Reports reaching 247ureports indicates that Damaturu the Yobe State Capital is under fire now as there has been series of Massive gunshots and explosion underway in the Damaturu the State Capital.
However, the details of the reports indicates that targets and the attackers remained not clear at the time of filling this report sources said that it is more happening around the main town.
There have been a lot of gunshots and people are scampering for safety as they are rushing from office to their homes.
According to our reporter in Damaturu the Yobe state Capital said that the heavy gunfire which began about forty minutes ago is happening around within the town and especially around Gasua road, even as residents who are still at home cannot go out,
A Christian group, Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) has responded to the statement credited to the chief strategist of the Congress for Progressive Change, controversial former minister, Nasir Elrufai, who yesterday threatened the government with reprisals should they go ahead with their attempts to go after suspected Fulani herdsmen and mercenaries who had unleashed a reign of terror in Plateau state in the last few weeks, killing hundreds of innocent people including a serving senator and a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
Elrufai had posted an inciting post on his twitter and facebook profile which you can read HERE
In response, Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) issued the statement below;
The Masquerade Has Been Unmasked
“Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria (CHAIN) notes with dismay the reaction of the Northern Muslim establishment to the recent order by the Plateau State Special Military Task Force to certain Communities to temporarily evacuate their villages in order to minimize civilian casualties as the Military perform internal security operations to find and arrest mercenaries who were behind the deaths of hundreds of innocent Nigeria citizens including a serving Senator and a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly.
We are astounded that these characters who were curiously silent when the mercenaries were killing innocent men, women and children have suddenly found their voice when it comes time to detect and apprehend those behind these killings.
What are we missing here? Are these characters in support of these mercenaries or in support of the Nigerian state? Where was the voice of Nasir Elrufai ,Dr Tilde ,Dr Babangida Aliyu and those now vocal against the planned action to go after the killers when the mercenaries carried out a series of genocidal attacks?
These same people who are threatening bloodshed in 2015 if they do not win elections are now threatening the Nigerian state if the military should go ahead and conduct their internal security operations. Is it not time to ask if they have been the ones sponsoring these attacks? Shall we continue to breathe the putrid air and pretend that we do not know who amongst us has fouled the air?
Only a couple of days ago, these same folks were in the media raining insults on the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, when he testified before the U.S. Congress and asked that they designate Boko Haram as a terrorist organization. How can any sane person attack such a move? Do they know more than they are saying?
When the Shehu of Borno and the Deputy Governor of Borno state were almost killed by Boko Haram, Pastor Oritsejafor led the Christian community to condemn the attack. But when three churches were attacked in one weekend in Kaduna where Dr Babangida Aliyu Chairman NGF,Dr Tilde ,Elrufai and many of their supporters live they were silent and only spoke to condemn the reprisal killings.
The world is watching and we say very clearly that we support the patriotic decision of the military authorities to issue a temporary evacuation order to the Fulani communities in Plateau state so that they can avoid civilian casualties as they hunt for the murderers and terrorists who killed hundreds of innocent victims. This tactic has been used in Europe and America and is a civilized practice covered by the Geneva Convention and meant to stem civilian casualties.
We therefore call on all and sundry in Plateau to ignore the call by these selfish religious and regional champions and like minded individuals who have asked them to ignore the military order and stay put. To Dr Babangida Aliyu and Elrufai who has threatened that the Fulanis would retaliate if any of them are killed we at Christian Awareness Initiative of Nigeria say that the masquerade has eventually been unmasked and we hope that the authorities are watching. We also call on the International Criminal Court to take cognizance of this statement by these regional champions and their co travelers with a view to bringing them to justice wherever and whenever.”
History was made in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal capital this morning as Chief Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar was sworn in at a well attended ceremony held at the Council Chambers of Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Justice Mukhtar who was also decorated with the national honour of Grand Commander of Niger is the 13th Nigerian CJN and the first woman to occupy the position.
President Goodluck Jonathan who presided over the ceremony described it as “historic”. He was accompanied by his wife to signify the significance of the occasion.
The President also added that Justice Mukhtar has been a trailblazer- as the first female lawyer in the former Northern Region, First female High Court Judge in the North, first female Justice of the Appeal Court and the Supreme Court.
While noting that Justice Mukhtar is a woman of destiny, the President however noted that she owes her rise to brillance, resilience and hardwork.
President Jonathan urged the new CJN to quickly settle down for the urgent task of reform of the Nigerian judiciary.
While noting that the three arms of government must work together to tackle emerging national challenges like terrorism and corruption.
The President asked new CJN to consider dedicating judges for the trial of cases of corruption and terrorism or special courts using her prerogatives.
