Dialectical Analysis and Citizens' Reportage

Mrs. Patricia Etteh Speaks - THE COMPASS

2012-06-18T00:28:00.005-07:00

Source: The Compass

Mrs. Patricia Etteh Speaks:

“Now, Nigerians know who is corrupt and who is not. It is a big shame, it has further

ridiculed the image of the House. Basically, what we read in the newspapers does not come

as a surprise having had relationship with him for a very long time. He is the leader of the

cartel.

"I did not steal any money. What happened when they were calling for my removal was a

mere anticipatory spending, no money was missing. Dimeji Bankole, whom Farouk

installed, spent over N400 million to renovate his official quarters, which I wanted to

renovate with just N40 million, and sold it to himself for N100 million.

"I was removed not for stealing money but three groups sacked me for their selfish reasons.

The first group was led by Farouk Lawan who was annoyed that he was not given the

Appropriation Committee.

The second group was the Islamic fundamentalists who would not like to bow down to the

authority of a woman and the third group believed that since the Senate President is a

Christian, therefore, the Speaker must be a Muslim. All these groups joined forces together

to fight me.

"But now, God has vindicated me, all of them have been caught in one corruption or the

other and they were disgraced out of the National Assembly through Appeal Court on

election matters, but Farouk Lawal is the last man standing and God has revealed the

truth,".

Source: Compass

Niger votes N2.4 bn for construction of worship centres -THE NATION

2012-06-17T05:48:00.001-07:00

NIGER State government is to spend over N2.4bn on construction of a state mosque and Christian place of worship to enhance religious tolerance.

The worship centres are to be situated at the 3 Arms Zone where the government is planning to relocate the three arms of government.

Disclosing this at the weekend to newsmen in Minna, Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Shehu Haruna, said that construction works on the two sites will commence before the end of the year.

Haruna said each of the worship centres will cost N1.2 billion, adding they will be handed over to Christian and Muslim leaders after completion for management.

He further disclosed that a hotel of international standard will also be constructed at the three arms zone under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

The state government is also committing N36.4 million to the completion of Paiko Community Jumat mosque in memory of the late Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Alhaji Aminu Yusuf.

The late Yussuf was the Chairman of the Mosque construction committee.

It will be recalled that the Niger State government had earlier taken over the completion of the Tunga Jumat Mosque and the First ECWA Church Minna.

Both projects abandoned for over 20 years cost the government about N90m.

Embattled Farouk Implicates Tambuwal,IG Writes Speaker On $500,000 Bribe -METRO NEWS

2012-06-17T04:36:00.004-07:00

Tambuwal

The embattled former Chairman of the Ad- hoc Committee on Subsidy Probe, Mr. Lawan Farouk had disclosed to the police that $500,000 out of the bribe money he collected from Otedola was submitted to a top member of the House of Representative while a total sum of $120,000. Was also collected by Mr. Emenalo,as a result of this disclosure, the IG of police had written to the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, to ensure that the lawmaker in possession of the money makes it available on Tuesday when the house resumes its next session. Sources revealed that the letter which has been written already would be delivered to the House on Tuesday at the resumption of the House.

Police source revealed that apart from the $10,000 that was recovered from Lawan’s house, another $8,000 was recovered from the house of Mr. Boniface Emenalo, who was the secretary of the Subsidy Probe Panel.

Relatively, Farouk was released on bail on Saturday around 4pm, after he had signed in a statement that he will work with the police to ensure that the bribe money is returned to the police.

Police source had also stated that it was important to write to the House leader due to Lawan’s claim that the money has since been submitted to a top member of the House.

He said, “After undergoing intense interrogation, Lawan told investigators that the money is not with him. He claimed to have kept it with a lawmaker in the House.

Source: Metro News

Re: ILLEGAL ISLAMIC BANKING AND THE USURPATION OF THE NIGERIAN LEGISLATURE

2012-06-16T19:42:00.002-07:00

Re: ILLEGAL ISLAMIC BANKING AND THE USURPATION OF THE NIGERIAN LEGISLATURE ( A piece written by Eghes Eyieyien)

I read your wonderful piece so to say; marshaled to position your stand in reaction to the recent court's ruling by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, voiding Sanusi's power to establish Islamic banks.

With all sincerity, I absorb your positioning, and believe it is done in good intention without prejudice and religious intolerance, but practically on call for adherence to due process and respect of rule of law. As a law abiding citizen, I understand in good faith that the court's ruling stands till it is challenged in a court of higher jurisdiction (Court of Appeal in this case).

Be it as it may, I will like to point it out clearly that the ruling did not declare Islamic banking illegal, but rather stated that Sanusi lacks the power to establish it without a recall to the National Assembly, therefore the usage of 'illegal' is outrageous and insensitive to the feelings of organised religionists who take the banking as good as practice of their religious rites.
It is on this I will concisely state that the act of extremism is equally displayed in actions that smell intolerance and not only by gun running or maiming.

To this commentator on the initial write-up:

Aruviere Martin Egharhevva stated:

"As if JAIZ Islamic Banking is a better life support programme, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and His allies in their guise to Islamise and destabilise Nigeria introduced it to the Nigerian banking sector.
We now have President Goodluck Jonathan and President Mallam Lamido Sanusi of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the constitution said we should not established any bank on any religious basis, Sanusi whom had denied of not planning to Islamise this country has again proved to it"

Rejoinder:

Jaiz and any islamic banking system is a better life support programme, and/or perceived so for those who are comfortable with it. To all rational thinkers: if options of having a loan wth interest or not is given, no one will go for that of interest, and in all developing countries and emerging economies, funds are provided for entrepreneurs with low or no interest, and this had been the catalyst for socio-economic growth in such countries. If the name 'islamic' is the scare, then simply call it a non-interest banking as being labelled in Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, France et al.

The notion that the action of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is to 'islamize' the country is ill-conceived and a signal of a divided nation by some disgruntled religious zealots who never feel comfortable for the entrenchment of co-faithfuls' rights.
You need to know the numbers of islamic banks in UK and some countries in Europe without the image casting of a religious or Islamic NATION as you erroneously concluded.

Aruviere Martin Egharhevva further stated (responding to Dr Ahmed Datti):

"I aver that Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, and deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram, plotted to Islamise and destabilise Nigeria by secretly introducing Islamic banking against the nation's constitution"

"The southerners whom their oil is been used to run CBN will decide on what to do with their oil. Apart from Jaiz Bank, which is chaired by the former Chairman of First Bank Plc, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, two other banks have shown interest in offering Islamic banking services. In July last year, Stanbic IBTC Bank was given a provisional licence by the CBN to offer Islamic banking services while Standard Chartered Bank also opened discussions with the apex bank on starting similar services in Nigeria.
Again! The southerners whom their oil is been used to run CBN will decide on what to do with their oil"

Rejoinder:

In further pursuance of your religious extremism and illogical conclusion, linking Boko haram with Islamic banking is the least I will expect from a presumed and supposedly elite as shown in your writing. But since bigotry is not a symptom of illiteracy, I will like to assert here just as I stated earlier that you need to know what is obtainable in other countries where Christianity and Christians are more prevalent but still accommodate the running of Islamic banking, because of their understanding of its economic prosperity and need to collectively live in harmony.

In case you don't know, the clamour for Islamic banking is not a Northern agenda, but the wish and legitimate struggle to be pursued by all responsive and responsible muslims' faithfuls irrespective of the geographic location and tribal affiliation.
Further more, your submission about oil nation and oil money later painted you as a cheap ethnic chauvinist, to this I implore you to further strengthen your cause and agitation for the declaration of Niger-Delta as a sovereign state, then you can regionally claim the natural resources, but till then it belongs to NIGERIA.

On the last note, as the legal battle continues for the establishment of Islamic banking and respect of the fundamental human rights of all Muslims in Nigeria, I will like to state that if:
1. More than 10 christianity faith-based universities have not christianized Nigerians, and Muslims have not perceived it so, and
2. If our legal content and instruments being grounded and stemmed from Judeo-Christian tenets is not declared as a plot to christianize Nigeria, then any uproar or perceived inconvenience from the introduction Islamic banking is a sheer display of insensitivity, senility and philosophical absurdity to say the least.

-Semiu Ayobami Akanmu

ARISE OH AFRICAN YOUTHS -GREEN REVOLUTION

2012-06-16T19:13:00.000-07:00

DEAR NIGERIAN YOUTHS ARE YOU READY FOR SOME BITTER TRUTH?

IF YOU WANT A CHANGE IN NIGERIA, YOU HAVE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT PREVAILS IN THE SOCIETY..
HOW CAN WE BE FIXED TO THE TV SCREEN WATCHING THINGS THAT IN NO WAY HELPS THE SOCIETY OR EVEN HELP IN THE UPLIFTING OF OUR NATION, HOW CAN SOMEONE BE REWARDED OVER $300,000 AND WELCOMED HOME LIKE A HERO JUST BECAUSE HE PARTICIPATED IN RUINING THE IMAGE OF THE DYING SOCIETY?/ MEANWHILE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE GRADUALLY SAYING BYE BYE FROM THE TV SCREENS HOW MANY OF US WATCHED THE ZAIN BRAIN CHALLENGE AFRICA?, JUST LIKE THEY ARE USING BET IN AMERICA TO FINISH THE CARRIER OF AFRO-AMERICANS, WHEN WILL WE WAKE UP FROM THIS SLUMBER WE CALL FUN?
THE EDUCATIVE TV SHOWS ARE DYING OFF BECAUSE OF LACK OF SUPPORT FROM THE PUBLIC AND SPONSORSHIP.

