www.nationalmirroronline.net

N150

www.nationalmirroronline.net

News P. 3-6 P. 7Big ReadTHE

Vol. 3 No. 18 Sunday, April 14, 2013

News

Sport CAF U-17 Championship: Golden Eaglets battle Black Starlets P. 60

EXCLUSIVE

Misconducts: NJC hears cases against Judges April 24

Shehu Sani speaks:

L-R: Mother of the deceased, Mrs. Adetutu Famuagun; Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; his counterpart from Edo, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and father of the deceased, Chief Festus Famuagun, during a condolence call on the parents of the late Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka, in Ado-Ekiti yesterday.

Only Salkida can invite Boko Haram for dialogue

Five jostle for Ekiti Deputy Governor position

Four feared dead as van plunges into Lagos lagoon

I didnt call Ojukwu an extremist APGA chairman

CONDOLING WITH OLAYINKAS PARENTS

P. 9, 12&13

Says hes a freelance journalist on exile Calls FGs proposed amnesty a scam

We are still mourning, time not ripe GovtP. 9

Tourism industry: The untapped goldmine

P. 8

P. 9

Sunday, April 14, 20132 Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

O Y O S T A T E O F N I G E R I A

Your Excellency,

The occasion of your 78th Birthday provides us an opportunity to look again

and appreciate an unapologetic son of Oyo State, who shoulders on his neck one of the most cerebral deposits in any human skull.

Looking at your fi ne analytical mind, strength of conviction, intrepid spirit and courage, we can only conclude that our state could not have been more

blessed.

We admire your fearless disposition, frank observations and ready wit. We pray that God would grant

you more days of relevance in the years ahead to afford us of your much-

needed counsel as we brave on in our self-avowed intent to

build a better Oyo State.

Many Happy Returns!

Sen. Abiola AjimobiExecutive Governor of Oyo State

Dauntless Spiritat 78...

To a

HIS EXCELLENCY, CHIEF (DR.) VICTOR OMOLOLU OLUNLOYO, BSC. FIRST CLASS HONS, PH.D, DSC HONORIS CAUSA

BALOGUN OF OYO EMPIRE. FORMER GOVERNOR OF OYO STATE.

BIBLICAL QUEEN SHEEBAS MONUMENT REMAINS UNDEVELOPED 5 MARY SLESSORS TOMB IN AKPAP OKOYONG, CALABAR IN SHAMBLES 6

Nigerias tourist industry, according to informed stakeholders, remains a goldmine that has been neglected by successive governments. The country, it has also been said, could exceed its foreign exchange expectations with proper harnessing of her tourism potential. There is hardly any state in the federation

that one would not find a tourist potential. But, they all share one thing in common: abandonment.

In Borno State, tourism is based primarily on its natu-ral resources, history, rich traditions and cultural heritage of the people. There are also sceneries of poetic beauty in the hilly South as well as historic monuments represent- CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Nigerias tourist industry has suffered neglect over time. Successive administrations in the country appear not to have much regard for it. But stakeholders believe that the sector, if properly harnessed, would rival oil and could be what is needed to turn around the dwin-dling economic fortunes of the country. If this is the situation, why then has the industry lin-gered in perpetual neglect? What would it take to revamp it and what is the inherent benefit that has remained untapped? These are what this report, anchored by Head, Special Investi-gations, Isioma Madike, focuses on

Tourism industry: The untapped goldmine

ing the past grandeur of Kanem Borno Empire in the North. It is endowed with other tourist attraction centres such as the Sanda Kyarimi Park (Zoo) in Maiduguri, Lake Alau, Sambisa Game Reserve, Rabehs Fort at Dikwa, Jaf-fy Falls, situated in Kwaya Kusar Local Government area, the Shehus Palace, Museum, Lake Tilla, Gwoza Hills, the Marama Spiritual Mountain in Hawul Local Government area and family recreation and amusement park. Sadly, insecurity, lack of funding by government and religious beliefs have contributed to their neglect, it was gathered.

The Sanda Kyarimi Zoological Park, which was estab-lished in 1970 as a community forest reserve, houses a lot of animal species of great beauty. In the past, it served as leisure for people, especially during festivals. But due to the security challenges, the park is no longer receiving pa-tronage from both from within and outside the state. Dur-ing the last Sallah celebrations, it was reported that a sui-

Mary Slessors residence in Calabar

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 3

April 14, 2013

Big ReadSUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

THE

In Borno, concern is insecurity, not tourism

cide bomber was arrested at the entrance of the gate trying to manipulate his way into the zoo to cause destruction. This has added to the woes of the once beautiful zoo.

Also, Lake Alau, which was the spot where Idris Alooma, one of the famous warriors, hero and charismatic leader of the ancient Kanem Borno Empire was buried, is in ruins. It used to be a site for intensive farming, particularly irriga-tion during dry season. Fishing is another economic activity that takes place on the lakes shores. It equally provides water to Maiduguri and its environs via the Water Treatment Plant. Incidentally, previous ad-ministrations did not deem it fit to give the site the desired attention; even the present government under the leadership of Gov-ernor Kashim Shettima, has not been any better in this regard.

In the same mould is the Sambisa Game Reserve, which harbours a sizeable popula-tion of wildlife, including elephants, ante-lopes and lions. It has now become a dead zone following the recent Joint Task Force, (JTFs) discovery of a bomb-making factory by suspected terrorists in the area. In fact, the park has not only been neglected but has become a no-go-area as all the casual work-ers and staff have relocated from the neigh-borhood owing to the fear of possible attack

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

from the terrorists, who many say are sus-pecting that it was the workers in that park that revealed their presence to the JTF.

For the Marama Spiritual Mountain, which from a distance forms the shape of letter M, it has been a long intriguing story. It connotes a story of tourism and mythology. Over the years, Europeans, es-pecially missionaries developed interest in this particular mountain, which lies in-between a cascading range of hills run-ning from the highlands of Adamawa. The mountains from which Marama town de-rived its name is believed to offer certain mythical protection and progress to people who patronised it. But as a result of the increasing influence of Christianity and Islam, the sites patronage declined and government lost interest in developing and maintaining it for tourist attraction.

The Shehu of Borno Palace, which had remained a tourist attraction and was pa-tronised by people from all over the world, has now become desolate due mainly to the security challenges in the state. Prior to the Boko Haram insurgency, the palace reflects the grandeur, prestigious relics and modified architectural design of Arab civilisation. It is made of burnt-bricks and was constructed by the artistry of four fa-mous Kanuri masons and architects. The palace was used for Durbar Festival, instal-

bushy. Over the years, there have been accusations and counter-accusations be-tween the Ogun State Government and the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism over whose responsibility it is to maintain the tourist centre. Sunday Mirror gathered that the state government did not want to make any statement that would throw spanners into in the wheel of progresses per the successes already recorded be-tween it and the Federal authority, in such a way that it could cause a setback to the efforts at revamping the shrine. Several archaeologists were said to have visited the place with a view to bringing it into relevance.

In Cross Rivers State, the once revered tomb of Mary Slessor in Akpap Okoyong, Odukpani Local Government Area, is in shambles. So also the two-storey fabricated building constructed in 1887 by a mission-ary carpenter, Owens, with walls made of iron sheet and the doors, of wood. That was the famed Mary Slessor Residence. The Kwa falls, otherwise known as Kwa rapids, which had provided background for 2002 Miss World swim suit shots, is also crying for attention. It is a typical rain for-est where visitors could sight monkeys in their natural habitat. Refome Lake, the acclaimed largest fresh water in Southern Nigeria, is equally in that mould of ne-glect. Pretoria Rameh resort is not left out of this mess also.

Niger State is among the many states that are blessed with tourist attractions, as such can be found in a nook and cranny of the North-central state. Almost all the 25 lo-cal government councils have tourist sites numbering over 60 in all. They include the famous Zuma Rock, located along Abuja-Kaduna road, a beautiful huge rock forma-tion said to be used for defence by native Gwaris against invaders. It has a magnifi-cent view suitable for relaxation and picnic. On a close look, a human-like face becomes visible on the rock with engraving such as eye sockets, nose and a mouth. There is also the Gurara Water Falls, described as Nige-rias stunning premier falls in Gurara Lo-cal Government area of the state.

Aside those two, there is the Baro Em-pire Hill, a flat-top hill with beautiful scen-ery across the River Niger. Standing atop of it is the Lord Lugard first Head Quar-

lation and turbaning of traditional rulers. Reacting to this ugly situation, the Com-

missioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Dr. Asabe Vilita Bashir, told Sun-day Mirror that the neglect of tourism in Borno State is largely caused by insecurity. She also pointed to the locations of the tourist sites, which according to her, are mostly situated at the outskirts. She, none-theless, said that the present administra-tion in the state is working to revamp the sector through her ministry.

