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Haba! Gov Kwankwaso …That Defence Of Boko Haram Suspects
At a time, when, not only well-meaning Nigerians, but all of humanity and the global community in particular, have been grieving over a very dangerous trend; the wanton destruction of human and material resources at peacetime, through terrorist attacks, Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s call to release suspects is suspect.
Since the attack on the United Nations House in Abuja, Nigeria, by a suicide bomber, in which 23 people, among them Nigerians, were confirmed killed, various religious and political leaders have empathised with the casualties and the nation, in words and deeds.
Among many others, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111, last Tuesday condemned the bombing of the UN House, penultimate Friday, describing it as an abominable act in Islam, “especially in the month of Ramadan”, and called on Muslims to improve their relations with non-muslims in the country.
In his Sallah Message to the Muslim Ummah at the occasion of Eid el-Fitri celebration in his palace in Sokoto, the monarch charged all those involved in “this nefarious act” to “fear God and desist from committing this grievous act,” and in the same vain urged Muslims to uphold the true tenets and cause of their religion, as only that would deter the followers of other religions from considering them all as terrorists.
More importantly, the Sultan commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the explosion in Abuja and those of the renewed killings in Jos and urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, investigate the incident and bring the culprits to book in order to prevent future occurrences.
Perhaps, only perhaps, if highly-placed public officers like the Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso had not been too hasty in 2007 as they are today in calling for the release of suspects, perhaps, just perhaps, the UN House would have been spared and the 23 human lives saved.
Unfortunately, that would amount to crying over spilled milk. This is because, the man now declared wanted in connection with the UN bombing had been arrested and released as far back as 2007, Associate Press (AP) revealed, last Thursday, quoting ‘high level’ security sources.
The suspect, Mamman Nur said to be the mastermind, was last Wednesday declared wanted by the State Security Service (SSS) which also released photographs of two other suspects in custody.
According to the AP expose, top security officials in the administration of the President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua “released the rounded-up Boko Haram members, shortly after their arrests, with some facing a few hasty sham trials.
“One of those men was Babagana Ismail Kwaljima, alias Abu Summaya, who was arrested again days before the August 26 bombing at the UN House,” AP quoted the top security official as saying, “Kwaljima is accused of helping mastermind the UN bombing. A second man, Babagana Mali, was also arrested while, Police are looking for Nur with “al Qaeda links” who recently traveled to Somalia, where al-Qaeda-linked group called al-Shabbaab is battling the UN-backed government”.
The men, the AP report further said, had allegedly been caught with explosives. “Their rapid release from detention was apparently aimed at placating religious groups, but it has now come back to haunt security officials who fear a growing wave of al-Qaeda-linked terror attacks in the country.
Strangely, the AP report further revealed that some of those arrested in October 2007, were even plotting to carry out attacks on the United States and also American targets in Nigeria.
Already, Boko Haram has accepted responsibility for the August 26, UN House bombing in which 81 persons were wounded, some of them critically. Miraculously, the car used in the UN House attack was registered in the same area of Kano State, where, the terror suspects had been arrested only four years earlier, the AP report stated.
Today, Kwankwaso has in same hasty-manner started the call to release terror suspects from detention, in hope that may be, just may be, he could actualise a reharsh of the 2007 hushed discharges.
Specifically, the governor asked security agencies to release members of the Yusufiyya Movement popularly or notoriously known as Boko Haram, along with other members of religious groups who are currently in detention.
Kwankwaso disclosed this in his office last Tuesday in Kano, after granting unconditional pardon to 20 prisoners in the state who loyalties now deserve some probing. However, he maintained that there was no justification for the continued detention of members of religious sect since they have not been adjudged guilty by any law court. And to further re-assure the Boko Haram, of his loyalty and undying friendship, he went the extra mile to fault news reports stating the arrest of Boko Haram sect members, at the instance of the state government, and vowed, “at no time did the state government ever authorise any security agency to arrest or detain any member of any religious sect.
What this clearly shows is a State Governor who could not, is not and may never be depended upon to investigate, arrest and charge to court any member of the Boko Haram sect, in spite of the looming facts that point to Kano, as the first shop of test. This, for a chief security officer of a state within the Nigerian Federation is most worrisome.
Yes, Boko Haram members may be Muslims, but do their activities, of senseless killings and destruction of property, at peace time, reflect the true tenets of Islam? Do they reflect the true nature of Allah-love, which Islam preaches or do they attract friends to the religion or enemies who are today forced to generalise that muslims are all violent?