The ceremony was attended by the leadership of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, retired and serving justices, the Governors of Kano and Bayelsa States among others.
The Civil Liberties Organization has warned one Nnamani Tagbo to stop using their name to perpetuate what they termed as illegality and also dissociate itself from any purported petition or write up against one Hon. Offor.
According to the CLO,For Nnamani Tagbo was the opponent of Hon. Offor in the last 2011 General Election in which the duo contested for the House of Representatives Seat of Enugu south/ North Federal Constituencies, an election which Hon. Offor defeated Tagbo Nnamani of People for Democratic Change (PDC).
Nnamani had his first baptism into politics during the last election in which he was roundly beaten. However, since the end of that exercise, he had been trying all available means within his reach including blackmail, campaign of calumny and defamation to bring to the dust a reputable career of the opponent who defeated him in the last General election.
At the conclusion of the election in 2011, Tagbo Nnamani went to the Tribunal to challenge the declaration by Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] of Offor as the winner of the polls. The Tribunal in their wisdom looked at all the evidence he provided and reiterated the position of INEC that Offor indeed won the election convincingly. Determined and desperate to pull his opponent down, few months after he rushed to the Civil Liberties Organization in Enugu asking them to write a petition on his behalf which borders on a purported forgery which he claimed it was done by the Honorable, an offer which the Enugu CLO chapter did ignorantly. However he was caught on his alleged escapades when the CLO after thorough investigation saw that he just manipulated them by raising a false alarm that Hon. Offor falsified his credentials which includes WAEC and NYSC certificates.
According to the letter from CLO to 247ureports.com, the organization said that they wrote the petitions on Nnamani Tagbo behalf without proper inquiries. According to the CLO they went further to verify the authenticity of Nnamani’s claim and Hon. Offor’s making available of his credentials which were different from what Tagbo gave to CLO, and upon the realization by the CLO that it had been used, the body went and withdrew the petitions. It also issued a statement which also includes a letter sent to 247ureports.com, distancing themselves from it and the manipulations of Mr. Nnamani.
According to CLO, “we also further warned media houses to refrain from making references to the said petitions, an advertorial which was published in page 35 of Sun Newspapers Monday June 11, 2012 edition”.
The CLO had also written and asked some print media houses that erroneously ran the story quoting her statement to withdraw them, while it has also filed a case in court against Publishers of a Weekly Tabloid, “Weekly Verdict” over a recent publication it made using the purported petitions.
In being fast about his tricks and manipulative acts, Initially when he met the CLO he gave them only a case of forgery of WAEC and NYSC certificates, but later when he submitted his so called documents to some media houses he brought the issue of Certificate of Birth over it showing how untruthful and unreliable he is, which also made this online news to doubt his claims after much scrutiny and investigation, discovered some lots of facts, which showed his incompetence.
According to CLO when an inquiry was made about the certificates from an official at the WAEC Head office; “concerning the letter he wrote to WAEC which he claimed they wrote him back telling him that Hon. Offor was not the Original owner of that result is not true. It was found out that the letter he claimed he wrote was not real as he ought to have written to WAEC Headquarters Lagos and not Enugu Office and even if he had actually written to WAEC Enugu for verification of the result as he claimed, WAEC Enugu will refer him to WAEC Headquarters.”
Secondly, we discovered that the letters he wrote to NYSC Benue State Secretariat were lies. The official of the NYSC added,” if also he had written Benue NYSC for verification of the NYSC Discharge certificate, the same Benue NYSC will also refer him to NYSC Headquarters Abuja”
Meanwhile, in the issue of the Baptismal certificate, it was also found out that all these were formulated as Hon. Offor used declaration of age knowing well that anybody can go to a Catechist and pick up Baptismal Certificate and put what he or she wants.
Questions have been asked as to why such issues have not developed until now. This is in view of the fact that the Honourable member has been in politics since year 2000, when he gained his first political appointment and in 2003 when he won the election in which he served as a lawmaker at the Enugu State House of Assembly.
In 2007, he ran against more formidable aspirants in his constituency and won. It was due to his numerous achievements that his people re-elected him in 2011 for tenure of four years at the House of Representatives.
In a chat with Hon. Offor with our Abuja Reporter, he has this to say “I am not only a Bachelors degree holder, but also a Masters Degree holder and has served as a lawmaker since 1999 from the State House of Assembly of my state to the House of Representatives. To earn these positions, there are requirements which the constitution said one must meet with and all these I genuinely earned.”
