We pay N300 to enter Nigeria – Illegal immigrant

A suspected illegal immigrant from the Niger Republic, Shuaib Kaneda, says many illegal immigrants usually entered Nigeria by paying between N300 and N500 to unidentified persons. Shuaib added that he had spent eight years in Nigeria, but could not acquire valid documents before he was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command. The 34-year-old was among 82 illegal immigrants paraded on Wednesday at the command’s office in Alagbon, Lagos. The suspects were said to have been arrested at different parts of the Lagos Island area after an intelligence report. Shuaib was arrested along with a relative, Idris, who had spent barely one year in the country when he was caught. Shuaib, who spoke in pidgin, said, “I have been here for about eight years now. I work as a loader and make between N1, 000 and N1, 500 a day. I use the money I make to feed my family in the Niger Republic. I am married and have two children and they are in Niger. “I travel home every six or eight months. The people at the border see many of us when we come in. Sometimes, they collect N300 and other times, we give them N500 before we pass.” His brother, Idris, also explained that he came into the country to make money which he usually sent home to his family of three. Another suspect, Alimaru Saliade, told PUNCH Metro that he sneaked into the country by mixing up with cows being transported into Nigeria. Saliade, who claimed not to know his age, said in pidgin, “I followed cows to Lagos. I have been here for four years now and I have not been able to get my documents because I don’t have money.” For Yaya Ibrahim, coming to Lagos was to avoid being idle in the village. “I was in my village and was not doing anything. So, my uncle asked me to come and work in Lagos and that was how I found myself here. My parents live in Ghana but we are from Niger,” he said. The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Command, Muyiwa Odunubi, said the command raided the suspects based on intelligence report. He said while some of the suspects were caught around banks’ branches, others were found sleeping under the bridge and “constituting nuisance to residents”. He said, “We have a surveillance team that keeps a tab on illegal immigrants in the state. When our men went out, they got them in all manner of places. Some were caught around banks, others were found sleeping under benches. Even fuel stations were not spared. “In the Idumota area of the state for instance, we found that they have a room where they sleep. It is not clear whether they rented the apartment or somebody gave them the place. We introduced ourselves and arrested them; they never resisted.” The Comptroller of the state’s command, Mrs. Justina Ahmadu, commended the officials, adding that the service would intensify efforts to rid the state of anything that could constitute security risk. She waved away Shuaib’s claim, saying most of the illegal immigrants came into the country through unauthorised routes because they did not have valid documents that could guarantee their stay. “This is a continuous exercise and we will continue to weed out illegal immigrants from the state. Anyone without a valid passport or resident’s card will be sent packing. “We appeal to Lagosians to cooperate with us during our operations by not harbouring any illegal immigrant or fighting our men. This is the only way they can assist us to discharge our functions efficiently,” she said.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS? 12 reasons why Jonathan deserves re-election –Presidency

Presidency has given 12 reasons why Nigerians must re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan for another term of four years during the March 28 presidential election. This was contained in a piece, titled, “Twelve reasons to support Jonathan,” published in the current edition of the in-house magazine of the State House, Abuja, called Villascope. It listed some of the reasons to include the present administration strides in road construction, railway rehabilitation, remodeling of airports, transformed agriculture sector and increased access to education. Others are increased access to housing, improved power supply, improved water supply, better health facilities, reformed security infrastructures, economic transformation and increased Nigerians’ participation in downstream oil sector. The Presidency said Jonathan met 4,500km of motorable roads but constructed/rehabilitated 25,000km of roads. This, it said, had drastically reduced travel time nationwide. It added that about five million Nigerians now travel by train after the present administration rehabilitated the nation’s railway. On education, it said, “Jonathan built 125 Almajiri schools, 14 universities and special schools for girls in 27 states. “He gave 101 scholarships to first-class graduates to pursue postgraduate courses in the best 25 universities in the world. “He sponsored 7,000 lecturers of federal and state universities and polytechnics for postgraduate studies to improve quality teaching.” The Presidency further said that 61,000 housing units had been built in the six geo-political zones of the country.