Kwankwaso must not have listened to the Sultan of Sokoto, the undisputed head of the Supreme Islamic Council, but if he did, he is merely being more Islamic than the Sultan. Or could it be a veiled submission to the self-protectionist theory of courting the love of one’s assailants to live longer, at the risk of others’ lives?
Kwankwaso might think he enjoys the friendship of the extremist Islamic sect. His, is instead that of living in a fools’ paradise, an illusion of grandeur which, in the long run, makes a regret one too late. Intrinsically, bombs thrown in a market place spares none, Muslims and Christians alike. If Kwankwaso and his family never make it to the market or any other public place, one, at least one, close to him does or could some day.
That is why it is most condemnable that a governor in today’s Nigeria should be more keen on freeing self-confessed members of a terror group, the Boko Haram sect, which has claimed responsibility for mass murders, especially, the UN House bombing in which 23 innocent lives were lost, and not proffer ways of apprehending suspects in his state, still at large.
The frightened governor methinks deserves our sympathy and understanding because he requires the friendship of the Boko Haram sect not just to serve out his term as governor but to live and enjoy the spoils of his political voyage ever after.
In the circumstance, the only plausible option left is to help ease him out of power, accept his salient choice as enemy of Nigeria and friend to mass murderers, for Kwankwaso has the right to such choice.
Or does Kwankwaso also enjoy the support of several others of his ilk who are also battling with a similar choice to make? I ask because I am yet to read of anyone condemning his stand.
It is tempting however, to see kwankwaso’s position as a way of insisting on the respect for the rule of law and appeal to the acquisitorial process of prosecution, in which an accused is presumed innocent unless and until proven otherwise as against the inquisitorial model which demands the direct opposite.
In that case therefore, it might be Kwankwaso’s position that unless the Boko Haram sect members are properly charged and convicted, they should be released quickly, as was done in 2007. He may be right but does it not bother the governor that in times of war, like the country’s war against terrorism some of these rights could be sacrificed for society to know peace? Without arrest, detention and systemic interrogation, whence would the facts emerge for the kind of prosecution to put the supposedly evil men away?
But wait! Should it be the duty of a serving governor to demand the release of suspected dangerous felons or their legal counsels?
My Agony is that acts of commission or omission of some Northern elite like Kwankwaso, Adamu Ciroma and their cohorts, are giving weight to calls by some aggrieved youths that the predicted break-up of the Nigerian state along North-South lines by 2015, be earlier than then. This negates the Go-On-With-One-Nigeria (GOWON) proclamation, after the 1967 bloody Nigerian civil war, and shouldn’t be.
Or should it now be accepted as a routine that any time a section of the federation does not grab political power or at least have in office a chosen stooge, Nigeria must remain ungovernable?
The President and Commander-In-Chief, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan must declare now, not later, a full war against terror and expose more backers and sponsors of Boko Haram.
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DEPLOY YOUR CAPACITY, TECHNICAL KNOWHOW TO REVITALISE SONGHAI FARMS, FUBARA TELLS TASK FORCE
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has said that diversifying the economy of the State has become inevitable because of the need to solve the problem of food shortages while also providing jobs for the teeming unemployed youths.
These, he said, are the reasons why great care has been taken to critically look at the prospects of revitalising the Songhai Integrated Farms, which is located in Bunu Tai, in Tai Local Government Area of the State.
Governor Fubara insisted that if the problem associated with food shortages is tackled with good intent and purpose, about 40 to 50 percent of current problems of economic hardship plaguing the country and its people would have been solved.
Governor Fubara made the assertion while inaugurating the Chairman, Mr Biedima Oliver, and members of the task force saddled with the responsibility of supervising the revitalization of Songhai Integrated Farms by its partners: Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Other members of the task force included, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Engr Victor Kii; Commissioner for Finance, Barrister Emmanuel Frank-Fubara; Dr Ayebaesin Beredugo; and Mr Maurice Ogolo.
The Governor explained that it took him time to approve the constitution of the task force being inaugurated because of the ugly experience with the previous group that shown such interest.
Governor Fubara stated that a process was initiated and driven halfway into the handing over of Songhai Farms on concession to an interested partner who latter showed a total lack of the needed capacity to undertake such task.
