IBRAHIM BABANGIDA: Saving Nigerians from Nigeria

Policy & Execution By  Ibrahim Babangida

In less than a year, in about 11 months and a few days, we as Nigerians will be celebrating 100 years of our existence as a legal united entity. We have cause to rejoice.  During these 100 years, Europe has endured two world wars; Russia had gone through a revolution, a Civil War and finally gone from being Russia to Soviet Union and back to Russia.  During this time, Spain and Yugoslavia have gone through horrendous civil wars.  During this time, several countries in Asia including China went through civil wars that almost brought them to their knees.

Yet, during the past 100 years of our existence, we also have gone through a horrendous civil war.  The events that led to the war and the war itself have left lasting effects on all of us, including those who were not even born during those events.

FG Vows to Halt Further Attacks on Nigerians in Bakassi

Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro

The federal government Thursday condemned the attack on Nigerians living in Bakassi Peninsula, which is under Cameroonian sovereignty, and assured the people that it was taking measures to protect them from further attacks by that country’s gendarmes.

Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, told State House correspondents in Abuja at the end of the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Bakassi and Rights of the Displaced People that the government would ensure that the belligerence on the part of the gendarmes is checked.

CAN Warns against Jihad By Boko Haram, Fulani Herdsmen

Fulani herdsman with his cows

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has described the recent attacks by Boko Haram sect in some parts of the North and the continuous killings of families in communities in Benue State by Fulani herdsmen as a declaration of a new Jihad on none Muslims in the country.

CAN made the statement through its state Chairman, Dr. Yimam Orkwar, at a press briefing at the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) House in Makurdi.

Again, Court Denies Akingbola Permission to Travel

 Dr. Erastus Akingbola

Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High Court Thursday refused the application of the former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank (now Access Bank), Dr. Erastus Akingbola, seeking to travel abroad for medical treatment.

The judge however granted the other applications by Akingbola and his co-defendant, Bayo Dada, seeking a variation of their bail conditions that mandated them to report at the EFCC office every first working day of the week.

Air Force Acquires Boeing Aircraft for Troops

CAS, Air Mashal Bade and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Aliyu Ismaila inspecting the aircraft

The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) in its continuous quest to complement its operations and build its airlift capability as a strategy to enhance military effectiveness in support of United Nation and African Union Peacekeeping Mission in Africa has acquired a new range of aircraft to its fleet; a Boeing 737-500 series for airlifting troops.

The Minister of State for Defence, Olusola Obada, inaugurated the aircraft yesterday at 209 Executive Airlift Group Hanger, Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.

EXCLUSIVE: Gunmen in Police Uniform Kill Two in Lagos

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

Daleko Bridge in Mushin area of Lagos was like a war zone Thursday as people fled in different directions as gunmen, who were said to be dressed in police uniform, struck in the area. The gunmen were said to have killed no fewer than two persons while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries in the ensuing melee.

It was gathered that one of the victims, a foreigner, Mr. Santos Korie, who was shot while driving a Toyota Highlander sport utility vehicle (SUV), later died from gunshot wounds while he was being rushed to a nearby hospital.

EXCLUSIVE: Task Force Arrests 251 Aliens in Lagos Raid

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ngozi Braide

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

A combined team of security operatives from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Navy (NN), Nigerian Army (NA) and the State Security Service (SSS), Tuesday, raided and arrested 251 aliens in Lagos. The arrests, it was gathered, came as part of the stringent security measures put in place to checkmate the recent plot by suspected terrorists to bomb some landmarks in the state.

Finally, Kanu Nwankwo Joins Twitter

So finally, Soccer star, Kanu Nwankwo (Pappilo) joined twitter
on April 3, 2013 and he already has 4255 followers. Meanwhile, he
just tweeted for the first time yesterday where he urged his followers
 to treat him well. Currently, the super star is following only 9 persons.
 ITZ good to be a star sha! We say welcome PAPILO! Remember that
Peak Milk advert? (We KNOW SAY ONE DAY U GO DO
NIGERIA PROUD)

LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPER ARREST: International Press Institute Flays Draconian Gag on Media

President Goodluck Jonathan

The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI) had expressed concern over the travails of journalists working with the media house. The  IPI, which is the global platform for a free press, in a statement signed by its Nigeria National Committee Chairman, Kabiru Yusuf, noted that: “Although the police have released the journalists after two unwarranted, agonising nights in detention, we see nothing to celebrate in their release because they ought not to have been detained in the first instance.”

Abati: Jonathan Didn’t Order Arrest of Leadership Journalists

President Goodluck Jonathan

Following the arrest, detention and subsequent release of four journalists working for Leadership Newspapers, the presidency Wednesday said President Goodluck Jonathan did not instruct the police to arrest them.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement said the president did not have to issue an order to the police to perform their constitutional responsibility of forestalling incitement and the breakdown of law and order that may have arisen from the publication of the ‘bromide’ story.