In Ogun State, the story is not different in spite of its numerous tourist potentials. Some of these centres include the Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, Birikisu Sungbo Shrine at Oke-Eri via Ijebu Ode, Yemoji Natu-ral Swimming Pool at Imagbon, Laogo in Ogun Waterside area, the Madam Tinubu Shrine in Abeokuta, Area J4 Forest Re-serve and Tongeji Island in Ipokia, among many others. All these centres have inter-esting tourist attractions and are capable of generating substantial revenue for the state and the country in general. Among these centres however, the Birikisu Sung-bo Shrine is one peculiar tourist centres, which has over the years, generated con-troversies because of its relevance in Christian religion.

The shrine, which in the past attracted a lot of tourists, is regarded as the final rest-ing place of the Biblical Queen Sheeba, an Arab woman, who in her old age, died and was buried there in Ogun State. Till date, the tomb of that heroine, after whom the shrine is named, is referred to as the Mecca of Nigeria because the shrine has become a monument of religious curiosity. The be-lief among the people of Islamic faith in the area is that whoever visits her shrine and requests for anything in sober reflec-tion will receive such a desire. The tourist centres hosts among other features, a nine-hole golf course, a family concourse, snack bar, prayer ground, administrative office and guest chalets. But the sad story is that the place has over the years been neglected by relevant authorities, who pay little or no attention to it. Even though the Federal Gov-ernment had commissioned and declared it a national monument in December 15, 1964, the place has remained a shadow of its old self as it is completely abandoned.

The shrine will be unpleasant to a first time visitor because the environment is

Shehu of Bornos palace

Agbokim Waterfalls, Calabar

Kusugu Well where Bayajidda killed the famed snake in Katsina

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSunday, April 14, 20134 The Big Read Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net4 The Big Read

Biblical Queen Sheebas monument remains undeveloped

ters building and an High Frequency, Ra-dio station he used then. The Bida Brass Works and Masaga Glass works, in Bida area of the state as well as the Kainji dam, the Kisra Museum, and the Kainji Lake National Park, the largest national park in the country, all in Borgu local government area and the Zugurma National Park in Mashegu council, all lie desolate.

It would be recalled that as part of ef-forts to open up the tourist attractions and get investors to invest in the sector and boost socio activities, the state Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu, in 2009, flew an helicopter and landed on top of Zuma Rock. He pledged after that display that his administration would construct the tallest building in the country atop the massive rock, consisting of a five-star hotel and op-erate a cable car from the rock to the Gura-ra Water Falls. This promise was followed with the signing of a Memorandum of Un-derstanding (MoU) for the project with an interested investor. But years after, nothing concrete has happened in that site as such a lofty plan remains a dream till date.

Gambo Yusuf, a hotelier, like many oth-ers, is not happy with the status of tour-ism in the state. He told Sunday Mirror that there is nothing concrete on ground to show that the state is serious about de-veloping its tourist sites. According to him, the tourism business is very lucrative; just look at what is happening in other na-tions of the world that really took time to develop theirs, you will understand. It is a good source of revenue, if only the nation can expand its horizon beyond oil.

Yet, the Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs. Susan Aishatu Gana, said it is not

true that the state government has no agenda for its tourist sites. She stated that MoUs had been signed to build hotels around the Zuma Rock and the Gurara Wa-ter Falls with interested investors, and that soon, work would commence on those plac-es. She also explained that her ministry, only recently, undertook a tour of the en-tire state where it identified over 60 tourist sites, which many people were not aware of before now. This is to let people know that we have tourist attractions and we want to go a step further to market these areas and it is our desire that the industry will attract investors. Government has its role to play; look at the Gurara Water Falls, there was no road before now, but the state government constructed the road to open up the place. It is now left for investors to come and invest. It needs partnership with investors. If the private sector invests, they will want to ensure that their money is re-couped. And we all know that in Nigeria today, government cannot do everything alone; it needs to corporate and partner with the private sector, she said.

Katsina State is also blessed with sev-eral tourist centres, some of which date back to hundreds of years before the com-ing of the British colonialists. One such is the Gobarau Minaret, which is believed to be over 1000 years old. It used to be a watch-tower in ancient times of war. Another is the Daurama palace in Daura council area and the Kusugu well; both have historic significance and recognition.

The palace, believed to be more than 1500 years old, housed one of the earliest female traditional queens, Daurama, while the well has links to the famed Bajayida, who killed a huge snake that prevented

people from fetching water. But despite these tourist sites, the state appears not to be serious at developing them. In a swift reaction, however, sources close to govern-ment say the problem is not that of neglect or abandonment but inadequate influx of foreign and local tourists. According to a director in the Ministry of Tourism, Ibra-him Abdul, the state is making efforts to encourage and promote its tourism poten-tials. He said that the ministry along with that of History and Culture Bureau as well as the National Monument and Museum Commission, are brainstorming to achieve more patronage of tourists to the state. Efforts are in top gear to woo tourists into the state. The Ministry of Commerce and Tourism is spearheading this, he said.

The Igbo Agala area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, is host to the once irresist-ible tourist site, the magnificent Bowers Tower, which is located in the hilly part of the city. The imposing structure is over 13 feet long with its history dating back to I936. However, the derelict nature of the other structures that litter the entire com-pound, speaks volume of the neglect it has suffered in recent times. Apart from the bushy nature of the compound, the shel-ters erected for the relaxation of the tour-ists have become dilapidated.

Oluwabiyi Tobiloba, who claimed to be working for the private company that man-ages the Tower, said we have been here since 1999, though, one can say that it has not been a bed of roses because of low pa-tronage; it is important that the state gov-ernment through the tourism board come in to make this place more beautiful for those coming here. Whatever that is keep-ing this place alive comes from us.

A civil servant, who lives in the area, Dotun Onayemi, said the tower before now was always a beehive of activities, attract-ing both the young and old who visited to have a glimpse of the beauty of the ancient Ibadan city at its top. It is quite unfortu-nate that anything that has the input of government often ends up not lasting for long. The tower that we grew up to know is not what is there today. The onus is on the present state government to do all it can so that the Tower can regain its lost glory.

It is the same sad story at the Agodi Gar-dens, located along the state Secretariat road, which is supposed to be a visitors delight; it reveals a tourist centre that has seen better days. The Gardens located in a large expanse of land is littered with disrepit cages for animals and birds with many of them empty. The sordid nature could be noticed right from its entrance with only one battered gate opened while the second one has been removed and replaced with blocks mounted to fill its space. Also, the Gardens now could only boast of about six tortoises, 10 ducks, three monkeys and a lion. Apart from having overgrown weeds in virtually every part of its corner, it is deserted with no guard to take visitor round it.

In Anambra State, the Agulu Lake, the famed Ogbunike cave, Igbo-Ukwu muse-um, Amichi War library, the Imoka shrine, the Owerre-Ezukala Water Falls and the Rojenny Games Village, are some of the neglected tourist sites. The centres have re-mained undeveloped for the public to enjoy their full potentials.

At the Imoka shrine in Awka, the whole place looks very rustic and unkempt, with

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Culture and Tourism Minister, Edem Duke Gana Bashir

Oguke

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net Sunday, April 14, 2013 5The Big Read

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

want to improve on the infrastructure and they are collect-ing money from people, one local tourist fumed.

Over 22 buildings constructed by Sam Mbakwe admin-istration at Abadaba Lake, Obowo in Obowo Local Gov-ernment area of Imo State are today in a state of decay for lack of management. The massive structures built in bricks now provide safe heavens for hoodlums even as some of the facilities have also been vandalised. However, Abadaba Blue Lake and its environs, which harboured the colonial District Officers rest house, remains a tourist potential in neglect. Along with Abadaba are the Rolling Hills at Okigwe and National Springs located at Onicha Ezinihitte Mbaise area of the state. Together, the tourist sites cry for development as their potentials remain un-tapped. Other abandoned tourist centres such as Mgbede at Orlu, Ogidi at Amaifeke Orlu, Iyi Okwu at Ihioma, Ezi-ama Mystic Spring in Ideato South, and the Uboma Fish Ponds are among the unexploited tourism centres.

Though the state government intends to renovate some of these centres, some industrialists told Sunday Mirror that the Abadaba Lake, for instance, has been neglected for too long as the government has been losing substantial revenues which should have accrued from it.

Rivers State is not exempted and could not be excused from the neglect of its huge tourist potentials. In spite of the state governments defence on the issue, stakeholders in the sector have voiced out their frustration over how the tourism industry is perceived by the government. They have berated the state for doing too little to develop

the tourism centres in the state. Akpekon Imbufe, an ho-telier is one of them. He told our correspondent that Riv-ers State is abundantly blessed with enormous tourism resources begging for development but that managers of that sector lacked foresight.

He pointed to the Port Harcourt Zoo and wondered why the government would abandon such strategically located facility to rot away without enough animals to attract tour-ists. He did not stop there, but stated also that the total ab-sence of a city gate in the state says a lot to those who are visiting the state for the first time. Yes, the state is hugely blessed with oil money and abundant tourism potentials. Unfortunately, it is not blessed with people who have the ca-pacity to develop these resources for the benefit of the state and the country in general. All entry points to the state are neglected and unattractive, giving a first time visitor to the state the impression that it is a dirty place, he added.