He said, “As a matter of fact, if few of you could remember, we even conceded the place to an investor who came in after he had made his presentation, and we, believing that he has the capacity, we said okay to him, and we had already signed up.
“But something happened. He came back to tell us that he wanted us to give him a N5billion bank guarantee. We then asked him, why? If we have the N5billion, why do we need you to come and even revitalize Songhai Farms? We would have put that N5billion there ourselves. For that reason, we cancelled that arrangement.”
Governor Fubara said now that two separate companies have come together to indicate interest and given the assurance of having the needed capacity to drive the process, he is delighted to see them meeting that expectation.
Governor Fubara pointed to the expectation of the people who want to see the Songhai Farms back on stream on a sustainable basis.
That expectation, he insisted, is also what his administration wants to see actualised within its lifespan.
He noted, “We want to see food sufficiency, because we know when Songhai Farms comes on board, there will be food, which is one of the problems we are having in this country. If we are able to tackle the issue of food, 40 to 50 percent of our problem will be solved.”
Governor Fubara also stated that although he believes in the presentation made by the group and has taken their assurance to heart, but warned that he would not tolerate a repeat of what happened before.
The Governor said, “I hope your story will not be (end) halfway too. I hope you have the capacity and all the technical knowhow to handle it. It is not when we start now, after we had finished inaugurating the task force, you will come back to tell us that you need $2million. If we have $2million, we won’t need you. We will invest it by ourselves.”
Governor Fubara, however, praised the capacity of the Chairman of the task force, Biedima Oliver, saying that incidentally, he was one of the personnel that convinced the then administration to develop the Songhai Farms, and had worked with the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) to manage the project.
He said, “He knows and understands the workings of Songhai, and now that we are making you the chairman of the task force, we want to believe that you will make that place come back to life.
“I don’t have any doubt in your capacity. A few things you’ve touched, you turned them to gold. Please, bring it back to what we used to see in Songhai. Bring it back with the help of your committee.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration will remain committed to providing all the necessary support that they may require to make their assignment a success.
He added, “So, I hereby inaugurate you. Your task is very simple: Do everything within your powers and with our support to make sure that Songhai becomes operational to the benefit, not just the people of Tai, but to the entire Rivers State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Task Force to Supervise the Revitalization of Songhai Farms with Vitalcrop Ventures Limited and Imagine Adama Limited, Mr. Biedima Oliver, expressed appreciation to Governor Fubara for the opportunity and confidence reposed in them to revive Songhai Farms.
Mr. Oliver assured that they will deliver the expected goal on Songhai Farms, and doing so on time and on target so that the good people of Rivers State can eventually be happy and also benefit from the huge investment.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that all the policies and programmes of his administration are tailored towards the protection of interest of Rivers people, especially the youths.
This, he said, is borne out of the importance his administration attaches to youths’ development and empowerment as leaders of tomorrow.
Fubara, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, disclosed this when he received the youths of Emohua Local Government Area under the auspices of “Emohua Youths For SIM” on solidarity visit to Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
He said that his administration has put in place modalities that will boost the livelihoods and well-being of Rivers citizens, which youths of Emohua will also benefit when they materialise.
The governor, who spoke through the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke, pointed out that the recently awarded Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku Road, the ongoing Emohua-Kalabari Road, reinstatement of illegally sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Area and the approval for electrification of the area, are part of deliberate measures to open up the area to make life conducive and more meaningful for the people.
According to him, “Everything about the governor is putting the interest of Rivers State first. He is looking at and taking action on those things that we need to do to restart the wheels of progress in Rivers State.
“There are many things the governor has planned and is already doing that will boost the life and welfare of every citizen of Rivers State, but most importantly the youths.
“Growing up, I learnt that Egbeda is one of the biggest communities in the whole of Ikwerre, and it’s predominantly an agrarian community. They have food in Egbeda, they have food in Ubimini, they have food in Omudiaga and other natural resources. The whole world is tilting to agriculture, and this is the way to go.
“The Elele-Umudioga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Omoku road, when completed, will open up the area for real development. Your food and everything you produce there will now have value, they will no longer be thrown away. In all these, you the youths are going to be the utmost beneficiaries.”
He added, “Same will be applicable to the Emohua-Kalabari Road which will also, trigger development in the area, and you will be the greatest beneficiaries. When the LGA is also electrified, you will be having 24 or 20 hours of electricity, and those things the youths can do with electricity, you can stay at home and create wealth for yourself and children.