“I believe there are appropriate authorities vested with the responsibilities to inquire and pronounce on this kind of matter – forgery. One should therefore, ponder on why my opponent would not take the matter to such authorities and allow them adjudicate on it, than resort to character assassination through the media. If he has concrete proof that I falsified my credentials or otherwise, I think it is better handled by the law courts.”
“I intentionally decided not to comment on this development because there is really nothing to it. It is an attempt by a misguided few to distract me from avowed responsibilities to the people who gave me the mandate to represent them at the National Assembly. Tagbo should know that you don’t earn political power by misguiding and misleading the media.”
In conclusion, he also said that; “As much as I have restricted actions and comments on this matter, I shall not fail to use all approved legal means to seek redress over my reputation which he [Tagbo] has consistently engaged some media houses to drag to the mud at the right time.”
Moreover after much investigation also, it was discovered that Tagbo Nnamani was doing this in collaboration with some politicians in their constituency, in order to pull Hon. Offor down ahead of the 2015 election.
Information at the disposal of this online news reveals that Nnamani may have engaged in this campaign of pull him down after his request for funds to finance his business was turned down by the Honorable member.
This online news gathered that he [Nnamani] had sometime approached the Honorable member to assist him raise some funds to enable him finance his business, adding that the huge funds he expended running election had affected his business.
Offor in his magnanimity was said to have offered to assist him and infact on three occasions advanced funds totaling about N3.5 million to him through his [Nnamani’s] UBA account.
However, few months ago when he ran to him for more money, the Honorable member was said to have turned down his request. Tagbo who would not take no for an answer was said to have made his way into raising the forgery allegation.
Initially, when the allegation was hatched, he had rushed to a publisher in Lagos with copies of the purported statement from the CLO to demand thirty million from the Honorable member “or we will publish the story of your forgery with your full photograph on the front page of our Magazine and online” Since the attempt to use some print media and online publishers to extort money from the Honorable failed to work, he has been busy collecting money from gullible persons within and outside the state on the guise that he was going to court with the Honourable member over the forgery.
COPY OF CLO's Advertorial dissociating themselves from the purpoted petition by Nnamani Tagbo
Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi has congratulated the Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, on his victory at the gubernatorial election held in the state on Saturday, describing it as a victory for democracy, Edo State and Nigeria.
His words: “I knew what Edo State used to be and what it is now due to Oshiomhole’s developmental strides. This is a good lesson of what politics should be – the promotion of the totality of the welfare of the people. I am happy to note that in Oshiomhole’s case, he is doing exactly that and that his work and not the amount of money he was able to share, commended him to the people.”
Obi described his victory as a positive commentary on his government. “It is a testimony that you have done well for your people and that they want you to continue,” he said.
Obi also congratulated the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR for providing the appropriate and needed leadership in ensuring that vote cast now counted unlike in the past that the will of the people were always subverted. By this, He said, the President had demonstrated that he was a true democrat who would not subvert the will of the people on the altar of party allegiance.
For the leadership of Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies, Obi was full of commendation, saying that Nigeria has continued to improve on its elections and electioneering processes by the day.
Finally, he congratulated the people of Edo Sate for conducting themselves in an orderly manner
MOPOL Officer- Victim of Historic Violence in Kaduna
Information available to 247ureports.com through sources within the Kaduna State government house indicates that another violent killing has occurred in Kaduna State. The recent violent attack was reported to have occurred Mahuta in Igabi Local government area [LGA]. Eleven people were reported dead.
As gathered, the attack was carried out by three persons who rode in a bike. They struck in Mahuta, Near National eyes centre shooting sporadically into the gathered crowd killing 11 while injuring six others. The injured are receiving treatment at the Garkuwa hospital and at the 44th Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. Officials at the hospital confirmed the number of injured as 6 and the number of dead as 11.
The tribal identities of the dead were not known.
But the police in Kaduna disagreed with the reported number of casualties. The police commissioner, Abubakar Jinjiri Mohammed in his reaction stated that the number of death was one person by name Nura. The police commissioner added also that two out of the three assailants were arrested.
In his words, “They attempted to rob Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, Hakimin Abakpa but they received resistance by the people of the community and ran to Rigasa area. We have recovered 3 riffles while investigation continues. But as I told you, only one person was killed. The area is calm no cost for alarm”.
The Nigerian northern state of Kaduna has recently been on the receiving end of religious violence aimed at both sides of the aisle. Over 250 deaths have reported since the outbreak of violence. It is uncertain if the motor bike attack of today was the result of a religious intent.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has tasked the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commissioner to conduct an investigation into the delay in the arrival of election materials in the Benin metropolis with a view to forestalling a repeat in other parts of the country.
