Why We Bomb ThisDay Newspaper – Boko Haram

The Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, popularly known as Boko Haram, said yesterday that it attacked Thisday newspaper’s offices in Abuja and Kaduna to send a strong message to the media that it would no longer condone reports misrepresenting it in the press, or blaming it for acts it knows nothing about. 

 Abul Qaqa, spokesperson for the sect told Premium Times, in an exclusive interview, that his organisation was fed up with the deliberate misinformation being peddled about it in the Nigerian and foreign media. “We have repeatedly cautioned reporters and media houses to be professional and objective in their reports. This is a war between us and the Government of Nigeria; unfortunately the media have not been objective and fair in their report of the ongoing war, they chose to take side,” Mr. Qaqa said. He identified three instances where he claimed his group was deliberately misrepresented by the media. 

The first, according to him, was the rumour of his capture by the Nigerian intelligence agencies. “Some reporters are aware that I am Abul Qaqa, they know my voice through our long interactions and they also know the role of Abu Darda who heads the enlightenment committee and sometimes facilitates interviews; yet they (media) go by the unsubstantiated view of government that Abul Qaqa is in custody and I am the new spokesman or number two,” he said. Premium Times had continuously reported that Abul Qaqa was not arrested contrary to reports and that it was Abu Darda, another member, that was arrested. 

 The second misrepresentation, according to Mr. Qaqa, was the reporting on the kidnappings of foreigners in the Northern part of Nigeria. “Another issue was the recent kidnappings in the north; we were clear with our position as a group during a teleconference with reporters but we were shocked the next day when newspaper headlines added a lot of things which I never said during that interview.” The third example, Mr. Abul Qaqa said, is the mistranslation of the video the group posted recently. “Another example is the recent video posted on YouTube by our Imam; I challenge every Nigerian to watch that video again. 

There is no place our imam either said he will crush President Jonathan or issued an ultimatum to the government in Nigeria; but nearly all papers carried very wrong and mischievous headlines.” When asked why ThisDay appeared specifically chosen for the attack, Mr. Qaqa said ThisDay’s “sins” are more grievous. “It is not only THISDAY that has been engaged in negative media campaign, fictional stories and constantly promoting fake stories by the JTF to give an impression that they are making headway against us yet there is no time the media investigated further as an objective and responsible bystander in this war.

 “But the sins of THISDAY are more,” he said. “They once insulted the Prophet Mohammed in 2001 and we have not forgotten. They recently said our Imam executed me which is false. Here I am speaking to you, I am alive and healthy.” Expect more media attacks The group’s spokesman further warned of more attacks on the media. “We have just started this new campaign against the media and we will not stop here, we will hit the media hard since they have refused to listen to our plea for them to be fair in their reportage,” he said. Mr. Abul Qaqa also said his group would give further information on biases by the media. 

 “In the coming days we will give details and instances where the media have not been fair to us and why we are going to attack them as well.” Media should be neutral “The media in Nigeria are not a problem to us if they will do their job professionally without taking sides,” Mr. Abul Qaqa said. “But each time we say something, it is either changed or downplayed. But when our enemy says something even without logical proof, it is blown out of proportion.” “We have repeatedly asked some reporters to retract some stories or even give us the right of reply but none of these requests were given to us.

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NOT AGAIN: JTF discovers bomb factory in Kano

Members of the Joint Security Task Force (JTF) in Kano State yesterday announced the discovery of a bomb-making facility believed to belong to members of the Boko Haram sect. Spokesman of the JTF, Lieutenant Ikedichi Iweha, disclosed this while conducting reporters round the said facility situated at Haye Hotoro Arewa, a suburb of the state capital.

 Iweha said the discovery followed a tip-off, adding that security operatives had received intelligence report to the effect of the arrival of one of the kingpins of the sect, a situation, which informed their placing the said house under surveillance for a long time. He disclosed that the JTF eventually decided to raid the house in the early hours of yesterday, adding that at the end of the operation, the operatives discovered some Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) in the house that was isolated from the densely populated area. 

 He added that other discoveries included assorted containers, drums of liquid substances, charcoals, housewhole items and video tapes of the late Al Qaeda leader, Osama Bin laden. He regretted that the main target of the operation escaped being arrested, adding that a few suspects were, however, arrested. Besides, he said two housewives and some children were rescued from the facility. Iweha disclosed that the affected house would be demolished with Military Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and the bomb items destroyed. 

His words: “We discovered this house where these terrorists used to make their bombs. As you can see, they were already priming these explosives before we came here. We couldn’t get our target as he had escaped, but I can tell you that some arrests were made.” The spokesman equally used the opportunity to appeal to the people of the state to continue to assist the operatives with useful information, adding that their information would be treated with confidentiality.

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Man held after failed attempt to bomb Lagos church!

An attempt by a 26-year-old-suspected suicide bomber to blow up a church in Ikorodu area of Lagos was foiled, yesterday, following his arrest. The development threw residents into panic as news of alleged infiltration of the Boko Harm’s sect into Lagos spread. The suspected suicide bomber later identified as Olasunkanmi Ismail, reportedly scaled through the fence into Methodist Church at Ita-Elewa area of Ikorodu about 7.30 am. 

 Suspecting his movement, some curious neighbours reportedly alerted the church’s securitymen, who subsequently apprehended Olasunkanmi, who was clad in a yellow T-shirt and a black trouser. When searched, a can covered with a paper on which was scribbled ‘open in case of emergency’ was found in his pocket. During interrogation, Ismail, who claimed he was sent to plant an explosive on the church’s premises, refused to disclose the identity of the sender. 

 A mob which gathered in front of the church attempted to lynch him, but was prevented by the church’s presbyter, Rev. Mathew Ogunsiji,who invited policemen from Ikorodu Division. Men of the Anti-Bomb Squad later arrived the scene where a search was conducted round the church’s premises and the suspect whisked away by policemen from Ikorodu Division. 