Attempts to get state authorities to speak on its plans for the sector failed as Sam Dede, who was recently ap-pointed Director-General of the Rivers State Tourism De-velopment Authority (RSTDA), failed to take calls or an-swer text messages sent to his phone on the issue.

Additional reports by Inusa Ndahi (Maiduguri), Femi Oyeweso (Abeokuta), Richard Ndoma (Calabar), Pris-cilla Dennis (Minna) James Danjuma (Katsina), Kemi Olaitan (Ibadan), Charles Okeke (Awka), Aza Msue (Ka-duna), Chris Njoku (Owerri) and Godwin Okonkwo (Port Harcourt).

Mary Slessors tomb in Akpap Okoyong, Calabar in shambles

bushes surrounding it. One of the priests of the shrine, Chief Nwimoka Madu, told Sunday Mirror that the shrine attracted visitors mainly during the Imoka Masquerade festival and that once the festival ends, the whole place is abandoned. The Ogbunike-cave suffers the same fate of neglect as nothing has been done to develop it to interna-tional standard. As for the Igbo-Ukwu Museum, which is domiciled in a building along Onitsha-Ekwulobia road, it looks more of a historical relic than a tourism centre. The Rogenny Games Village, which used to be the preferred destination of many holiday makers in the past, was as dead as its premises, having been overgrown weeds until recently when the state governor, Peter Obi came to the rescue by releasing millions of naira to a private devel-oper, Chief Romy Ezeonwuka, for its rehabilitation and resuscitation.

The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tour-ism, Joe Martins Uzodike, also disclosed to Sunday Mirror that government had approved the award of contract for the construction of Agulu Lake Hotel and Infrastructure at the sum of N1, 892,092,483.20. He said the contract has a completion period of nine months. Uzodike stated that the construction of Agulu lake hotel is part of the efforts of the government to develop and revamp the tourism sector. We shall soon commence the enumeration of all the ho-tels in Anambra State as part of the efforts to boost tour-ism sector and attract patronage, the commissioner said.

Kaduna State also has numerous tourist centres, which include the Nok Cultural Safe at Kuwi in Jemas Local Gov-ernment area, Gamji Park, the Maitsirga Water-falls in Kaf-anchan, the legendary Lord Lugard Bridge in Kaduna town and the Kerfena Hills in Zaria. Incidentally, all of them have been abandoned by the government as people no longer visit such leisure places owing to its deplorable condition.

Gamji Gate known as Gen. Hassan Usman Park is situ-ated at the end of Swimming Pool Road, Kabala-East in Kaduna city. The park was used as a garden during the periods of colonial and northern administrations. It has a natural setting of trees, mangrove, orchard and is dot-ted by small islands from River Kaduna that flows beside it. The Park was given a face-lift and was developed into a tourists relaxation and leisure area in the 1980s and 90s, but, it now begs for government attention as its infrastruc-ture has lost its allure. Residents of Kaduna city, who still manage to patronise the Park have lamented the alleged high fee being charged even as the recreational centre is unkempt. This is a famous tourist centre in Kaduna city. Colonial people used this place but government doesnt

Tomb of Queen Sheeba in Ogun State Uzodike

Daurama Palace, Katsina State Marama Spiritual Mountain Maiduguri

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.netSunday, April 14, 20136 The Big ReadThe Big Read

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 7Sunday April 14, 2013 NEWS

ISE-OLUWA IGE

Aggrieved litigants from different parts of the country have flooded the National Judicial Coun-cil (NJC) with petitions alleg-ing serious judicial miscon-ducts against judges sitting in various courts of records nationwide, Sunday Mirror has reliably gathered.

Chief Justice of Nige-ria (CJN), Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, who is worried by the development has already sent queries to some of the affected judges to get their own sides of the case.

A competent source close

to NJC who spoke with Sunday Mirror yesterday on condition of anonymity said that the National Ju-dicial Council had already fixed April 24 and 25, this year for its meeting where the petitions and other an-cillary matters would be discussed.

The source said that most of the petitions were either alleging outright cor-ruption or abuse of judicial oaths of office against the affected judicial officers.

Although the number of petitions to be treated by the NJC at its meeting is not yet clear as at press time, the NJC source told Sunday Mirror yesterday that the

CJN was still adding and re-moving petitions from the official list of cases to be considered at its meeting.

According to the source, there is no doubt about it, the CJN is poised to scape-goat some of the judges with dirty records in order to sanitise the judiciary. She is not willing to spare any judge who is corrupt. But I think she is trying to be careful. She wants to be sure that things are done properly before she makes progress with the cases. I need not say that the Jombo Offo case is still fresh. She does not want to make any mistake, the source said.

The source also added

yesterday that there was an upsurge in the number of petitions being received from litigants against sit-ting judges since the new CJN resumed office.

It claimed that the up-surge was traceable to the determination by the first-ever female CJN to cleanse the judiciary of its rot in the next two years.

The Jombo Ofo case gives a guide. She was the one that nominated her for elevation at the level of the Federal Judicial Serice Commission meeting. She was also the one who stood up against her immediately she realised the discrepan-cy in her record, he added.

Allegations of misconduct against judges fl ood NJCBody fixes April 24, 25 to examine petitions Only last Monday, the incumbent CJN, Justice

Mukhtar, threatened serv-ing judges fond of writing questionable judgments with serious sanctions.

According to her, a judge should write judg-ment in a simple and unam-biguous manner such that it leaves no one in doubt as to what the judgement has addressed. A judgement should meet the justice of the matter or controver-sies between the contend-ing parties. It is certainly not good for a judgement to be capable of more than one interpretation other-wise the judge would have caused more problem than the reason for his being called upon to intervene in

the first place.Where therefore a judge

is found to be complicit in the writing and delivery of a judgement, the NJC as constitutional regula-tory body will not hesitate to wield the big sticks, she had added.

The NJC is a creation of section 153 of the 1999 Con-stitution (as amended) with power to hire and fire err-ing judicial officers.

The Council is headed by the Chief Justice of Ni-geria although complaints are thickening against the idea of making a serving jurist the head of the all-im-portant Council in view of what happened during the tenure of former CJN, Jus-tice Aloysius Katsina-Alu.

Boko Haram has killed more Muslims than Christians, says JNIThe Muslim umbrella body in Nigeria, Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), has ex-pressed dissatisfaction with Boko Harams rejection of the proposed amnesty by the Federal Government.

According to an online publication, Saharare-porters, a statement by its scribe, Dr. Khalid Ahmed Aliyu, JNI criticised the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for its resis-tance of the policy, assert-ing that Boko Haram sect had killed more Muslims than Christians.

JNI, according to the report, said it was per-plexed that while the call by the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of JNI to grant amnesty to Boko Haram had received the strong support of some prominent Christians, the President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, and others were confusing the coun-trys leadership on the way

out of Nigerias security challenges.

Our concern is, what is the motive behind the total rejection of amnesty by them? the statement asked. Do they benefit from the quagmire of the Boko Haram? When were they appointed special advisers to the president on the perpetuation of insecurity? However, if leaders utterances cannot ventilate the atmosphere for peace at a time when such is most needed, what else will guarantee peace? The unfortunate menace of Boko Haram insurgen-cy in Nigeria is indeed an accident beyond religion which affects every Nige-rian directly or indirectly and upon which no pass-ing of bulk can be logical, Aliyu said.

Arguing that the menace of Boko Haram had affect-ed more Muslims than non-Muslims, JNI described

Islam as a glass house from which no true Muslim should throw stones, and that it stands by the teach-ings of Islam which cau-tions against making pro-voking statements in times of anger because it only leads to regret.

It therefore appealed to the Federal Government to proceed with its plans for amnesty as a potent way of restoring peace to Nigeria without minding any distractive tendencies of some conservative ele-ments who may have a selfish agenda.

Consequently, as al-ways, JNI uses this me-dium to call on the Federal Government to do away with all the vituperations of the CAN president and his cohorts by swinging into action undeterred over the issue of granting amnesty, with all stake-holders involved carried along such that peace and

prosperity will return to Nigeria. In the same vein, Muslims must not be obliv-ious of the significance of prayers; therefore they are called upon to fervently pray to Allah, the Most High, for the harmonious existence of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, we seize this opportunity to remind all Nigerian Muslims of resisting any provoking temptation.

It is unclear if JNI, at the time of this state-ment, actually knew that Boko Haram had itself denounced the amnesty initiative, as JNI did not criticise the violent group about its rejection.

In a broadcast quoted by AFP on Thursday, the groups leader, Abubakar Shekau, said it was the government, not Boko Haram, which needed a pardon from his group, which he said had done no wrong.

