deserted and commercial activities crumbled.

Consequently, two socio-political groups in Plateau State, Miango Youths Development Association (MYDA) and Berom Educational and Cultural Organisation (BECO), have demanded an investigation into the allegation that fake soldiers have taken over the streets and perpetrating the killings.

Spokesman of MYDA, Lawrence Zongo, alleged that residents no longer have trust and confidence in soldiers.

He alleged that, “Nigerian soldiers are killing innocent citizens; they may be fake or real, claiming that they are for peace keeping. This is too bad, Nigerian Army are colluding with the criminals and terrorist to kill natives of Plateau. We can’t trust them, their peace enforcement is one sided, favouring terrorists and criminals killing our people daily.

“Soldiers don’t kill criminals any more but kill innocent citizens and allow them (the killers) go free. From last year to date no fewer than 40 people have been killed by people suspected to be Nigerian soldiers.”

Also speaking, the spokesman of BECO, Mr. Sam Godons demanded an investigation into the allegation that soldiers were involved in the killings.

He said, “We need government to get to the bottom of this, if they are fake or real soldiers, let the government unravel this thing. The government is well equipped with machinery and has the power to get to the root of this.

“But why has it not been so? This allegation of fake soldiers has been on for a decade or more, but we don’t know why the government is quiet about it. Who else would confirm whether they are fake or real soldiers?”

Media Officer of the Special task force (STF), Major Umar Adam confirmed the renewed hostility in some parts of the state capital but declined comment on the number deaths and houses burnt. He also debunked the allegation that soldiers shot at the civilians.

Adam said, “I know some people were killed and houses burnt but the figures are yet to be ascertained. We don’t work with speculation. All I can tell you for now is that all the areas you mentioned are under control and our men are on top of the situation. When the figures are ready we would call you and brief you accordingly, but for now normalcy has returned to the affected areas.”

The Commander of STF, Maj. General Augustine Agundu, also dismissed the allegation that soldiers killed during the riot.

He said, “Nigerian Armed Forces are professional Armed Forces. It is you that don’t believe in the Armed Forces that you have.”
https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/10/03/again-10-feared-dead-houses-burnt-as-jos-violence-escalates/

Yes the info about crisis in that area of Jos has been confirmed by multiple sources, with potential of further escalation. I hear that an entire family was wiped out in Rukuba area by marauding murderers who have not been reined in by the powers of the State. This has triggered violent reactions by aggrieved elements who are even defying the military. What a shame that lives are being wasted with impunity and people have guts and audacity to openly canvas even for a single vote at this time!

Yes this has been confirmed by multiple sources. I hear that a family was wiped out in Rukuba area by marauding murderers who have not been reined in by the powers of the State. This is only the latest in a series of genocidal attacks and serial bloodletting by blood thirsty 'unknown gunmen'. This has triggered violent reactions by aggrieved elements who are even defying the military. What a shame that lives are being wasted with impunity and people have guts to openly canvas a single vote at this time!

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, on Monday alleged that there is an ongoing crackdown on top leaders of the party by security operatives in Osogbo, Ile Ife and Orolu – areas where the rerun election is to hold on Thursday.

PDP in a tweet alleged that a top leader of the party, Alhaji Fatal Diekola was arrested in Osogbo.


“In Osogbo ,a top leader of the @OfficialPDPNig, Alhaji Fatal Diekola was arrested.He was rough handled and beaten up despite his ill health. His aides were matcheted.Other PDP leaders at Osogbo are been harrassed with many of them unable to sleep in their respective homes”.

The party further stated that the situation was the same in Orolu as APC thugs struck this morning, beaten up PDP leaders.

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/breaking-security-agencies-arrest-pdp-leaders-in-osogbo.html

Someone said these guys either team up and put their house in order or risk going to jail one by one next year!

Someone said these guys either team up and put their house in order or risk going to jail one by one next year!

State governors across party lines are presently fuming over an alleged secret payment of N16.67 billion, said to be the last tranche of Paris Club refund payment to Osun state government.

The state government was in December 2017 paid along other states by the federal government the third tranche of the refund, amounting to N6.3 billion.