We’ve recaptured 11 towns, killed 300 insurgents –DHQ

The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, has said that troops of the Nigerian Army and personnel of the Air Force have killed over 300 fighters of the Boko Haram sect. Olukolade said in a statement on Wednesday that the insurgents were killed during a combined operation of the Air Force and ground forces put in place to liberate 11 communities captured by the Boko Haram sect. According to him, the communities liberated by the troops are Monguno, Gabchari, Abba Jabari, Gajigana, Gajiram, Damakar, Kumaliwa, Bosso Wanti, Jeram and Kabrisungul. He said that troops had commenced a cordon and search operation in the areas involved in the latest operation. He stated further that some of the terrorists and their weapons were captured by the troops. Olukolade also said that the military captured “five different types of armoured fighting vehicles, an anti-aircraft gun, about 50 cases of packed bombs and eight different types of machine guns, five rocket-propelled grenade, 49 boxes of various types and calibres of ammunition, as well as 300 motorcycles destroyed in the fighting. He added that “a total of six Hilux vehicles including those mounted with anti-aircraft guns were also destroyed.’ The Defence spokesman said that two soldiers lost their lives while ten others were wounded in the encounter with the terrorists. Olukolade said that various phases of highly coordinated combined operation involving the Air Force and ground forces were ongoing in the mission area within and outside the country. Meanwhile, about 30 civilians were killed when an unidentified airplane dropped a bomb on a Nigerian border village, military sources based nearby in Niger said on Wednesday. “We don’t know whose plane it was. We understand that the victims are residents who were gathered for a ceremony but who were mistaken for terrorists,” said a military source based in the town of Bosso in Niger. He added, “Around 30 people perished.”

Jonathan bribed pastors with N7bn, not N6bn – Cleric

More facts appear to be emerging on the allegation by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, that President Goodluck Jonathan gave pastors across the country N6bn to vote against the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj- Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.), in the presidential election. A Borno-based Pastor, Kallamu Musa-Dikwa, said on Thursday that the money that was given to pastors by the President was actually N7bn and not N6bn as alleged by Amaechi, who doubles as the Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation. Amaechi had alleged that unnamed leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party paid N6bn to Christian clerics to campaign against Buhari and the APC. The governor’s allegation caused a stir among the Christian clerics, with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and the Northern State Christian Elders Forum asking Amaechi to name the church leaders, who collected the huge bribe. But Musa-Dikwa, who is the Executive Director of the Voice of Northern Christian Movement, told journalists in Kaduna on Thursday that the said money was channelled through the Christian Association of Nigeria. He said the CAN got the said money(N7bn) on January 26, 2015 and disbursed N3m to each State Chairmen of the CAN across the country. Musa-Dikwa, who was an Associate Pastor with the E. Y. N. Church, Farm Centre, Dikwa Road, Maiduguri, Borno State, under Rev. Emmanuel Kwajihe between 2002 and 2004, said the CAN had started threatening Christians in the state (Borno) that they must re-elect Jonathan in the rescheduled election. He said, “It was N7bn that was given to the CAN leadership by President Goodluck Jonathan. They (CAN) later disbursed N3m to the State Chairmen of the CAN. “The money was handed over to the CAN Leadership on 26th January, 2015.” “Actually, President Jonathan is using CAN President, and it was the CAN President who collected the monies and shared N3m to the CAN executives in each state. “And some Pentecostal Bishops also collected their share. Actually, the money is not N6bn, it is N7bn. This is what I know. One of the CAN officials from Abuja told me that they have collected the money. The corruption in CAN is terrible. They are corrupting the body of Christ because of money. “They are now threatening Christians in Borno State that they will deal with anybody, who refuses to vote for Jonathan. And the CAN officials are now campaigning that if Buhari emerges President, he will Islamise Nigeria; and that Osinbajo collected monies from Islamic world; and that the same Osinbajo will resign soon after Buhari wins to give way for Tinubu to emerge Vice President.” Musa-Dikwa named some high-profile clerics, who had benefitted from the controversial largesse to actualise the re-election bid of Jonathan.

Troops raid Sambisa, scores of insurgents killed -Military

The Defence Headquarters has said a combined operation by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force and the ground troops have resulted in the death of a large number of insurgents at the dreaded Sambisa Forest enclave of the Boko Haram and parts of Gwoza. The Punch had reported exclusively on Thursday, February 12, that the Nigerian Air Force had commenced intensive air strike on locations within the Sambisa forest for ground troops to move. The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, said in a statement on Thursday that the air strikes which hit targets with precision inflicted a heavy casualty figure on the insurgents. He said strikes targeted the training facilities and logistic dumps of the insurgents. According to him, several of the insurgents were scampering all over the areas hit by the fighter jets in Sambisa. The Defence Spokesman, who said the details of the casualty in the latest attack would be revealed later, added that air strikes were going on in other locations to prepare ground for the advancement of ground troops. He said, “A concerted air campaign by the Nigerian Air Force is on-going in furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves. “The air strikes, which today targeted the training camps and logistics dumps of the terrorists in Sambisa forests and parts of Gwoza, have been highly successful as it achieved the aims with required precision. “The death of a large number of terrorists has been recorded while many others are also scampering all over the forest and out of the struck bases. “Details of casualty will be determined in subsequent phases of the operation.”

LECTURE FROM THE BIBLE: What is the key to happy family life?

We have searched but have not seen the key to a happy home because we do not follow the holy scripture. Do you think it is...