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST, KANO

Apparently moved by the statement credited to the leadership of the Boko Ha-ram sect in turning down the proposed Federal Gov-ernment amnesty for its members, the Kano military-led Joint Task Force (JTF) has begun combing the nook and cranny of the state, par-ticularly the capital city in search of militants.

Sunday Mirror inves-tigations at the weekend revealed constant raids on suspected flashpoints and hideouts in search of ter-rorists.

Most of the raids, from our findings, had ended in tragedies.

Some of the suspected flashpoints which had been under severe military bombardment were iden-tified as Anguwan Uku, Sheka in Sharada area, Ho-toro, Eastern Bye-pass, as well as Dakata, where sect militants had laid siege lately.

We gathered that for the fourth day running, JTF and the police had inten-sified their operations to free Kano from the grip if Islamic extremists.

For instance, while the police surveillance patrol is more prominent in Bom-pai, Dakata, Zango and Sabon Gari, Kanos non-indigenous community, the JTF has remained a com-mon sight in Sharada, Ho-toro, Eastern Bye-pass and Yankaba, where they have intensified their house-to-house search for terrorists and weapons of mass de-struction.

Kano State Commission-er of Police, Musa Daura, said the command was leaving nothing to chance in its campaign against criminal activities, while JTF spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, told our correspondent that the house-to-house search by JTF operatives was a rou-tine operation, designed to restore peace in the state.

It would be recalled that last Fridays operation in the city by JTF left seven persons, a soldier and six suspected terrorists dead.

The soldier, whose iden-tity is being withheld by the JTF, was attached to the 3 Brigade Kano, according to military sources.

Sunday Mirror gathered that the bloody gun duel fol-lowed an early hour raid by JTF on Sheka in Kano city, notorious for Boko Haram activities and one of the many hideouts of gunmen operating in the state.

Spokesman of the JTF, Ikedichi Iweha, an army captain, said the opera-tions led to the death of seven persons, adding that at the end of the raid, as-sorted dangerous weapons, including explosives were recovered in a building that provided cover for the terrorists.

The building was de-molished after five women believed to be wives of some of the militants and three of their children were evacuated to safety by JTF, Iweha said.

A similar raid on Easter Sunday claimed the life of a JTF operative and 14 sus-pected Boko Haram gun-men somewhere around Anguwa Uku quarters.

JTF intensifi es raids on terrorists in Kano

L-R: Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Alaafins Cultural Ambassador, Dr. Paula Gomes; Guest Lecturer, Prof. Fabio Lima and representative of Minister of Culture, Prof. Olatunde Babawale, at the Paula Gomes Cultural Foundation and Alaafin of Oyo United to Preserve Culture Heritage in Oyo over the weekend. PHOTO: NAN

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net8 Sunday April 14, 2013 News

NIGERIA IN BRIEFMargaret Thatcher influenced me, says Ita-Giwa NCC lifts ban on Airtel, Globacom, Etisalat promos

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has lifted the ban placed on pro-motions on Airtel, Globacom and Etisalat networks, Mr. Tony Ojobo, director of Pub-lic Affairs, NCC has said.

The three service pro-viders reportedly met the regulatory bodys Decem-ber 2012 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Ojobo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in

Lagos that the ban placed on promotions on MTN network was still in force.

The ban on MTN still remains in force until the KPIs are met.

We expect that the networks will all continue to provide good quality of service, he said.

The NCC had on Novem-ber 12, 2012, placed the ban on all promotions by telecom operators as well as lotteries

on the GSM networks.Ojobo then said that the

ban, which took immediate effect, would remain in force until the commission decided otherwise.

He explained that the ban was introduced because NCC was inundated with many complaints from consumers and stakehold-ers against the various promotions offered by the operators.

Former Special Ad-viser to President Olusegun Obasanjo on National Assembly Matters, Senator (Princess) Florence Ita-Giwa has joined millions world-wide to extol the virtues of the late Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain.

In a statement made available to news men, the political leader of Bakassi

said that the late Prime Minister was an inspiration that spurred her to achieve great feats politically.

The statement reads in part: On a personal level, her life and times greatly affected my world view about the place of women in the political sphere. When she shattered the imaginary glass ceiling set by political male chauvinists, she set

the stage for women like me to dare the status quo and challenge entrenched male political juggernauts who saw elective offices as their birthright.

Not only was I inspired by her to stand for and win elections, I did so on several occasions as a candidate of what could be termed the opposition party in my constituency.

AZA MSUEKADUNA

Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Ad-amu, yesterday said the North has no leaders.

The royal father reiter-ated that those parading themselves as leaders of the zone were merely out to enrich themselves while pretending to be leaders of the people.

Alhaji Adamu main-

tained that the present leaders in the North had be-come so isolated that they are hardly found in public functions that did not ben-efit them directly.

Speaking on the topic, Crisis of leadership as a source of conflict in Ni-geria: The way forward, organised by Arewa Media Forum (AMF), in Kaduna he maintained that the North lost sincere leader-ship after the death of the

Premier of the region, Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, many years ago.

His words: North lost its leadership right from the death of Sardauna of So-koto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. So right now there is no sincere leadership in the North.

The leadership prob-lem the North is facing to-day, which the country is taking part of it, is caused by our leaders in the posi-

tion of authority. Some of them will steal millions of naira and look for boys to cover them up, and at the end of the day, these boys will turn to something else.

The most painful as-pect of it is that our leaders have become isolated, even as the Emir, I cannot talk to some of them because they have made themselves in-accessible.

The Emir noted that it was only during a political

rally that the leaders would be found in his hall, but in an avenue to tell the truth, the hall would be empty.

He stated: I agreed with the issue that there is no re-ligious fundamentalists in the North, but extremists who do not know the idea of their religion.

The way forward is for the people and the leaders to go back to the doctrine and teachings of the two religions, Islam and Chris-

North has no leaders Emir

PRISCILLA DENNISMINNA

Governor Muazu Baban-gida Aliyu of Niger State has called on the Federal Government to set up constitutional courts to try election related issues after the ballot in the nation.

The governor, who stat-ed this at the 24th Forum of Speakers of the 19 North-ern States House of Assem-bly in Minna, said instead of setting up election peti-tion tribunals that are later disbanded, it would be bet-ter to establish constitu-tional courts in their place.

Aliyu, who is also the chairman of the 19 North-ern States Governors Fo-rum, NSGF, exonerated President Goodluck Jona-than led-administration from the security chal-lenges rocking the North and urged the region to collectively rise up to the challenges and finding lasting solution them.

Let us take responsi-bility and find solution to common problems affect-ing the North and leave Abuja alone. This is be-cause Abuja cannot help us in solving our security challenges as a region.

He also urged the Speak-ers to be agents of change in their states by focusing on quick dispensation of justice, decrying a situa-tion where many of those presently languishing in

prisons across the nation for years were neither tried nor convicted.

Half of the prison-ers in our prisons are not convicted because the ju-diciary is going through a lot of problems. Because of that, many are in pris-ons. They are remanded and not convicted. I want to ask you to encourage your chief judges to go and release them, especially if they have served their prison terms. Let them do the right thing, Aliyu told the Speakers.

Earlier, the chairman of the Speakers of the 19 Northern Speakers Fo-rum, Inuwa Garba, point-ed out that Speakers of the zone are not unaware of certain alien insecurity crises in the region, but would do everything pos-sible within the ambit of the law to ensure peace and stability.

Speaking also, chair-man of the state PDP, Al-haji Abdulrahaman Enagi, stressed the need for peace-ful relationship within the various houses of As-sembly, saying most of the houses were overtaken by wrangling that lead to peri-odic change of leadership.

He explained that such changes create enormous problems within the house as no meaningful develop-ment can take place among people that are divided among themselves.

Aliyu to FG: Set up constitutional courts to try election petitions

EMMANUEL ONANI

The newly-elected national chairman of the All Pro-gressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Maxi Okwu, has clarified that at no time did he refer to the late Biafran leader and Ikemba Nnewi, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, as an extremist.

Okwu, who made the clari-fication at a Town-Hall meet-ing in Abuja, yesterday, insist-ed that his earlier comment was wrongly interpreted.

According to the APGA national chairman, the per-son interpreted what I said in his own words...one mans freedom fighter could be an-other persons terrorist; it de-pends on the approach.

So, lets not make too much noise about it; its a distraction and my brother Umeh took it and ran away with it.

He declared that his mis-sion as the partys chairman is to reconcile all members of the party that are dissatis-fied and disillusioned.

This is even as he noted that the new APGA is founded on inter-party coop-eration, and is focused on forward movement.

Earlier in the day, Okwu, who was elected on April 8, at the partys national conven-tion in Awka, the Anambra State capital, paid a courtesy call on the Eze Igbo 1 of Abu-ja, Eze (Dr). Sir Nwosu Ibe.