Paris Club refund is a partial settlement of long-standing claims by state governments relating to over-deductions from their Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) payments for external debt service between 1995 and 2002.


Three tranches had been released earlier to all the states, with the last released alongside the December 2017 federal allocations to enable most of the states owing months of staff salaries offset the backlog.


At least three state governors from both the ruling APC and opposition PDP who spoke to Saturday Sun on the latest payment yesterday expressed anger over the secret manner the payment was made to only Osun. They argued that the refund was made to empower the state government successfully prosecute the September 22 governorship election in which the APC candidate, Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola is facing a strong challenge from the candidates of at least three other parties; PDP, ADP and SDP.

“All states and governors need money at this critical time to pay workers salaries and provide basic infrastructure needed by our people but instead of the federal government treating us equally, they have chosen to pay only Osun state this huge sum at the expense of the rest of us who are equally in dire need of whatever refund we have left”, one of the state governors told Saturday Sun yesterday.

Another governor who also sounded unhappy about the development said “the secret payment was all geared towards mobilizing for APC in the coming governorship election in Osun and certainly not for the state workers. Otherwise, it should have been a general and open payment to all the states.”

The third governor who also said he got wind of the payment vowed that he was going to mobilise his colleagues to pressure the federal government to release whatever is due to other states without further delay. “What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”, he stressed.


The Federal Government had in March, 2018 claimed that it had so far shared N1.9 trillion among states as support from the Paris Club refund. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made this known in his address at the fourth edition of the Ogun Investors’ Forum in Abeokuta.

Osinbajo said that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had continued to extend equal and unbiased support to states of the federation regardless of party affiliations. He said it would be difficult to point to any government that had been more supportive in the development of the ambitions of states as the present administration.

The Vice President had recalled that no fewer than 26 of the 36 states in Nigeria could not pay the salaries of their workers when the present administration assumed power in 2015. Osinbajo explained that the federal government, however, came to their rescue by extending funds to them.
http://sunnewsonline.com/paris-club-refund-govs-angry-n16-67b-secret-payment-osun/

Indeed how much and still available?

2019: Should these killings continue?

The Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC) in Benue State has banned the practice of holding festivities in the house of a bride's parents during traditional marriages on the ground that such party-like activities are alien to their culture.

Also, the council has pegged total expenses on marriage including dowry or bride price as well as sundry issues which at the moment vary from one community or family to another not to exceed N100,000 in any part of Tivland.

This decision was contained in a communique issued at the end of the General Assembly (Ijirtamen) of the Tiv nation held at the TATC Chambers on Friday, August 17, 2018 and was chaired by the Tor Tiv, Professor James Ayatse.

"The practice of holding festivities in the house of the girl’s parents popularly known as Traditional Marriage involving cutting of cake, dances, parties should be discontinued as it is alien to the Tiv way of life. Celebration of a new wife is done by the Tiv People only in the husband’s house.

"Love should be the primary issue between the families concerned in marriage discussion and transaction but not money. Therefore, total expenses on marriage including dowry or bride price (kem kwase) and all sundry issues (Azaan a kwase) which at the moment vary from one community or family to another should not exceed One hundred Thousand Naira (N100,000.00) in Tivland," the communique stated.

It added that traditional marriage ceremony where bride price is to be paid shall involve only the elders of the two families concerned, stressing that the practice of inviting and bringing large numbers of friends and well-wishers to the occasion is alien to Tiv tradition and therefore abolished.


The council maintained that any Tiv girl to be given out in marriage must attain the age of 18 years and above as it stressed that the violation of the marriage tradition shall attract boycott by traditional rulers and elders and the denial of traditional marriage registration, including other traditional sanctions as the community may deem appropriate.

Reacting to the development, Ter Makurdi, Chief Joseph Sule Abenga, in a chat with newsmen in Makurdi at the weekend, posited that the change would encourage young men to marry ladies of their choice without much stress and thereby reducing incidences of elopement due to high bride price.

