Controversies have continued to trail the death of Azazi and Yakowa in what many informed sources believe to be premeditated and President Jonathan’s safety is now a big worry to close associates.  Some Christian northern governors are afraid that it may be their turn and some among them have reportedly refocused their security machineries to avoid the Azazi/ Yakowa treatment. Some senators are afraid that they may go down anytime it pleases the executioners hence their interest in probing the helicopter accident. The feasters of Nigeria are afraid that some killers more powerful than they are on the prowl. This article, first published in February, was the concluding part of the piece ‘Boko Haram: How Safe is President Goodluck (11)’ and unless the issues raised therein are addressed, there will be more accidents and more feasters on Nigeria will be victims of their inaction.

In every political clime like Nigeria which has tendencies for roguery, it is very dangerous for so many funds to be concentrated on so few hands. Some Nigerians especially those in the oil block and oil bunkering businesses are individually worth over$10 billion dollars. At least twenty oil magnets in Nigeria are worth that much .Their shrewd investments of the stolen wealth have ensured steady increase in net worth over time. Some of these people are part of the sponsorship of the PDP branch of Boko Haram. They are equally so connected that security agents fall over themselves to give them sensitive information for a handsome fee or in return for career advancements and political patronage. The nations security arms are gradually through intelligence gatherings and uncompromised operations, apprehending the leaders and couriers of Pro-sharia and Al-queda Boko Haram. The PDP Boko Haram is still as free as air. Though some of them are irritated by the developments and are trying to seek tacit withdrawal, however their masterminds are not moved by the recent developments. Their sponsors-in –chiefs are not afraid of President Goodluck. Their only fear is that an expose on their ignoble roles could turn to a huge political deficit especially with the unanimous condemnation of the bloodletting by both Christians and Muslims of Nigeria.

President Goodluck said in January 2011 that the sponsors of Boko Haram are in High places in government, judiciary security etc.  These leaders of the polity are speaking in parables and expect Nigerians to decode their message. They speak in parables while the nation is boiling. All these hushed tones are carefulness in preparation for 2015.The PDP Boko Haram is fighting because of 2015; the presidency is equally speaking in tongues because of 2015. Everything has been reduced to 2015 succession politics. Who knows who will survive till 2015?

President Goodluck should at least tell Nigerians from the list before him, those indicted for sponsoring Boko Haram. He should equally gather the will to prosecute these PDP party men as a deterrent or else another bunch of disgruntled politicians will toe the same line in the future. Failure to do so is preparing the ground for constant affront on the Nigerian State. There is a Biafran proverb that says thus” a fowl that mocked when a guinea fowl is being slaughtered knew not that the same fate that befell the guinea fowl will soon befall him” These Sponsors-in –Chiefs of Boko Haram have the ability to clinically execute agendas and provide a perfect alibi. Their tactics superseded the Sanni Abacha open and brutal operandi.

MKO Abiola was expecting to be released from detention and they waited till the foreigners came calling before striking. Who would you accuse of the murder of Abiola. Tunde Idiagbon, the anti-corruption deputy to former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari , was warned by a friend not to taste anything at the State House when invited for consultations. He felt that he was smarter than the masterminds until he suddenly took ill of strange weakness after being served tea, like MKO Abiola. On getting to his house in Ilorin, Idiagbon died 23 days later in March 1999. Allowing people capable of overthrowing the Nigerian State with an evil agenda to be roaming about is very dangerous.

The Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, after the Kano bombings have assured the president of support. The Sultan of Sokoto said the same thing after the Madalla bombings. Which other political support is the President looking for before confronting the behemoth from the northern PDP. If the traditional northern establishments have spoken against the evil coupled with the words of other prominent Nigerians, then the presidential foot drag could be injurious to the polity.