 * LOVE?
 * MONEY?
 * TRUST?
 * SOMETHING ELSE?

 See what the Bible says: "Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!"-Luke 11:28.

  What does this mean?- Finding a joyful home is from the Creator.
 *Finding real love.-Ephesians 5:28, 29.
 *Enjoying genuine respect.-Ephesians 5:33.
 *Having true security.-Mark 10:6-9.

 CAN WE REALLY BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS?- Yes, for at least two reasons:
  
*God is the Originator of families: The Bible says that "every family... owes its name" to Jehovah God. (Ephesians 3:14,15) In other words, the family unit exists because Jehovah created it. Why is that significant?

    Consider: If you were enjoying a tasty meal and wanted to learn its ingredients, whom would you ask? Logically,the person who prepared it. Likewise to discover the ingredients for a happy family life, we do well to Jehovah, the Originator of the family arrangement.-Genesis 2:18-24.

*God cares about you: Families are wise to seek Jehovah's advice, which he provides through his Word. Why? "Because he cares for you." (1Peter 5:6,7) God has your best interests at heart and His counsel always works.

So think about how to be a good husband, wife, or parent. Pray about it and the bible will give you some answers.(Ephesians 5:1,2 and Colossians 3:18-21

Man rapes four-year-old girl in Lagos

A 25-year-old man, Kingsley Churchill, has been arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrate’s Court for raping a four-year-old girl. It was gathered that the victim was raped on January 24, 2015 at her parents’ house on Adeshokan Street, Ayobo, Lagos State. Our correspondent gathered that Churchill had first inserted his fingers into the victim’s private parts before having sex with her. The case was later reported to the police after it was discovered by her parents. The defendant was arraigned on one count of sexual assault. The charge read, “That you, Kingsley Churchill, on January 24, 2015, at Adeshokan Street, Ayobo, Lagos in the Lagos Magisterial District, did sexually assault a four-year-old girl by inserting both your finger and penis into her vagina.” The police prosecutor, Etim Nkankuk, said the offence was punishable under Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011. Churchill pleaded not guilty. The defence counsel, J.A. Adewunmi, applied for his client’s bail in liberal terms. The Chief Magistrate, A.O. Isaac, granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with two sureties in like sum. The case was adjourned till March 4, 2015.

Female suicide bomber kills 10 in Yobe

A female suicide bomber believed to be 10 years old on Sunday struck at the Damaturu Central Motor Park, killing herself and nine other people. The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, Toyin Gbadegesin, said 31 others were critically injured in the blast which occurred at about 12.20pm. Gbadegesin explained that the bomber had targeted security personnel on patrol at the park who suspected her movement and turned her away. He said, “At about 12.10pm, a Hijab-wearing female suicide bomber came into the park and went to the security vehicle there. She was turned back by our men. She then went to a commercial Volkswagen vehicle that was half-loaded and suddenly, the bomb exploded “Ten people died and 31 were critically injured. The wounded people are at the Gen. Sani Abatcha Hospital in Damaturu. We have condoned off the area and investigation is currently ongoing.” When journalists visited the scene of the blast at about 3.30pm on Monday, operatives and men of the state fire service were still battling to put out the fire from the bus. An eyewitness, Ibrahim Mohammed, said he was the only person close to the scene of the explosion that was not wounded. “The sound of the explosion was deafening. I was shaken by it and as I talk to you, I am still hearing strange sounds. I suspect the bomber could not have been more than 10 years.” Sunday’s blast is the second targeting a densely populated area in Damaturu. The first was last June when nine football fans watching the Brazil 2014 world cup tournament at a viewing centre were killed by a bomber. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Defence has said there is no discussion between Washington and President Goodluck Jonathan on deployment of American troops in Nigeria. It however clarified that discussions on troops to combat the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, was just beginning based on the formation of the Multi-national Joint Task Force. Jonathan had in an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Friday criticised the US for being unwilling to support the Federal Government in fighting insurgents in Nigeria’s North-East. He said the country had in early 2014 reached out to the US for assistance, adding, “Are they (America) not fighting ISIS? Why can’t they come to Nigeria? …they are our friends. If Nigeria has a problem, then I expect the US to come and assist us.” But the US Department of Defence spokesman, John Kirby, said, “There is a discussion but it is of a multinational task force that the international community is working with certain African nations to establish. That is right now still in the discussion phase. “I don’t have a timeline for that. But we believe that we support the discussion and dialogue toward establishing a multinational task force that can operate there to help improve partner capacity, to improve counter-terrorism capabilities. “But these are discussions (that) are really just now starting. I can also tell you that there are no plans as I speak here to send unilaterally, to send or to add US troops into Nigeria. There are no US troops operating in Nigeria.” Kirby, however, noted that the US was not ruling out sending ground forces as part of the multinational task force. “There’s nothing being ruled out or ruled in. These discussions are really just starting. So, I think it’d be premature to say I know exactly what the US component would be or to characterise it. We’re just not there, yet,” he added. The United Nations Security Council has condemned “in the strongest terms,” the continued escalation of attacks by Boko Haram terrorists on Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger. “The members of the Security Council reaffirm that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including the actions of Boko Haram, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security,” it said in statement on Friday night. It described the attacks as “criminal and unjustifiable,” regardless of their motivation. The council also reiterated its determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the UN Charter. The UN body also stressed the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of acts of terrorism to justice.