I didnt call Ojukwu an extremist, says APGA chairman

L-R: Officiating Minister, Bishop Anthony Gbuji; the groom, son of Enugu State Governor, Nnamdi Chime and his bride, Nnoma, during their wedding ceremony at the Holy Ghost Cathedral in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

The newly elected nation didn t call Ojukwu an extremist, says APGA chairman

tianity.However, the former Vice

Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Professor Ango Abdullahi, blamed the leadership crisis in the zone on the followers, say-ing that if the followers were obedient, did things along the teachings of the two religions and follow good examples shown by the leaders, everyone would be better for it.

His words:However, both the leaders and the fol-lowers must agree on com-mon interest, otherwise there will be no peace.

ROTIMI FADEYIABUJA

The Federal Government yesterday justified the ap-pointment of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Bu-hari, among members of the governing council boards for federal universities.

Buhari was convicted for certificate forgery during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo but was later granted a pardon.

Responding to opposition to the appointment of Buhari while on Sunrise, a Channels Television breakfast show, Presidential Spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that Buharis appointment was

in order, stressing that there was nothing wrong for him to hold such public office.

Abati noted that the for-mer lawmaker was pardoned by the administration of President Olusegun Obasan-jo after apologising to his colleagues on the floor of the House of Representatives.

He, however, said any appointment could still be reversed if there was a protest from the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) or from the con-cerned university.

Salisu has brought these comments and these com-ments are very controver-sial. People are saying that he was convicted for forg-ery and perjury under the

Obasanjo administration.If you recall after that

conviction, he not only apol-ogised on the floor of the House of Representatives, the administration at the time subsequently granted him pardon.

I think we have discussed pardon on this programme before. Pardon means you can no longer be punished for whatever offence you have committed. It means that your rights have been re-stored and you can again le-gitimately act for the society. The pardon says you cant be shut out of the society.

If you have opportunity again to serve your country, of course, you can be asked to be part of the process, he argued.

Board of varsities: Salisu Buhari appointment in order Abati

She added, On a per-sonal level, her life and times greatly affected my world view about the

by the inner caucus of the party after the burial of the late Olayinka on April 26.

Sources at the weekend revealed that since Olay-inka hailed from Ado-Ekiti, the states capital, indi-genes of the town are in-sisting that she represented their slot and as such, an Ado-Ekiti indigene ought to be appointed as deputy governor.

Apart from that, it was also gathered that the wom-enfolk within the ACN in Ekiti have embarked on a campaign of gender ap-peal, stressing that a wom-an should be appointed

since the last occupant was a woman. The female agitators are reportedly anchoring their request on the fact that apart from Oyo State, all the other ACN-controlled states in Yoruba-land have women as deputy governor.

However, other local gov-ernment areas within Ekiti Central Senatorial district, to which Ado-Ekiti belongs, are also clamouring for power shift to enable an-other community within the district benefit the posi-tion, our source informed.

In Ado-Ekiti, however, there are three gladiators,

out of whom only one is a woman. The male contend-ers are said to be Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, a former national legislator and an ex-chairman of Ado Local Government and Senator Babafemi Ojudu, a serv-ing senator. The female contender from Ado-Eki-ti, sources said, is Prof. Modupe Osabusua, an aca-demic.

However, it was simi-larly gathered that a group is currently rooting for the appointment of Hon. Bamidele Opeyemi, a House of Representatives member, who hails from

Iyin, a community near Ado-Ekiti, and hometown of former state governor, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.

But from Efon-Alaaye, in Efon Local Government area of the same Central District may also emerge Mrs. Ronke Okunsaya, a multiple-time commission-er in the old Ondo State and Ekiti State. Currently, she is the states Commissioner for Tourism and Culture. Sources source said she is the topmost contender.

When contacted, how-ever, the Chief Press Secre-tary to Governor Fayemi, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, initial-

Five jostle for Ekiti Deputy Governor position

4 feared dead as van plunges into Lagos lagoon

Were still mourning, says state govtKAYODE FASUAAs all await Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State to name a new Deputy Governor, poli-ticians keen in occupying the office have reportedly begun to scheme, seeking the endorsement of the Ac-tion Congress of Nigeria, ACN, leaders and that of the governor himself.

The states deputy gover-nor, Mrs. Funmilayo Olay-inka, died on April 6, fol-lowing a fitful battle with the cancer disease.

No fewer than five per-sons are believed to have been penciled down for the job and would be screened

ly declined comment on the subject but after much prodding, he replied: The state is still mourning now and so nobody is talking of succession. We are in a mourning mood; Im not aware of positioning.

Oyebode however eulo-gised the departed deputy governor, saying at the risk of her frail health, she strove to deliver her best. He added that Olay-inka, in concert with the governors wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, and Okusan-ya, the tourism commis-sioner, put down their feet to ensure that wom-en in the state get their dues. (See additional story on Page 14)

MURITALA AYINLA

There was pandemo-nium yesterday morn-ing at Majidun area of Ikorodu as a Hilux van belonging to Ikoyi Club plunged into Majidun Riv-er, leaving four occupants drowned.

An eyewitness said the tragic incident occurred around 5am when the Hi-lux van marked KSF 918 AU skidded off the bridge and plunged into the river, after hitting the pavement of the river, at top speed.

According to him, This ac-

cident happened in the morn-ing when I was driving out; it is like the driver lost control or something. He didnt slow down before approaching the bridge. The next thing we saw was the vehicle somersault-ing into the river.

Speaking with Sunday Mirror, the Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Mr Rasak Fadipe, who confirmed the incident said a search effort had since commenced fol-lowing the tip-off by mem-bers of the public.

For hours, search and res-cue efforts were going on, to find the missing occupants. Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management

Authority (LASEMA), Lagos State Transport Manage-ment Agency (LASTMA), Naval personnel and volun-teers in the locality also had a hectic time searching for the missing occupants of the ill-fated van.

Also speaking, Navy officer and local divers intensified search for the missing bodies, adding that the victims.

It was learnt that one of the victims identified as Ko-lawole Ahmed , a manager with Ikoyi Golf Club drove the vehicle , having closed from work yesterday morn-ing on his way home.

Confirming the accident, the General Manager Lagos

State Emergency Manage-ment Agency (LASEMA) Dr. Femi Oke- Osanyintolu said though the vehicle has been recovered rescue operation was ongoing in the river to recover the missing persons.

On the search efforts, the Spokesman of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) South West Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye agency had mobilized its of-ficials to the scene of the ac-cident for rescue operation.

As at the time of filing in the report, he said the bodies have not been recovered, say-ing assuring that NEMA will mobilize more of its officials for the operation.

AZAM MSUE KADUNA

The President, Civil Rights Congress of Nige-ria, CRCN, Mallam Shehu Sani, has said that only a freelance journalist, Mal-lam Ahmed Salkida, who has constantly had inter-views with Boko Haram leaders, will be able to me-diate and bring about true amnesty .

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sunday Mirror, Sani said Salkida would be in a better posi-tion to dialogue with the Boko Haram leaders than the Sultan of Sokoto, Mu-hammadu Saad Abuba-kar111.

He said Salkida must definitely be in a commit-tee that should be set up to meet with the Boko Haram leaders for the committee to succeed.

But when reminded that Salkida had fled the coun-try, he replied: Nigerians should ask themselves questions. Why should such a person flee when he has made sacrifice and even offered to arrange the first meeting directly with the Boko Haram group. Such a Nigerian should be encouraged if he has ac-cess to Boko Haram and these people trust him; why dont we bring him and make him Chairman of the committee? Must he be a billionaire? Must he be a politician or is it because he is a journalist? Didnt they know that sometimes a solution to a problem may just be before you? I know the kind of effort and sacrifice that man has put in.

He said before an am-nesty, there must be a com-mittee and that the com-mittee should be seen to be independent and must have the representatives of the Federal Government and it must have the respect of members of the sect.

It is only when they have the respect of the sect that they will have the chance to work things out but if you set up a commit-tee that is made up of the Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval staff, D-G SSS, in fact all security chiefs and some sweethearts of the president, do you think the insurgent will listen to you?, he asked rhetori-cally.

Sani added that for the committee to achieve its set target, it must not only be independent but must have the capacity and the respect for whatever is go-ing to be the outcome.

It should comprise first and foremost, the leaders of different Islamic sects in Northern Nigeria and then you also have representa-tives of JNI, Ahmed Salki-da, a freelance journalist.

He said dialogue had failed in the past because the government has contin-ued to do the wrong thing, saying no matter the high level of the committee set up, as long as that commit-tee cannot reach out to the leader of Boko Haram, it is technically and virtually impossible to pin down the insurgents.

He said the committee that he was suggesting should ensure ceasefire from the side of the Boko Haram for at least seven to eight months, while discus-sions last. (See interview on Pages 12, 13)

Salkida, not Sultan, should lead Boko Haram dialogue Shehu Sani

MUYIWA OYINLOLA

As part of its commit-ment to ensure safety on Lagos roads, Lagos State Drivers Institute (LASDRI) has produced a DVD on De-fensive Driving for profes-sional drivers, which will be launched by Governor Babatunde Raji Fasola on

Wednesday, April 17, The 30-minute DVD which

will be launched at the Lagos State Television premises, Ikeja, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the in-stitute, Mr. Peter Oyedokun, was designed to retrain driv-ers on driving skills, upgrade their skills and make them see the reason they should make proper usage of road and traffic signals.

