Nigeria’ll soon disintegrate – Asari-Dokubo

The leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, on Tuesday declared that he never believed in the Nigeria project, adding that the country will soon go the way of Soviet Union and the rest that have broken up.

This is even as the former warlord came down hard on President Goodluck Jonathan over his statement that Nigeria would have boiled if former Head of State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari, had died in last Wednesday’s bomb blast in Kaduna.

Asari-Dokubo said the President’s statement was unnecessary, adding that placing the life of one Nigerian above another is wrong.

He said: “I do not work for Jonathan.

“What the President said was wrong.

“The life of Buhari is not more important than 87 people that died in that blast.”

Asari-Dokubo, who addressed newsmen in Abuja, also debunked the insinuation that he paid the alleged mastermind of the blast N5 million to kill Buhari.

He revealed that begin from next week, he will lead a protest in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to demand and ensure that Buhari is arrested by the Department of State Security.

He said: “I did not pay anybody to carry out any assassination attempt on Buhari.

“I do not have anything against him.

“He is not a threat.

“He will fail in 2015.

“For the records, I do not operate a Twitter account and anyone saying I tweeted that there will be more attacks is only using my name.”

Asari-Dokubo raised the alarm that all the calculated attacks on him are geared towards shutting him up ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

He said: “They want to silence me because they know the role I will play in 2015.

“They have also sponsored reports in Benin Republic that I am the person financing Boko Haram.

“Another Islamic scholar also said I am the one sponsoring Boko Haram to destroy the North on behalf of President Jonathan.

“The deputy leader or deputy minority in the House of Representatives said I spoke on behalf of President Jonathan.

“That means Buhari is the commander-in-chief of Boko Haram in the North.

“His allies came out and made inflammatory statements during the 2011 elections.”

Boko Haram kills eight, blows off Yobe bridge

Eight people have been killed by suspected members of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, who attacked Katarko town on the outskirts of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

Katarko is 22 kilometers south of Damaturu and a community in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, which is the state’s stronghold of the Boko Haram insurgents.

Residents say the insurgents stormed the town around 7:30pm on Monday and first attacked the military base in the town before having access to some houses, killing eight residents in an attack that lasted for over seven hours.

“They came here and launched an unsuccessful attack on the military base before embarking on some selective killings within the town, leaving us with eight casualties presently being prepared for burial,” a resident told Channels Television in Damaturu.

Residents say the insurgents carried out their attack until 2:30am without further resistance.

During the violence, the insurgents blew off the Katarko Bridge linking Damaturu to their stronghold, Buni Yadi, the capital of Gujba Local Government Area.

The bridge connects Yobe State and neighbouring Borno and Adamawa States.

This is the first time Boko Haram militants are attacking Katarko since the commencement of serious hostility by the insurgents in 2009.

Meanwhile, two Boko Haram suspects have been arrested in Damaturu metropolis in possession of Improvise Explosive Devises with the intention of causing havoc in the troubled northeast state.

Although authorities decline comment on the arrest, residents confirmed that the suspects were arrested at separate locations with the devices, with the first member of the sect arrested revealing the whereabouts of the second suspect.

16 die as soldiers rescue Cameroon’s Vice Prime Minister’s wife from Boko Haram

The abducted wife of Cameroon’s Vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, has been rescued from her Boko Haram kidnappers.

The lady was kidnapped on Sunday alongside a traditional ruler of Kolofata town in Cameroon.

The rescue operation was carried out by soldiers from Cameroon in an operation that was reported to have lasted several hours.

According to Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, 16 people died during the rescue operation.

Cameroon’s Minister of Information, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, confirmed the freedom of the vice prime minister’s wife.

Bakary said government was still investigating the number of casualties.

Boko Haram abducts Cameroon’s Vice Prime Minister’s wife

Boko Haram militants attacked Kolofata, a town in Cameroon’s Far North Region near Nigeria, on Sunday and seized several people including the wife of Cameroon’s Vice Prime Minister, Amadou Ali, a military commander in the region said.

“The situation is very critical here now, and as I am talking to you the Boko Haram elements are still in Kolofata town in a clash with our soldiers,” said Colonel Felix Nji Formekong, the second commander of Cameroon’s third inter-army military region (RMIA3) based in the regional headquarters Maroua.