Borno declares today public holiday for Buhari

The Borno State government has declared Monday (today) a work- free-day for the visit of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) to the state. Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Ahmed Jidda, announced this on Sunday in a statement in Maiduguri, the state capital. Jidda said that the public holiday would enable residents of the state to receive Buhari during his campaign rally. The statement read, “The Borno State Government has declared Monday as a work-free day. The declaration is to enable the people of the state welcome the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who will arrive Maiduguri on a campaign visit on Monday. “Governor Kashim Shettima has enjoined all Borno residents to come out en mass and line up the streets to welcome the Peoples’ General.” Meanwhile, the National Christian Elders Forum on Sunday dissociated itself from the purported endorsement of Buhari by the Northern Christian Leaders Eagle-Eye Forum, led by one Pastor Aminchi Habu. The Secretary of NCEF, Pastor ‘Bosun Emmanuel, in a statement issued in Abuja, advised Christians “to resist the temptation of putting personal interests above the interests of the Lord Jesus Christ, because such compromise has terrible eternal consequences.” Emmanuel also called on politicians “to put the interest of the nation first in all forms of electioneering campaign and desist from acts that could be interpreted to imply desperate manipulation of the electorate for political power.” His statement partly read, “It has come to the notice of the NCEF that an unaccredited group, claiming Northern Christians Leaders Eagle Eye- Forum, purportedly on Thursday February 12, 2015, in Abuja, adopted the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming elections, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.). “The National Christian Elders Forum wishes to state clearly that the only Northern Elders Forum accredited and recognised by the Christians Association of Nigeria is the Northern States Christian Elders Forum. “The Elders Forum hereby declares that neither CAN, NOSCEF nor the NCEF at any time supported or approved of the action of this unaccredited group. The National Christian Elders Forum wishes to admonish Christian leaders in Nigeria to resist the temptation of putting personal interests above the interests of the Lord Jesus Christ, because such compromise has terrible eternal consequences. “The Elders Forum also advises politicians to put the interest of the nation first in all forms of electioneering campaign and desist from acts that could be interpreted to imply desperate manipulation of the electorate for political power.”

Egypt strikes IS targets in Libya

Egypt carried out air strikes against Islamic State targets in Libya on Monday, a day after the group released a video purporting to show the beheading of 21 Egyptians in the neighboring country. “Your armed forces on Monday carried out focused air strikes in Libya against Daesh camps, places of gathering and training, and weapons depots,” the military said in a statement.

ISIL reportedly kills 21 Egyptian hostages in Libya

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) has released a video purporting to show the killing of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians kidnapped in Libya. The footage released on Sunday appeared to show 21 handcuffed hostages dressed in orange jump suits being beheaded. The video, titled “A message signed with blood to the nation of the cross”, says the killings were directed at “the hostile Egyptian Church”. The group said the killings were revenge for “Muslim women persecuted by Coptic crusaders in Egypt”. There was no immediate comment from the Egyptian government. In January, ISIL’s branch in Libya, claimed it had abducted 21 Christians in two separate operations in Sirte.

