PHOTO: FILE

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) announced in Abuja on Tuesday that it would release some persons detained in connection with terrorist activities.

The Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said in a statement that the decision to release the suspected terrorists was based on the directives of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Jonathan had declared state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa on May 14.

The statement said the move was in furtherance of the Federal Government’s position in response to requests by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation.

“The measure which is in line with presidential magnanimity to enhance peace efforts in the country will result in freedom for suspects, including all women under custody.

“The details of the directives and those to benefit from this gesture have been communicated to field units and the Joint Task Force, ‘’ it said.

The statement said that the beneficiaries would be released to the state governors who would be involved in further rehabilitation before the suspects would be  released to their respective community leaders and relations. (NAN)

The Senate has ratified the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to impose a state of emergency in three states,  Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The decision of the upper chamber was reached during a closed session by the senate which convened on Tuesday 21 May 2013 and was attended by 100 senators of the 109 senators representing the zones of the country.

Senator David Mark while delivering the decision reached by the sitting pointed out that the aim of the sitting was to see a final solution to the problem of insurgency in the country.

He also added that when the military operations had been concluded in these states, the Federal Government will ensure that immediate actions of development will begin in these areas as quickly as possible.

“While we support the declaration of a state of emergency in three states, we urge other states not directly involved to support the decision so that the operations can be brought to a quick conclusion.” He said.

Minority leader Senator Akume, moved the motion that the Senate President resolve on the committee of the whole to take a decision on the hearing.

Senate President David Mark commended the President for acting as decisively as possible in moving to curb the insurgency. He lamented that the insurgents had already raised flags and began collecting taxes from these communities.

He said: “The Senate invokes the powers conferred on it to approve the state of emergency as proclaimed by the President of the Federal Republic, President Goodluck Jonathan. We therefore approve the Presidents request for a declaration of a state of emergency.”

Earlier, the Minority leader of the Senate, Senator Akume, seconded a motion moved by Senator Ndoma Egba urging the committee of the whole to debate on the state of emergency in a closed door session

The members of the National Assembly have begun deliberations on the recent declaration of a state of emergency in three states by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Senate President David Mark presiding over Tuesday’s sitting, began by reading an official gazette copy of the proclamation forwarded and signed by President Goodluck Jonathan before the house of the whole.

The gazette copy of the proclamation stated that the President has called on the Senate members to vote on two aspects of the proclamation which include:

1. A declaration of the state of emergency on three states, Yobe, Borno and Adamawa

2. A continuation of the administrative structures in the state to administer required functions as provided by the constitution.

The motion on the hearing, to be conducted in a closed session was moved by, Senator Ndoma Egba and seconded by Senator George Akume.

Voting is to commence on the declaration by President Goodluck Jonathan earlier during the week which the President pointed out during a national address was in line with Section 305 Sub Section 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

At least two-thirds of the members of the Senate (72 senators) and the House of Representatives (240 members) must approve the declaration for it to be valid.

]]> http://citizensplatform.net/2013/05/nigerian-senate-debate-state-of-emergency-in-closed-door/feed/ 0 http://citizensplatform.net/2013/05/120-boko-haram-islamists-arrested-in-maiduguri/ http://citizensplatform.net/2013/05/120-boko-haram-islamists-arrested-in-maiduguri/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 09:53:10 +0000 Dayo http://citizensplatform.net/?p=26861 By Agency Reporter

[BBC] About 120 militant Islamists have been arrested in Nigeria’s north-eastern city of Maiduguri, as they were organising the burial of a commander, an army spokesman has said.

The military has also recaptured five areas from the militants, he added.

There has been no independent confirmation of what the army has said.

President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three north-eastern states last week to quell the insurgency by the Boko Haram group.

It has carried out a wave of bombings and assassinations since 2009, saying it wants to establish an Islamic state across Nigeria.

A second Islamist group, Ansaru, joined the insurgency in 2012, taking foreigners hostage.