Meanwhile, the General Assembly was attended by traditional rulers of the Tiv Area Traditional Council, 14 Chairmen of the Tiv speaking Local Government Councils in the state, chieftaincy holders, the executive committee of Mzough u Tiv, Governor Samuel Ortom and the interested public.
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/tiv-bans-traditional-marriage-festivities-peg-expenses-at-n100-000-267570.html

But what is this guy's staying power? He seems to be resilient and surviving against all odds!

Armed security operatives comprising men of the Nigeria Police and Department of State Services (DSS), yesterday invaded the Benue State House of Assembly, ordering staff out of their offices.

The Clerk of the House, Dr. Torese Agena, who confirmed the incident to reporters in Makurdi, the state capital, said the security men sent him packing and other workers at the Assembly complex. Agena claimed that the heavily armed security operatives made their way into the Assembly premises two hours after work resumption. According to him, the security agents claimed that the new state Commissioner of Police, Bensan Gwana, gave the order that all staff should vacate the Assembly.
He described the situation as harassment too much, adding that for the past two weeks now, staff of the Assembly were not allowed to do their job.

Agena said: “As I talk to you, the police officers are still there and you can’t see any staff at the Assembly because they were chased out of my office.
“We are calling on the commander-in-chief to direct the inspector-general of police to tell the Commissioner of Police, Benue State Command, to withdraw his men from the premises of the Benue State House of Assembly so that staff can do their work unhindered.” Reacting, Security Adviser to Benue State Governor, Col. Paul Hemba (rtd), said the policemen claimed they were acting based on “order from above.”
Hemba said: “I got the information about the chasing away of civil servants and I called the commissioner of police. I spoke with him a while ago and he confirmed, yes, indeed that there was order from above and then, I told him about the concerns of the civil servants and the clerk of the House. “But he told me that the order was from above and that he would take steps to get clarification from Abuja; that he is on his way to Abuja for IG’s conference.”
https://newtelegraphonline.com/2018/08/benue-assembly-police-dss-chase-away-clerk-staff/

A fortnight ago, the unthinkable happened. The National Assembly, located at the Three Arms Zone, Abuja, had some unfriendly visitors – cows. The visitors, numbering over 100, strolled into the well-fortified premises with unquestionable audacity.

Their pilots, Fulani herdsmen, led them into the no-go area. They bypassed the first and second gates. They were heading for the main building, apparently to witness the day’s proceedings at the Red and Green Chambers, when security agents, who were hitherto snoring, suddenly woke up. They hurriedly went for the gate and locked it.

Motorists and other road users, had to wait for the cows to have their right of way before embarking on their journey. Despite the presence of over 250 security agents attached to the National Assembly, cows had a free ride.
The above scenario is a daily occurrence in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city. From the highbrow Central Business District, to Aso Drive in Asokoro, Kubwa to Nyanya, herdsmen and their cows ply their trade unhindered.

Since 2015, when the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari stepped in, the herders have become bolder. In front of the expansive Federal Secretariat, they ply their trade. Parts of the route leading to the Presidential Villa, herdsmen are found there grazing.

Despite repeated promises by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to step in and stop the open grazing, it is yet to move a muscle, three years after. Instead, it looks the other way, while residents who now live in fear, are warning that the bloodbath in some parts of northern states, may soon spill over to Abuja.

Residents who have taken to social media and other platforms to express their misgivings are questioning the job description of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB). For them, AEPB leaves the real deal and pursues shadows.

Everyday, AEPB officials harass petty traders. They arrest and shame them openly. Their goods are seized and sometimes destroyed. In Abuja, AEPB officials harass and arrest women at night who they tag prostitutes. There have been unconfirmed allegations that some of the arrested women offer sex in exchange for their release. Others who are unlucky, face trial and are charged accordingly.

The brazen display of force by AEPB officials and their willing allies, are repeatedly condemned by residents. Emmanuel Ogbeche, Editor, Abuja Inquirer, in one of his Facebook posts, threw jibes at AEPB. He said rather than carryout their statutory responsibilities, by ensuring that herdsmen and their cows are not allowed to ply their trade openly, they go after petty traders and prostitutes.

He wrote: “Last night at Wuse II, I saw operatives of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, (civil defence, police, and thugs I call them) raid roadside sellers and seized their goods. No problem if they were really enforcing the law.