Police kill two Boko Haram fighters in Kano

The Police in Kano on Sunday confirmed the killing of two gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram members in the Kibiya Local Government Area of the state, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. The Kano State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incident in an interview with the NAN. Majiya said the incident occurred on Saturday around 5.30 p.m. when six gunmen stormed the police station on two motorcycles but that the police repelled the attack. He said one of the gunmen was killed during an exchange of fire while the other was lynched by the community while trying to escape. He said two of the gunmen were also arrested and were now assisting the police in their investigation. “No policeman was killed or injured during the incident,’’ he said. Majiya said the gunmen had also abandoned one of their motorcycles before fleeing the area. He said security had since been beefed up in the area, adding that neighbouring states had been alerted in order to arrest the fleeing hoodlums. Meanwhile, the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, has ordered investigation into a shootout between policemen in the command and suspected criminals at Kubwa, a suburb of the Abuja Federal Capital. A statement by the command’s spokesman, Anjuguri Manzah, on Sunday, said the incident occurred at Arab Road junction on Friday during a confrontation between the policemen and the suspects. NAN reported on Sunday that 100 persons had been arrested in connection with the incident. “The confrontation which led to a shootout severely disorganised the criminal gang and inflicted bullet wounds on some of them,” Manzah said, quoting the CP as assuring the people of the territory of adequate security and urged them to remain calm. In another development, the Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos on Sunday declared 10 suspected bankers wanted over alleged N125.1m scam. Investigation conducted by the NAN revealed that the names and photographs of the suspects were already pasted on the command’s notice board. The command’s spokesman, Gbenga Adeoye, who confirmed this, said it was normal for the police to declare wanted anybody suspected of crime. “It is normal for the police to declare wanted anybody who refused to make himself available after committing crimes such as fraud, jump bail or murder. “When we declare anybody wanted, the photograph, names and contact address of the suspected fellow will be pasted in the police formation for easy identification of his or her arrest,” Adeoye said. The police spokesperson said the suspects, now at large, were being investigated over alleged forgery and obtaining money by false pretence. “A warrant of arrest has been duly obtained from a Magistrate’s Court in Lagos state against the suspected fraudsters. It was learnt that the suspects conspired with others to obtain financial facilities of N15,055,541; N10,894,478 and N24,597,628. Other amounts were N9,983,195; N11,114,992; N12,231,958; N8,663,833; N10,827,561; N5,657,937 and N15,054,383, respectively, from an unnamed bank. The wanted bankers’ ages ranged between 34 and 48.

You are not God, Jonathan campaigners tell Obasanjo

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation has told former President Olusegun Obasanjo to stop playing God over his numerous criticisms of President Goodluck Jonathan. The organsiation was reacting to the claim by Obasanjo that President Jonathan was planning to perpetuate himself in office. Apart from this, the former President also accused Jonathan of planning to cause chaos if he lost the March 28 presidential election. But the Director of Media and Publicity of the organsiation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, debunked the allegations, saying the former President under whom he served as Minister of Aviation and Special Assistant on Public Communication, was trying to play God. Fani-Kayode, who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, accused his former boss of trying in vain to control President Jonathan. He said the problem between the two members of the ruling party had nothing to do with Nigeria, and called on the former President to leave Nigeria out of the issues between him and the President. He said, “The bottom line is this: President Obasanjo’s grouse with President Jonathan is personal and it has nothing to do with Nigeria. “He should leave Nigeria out of it and let us all be. If he has a personal score to settle with Jonathan he should not do so at the expense of the peace and stability of Nigeria. “If he wants to stop Jonathan then let him attempt to do so through the democratic process and through the ballot box and not through foul and unconstitutional means. “We said it before and we will say it again: gone are the days that any President can be tele-guided and controlled because we have all come of age. “We continue to hold President Obasanjo in high esteem but his recent actions and utterances are beyond the pale. He has been unfair to Jonathan, to Nigeria and even to himself. “Most importantly the days of intimidating others with his harsh words and overbearing influence are long over. Obasanjo is not God. “Only God is God and He alone determines the fortunes of men and the destiny of nations.” Fani-Kayode said that after Jonathan came to power, Obasanjo did not only try to control and tele-guide the President, but he also asked him to do a number of things that he said were simply wrong and unacceptable. Asked to tell Nigerians those issues, he refused. He merely said that the President would speak on the matter anytime he likes.

Security operatives surround APC campaign spokesman’s residence

A combined team of security operatives have surrounded the residence of the Director of Media of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organization, Mallam Garba Shehu. The operatives who were armed to the teeth, took positions around the house located at area 11, Garki Abuja, as early as 5:35am on Thursday morning. One of Shehu’s colleagues at the Atiku Media 0ffice, who pleaded anonymity, called The PUNCH at about 6am. He said, “Security men have surrounded the residence of our director, Mallam Garba Shehu in Area 11. They came in several vehicles. I cannot make out which of the security services because it is still dark here. “None of them has said anything about why they are laying siege at his house.” It was gathered that the security operatives were miffed by the audacity of the APC campaign. The APC campaign which Garba heads, organised a prime time interview for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) on CNN. It was aired minutes after President Goodluck Jonathan held a media chat on national television. Analysts say the CNN interview gave Buhari the advantage of responding to some of the allegations against him as well as some of the issues raised by Jonathan. Some of the issues include the shift in the 2015 elections, the Boko Haram insurgency and the anti-corruption fight. Garba could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.