The fear of political recession, infighting and the need not to overheat the polity are part of the reasons the presidency is approaching this matter with caution. The polity is already overheated, different nationalities are calling for a break-up and only the hand of God is holding the nation together. If the nation’s political leadership continues to play this chess game with members of the PDP Boko Haram in their hands even God will remove his hand and there might be no 2015 for anybody to rule.

Since the inception of the fourth republic in 1999, Governors have been the subject of intense speculation and debate whenever they disappear from official and other public functions. As the year tails to an end, a serious call for concern is the plight of some state governors that have been missing in action for the past few months.

Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua spent most of his tenure governing Katsina state from various hospital bed in Europe, unknown to people of Katsina, till he was foisted on Nigerians by Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 as President. He lost his battle with his health in 2010. Crisis was averted when Goodluck Jonathan was eventually sworn in as acting and much later, substantive President. Two term governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion also had his own share of health challenges, which he tacitly managed and kept away from public knowledge.

Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada

Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, on friday December 28, was involved in an auto crash with his convoy when his Lexus SUV tyre burst, causing it to somersault three times into an uncompleted building by the road side. Multiple crashes ensued as other vehicles were in his motorcade.

His driver, however, escaped unhurt but the governor’s Aide-de-Camp, ASP Idris Mohammed, died instantly, while others in his motorcade sustained varying degree of injury.

Wada was quickly evacuated by his officials to Kogi Specialist Hospital in Lokoja from where he was transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja for further treatment.

The governor was returning from the annual Igala Education Summit which he declared opened at the Kogi State University in Anyigba when his convoy was involved in the crash on Lokoja-Ajaokuta Road.

Gov Sullivan Chime of Enugu State

The speculation surrounding the health of the Enugu state governor has become intense in recent weeks as officials of the state continue to vehemently refute rumours of his absence, refusing to disclose his whereabouts or state of health. News of his ailment has been misconstrued as death in some parts of the state. Former minister of state for foreign affairs Dubem Onyia had to calm frayed nerves by stating the governor is alive and kicking.

Sullivan’s last public appearance was at the meeting of South-East Governors Forum on September 9, 2012 in Enugu, since then he has been conspicuously missing in public functions. A punch investigation revealed that the governor made only 17 public appearances from a possible 111 in 2012. To underscore his frail heath, he collapsed in Nsukka in 2011, and relapsed twice in Enugu, in 2008 and 2009.”

However, an aide of the governor, who regrets the entire saga, recently told some journalists that Chime was in “a bad shape before he left the country for London. We noticed it.”

The aide explained further “for some time now, we noticed that the governor has not been his usual bubbling self. You may not easily know this because he carries himself well and hardly talks, but some of us knew that the man was down. From what we heard, he is no longer in London; he was flown to India last week because his health condition wasn’t getting better. As I speak to you right now, he is in a hospital in India.”

Concern, apprehension and anxiety can best describe the mood in Enugu, particularly Udi where Governor Chime hails from.

Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke

In November, former Federal Minister of Power and Steel now Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke had announced that he was taking time off to attend to his medical condition without disclosing the problem he had with his health.

He however wrote a letter to the state House of Assembly that he had handed over to his deputy, Efiok Cobham, so as to enable him proceed on an accumulated leave.

Reports say the governor’s health condition has to do with his kidney. Government house sources said Liyel is on life support and undergoing regular dialyses.

Similar to other ailing governors, there aides and protocol men are having a busy time deflating rumours of the governor’s deteriorating health. The pace of development has been reduced to snail’s pace as the Deputy Governor, Efiok Cobham like his counterpart in Enugu state, Sunday Onyebuchi, cannot approve more than N500, 000 for any project regardless of how pressing it is, rather attention have now been channelled to gull the people of the states.

Governor Patrick Yakowa, Kaduna State

The Governor met his untimely death on his way to Port Harcourt from Bayelsa after he attended the funeral of late Mr Tamunoobebara Douglas, the father of the Presidential adviser on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Mr Oronto Douglas when the Nigerian Navy Augusta 109 helicopter conveying himself, the erstwhile National Security Adviser, General Owoye Azazi and four others, burst into flames and crashed at Okoroba village in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

They were said to have been badly burnt and only identified by the shreds of their clothes.