THE SHAMEFUL THING IS READING A PRESIDENTS AND EX PRESIDENTS CONGRATULATION LETTER "I received with delight the news that a Nigerian, Uti Nwachukwu, has won the 2010 edition of Big Brother Africa All Stars in South Africa. I heartily congratulate Mr. Nwachukwu who has shown to the world once again that the average Nigerian is warm, charming and a delight to be with. Mr. Nwachukwu, I was briefed, disp, layed dignity, good character, self confidence as well as love for our country throughout the duration of the contest. I recommend his disposition to Nigerian youths. Once again, I congratulate Mr. Nwachukwu and wish him an eventful and successful reign as winner in the next one year.

GEJ"
WE WILL PICK OUR MOBILE PHONES AND VOTE ANOTHER SEASON IS HERE, BUT DON'T FORGET YOUR BAD ROADS, DON'T FORGET NO ELECTRICITY, DON'T FORGET THE DYING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FINALLY DO NOT FORGET YOUR HOLY BOOKS.
AFTER WE WILL SCREAM THINGS ARE BAD, ASK YOURSELF WHY??

How They Catch Monkeys In Brazil By Dele Momodu

2012-06-16T08:01:00.002-07:00

How They Catch Monkeys In Brazil
By Dele Momodu

“Beware of those who seek to take care of your need Lest your caretakers become your jailers”
-Jim Rohn, The Treasury of Quotes
Fellow Nigerians, if you grew up in my generation or much earlier, you are likely to have come across the novels of one of the best thriller writers of all times, James Hadley Chase. I was a voracious reader of his books and that of Ian Fleming, who authored the James Bond series, as well as the amazing works of Nick Carter, Harold Robbins, Sidney Sheldon, Mario Gianluigi Puzo, Robert Ludlum, James Clavell, James Michener, Joan Collins, Leslie Charteris, Denise Robbins, Barbara Cartland, Agatha Christie and other authors of romance and thrillers. The reason was very simple; James Hadley chase was easily the master of the game. He was fast-paced and extremely pleasurable to follow and digest. His characters were so vivid that you could almost walk into them in a crowd. His language was modern and lucid. And his plots covered every sphere of human endeavour. He had the incredible power of narration and description and took us on a tour de force of exotic locations and transported us effortlessly to places of our dreams.

One of his most powerful novels I read, and fell in love with, was The Paw in the Bottle. It was in this riveting novel I read how they catch monkeys in Brazil. I used to see monkeys at the then University of Ife, which was proudly renamed Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, but I didn’t know how greedy an animal it was until I read the awesome description by James Hadley Chase, the British writer whose real name was Rene Brabazon Raymond, the son of a British Colonel. Please, enjoy his narrative:

“Have you ever heard how they catch monkeys in Brazil Julie?” Let me tell you. They put a nut in a bottle, and tie the bottle to a tree. The monkey grasps the nut, but the neck of the bottle is too narrow for the monkey to withdraw its paw and the nut. You would think the monkey would let go of the nut and escape, wouldn’t you? But it never does. It is so greedy it never releases the nut and is always captured. Remember that story, Julie. Greed is a dangerous thing. If you give way to it, sooner or later you will be caught.”

I don’t know if the fictional character, Julie, forgot that important warning, but I remembered it immediately the news broke out that our dear Brother, Honourable Farouk Lawan, a respected member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives had visited Femi Otedola, the effervescent Al Capone of the diesel cartel in Nigeria, and demanded $3million as bribe from him, and actually got a few instalments totalling about $620,000 in cash already.

The story was indeed stranger than fiction. Had Hon. Lawan read James Hadley Chase, he would probably have learnt how to be a wary transgressor. If Lawan had kept his ears to the ground, he would have understood the way the cookie crumbles. If Lawan truly believed and trusted Femi Otedola like the fox that he is, he would believe anything and later get the shock treatment. Possibly unknown to Lawan, Femi is not a man to monkey with because he is a first class student of the Machiavelli school of Life.

As someone who has followed and chronicled the lifestyle of the rich, famous, and the not-so-famous Africans for some time, I have known and studied Femi Otedola very closely for upwards of 22 years when I first noticed him at one of those gigs of the Afro-Juju rave, Sir Shina Peters. Even if he had little money at that time, he already portrayed the carriage, confidence and grace of a man who could feel and see a bright future ahead. His inner circle of friends knew him as an extremely loyal person if in love with you. But the caveat was always added that stepping on Femi’s toes was as good as touching the tiger by the tail. Femi is an extremist that knows no middle of the road in his dealings with people. For him, the opposite of love is enmity. You could not borrow from him and expect to run away with it because you were friends. He had a clear principle on business and friendship and would never mix the two no matter how close you were.

It is always good to know people’s background for you to decipher how to handle or deal with them. Femi started making his cash as a money-lender. He was so good at it that he became legendary. As fate would have it, he had the heart of a gambler who took many risks, and fortune and fame beckoned at him. In one of his audacious moments, he had asked his dad to enter the gubernatorial race in Lagos state at a time the old man had no chance on earth of becoming Governor. At a stage Femi’s dad expressed exasperation at the burden Femi had placed on him because he had lost the little money he kept for the rainy day on what looked like a total misadventure. To make matters worse, most of Femi’s friends who could have supported the bid practically chickened out because by all accounts and permutations it was mission impossible. Femi would later tell his friends how one man stood out among his peers and supported them with some good money at the time. That man is the one and only Guru of telecoms, the Tsar of oil and gas, and the silent Power House, Dr Michael Adeniyi Agbolade Isola Adenuga.

Miraculously, Femi’s dad, Sir Michael Otedola stole victory from his cantankerous opponents who were at daggers-drawn with themselves and thus recorded a miraculous win. That development, and the contacts Femi later made, would change his life beyond belief. Femi took serious advantage of the opportunity and from there on one thing led to another. Femi seized the one in a lifetime chance, made money and grew himself into an octopus and major player in the Nigerian capital market. His company, Zenon became a near monopoly in a country totally dependent on diesel for most things. He would later acquire substantial shares in African Petroleum Plc. Femi also expanded into Chevron Texaco, Zenon Properties, F.O Transport and Atlas Shipping.

Femi loves to hold the four aces and keeps his joker in the pack. He enjoys the whiff of money and knows how to hit his competitors where it hurts. He would usually ask what’s better than money and try to authenticate the truism that there’s always a price tag on most people if not everyone. This, I believe, must have been the reason he took on the risky power-game of setting up and shooting down one of the brightest hopes of Nigeria, Hon. Farouk Lawan, and he has effortlessly succeeded in denting his image, at least pending the time we get his own side of the deal. The tragedy is not that Hon. Lawan fell like a pack of cards but that he walked into Femi’s sucker punch and got himself knocked out even before the tournament started.

No one would have expected Lawan to waltz himself into such a cheap scandal. The man who sought to arrest the tiger must never close his eyes in the zoo. It remains to be seen how he talked himself into this deadly trap and how Femi managed to hypnotise him to pick such amount of cash, personally, from a man under investigation. This must have been the height of greed and indiscretion. Without jumping to conclusions, Hon. Lawan’s tactical blunder has become a major source of revulsion and depression for those of us who genuinely believed in the crusade to stop the oil Mafia in their barefaced stealing of our commonwealth.

This saga has thus thrown up too many questions begging for answers from both parties. Let’s begin from the House of Representatives. In retrospect, what has ever come out from the cacophony of the committees probing this and that in the National Assembly? Is it not curious that there was so much hype and grandstanding about the Farouk Lawan’s Committee on the fuel subsidy scam while the Magnus Abe Committee in the Senate seemed to have melted into the Abuja Triangle because it probably understood the PDP game better than the loquacious Reps? Could the insinuation in official quarters be true that these committees were feverishly set up for publicity stunts as well as to extort money from both innocent and fraudulent companies and government agencies?

How come Hon. Lawan collected the Otedola dollars since April and we are just hearing about it at this late hour?
At what stage did the bubble burst and the relationship broke down between the giver and the taker of bribes? Where’s the money collected by Lawan and his partner, Hon.Boniface Emenalo, and was it ever sent to the Police or the House leadership as exhibit or evidence? Who originated this unholy deal that has snowballed into one of the biggest scandals ever to rock Nigeria’s National Assembly?
Why is the Nigerian Police more interested in a bribery allegation of $620,000 than the fuel subsidy scam running into over $10billion? How come no one has been detained or investigated by the Police over the can of worms in the Ministry of Petroleum and its subsidiaries? How come the President that pretended not to be affected by the fuel subsidy saga is suddenly issuing statements on the bribery disaster?

Let’s now walk across to the Zenon Chairman and ask some pertinent questions raised by some of the people I spoke to about this ugly situation? Why did Femi entertain Lawan’s bribery overture if indeed he had no case to answer? Why did he not leave the battle to be fought by those who had an issue with the Committee? Why did he have to resort to act as policeman or private detective to expose the Chairman of the Committee if he had no hidden agenda? Could it be that Femi was representing higher interests that want to discredit the probe report and cast aspersions on committee members? Who stands to gain if the Committee’s report is guillotined and the entire effort aimed at unveiling the masquerades milking us dry in the petroleum sector is aborted? Why has the Presidency suddenly taken a keen interest in this dirty peculiar mess (Penkelemesi! a la Adelabu?). What does the Nigerian Law say about a bribe giver, whether in reality or as a melodrama?

My strong view is that our ruling government has resorted to using its security apparatus to hunt, haunt and intimidate anyone who tries to take it on or attempt to install a new order in Nigeria. A party that has been in government and power since 1999, by hook and by crook, will never give up power without fighting with everything at its disposal. What we are witnessing is only a dress rehearsal of what is to come as we move towards 2015. The opposition must expect anything as events continue to unfold.

Unfortunately, Hon Farouk Lawan attempted to rock the boat of his own party without understanding the score. He should have known that nothing irritates the Mafia than an ungrateful godson. There were too many examples to learn from but Hon. Lawan was too naïve for his own good and definitely not for our collective interests.

This can only be a prologue.