Speaking while address-ing journalists at his Osodi office, Oyedokun, said, This video would provide an ave-nue where drivers can learn driving skills, and how to drive correctly on the road.

They would be retrained on proper use of the high-way and the things expected of them while driving.

Speaking further, he dis-closed that the video is pro-

duced as an indigenous tool, and is translated into the five major languages, including English, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa and pidgin.

He said, His Excellency di-rected that we produce an indig-enous video this time, instead of the usual Western type.

He requested that the video should be translated into Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, English and Pidgin English.

Fashola to unveil video on defensive driving

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 9Sunday April 14, 2013 News

L-R: Secretary to the State Government, Dr (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and his Deputy, Hon. (Mrs.) Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, during the 2013 first quarter budget review at the Banquet Hall, Lagos House, Ikeja at the weekend.

Man in the NewsAPRIL 14, 2013

AYO ESAN

Hajiya Turai YarAdua, widow of former President-cum-ex-Katsina State Governor, Umaru Musa YarAdua, needs no introduction as she was domi-nant during her husbands reign.

Born in July 1957 in Katsina, Turai got married to the late YarAdua in 1975. She served as Nigerias First Lady from 2007 until the death of her husband on May 5, 2010.

Turais boldness and candour became manifest when her ailing husband was brought home to the country from Saudi Arabia under the cover of night, hidden to the ma-jority of those who served in government, including the then Vice-President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

She showed the world that she was in charge at the Presidency as she virtually controlled access to her hus-band while he was hospitalised for three months abroad for treatment over what his chief physician described as acute pericarditis, an inflammation of the sac surround-ing the heart and a kidney ailment. She only allowed very close family members and a few aides to see the ailing president. It was also believed that she indeed organised a military convoy that escorted YarAdua from the Abuja international airport to Aso Rock, the seat of government, following the unceremonious return of her husband.

A former United States Ambassador to Nigeria and a fellow with the New York-based Council on Foreign Rela-tions at the time, John Campbell, said: She is indeed the person I think is calling the shots. The basis of her ability to do it is because she controls access to the president.

Political watchers believe that since the passing on of her husband, Turai has remained incommunicado. The only time she was in the public domain was during the is-sue of the disputed land with the current First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, mid last year.

The disputed land, plot number 1347 Cadastral Zone AOO, Central Business District, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, was said to have initially been allocated to an NGO, The Registered Trustee of Women and Youth Empowerment Foundation, WYEF, a pet project initi-ated by Turai while she was the First Lady.

Minister of the FCT, Bala Mohammed, revoked the al-location for what he described as overriding public inter-est and reallocated the same land to Mrs. Jonathan for the building of African First Lady Peace Mission Head-quarters on November 2, 2011.

Mrs. YarAdua has maintained a resolute stance, insist-ing that the land allocated to WAYEF on February 19, 2010 was being trespassed upon by Mrs. Jonathan and has pro-ceeded to the court where she got an order dated March 5, 2012 restraining the defendants from affecting WAYEF title and interest over the land.

Those joined as co-defendants in the suit were the Min-ister of FCT, Federal Capital Administration and the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS).

Following the clatter that trailed the land dispute, especially from the leading opposition party in the coun-try, the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the Federal Government called for an out-of-the-court settlement of the matter.

The ACN has described the legal tussle between the incumbent First Lady, Dame Jonathan and her prede-cessor Hajiya YarAdua over a juicy plot of land in the Federal Capital territory as a study in despicable syco-phancy, insider abuse, arbitrariness and manifestation of the culture of impunity, all of which have become the hallmarks of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secre-tary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said, In more de-cent climes, this scandal would have seen the immediate exit of the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, from the cabinet and severely affected the political fortunes of President Goodluck Jonathan.

While the party is not holding brief for Hajiya Tu-rai YarAdua, it is clear from the court records that the disputed land was first duly allocated to her non-govern-mental organisation: Women and Youth Empowerment

TTURAI YARADUAURAI YARADUAPassionate over amnesty Passionate over amnesty for insurgents in the Northfor insurgents in the NorthFoundation by the Minister of the Federal Capital Ter-ritory and a statutory right of occupancy duly issued under the hand of the same minister.

From the same court records, the organisation paid all levies and dues running into several hundreds of mil-lions of naira. However, shortly after, the minister for the Federal Capital Territory without reasons issued a notice of revocation of the said property, ostensibly on the grounds of overriding public interest only to swiftly re-allocate the same land to another non-governmental organization, the African First Ladies Peace Centre, believed to belong to the current First Lady, Dame Jona-than, the party said.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minis-ter of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, later informed the presiding judge of the court, Justice Peter Affen, that the Federal Government had made arrangement for an out-of-court settlement.

Reacting to the plea for an out-of-court settlement, Counsel to WAYEF, Mr. Lagi Innocent, confirmed to the court that his clients had been approached for an out-of-court settlement but added that this was not the first time the defendants were making such moves.

He mentioned that WAYEF had already begun the pro-cess of notice of committal to prison on the defendants by filing forms 48 and 49, adding that it was unfortunate that people could no longer trust the government in the country.

Turai penultimate weekend also used the occasion of the Award Gala Night organised by the Niger Delta Young Professionals during which she was present to collect the posthumous award given to her husband for his contribution to the development of the Niger Delta to re-launch herself into public consciousness.

The former First Lady, on the occasion, charged Pres-

ident Jonathan to replicate what her late husband did to solve the Niger Delta crisis by granting amnesty to Boko Haram members in the North.

Turai, almost in tears, urged President Jonathan to have compassion on the children who were dying in the North everyday just as she lamented that poverty had turned the region into a death zone.

President Jonathan needs to take a bold step my hus-band (YarAdua) took in the face of critical opposition by granting amnesty to the Niger Delta militants when he saw the alarming rate at which children and women were dying in the Niger Delta region, Turai advised.

Although, she acknowledged and commended Jona-than whom she fondly called, my brother for his readiness to grant amnesty to the Boko Haram sect, she pleaded that the process should be fast-tracked so that the problem of insecurity, death and poverty ravaging children and women in the North could stop.

This is your turn to do the same in the North. It is im-perative for you to appoint good advisers who will guide and direct you on how best to handle the amnesty pro-gramme. My brother, I am not happy with what is going on in the North, she complained.

Responding to her, President Jonathan who was rep-resented by his Minister of Special Duties, Alhaji Kabi-ru Taminu Turaki, said he would personally deliver Mrs. Turais message to Mr. President, just as he said the ad-ministration was leaving no stone unturned to ensure the insecurity ravaging the North was laid to rest.

It would be recalled that eminent northerners, includ-ing the Sultan of Sokoto, had called for the granting of amnesty for the dreaded Islamic fundamentalist group as a way of bringing peace to the North that has witnessed a series of killings and destruction of property in recent times.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net10

Briefly

Plateau House of Assembly at the weekend confi rmed three nominees of Governor Jonah Jang as members of the Plateau State Indepen-dent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC).

The three were cleared following a voice vote conducted by the Speaker, Mr John Dabwan, during which the majority of the members af-fi rmed the nominations.

The voice vote was preceded by a motion of urgent public importance moved at the plenary by Mr Gondina Sambo, the member represent-ing Kigana constituency.

Moving the motion, Sambo said: It will be recalled that Gov Jonah Jang forwarded the names of Vincent Dawal from Quanpan and Alfred Dala from Langtang North for renewal of tenure as members of Plateau State Indepen-dent Electoral Commission.

The governor also forwarded the name of Ishayi Biri from Bassa local government to replace Ishmaila Ransa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two of the nominees who were former mem-bers of the assembly were asked to take a bow while Dala also got cleared after he was asked his role in a past election.

NAN recalls that Ransa was recently removed by the state assembly for alleged misconduct on the governors recommendation.

A member of the House of Representatives representing Remo federal constituency of Ogun State, Taofeek Buraimoh, has distributed empow-erment materials valued at over N20 million to his constituents.

No fewer than 135 people benefi tted from the empowerment scheme, which Buraimoh said was aimed at alleviating poverty among the people of the constituency and also to get them gainfully engaged in one vocation or the other.

While distributing the items which included motorcycles, grinders, dryers, generators, sewing machines, business centre equipment among others, the lawmaker urged the people, especially Christians, to imbibe the spirit of sacrifi ce in accor-dance with the tenet of the just concluded Easter.

What we are doing was also aimed at helping the people to be economically active and alleviate poverty among our people, Buraimoh said.

Benefi ciaries of the empowerment programme, which he disclosed was in phases and would be implemented to impact on the lives of the people and empower them to contribute meaningfully to the development of their various communities and Ogun State, were drawn from the three local gov-ernment areas that make up the federal constitu-ency, Ikenne, Remo North and Sagamu.