“Some of them have already taken away the wife of Vice Prime Minister Ahmadou Ali and her house help while the bodyguards of the Vice Prime Minister have succeeded in taking him out of the town to Mora,” Formekong said, adding that there could be more casualties.

16-year-old girl suicide bomber among six killed in Kano blasts

No fewer than six persons lost their lives following two explosions which occurred in Kano on Sunday.

The first blast went off at Kofar Nasarawa, near the North-West University, while the second explosion happened at St. Charles Catholic Church on Zungeru Road in Sabon Gari.

The state Commissioner of Police, Aderenle Shinaba, who confirmed the incident while briefing newsmen in Kano, said 13 other persons sustained injuries.

Shinaba said the attack at Kofar Nasarawa was carried out around 12.05pm by a 16-year-old girl suicide bomber who wanted to cross over to the university.

He said: “The girl loaded herself with explosives and her target was the university and in the course of preventing her from going to the university, she detonated the bomb and injured five policemen.

“Five out of the security personnel stationed at the place sustained injuries, while the girl blew herself off instantly.”

Shinaba added that in the case of the second blast at Zungeru Road, the bomb was detonated within the vicinity of the church.

Shinaba said this had led to the killing of five persons, while eight others were injured.

He said: “The attack, which was carried out around 1pm, claimed five persons and injured eight persons.”

The Commissioner of Police said three suspects, including a cripple, had also been arrested at Sabon Gari, while all the injured are now receiving medical attention in the hospital.

He said investigation had already commenced to unravel the circumstances and those behind the attacks.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in the affected areas.

Abubakar’s successor: Mbu, two DIGs, two AIGs make list

As varied news continue to filter in that the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, is lobbying for an extension of his stay as the number one policeman in the country, indications emerged on Thursday that the Police Service Commission has submitted the files of two Deputy Inspectors General, two Assistant Inspector Generals and a Commissioner of Police to the Presidency for study as replacement.

The submitted names are the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Intelligence, Solomon Erase; Suleiman Abba, the AIG in charge of Zone 7, Abuja; the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Administration, Suleiman Fakai; the DIG in charge of Operations, Michael Zokumuor; and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Federal Capital Territory, Mbu Joseph Mbu.

A source said: “President Jonathan is still studying the files and may make a pronouncement any moment from now.

“But everything right now depends on him.”

Abubakar is due for retirement on July 31.

He would be expected to embark on compulsory leave towards the end of July and hand over to who will eventually be picked by President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a situation where a new IGP has not been picked before Abubakar leaves office, a DIG will most likely take over the mantle of leadership.

It was gathered that at least about 60 senior officers would be retiring by July.

Another source said: “I don’t think the President is reconsidering Abubakar or why would he request for five names from the PSC?”

Among the DIGs being considered, Zokumuor, who is from the same Balyesa State as the Pesident, would be retiring next year, while Fakai has about seven years to stay in service.

Fakai is from the North West.

Sources disclosed that Zokomuor, aside from his retirement date, which is dodging his footstep to the leadership position, may not be favoured because the Chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah, is from that zone and his choice may mess things up for Jonathan.

He is also said to be a loyalist of a former military dictator from the North.

Of the two AIGs that were shortlisted, Erase is believed to be highly educated and an exposed detective who has served as Principal Staff Officer to three past IGPs.

He is from Edo State and said to be highly favoured among all those shortlisted.

“Abba on the other hand is from Niger State in the North Central zone and had served as Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and was also in Lagos State at a time as the supervising CP during 2007 general elections,” said a source.

The sources said the only Commissioner of Police on the list is former controversial Rivers State CP, Mbu, who is currently the CP of the FCT.

He is said to enjoy the support of the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

However, the odds against him are that if he is picked as the new IGP, over 200 senior police officers would be retired from the force.

Maigari blew N13m on refreshment – Document

Fresh facts are emerging on the spending of the Alhaji Aminu Maigari-led Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, as documents revealed that the board expended N13 million on refreshment, honorarium and sitting allowances on members in 2013.

In the budget appraisal document from the football federation, made available to the media, tagged: Nigeria Football Association, receipts of funds and expenditure; 2013 Federal Government Budget performance, the federation revealed in the document that while refreshment and meals gulped N1.19 million, honorariums and sitting allowances took N11.95 million, adding that it equally spent a whopping sum of N2.08 million to purchase newspapers.

