Baga: Terrorists disguise as women, + photos

            The cordon and search in Baga, Borno State has revealed some terrorists disguising as women.

The searches, according to the military, are also yielding more discoveries of arms, especially bombs, hidden in various locations, especially Baga town.

A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said apart from those captured in the course of fighting, many arrests of terrorists hiding in the town are being made and troops are still busy interrogating the suspects.

Olukolade said in furtherance of the mission to clear terrorists from all their enclaves by the military, the Nigerian Air Force has stepped up its air bombardment of identified targets in Gwoza, Bama and Sambisa forest, preparatory to other phases of the mission.

He said the air strikes have been highly successful as they achieved the aims, hitting vital targets with required precision.

“Terrorists are now in disarray as they scamper to escape from the impact of air bombardment of their locations in the forest,” he said.

Olukolade added: “Having successfully liberated Baga where the terrorists have been marauding, the troops’ attention has now been focused on consolidation of the security of the area to pave way for return of citizens.”

We are not with Buhari’s original certificates – Army

The All Progressives Congress on Friday rose in defence of its presidential candidate and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, over the controversy trailing his academic qualifications.

Also on Friday, the Nigerian Army authorities explained that they do not keep original certificates of officers and men of the armed forces, adding that their personal files contained only photocopies of credentials.

Buhari’s academic qualifications to run for president in the February 14 election became an issue following the disclosure that he deposed to an affidavit informing the Independent National Electoral Commission that his credentials were with the military secretary.

Speaking with Saturday Tribune on Friday on the controversy trailing the discovery, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the controversy was an assault on the institution of the military.

Mohammed added that the insinuation that Buhari was without the requisite academic qualifications before rising to become a general in the army was an insult to the officers that had served the nation.

Mohammed wondered the kind of politics that would make anyone to think that Buhari would rise to the apogee of his career before becoming the head of state by being shielded by the system over the academic qualification that was needed for the special military trainings and qualifications he got.

According to him: “How can anyone say someone of General Buhari’s calibre didn’t have secondary school certificate after his career in the military?

“What kind of politics are we playing?

“What kind of signal are we sending?

“Whereas in the developed world, there are certain courses in the military such as staff college or command that are on the privilege of bachelor or masters.

“Now, if you are now making provocative comments about someone of the status of General Buhari over an issue that one way or the other would soon be sorted out, you are casting aspersions on the entire military and those who had given service to this nation.

“It shows the kind of politics some people are playing.

“This is unfortunate and sad.”

Meanwhile, the army also stated on Friday that it does not keep original certificates of any serving or retired officer or soldier.

A top army officer at the Defence Headquarters disclosed on condition of anonymity on Friday that the army could not keep anybody’s original certificate because it is a personal property of the owner.

According to the source: “The army only has photocopies of officers and soldiers’ certificates kept in their personal files in the military secretary’s office.

“The original certificate of any officer or soldier is only needed at the point of entry into the service – either as a cadet officer entering the Nigerian Defence Academy or by recruitment officers when interviewing recruits to be sent to the depot for training.

“This is so because they are needed to verify what is in the photocopy supplied or for verification from the necessary examining bodies.”

The source stressed that for anybody to claim that his original certificates are with the military secretary (Army) does not hold water.

The source said: “Let me tell you now, in the Navy, the Navy Secretary keeps photocopies of the documents of all naval officers and ratings and not their original certificates, which are their personal properties.

“Also, in the Air force, the Air Secretary keeps the photocopies of all officers and airmen’s certificates and, if the need arises for any verification, those concerned will be asked to bring the original documents.

“If you start keeping every officers or soldiers original certificates, how many will you keep and if in case there is a fire outbreak, that means all original certificates of those concerned will be burnt.

“There is no way the military secretary can keep any officer’s original certificate – either serving or retired.”

The source, however, added that all his claims did not preclude General Buhari from being qualified or eligible to contest next month’s election.

“After all, he attended some of the best military institutions in the world and rose to the rank of a general and was once a head of state, so the issue of certificate does not make any difference,” the source said.

Meanwhile, a retired general who claimed to be a contemporary of Buhari told Saturday Tribune on Friday that some of the military courses they did abroad did not require the participants possession of a secondary school certificate.

While demanding anonymity, he explained that the noise being raised over Buhari’s certificate was needless because the constitution allows for an equivalent of school certificate, which many of the courses they did abroad, would qualify for.

Endorsing Buhari for president, he asked Nigerians to look at his track record and not a flimsy issue of secondary school certificate in electing him.