Yakowa has since been buried and Kaduna state has moved on with the swearing in of his deputy Mukhtar Yero as the new governor and former Peoples Democratic Party chairman in the state, Mr. Nuhu Bajoga, his deputy.

Dambaba Danfulani Suntai, Taraba State Governor

Very little has been heard of Governor Dambaba Suntai since the self-inflicted head injuries he sustained after his Cessna 208 private jet piloted by him in company of five of his aides, crashed on October 25 in Yola, capital of Adamawa State.

He initially received treatment at the Abuja National Hospital before he was eventually flown to Germany for “proper medical attention”.

A presidential delegation led by Senate President David Mark embarked on a clandestine journey to see the governor on his sick bed in Germany en route their official destination of the Vatican City to witness the consecration of Archbishop John Onaiyekan as Cardinal of the Catholic Church, disclosed that apart from the fact that he is bedridden, he could not recognize members of the delegation.

The silence on Governor Suntai’s health status is considered by many as a scheme to delay the swearing in of the deputy governor as the substantive governor despite prove beyond reasonable doubt that Suntai might not be able to fully recover from the crash to govern Taraba again.

In similar manner to the propaganda by other state governors on ‘vacation,’ the deceit and lies by media aides to the governor continued unabated without recourse to his prolonged absence from the country, This has stalled governance in Taraba as there was no official handover to his deputy to take charge of day-to-day administration of the state.

The polities of the affected states have being heated unnecessarily as a result of prolonged absence of these governors fuelled by persistent denials by their aides who are not bothered that the people they govern deserve to know the whereabouts and medical condition of their Governors.

It would be safe to conclude that a lot of them are aware of their fragile health before aspiring for political office which they thereafter shield and employ state resources to keep going. These Governors, like every other human being, can succumb to illness but it is the secrecy that it is shrouded, the leadership vacuum created and the attendant dislocation in the workings of government when they periodically break down that is a source of worry.

Police in Onitsha, Anambra state have arrested a middle-aged woman, identified as Uchenna for reportedly breaking her maid’s hand with a pestle and cutting her private part with a razor blade.

The victim, identified as Chisom Nwafor was living with her mistress at Osuma Street where she was allegedly manhandled.

The 10-year-old victim who hailed from Enugu-Abo in Enugu State while narrating her ordeal said that Uchenna returned on a Sunday morning and started beating her and used razor blade to tear her private parts.

She said, “I was changing her daughter’s dress because she urinated on it. My madam entered and started shouting on top of her voice and she immediately rushed into the kitchen and collected a pestle and hit me severally on my back and she hit me again and broke my left hand, I fell and she entered her room and took a razor blade, tore my pant and started tearing my private part after which she poured pepper inside my private part which was bleeding” she said.

The Onitsha Area Commander, Mr. Benjamin Wordu who confirmed the gory incident described it as the ‘highest level of man’s inhumanity to man’, noting that the suspect would not go unpunished.

The police boss however warned parents against giving birth to children they can’t train rather than giving them out to some people who would maltreat them.

Meanwhile, Uchenna had denied cutting her maid’s private part with any sharp object.

The suspect is currently in the police cell.

Villagers in Ovumte, Ayaragu and Ekembe in Ishiagu community of Ebonyi, on Friday, took to the streets to protest against the rising incidence of abduction of children in their communities.

The protesters, in their hundreds, mostly aged women and youths, took to the roads chanting war songs and calling on the police and other security agencies to unmask those behind the dastardly act.

The peaceful protesters later marched to the Ivo Divisional Police Headquarters, where they gave the police a seven-day ultimatum to unmask the perpetrators.