Soldiers invade Sambisa Forest

The military has commenced an operation in Sambisa Forest in Borno State to flush out Boko Haram insurgents. The forest is widely believed to host some of the training camps and facilities of Boko Haram in the North-East. It was learnt that the military high command decided to invade the vast forest in order to make the North-West safe for the general elections. A reliable source in the Army told one of our correspondents in Abuja that Air Force jets started the raid on Monday. He added that surveillance activities and raids were also ongoing as of the time he spoke on Wednesday. The source, who did not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak on the development, said that massive ground operation would follow the aerial operations . He said, “The military started an operation in the Sambisa Forest on Monday. For now, there are no specific cases of arrest; we don’t have that information now. The Air Force has been operating in the area since Monday. It is after that that the ground troops who are on red alert would be moved in.” Also, a source close to an office strategic to the operations said that a lot of activities were going on simultaneously in the forest and other parts of the North-East believed to host Boko Haram camps. He explained that the military was combing the forest because of intelligence reports that some of the insurgents who were dislodged from some communities in the North- East were moving back to the forest. The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, could not be reached for comments on the raids as calls to his mobile did not connect. Meanwhile, 800 children from areas affected by insurgency in Adamawa State are currently undergoing psychotherapy in the state. Executive Chairman of the state Universal Basic Education, Bello Furo, who made this known explained that the psychotherapy was to minimise the trauma faced by the children whose parents were either gunned down or slaughtered by Boko Haram insurgents. He said, “The process will take some time because most of the parents were slaughtered before their children. “Right now, they do not have anybody to cater for them; they lost their parents as a result of the insurgency.” Also in the state on Wednesday, the wife of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Aisha Buhari donated drugs worth N135m to Internally Displaced Persons in Damare. Aisha, who said that it was unfortunate that the IDPs were refugees in their own country, showed sympathy and asked them to be steadfast in their prayers for peace to return to the country, especially the North-East. Meanwhile, Boko Haram fighters attacked Chadian army positions in Gamboru, Borno State on Wednesday but were beaten back. The Chadian troops are in Gamboru as part of a regional offensive against the islamist sect, which had staged several cross-border attacks over the past week. “We knew they were going to attack us. We were waiting. The battle didn’t last long. They fled,” a Chadian soldier said. He said that eight of his colleaques were wounded while three Boko Haram vehicles were destroyed and one seized. The Chadian Army later said in a statement that 13 Boko Haram fighters and a soldier lost their lives during the attack. Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up on Wednesday in Diffa, Niger Republic, a day after mortars and machine-gun shots were heard in N’Guigmi on the country’s border with Nigeria. The town lies near Lake Chad, around 100 kilometres east of Diffa.