The embattled football federation equally revealed that out of the N20 million it budgeted for legal services, it spent N19.946 million, remaining N53,533 of the amount to wage war against the enemies of the football house.

Although there was no visible structural facelift given the Glass House in the year under consideration, the football federation claimed in the document that maintenance of office building/residential quarters gulped N3.46 million out of the N3.5 million earmarked for it.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Sports and the Chairman National Sports Commission, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, has insisted that the Maigari-led executive committee must account for every kobo the Federal Government gave to the federation.

The minister informed that the relevant department has written to them to account for the money.

Danagogo said: “Normally, every government fund must be retired.

“If government gives money to prosecute any project, the Ministry of Finance must require from me to account for the money.

“If the ministry of finance gives money to give to the federation, I don’t need to demand from them the retirement because it is a process.

“There are departments in the ministry that will immediately request the retirement.

“Let me make it clear that the NFF must account for the money and properly retire all the funds government gave to them.

“If that department in the ministry has asked for that, there is nothing very unusual about it.”

Bureau De Change operators urge CBN to reconsider N35m capital base

The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria to review the N35 million mandatory cautionary deposit for bureau de change operators.

ABCON’s President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, made the call at a meeting organised by the association for its members on Monday in Lagos.

Gwadabe said that the association had recommended the categorisation of the operators with different scopes of business.

He urged the CBN to initiate stakeholders’ sensitisation meetings for a comprehensive discussion of monetary policy related issues before the implementation of the new policy.

The association president said that the capital requirement for the operators did not require periodic increases as obtained in other financial institutions.

He said: “However, it had been reviewed from N250,000 to N500,000 and then N10 million.

“Therefore, we recommend that BDC capitalisation requirement should be reviewed to a maximum of N15 million.

“We also recommend refund of the earlier N500,000 mandatory cautionary deposit of over 2,500 of members before the introduction of additional $20,000 (N3.5 million).”

Gwadabe said that the N500,000 deposit had been with the CBN for more than 10 years.

Gwadabe also urged the CBN to ensure constructive engagement of the stakeholders and extension of the deadline for the deposit.

Gwadabe said that without the engagement, it would be difficult to settle at the N35 million deposit.

He said that the new policy had the potential to send some operators out of business, thereby destabilising the foreign exchange market.

Gwadabe also said that the policy might empower the black market as well as widen the exchange rate premium.

He said: “For instance, the BDCs employ five directors and a minimum of four employees each, totaling nine employees per BDC.

“Since we have over 3,500 existing BDCs, therefore, the total job loss will be nine times 3,500, which will result in 31,500, if this policy is implemented.

“Besides, we cannot quantify the multiplier effect of other family members that rely on the BDCs for their daily livelihood.

“This will increase poverty and insecurity in the system.

“Please, let us avoid this.”

Gwadabe said that the new policy would also weaken the naira as well as prompt increase in inflation.

Gwadabe added that data collection for policy formulation would be reduced as many BDCs might close shop and some others end up in the parallel market.

He said that the policy would bring back the circulation of fake currency that had been eliminated or reduced to the barest minimum, thereby project a negative image of Nigerians abroad.

Gwadabe said that the 1,000 per cent increase cautionary deposit would further boost the activities of the black market segment of the economy and the return of the past exclusive group ‘A’ BDCs.

He said: “It is our belief also that the mop up of N35 million mandatory cautionary deposit per BDC for about 3,500 BDCs across the country is almost half the size of the Nigerian budget.

“This chunk of resources will be in a non-interest yielding account, which is counter-productive as the mop up will give government more money.

“It will also impoverish the majority of the citizenry, resulting in a decrease in their consumption level, savings and abilities to invest in the economy.”

The CBN reviewed the minimum capital requirement BDCs from N10 million to N35 million on June 3.

The CBN also reviewed the mandatory cautionary deposit to N35 million from $20,000 USD (N3.5 million), while it increased application fee from N10,000 to N100,000.

It also reviewed the licence fee from N100,000 to N1 million, frowned at multiple ownership of BDCs and access to inward and outward money transfer, among others.

NFF to FIFA: Maigari can’t account for N5.4b, other monies

The Nigeria Football Federation on Monday dispatched a letter to Zurich, the headquarters of the Federation of International Football Association in Switzerland to keep the leadership of the world’s football governing body abreast of the recent development in Nigerian football.