 Speaking with Vanguard, Rev. Ogusiji said the suspect was found hiding somewhere near the graveyard, adding that his attempt to escape was foiled by the church’s securitymen. He said: “We were scared when he said he was sent to plant a bomb in the church. We then contacted the Commissioner of Police, who sent a team of anti-bomb squad to a search the premises but said they did not discover any bomb.

 This has sent a signal to us to improve on our security system which we hope to do.’’ Spokesman for the Anti Bomb Explosive Ordance Disposal, EOD, Mr. Gbolahan, said it was a mere bomb scare. According to him, “The issue is no issue, but just a scare. When our men were informed , our EOD technicians got there and discovered a bottle covered with an inscription, ‘in case of emergency.’

 ”The men applied EOD procedure and swept the entire church premises, but did not find any bomb. There is no cause for alarm.” He assured Lagosians to go about their legal businesses. Spokesman for the Lagos Police Command, Joseph Jaiyeoba, corroborated Gbolahan’s claims,adding that investigation was

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There are Christians in Boko Haram –Paul Unongo

Minister of Steel in the Second Republic, Paul Unongo, said assumption that Boko Haram sect was made up of only Muslims from the North was wrong because Christians, armed robbers and politicians have now crept into the Boko Haram-related violence. 

Unongo stated this yesterday on Voice of America, Hausa Service monitored in Abuja. “Our problem is this issue of Boko Haram, some think it is only Northern Nigeria’s problem but it is not true. 

Armed robbers, politicians from the North and South have joined Boko Haram in disguise. They think this is a Northern problem but some Southerners were arrested and there are Christians and Muslims in Boko Haram. The Boko Haram we knew were not armed robbers,” he said in Hausa.

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Why we can’t stop Boko Haram –Army chief

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika, has identified sour civilian-military relationship as a major hindrance to the army’s effort to stop the insurgence of the dreaded Boko Haram Islamist sect. Ihejirika said the Army needs information to ascertain the sect’s centre of gravity. 

 He said the task before the Army and other security agencies were premised on intelligence, which was largely dependent on information supplied by the civilian population, which were not easy to obtain. The Army Chief stated this at the closing of one-week capacity building workshop for Commanding Officers from 1 and 3 Divisions held in Kaduna at the weekend. 

 Ihejirika said it was unfortunate that the same civilian population who expected the military to perform magic by wiping out the terrorists group at once was not ready to provide them with information. Represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Mechanized Division, Kaduna, Major General Garba Wahab, Ihejirika added that, “without those information, we cannot determine the centre of gravity of these guys, that is the unique problem we have. 

 “This is why we are appealing to the public, because the essence of the whole thing we are doing is premise on information and intelligence. The same people who want us to come out and perform magic are not ready to give us information.“We have two ways of doing our job. It is either we go attrition or maneuvering. If we go attrition, the whole world we call us and say we have killed one million people in Bauchi and 1, 000 in so, so place.

 “If we go maneuvering, what we are looking for is the centre of gravity; what is that thing that makes this organization perform?” he said. He therefore tasked the participants (commanding officers) to embark in psychological operation in collaboration with the media and the entire citizenry to be able to obtain information that would aid them in the task of ensuring the safety of every Nigerian. “You must therefore go out of your various offices and socialize. 

I mean, you must go out and relate with people who matters, who will provide you with information to help you perform your job. These you must do, no matter how low or high the person is,” he said. While he reminded them that the task before them was that of terrorism, Ihejerika told the participants who were the commanding officers of the various military formations and troops in the North-east and North-west of the country to always be prepared and form alliances among themselves. 

“You must be prepared; prepare your personnel, prepare your material, prepare your doctrine; how you want to go about it. In addition, form up alliances; liaise with people. Nobody will come to you with any information. Nobody will come to you with anything; you must go out and look for it. “You must prevent what is undesirable if you are not to be disgraced or embarrassed. 

You must protect everything within your domain; civilians, military personnel, resources, materials and whatever. And at the same time, you must be ready to pursue the adversary, if you don’t, you will give the man the freedom of action,” the Army Chief warned. Ihejirika told the participants to accord importance to motivation of their soldiers to ensure the accomplishment of their mission, adding that, they were the eyes of the Nigerian Army in their respective domains.

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Explosion rocks Kano

Luck again played out in the metropolitan area of Kano State as a car primed with an explosive device, Sunday evening, exploded in the heart of Sabon Gari Area, a predominantly Christian residential quarters in Kano State. 

 The exact extent of damage, including the likely casualty figure could not be ascertained as at press time but a witness said two persons sustained injury as a result of the blast. Daily Sun gathered that a vehicle parked by the roadside suddenly exploded at about 7.00 pm in front a row of entertainment spots and outdoor beer parlours. The incident happened at No. 38 New Road by Ado Bayero Square. 

 The explosion resulted into a deafening noise across the horizon, triggering off panic reactions across several streets as visitors and residents quickly fled from the area while several owners of social spots immediately shut down their shops. 

 A witness, who saw the car explode, told the Daily Sun that they were busy enjoying the Sunday evening when the explosion occurred. He recalled that the vehicle, a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), was parked in the midst of several other cars, adding that there was nothing unusual about the SUV to suggest it was ill-fated. He said they immediately heard a huge noise and thereafter, everybody took to his heels, adding that the blast blew off the trunk of the SUV.

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How Boko Haram contacted me, Ndume tells Court

It was a bloody encounter, yesterday morning, at Tudun Wada town, 100km south of Kano when the Joint Military Taskforce gunned down nine suspected members of Boko Haram Islamic sect and arrested two others during a midnight combat operation.

This came as embattled lawmaker representing Borno South Senatorial District, Mohammed Ali Ndume, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja how the sect contacted him through telephone, even as he refuted the allegation that he furnished them with classified information that aided their terrorist operations in the country.

The military, acting on intelligence, had laid an ambush at major entry points to the town on Kano-Jos federal highway shortly after a report that some gunmen attacked the police station, DPO’s residence and an old generation bank in the town bordering Plateau State.