Otedola Dismisses House of Reps Action As “Mere Celebration of Corruption” -SAHARA REPORTERS

2012-06-16T03:29:00.004-07:00

Otedola Dismisses House of Reps Action As “Mere Celebration of Corruption” -SAHARA REPORTERS

Femi Otedola

By SaharaReporters, New York

Femi Otedola, who has been embroiled with Representative Farouk Lawan in a bizarre corruption scandal, has hit out at today’s events in the House of Representatives, dismissing its actions as “laughable, a mere celebration of corruption and a further indictment on their honorable member.”

The House today suspended Mr. Farouk Lawan, the chairman of its ad hoc committee which looked into the management of the government’s so-called oil subsidy, over the $620,000 Mr. Lawan collected from him. In collaboration with State Security Services, the transaction was recorded on audio-visual equipment.

But the House today also resolved to reenlist Mr. Otedola's Zenon Oil and Gas Ltd and Synopsis Enterprise Ltd on the list of companies that were corruptly enriched through fraudulent subsidy payments.

In a press statement today, Mr. Otedola said, “I have stated the facts in my interview with Thisday newspaper and nothing but the facts. That Farouk Lawan demanded $3 million from me and because I refused to oblige him he included the name of Zenon amongst those who bought forex without importing petroleum products.

He did this without even asking Zenon to produce single documents of the forex transaction. He clearly wanted to extort money for an offence I did not commit. That is why I went to report to the security agencies. If I had anything to hide I wouldn’t have gone to the agencies. There is an old adage that says “people who live in glass houses should not throw stones”.

He also said he believed that Mr. Lawan did not act alone in the extortion plot, as “a tree does not make a forest.”

The statement said, “If people at my level who have worked hard to build their businesses can be blackmailed this way all in a bid to extort money from them, I pity people that are just starting out in business in this country. In all my business dealings I have always been above board and the records are there to prove.”

[Full text of the press statement]

STATEMENT FROM MR FEMI OTEDOLA FOLLOWING THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DELIBERATIONS ON THE BRIBERY SCANDAL TODAY

I have stated the facts in my interview with Thisday newspaper and nothing but the facts. That Farouk Lawan demanded $3 million from me and because I refused to oblige him he included the name of Zenon amongst those who bought forex without importing petroleum products. He did this without even asking Zenon to produce a single document of the forex transaction. He clearly wanted to extort money for an offence I did not commit. That is why I went to report to the security agencies. If I had anything to hide I wouldn’t have gone to the agencies. There is an old adage that says “people who live in glass houses should not throw stones”.

Moreover it is not possible to purchase $232, 975,385.13 million from CBN without importing the product. The total figure is not even $232, 975,385.13 million as alleged but $372, 207, 990 million. They should go and amend the report to read $372, 207, 990 million which is the correct figure. It is not possible to purchase this volume of forex from the CBN with first class banks such as Access bank, FCMB, GTB, UBA and an international bank BNP Paribas which is one of the biggest and most respected banks in the world.

If people at my level who have worked hard to build their businesses can be blackmailed this way all in a bid to extort money from them, I pity people that are just starting out in business in this country. In all my business dealings I have always been above board and the records are there to prove. As far as I know Lawan could not have been working alone in this extortionist plot. A tree does not make a forest. Let me also state for the records that we are not in any way affiliated to the other company Synopsis enterprises Ltd also included in the report. Actions of today by the house is laughable, a mere celebration of corruption and a further indictment on their honorable member.

More Trouble For Lawan As Police Seize Passport & $10,000 From His Residence -NAIJA PUNDIT

2012-06-16T00:30:00.002-07:00

More Trouble For Lawan As Police Seize Passport & $10,000 From His Residence

Indications emerged yesterday that the police searched the home of Farouk Lawan in a bid to recover the $620, 000, which is at the centre of the controversy between him and Femi Otedola.

A source close to the lawmaker said that the police barred Lawan’s lawyers from witnessing the search of his home, although his wife and children were present during the raid.

Details of what they took away from the lawmaker’s Apo Legislative Quarters were not made public, but it was learnt that his diplomatic passport was seized by the police.

The source said that the police however, accorded respect to the lawmaker throughout his stay with them.

Meanwhile, the search conducted by the police in Lawan Farouk’s house reportedly led the discovery of $10,000, which the police claimed was part of the bribe funds.

But the lawmaker maintained that the money was part of the money he recently came back with from one of his overseas trips.

He maintained that the money was not marked.

It is not known how much was found on the home of Lawan’s former clerk, Mr. Boniface Emenalo.

Sources said the police were shocked at the discovery of a huge amount of dollars in the public officers’ homes. It was learnt that the shocking find informed the police stringent bail conditions handed down to the suspects.

Although the bail conditions were not made known, it was gathered that they were such that the duo could not meet before the close of work yesterday.

To this end, the two suspects are to spend their weekend with the police, who are likely to arraign them in court early next week for the alleged offence.

Fatou Bensouda: First African ICC prosecutor

2012-06-15T22:37:00.000-07:00

Gambia's Fatou Bensouda sworn in as ICC prosecutor

Fatou Bensouda, a former Gambian justice minister, has been sworn in as the International Criminal Court's new chief prosecutor in The Hague.

She is taking over from Argentinian Luis Moreno Ocampo, who is stepping down after nearly a decade in office.

The BBC's Anna Holligan says one of Ms Bensouda's earliest priorities will be bringing Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the late Libyan leader, to justice.

Ms Bensouda will also be overseeing the ICC's first trial of a former head of state, when the Ivory Coast's ex-President Laurent Gbagbo appears in court.

Liberia's former leader, Charles Taylor, was tried by a UN-backed court trying those responsible for the atrocities during Sierra Leone's civil war.

'Calm and sensitive'

At the swearing-in ceremony in The Hague, Ms Bensouda praised the work conducted by her predecessor and promised to make the victims of crime her priority.

"As I begin my tenure, moving forward in consolidating current practices, the office will continue to forge ahead with its investigations and prosecutions," she said.

"It will, in particular, also continue to look for innovative methods for the collection of evidence to bring further gender crimes and crimes against children to the court, to ensure effective prosecutions of these crimes while respecting and protecting the victims."

Ms Bensouda has spent the past eight years serving as Mr Moreno-Ocampo's deputy.

Our correspondent says that although Ms Bensouda is not new to The Hague, her appointment comes at a time when international justice is increasingly in the spotlight.

She is also taking over during a tense time at the ICC - with four members of staff currently being held in detention in Libya.

Our correspondent says Ms Bensouda has a reputation for controlled calm and sensitivity, which may well have helped her win the job.

The fact that all the suspects wanted or currently on trial at the ICC are African has come in for criticism, with the prosecutor's office often accused of unfairly targeting the continent.

It is hoped that because Ms Bensouda is herself an African lawyer, this could help to silence those critics, our reporter says.

In March, Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga received the first verdict reached by the court since it was set up 10 years ago.

The prosecution team have asked for a 30-year sentence after he was convicted of recruiting and using child soldiers between 2002 and 2003 in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Jonathan: I’m committed to c’ttee report (Subsidy probe scandal)

2012-06-15T22:11:00.001-07:00

Written by Abdul-Rahman Abubakar Friday -DAILY TRUST

Jonathan: I’m committed to c’ttee report . Investigators quiz, detain Farouk . House begins fresh probe of Otedola

President Goodluck Jonathan said he remains committed to implementing the House of Representatives report on fuel subsidy scam in spite of the bribery scandal that has plagued the exercise.

A statement yesterday by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, said the bribery scandal involving the chairman of Zenon Oil and Gas, Femi Otedola and the chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on fuel subsidy regime between 2009 and 2011, Rep Farouk Lawan, will not deter him from prosecuting those indicted by the report.

On Tuesday, the police quized Otedola over his revelation that he paid Rep Farouk Lawan the sum of $620, 000 as bribe in a sting operation.

Farouk had earlier denied collecting any money from Otedola but later admitted that he took the money and briefed the police and the House on Otedola’s alleged desperate bid to influence the committee’s report. As at press time yesterday, Rep Faruok was being quizzed by the police at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The statement from the presidency read: “Recent developments notwithstanding, President Jonathan’s directive to the Attorney-General of the Federation on the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, as adopted by the House of Representatives, subsists and he fully expects that all those indicted in the report will be duly investigated and prosecuted if a prima facie case is established against them.”

The report which has been submitted to the Presidency ordered the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) , the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and some oil companies to refund to government’s treasury the sum of over 1tr naira as moneys illegally diverted in the subsidy regime under question.

NNPC was asked to refund the sum of N705 billion to the federation account within 90 days, being monies illegally deducted in the name of subsidy. On its part the PPPRA was asked to refund N312.2 billion which it paid itself between 2009 and 2010.

Oil marketers who drew funding without importation were asked to refund N8.7 billion while companies that refused to appear before the probe committee are to pay N41.9 billion.

The report also demanded the prosecution of the NNPC board headed by Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and the defunct PPPRA board led by former PDP chairman Ahmadu Ali over their roles in managing fuel subsidy funds.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke said recently that he would forward the report to the EFCC to do a thorough investigation to ensure that all loose ends are covered for proper prosecution.

In his statement yesterday, the presidential spokesman also described as baseless reports suggesting that the presidency is employing sneaking plots to rope in the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the bribe scandal with a view to getting him impeached.

Abati said neither President Goodluck Jonathan nor anyone acting on his request or order has anything to do with the scandal that has engulfed the House ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy and any attempt to drag the Presidency into the matter is entirely speculative.

The statement said: “The mischievous insinuation in today’s (Thursday, 14 June 2012) editions of the newspapers that the entire affair, in which the two key players have publicly confessed their roles, is part of a plot by President Goodluck Jonathan and the executive arm of government to unseat the leadership of the House of Representatives, is totally false and baseless.

“For the benefit of unwary members of the public who may be deceived by the political innuendoes now being woven into the subsidy probe bribe affair, President Jonathan wishes to affirm that he has absolutely no reason or desire to meddle in the affairs of the House of Representatives and its leadership.