They said: “Our villages are under siege. Abductors have taken over our villages and we live in fear of the unknown. We are giving the police one week to uncover those behind the act.”

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ebonyi State command, Sylvester Igbo, confirmed the incident and said that one suspect had been arrested while investigation was ongoing to unmask the remaining abductors.

The aggrieved villagers also visited the house of the president of the Ishiagu Community Development Union, ICDU, Stanly Anyim, and solicited the intervention of the union in tackling the problem.

“We are here to appeal to you to use your good office to stop the spate of child abductions in our villages. Our children are no longer safe in our homes and this crime against them must stop,” they said.

A gang of abductors on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 unleashed terror on the three villages and abducted seven children, aged between three and five years old.

Kidnapping has become a common crime in eastern Nigeria as criminals use it to extort money from people. But the Ebonyi incident introduced a new dimension to the ugly phenomenon. The fate of the abducted children and the reason for their capture is still unknown.

Source: ICIR

President Robert Mugabe’s vacation in the Far East has sparked a furore among civil society groups that are calling on him to return and tackle the unraveling constitution revision process.

Mugabe left Harare for Asia on Thursday where he will spend between three and four weeks with his family. Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CZC), an umbrella body representing different civil society groups, raised concern on Friday saying Mugabe’s absence will slow down the pace of reforms expected before elections next year.

“We urge the president to cut short his vacation and help resolve the crisis at home so that Zimbabwe can make democratic progress before the next elections,” CZC said in a statement.

“Zimbabwe remains at a critical transitional juncture and we call upon its leaders to prioritise implementation of the necessary reforms rather than long vacations as we face a watershed” vote.

Presidential spokesman George Charamba had earlier sought to preempt the outrage saying “there is no necessary link with him (Mugabe) going on leave and the progress of the constitution-making process.”

But the civil society groups differed saying Mugabe needed to be present to negotiate a lasting solution to the stalled new charter effort and implement several other political and democratic reforms convenient for a free and fair ballot.

“Even though … Charamba insists that the absence of the president will not adversely affect the finalization of the constitution and other reforms, political developments on the ground suggest otherwise,” CZC added.

Constitutional Affairs Minister Eric Matinenga appeared to agree saying even a cross-party ministerial panel set up to iron out differences was also likely to be affected by holiday absenteeism.

“As you are aware we are now in the holiday season and it’s going to take a bit of time to get everybody who should be consulted because some people would have gone on holiday,” he told VOA.

The ministerial commitee has been holding meetings over the past few days but a resolution has remained elusive as both Zanu PF and the two MDC formations remain entrenched in their diametric positions.

A meeting on Thursday tasked the panel’s members to go and brief their respective parties on the negotiations and “get further instructions as to what should be happening in the future.”

Zanu PF says there are more than 30 sticking points, including devolution of power which it wants scrapped. But the MDC parties have played down the magnitude of differences saying only a few disagreements remain.

The CZC cited US President Barack Obama who was forced to abandon his family holiday on Thursday to deal with the so-called “fiscal cliff” that will trigger tax increases for all Americans if Republicans and Democrats do not strike a deal in the next three days.

While details of Mugabe’s schedule and destination were not released, he told a local weekly recently that he will likely vacation in China. “I am going to have a bit of a holiday and I am going to travel, possibly to China,” Mugabe said.

Since he was slapped with Western sanctions over charges of gross human rights violations and electoral fraud, Mugabe has turned to the Far East and made Asia his primary holidaying destination.

He has also paid frequent visits, especially to Singapore, allegedly to receive treatment for advanced cancer.

But Mugabe and his surrogates have vehemently dismissed the reports insisting the veteran leader is in good health.

Bayelsa State governor Hon. Seriake Dickson has been hailed for giving Late General Andrew Owoye Azazi a hero’s burial.

First daughter of the deceased, Mrs. Akpo-olade Madeline Okoro, made the commendation while paying tribute to her late father at the service of songs in honour of General Azazi in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital.