Saturday Tribune.

Many killed as Boko Haram strikes again in Yobe

Members of the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, struck again on Friday in Yobe State. This time around, it was in Damagum, a town about 70km from Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. The dreaded sect last struck in Yobe State in Damaturu about a month ago.

Damagum is located in Funne Local Government Area. Sources in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, told The Eagle Online that residents of the town were fleeing into the bush for safety as the dreaded sect struck at about 6pm. Some of those who succeeded in fleeing into the bush called their relatives in other parts of the state, especially Damaturu, to inform the military of the attack and the need for prompt intervention. Damagum was also attacked in 2012.

It came under attack at about 7pm on March 28, 2012. Explosives were used on that occasion.

Reports as at press time on Friday were sketchy. But many residents of the state were reported killed by members of the Boko Haram sect as those fleeing awaited the intervention of the military.

Boko Haram to Emir of Kano in new video: You’re a dead man

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the extremist Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has threatened to attack the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, for mobilising support against the sect.

In well publicised statements, Sanusi asked Kano State residents as well as vigilantes to arm and defend themselves against future terrorist attacks following a recent attack on the Kano Central Mosque.

The latest threat was contained in a video posted on youtube and viewed on Wednesday by our correspondent.

Shekau condemned Sanusi and adherents of most Islamic sects, describing them as infidels who have abandoned the Islamic doctrine.

He said they should be ready to repent and practise Islam as preached by his sect, or be ready to face the consequences.

Shekau said: “Before I start talking to my brothers who believed in me and the religion of Allah, not the religion of democracy, not that of western education, those who believed in the religion of the Quran not that of the constitution and not religion of the Emir of Kano.

“We do not practise the religion of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, not the religion of Jonathan, not the religion of Obasanjo, not the religion of Atiku, not the religion of Babangida, not the religion of Obama, not the religion of Bush, not the religion of Clinton, but the religion of Allah.

“Now listen to me Emir of Kano. I am talking to you and only you because of your recent utterances. Let me inform you now that you are late (dead), you should know that you are only the King of Kano, King of Central Bank, King of money, you are only Sanusi Lamido.”

Shekau said his group would continue to fight and kill local vigilantes, hunters, and all those who oppose the teachings of the sect.

He also said: “Emir of Kano Sanusi, you are late, that our triumph is just for a period of time so you said. Even your predecessors who are renowned idol worshippers in Islamic history like ‘Abujahal’ could not succeed in fighting Islam.

“Yes, you can say that our success is for a period of time, because you are a king of Bank and a loyal citizen of your country.

“Because you are made the Emir of Kano, that is why you got angry and was calling on the vigilante groups and hunters to attack us. Let me tell you that the hunters and the vigilante groups will fail and you will also fail.”

Shekau condemned all other Islamic sects in the country, calling them pagans.

He said the Izala, Tijjaniyya, Qadiriyya and Shiite Islamic groups were pagans and his group would continue to kill their followers.

The Boko Haram leader also condemned the government of Saudi Arabia, saying that all infidels would perish in hell.

“We will kill you people, we will capture hostages and keep selling them,” he said.

The Boko Haram leader said he (Shekau) was human, adding: “It is Allah that is supreme and even if there is no war, members of my sect and I will die.”

He said they were ready to die and go and rest in heaven.

Over 100 people died in the Kano Central Mosque attack which was believed to have been targeted at the Kano emir.

The Emir, who had travelled out of Nigeria at the time, visited the mosque on his return, and re-affirmed his vow that the Kano people would not bow to the Boko Haram’s threats.

Emir Sanusi to Boko Haram: You can’t kill me

The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has said the members of dreaded sect, Boko Haram, do not have the capacity to kill him.

Sanusi said this in reaction to a statement by the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, that he should consider himself as dead following his condemnation of the activities of the group.

Sanusi said he remains protected against any evil attack and that nothing was going to happen to him except the will of Allah, his creator.

Speaking on Friday during the weekly special prayer session at the Kano City Central Mosque (Masallachin Sarki), Sanusi said: “I am protected and nothing is going to happen to me.”

He urged Nigerians to continue to protect themselves against the attacks of the Boko Haram sect.

Five policemen detained for killing, burying cyclist

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested and detained five policemen over the alleged murder of a commercial bike rider who was killed and secretly buried in a shallow grave to conceal the crime.

The deceased, Aondona Tavershima, 24, was said to have been shot and killed by policemen attached to Maroko Police Station after he allegedly refused to stop when flagged down in the Lekki area of Lagos State. The policemen however quickly rushed his body to Lekki Beach and buried him.