“All the totality of what the governor is doing, when they are completed, or even as some are completed now, the youths are going to be utmost beneficiaries.”
While acknowledging that youths are the true leaders of tomorrow and any government that fails to carry them along in the scheme of things is doomed to fail, the governor assured them of his administration’s commitment to always address issues concerning youths and ensure that they are part of his government.
He commended the youths for toeing the path of truth by identifying with his administration, urging them to sustain the tempo and shun evil, as his government will ensure that the trend whereby politicians turn youths to beggars are over.
He said, “Youths are, indeed, the leaders of tomorrow. The time of youth is a very important time. It a time that your parents or whoever is your leader at that time have to make the greatest investment in you. And any Government that decides to only carry the elderly, chiefs aling and abandon the youths is bound to fail,” he asserted.
“But I am happy that Governor Fubara has concentrated his energy on everything that will benefit the society, especially the youths.
“And based on these, I want to thank you for recognising what is good and calling it good, for shunning what is evil, for saying the Governor is standing for you.
“Let me tell you, you are on the right direction. Let me tell you again, Rivers State is the bride of Nigeria. The whole Nigeria is looking at what will happen here. As they look here and see you standing on the path of truth, this is a very important step that you have taken to right all the wrongs of the past, to make Rivers State stand on the tripod of justice, peace and security. That is what we are going to gain through the governor, taking all the wise actions that he has already initiated.
“The projects the governor is embarking on are meant to prepare nets for the youths to fish and put food on their table, hence you should continue to follow him.
“The SIMplified Movement brought upon by the governor will ensure that Rivers youths stop the habit of going to bow down before politicians, pledging loyalty before they can eat.”
Earlier, spokesman for the Emohua Youths for SIM, Comrade Ovamale O. Ovamale, had said that the visit by youths from the 14 political wards in Emohua Local Government Area was to thank the governor for the award of the Elele-Omudiaga-Egbeda-Ubimini-Ikiri-Omoku road, the approval for electrification of the area and reinstatement of sacked workers of Emohua Local Government Council, of which the youths were mostly affected.
According to him, “Siminalayi Fubara of recent has given Emohua Local Government road that links Elele to Omoku, which comprises over four communities in the local government.”
“Emohua Local Government has also been in darkness for eight years. No community in the local government that has light. But, of recent, because of the passion and love the governor has for the people of Emohua, he has approved the electrification of the local government.
“Also, the illegal sack of Emohua Local Government workers, for which the youths were mostly affected and without the approval of the Local Government Service Commission, the governor, in his compassionate nature, has reinstated them, and that is why we said we must come and thank His Excellency”, he said.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured that his administration will collaborate and continue to consult widely in delivering a liberated State experiencing enduring peace.
Fubara said, in doing so, he would not operate as a dictator but as a member of a team that has the best interest of the State at heart and determined to leave a lasting legacy that can be celebrated.
The governor spoke during the formal presentation of Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office to the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Michael Tom, as first class tradition ruler, at Government House in Port Harcourt, yesterday.
Fubara stated that, during the Sixth State Executive Council meeting, N80.8billion was approved with 50 percent contract value paid already as the Government awarded the construction of the Elele-Egbeda-Omoku Road.
He said the project will be funded from the savings from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to underscore his administration’s prudence without also borrowing to complete the project.
“We are at a crossroad in our State where we all need to stand for what is right. It happens once in a life time. So, for now, be one of those people that will be in the course to liberate and free our dear State.
“And I know strongly that having the support of a peace-loving Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, having the support of the wonderful Council of Chiefs, having the support of the great people of Rivers State, we will bring peace in our State. We will do those things that are right to develop our State.
“We will continue to consult. We will not act as dictators. We will act as people who know that one day, we will leave, and when we leave, the way we have acted will speak for us. We will not force people to talk good about us. Our legacy will be a signature for how we led”, the governor said.
Fubara explained that he acted within the ambit of the law to upgrade the traditional stool upon which King Ateke Tom sits in recognition of his efforts in promoting peace in Okrika, and indeed, the State, and urged him to continue to do justice to everyone.
In his speech, Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Hon Charles Amadi, congratulated King Ateke Tom for being formally presented with the Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office as first class traditional ruler.
Also speaking, former Transport Minister, Chief Abiye Sekibo, thanked the governor for fulfilling his promise of upgrading the traditional stool of Okochiri Kingdom, and pledged the support of Kirike Se people to his administration.