“Just a few hours before then, I had encountered cattle on the Wuse-Kado-Gwarinpa Road. So you know, the AEPB has an out-station by Kado. The cattle herders graze almost daily on that major road without molestation. But it is not so for petty traders struggling for daily survival.

“The AEPB Act 1997 Act No. 10 of 1997 Statutory Legislation Applicable Area of the Federal Capital Territory stipulates that the board has the mandate to regulate all infractions including keeping of animals and pets. So why is the FCTA through the AEPB fixated on hawkers and not animal husbandry that we now find cows even in Three Arms zone? One Nigeria bullshit!”

Media aide to the FCT Minister, Abubakar Sani, reacting to Ogbeche’s post, insisted that residents must assist government in ensuring that herdsmen are not allowed to move around the city with their cows: “With profound respect sir, the AEPB Act, just like the Police Act gives you the power of arrest. Until all of us as citizens begin to play our roles as stakeholders in the Abuja project, the buck passing won’t stop. So sir, next time you see any infraction, perform your civic duty and law enforcement will takeover from there. So lets get started.”

Director of AEPB, Baba Lawal, told Daily Sun, that his agency “is empowered by law to arrest street hawkers. Whenever they are arrested, they are arraigned before Magistrate court, where they are tried.”

On activities of prostitutes, he said a case was instituted against AEPB some years back: A judgment was given against the agency. Since then, AEPB has not been directly involved in the arrest and prosecution of prostitutes.”

Another respondent, Evelyn Dadu, who was more forceful in her intervention, said the only solution is to ensure that the current government is voted out in 2019. She warned that if the current government is allowed to return, the open grazing in Abuja would not stop:

“If you vote in these people again, you will know that what you are seeing now is a child’s play if compared to the terror they will unleash. Vote wisely and educate the people around you to do same. If they depend on rigging schemes, someone will be better than them in scheming. May God give us genuine, intelligent and hardworking leaders in Nigeria.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/cows-everywhere-herdsmen-defied-security-invaded-national-assembly/

A passenger, Ibrahim Garba, said the airplane, which left Murtala Mohammad International Airport, Lagos at exactly 11.30pm, attempted to land at MAKIA at 12.55am but could not touch ground due to turbulent wind.
“The pilot attempted landing twice but failed. He was later directed to go to Katsina or Abuja and land there. Again, we went to Katsina State and the pilot could not make it there. We finally went to Abuja and landed safely.
“It was a terrible experience. The pilot wept seriously after we landed in Abuja. I am sure he was also shocked by the development,” he added.
Another passenger, Alhaji Habib Muhammad, said “The captain made an announcement that he was having difficulty to land due to heavy wind and promised to manage the situation.
“We spent more than 20 minutes waiting for next directive and later the pilot was directed to go to Abuja where we landed around 2am. We thank God.”
When contacted on phone, the Assistant General Manager of Azman Air, Engineer Nuruddeen Aliyu, confirmed the incident and said it was caused by heavy windstorm.
He said, “I was in the aircraft when the incident happened because I came back from South Africa and joined the aircraft that was involved in the incident in Lagos. I was not worried at all because I am familiar with such situation.”
He, however, said contrary to speculations, the aircraft went to Katsina airport because it was not among the alternative airports for MAKIA.
“It was not technical issue as many people think. It was purely a natural issue and when we went to Abuja, the pilot landed safely and when the situation stabilised, he return to MAKIA and landed safely around 5am,” he added.
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/panic-as-azman-aircraft-fails-to-land-in-kano-259995.html

2019 election is a referendum on whether these killings should continue or not.

2019 election is a referendum on whether these killings should continue.

2019 elections is a referendum on whether these killings should continue or not.

Let your rage and reactions spur you to get PVC. 2019 election is a referendum on the spate of killings and kidnappings nationwide.

2019 election is a referendum on the spate of killings and kidnappings nationwide.

2019 election is a referendum on the spate of killings and kidnappings nationwide.

2019 election is a referendum on these killings.

2019 election is a referendum on these killings.

Nasarawa Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, has approved the utilisation of all the seven gazetted grazing reserves of the state for the purpose of the ranching programme in the state.