Prompt News gathered that the letter was dispatched ahead of FIFA’s Tuesday’s deadline for the sanctioning of Nigeria, which could include suspension.

The world soccer ruling body had threatened to refer Nigeria’s case to its disciplinary committee for appropriate sanction should Nigeria fail to reinstate the Aminu Maigari-led Executive Board latest by June 8, 2014.

The letter sent to FIFA detailed the process leading to the convening of the Extra-Ordinary Congress that dissolved the Maigari-led Board last Saturday.

According to the letter, the NFF posited that the Congress was summoned in line with its Statues.

It was also learnt that another letter was written detailing corruption charges levelled against Maigari that compelled the operatives of the Department of State Service to invite him for questioning on arrival from Brazil.

Specifically, the Nigerian Government wants Maigari to account for N2.6 billion released to him for the 2014 World Cup, the N2.8 billion left in the Federation’s coffers by his predecessor, Sani Lulu Abdullahi, as well as hundreds of million of naira he receives as monthly as allocation from the government.

The letter also reminded the FIFA bosses that the tenure of Maigari’s board expires in August, assuring them that the NFF would conduct fresh election in line with the NFF and FIFA statues to usher in a new Executive Board.

Apart from the letter, a powerful Federal Government delegation is also billed to meet with the leadership of FIFA to reassure it that the government would not interfere in the running of football but only showed concern over gross misappropriation of funds.

Prompt News recalls that FIFA had in a letter signed by its Secretary General, Jerome Valcke, described the recent development in Nigerian football as “very worrisome and an undue interference”.

Valcke said the World football ruling body has taken note of the court order restraining Maigari and his executive board from running Nigerian football, the appointment of an acting Secretary General, as well as the Extra-Ordinary congress conveyed for Saturday.

FIFA reiterated its resolve not to recognise “any person or organ not elected in compliance with the NFF Statues (Article 17, par 2 and 3 of FIFA Statues) and therefore will not consider the appointment made by the Minister of Sports”.

The letter also reads in part: “Additionally, we will not recognise any decision taken by the above mentioned Extra-Ordinary Congress which will be considered null and void.

“An elective congress has been duly conveyed by the NFF for 26 August, 2014 and only decisions, persons elected then will be considered legitimate.

“We ask that you respectfully inform the relevant authorities that if the aforementioned NFF officials are not fully reinstated by Tuesday, July 8, 2014, we will have no choice but to refer the case to the appropriate FIFA organ for sanctions, including the suspension of the NFF.”

Meanwhile, a member of the dissolved Executive Board, who attended the Extra-Ordinary Congress, Chief Effiong Johnson, has allayed the fears that the Congress contravened FIFA Statues, saying it was convened and conducted in line with the NFF Statues.

Johnson said: “Some of my colleagues, who are State Chairmen, made terrible mistakes by keeping away from the Congress that was properly conveyed.

“Some of them sent their secretaries, some sent representatives, forgetting that once a State FA sends s representative, he or she automatically becomes a delegate and any decision taken will be bidding on such State that sent the representative.

“So, it is funny that some of them are now saying they were not part of the meeting when they actually sent representatives.”

It would be recalled that the Extra-Ordinary Congress in dissolving the NFF Executive Board, accused Maigari of secrecy in the finances of the Federation.

Delegates present also “bemoaned the unfortunate incident of the international embarrassment caused the Nigeria nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup by the failure of the Maigari-led NFF to fully and firmly resolve issues of finance with the Super Eagles ahead of the championship.

The communique of the Congress said: “Congress accused the Maigari administration of abuse of NFF Statues in its constitution of the NFF Electoral Committee, by altering the list of persons approved by the Congress at the 2013 General Assembly.

“The Extra-Ordinary Congress unanimously endorsed the dissolution of the Aminu Maigari-led NFF Executive Committee, and immediate termination of the employment of all management staff.

“The Congress also endorsed the dissolution of the Boards of the Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women League and the Nigeria Nationwide League.

“The Vice Chairmen are to take over the running of the Leagues and report to the Acting General Secretary of NFF.

“Congress approved the appointment of Mr. Lawrence Katken as Acting Secretary General of the NFFF, pending the appointment of a substantive General Secretary.”

Prompt News.