Briefing newsmen on the success of the operation, the GOC 3 Motorized Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Bukavu Barracks in Kano, Brigadier General Iliyasu Abba, revealed that high calibre weapons carted away from the station after the attack were recovered.

The Army chief said three vehicles used by the ‘enemy combatant’ during earlier attack at Tudun Wada town including their ‘logistic vehicle’ used to convey arms and ammunition were destroyed by the Armoured Personnel Carrier and recovered during the overnight raid.

Brigadier General Iliyasu Abba who was flanked by the Kano Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and the state Director, State Security Services during the briefing said “ We convinced ourselves that the attackers launched their operation from Kano and we quickly mobilised troops and blocked major entry point to Tudun Wada and it paid off handsomely.”

Brigadier Iliyasu Abba stated that the military is poised at containing the menace posed by the gunmen and called on the general public to cooperate and offer useful information that could assist the security forces achieve their set goals.

How Boko Haram contacted me—Ndume

Meanwhile, the embattled Senator Ndume who is answering to a four-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Federal Government, maintained that the reason the sect approached him was as a result of his being a member of the Presidential Committee inaugurated on August 2, 2011, with a view to addressing the security challenges in the North Eastern part of the nation.

According to Ndume, the first telephone exchange between him and the sect was on October 4, 2011, two months into the committee’s work.

The accused person who made these disclosures in a 24-paragraph affidavit he filed in support of his motion on notice seeking to quash the entire charge against him, told the high court that he had never been a member of the Jammatul Sunnah Walid Jihad (otherwise known as ‘Boko Haram’), insisting that it was the committee that mandated him to contact members of the sect to ascertain their demands.

The affidavit was deposed to by one Hauwa Abubakar, a legal practitioner in the chambers of counsel to the accused lawmaker, Messrs Rickey Tarfa, SAN.

Meantime, in his application dated March 19, Ndume is praying the trial court to quash the charge as well as discharge him from the matter.

When the case came up for hearing yesterday, the prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Fatunde, who is a Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice, said she was not served with a copy of the motion, a claim that was refuted by the lawyer that represented Ndume, Mr Nganjiwa Hyelzria, who insisted that she was duly served.

Though the prosecutor later discovered that the said process was received by one of her juniors, however, she sought time to respond to the application, a request that was accordingly granted by trial Justice Gabriel Kolawole.

Consequently, Justice Kolawole gave the defence counsel seven days to file a written address in support of the application, just as he gave the prosecution 14 days to file a response. The case was subsequently adjourned till April 26, for the parties to exchange and adopt their respective briefs of argument.

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Boko Haram: FG plan to appease North with 13% derivation

As violence continues to rock parts of the North, the Federal Government may have opted to appease some northern states with the payment of 13 per cent derivation on solid minerals with immediate effect.

A competent source told Vanguard that government was worried about rising insecurity in the northern part of the country with vociferous leaders of the north blaming the situation on poverty and inequality arising from alleged lopsided revenue allocation against them.

The source said President Goodluck Jonathan was considering various measures, which include the immediate payment of the 13 per cent derivation to solid mineral-bearing states, a preserve hitherto enjoyed by the nine oil producing states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Rivers, Delta, Imo, Abia and Ondo since the inception of democratic rule in 1999.

It was learnt that government’s decision to pay the money was an indirect way of stemming the growing discontent and violence in that part of the country.

The Federal Government has been paying the derivation fund, which runs into trillions of Naira to only the nine oil-bearing states.

Payment to commence next month

But Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, Mr. Elias Mbam, claimed in an exclusive interview that the payment, which is to commence next month, has no political motive.

Mbam, an engineer, made it clear that the decision to extend the payment to solid mineral states was in obedience to the relevant section of the Nigerian constitution.

The chairman said: “The payment is a constitutional matter, which states that derivation should not be less than 13 per cent and derivation is not limited to oil and gas. This also includes all other mineral resources.

“If you have minerals in your state and it is developed and it generates revenue into the federation account, you are entitled to 13 per cent of what is paid into the federation account.”

The chairman, who did not, however, list the benefitting states and how much would be shared to them, said the commission would also not be drawn into agitation by some states for a review of the revenue allocation formula to give them more money.

Section 162 (2) of the Constitution of Nigeria states: “The principles of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than 13 per cent of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resource.”

Non-oil GDP

N90. 4 billion is expected as non-oil Gross Domestic Product by the Federal Government in the next three years as contained in the revised Medium Term Financial Framework between 2012 and 2014. The solid mineral states are expected to earn 13 per cent of the amount.

On the other hand, the nine oil producing states will share at least N1.9 trillion as their share of 13 per cent derivation within the period.

The Minna meeting

But it is not clear whether the leaders of the North would be pacified as they had only a few days ago called for an urgent review of the revenue formula.

In a well publicised communiqué, the North rejected the current revenue allocation law and called for its immediate review, saying it was lopsided, unfair and detrimental to the interest of all Nigerians, including the real people of the oil-producing states it appears to favour superficially.

They argued that oil-producing states were equally victims because the revenue accruing to their states on the basis of derivation over-weighted formula was far beyond their executive capacity to manage, thereby promoting corruption and hyper-inflation in those states, their neighbours and the country at large.

The communiqué said: “This revenue allocation law also stands in violation of the international law with particular reference to the International Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC). The LOSC treaty, which has since come into force (1982), is the principal governing law for all maritime resource issues.”

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We Will Soon Bring Boko Haram To Book

CHIEF of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Olusegun Petinrin, has assured Nigerians that the incessant insurgence and destructive activities of the Boko Haram sect was a temporary setback, just as he boasted that members of the sect would soon be apprehended and clamped behind the bars.

The military boss made this assertion in a chat with Saturday Tribune after conluding the delivery of a lecture entitled “Military Power as an Instrument of Foreign Policy: Nigeria’s Experience,” where he underscored the relevance of the military in foreign policy implementation, at the instance of the Fourth University of Ibadan/National Defence College Distinguished Lecture held in the Large Lecture Theatre of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday.