The grazing reserves are located in Awe, Keana, Doma, Assakyo, Konva, Gtata and Kurudu councils.
The governor equally directed the state ministries of Agriculture, Lands and Physical Planning, affected local government councils and communities where these grazing reserves are located, to accord all the necessary support and cooperation for the successful implementation of the programme in the state.

A statement signed by the Secretary to State Government, Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi, said “Nasarawa State government is completely in support of the Federal Government’s initiative, and our state is willing and available to provide all resources and support, to ensure the success of the ranching effort.

“The steps are geared towards assuaging and finding a lasting solution to the age-old challenge of farmers-herders conflict, which has been with us from time immemorial.”
[b]Meanwhile, the paramount ruler of Akaleku in Obi Local Government Area, Zhe Augustine Alao, has been accused of ordering the Tiv community in his domain to cede their farmlands to Fulani herdsmen.

The Tiv community in the area, led by their leaders, Mr Vandesalen Shie and Moses Andrew, said this, yesterday, in a statement they jointly signed, a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun, in Lafia, yesterday.

The community also alleged that the Zhe Akaleku recently connived with the Fulani herdsmen and brought in the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the police, who arrested and detained four members of the community, at the State Criminal and Investigation Department, in Lafia, for resisting the takeover of their farmlands by herdsmen.
The statement gave names of the detained persons to include Andrew Agah, Ordam Vandesalem, Timbee Vandesalem and Motswenga Vadesalem.

“The Tiv community, therefore, wondered why the Zhe Akaleku will order us to cede our farmlands to Fulani herdsmen, even as we have settled in the area over a decade.”
[/b]When contacted, the Akaleku paramount ruler dismissed the allegation by the Tiv community that he had ordered the ceding of their farmlands to herdsmen.
“I only waded into a land dispute between the Tiv farmers and Fulani herdsmen in my domain,” he insisted.
http://sunnewsonline.com/nasarwa-monarch-cedes-tiv-farmland-to-herdsmen/

The police in Plateau State have confirmed that four members of the same family were on Wednesday night killed in Kai village of Barkin Ladi local government area of Plateau State.


Plateau State Police spokesman, ASP Tyopev Terna, told Daily Trust that the incident was reported on Thursday morning around 10:30 by one Maren Mahan who said suspected herders had invaded the house of his brother, one Dauda Mahan and shot and killed the 54-year-old alongside one Mangai Agwom, 46, Christian Mangai,15, years and John Mangai, 10.
ASP Terna said a team of detectives led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Barkin Ladi had visited the scene of crime for an on the spot assessment.


“The bodies were recovered to the General Hospital Barkin Ladi where they were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty and the corpses deposited in the hospital’s mortuary,” he added.


He said investigation was ongoing to track and arrest the perpetrators to face the consequences of their actions.
https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/4-killed-in-barkin-ladi-night-attack-257545.html

Passengers in Nigeria travelling to various destinations for summer have been stranded in the country for the past two to three months over scarcity of passport booklets.

BusinessDay’s checks show that the passport booklets are currently scarce because the government owes its technical partners abroad huge debts running into billions of naira.

Passengers who have booked flights ahead for summer have had to cancel the travel plans and had to forgo the money spent in purchasing flight tickets.

“I was supposed to travel to London last week but I couldn’t travel because the Ikoyi passport office is yet to issue me a passport I applied for two months ago. Apart of the money I have wasted buying tickets, I have had to cancel my travel plans. It is so frustrating that a country like Nigeria has failed in all ramifications,” Romoke Akiyode lamented to BusinessDay.

According to Akiyode, she had been visiting the passport office since she applied for the passport and the immigration officers kept giving excuses that the passport booklets were scarce but assured her the passport will be ready in a near date.

“It cost me so much to buy tickets and with this new development, I cannot travel any time soon,” she told BusinessDay.

Another applicant who identified himself as Ifeanyi said his three children were supposed to go for vacation in the United States but couldn’t because their passports were not ready after 5weeks of application.

BusinessDay observed that touts are using the scarcity as an opportunity to exploit applicants by collecting as much as N20,000 to N25,000 from Nigerians who are desperate to get their passports.