“Neither the President nor anyone acting on his request or order has anything to do with the scandal that has sadly engulfed the House ad-hoc committee on fuel subsidy. The attempt to drag the Presidency into the matter is entirely speculative and without factual foundation.

“Against the background of its avowed commitment to the effective prosecution of the war against corruption in Nigeria, the Presidency notes with satisfaction, that given the seriousness of the scandal, the House of Representatives has already recalled its members from recess for a special session to deliberate on it tomorrow (today).

“The Presidency therefore urges the media to allow members of the House and law enforcement agencies to conduct and conclude investigations without further unhelpful distractions.”

Egyptians to vote in presidential election run-off -BBC

2012-06-15T22:06:00.003-07:00

Mohammed Mursi, head of the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party, is up against Ahmed Shafiq, Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister.

The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has promised to hand over power to the winner by 1 July at the latest.

But the build-up to the election has been marred by a Supreme Constitutional Court decision to dissolve parliament.

On Thursday, a panel of judges - appointed by Mr Mubarak - ruled that the law governing Egypt's first democratic elections in more than six decades was unconstitutional because party members were allowed to contest seats reserved for independents.

The Freedom and Justice Party won about 100 of its 235 seats in the People's Assembly by running candidates for individual seats.

If parliament is dissolved swiftly by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf), whoever wins this weekend's presidential run-off could take office without the oversight of a sitting parliament, and without a permanent constitution to define his powers or duties.

A 100-member assembly appointed by parliament earlier this week to draft the new constitution may also be dissolved.

Islamist, liberals and scholars denounced the ruling as a "coup", saying they feared the ruling generals would take back legislative power.

"This series of measures shows that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, the head of the counter-revolution, is adamant to bring back the old regime and the presidential elections are merely a show," six parties and movements said in a joint statement that also urged Mr Mursi to boycott the run-off.

'Return stability'

The Supreme Constitutional Court also found a law blocking senior Mubarak-era officials from the presidency - which would have ruled out Mr Shafiq's candidacy - was unconstitutional. The law was passed by parliament before the presidential election's first round.

On Friday, the Muslim Brotherhood vowed to win the presidency despite the signs of opposition within the judiciary, which is overseeing the vote.

"Isolate the representative of the former regime through the ballot box," said a statement referring to Mr Shafiq, who also served as head of the air force and minister of aviation under Mr Mubarak.

The Brotherhood warned that the progress made since the president was forced to step down was being "wiped out and overturned".

Egypt was facing a situation that was "even more dangerous than that in the final days of Mubarak's rule," the group added.

Mr Mursi meanwhile sought to reassure the military and its supporters within the electorate that he would work closely with the generals.

"As president, they will be in my heart and will get my attention... they will never do anything to harm the nation," he said.

On Thursday, Mr Mursi warned there would be a "huge revolution against the criminals" if there was any evidence of electoral fraud.

His opponent meanwhile told a rally that the court rulings were "historic" and that the "era of political score-settling" had ended.

On Friday, Mr Shafiq promised to "address chaos and return stability"

He came second in last month's first round, in which turnout among the 52 million eligible voters was only 46%. Official results gave Mr Mursi 24.8% and Mr Shafiq 23.7%.

Polling stations are due to open on Saturday and Sunday at 08:00 (06:00 GMT) and close at 19:00 (17:00 GMT), but voting is likely to be extended on both days.

Final results from the Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC) are due by 21 June, but are expected to arrive much earlier.

Partial results from the first round were declared within 24 hours.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called for the Scaf to transfer power fully to a democratically elected civilian administration as soon as possible following the announcement of the final result of the election.

"There can be no going back on the democratic transition called for by the Egyptian people," she told reporters in Washington.

Celebrating June 16: Remembering Soweto Uprising

2012-06-15T08:49:00.003-07:00

Culled from Wikipedia

June 16, 1976 came as usual as other days, but made a historical landmark in the African struggle against apartheid in South Africa; an uprising that was a fall out of students’ response to the introduction of Afrikaans as medium of instruction in the local schools, a struggle that claimed not fewer than 176 high school students of Sowetan schools.

Black high school students in Soweto protested against the Afrikaans Medium Decree of 1974 forcing English and Afrikaans in a 50-50 mix as languages of instruction, with Afrikaan to be used in the studies of used for mathematics, arithmetic, and social studies from standard five (7th grade), while English would be the medium of instruction for general science and practical subjects (homecraft, needlework, woodwork, metalwork, art, agricultural science), and indigenous languages would only be used for religion instruction, music, and physical culture.

The association of Afrikaans with apartheid prompted black South Africans to prefer English. Even the homelands regimes chose English and an indigenous African language as official languages. In addition, English was gaining prominence as the language most often used in commerce and industry. The 1974 decree was intended to forcibly reverse the decline of Afrikaans among black Africans. The Afrikaner-dominated government used the clause of the 1909 Constitution that recognized only English and Afrikaans as official languages as pretext to do so. While all schools had to provide instruction in both Afrikaans and English as languages, white students learned other subjects in their home language.

The decree was resented deeply by blacks as Afrikaans was widely viewed, in the words of Desmond Tutu, then Dean of Johannesburg as "the language of the oppressor". Teacher organizations such as the African Teachers Association of South Africa objected to the decree. A change in language of instruction forced the students to focus on understanding the language and not the subject material. This made critical analysis of the content difficult and discouraged critical thinking.

The resentment grew until April 30, 1976, when children at Orlando West Junior School in Soweto went on strike, refusing to go to school. Their rebellion then spread to many other schools in Soweto. A student from Morris Isaacson High School, Teboho 'Tsietsi' Mashinini, proposed a meeting on June 13, 1976, to discuss what should be done. Students formed an Action Committee (later known as the Soweto Students’ Representative Council) that organized a mass rally for June 16 to make themselves heard.

In a BBC/SABC documentary broadcast for the first time in June 2006, surviving leaders of the uprising described how they planned in secret for the demonstration, surprising their teachers and families (and the apartheid police) with the power and strength of the demonstration.

On the morning of June 16, 1976, thousands of black students walked from their schools to The protest was intended to be peaceful and had been carefully planned by the Soweto Students’ Representative Council’s (SSRC) Action Committee with support from the wider Black Consciousness Movement. Teachers in Soweto also supported the march after the Action Committee emphasized good discipline and peaceful action.

Tsietsi Mashinini led students from Morris Isaacson High School to join up with others who walked from Naledi High School. The students began the march only to find out that police had barricaded the road along their intended route. The leader of the action committee asked the crowd not to provoke the police and the march continued on another route, eventually ending up near Orlando High School. The crowd of between 3,000 and 10,000 students made their way towards the area of the school. Students sang and waved placards with slogans such as, "Down with Afrikaans", "Viva Azania" and "If we must do Afrikaans, Vorster must do Zulu”.

The police loosed their dogs on the children, who responded by stoning the dogs to death. The police then began to shoot directly at the children. One of the first students to be shot dead was 13-year-old, Hector Pieterson. He was shot at Orlando West High School and became the symbol of the Soweto uprising. The police attacks on the demonstrators continued and 23 people, including two white people, died on the first day in Soweto. Among them was Dr Melville Edelstein, who had devoted his life to social welfare among blacks. He was stoned to death by the mob and left with a sign around his neck proclaiming 'Beware Afrikaaners'.

The violence escalated as the students came under attack; bottle stores, and beer halls - seen as outposts of the apartheid government - were targeted as were the official outposts of the state. The violence abated by nightfall. Police vans and armoured vehicles patrolled the streets throughout the night. Emergency clinics were swamped with injured and bloody children. The police requested that the hospital provide a list of all victims with bullet wounds. The hospital administrator passed this request to the doctors, but the doctors refused to create the list. Doctors recorded bullet wounds as abscesses.

The 1,500 heavily armed police officers deployed to Soweto on June 17 carried weapons including automatic rifles, stun guns, and carbines. They drove around in armoured vehicles with helicopters monitoring the area from the sky. The South African Army was also ordered on standby as a tactical measure to show military force. Crowd control methods used by South African police at the time included mainly dispersement techniques, accounting for about 200 to 600 causalities.

The aftermath of the uprising established the leading role of the ANC in the liberation struggle, as it was the body best able to channel and organize students seeking the overthrow of apartheid. So, although the BCM's ideas had been important in creating the climate that gave the students the confidence to strike out, it was the ANC's non-racialism which came to dominate the discourse of liberation amongst blacks.

The Soweto Uprising was a turning point in the liberation struggle in South Africa. Prior to this event, the liberation struggle was being fought outside of South Africa, mostly in Rhodesia (later Zimbabwe), South West Africa (later Namibia) and Angola. But from this moment onwards, the struggle became internal and the government security forces were split between external operations and internal operations.

For the state the uprising marked the most fundamental challenge yet to apartheid and the economic (see below) and political instability it caused was heightened by the strengthening international boycott. It was a further 14 years before Mandela was released, but at no point was the state able to restore the relative peace and social stability of the early 1970s as black resistance grew.

Many white South African citizens were outraged at the government's actions in Soweto, and about 300 white students from the University of the Witwatersrand marched through Johannesburg's city centre in protest of the killing of children. Black workers went on strike as well and joined them as the campaign progressed. Riots also broke out in the black townships of other cities in South Africa.

Student organizations directed the energy and anger of the youth toward political resistance. Students in Thembisa organized a successful and non-violent solidarity march, but a similar protest held in Kagiso led to police stopping a group of participants and forcing them to retreat, before killing at least five people while waiting for reinforcements. The violence only died down on June 18. The University of Zululand's records and administration buildings were set ablaze, and 33 people died in incidents in Port Elizabeth in August. In Cape Town 92 people died between August and September. Most of the bloodshed had abated by the close of 1976, but by that time the death toll stood at more than 600. The continued clashes in Soweto caused economic instability. The South African rand devalued fast and the government was plunged into a crisis.