When asked the roots of Boko Haram’s imbroglio, the Guest Lecturer asked jocularly but instructively : “Indeed, I would want you to ask them “What is their problem, other than blind terrorism to inconvenience people and disturb people, especially in the North? But we assure Nigerians that it is a temporary thing. We will soon bring all of them to book. And all of them will be behind bars very soon,” he boasted.

He, however, stated, when asked when the onslaught of the sect would end, that like other countries battling with similar challenges, Nigeria may have to manage the situation in the meantime.

“When you are talking about terrorism, there is never really a total winning of a war against anything. Once it is with us, it is with us. We will manage it until it is no longer with us. Just as the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Pakistan and other nations have and are still managing theirs, we shall also manage ours,” Petinrin assured.

Earlier in the programme, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Adewole, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Elijah Bamigboye, who described the Guest Lecturer as a most responsible and foremost pilot Nigeria ever had, lauded the Armed Forces of Nigeria for their immense contributions to nation-building.

The Chief Host and Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences, Professor Shyngle Kolawole Balogun and Host, Acting Head of Department, Dr. Osisioma Nwolise, in their goodwill addresses, lauded the military, saying officers of the profession should be accorded respect, love, sympathy and appreciation for signing off their lives for the unity and the protection of the citizens and the territorial integrity of the country.

Highlights of the occasion, which was attended by dignitaries including Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, Rear Admiral Thomas Jonah Lokosin; General Officer Commander 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Adekunle Fajuyi Cantonment, Ibadan, Major General Muhammad Abubakar; Controller, Immigration Service, Mr J. O. Olaitan and Acting Registrar of the institution, Mr Victor Adegoroye, among others, saw the presentation of a plaque to the Guest Lecturer by Professor Bamigboye, with an applause from the audience.

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Boko Haram chief dies in SSS custody

A factional leader of Boko Haram who was captured after a gun fight in Zaria last week has died of bullet wounds he sustained in the raid, the State Security Service announced in Abuja yesterday.

Abu Muhammad was arrested along with five others when soldiers and SSS men raided their hideout in Zaria last Tuesday night while the Boko Haram splinter group leaders were holding a meeting.

The SSS also yesterday gave a detailed account of the botched rescue attempt of kidnapped expatriates in Sokoto last Thursday, confirming that security men got the location of the hostages from the men arrested in Zaria.

Daily Trust reported exclusively on Friday that the Sokoto raid on Thursday was as a result of information gathered from the people arrested in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The two expatriate staff of Stabilini Visioni Construction Company, Christopher McMnus and Franco Lamolinara, were abducted in Birnin Kebbi in May 2011. They were killed by their captors on last Thursday as security forces attempted to free them.

Yesterday, Assistant Director, Public Relations Department of the SSS, Doyin Adetuberin, said Abu Mohammed was the mastermind of the abduction but that the foreigners were killed before the rescue attempt.

He said the initial investigation of the abduction led to arrests in Adamawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Sokoto and Kebbi states. Youths of between 19 and 20 years were discovered to have conducted surveillance on the foreigners before the abduction, and they were arrested, he added. They are Bashir Ibrahim (aka addua), Ibrahim A. Habibu and Gambo Maiburodi.

“Further investigations revealed that the plot was mastermined by Abu Mohammed-led faction of Boko Haram in Nigeria,” he said.

“Following a raid on Abu Mohammed’s hide out at Layin Hanwa area of Zaria on March 7 , Mohammed and 5 others were arrested while holding a Shura Council (the sect’s highest decision making body) meeting.

“In the ensuing exchange of gun fire, a soldier was killed and his throat slashed while one Service personnel was seriously injured by members of the Boko Haram sect. Abu Mohammed and the other suspected sustained various degrees of bullet wounds.”

Those arrested alongside Mohammed included Mohammed Rabi’u Adam a-k-a Dan Hajiya, Abubakar AbduRahaman Habibu, Shitu Salihu, Abubakar Umar and Ahmed Samaila.

Adetuberin said, “The SSS said preliminary interrogation of the arrested suspects revealed that the guards protecting the two foreign hostages in Sokoto had been directed to kill them in the event of any envisaged threat. The arrested suspect advised that a rescue operations be immediately initiated more so as one of them had escaped during the Zaria raid.

“Consequently, a joint security operation was launched. One of the arrested suspects, Mohammed Rabi’u Adam (aka Dan Hajiya), who killed the soldier during the Zaria raid, led the security team from Zaria about 11pm on Wednesday 7 March, 2012 to Sokoto and arrived their destination at about 0430 hours on March 8.

Prior to their arrival, the security operatives had mounted a street cordon and search operation along all routes around Mabera Estate, Sokoto to prevent any attempt by the guards to smuggle out the hostages.

“Apparently, acting on the directive of the member of the sect who escaped from Zaria, the guards murdered the hostages before the arrival of the security forces. However, the guards could not leave the building because of the heavy presence of security in the area.

“Upon arrival of security forces at the building where the hostages were being held, there was a prolonged exchange of gunfire during which 3 of the guards were killed while the wife of one of them sustained bullet wounds and was rushed to a hospital. No lives were lost on the part of the security forces though some Service personnel sustained gunshot injuries.”

“Meanwhile, Abu Mohammed died on 9 March, 2012 following severe bullet wounds sustained during the Zaria raid,” he added.

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Police HQ interrogates Bauchi church bombers

The acting Inspector General of Police Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar said the eight Christians arrested attempting to bomb their church in Miya Barkatai, Toro Local Government Area in Bauchi State, are being interrogated by the police.

Police and witnesses said the suspects were arrested with sophisticated weapons. They came from neighbouring villages near Miya Barkatai. The suspected bombers are Lamba Goma, Filibus Danasa, Joshua Ali, Danjuma Sabo, Joseph Audu, Simon Gabriel, Bulus Haruna, Yohanna Ishaya and Daniel Ayuba.