He reassured the people of his commitment to the fulfi lment of his electoral campaign promises, saying that efforts were in top gear to attract Federal Government presence to the area and also ensure that more democracy dividends got to the people.

He also advised them to continue to live with people of other faith in harmony as development could only be witnessed in a peaceful atmo-sphere.

ON ONE HAND, THE GOVERNOR IS THE CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER OF THE STATE AND ON THE OTHER,

HE DOESNT HAVE THE INSTRUMENTS TO MAINTAIN SECURITY. I AM NOT CONSULTED BEFORE A POLICE

COMMISSIONER IS POSTED AWAY FROM HERE OR A NEW ONE IS SENT COMRADE ADAMS OSHIOMHOLE

Plateau Assembly confi rms Jangs electoral body nominees

Rep empowers constituents with N20m

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

P 12, 13

Invite Ahmed Salkida, not Sultan, to dialogue with Boko Haram Shehu Sani

Olayinka: Sun sets for amazon

MUYIWA OYINLOLA

While the argument about whether or not the Federal Government should give amnesty to members of the dreaded Boko Haram group before ceasefire, the sect has rejected the pardon and peace initiative being planned by the government.

In an audio message released to the me-dia on Thursday, the leader of the Islamist sect, Mallam Abubakar Shekau stated that his group has not done any wrong that war-rants being pardoned. According to him, it should be the sect that should grant pardon to the Federal Government for the many atrocities it has been committing against Muslims.

It will be recalled that the Federal Gov-ernment had barely a week ago constituted a panel to look into the possibility of grant-ing amnesty to Boko Haram members who for about two years have unleashed terror

on Nigerians, especially those in the north-ern part of the country.

Shekau who spoke in Hausa language, affirmed that the group is out to avenge the killing of Muslims and the destruction of Islam.

The Government is talking about grant-ing amnesty to us. What have we done? On the contrary, it is we that should grant you a pardon, Shekau said in the audio message.

The Federal Government considered the amnesty alternative following a recent call by some northern leaders for amnesty for members of the recalcitrant group.

Northern leaders on the platform of Northern Elders Forum recently appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to con-sider amnesty for insurgent groups in the Northern region, in his programmes as a way of overcoming the security challenges in the country.

The call for amnesty has for some time continued to be like a song on the lips of some northern leaders, making them to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan in

Abuja.The main insurgent group in the North,

Boko Haram, has claimed responsibility for masterminding several attacks across the northern states causing the death of hun-dreds of people.

The forum made its position known at a closed-door, late night meeting held with the President at the State House. The 25-member Northern Elders Forum was led by the former Nigeria representative to the UN, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama-Sule.

Addressing State House correspondents after the meeting, the spokesperson for the Forum and former Vice-Chancellor of Ah-madu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said that the meeting centred mainly on national security.

The contention here is that the country is facing challenges and Im sure you will agree that there are challenges in the coun-try, particularly in the area of security.

That is the greatest challenge the coun-try is facing today and we spent a lot of

P 13

Boko Haram insurgents; Inset: Malam Shekau, the sects leader

Sunday Mirrorwww.nationalmirroronline.net 11

PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES

Politics

FG, Boko Harams ding-dong over amnesty

APRIL 14, 2013

What is your take on the recent Federal Governments proposed amnesty for Boko Haram?

Well, amnesty is one of the many propos-als that have been voiced by Nigerians as a way out of this insurgence and violence; but it is not a magic formula. It is not going to lead to the end of the insurgence, neither is it going to end the violence. That Presi-dent Jonathan Goodluck has announced amnesty and has constituted a committee does not mean that people will take train from Yobe and Borno states to Eagles Square in Abuja waiting for amnesty.

Secondly, there are many categories of persons who want this amnesty; there are those who want amnesty because they want peace, there are those who want amnesty because they want to save their necks from the insurgence, there are those who want it because they intend to milk this country dry from the billions of money that will be given out for the programme and there are those who want it because it is the way out but they do not know how possible. And you cannot have amnesty and the next day you have all the guns and bombs submit-ted. What I have seen about this proposed amnesty is an attempt to scam Nigeria and raise false hope; those who think amnesty is all about bringing peace the next day are simply wasting their time and they are elements who simply want to profit from amnesty. With an amnesty the government will be in the position to pump billions of naira in the names of unemployed persons from Northern Nigeria and then parade them as being insurgents and give them the money.

This proposed amnesty by the Federal

Government will not work. Number one, the Boko Haram group did not say amnesty is one of the conditions to which they will end this violence. Secondly, this committee that is set up by the Federal Government is not different from all other committees that have been parading themselves and engaging in dialogue with the Boko Haram group, and it has never worked.

The only viable contact with the Boko Haram was the one facilitated by me that took former president Olusegun Obasanjo to Maiduguri for peace talk and the one by a freelance journalist, Ahmed Salkida, which brought Dr. Ahmed Datti. Other dia-logues apart from the two I mentioned were simply scams. There were series of false peace talks in Saudi Arabia, false peace talks in Maiduguri and false declaration of ceasefire which I have consistently de-bunked which have come out to be true and Im saying there is every likelihood that the insurgents will debunk the amnesty.

There was the committee by the north-ern states governors, the one by Ambassa-dor Zakari Ibrahim, the one by Borno State Government, and now one by the Federal Government. Nigerians have continuously been fooled with series of ceasefire. It is an-other road to deception; Nigerians should be worried because billions of tax payers money is about to be siphoned for a fruit-less fight that is going to lead us nowhere.

So, how can the Federal Government tackle this insurgency once and for all?

I have already said that there are two ways of tackling this insurgency;the use of force and the use of dialogue. Well, govern-ment has consistently deceived itself that

Mallam Shehu Sani is president, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria (CRCN). In retrospect, Sani, a peace and rights advocate led former President Olusegun Obasanjo to the Boko Haram enclave in Maiduguri in September 2011, an epochal visit that served as a launching pad in subsequent efforts to practically broker truce. Speaking in this interview with Aza Msue in Kaduna over the proposed Federal Government amnesty to Boko Haram, Sani said only a freelance journalist, Mallam Ahmed Salkida, who has constantly had interviews with Boko Haram leaders, will be able to mediate and bring about true amnesty. According to him, big names like security chiefs and the Sultan, listed as potential arbitrators will not solve the insurgency. His submissions on the amnesty saga are in their entirety, illuminating. Excerpts:

Invite Ahmed Salkida, not Sultan, to dia

force can end the insurgency, they are not wrong in the sense that the insurgency has ended in some countries using force; un-fortunately, it did not work here. Secondly, there is the option of dialogue. Before an amnesty, you need to have a committee and this committee should be seen to be inde-pendent and must have the representatives of the Federal Government and it must have the respect of members of the sect.

It is only when they have the respect of the sect that they will have the chance to work things out but if you set up a com-mittee that is made up of the Chief of Air Staff, Chief of Naval staff, D.G SSS, in fact all security chiefs and some sweethearts of the president, do you think the insur-gents will listen to you? It is just a simple logic; the very fact that the committee will serve as the mediating body should make it independent and have the capacity and the respect for whatever is going to be the outcome. And this committee should be credible, it should comprise first and fore-most, the leaders of different Islamic sects in Northern Nigeria and then you also have representatives of JNI, Ahmed Salkida, a freelance journalist.

Now Nigerians should ask themselves why dialogue has continued to fail. It has continued to fail because they have contin-ued to do the wrong thing. No matter the high level committee set up, as long as that committee cannot reach out to the leader of Boko Haram, it is technically and virtually impossible to pin down on this insurgents.

The committee that I have suggested that should comprise all these should en-sure a ceasefire from the side of the Boko Haram for at least seven to eight months; they should also extract commitment within this period to end arrest and harass-ment .There should be no shooting, bomb-ing and killings of innocent persons so that there would be a period of silence for eight months. Then the root cause of this insurgence will now be tabled, the killing of Mohamed Yusuf, several Boko Haram members will table their demands and make reasonable contact to their families, aiming for reconciliation over what hap-pened. This committee should reach out to all those people who are in detention, this committee should 100 percent, take stock of victims of Boko Haram who have been killed in all those places. You sit down with them, hear their own story, the orphans and see how justice could be done to them before you talk of amnesty. We simply wake up one day and declare amnesty and think that the next day, amnesty will calm every-body down.

That committee must have reached out to the leader of Boko Haram, followed by a ceasefire and then do justice to victims of Boko Haram. Boko Haram is different from Niger Delta militants.

Are you aligning yourself with other Nigerians who opposed Federal Govern-ments decision of amnesty?