Describing her father as a courageous, selfless, intelligent and caring man who impacted positively on so many lives during his lifetime, Mrs. Okoro particularly lauded President Goodluck Jonathan and all those who stood by the family in their moment of grief.

She said General Azazi was a man who could stand before his contemporaries and speak the truth regardless of the consequences.

According to Mrs. Okoro, she received the news of her father’s death while overseas and expressed optimism that the legacies of her father left behind will inspire them to greater heights.

In his remarks, Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Rtd), said the demise of General Azazi was an overwhelming loss to the state and Nigeria as a whole.

Making reference to the ill-fated helicopter crash, he prayed against the recurrence of such a tragic incident in the state.

Former Governor of the state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, eulogized General Azazi, as a man who lived a life of service to humanity, noting that his demise is an indication that all mortals are on a journey on earth, which will come to an end one day.

Describing the deceased as a treasured friend, Chief Alamieyeseigha recalled when he first met the late Four-Star General in 1973 at the Nigerian Defence Academy and how their meeting made him (Alamieyeseigha) a better cadet at Academy.

Also paying glowing tributes, General Bob Ake, the only surviving General of the three from Peretorugbene community, said the former National Security Adviser was an Icon and a source of pride not only to the Ijaw Nation and Nigeria but to the entire sub region of Africa.

Speaking, the Chief of Staff, Government House, Kaduna State, Elder Abokie Galadima, described the death of former Governor Patrick Yakowa and Azazi as an act of God.

He said that the testimonies about both personalities were a pointer to the fact that they lived worthy lifestyles, stressing the need to sustain the channels of communication between the two states established by the duo.

In his homily, Very Reverend Father, Joseph Opelema, emphasized the need for mankind to exhibit kindness at all times as death can come calling anytime.

He enjoined the family and people of the state to take solace in the fact that Azazi lived a fulfilled life and left behind worthy legacies.

Dignitaries at the service include, President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Dame Patience, Governor Seriake Dickson and wife, Rachael, Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Rivers and Delta states, National Assembly members and other top government officials.

About 200 students may have been expelled by the authorities of Covenant University, Cannanland, Ota, Ogun State, recently for what was described as “disregard of paramount core values.”

A source said while the Education Secretary, Prof. Aize Obayan was addressing the students, the students were murmuring, then the Chancellor immediately took to the microphone and said: “if I hear the voice of any student, the curse of the Lord shall fall upon that one.” The chapel immediately went dead silent.

Frustrated and angered by the development, some of the affected students gave account of what happened as they battled emotions while narrating their situations.

Vanguard investigation revealed that out of the figure, about 126 were expelled for not attending the ‘departure service’, meant to sign off from the school after the end of the Semester and Matriculation of students on November 30. Five other students were thrown out for smoking while unconfirmed source said additional 60 got the same fate for violating other rules bordering on the University’s “core values”.

Also, a few others were given four weeks suspension for failure to sign the head count that was conducted a couple of weeks earlier.

A letter of expulsion signed by the Registrar, Ntia Ubong, stated that the affected students contravened Chapter 1, section 30, page 40 of the 2010-2014 Student Handbooks.

We gathered that the massive expulsion was predicated on the anger of the Chancellor, Bishop David Oyedepo who was said to have been infuriated after seeing students loitering around when they were supposed to be at the Chapel for the Departure Service.

He was said to have personally chased students to the Chapel and ordered for a search into all the halls and colleges to fish out those who did not attend the service.

Several attempts to get the school authorities comment on the issue proved abortive. The Institution’s Corporate Affairs Head, Mr. Igban Emmaunel also refused to comment as calls pulled through to him were unanswered and text messages not replied.

The students are calling on relevant authorities in the country to intervene in order to save their future.