The IG said the suspected bombers were being “interrogated in Abuja and facts were obtained from them. We will take appropriate actions and charge them to court after investigations.”

The bombers were arrested on February 26, when they came with explosive devices and tried to set them off in the COCIN Church but they were overpowered by locals who handed them to security men.

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11 dead in Jos as suicide bombers attack church

Jos, the crisis-prone capital of Plateau State, was in turbulence again yesterday.

Youths went on the rampage as soldiers shot sporadically to prevent an escalation of the violent protests that greeted the suicide bombing of a Catholic church.

Yesterday’s bombing of St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church in Reyfield, Jos was the second attack on a church in two weeks in the Tin City.

Seven parishioners, including an expectant woman, were among the 11 peaople confirmed dead in yesterday’s bombing; 22 were injured.

On February 26, a suicide bomber drove an explosive-laden car into the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN). Four people were killed.

President Goodluck Jonathan swiftly denounced the bombing. He urged Nigerians “not to despair or be discouraged”, in a statement by his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati.

Governor Jonah Jang, who visited the scene and the victims in the hospital, said “rather than crying and mourning, this is the time to pray to God to bring an end to these attacks”.

Dr Matawwal Bitrus, Medical Director, Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos, confirmed that the hospital had received the corpses of six victims.

Another corpse was said to have been deposited at the mosque of Jos University Teaching Hospital.

The Chief Medical Director, Dr Ishaya Pam, said: “We received 15 casualties from the attack. One of the victims died while 14 sustained various degrees of injuries and are in critical conditions.

“Some sustained varying degrees of burns while three had gunshot wounds. But they are in stable condition and responding to treatment.”

The Nigerian Red Cross indicated that it had taken 22 people injured in the blast to various hospitals in Jos metropolis.

“For now, we have 22 injured at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau Specialist Hospital and Air Force Military Hospital in Jos.

“Many of the injured are in critical conditions but they are stable and responding to treatment. But we also note that some of the injured were taken to different hospitals in the metropolis by different people.

“Those ones that were taken to these hospitals by several people mostly, relatives, we are not able to know their actual number for now,” Mr Manasseh Pampe, State Chairman of the Red Cross said.

The premises of the church was littered with pieces of flesh of the suicide bombers, who were believed to be two in the car that conveyed the bomb. The charred remains of the engine of the car used by the bombers was in front of the building. Its body torn into shreds.

Police spokesman Samuel Dabai said: “Yes; the explosion occurred at St. Finbarr’s Church, Rayfield and from initial reports available to me, there were 10 dead and ten injured. Six of them must have died at the scene of the attack”

Rev. Father Peter Umoren, the parish priest, spoke of another horrific Sunday in Jos.

He said: “I don’t know how to describe this; I’m short of words. We just commenced the 10 am Mass when the incident occurred. We finished the early Mass and those who attended it were on their way out of the church while those attending the 10am Mass were trooping in. I was right on the pulpit when we heard the heavy explosion. I did not know when I shouted ‘Jesus’. The church building almost collapsed on the congregation, but God saved us; the roof did not come down but the ceiling was shattered.”

The impact of the explosion damaged about 10 vehicles parked within the church premises. It also left the official residence of the Parish Priest, within the church compound, badly damaged. Glasses and ceilings were shattered. The interior of the church building was in ruins.

St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church is about 200 meters from the Plateau State Government House. It shares a fence with the Plateau Radio and Television Corporation.

An eye witness, Sebastine Adah, said: “The car driven by the suicide bombers forced itself through the main gate of the church and let off the bomb right in front of the church. The mystery in this particular attack is how the suicide bombers were able to get through all the military check points in Rayfield without being noticed. I’m afraid there is no security in Jos in spite of the state of emergency.

“There is more military presence in Rayfield, Jos, due to the presence of the Government House and the fact that many influential persons live in the area, which makes it unthinkable that such high scale attack could happen there.”

However, youths in the area vent their anger on the soldiers who rushed to the scene after the attack. This forced the soldiers to shoot sporadically to disperse the rampaging youths. About five youths were shot in the clash with soldiers. The youths set bonfires on the road to prevent the soldiers’ entrance. They claimed that the soldiers were nowhere to be found when the suicide bombers came in with the bomb.

One of the youths, Ezekiel Davou, said: “To hell with soldiers; we don’t need them. Where were they when the bombers came in? Why can’t the soldiers prevent attacks on the churches? Where is the state of emergency? The soldiers are our problems; we don’t need them anymore, we are tired of all these. We are attacking them because their coming here after the suicide attack is useless.”

A victim at the Plateau State Specialists Hospital, Dogo Danjuma, said: “I thank God mine is injury. Many have died. My worry now is what sort of security we have in Jos? There are soldiers at every check point and they stop and check vehicles coming in and out of Rayfield; why did the soldiers fail to see the explosives in the bombers’ car. There is a kind of conspiracy here. And they say Jos is under state of emergency, yet we are not safe; we are not safe to worship; why?

A National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) official said: “From the scene of the blast, our team picked three bodies to the mortuary. I’m not saying the death figure was not more than three, there could be more but our team picked three, and we are not the only agency involved in the rescue team. The Special Task Force (STF), the Civil Defence, the Red Cross were all involved. So, it’s difficult to confirm the casualty figure now, but by tomorrow when everything settles down, we can go round all the hospitals in the city to get the statistics of the dead and the injured.”

The Youth Wing of the Christain Association of Nigeria (CAN) called on the Federal Government to revisit the recent posting of military officers across the country. “We witnessed about seven months of peace in Plateau State, but as soon as the Federal Government made the general postings and a new commander of Hausa-Muslim extraction resumed in Jos, the attacks have resumed.”

The explosion set the ongoing National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in disarray. Youth Corps members at the Zang Commercial Secondary School camp are fleeing. When The Nation visited the camp, many of the Youth Corps members especially those from the southern part of the country, were looking for means to flee the city.