Speaking with newsmen in Benin City yesterday, Oshiomhole said “I ask Jega to conduct an investigation into why for four hours, materials were not delivered in Benin City. That investigation would help determine why some people were disenfranchised.”
Oshiomhole however commended the INEC Chairman and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner for conducting a free and fair election in the state.
He said “I believe that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Geidam demonstrated uncommon quality of leadership. He showed commitment and courage to duty. Under tension he maintained his cool.”
The Governor said “some of the people posted to Edo are people that cannot be entrusted with responsible positions. I have argued that anybody in INEC who has conducted an election that was annulled has no basis to get involved in any other election.
“It is unacceptable for INEC to have been able to deliver materials to Edo Central and North that are over two hours drive, how can they explain that they could not deliver materials to areas that are within five to ten minutes drive”?
Oshiomhole maintained that one outcome of the election was the unanimous agreement of the people that his government deserves a second term.
“Edo people from the South to the North to the Central have spoken as one. This shows that all efforts of some people to whip up ethnicity failed woefully. Edo elections have shown that merit alone would determine the pattern of voting.
“The way the people have voted have made my job easier. I will build on the existing bridges of unity and sustain our developmental agenda”, he said.
While expressing appreciation to the president for his adherence to the principle of one man one vote which facilitated the conduct of a free and fair election in the state, the Governor called on other political parties to support his government to take the state to the next level.
A group known as “DO THE RIGHT THING” has vowed to stop the out-going
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of
Journalists, Mr. Tarinyo Akono from re-contesting the position as the
state chairman of the council.
Speaking with roving crew of 247ureports.com in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital the group coordinator, comrade Tari Stanley said
the out-going chairman throughout his four years in office was nothing
to show as an enduring legacy for the great professional union in the
state.
Comrade Tari Stanley further said the out-going chairman has no
goodwill for the union were he could not give proper account of his
stewardship thereby mismanaging the revenue of the only best state
secretariat in the country, Nigeria.
“The recent delegate conferences in Abuja were the national executives was elected. On arrival in Abuja we called the out-going chairman’s mobile numbers without response, he kept us at the Shehu Yar’Adua centre without tag for accreditation to enable us participate at the delegate conference. In fact, we made contact and explained to the security personnel before some of us were allowed to enter; this should not be a behavior if he thinks to re-contest again. He deliberately masterminded the suspension of the Treasurer of the union to enable have full control of the union purse. Just recently the Treasurer was called back for his job. The Treasurer is not aware of the revenue accrued to the union. The out-going chairman run the affairs of the council as personal enterprise were no account has been rendered till date. Roving crew, look at what he(chairman) did by arresting a fellow journalist with police at Ekeki police station, Yenagoa for the lady’s refusal to vacate the rented apartment when the rent has not expired because he want by all mean for his half sister to occupy the place. The matter is yet resolved in the police station and he want to re-contest, capital NO! Arresting a fellow journalist is an offence that contravenes the NUJ constitution and until now he never thought of the offence he has committed. We will choke him”, Tari Stanley
lamented.
Some of the misconducts as unveiled by “DO THE RIGHT THING” include:
1. Incompetency
2. No goodwill for the union
3. Misappropriation of NUJ fund
4. High handedness
5. Arrogance & pride
6. Autocratic
7.Deceitful representation of the union
8. Mismanagement of NUJ Secretariat and facilities
9. Confinement of NUJ hotel rooms to relatives and co-associates
10. Refusal to work with Ex-co members and journalists of the union
11. Arresting a fellow journalist and intimidation
12. Refusal to approach appropriate authorities for the implementation of approved 35% weigh in allowance
13. No training/workshop for journalists for past three years plus
14. Promoting severed relationship between NUJ and government
15. Hijacking of functions of exco-members
16.Poor press / public relations
17. Lack of leadership Qualities
18. Bought TWO (2) Jeep, one for his wife & self
19. Construction and completion two powerful buildings at home and Yenagoa.
It could be recalled that during campaigns of the out-going chairman
in 2009 did promise that he will run for one term just like Nigeria
Bar Association but according to “DO THE RIGHT THING” said he still
want to contest which they said is impossible.
All effort to reach the out-going chairman on his mobile numbers meet
bricks wall.
Open Letter To Gov. Elechi: Now That You Have Got The Power What Are You Going To Do With It.?
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Dear Governor Elechi,
Time appears to be running faster like never before, though science has not proved otherwise. However, it appears as if your last tenure as a governor of Ebonyi state is fast running. Soon, you will clock another one year making a total of 6 years as the governor of Ebonyi state.