Tavershima was killed around 11am. The police shot him after he refused to obey and stop. The policemen, it was alleged, further shot him repeatedly after he had fallen off his motorbike on receiving the first bullet. He died on the spot. The policemen would have gotten away with the murder of Tavershima, but for a fellow cyclist, who witnessed the murder and raised the alarm.

The deceased’s elder sister, Linda, alleged that the police offered her N10 million settlement to ensure the matter was not taken further.

The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Moroko Police Station offered the bribe, cajoling Linda to go home and think about the money. But rather than think about the money, Linda and other family members contacted a lawyer, demanding justice.

The Police Public Relations Officer for Lagos State, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, who confirmed the incident, said that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, ordered for the immediate arrest of the suspected policemen.

Nwosu said: “Five policemen are currently being detained, while the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, has since commenced an investigation. “If found guilty, the officers will be made to face the wrath of the law.”

Court orders Police, DSS, Customs to confiscate Obasanjo’s book

An FCT High Court on Wednesday ordered the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Service and the Controller General of Nigeria Customs Services to confiscate former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s book from public vendors.

Justice Valentine Ashi gave the order after Obasanjo allegedly went ahead to publish his book titled: “My Watch” in spite of a court order made on December 5 restraining him from making the publication.

Ashi said: “I am of the view that the defendant having gone ahead to publish the book, he should therefore show cause within 21 days of the order served on him on why he should not be punished for contempt of court.

“The Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of State Security Services and the Controller General of Nigeria Customs Services are hereby directed to recover the book from sales vendors.”

Ashi directed that the book should be kept with the registrar of the court pending the determination of the suit.

Ashi also restrained the defendant from further printing, publishing or circulating the book: “My Watch,” which, he said “touches on the subject matter of the suit before the court”.

Earlier, counsel to Obasanjo, Realwan Okpanachi, told the court that the book was published before the order was granted.

Okpanachi argued that the book had been in circulation since November and the order was made on December 5.

The Counsel to Buruji Kashamu, Alex Izinyo (SAN), submitted that the defendant’s application was a calculated attempt to deceive the court.

Izinyo argued that the defendant admitted in his motion papers that the book was published on November 10 and in another paragraph, it was also stated that the book was published on November 2.

“My lord, the burden of proof lay with the defendant to show the court three volumes of the book,” he said.

Ashi adjourned to January 13 and 14, 2015 for hearing of the substantive case.

Kashamu had earlier dragged Obasanjo before the court for libel.

Kashamu alleged that Obasanjo addressed him as ex-convict in the letter he wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan titled: “Before it is too late.”

Governors behind my third term bid – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday for the first time opened up on the third term agenda in the twilight of his two-term presidency, accusing some Peoples Democratic Party governors of being behind the third term project because they were going to benefit from it.

At the launch of his autobiography titled: “My Watch,” at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, Obasanjo denied seeking a third term but admitted he knew about it.

Obasanjo, who said he was not afraid of telling the truth, insisted that everything he wrote in the book was true.

According to him: “People say that it was obvious that I wanted a third term and I ask those who say I was behind the third term to bring concrete evidence to prove that I spearheaded it.

“I have presented evidence in my book that proves that I was not behind it, even though I knew about it.

“Some governors were the ones behind it because they felt the governors would benefit from it.

“If people say that it was obvious that I wanted a third term, they should present concrete evidence to the public that I am telling a lie.

“I have evidence to prove that everything I wrote is true and anyone that feels otherwise should present concrete evidence to prove his point.

“Third term was not my agenda or intention although I would not say I didn’t know about it.

“I didn’t mastermind third term.

“Those who were telling me to go on were the governors that were going to benefit from it.”

The former president also said he had no regrets in his involvement on how both late President Umaru Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan became presidents saying: “I don’t regret bringing in Yar’Adua and Jonathan.

“If they don’t do well, those coming from behind should learn from me and do better.”

Obasanjo added that he was not infallible and people should learn from his action.

He also said that he had sought avenues to ventilate his observations and positions with President Jonathan but had to resort to writing open letters to him because his efforts were frustrated.

He also commented on the injunction restraining him from publishing his autobiography.

He said: “I had given the book to my editors and to the publisher.

“As far as I am concerned, my job is done.

“I had written the book and printed before the court injunction.

“In a normal judiciary, the judge should be sanctioned and I hope something will be done.

“We are here legally and lawfully and we will continue to act lawfully and legally.”