I will hand over if I lose, says President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday cleared the air on alleged plans to prolong his tenure, saying if the result of the March 28 presidential election does not favour him, he will hand over to whoever that wins. Jonathan, in a live media chat apparently organised to douse the tension generated by the postponement of the general elections, spoke among others, the alleged plot to sack the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, insurgency and corruption. Before and after the polls were shifted from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11, there were rumours that the President and the Peoples Democratic Party were nursing a sinister plot not to hand over power. The rumours were further fuelled by statements credited to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo in far away Nairobi, Kenya. Obasanjo was quoted as saying, “I sincerely hope that the President is not going for broke and saying ‘look dammit, it’s either I have it or nobody has it.” But Jonathan told a panel of interviewers that he was not desperate to remain in power. He said such “insinuations and wrong information” were meant to discredit him by his political opponents. He said, “Let me assure Nigerians that a new government will be formed on May 29.They should not be perturbed about rumours that we are planning to send Jega on a terminal leave and other rubbish that is being circulated. “In 2011, I said I will conduct a free and fair election and that if I lose, I will happily move on and that it should be recorded. “Then I just concluded the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s tenure. I said I will be happy to go if I lose. I said this nation is more important than anybody. Anyone who wants to hold the office of President and feels he is more important than the nation is not right. “So if as of 2011, I made a commitment that if I lose I will go, it should tell you more about my stand on free and fair elections. “But now, Nigerians have given me the opportunity to be here for four good years and so if the elections are conducted and I lose, of course, we will inaugurate a new government. “The rumour that I will not hand over or that I am scheming to prolong my tenure are insinuations; they are not true. Those are insinuations; it is quite unfortunate that so much wrong information is floating in the system.” Jonathan faulted the claim by Jega that INEC was ready for the elections. He said the information given to him by security chiefs was that poor distribution of Permanent Voter Cards could have caused a security challenge in the country. He, however, said he would not sack Jega. Jonathan said, “During the Council of State meeting, the issue of security was emphasised and there is no way security chiefs would have disclosed all the details to everybody but they disclosed some things to me which they did not mention to others. “There are two aspects to the issue of insecurity. The first is Boko Haram and the second is the threat factor in the country. “When INEC picked the dates for elections, the threat level was not high until we started the campaign. So, it was important for the security chiefs to review the security architecture otherwise the country would have gone up in flames. “In election, a lot of problems are involved. When the issue of PVC was being branded as a problem, INEC, from what Jega mentioned that day, clearly was not ready for the elections. They said they were ready but they were not. “The day we held that meeting that led to this adjustment of dates, in Lagos for example, only about 38 per cent of registered voters had their PVCs. That means if we conduct elections in Lagos, 62 per cent of voters not would not have been able to vote. “Don’t you think there are security implications in that? “Some other states had slightly above 30 per cent collection while some had 50 per cent and there were some states that had 60 to 70 per cent. The security agencies highlighted the security implications of this but ordinary people might not see it that way.” -Boko Haram- On the insurgency in the North-East, Jonathan said he was confident that within the six weeks, the international forces would have been able to regain the 14 local government areas occupied by insurgents. He however noted that Boko Haram could not be completely crushed within six weeks but maintained that the security situation would be such that elections would hold in the troubled areas without problems. He said, “In 2011, when the elections were conducted, we had Boko Haram. Boko Haram started before 2007 but became a major problem when their leader was killed in 2009. Nobody is saying we must wipe out Boko Haram completely before conducting elections. “We said that security wise, there are certain things that they need so that they can consolidate on the security architecture; so that we can conduct elections but in the next six weeks, security advancements will be made but we cannot say we will wipe out Boko Haram. At best we can only regain territories. “When they started, they were not taking over territories; they were going to markets and using suicide bombers. Elections will hold and I don’t see why we should continue to doubt the inauguration of next President in May.” -Chibok girls- Jonathan also berated those criticising him for failing to rescue the Chibok girls who were abducted by terrorists in April last year. He said he was confident that most of the girls would be rescued soon. The President said, “I believe now that we are working with Chad and Cameroon, in the next few weeks, the story of the Chibok girls will change. It’s going to get better. “I believe we should be able to rescue some of them. But I don’t want to be quoted, I don’t want you to say the President said so, that in two weeks time or in four weeks time, I cannot say that because the diapperance of those girls has taken quite some time. “But we have mapped out strategies, we are working with our neighbours and we will comb all the areas. So, just give us sometime.” The President denied that he went partying when the girls were kidnapped, saying people only tried to play politics with the matter. The President said, “People are playing politics with Chibok girls and it is very unfortunate. That is one of the problems that we have in Nigeria. In other countries, when there is an issue of terror, political boundaries collapse and people work together. “The interest of the country is paramount but in this case when we have terror, then Nigerians believe it is better to go to the United States or the United Kingdom or France and appear on television to celebrate themselves. Is that how we will bring back those girls? “Let us face facts. When there was 9/11 in the US, how many Americans went round the world criticising their government? Is it by carrying flags and singing around the world that we will bring those girls back? I expected that those with international connections would help the country and not the other way round.” The President debunked the report that the Federal Government was swindled when Boko Haram sect announced a ceasefire last year. Jonathan admitted that there was no ongoing talks with the sect as of now because its leaders had remained faceless. -Corruption/stealing- The President corrected the statement credited to him that stealing is not corruption. He said he only quoted a statement by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapha, during a meeting he held with stakeholders on how to fight corruption. Jonathan insisted that many social vices were being wrongly referred to as corruption. He cited an example that people could be easily isolated or lynched if they were called thieves rather than being referred to as being corrupt. Attacks on his convoy Jonathan decried the various attacks on his convoy during his campaigns in the northern part of the country. He said it was a treasonable offence to attack a sitting President in that manner. Jonathan said he saw those who attacked his convoy and that they were mainly young people who were probably instigated. Campaign funding Asked if he was bothered by the large amount of money spent during campaigns as against the stipulations of the electoral law, the President said pressures from the supporters of party candidates had risen beyond control. He, however, said funds being raised by the PDP were meant for the building of the PDP secretariat, adding that the N21bn raised for his campaign was “mere pledges, some of which have not been redeemed.”