The African National Congress printed and distributed leaflets with the slogan "Free Mandela, Hang Vorster", immediately linking the language issue to its revolutionary heritage and programme and helping establish its leading role (see Barush Hirson's "Year of Fire, Year of Ash" for a discussion of the ANC's ability to channel and direct the popular anger).

The United Nations Security Council passed Resolution 392 strongly condemned the incident and the apartheid regime. Henry Kissinger, United States United States Secretary of State at the time, was about to visit South Africa at the time of the riot, and said that the uprisings cast a negative light on the entire country. African National Congress (ANC) exiles called for international action and more economic sanctions against South Africa.

$3million bribery: Farouk Lawan request removal of Otedola's company from fuel subsidy report.

2012-06-15T02:15:00.002-07:00

Subsidy report fallout: The scandal vs. the issues -DAILY TRUST

2012-06-14T14:51:00.002-07:00

Written by Hajiya Bilkisu (mni) Thursday, 14 June 2012

We spent last week mourning the loss of our citizens in the Dana air crash. Before we recovered came the bad news of alleged bribery involving the Ad Hoc House Committee set up to probe the fuel subsidy scandal.

The media was awash with accusations and counter accusations between the Chairman of the Ad hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on Petroleum Subsidy, Honourable Farouk Lawan and the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum, Mr Femi Otedola over allegations of bribery involving the sum of $620,000. Many of us did not believe it but when Otedola said there was a video recording of the incident, we developed goose pimples. We agonised over what the allegation would do to Hon Farouk Lawan, a reliable ally for just causes and to his panel’s report, our ammunition for demanding action to tackle high level corruption. The allegations generated concern among civil society groups but did not dampen our enthusiasm for demanding an end to corruption and impunity. If anything, members decided to stand up for full implementation of the Subsidy Report. The bribery scandal is an issue for the House to investigate and hand over to the law enforcement agencies but should not detract from the issues of mind bungling corruption perpetrated by the cabal in the oil sector.

We decided to revisit the Charter of Demands developed by our group of concerned Nigerians, under N-Katalyst, a non partisan network of individuals with a deep commitment to the promotion of Nigerian unity and progressive change. The group organized a National Symposium in Abuja on 30 April, 2012, to address the issues thrown up by the House Ad-hoc Committee Report. The outcome was a document titled: Mega Corruption In The Fuel Subsidy Regime: Charter of Demands. We recalled that the removal of subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government of Nigeria on the January 1 2012 was ill timed. We viewed it as an anti-people policy and a desperate move by the Federal Government to punish hapless Nigerians for the corruption that the Government itself organizes in the oil sector. This led to massive protests across the major cities of Nigeria in strong disapproval of the decision to remove the subsidy.

As a result of the protests, the House of Representatives in an emergency session on the 8th of January 2012 set up an Ad-Hoc Committee to verify and determine the actual subsidy requirements in Nigeria. The Report of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Fuel Subsidy disclosed that there is monumental and unprecedented level of fraud in the subsidy regime. We developed a charter of demand that government must implement to save this country from the strangle hold of looters. Our stand has been underscored by the Nigeria Labour Congress on behalf of the workers who sweat and toil to create wealth. NLC stressed that the final report of the Committee ‘still contains names and details enough for thorough and transparent investigation. The report, which has been submitted to the executive arm, must be subjected to proper investigation and prosecution of all those indicted’. Space constraints make it impossible to carry the full N-Katalyst Charter of Demands, but the following are highlighted

- Ending Impunity for the Fuel Subsidy Cabal

Public corruption has run out of control. We are recent witnesses to the police pension scam and the unbelievable spectacle in the House of Representatives on the power probe where it was discovered that over $16bn was spent to provide electric power without commensurate results.

We are looking at a pattern of organized looting of our national resources emanating from the Executive Branch. It continues because Nigerians do not stand up to fight and hold their leaders accountable for their actions. It will not be enough to insist that the culprits be prosecuted and punished. We must begin this fight by demanding the following:

-Getting the Judiciary to do its Work

The spectacular failure of recent high profile criminal prosecutions relating to corruption dramatizes the collapse of the system of public prosecution in Nigeria. Public prosecution rests on a tripod - the detection and investigation of crime, the prosecution of offenders and the conviction and punishment. All levels are in crisis due to the appointment of successive Attorney Generals who see themselves as the President’s poodle rather than an independent and impartial officer of the State determined to advance the cause of justice. There is no political will at the very highest echelons of authority to fight corruption in the country.

- Restructuring of the Petroleum Sector

The structural conditions which allowed for the monumental fraud is that NNPC remains as the regulator, main producer and marketer of petroleum and its products, both upstream and downstream. It is a clear conflict of interest that allowed the organization to become a behemoth with no respect for laws and processes. There is a need for deregulation so as to stop NNPC from regulating the downstream sector.). We demand as follows: A Judicial Commission of Inquiry should be established into the operations of the Petroleum Ministry and NNPC.

-The management and the board of NNPC should be overhauled and those involved in any infractions should be investigated and prosecuted. The company should be unbundled to make it more transparent and efficient.

-NNPC through local refining, swap arrangements and offshore processing should be able to provide enough fuel for Nigeria. Therefore the government has no reason to grant subsidy import licenses to other companies.

- The chairman and board members of PPPRA between 2009 and 2011 should be investigated for complicity or gross negligence. The executive secretaries of the PPPRA during that period should be investigated and prosecuted by anti-corruption agencies. PPPRA should conduct a full performance assessment on all companies who import fuel into Nigeria.

- The passage, within a maximum of three months, of the original, undiluted Petroleum Industry Bill.

-On Providing Fuel at Reasonable Prices

N-Katalyst accepts the Committee’s estimate that the probable daily consumption of Petrol from the record of marketers and NNPC comes to an average of 31.5 million litres. It, therefore, proposes the continuation of subsidy for Petrol and Kerosene and suggests a budget of N806.766 billion for the 2012 fiscal year. The Committee asserted that the 445,000 bpd allocation to NNPC is sufficient to provide the Nation with its needs in petrol and kerosene, with proper management and efficiency.

- Kerosene subsidy should resume as a means of helping the poor and aiding the struggle against deforestation in the search for fuel wood.

-Government must, as a matter of urgency, privatize all its refineries because the refineries have become mere cash cows for NNPC bureaucrats

On Citizen Engagement

N-Katalyst is aware that Government will not act if citizens do not mount sufficient pressure. We Nigerians must act more as citizens and not subjects. The country belongs to us all and we can no longer leave the political space for politicians, bureaucrats, common thieves and crooks. The fight against corruption must be comprehensive and all encompassing; all sections of the society must stand up and fight until we bring this monster under control. N-Katalyst commits to working with other civil society groups to ensure that these demands are met. The bribery allegation should not be used to divert attention from the implementation of the report of the Committee. By the Subsidy Report we stand!

Jonathan won’t stay more than eight years –Aide. PUNCH

2012-06-14T00:22:00.002-07:00

The Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Mr. Ahmed Gulak, has said the President won’t stay more than eight years in office.

Gulak said this on Wednesday during a courtesy call on him by the North Central Women Forum led by a former member of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Amina Aliyu.

Gulak also promised to implement the 35 percent affirmative action for women in board appointments.

He said, “Please take the gospel of peace and tolerance irrespective of your religion and ethnicity to them because this country belongs to all of us and God has given us President Goodluck Jonathan. Goodluck Jonathan is the President today but he is not going to stay more than eight years. Nigeria belongs to all of us and not for one person.

“Without the women our democracy will not be complete. I have seen it all during the campaign and Mr. president appreciates the role of women in our democracy and the role the women played in installing this administration. That is the reason the President gave more than 35 per cent in his appointment.”

Gulak added, “I will also urge you the women in the North Central that peace is what we need in this country. We are happy and glad that the North Central is relatively peaceful than the North East. This government relies on women because the young people and children who are used by the mischief makers are your children.

“All of us must say enough is enough for these mischief makers. The history of this country cannot be written without mentioning the role of women who played important roles during the pre-colonial era, including the Aba Women riot (of 1929) which gingered the independence of this country.

PDP power brokers move against Tambuwal -PUNCH

2012-06-14T00:09:00.002-07:00

Facts emerged in Abuja on Wednesday that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party was instrumental to the exposure of the $620,000 bribery scandal currently rocking the House of Representatives.

Investigations by our correspondents showed that the party was aware of the bribe from the initial stage and agreed to the deal.

It was gathered that the PDP was targeting the Speaker of the House, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, for removal because of the belief that he was too “independent for the party leaders.”

Sources within the top echelon of the party informed our correspondent that members of the committee probing the fuel subsidy payment met with the party’s leadership and they agreed that the investigators should soft pedal on those they said were financers of the party, who also benefited from the subsidy payment regime.

The committee members, led by their chairman, Mr. Farouk Lawan, were said to have been persuaded not to indict these influential members in their report.

Before arriving at this, it was learnt that the leadership of the party had asked the committee to suspend its sitting or stop the probe entirely.

But when it was apparent that the committee members would not allow that because of the pressure from the public and the leadership of the House, the two parties were said to have agreed that the major oil marketers would not be indicted.

A top member of the party said, “We agreed that the money be given to them for logistics as they claimed. We agreed that the committee members should not be hard on the major marketers in their report.

“This is because the party produced these members of the committee. Without our slot, will they be able to be at the National Assembly?

“There is no way that a ruling party will not have a say in the running of the House, especially when its leaders are members of the party.”

The source added that the party was astonished when the report of the committee was released and almost everyone was indicted.

This, the source said, was contrary to the agreement the party had with the committee members, led by Lawan.

He said they recorded the transaction because the party’s leadership suspected that the committee members could renege on their promise.

The source said if the committee members had agreed to the deal, it was possible the deal would not had been made public “now.”

Asked why Lawan was not arrested by security agents at the point of collecting the money, he said there might not be any prove to show that the money paid Lawan actually came from the security agencies.