One of the Youth Corps members, Alexander Mathew, said: “Our fear is deep because, each day, we see signs that we are not safe in this camp. A few days ago, 10 strange boys were arrested from our midst by security agencies. Those boys could be spies of Boko Haram and Boko Haram hates Corps members. We started this orientation barely two weeks ago and within two weeks, there have been two suicide bombings in Jos.”

Many parents and guardians with wards at the Jos Orientation Camp have made frantic calls to their wards to return home immediately. But the Plateau State co-ordinator of the NYSC, Mr. Maram Maful, called an assembly of the Youth Corps and pleaded with them not to leave. He assured them of adequate security.

While Youth Corps members from the southern part of the country insist on deserting the camp, their colleagues from the North were helping the commandant to convince the others.

Some of the Youth Corps members escaped the camp in plain clothes and were seen at the Plateau Ridders Park booking to leave the state.

Jang expressed shock when he visited the scene of the blast and urged residents to remain calm.

Jang said, “Rather than crying and mourning, this is the time to pray to God to bring an end to these attacks. All that is expected of residents is to be more security conscious and be extra-vigilant and cooperate with the security agencies who have the capacity to investigate the sources of these attacks.”

After addressing sympathisers at the church premises in Rayfield, the governor, accompanied by security chiefs, visited victims at the Plateau Airforce Hospital, Plateau Specialist Hospital and the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) where most of the victims are receiving treatment.

The Muslim Community in Jos condoled with the Christians.

The Chief Imam of the Jos Central Mosque, Sheikh Daud Balarabe, in a statement, described the attack as “unfortunate, considering that we have been enjoying peaceful co-existence in the state in recent times”.

The Muslim community urged youths not to take laws into their hands by embarking on reprisal attacks but work with the security agencies to restore peace to the state.

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Boko Haram: Nigeria is winning the war – Jonathan

…condemns Jos church bombing

President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians not to despair or be discouraged by the persistence of attacks by the Boko Haram Islamic sect, assuring that his government is winning the war against terrorists and would continue to progressively destroy their ability to unleash murderous attacks on peaceful, law-abiding Nigerians.

President Jonathan gave this assurance while commiserating with the families of the victims of the Sunday morning bomb attack on the St. Finbarr’s Catholic Church, Jos as well as the entire congregation of the Church and the government and people of Plateau State.

He reiterated his administration’s total condemnation of the attack and all other terrorist attacks on innocent Nigerians and reassured all Nigerians and friends of the country that the federal government was doing everything possible to end the spate of mindless attacks and killings in parts of the country.

According him, “it is worthy of note that in recent weeks, national security agencies have identified and arrested more of these agents of darkness than at any other time. Their hideouts and modus operandi are also being consistently exposed.”

While calling on the populace to remain patient and refrain from taking matters into their own hands, President Jonathan assured them that government would continue to build on the recent successes by security agencies until terrorism is totally defeated in the country with the support, cooperation and solidarity of all patriotic citizens.

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Boko Haram days are numbered--CDS

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, on Saturday in Abidjan, said the days of “Boko Haram’’ menace were numbered as security forces were decimating their network.

Petinrin gave the assurance in an interview to newsmen on the sidelines of a meeting of ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff held in Cote d’Ivoire to stem the rising insecurity in West Africa.

Petinrin said that the security forces had gained more intelligence from frequent arrests of the members of the leadership of Boko Haram.

“Boko Haram is a religious sect that initially started by condemning western knowledge in Nigeria and blossomed into a terrorist group that had unleashed mayhem on unsuspecting victims.

“Boko Haram has killed over 1,200 people in Nigeria, including Christians, Muslims and most internationally remembered was the bombing of UN House in Abuja that killed about 23 people.

“The truth of the matter is that we have decimated the leadership of Boko Haram and most of them are now in detentions.

“They have been caught. And just recently, about 23 days ago, we again caught the leader of the military wing, which led to our knowing where the kidnapped victims were and unfortunately the victims died in an attempt to rescue them.

“We all know that this can happen in the best planned operations and that shows the extent to which we already have a good angle on how to grab the leadership of Boko Haram and it is a matter of time.’’

Petrinrin said that Boko Haram sect had no clear sense of direction from the list of their demands from the interrogations that had been conducted so far.

He said: “These are people with no clear cut ideology and when you ask them what they want, you will hear very stupid and silly things. So, to me this is a flash in the pan which will be over soon.”

The Chief of Defence Staff said the Boko Haram network was spread to Niger and Cameroon and the ECOWAS Chiefs of Defence Staff had agreed on a broad-based regional strategy to nip the insurgents.

“The issue of Boko Haram also came up and the issue of Boko Haram is not only in Nigeria, it is now in Niger and Cameroon is also feeling the impact and so the meeting urged Cameroon to come on board and work with Nigeria to make sure this issue of Boko Haram is quickly brought under control.’’

On the anxiety, fear and allegations of security lukewarm on the issue, Petinrin said it usually would take a while to handle terrorists like the Boko Haram because of the broad network and mode of operations.

“The issue of terrorism is not something you can cure in a day, it is not something you do with immediate effect, what I am trying to say is that the issue of terrorism is not something you will say it can end tomorrow.

He said that the meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Staff also agreed on the need to deploy peace keepers to Mali that would intervene on the growing menace of the Taureg rebels that had killed many innocent people since January.

Petinrin said that the various West African countries that participated in the meeting would advise their governments on the need to send military intervention in Mali.

“Some far reaching decisions were reached basically to deal with Mali because of the Sahel region. Security in the region was one of the focus of this meeting and then of course, the Gulf of Guinea, the maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.

“As regards the Sahel region, Mali’s issue came up for discussion and it was agreed that ECOWAS Standby Force should be deployed by the authority of the Heads of States to bring peace to Mali .’’

He said the decision to advise Heads of Governments for an intervention in Mali was a collective one and would be collectively borne.

For the Gulf of Guinea maritime security issue, he said a Maritime Security Strategy draft was being considered and it had been agreed that the draft should be made available by March 15 to all the members.