How The Problem Started…

Few of the affected students gave account of what happened at different points. The similar accounts go thus:

“On November 30, the last day of the semester, preceding our December break, there was also a Matriculation for the 100 level students; in fact some students had their last semester exams on that day, some of them finished around 3:00pm while the matriculation started around 8am. Some students retired to their rooms to relax while some engaged in some other activities jubilating the end of the semester.

“Some also got drinks from the matriculating students. Even as these were going on, some students who finished around 3pm retired to their halls. By 5pm, they announced that we should get prepared for the ‘Departure service’ which was to start by 8pm. Some students were already seeing their parents off while some of us were just trying to relax to get off the stress of the exams.

“Most of us hadn’t gotten through the tiredness of the sleepless nights of the exams; so, some us stayed back in our rooms. The departure service is usually a day before we go home and it is usually presided over by the Chancellor. Before the commencement of the service, they used to lock up the main doors of the halls so as to prevent cases of theft. I was not bothered since there were a lot of us in the hall. Some minutes past 8pm, they switched off the light and all of us in the hall went into our rooms. Because of the darkness and the cold, I slept off immediately.”

He continued: “The persistent knocks on the door woke me up and I realised that they had come to search for people who had not come to service. Before I realised what was going on, I found myself with other students numbering about 30. They took down our names and counted us to make sure that no one was omitted. They said the Chancellor was at the service and we refused to come. I heard them talking about other halls and they asked us to wait. I didn’t take it seriously because I never believed in my wildest imagination that we would be expelled. We were later asked to go to our various halls.

“Some of those who went into hiding were lucky as they were not found. Shortly, those who went for the service returned and told us there was poor attendance at the Chapel and how students were diving in through the windows, scampering for seats. In fact, one narrated to us how the Chancellor jumped through the window to vent his anger on some students who had jumped in,” he stated.

Another expelled student also gave similar account of the incident:

“I couldn’t go to the service because, I was not feeling well which was as a result of the stress of the exams we had just finished. After a while, I managed to go but I heard that they started driving people back around 7:30pm while the service was to start around 8pm. I was surprised because the rule was that you’ve got to be seated 15minutes to the service. Again, it was never made compulsory, but they tried to get students out of the halls to prevent cases of theft. So, because I was not feeling well, I went back to my room because I needed to rest for a while.

“I thought it was a joke when they said we are in for expulsion because we failed to come for departure service. I have never done anything contrary to the school laws. I have never faced any panel before and neither did I have any unpleasant case in my file. I never thought it was real until letters were handed to me the following morning.”

Giving account of how letters were handed out to them, the visibly troubled student said:

“By 6am, they announced the names of those who were caught in halls and colleges. Usually after the departure service, one can sign out from there and go but because it ended late and no one could travel, students had to wait till the following morning. But the hall officer told those of us whose names were written down that if we leave, we should be considered gone from the university forever. That gave us an insight into what was likely to come as punishment. By 7:45am, we were called once again to go downstairs for our letters. Those who collected theirs before mine were crying and I wondered what the punishment could be until I read the letter stating I was expelled from the university.”

Parents Have Also Reacted…

A few parents who volunteered information spoke to us on condition of anonymity fearing that their children might be victimised in case the issue was resolved amicably. One of them said with bitterness that it is unacceptable, adding that the expulsion was not commensurate with the offence deemed to have been committed. He urged the school authorities to rescind its decision adding that the future of the students is at stake.

“For me, it is not acceptable. These students were not given fair hearing. Expulsion should not be a punishment for failure to attend service. We all agree, it is a Christian school but failure to attend church service could be due to a lot of reasons. I gathered that some of the students even finished their exams about 5pm that day. So, those people that finished at that time had barely three hours to prepare for the service.

“But stampeding them to congregate for service and then expelling those who did not come is a decision taken too far. For me, if there was poor attendance, I think the authorities have a responsibility. They have not been fair in putting the service so close to the examination. Even God will not do that.”

Source: Olufamous .com