He said the party’s leadership and the Presidency were further angered when Tambuwal, at the first anniversary of the President Jonathan administration at the Presidential Villa, accused the President of not signing bills presented to him by the National Assembly.

According to our source, exposing the bribe would attract public ridicule for the entire leadership of the House.

“We expect the public to call for the resignation of the Speaker and the entire leadership,” the source added.

Meanwhile, legal practitioners, under the aegis of Public Interest Lawyers League, have demanded the resignation of the Speaker of Tabuwal.

They also demanded the questioning of oil magnate, Mr. Femi Otedola, to determine his level of complicity in the saga.

President of the group, Mr. Abdul Mahmud, said this at a press conference in Abuja, on Wednesday.

However, another group, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, has raised the alarm over a plot to use the fuel subsidy bribery scandal to remove Tambuwal.

A statement by CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa in Abuja, on Wednesday alleged that the executive and some oil thieves were involved in the plot.

It said the two had never been comfortable with Tambuwal’s style of leadership.

In a related development, elder statesman and former Federal Information Minister, Chief Edwin Clark, on Wednesday called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Lawan and Mr. Femi Otedola over their involvement in the $3m scam.

The Ijaw leader also called for a total overhaul of the way the Federal House of Assembly is currently run, saying the activities of the house had become a shame to the nation.

Clark, who spoke in his Kiagbodo home, Burutu Local Government, Delta State, maintained that the two chambers of the National Assembly, by their actions, had shown that they could not be trusted to make laws for the good governance of the country.

LAGBAJA

2012-06-13T21:15:00.003-07:00

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar educates El-Rufai and co: “Poverty is not the cause of Boko Haram" -LIBERTY REPORT

2012-06-13T20:42:00.004-07:00

Contrary to the position been peddled by Nasiru El-Rufai that poverty is responsible for the menace of Boko Haram, a prominent northerner and former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has stated that the current security challenges in some parts of the country is not caused by poverty but by misguided youths.

He made this known while answering questions from journalists who were at his country home in Minna, the Niger state capital for prayers to mark his 70th birthday,

The retired general noted that contrary to some insinuations, the security challenge in northern Nigeria is not because of poverty, noting that there are poorer countries than Nigeria that are not facing similar challenges.

He labelled members of the fundamentalist sect, Boko Haram, as ‘misguided youths’. He however appealed to the sect to sheathe their sword and give peace a chance.

The General also cautioned politicians across the country to stop talking about the 2015 general elections, because it can heat the polity.

The last military Head of State noted that talking or strategising about the 2015 election now, will only serve as a distraction to the incumbent leadership in the country, who still have three more years before the next elections.

He appealed to politicians to avoid politics of bitterness and join hands with the present administration, noting that “democracy in Nigeria is not perfect yet but a work in progress.”

To mark his 70^th birthday anniversary, General Abubakar stated that he’s got no regrets whatsoever in his existence.

“I have no regrets but I thank God. By the grace of God, God has lifted me to the highest level anybody can attain and I thank God. I am 70 years old, I am married with grandchildren and I am proud of them and my family. I thank all of them but I don’t have any regrets”, he said.

Source: Channel TV

ATMs to operate without a card -BBC Business News

2012-06-13T06:44:00.003-07:00

New technology to enable people to withdraw money from cash machines using their smartphone has been unveiled.

Customers who use the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) or NatWest mobile banking app can now request cash, up to £100, via their smartphone.

They are given a six-digit code to enter into an ATM to release the cash.

A similar system has been developed by cash machine operator NCR. This requires users to scan a barcode to withdraw the money.

The services are the latest developments in a long-predicted move towards the smartphone becoming a digital wallet.

'Simple and secure'

RBS said that its new system would help customers who had forgotten their bank cards, or who wished to send cash to family members in a hurry.

It would also allow the people to leave their wallets at home in favour of taking a mobile phone, it suggested.

"It is a really simple and secure way to help our customers get cash whenever and wherever they need it," said Ben Green, head of mobile at RBS and NatWest.

The service is available to customers who have downloaded the bank's free app and use the 8,000 RBS, NatWest or Tesco branded ATMs in the UK. Some 2.6 million people have installed it on their smartphone so far, the bank said.

At present, customers using a card can withdraw up to £300. Initially the limit on the cardless withdrawal will be £100.

Hidden code

Access to the app requires a password, and the withdrawal code will be hidden until the user taps the screen. This is aimed at preventing thieves from looking over the user's shoulder to steal the code.

The system is an extension of a RBS service that allowed people whose card had been stolen to access emergency cash from an ATM.

The bank is also unveiling a system which allows customers to make charity donations at its ATMs.

In a separate development, NCR has announced that it has developed software that allows people to scan a barcode on their smartphone at an ATM to release an amount entered in their smartphone.

It is looking for banks and building societies to adopt the software.

SEC Gives Reason for Oteh’s Suspension - THISDAY

2012-06-13T06:24:00.003-07:00

Goddy Egene

The board of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Tuesday provided clarification for its decision to send the Director General of the commission, Ms. Arunma Oteh, on compulsory leave, stating that it was necessary to enable the board to investigate allegations that she mismanaged funds for Project 50.

Project 50 is a year-long programme organised by SEC to celebrate 50 years of capital market regulation in Nigeria.
Reacting to her suspension, stockbrokers and other capital market operators welcomed the board’s decision, adding that they were not surprised given the weight of the allegations that emerged during the probe of the capital market by an ad hoc committee of the House of Representatives.

Her removal, however, had no impact on equities trading at the stock exchange, as the NSE All-Share Index closed slightly higher by over a quarter per cent.

THISDAY yesterday had exclusively reported the board’s decision to send her on compulsory leave, a report that was later confirmed in a statement by the SEC Secretary, Mr. Edosa Aigbekaen.

“The decision of the board (taken at its 66th meeting on Monday) was arrived at after consideration of the report of its Audit and Finance Committee which had been directed to investigate the sources and uses of funds for the Project 50 event.

“Amongst its conclusions, the committee recommended an independent audit of Project 50 and that the key actors in the management of the funds should be asked to step aside to allow an unhindered investigation,” SEC said in the statement.
The SEC board named the Executive Commissioner, Operations, Ms. Daisy Ekineh, as an interim replacement for Oteh.

Apart from asking Oteh to step aside, the SEC board also considered issues regarding the council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and particularly the request by the interim president of the council, Mr. Bulama Manu, that having stabilised the exchange, they should be allowed to begin the process of disengagement.

After due consideration, the board approved this request and directed that it should be effected in an orderly manner.
The board also directed the council to take steps to ensure that all legal issues affecting its effective functioning are addressed, while it should work out the modalities for council members’ disengagement.

Some stockbrokers, in welcoming the board’s action, said they had expected it a long time ago given what had transpired during the public hearing by the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee investigating the near collapse of the capital market in April and last month.

The President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Mike Itegboje, said: “It was expected when you consider the events in the past several months. We just hope that the investigation (by SEC) will make things better and not worse.

“The market is still bleeding and nothing has been done to stop it. Nothing has been done to remove non-members SEC injected into the NSE council illegally.”

Another senior stockbroker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that it was the normal thing to do by asking an incumbent chief executive to step aside if there are allegations that are being investigated.

According to him, some of the allegations and counter-allegations were quite weighty and they should be investigated thoroughly.
“If you look at the bribery allegations during the public hearing and the issue of funds mismanagement under Project 50, you will know that they are serious matters,” he said.

During the public hearing, Oteh had told the committee that SEC did not receive donations from quoted companies for the funding of Project 50.

At the end of trading at the stock market, the NSE All-Share Index rose by 0.27 per cent yesterday, lower than the increase of 1.3 per cent recorded the previous day.

A broker said Oteh’s removal might not have a direct impact on trading at the stock market since she was not known to have had a particular policy direction for the market.

Dialectical Analysis of Semiu Ayobami Akanmu: MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF...

2012-04-24T10:36:00.001-07:00

Dialectical Analysis of Semiu Ayobami Akanmu: MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF...: MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF AMILCAR CABRAL'S EXPROPRIATION OF THE BOURGEOISIE: Amilcar Cabral; a Guinea Bissau Na...

semiu.akanmu@facebook.com

MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF AMILCAR CABRAL'S EXPROPRIATION OF THE BOURGEOISIE:

2012-04-24T10:33:00.002-07:00

MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF AMILCAR CABRAL'S EXPROPRIATION OF THE BOURGEOISIE:

Amilcar Cabral; a Guinea Bissau Nationalist and Political activist in one his political thoughts and teachings rationalized the expropriation of the ruling oligarchists and political class. By his explanations, he asserted tht since the oppressed are financiallly disadvantaged, they cld strategically source for funds frm the oppressors' class wth a primary aim of arming themselves and finally raise against the ruling cabal to off-seat them. This theory is consciously or unconsciously guiding the actn of Jama'at Ta'awunil Muslims (JTM), alleged of being used as security by the governor of Osun state; Rauf Aregbesola as regards her romance of wth politicians and political office holders. I have been on this for a while now and I will continuously be putting my feelings across and to position whom I am and wht I stand for:

Just as I share some stands wth the organisation as regards some injustice and perceived injustice against the Muslims by the Govt of the day, I equally want to condemn the obsession of the grp bcos it consequence will nt be pleasant for Muslims generally to experience.

The recent ugly reports plaguing the pages of the newspapers was undoubtedly sponsored by Iyiola Omisore / Oyinlola; who were one time heavy donors, and generous givers at different events of the org.

"Omisore’s accusation against Ta’awun is unfounded, as reflected in the National Mirror of Monday, 23rd April, 2012, pages 1 and 2. He is a bastard of the state that has never ruled let alone he would have any administrative skill. A prisoner has nothing to tell than gangster fumbling. We remain a religious organization. We have never registered or demonstrated as a security outfit. How can we provide security for the governor? Omisore, have you forgotten that you attended our programme in 2008, where you donated a million naira to our charity department for orphans and widows. If we were “thugs” you call us now, you have sponsored “thuggery”, which we are not. God forbid" -The Secretary, Jamaatu Taawunil Muslimeen, Medial Office, Iwo, Osun St, Nig. 08065953463.