PDP accuses Jega of meeting APC leaders in Dubai

The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday raised fresh allegations aiming at discrediting the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, over the conduct of the elections. At a crowded press conference in Abuja, the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, alleged that Jega had meetings with some unnamed leaders of the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. But the commission said it was not in its character to join issues with political parties. The Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman of the commission, Mr. Kayode Idowu, said this when contacted to react to the allegation. Idowu said, “INEC doesn’t join issues with political parties, because the commission is a dispassionate umpire.” However, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, dismissed the allegation as utter nonsense and irritable. Speaking in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Wednesday, Mohammed said, “I’m in Abuja with some of our leaders. Baba Bisi Akande is here, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is here, former Governor Kayode Fayemi is here. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is in Lagos. “No leader of the APC is outside the country. So, tell me who is Jega meeting? Is it members of our NEC? Not one of our leaders is outside the country. This people are paranoid. We are preparing for our NEC meeting. We have some of our governors here. The PDP is paranoid.” But Fani-Kayode also alleged that the meeting was aimed at making sure that those who had yet to get the Permanent Voter Cards were denied the opportunity of receiving them. The former Minister of Aviation put the number of those voters at 23 million. Fani-Kayode added that the commission was scheming out voters in states and areas where he said supporters of the ruling party were. Besides, he alleged that the PVCs were still at China and had yet to be imported to Nigeria. He said, “Pieces of information at our disposal have shown that Jega has had meetings with the APC stalwarts in Dubai and other cities in the world to perfect this wanton conspiracy against 23 million eligible voters. “Besides, we have information that the PVCs that Nigerians are scrambling for are not in Nigeria and will not arrive before the elections. “These PVCs are still in China and Jega has strategically delayed their arrival to suit his electioneering permutations.” Asked to provide proof about the alleged Dubai meeting, Fani-Kayode refused. Fani-Kayode however said that Jega must also show Nigerians proof that the Chinese company printing the PVCs had been paid in full by disclosing the total contract sum and the amount paid to date. He also demanded that Jega should show proof of arrival or expected date of arrival of all PVCs for the elections and that he should equally tell Nigerians how he could have distributed 23 million PVCs within five days to election if there hadn’t been postponement. He said it was wrong for the commission to have claimed that the election was shifted due to insecurity, adding that the electoral body was not fully ready for the election. “The matter is that INEC has failed in its responsibility to produce and distribute PVCs to about 34 per cent of registered voters who would require the cards to vote in the elections. “This brings us to the issue of statistics of PVC distribution and collection which we believe Jega, as a person acting in concert with some forces of retrogression, is playing games with. “We express our concerns today that Jega may have decided to aid the APC to rig the forthcoming elections through the manipulation of the production, distribution and collection of PVCs, such that emerging trends have consistently shown calculated attempts to deprive parts of the country that would traditionally vote for President Jonathan of their PVCs.”

ARE YOU ALL SAYING "NO" TO GOODLUCK AND "YES" TO BUHARI?

Obasanjo/Atiku had 8 years but couldn’t fix power!!! Fashola and Tinubu had 16years in lagos they couldnt fix all the roads in lagos and couldn't give lagosians portable water to mention few. GEJ has spent 5years + as President of over 170m people and they want him to overnight turn Nigeria into a paradise. They call him names,Clueless, Foolish, some even said he is stupid e.t.c. But... (1) He built 150 almajiri schools. …Yet Goodluck is bad. (2) He revived railway that was comatose for over 28yrs. Lagos- Kano route,Lagos-Southern Ogun air condition train route,Ajaokuta-Warri standard gauge route, PH-Enugu airconditioned train route, PH Maiduguri train route, Kaduna intra- city train routes,Makurdi-PH airconditioned train route, Abuja- Kaduna standard guage route. Work on Lagos-Ibadan standard guage route ongoing. And about to kickstart Lagos-Calabar coastal railway route. Yet Goodluck is bad. (3) He established 12 federal universities.Yet Goodluck is bad. Massive road reconstruction across the country (25000km). Benin- Ore road, Abuja-Lokoja expressway, Enugu-Abakaliki, Onitsha- Owerri road, Kaduna-Maiduguri road, East-West road, Parts of PH- Enugu road &Lagos-Ibadan 8-lane road ongoing. Yet Goodluck is bad. (4 ) Construction of 2nd Niger Bridge is ongoing..Yet Goodluck is bad. ( 5) He dredged River Niger..Yet Goodluck is bad. (6) Improved power supply from 2500mw to 6000mw and implanted 10 new power plants..Yet Goodluck is bad. ( 7) He revived the automobile industry with the new automobile policy spurring Nissan&Hyundai e.t.c to assemble/produce cars in Nigeria and the emergence of Indigenous automobile company the INNOSON group now producing locally made in Nigeria cars, SUVs and trucks known as the IVM motors First in the history of Nigeria, She joined the commodity of car manufacturing countries..Yet Goodluck is bad. (8) He remodeled airports to international standard,built five new airport term Sorry no vex. Continue Reading. U re almost there: Finally. (9) GEJ approved 2,564 vehicles for police for free and fair elections and some bad eggs still complain that he is not working. WE HAVE A DREAM THAT ONE DAY NIGERIANS WILL BE JUDGED NOT BY THE DIALECT THEY SPEAK BUT BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR CHARACTER. We hereby challenge anybody to bring forward the achievements of Buhari, Babangida, Abacha and Obasanjo. GOD BLESS NIGERIA AND PUNISH THE ENEMIES OF NIGERIA. VOTE GOODLUCK, VOTE PDP ,VOTE GOOD FUTURE OF YOURSELF, MYSELF AND OURSELVES...... we can't be fooled..The Devil you know is better than the Angel in Disguise.