Reports have it that top military officers from Nigeria, Cameroun, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Niger and Liberia also participated in the meeting.

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Boko Haram issues fresh threats

Three officers of the Nigeria Police were yesterday injured following an attack by suspected members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect on Rijar Zaki Police Station, on Bayero University Road in the state capital.

Eyewitnesses said the suspects suddenly emerged from the vicinity of the police station, at noon and opened fire on the station, adding that soon after, the officers on duty responded with equal force.

It was gathered that both the sect members and the police officers on duty were holed in an exchange of gunfire for several minutes, shooting at each other from a close range, after which the sect members retreated and fled in different directions.

Member of the Joint Security Task Force in the state as well as a police helicopter were immediately mobilised towards the troubled area, but had little to do, as the sect members had fled by the time of their arrival.

The gun duel, the first of its kind in that particular area, triggered off huge apprehension and confusion among residents of the area, as many residents ran for cover, while those at home stayed indoor.

At the time of filing the report, the entire area was cordoned off by security personnel, while the police have commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack on the station.

Saturday Sun was told that the three injured officers have been rushed for medical attention in one of the hospitals in the state capital.

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BREAKING NEWS:Gunmen Attack Police Station In Kano

Suspected Boko Haram militants attacked a police station in Kano suburb earlier today according to residents.

Armed militants stormed the Rijiyar Zaki Police station in Ungogo local government area in an audacious attack that led some policemen to flee the station.

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Attacks on churches deliberate,Sultan is Boko Haram’s target--Abu Qaqa, Kabiru Sokoto open up

Two Boko Haram kingpins in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS) Kabiru Sokoto and Abu Qaqa have revealed more plans the group has. In their confessional statements in Abuja yesterday to the SSS, Abu Qaqa, the sects’ spokesman now in detention and Kabiru Sokoto, the man behind the Madalla Christmas Day 2011bombing which claimed lives of 45 parishioners said they had sinister plans to undo the Sultan of Sokoto by taking away his religious powers.

Qaqa and Sokoto came short of saying they would have neutralized the Sultan or any other traditional ruler in the North in the bid to carry out their plans. They said: “Concerning this plan, any ruler that would have obstructed us would have regretted his action.”

They had intended to attack the sultanate and hijack the religious appurtenances of the seat and use the religious powers of the Sultan and practise the religion as they wish.

They said the original plan was to make sure the Sultan is reduced to a mere traditional ruler without religious powers, and in fact, he was not the only target as they intended to hack into the powers of other powerful emirs with a major design to Islamize Nigeria, starting with the north.

“With our plans already laid out, we had assured that any emir that resisted us would live to regret the action.”

But the duo also ended the speculation that the Boko Harm attacks are not predicated on religion or targeted at Christians. Qaqa and Sokoto said the attacks on churches and Christians are deliberate and intentional.

“We had a grand plan to Islamize Nigeria starting with the North. We felt that a lot of Muslims are not practising the religion faithfully as they should. Part of the plan was to reduce the powers of the Sultan to traditional rulership functions only, while all religious authority would be vested with our leader who would be based in Yobe.

“We believed there were so many things wrong with the present arrangement of combining both religious and traditional authorities in one man.” Revealing further on attacks on churches, Qaqa and Sokoto said: “The plans to attack churches and schools were not in reaction to any provocation. They had been there. You know why the churches had to go.

Those schools we targeted for instance were not teaching the children according to the ways of the faith. So these were part of the initial plans to allow only Islamic schools and wiping away all so called secular schools.

“Though a lot of us who went to school saw this approach as too rigid since we could use the medium to propagate the faith faster, but we were fewer and scared of making our opinion known because that could earn us the tag of traitors and therefore face the ultimate consequence.

“We wanted to reform the schools to conform to our plans and practice. And on the traditional institutions and rulers, anyone that would have obstructed our plans would have regretted his actions.”

Recall Kabiru Sokoto was arrested at Borno Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. He escaped when he was being led by team of policemen on a search on his house in Madalla, Niger State. He was re-arrested in Adamawa State last month.

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Churches subject members to security checks in Nigeria

Security was tight at most churches in Jos, Plateau State capital, yesterday as they took precautionary measures to forestall a repeat of the previous week attack on a church in the city.

Most churches barricaded roads leading to their premises, allowing only church members passage.

However, vehicles belonging to church members were frisked with metal detectors or were physically inspected to ensure that they were free of anything dangerous before being allowed into the premises.

Vehicles were also disallowed from parking close to the fence outside their premises.

In many of the churches, members were no longer allowed to go in with bags which are deposited at designated places within the church premises. Ladies were seen queuing up to collect their bags at the end of the service.

At the Living Faith Church on Jengre Road, car owners were made to open the bonnets and booths of their cars for checking before being allowed into the premises. Members were also frisked at the church door before gaining entry.

Some church members spoken to said the security arrangements were inconveniencing but agreed that they were necessary for the security of all.

Special Task Force, STF, maintaining security in the state also patrolled the city, alongside other security agents, while a military helicopter hovered over the city as church services went on.

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BOKO HARAM! ENOUGH OF BLOODSHED, WAR IS LOOMING.

Boko Haram, How are you. I know you are listening because very many in your ranks are highly educated and intelligent. I mean the Pro-Sharia Boko Haram and the Al-Qaeda Boko Haram. The PDP Boko Haram will wait for another day. I am constrained to speak to you as a Nigerian, from the South East, a Christian and Clergy.

Every problem on this earth is resolvable if the parties are ready to be reasonable and your grievances cannot be an exception. The wastage of lives occasioned by the Nigerian civil war would have been avoided if reason was preferred to conflicts. Nigeria is still suffering the consequences of that bloodshed till today. I know that you originated as a peaceful sect, practicing your religious ideology in relative peace and obscurity.