Officials say some 2,000 people have fled to neighbouring Niger, while more have crossed into Cameroon, since the army launched its offensive in the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe last week.

‘Shallow graves’

Some 2,000 soldiers were deployed to the region last week, in the biggest campaign to date against the Islamist militants.

The army has said it is also sending an extra 1,000 troops to Adamawa state.

Militants fleeing towards neighbouring Chad and Niger are being “contained”, military spokesman Chris Olukolade said, in a statement on Monday.

“Advancing troops also observed a few shallow graves believed to be those of hurriedly buried members of the terrorist groups,” he added.

Brig Gen Olukolade said the 120 militants who were arrested were being interrogated, bringing to more than 200 the number of Islamists the army says it has arrested since last week.

The militants were seized as they were preparing for the funeral of a commander killed in a battle with government troops, Brig Gen Olukolade added.

The army had secured five towns and villages in remote parts of Borno state after “destroying all the terrorists camps” in the area, he said.

The military said last week it had carried out air strikes, destroying militant bases in Sambisa game reserve, south of Maiduguri, and elsewhere.

US Secretary of State John Kerry has urged the Nigerian army to show restraint and not violate human rights as it pursues the militants.

Mr Kerry said there were “credible allegations” of “gross human rights violations” by the Nigerian military.

Last November, Amnesty International accused Nigeria’s security forces of carrying out widespread abuses in their campaign against Boko Haram, including extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances and torture.

More than 2,000 people have died in violence in Nigeria since 2010, most of which is blamed on Boko Haram.

There has been growing concern that the group could be receiving backing from al-Qaeda-linked militants in other countries.

(LAGOS) – The Murtala Muhammad Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted 2.7 million dollars (or N432 million) from five suspected money launderers while attempting to travel abroad.

The Public Relations Officers of the command, Mrs Thelma Williams,  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that the arrests were made between January and March 2013.

She said that the command also arrested 12 suspects with 13.8 million (N2.2 billion) dollars from September to December 2012.

Williams said that there was no law banning travellers from taking money out of the country but the money must be declared by the traveller before being taken out.

“From 10, 000 dollars there must be a declaration. We have a form there on which travellers make a declaration stating the source of the money they are carrying and what that money is meant for. We’ll leave one og the forms here and send a copy to EFCC.

“They would go with a copy because there are some countries that would ask travellers to produce that.

“Sometimes we even have letters from some of these countries. They want to know if so, so person passed through our airport and if he made such a declaration so that it won’t look as if it is a fake declaration.

“You don’t pay any amount of money to declare. The money is yours; it’s just for you to declare. I have so, so amount of money with me that I am travelling out with.

“I think why they are running away from this declaration now is because government is interested. Sometimes it could be money laundering. Government is interested.

“Those that are running away I want to believe are those that are laundering the money,.“

Williams advised the travellers to make sure that the amount they would go out with is well declared, adding that the money should be changed at a registered  commercial bank and Bureau De Change.

She said that the five suspects and the monies involved had been handed over to the EFCC for further interrogation.

Williams said that the command also generated N2.3 billion in April 2013 up from N2.2 billion it recorded in the corresponding period of 2012.

She said that agents’ compliance with the law at the airport had resulted to increase in revenue collection.

Photo: FILE

ABUJA (AFP) – Nigeria’s military said Monday it had re-established control in five remote areas of the northeast where Islamist insurgents had seized territory, as it pressed on with a sweeping offensive against Boko Haram militants.

The military has “secured the environs of New Marte, Hausari, Krenoa, Wulgo and Chikun Ngulalo after destroying all the terrorists’ camps,” a defence ministry statement said.

All of the areas in northern Borno state near the Cameroon border were considered Boko Haram strongholds.

President Goodluck Jonathan, who declared a state of emergency in Borno and two neighbouring states last week, said the insurgents had chased out local officials in some areas and removed the Nigerian flag.

Residents have previously told AFP that New Marte and Krenoa were among the areas targeted by military air strikes in the offensive launched last week.