The political arena of the state is now calm, court cases are over, state congresses of your party have come and gone and supposedly, your choices of candidates placed at right places to help you steer the programme of the party in the state. Apart from little or no challenges from the opposition parties or State House of Assembly, your government obviously will face stern task of good governance as well as reuniting the already socially and politically disintegrated people of the state.
Your second term in office should be a time with no excuses. All your electioneering promises not kept in the first term are expected to be fulfilled in the second term. No doubt, your administration has a master plan for projects execution in the state going by number of projects slated to be carried out in the state as published in the dailies in 2008. As usual in our political system, some of the project may be completed while the rest may be classified as abandon projects by succeeding administration.
It is laughable when some people go on pages of newspaper, radio or television to congratulate you on embarking and completing a project. Only smart sycophants engage in such act. In other words, such people are oblivious of duties and responsibilities of the government, as such, contributes negatively to the progress of the state by way of making the government not to have a clear view of the citizens’ feelings. Therefore, you deserve no accolade for doing what you are supposed to do as a governor except if you do something extra ordinary to better the life of the people.
Your Excellency, you will agree with me that not everyone in the state agree with everything that you have not done as Governor, nor would I suspect that most in your cabinet agree with everything you do. But that’s to be expected. No one is perfect, and no one in a leadership role is immune from mistakes. Particularly when you’re the executive leader of one the poorest and undeveloped state in Nigeria. Ebonyians are not interested in perfect politicians but a politician who can address fundamental problems of the state .In fact, the only moment that a politician acts like he’s the perfect answer to all of our problems is during campaign. But since politics is not holy, one should conclude that Perfect politicians are perfect liars.
You are building bridges of unity in the state. Whether completed or not it is on record that you named them unity bridges. Where is that unity? Can unity exist where there is no peace? How can unity exit where Communities do not freely welcome each other these days? The cordial relationship that existed among them for several decades have soured, inter marriage that existed between them before has become a taboo. Existing inter marriages are threatened with divorce, hatred and all sorts squabbling. How can a peaceful society be built in such a scenario? Children who are products of this ugly situation are inculcated with the culture of violence and hatred, as such high possibility of communal clashes is not ruled out from the minds of such children.
What is the meaning of the unity bridges which your government spend huge amount of tax payers money to built if there is restrictions of peoples’ movement within a state that belong to all of us? As the book of Jeremiah 6.14 says “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace”. This is exactly what is happening in our dear state. The wounds of the people of state have been healed but there was no cure. The wounds are receiving false remedies that cause inflammation even when the disease is not serious. It is also possible that cure to the wounds are approached unskillfully by those bent on easing pain but rather cause the increase of disease within.
With all the road networks going on in the state, one would expect a boom in the micro- economy of the state when these roads are put to use. But the people of the state who are supposed to use the road live in fear. This looks like a priest who built gigantic church building with no one attending the church, meaning the priest may have left something undone fundamentally. The issue of peace and unity are too important to be approached unskillfully and could give rise to a very dangerous trend if the government plays politics with them.
Your Excellency, how hard are you on corruption? It is not on record that a commissioner or any government official is sacked or dragged to anti graft agencies on the grounds of corruption. Does this mean you are running a perfect government? We hear on news and read on newspapers that serving commissioner, special adviser or other political office holders in some of our sister states, are dragged to EFCC or ICPC for their involvement in corrupt practices. Is Ebonyi state moving towards a direction where her government is perfect in every way? That makes the state yet to have its share at EFCC and ICPC detention rooms. We do not hear so many warnings from government concerning corruption .The government appear very soft with corruption; more attention is paid to attitudinal change than corrupt practices. This approach is wrong as hidden corrupt practices is like a devil’s Trojan horse in our dear state capable of destroying both good and bad if not checked.
It is not hidden that some serving commissioners are richer than the state. They have acquired many mansions in choicely places, set up multi –million Naira businesses yet the government claims they do not have money to pay the N1800.00 minimum wage.
It does appear that the government is moving towards a direction where it is seen as perfect in everything. The government is allowing the pendulum to swing towards kinds of perfectionism that blinds its citizens to view them as a perfect institution. Off course, it is not possible since the government is run by humans not angels as humans do not always follow the right path.
Ebonyians expect that you will leave a legacy worthy of emulation. They need restoration of peace like never before. The people are the ones to be trusted not your loyalists. You will eventually select from your loyalist who will succeed you when your tenure expires. I hope and pray for you that you selection won’t be like that of Benue, Abea,Enugu and others. If eventually it turns that way, I will publish this letter as a reminder.