I know that your frustrations with the system then were ideological- you abhor western education and its effect on the tenets of Islam. Your frustration was that your elites were using the benefits of western education to perpetually turn the rest of your people into slaves. I know that it was a former governor who lured you out of your peaceful co-existence, armed you and used you to subdue his political opponents.

This governor promised you incorporation in his government and armed you to fight political battles. This same man used you to checkmate the ruling party and abandoned you after you secured electoral victory for him. Out of anger and bitterness you decided to react against the state and later the security apparatus and innocent people.

Boko Haram , you have killed enough. The whole world has heard your grievances-that western education is sin, but they do not know how you came about the conclusions. The level of poverty, disease, illiteracy and underdevelopment in the north was your initial reason for accusing your leaders of using the privileges of western education to oppress the rest. Therefore you formed the erroneous impression that once a section of the north is Islamized every socio-economic problem would be over.

Boko Haram, I would like you to know that western education is not evil . The rapid development of the southern parts of the country is due to the embrace the people gave to western education and ideals. The underdevelopment of your region is because your elites used the benefits and privileges of western education to exploit and oppress your people. Countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Iran, Malaysia., Turkey, and Egypt among numerous others are Muslim nations who converted the benefits of western education to high standards of living. Therefore if it failed in the north of Nigeria then the problem is not western education but your elites. Your northern elites control the oil industry, oil block industry and bunkering industry in Nigeria. This industry nets above $10 billion dollars annually yet they cannot invest their lion share on your people.

Your problem is not the defenseless Christian, neither is your problem the Southerner. Your problem is equally not fellow Muslim who is yet to accept the extremism of your beliefs. Boko Haram, you are fighting the wrong battle. You are not fighting those responsible for your problem. You are fighting innocent Nigerians already under the yoke of poverty, diseases, insecurity and hopelessness. Boko Haram, spare the Nigerian masses the bombings, killings and atrocities.

Drums of war are already beating. Ethnic nationalities are already gearing for confrontations if the situation persists. MEND, MASSOB, OPC and even Christian Association of Nigeria are eagerly awaiting the reactions of the government of the day before they decide on the next line of actions in consultations with their ethnic leaders. They are no more willing to allow their people or religious faithful to be slaughtered under any excuse. In the event of full blown confrontation you cannot predict the outcome and you cannot predict the extent of damage. I have been in touch with different groups restless at the developing mayhem and nobody is smiling. If the killings do not stop, people will bypass this Federal Government and take actions to protect their people. Nobody has monopoly of arms and even I will not hesitate to carry arms to defend my own people.

Christians and Southerners have refused to engage in reprisal attacks in order not to follow a mad man to dance n*ked on the streets. However strategies for counter attacks have been drawn and when it starts even the most indifferent will be forced to participate.

Boko Haram, are you still sure that Allah asked you to kill innocent people. The leader of the Islamic community in Nigeria, Sultan Abubakar Saad has already denounced your excesses as unislamic. The Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero wept at the atrocities you committed in Kano. The Muslim Ulamas have denounced your excesses as anti-Quran. Your battles have lost both followership and focus. Everybody is now your enemy, Christian, Southerner and Conservative Muslim. You now kill anybody, including children even in the market places.

Boko Haram, just as I predicted in earlier piece ‘Nigerian Politicians, Thuggery and Boko Haram’, you have now veered into armed robbery as means of executing Jihad. Soon kidnapping and pipeline vandalizations will follow. These are the consequences of uncontrolled arms in the hand of unregimented people. These are not the ideals of Alhaji Yusuf., your late leader. You now discriminate between Kogi Boko Haram, Kanuri Boko Haram and Hausa Fulani Boko Haram. The discrimination you once condemned as the Nigerian problem has crept into your organization

Boko Haram , I want to tell you that your leaders will soon be betrayed by your PDP sponsors. Once President Goodluck makes some political concessions to these PDP party men, they will sell you and reveal all your hiding places and you will be left alone. They were never interested in your Shari a, they just used you to checkmate President Goodluck. The best time to call off all these hostilities is now.

I therefore advise you to toe the line of dialogue now. Appoint opinion leaders from the north who will seek peace with the Nigerian State on your behalf. Let their demands include;

(1) Amnesty after proper reorientation and psychological reconstruction of your detained members to avoid future acts inimical to the Nigerian State.

(2) Assisting your members with vocational and professional trainings so that they can be useful to the society

(3) Massive investment in education and literacy in the north by a three tier collaborative efforts of sfederal, state and local governments in the affected states.

(4) Trial of former public office holders in your region especially your governors who embezzled funds meant for the development of the region and retrieving of the stolen funds for the development of the region.

(5) Entrenchment of proper electoral integrity to ensure that politicians in your region do not hoist unpopular candidates on the masses.

On your part you have to accept a cessation of all violent activities and liaise with sincere northern leaders to draw a roadmap for the rapid development of the region. A word is enough for the wise.

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JTF kills four suspected Boko Haram members in Borno

Joint Task Force, JTF, spokesman, Lt.-Col. Hassan Mohammed, said yesterday in Maiduguri, that JTF killed four suspected members of Jamaatu Ahlil Sunna lidawati wal Jihad, aka Boko Haram.

He said this while parading the corpses of the sect members at the spot where they were killed at Bayan-Quarters in the metropolis.

The suspects were reportedly driving a Volkswagen Golf saloon car painted in taxi colour at 6:30pm, Wednesday, when they were accosted by JTF members.

Although they were reportedly armed with sophisticated weapons, they seemed to have exhausted their ammunition going by the ease with which they were reportedly subdued by the superior fire power of the JTF.

Mohammed, who described the day’s operation as “a bad day for the sect,” added that their killing was the fourth of the day.

He said ‘Their refusal to stop at check points prompted the JTF soldiers to monitor their movement. As they made attempts to escape, our men did not waste the chance to bring them down.

“Two of them on the passengers’ seats fled with bullet wounds and our men are still in hot pursuit.”

One of the suspects, in his mid-20s, was dressed in a dark green rob and armed with two AK-47 riffles and extra magazines.

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