I have not opposed amnesty and I do not support a bogus amnesty that is simply aimed at defrauding Nigerians. If we want an amnesty that will end this problemit looks so simplistic to say that there is an amnesty; so people will come out and lay down arms and collect money. We must also understand that there are some acts of violence that are different from the North and Niger Delta. The Niger Delta militants want a fair share of resources from their region; they also want money to be given to them, and some of them have openly come to say they want money as a condi-tion to end the violence. Boko Haram has never made any monetary claim, nobody should go and allocate billions of tax pay-ers money for them and I am saying it very clearly, when I led President Obasanjo to Maiduguri, I took onlyN20,000 for fuel; no-body should come and defraud Nigerians in the name of lining up some street boys and misinforming Nigerians that they are militants, then give them some millions and also give some Islamic personalities contracts like they are giving Tampolo and others in the Niger Delta.

Are you totally opposing northern lead-ers who are clamouring for amnesty for Boko Haram?

Look, what I am just telling you is this; all these elders, most of them are for am-nesty because they want to save their necks so that the fire will not reach them; but many of them are part of what has led us into this mess. If they have spoken out against corruption and mismanagement when northerners were in power, we would not have been here, which has made it so easy for the insurgents to recruit millions of our young people who have been aban-doned by government.

The leader of Boko Haram did not say he needs money like the Niger Delta lead-ers, Tampolo and Asari Dokubo. So, am still emphasising on this so that nobody will de-fraud Nigeria. I am for amnesty but not for scam.

You talked about Salkida a freelance journalist, but from report I have read, Salkida has fl ed Nigeria over security threats. What do you say about this?

Nigerians should ask themselves ques-tions. Why should such a person flee when he has made sacrifice and even offered to arrange the first meeting directly with the Boko Haram group. Such a Nigerian should be encouraged if he has access to Boko Ha-ram and these people trust him, why dont we bring him and make him Chairman of the committee? Must he be a billionaire? Must he be a politician or is it because he is a journalist? Didnt they know that some-times, a solution to a problem may just be before you? I know the kind of effort and sacrifice that man has put in.

You kicked against the Sultan of Sokoto as the chairman of the amnesty commit-

Sani

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net12 Sunday, April 14, 2013Politics

times discuss-ing the various

issues on security matters. On amnesty, what we discussed is that the general

opinion in the country is that amnesty should be factored in to whatever the government is trying to do to overcome the violence that is taking place all over the country and, particularly, in most parts of the North.

Fortunately, the President is already thinking hard on it and he assured us that there is a special meeting on the matter tomorrow and Im sure that something substantial will come out of that meeting, he said.

Abdullahi said that they were at the Presidential Villa as a follow-up to an earlier visit last year where a memoran-dum was submitted to the President on matters of the na-tion by the Forum. He said that the President, after study-ing the memorandum, invited members of the group for further deliberations on issues raised in the submission.

Also, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, confirmed that the group called for amnesty for insurgent groups.

He said the President also briefed the forum on what government had been doing to stabilise the situation in the North and to promote infrastructure development and ag-riculture.

The minister said the forum was informed of efforts of government toward promoting education in the North, particularly through the construction of more than 100 Almajiri schools to increase access to education by more than 9.5 million children on the streets. He said the Presi-dent also spoke about the nine out of 12 Federal Govern-ment-owned universities established in the North.

Other members of the forum at the meeting were, Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, Mrs Pauline Tallen, Alhaji kali Gazali, Dr Safiya Mohammed, Mr Solomon Dalong and Sheikh Ahmed Lemu.

Also in the meeting were Alhaji Shehu Malami, Sen John Wash Pam, Alhaji Bello Kirfi, retired Maj.-Gen. Paul Tarfa, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Dr Paul Unongo and retired AVM Allamin Daggash.

Alhaji Sanni Daura, Alhaji Yahaya Kwande, Alhaji Sale Hassan, Alhaji Bashir Yusuf, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, Prof Idris Mohammed, retired Capt. Paul Tahal and re-tired Capt Bashir Sodangi were also part of the delegation.

It will also be recalled that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Saad III, had also recently called for amnesty for members of Boko Haram.

To this effect, the Federal Government on April 4 inau-gurated a committee to look into the possibility and mo-dality on granting amnesty to the fundamentalist Boko Haram sect.

However, an indication that the sect might truly not be interested in the proposed amnesty deal emerged when some Borno State Government officials were gunned down. That was followed by an attack that was carried out on a police station in Yobe State on Thursday. Four police-men were killed in the fire fight at the police station and

their rifles were taken away. The stance of the group notwithstanding, a number of

individuals and groups have commended the federal gov-ernment for the initiative.

For instance, the United States of America on has backed governments gesture. The Political Counsellor at the Embassy of the USA, Gregory Lawless, said in Abuja that the American government would support amnesty for Boko Haram if it was the solution to ending violence in the North and other parts of the country.

We think it is a positive development. We will work with Nigerian government as it develops its own policy ap-proach as to counter violent extremism, Lawless said in a response to a question about the US position on the am-nesty the Nigerian government was planning to grant the Islamic sect at a teleconference on US-Nigerian Bi-national Commission.

He added, Security concerns in Nigeria would be ad-dressed through our regional security cooperation work-ing group as part of the Bi-National Commission.

In the same vein, former Head of State and presidential candidate for the Congress for Progressive Change in 2011, Maj-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) last week threw his weight behind the Federal Governments plan to grant am-nesty to members of the Islamic sect, the Boko Haram.

Buhari contended that granting amnesty to the funda-mentalist sect members would not be out of place because it would not be the first time a militant group would be given such a privilege by the Federal Government.

He recalled the decision by the late President Umaru YarAdua to grant amnesty to Niger Delta militants to douse the tension in the oil-rich region.

The CPC presidential flagbearer in company with his running mate, Pastor Tunde Bakare; the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari, and the partys National Chairman, Prince Tony Momoh spoke in Abeokuta, shortly after a courtesy visit to Governor Ibi-kunle Amosun in his Oke-Mosan office.

Equally, President- General Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo World-wide, a pan Igbo social group, Chief Gary Nnachi, has joined the long list of other Nigerians calling on the Fed-eral Government to grant amnesty to members of the Boko Haram sect, so long as it will restore peace back to the na-tion.

Nnachi who was recently in Kano in company of top notch of Pan Igbo social group to build confidence among the Igbos residing in the volatile region following the recent bomb attack on a luxury bus Park, noted that peace is the only thing that will guaranteed development and wellbeing of the Nigerian citizenry and federal government should be in the vanguard of ensuring that peace is maintained, therefore the government should do whatever it takes, in-cluding giving amnesty to the Boko Haram members if they will lay down their Arms and leave peacefully with everybody.

The Ohaneze boss stressed that Nigeria is a country for everybody, be it Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa or any other Tribe,

alogue with Boko Haram Shehu Sanitee, what is your reason?

First of all, the Sultan is a leader of Mus-lims in Nigeria, despite that the Boko Ha-ram sect has not recognized him or respect-ed him. Apart from making statements, what other efforts has he made? He might have made efforts but without any result.

I am talking to you today not because I am an activist or a commentator, but I went to Maiduguri, and I have proved to you what I have been doing. Why has the Sultan not gone to Maiduguri? So, you see he would have solved a lot of problems but this one, he is ineffective. So, making him the chairman of an amnesty committee will not work. For example, during the post-election crisis in 2011, people like him were targeted and even the Emir of Kano, an old man was also targeted, the Shehu of

Borno was also targeted. So, how can you bring somebody who is being hunted to chair an amnesty committee?

The only thing the chairman of the com-mittee will do is to submit a proposal to Goodluck Jonathan requesting for billions of naira to settle the sect, and some rascals from Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Maiduguri and Jos will be brought in and money will be given to them and some Islamic leaders will be given contracts as much as they are giving Tompolo. But what connection do they have with Shekaru, or what connec-tion do they have with entire members of Boko Haram?

Do you have any regret for taking ex-president Obasanjo to Maduguri after which concrete suggestions were made to the Presidency but might have been ignored?

Well, today, the only pain I feel is the kill-ing of Baba Fugo. Fugo was

a man of peace and determination. Both of us sought the permission of the Boko Haram group to organise a reconciliation.

But the group came up openly and denied that they were the ones that killed him.

I have to believe them because they killed so many people and admitted but why did they reject this one? Our suggestions to the Presidency were buried by the late Gen-eral Andrew Azazi because he believed his way was the only way. Azazi misinformed the president to go to South Korea and said Nigeria will end Boko Haram by June last year. So, our efforts were sabotaged by no other person than Azazi, and this is to show how some people who think they are security experts think they can stop Boko Haram, using security formula but they do not know the economic, political and social aspects of it and that is why the problem is persisting. I will continue to say in my own way how to solve this problem. When all Nigerians believed that a peace talk was going on, I said it was not and it came out to be true, and Im saying that this amnesty will not go anywhere because the commit-

tee members, no matter how highly placed they are, if they do not reach out to the sect, it will not work.

Who is that one person that can guaran-tee the effectiveness of this amnesty?

There is no person. If you ask me of two or three persons, the first