If the organisation had once collected money frm a "prisoner", then wht moral ground does she have now to challenge the status quo.

This is just one out of many of the benefits gained by JTM frm the then govt of PDP, in the state.

Even, if this action of expropriation is accepted by political grps especially masses-based revolutionary fronts, it is a mess, compromise and sycophancy of its highest order for such subscription by the so-called religious grp.

In conclusion, my inconvenience mainly lies in the assumption that if Iyiola Omisore and Olagunsoye Oyinlola are muslims and perceived conscious as Rauf Aregbesola, then wldn't have been possibility of internal fracas among the Muslims' fold going by this religiously-sentimental political campaign?

BOKO HARAM MILITANCY AND SOLUTIONS -SHEHU SANNI

2012-01-31T04:18:00.000-08:00

BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY: THE ACTORS AND THE ACTIONS

2012-01-29T05:33:00.000-08:00

Introduction

Civil unrest, political and social crisis have characterized the happenings of the majority of the geographical surface of Mama Africa; a consequential effect either from dictatorial leadership has experienced in Libya and Egypt, to tribal-religious war in Sudan which eventually led to the emergence of the south Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia are equally under internal siege of tribal uproar, the northern Africa is immensely facing the challenges of dread and violent groups who are reactionary upsurges to the world conspiracy; at least As-Shabab of Somalia is a reference point as far as this is concerned. Then the pan-Africanists should ask the question; Why, Africa Why?

The wind of this socio-political instability is equally blowing in the Gulf area and the Arabian Peninsula seeing countries like Bahrain, Syria, Yemen boiling vehemently, albeit due to diverse reasons that have been seen as preference to National security and peaceful coexistence; these are regions where death toll have become untraceable, hence un-recordable (UN Report of 27/01/2012 on Syria Uprising). Then, the assertion that the only impossibility is World Peace may be realistic. Nigeria; the country blessed with human capital and natural resources, the most populous in Africa, and second largest in Africa is not spared of this re-occurring, contagious and devastating situation where bomb blasts, maiming, gruesome killing have been induced to the nation’s polity; a scenario that was developed by a cumulative effect of many actions from many actors; each playing their dependent / independent role, but however complementary.

Boko Haram; A historical background

Immediately after September 11, 2001 attack on World trade centre and Pentagon, alleged to be orchestrated by Bin Laden with the mercenary of Al-Qaeda (the writer holds contrary opinion to this), there came sympathetic feelings with an unflinching solidarity support from the Muslims world with the impression and belief that
the fight against the hegemony of the United States is justifiable ranging from her moral support to Israel against Palestinians, the killing in Pakistan, Bosnia, Kashmir and Chechnya; countries whose peace are murdered for reasons best known to the International community led by the United Nation Security Council. Nigeria was not left out in the midst of these solidarity protests by Muslims organisations; coincidentally resulted in new phase in the ideological and operational development of some of the existing organisations and even catalyzed the emergence of some others. Boko Haram might have fallen in any of these categories; nevertheless, the historical record revealed that their dread actions became noticeable in 2002, then during Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime. The group was the original name of Jama’at Ahlus-Sunaah li’l Dawa’t wal Jihad; unleashing terror in states like Yobe and Borno by burning Police Stations, public and private properties, killing security personnel; an uproar that was swiftly and proactively attended to by the then administration, and succeeded in temporarily keeping the organisation mute. But the ideological nature whether genuinely pursued or otherwise allows the re-building of the movement which came back on board during the late Yaradu’s regime, more fierce and deadly. The metamorphosis has now enrolled Jama’at Ahlus-Sunaah li’l Dawa’t wal Jihad in the world’s record of terrorist organisations following the suite of her aliens like Taliban, Al-Qaeda, and as-Shabab.

The name ‘Boko Haram’ was not original with the group but mainly linked to the ideology of late Mallam Yussuf. This was evident in the series of interviews granted to North-based Islamic scholars who categorically said that they engaged late Yussuf in series of debate to fault his heretical belief that the so-called Western education is forbidden. Most pathetically, this group has murdered our national peace has a nation, threatened our co-existence as an
inseparable geographical entity, and poses future danger to the possibility of civil war in Nigeria especially with the ethnic and religious coloration purportedly made by the dread sect and further fuelled by our bias press outfits. The UN office bombing, Police head quarter bombing, Madalla bombing of the last xmas eve was still refresh in the nations’ mind, before the deadliest attack was launched in the city of Kano leaving scores dead, thus opening more eyes to the callousness, dreadfulness and ungodliness of this group popularly called Boko Haram. The record of the group’s attack is given thus: “In the state of Yobe, these fighters reportedly "used fuel-laden motorcycles" and “bows with poison arrows" to attack a police station. On 30 July, allegations were made that Yusuf himself was killed by Nigerian security forces after being taken into custody. In January 2010, the group struck again in the Nigerian state of Borno, killing four people in Dala Alemderi ward in Maiduguri metropolis. On September 7, 2010, Boko Haram freed over 700 inmates from a prison in Bauchi State. In December 2010, Boko Haram was blamed for a market bombing, following which 92 of its members were arrested by police. On Friday January 28, 2011, a gubernatorial candidate was assassinated, along with his brother and four police officers. On March 29, police “thwarted a plot to bomb an (ANPP) election rally” in Maiduguri, Borno State. The threat was blamed on Boko Haram. On April 1 (the day before the original date of Nigeria’s legislative elections), suspected Boko Haram members attacked a police station in Bauchi . On April 9, a polling center in Maiduguri was bombed. On April 15, the Maiduguri office of the Independent National Electoral Commission was bombed, and several people were shot in a separate incident on the same day. Authorities suspected Boko Haram. On April 20, Boko Haram killed a Muslim cleric and ambushed several police officers in Maiduguri. On April 22, Boko Haram freed 14 prisoners during a jailbreak in Yola, Adamawa State .On Tuesday February 8, 2011; Boko Haram gave conditions for peace. The radicals demanded that the Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, should step down from office with immediate effect and also allow members to reclaim their mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State. On 9th May 2011 Boko Haram rejected an offer for amnesty made by the governor-elect of Borno state, Kashim Shettima. Boko Haram was blamed for a series of bombings in northern Nigeria on May 29, 2011 that left 15 dead. On June 17, 2011, the group claimed responsibility for a bombing attack on the police force headquarters in Abuja that occurred the previous day (Retrieved from: http://www.employmentnigeria.com/forum/discussion_room.php?room_id=5&topic_id=10&room_name=General%20Discussions&topic_name=Boko%20Haram%20History%20and%20Current%20attacks%20in%20Nigeria

The Actors and the Actions

International Communities: Without missing words, double standard approach exemplified by the International communities when attending to bi-lateral and international crisis do leave much to be desired. This unjust and unwarranted situation as experienced in the treatment of the Palestinian sovereignty and most painfully was the moral and financial support given in the killing of Muslims in Bosnia, Chechnya and Kashmir. This is evident in the non-enforcement of the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights and other international pronounced laws for the assurance of the world peace. Some analysts had inferred that the world is in the control of the Jews; and this is why international laws have become quasi-materials especially when the interest of the race is not supported (Further reading: Protocols of elders of Zion). Also is the cold war between the West and East blocs which led to the creation of Taliban that was supported and funded by CIA to fight for the fall of the Soviet Union. The aftermath which led to hijack of the Afghanistan leadership by the Taliban; a force which has now become threat to the interest of its architect; US (Further reading: CIA worked with Pakistan to create Taliban; one of the posts on my blog site). Coincidentally or incidentally, the 09/11 attack whether genuine or stage-managed was channelled to achieve the declaration of war against Iraq and Afghanistan whose solidarity evolved many of these today-called terrorist organisations as experienced in the North Africa and the present situation of Nigeria. The US in the pursuit of maintaining her super-power is doing all the affordable to crush any resisting nation; a situation seen as an anti-Islamic action by Muslims, and consequently raises the sympathy, and the anger. The emergence of Boko Haram is undoubtedly one of the catalytic effects of this World injustice, and even their sponsorship directly or indirectly may be linked to the Western world. This could be so due to historical findings of infiltrators sent to malign the image of the Muslims worlds and consequently tarnish the image of Islam ( For further readings: The Confessions of British Spy and British Enmity against Islam, CIA and the Third World by Satish Kumar & The Third world calamity by May Brian).

Nigeria Political Class: This insincerity and mischief that pervade the psyche of Nigeria Political class and elites has eroded the spirit of patriotism, therefore corruption has become the other of the day which has subjected majority of Nigerians into abject poverty since the collective treasure that ought to be circulating among the entire citizenry is being sucked dry by the few opportunists among the political elites. This level of impoverishment makes the citizenry hungry hence angry; and the state of comatose of the nation’s education has resulted in high level of illiteracy. The Northern political class looks greedier and self centred which has made the impoverishment much more pronounced in the states especially states where we now see as the bases of this sect called Boko Haram. In the same vein, the CBN Governor; Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has linked the easy recruitment of young adults by the group to the level of poverty and illiteracy which is equally a function of the region’s derivations, Retrieved from: http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/sanusi-links-boko-haram-to derivation/108039/#.TyOdtAmqqFQ.facebook ).

Also, in order to enable the political class to achieve the usage of these young ones as political thugs, the allocated resources and even the favourable power rotation for the north has not changed the face of the region. The indictments of Senator Akume from Benue State, Vice President Namadi Sambo are facts that cannot be swept off as it is learnt that the infiltration of the political interest changed the face of the group’s struggle, as the group become more funded hence deadly.