“The troops are already interacting with locals and citizens assuring them of their safety and freedom from the activities of insurgents,” the statement further said.

By Citizens Platform

A protest by students of the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State Monday turned sour as two students of the institution have been allegedly shot dead.

The Students at 7:30am today, reportedly stormed the entrance of the school’s permanent site, to kick against the policy of class repetition recently introduced by the school for failure to pay school fees on time. The students accused the Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Saburi Adesanya, of turning the higher institution of learning into a secondary school.

@Ken_Henshaw “One minute we were talking and laughing with the Policemen, the next minute they opened fire.” Student of OOU Ago Iwoye Ogun state.

The protest by the students, is the third in six months and has disrupted the Faculty of Law examination earlier scheduled to start on Monday (today).

Reports alleged that  the Peaceful protest by the students was marred by armed Police men attacking  and shooting at the students.

Several students, including the university’s student union president, Ogunjimi James have been arrested and detained at Ijebu igbo police station.

Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Aviation Minister

By Citizens Platfrom

Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah has said that the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would  boost once the 22 federal government-owned airports under the remodelling programme is completed because they would galvanise economic activities and enhance international and domestic travel.

She made this known in her opening speech to welcome President Goodluck Jonathan who laid foundation stone for the construction of international terminal at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and also commissioned the remodelled domestic terminal.

Oduah who described Enugu as the fastest growing airport in the country said the new international terminal with a total floor area of 25,000 square meters would have capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum.

“On completion of the terminal, this airport will finally answer its name in the real sense of the word “Akanu Ibiam International Airport” she said.

Oduah projected that by 2015 total domestic and international passenger movement in Nigeria would rise from the present 12 million to 16 million and with better airport facilities and commercial offerings at these airports, air travellers would be increasing by at least 10 per cent every year.

The Minister said Nigeria’s aviation industry must take its rightful place in our national life.

In her words “the industry must become pivotal to the socio-economic development of our country as it is supposed to be and as we proclaim in our Vision, we will continue to do what it takes to deliver just such an industry to Nigerians.

The Minister assured that the international terminal project in Enugu would be completed in December 2014 and together with perishable terminal.  The total cost of the project she said  is N13.3 billion.
She disclosed that already two international airlines have indicated interest to operate flights into the Enugu airport. She assured that the remodelling of the 22 federally-owned airports would be completed, including the five new international terminals coming on stream in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu and Kano.

“These were not the only transformation taking place in the aviation sector”, she noted.  Others are the aerotropolis projects and the perishable cargo terminal projects.

All roads led to Enugu state Saturday 18 May, 2013 to commission the Akanu Ibiam reconstructed Airport Terminal and also to lay the foundation of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. The dual ceremony was performed by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

While laying the foundation the president was assisted by the Executive Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Managing Director, FAAN, MR. George Uriesi and Chairman, House Committee on Aviation, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha

President Goodluck Jonathan while commissioning the airport terminal expressed his elation at the turnaround witnessed at the terminal. He also stated that the airport will improve economic activities in the entire region. The Minister of Aviation Princess Stella Oduah in her speech at the occasion said

“The new international terminal with a total floor area of 25,000 square meters and the capacity to handle 500,000 passengers per annum will cost 13.3 billion naira and will be completed in 24 months.

“The 5 terminals across the country are not the only elements of this transformation process; even before starting these 5 new projects we started remodelling all 22 current terminals in FAAN network in fact next week we will witness the commissioning of Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport Owerri Terminal and the Yola Airport Terminal.

She also added that the aviation industry remain pivotal to the socio-economic development of our country as it is supposed to be and as we proclaim in our vision and the will to do what it takes to deliver.

Several dignitaries graced the occasion serving ministers from the South Eastern region who were on the entourage of the president; they were received by the governors and hosted by Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State. Amongst the dignitaries was Nigeria’s former Vice President in the second republic Chief Alex Ekwueme.