64 terrorists, soldiers, others die in Borno confrontation, suicide bombing

No fewer than 53 terrorists were killed on Friday night when troops repelled attacks on its locations by Boko Haram members in Damboa, Borno State.

The military lost five soldiers and a senior officer during the confrontation.

The terrorists, according to a statement on Saturday by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, stormed the troops’ bases and police locations, while most of the troops were out on patrol of surrounding villages.

Olukolade said a cordon and search of the locality is ongoing, while the bodies of the fallen soldiers have been recovered and deposited in the military morgue.

The wounded are also receiving treatment in the military medical facility.

In another development, troops on patrol around Baga area have recovered explosives and rifles concealed in a truck loaded with fish and other commodities.

Four suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the incident, Olukolade said.

At Konduga, also in Borno State, a suicide bomber in a Golf car on Friday crashed into a checkpoint, killing himself, a policeman and three vigilante youth members.

Maradona: "FIFA and ref gave Brazil licence to kick"

Argentinian legend Diego Maradona continued his recent flurry of attacks on FIFA, this time lashing out at Spanish referee Carlos Velasco Carballo for his performance in Brazil's 2-1 quarter-final victory over Colombia. Speaking on the programme 'De Zurda', broadcast by 'teleSUR', Maradona linked the officiating with a supposed FIFA conspiracy to ensure the hosts went through.

"I think they picked the right referee for the occasion, when Colombia looked like they had a better chance than ever of beating Brazil", noted the Argentine, whose press credentials have been withdrawn by FIFA following his recent outbursts. Maradona in particular called out David Luiz, claiming the Brazil defender "systematically tried to kick James Rodríguez off the pitch but wasn't so much as booked".

"It was the worst refereeing performance I've seen in 10 years", the ex-Boca, Barcelona and Napoli ace stressed, claiming the officials "let Julio César and Hulk off the hook" as both "should have been sent off". Nevertheless, Maradona didn't go so far as to "take credit away from Brazil" for their win, simply stating that FIFA and its "boss", Sepp Blatter, were determined that the hosts "had to advance". Lastly, the Argentine predicted that Brazil would have a "very tough time" beating Germany in the semi-finals.

Female Boko Haram accomplice arrested

Hafsat Bello, a female accomplice of the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, has been arrested.

According to the media coordinating body in the fight against insurgency in the country, the National Information Centre, Nigeria’s security forces arrested Bello.

The cheering news and Bello’s photograph became public via the website of the National Orientation Agency, which hosts the NIC and whose Director General, Mike Omeri, is the Coordinator of the media group.

The terse message on the Twitter handle and Facebook page of the NOA reads: “The National Information Center (NIC) has confirmed the arrest of the Boko Haram accomplice and informant, Hafsat Bako. Kudos to our security forces in their mission to #BringBackGirls.”

Civilian JTF member involved in Chobok abduction, killing of Gwoza emir arrested – DHQ

A terrorists’ intelligence cell headed by a businessman who participated actively in the abduction of School Girls in Chibok, Borno State has been busted by troops, the Defence Headquarters said on Monday.

The man, Babuji Ya’ari, who is also a member of the Youth Vigilante Group popularly known as Civilian JTF, which he uses as cover while remaining an active terrorist, also spearheaded the murder of the Emir of Gwoza.

Ya’ari’s main role in the group is to spy and gather information for the terrorists group.

Babuji has been coordinating several deadly attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State since 2011, including the daring attacks on Customs and military locations as well as the planting of IEDs in several locations in the town.

A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said the arrest of the businessman, who is known to deal in tricycles, has also yielded some vital information and facilitated the arrest of other members of the terrorists’ intelligence cell who are women.

One of them, Hafsat Bako, had earlier escaped to Gombe State to avoid suspicion but was tracked and arrested.

Prior to her arrest, Bako coordinated the payment of other operatives on the payroll of the group.

In her confession, she disclosed that a minimum of N10,000 is paid to each operative depending on the enormity of his task.

Another female suspect, Haj Kaka, who doubles as an armourer and a spy for the terrorists group, has also been arrested.

Until their arrest, all the suspects actively operated a terrorists’ intelligence cell in collaboration with others still at large, Olukolade said.

In another development, troops deployed in Goniri, Yobe State over the weekend had an encounter with terrorists, resulting in casualties on both sides after the attack was successfully repelled.