Nigeria Police: This agency of government had contributed immensely to the bred of terrorism in the country. This could be traceable to their unethical and unprofessional way of handling the group when it initially started. The police started by attacking the innocent and armless group members, demolishing their places of gathering, and most painfully in the extra-judicial killing of Yussuf; a leader of the Yussufiya sect.

And many others who were just executed arbitrarily, extra-judicially without a recourse to a competent law for pronouncement, it is indeed a terror from the Nigeria Police which continually breed counter-terror from this group.

All these precedence of the Nigeria Police could be used to conclude correctly that the claim of the Mallam Shekau of Boko Haram that the group was not responsible for the killings of civilians in the last Kano mayhem can be factual.

The Nigeria Press: There is no gainsaying in the fact that the world press is not balance, fair and just as the ethics of journalism entrenches. The activities of the Nigeria press outfit are equally disheartening and leave much to be desired. In the report of the incidents of killing, maiming and religious mayhem, their report is imbalance which obviously read meaning to their religious bigotry as an institution. The attack on Muslims in Jos during Eid prayer, the reprisal attack in Benin after the Madalla bombing was not given enough media coverage as compared to what is experienced if it was done by Boko Haram or any islam-related group. This form of social inequities breed sympathy since the stance of injustice is conspicuous from the other party; at least he who comes with equity must come with clean hands. The neglect of the coverage of all the extra-judicial killing of innocent souls, even suspects who have not been convicted by court of law could also explain this media conspiracy.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=352190561464515&set=o.112169965534999&type=3&theater

The Religious/ Traditional Leaders: There is element of bias in both parties of the two major religious settings in Nigeria. When the

upsurge of Boko Haram started, Islamic scholars confronted the leader of this heretical sect to enlighten them about the evil associated with ideology inherent in their gospel, in return of this some were killed by the dread sect, while some flee for their safety and others keep mute to ensure their living on earth continues. This development was taken as accomplice by the leadership of Christian Association of Nigeria and in return verbally assaulted the
leadership of the Muslims fold; which consequently led to exchange of words between the two bodies, not recognising the fact that both parties must sincerely understand the ugly situation they found themselves and collectively find a way out of the national mess. The nature of the attack launched by Boko Haram sends a religious and tribal rejection which was emotionally taken and fueled counter-reactions from traditional leaders especially the Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Ijaws, to the extent that some started calling for the disintegration of the Nigeria entity.

Conclusion

It is of my personal opinion that the present state of the nation’s insecurity is as a result of concerted effect of the actions and inactions of the above-highlighted actors, therefore fixing the situation can only be done via the route of causation where all actors involved sincerely address and correct their shortcomings and take our STATEHOOD as a country above all other interest.

Our co-existence and further relationship as a single entity is a mutual decision, as I am very confident that none of the amalgamated entities cannot stay comfortably and progressively, since, Crude Oil as never being the only surviving resource. Finally, I strongly believe in the conveyance of Sovereign National Conference sincerely and faithfully organised and implemented to find a lasting solution to all these intermittent occurrence of civil, social, religious and ethnic unrest, or undoing the 1914 deed of Luggard, if to be done without a need for bloodletting, so as to avoid a post-war violence which we may be forced to live with till eternity.

"CIA worked with Pakistan to create Taliban"

2012-01-27T06:30:00.000-08:00

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) worked in tandem with Pakistan to create the "monster" that is today Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, a leading US expert on South Asia said in London.

"I warned them that we were creating a monster," Selig Harrison from the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars said at the conference in London on "Terrorism and Regional Security: Managing the Challenges in Asia."

Harrison said: "The CIA made a historic mistake in encouraging Islamic groups from all over the world to come to Afghanistan." The US provided $3 billion for building up these Islamic groups, and it accepted Pakistan's demand that they should decide how this money should be spent, Harrison said. Harrison, who spoke before the Taliban assault on the Buddha statues was launched, told the gathering of security experts that he had meetings with CIA leaders at the time when Islamic forces were being strengthened in Afghanistan.

"They told me these people were fanatical, and the more fierce they were the more fiercely they would fight the Soviets," he said. "I warned them that we were creating a monster." Harrison, who has written five books on Asian affairs and US relations with Asia, has had extensive contact with the CIA and political leaders in South Asia. Harrison was a senior associate of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace between 1974 and 1996.

Harrison who is now senior fellow with The Century Foundation recalled a conversation he had with the late Gen Zia-ul Haq of Pakistan. "Gen Zia spoke to me about expanding Pakistan's sphere of influence to control Afghanistan, then Uzbekistan and Tajikstan and then Iran and Turkey," Harrison said.

That design continues, he said. Gen.Mohammed Aziz who was involved in that Zia plan has been elevated now to a key position by Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Harrison said. The old associations between the intelligence agencies continue, Harrison said. "The CIA still has close links with the ISI (Pakistan's Inter- Services Intelligence)." Today that money and those weapons have helped build up the Taliban, Harrison said. "The Taliban are not just recruits from 'madrassas' (Muslim theological schools) but are on the payroll of the ISI (Inter Services Intelligence, the intelligence wing of the Pakistani government)." The Taliban are now "making a living out of terrorism."

Harrison said the UN Security Council resolution number 1333 calls for an embargo on arms to the Taliban. "But it is a resolution without teeth because it does not provide sanctions for non-compliance," he said. "The US is not backing the Russians who want to give more teeth to the resolution." Now it is Pakistan that "holds the key to the future of Afghanistan," Harrison said.

The creation of the Taliban was central to Pakistan's "pan-Islamic vision," Harrison said. It came after "the CIA made the historic mistake of encouraging Islamic groups from all over the world to come to Afghanistan," he said. The creation of the Taliban had been "actively encouraged by the ISI and the CIA," he said.

Dialectical Analysis and Citizens' Reportage

Mrs. Patricia Etteh Speaks - THE COMPASS

Source: The Compass

Mrs. Patricia Etteh Speaks:

“Now, Nigerians know who is corrupt and who is not. It is a big shame, it has further

ridiculed the image of the House. Basically, what we read in the newspapers does not come

as a surprise having had relationship with him for a very long time. He is the leader of the

cartel. "I did not steal any money. What happened when they were calling for my removal was a

mere anticipatory spending, no money was missing. Dimeji Bankole, whom Farouk

installed, spent over N400 million to renovate his official quarters, which I wanted to

renovate with just N40 million, and sold it to himself for N100 million.

"I was removed not for stealing money but three groups sacked me for their selfish reasons.

The first group was led by Farouk Lawan who was annoyed that he was not given the

Appropriation Committee.

The second group was the Islamic fundamentalists who would not like to bow down to the

authority of a woman and the third group believed that since the Senate President is a

Christian, therefore, the Speaker must be a Muslim. All these groups joined forces together

to fight me. "But now, God has vindicated me, all of them have been caught in one corruption or the

other and they were disgraced out of the National Assembly through Appeal Court on

election matters, but Farouk Lawal is the last man standing and God has revealed the

truth,".

Source: Compass

Niger votes N2.4 bn for construction of worship centres -THE NATION

Embattled Farouk Implicates Tambuwal,IG Writes Speaker On $500,000 Bribe -METRO NEWS

Re: ILLEGAL ISLAMIC BANKING AND THE USURPATION OF THE NIGERIAN LEGISLATURE

ARISE OH AFRICAN YOUTHS -GREEN REVOLUTION

DEAR NIGERIAN YOUTHS ARE YOU READY FOR SOME BITTER TRUTH?

GEJ"WE WILL PICK OUR MOBILE PHONES AND VOTE ANOTHER SEASON IS HERE, BUT DON'T FORGET YOUR BAD ROADS, DON'T FORGET NO ELECTRICITY, DON'T FORGET THE DYING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FINALLY DO NOT FORGET YOUR HOLY BOOKS.AFTER WE WILL SCREAM THINGS ARE BAD, ASK YOURSELF WHY??

How They Catch Monkeys In Brazil By Dele Momodu

Otedola Dismisses House of Reps Action As “Mere Celebration of Corruption” -SAHARA REPORTERS

More Trouble For Lawan As Police Seize Passport & $10,000 From His Residence -NAIJA PUNDIT

Fatou Bensouda: First African ICC prosecutor

Gambia's Fatou Bensouda sworn in as ICC prosecutor

Jonathan: I’m committed to c’ttee report (Subsidy probe scandal)

Egyptians to vote in presidential election run-off -BBC

Celebrating June 16: Remembering Soweto Uprising

$3million bribery: Farouk Lawan request removal of Otedola's company from fuel subsidy report.

Subsidy report fallout: The scandal vs. the issues -DAILY TRUST

Jonathan won’t stay more than eight years –Aide. PUNCH

PDP power brokers move against Tambuwal -PUNCH

LAGBAJA

Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar educates El-Rufai and co: “Poverty is not the cause of Boko Haram" -LIBERTY REPORT

ATMs to operate without a card -BBC Business News

SEC Gives Reason for Oteh’s Suspension - THISDAY

Dialectical Analysis of Semiu Ayobami Akanmu: MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF...

MUSLIMS' ORGANISATIONS AND THE ADOPTED IDEOLOGY OF AMILCAR CABRAL'S EXPROPRIATION OF THE BOURGEOISIE:

BOKO HARAM MILITANCY AND SOLUTIONS -SHEHU SANNI

BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY: THE ACTORS AND THE ACTIONS

"CIA worked with Pakistan to create Taliban"

cartel.

"I did not steal any money. What happened when they were calling for my removal was a

to fight me.

"But now, God has vindicated me, all of them have been caught in one corruption or the

GEJ"
WE WILL PICK OUR MOBILE PHONES AND VOTE ANOTHER SEASON IS HERE, BUT DON'T FORGET YOUR BAD ROADS, DON'T FORGET NO ELECTRICITY, DON'T FORGET THE DYING EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND FINALLY DO NOT FORGET YOUR HOLY BOOKS.
AFTER WE WILL SCREAM THINGS ARE BAD, ASK YOURSELF WHY??