A source at the office also told Business that Nigerians who live outside the country have had to reschedule their flights in order to secure their passports.

BusinessDay’s checks show that the passport booklets are presently being produced‎ by Iris Smart Technology Nigeria (ISTL) through its parent company, Iris Corporation, based in Malaysia.

A company in Netherlands is responsible for the biometrics and security details inserted into the passports, while South Africa provides the ink used for the printings done in the passports.

Amount spent on the production and printing of passport booklets annually is about N24.3billion.

Unfortunately, this development is happening at a time when air fares are relatively stable as a result of availability of dollars and airlines being able to repatriate over $600million trapped funds to their home country.

Recall that two years ago, United Airlines and Iberia airlines suspended flights into Nigeria over inability to repatriate their earnings to their home country.

Foreign airlines trapped funds were over $700million, making airfares very high. The direct effect on passengers was many could not travel and those who managed to travel, paid through their noses.

However, air fares are relatively cheaper compared to last year because airlines have been able to repatriate their earnings.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it was encouraged by the recent developments in Nigeria where the Federal Government succeeded in clearing $600 million backlog of airline funds trapped in Nigeria.

“Summer fares are always higher because demand outweighs supplies but unlike last year summer when there were no seats because airlines could not repatriate their funds, right now, there are seats and there is access to dollars. So, there is competition and there is a lot going on. The prices of tickets are cheaper than last year. Things are stabilising this year. People have more disposable income this year, “Bernard Bankole, President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) told BusinessDay.

Bankole said people are still travelling to the conventional destinations like London, Dubai, South Africa and America, adding that Paris and Kenya are the secondary most sought destinations.

BusinessDay’s checks show that last year, Emirates airline return economy class ticket on the Lagos-London route, which was sold for N500,000 to N550,000, currently costs N380,000 to N450,000.
http://www.businessdayonline.com/exclusives/summer-passengers-stranded-scarcity-passport-booklets/

Who is the other candidate? As it is, forget all the arm chair analysis, the painful truth is PMB will win again, though with fewer votes except a miracle or something extraordinary happens -NOT impossible but difficult. He has lost significant ground among Northern Christians but he will sweep his traditional North West and North East (some decline in Adamawa, significant decline in Taraba). He will struggle in North Central (e.g. can't get the 25% in a place like Benue which he even won in 2015). He will lose the traditional South South and South East. As in 2015, the South West will decide and honestly, I don't see what PDP or any other party will offer the South West. Perceived mismanagement of the South West contributed significantly to PDP losing 2015 and same may replay. Note that I am NOT from the South West! Buhari has lost goodwill and grounds but who has gained goodwill or ground -PDP, Atiku, Coalition for new Nigeria? Before you come for me, note that I am NOT a member of BMC or his supporter. Fact is, many commentators have no PVC and expressing anger on internet won't change election outcomes. In the 'far North' people will trek for miles, queue up patiently under the sun and in the rain to vote but my neighbor who doesn't want Buhari and always criticizing him, will tell me that her polling booth is too far for her to go and vote. That's what she said in 2015. Abeg!

These atrocities should feature prominently in the debate and votes for 2019 elections!

The 2019 elections is a sort of referendum, whether we are saying yes or no to these killings.

The key thing to weep about is that Nigeria has been reduced to a mindless killing field by marauding murderers.
Our leaders are fiddling while Nigeria burns. That is the front burner and a major issue for 2019 votes.

The killings by these marauding murderers ought to be the subject of the 2019 elections. To continue with this madness or not.

I must commend the patience of Nigerians. I don't think things were this bad under the Shagari government. I am not and never rooting for a military coup but it is obvious that this government has woefully failed to deliver the fundamental objective and minimum key performance indicator of governance -the welfare and security of it's people. Please don't bring lame excuses of religion, region or tribe into this and please put aside APC and PDP quarrel. All Nigerians including you who will type and insult or disagree with me, are in clear and present danger from criminals who are having a field day while politicians of all shades including those in office are busy campaigning for election and/or re-election. The temerity and audacity of some of our politicians is simply unbelievable as is the gullibility and naivety of their followers including some Nairalanders.