Curfew in Bauchi, North East Nigeria Over Religious Clash afp20090727614002 Abuja Hot fm in English 26 Jul 09

Another source says Yar’Adua wanted to cut Fashola to size because of the latter’s growing influence and popularity even in the President’s northern constituency. Two weeks ago, Najatu told TheNews: "I love Governor Fashola of Lagos; he makes me proud. He makes me believe that it is possible to govern well and to deliver." Also Dr. Sadiq Isah Rabbah of Bayero University and an in-law to Yar’Adua told TheNews (29 June 2009 edition): "I refer you to Governor Fashola who has proved himself in two years. He has my vote any time he wants to be Nigeria’s President."

The National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said: "The only reason we can think of right now for this shocking threat and totally unwarranted throwback to Obasanjo’s lawless and anarchic era is that the PDP is envious and the federal government is embarrassed at the success of the AC-led government in Lagos, hence both are looking for ways to throw a spanner in the works… what then is the fuss about? Is this the strategy of the hawks in the PDP to hijack Lagos in the next elections?"

Some critics have seen the extension of this war in what Ogun State PDP Governor Gbenga Daniel’s two publications carried on Lagos State last week. While the Westerner, his weekly magazine, carried an interview with former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Femi Pedro, who alleged that Fashola wasted N36bn in two years, The Compass, Daniel’s national daily, came out screaming the same week that the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission were to storm Lagos.

The President has also lost control of the workforce. For the past few months, many unions have been on strike. The Academic Staff Union of Universities [ASUU]; the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities [SSANU]; the Non-Academic Staff Union [NASU]; the Nigerian Postal Service [NIPOST]; the Power Holding Company of Nigeria [PHCN]; the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control [NAFDAC] and the Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union [RATTAWU], have been on strike.

Perhaps, there is no better way to illustrate the situation of the Nigerian economy under Yar’Adua than the revelation at the recently held 37th annual general meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria [MAN] that about 820 manufacturing companies in the country had closed down or temporarily suspended production between 2000 and 2008. As noted by Alhaji BAshir Borodo, the MAN president, there have been torrents of relocation to Ghana by companies desperate to avoid the unfriendly Nigerian business environment.

The major problem, according to Borodo, is the continuous breakdown of critical infrastructure in Nigeria. "This is a wake-up call for Nigeria to remove the infrastructure roadblocks and provide incentives. The reality is that notwithstanding the relocations already carried out and others that may follow, the obvious and primary market target of these industries remains Nigeria," said the MAN president.

There were hopes of a major turn-around in Nigeria’s infrastructural situation late last year with the generous allocation to the development of critical infrastructure in the 2009 Budget. The President had allocated about 91 per cent of the capital vote in the budget to five key areas with infrastructure taking N361.2bn, made up of capital allocations of 88.5billion naira for power, 15.4billion naira for aviation, 26.5billion naira for petroleum resources and 129.3billion naira for works and others.

Against this great expectation, government’s implementation of the 2009 Budget can at best be described as fitful. The high hope inspired by the budget among Nigerians is being dashed. The anger of Nigerians on Yar’Adua unfaithful implementation of the budget came to the fore on Tuesday 14 July, as lawmakers in the lower chamber of the National Assembly debated its non-implementation. This was against the claims of the Presidency that the budget cannot be implemented because of shortfall in government revenue.

The two committees set up by the House to investigate this claim described in their report submitted on 14 July, that the claim by the Presidency is false. As stated in the committee’s report, government made N27.98billion above its expected revenue projections in the first four months of 2009.

According to the lawmakers, the partial implementation of the budget by the executive has grounded economic and social activities, citing strikes by workers across sectors. Ita Enang, the chairman of the House committee on rules and business, especially faulted the Presidency for the delay in the payment of monetization arrears to workers, which has resulted in strikes and threats of strike by workers in some federal government agencies.

The biggest area where Nigerians have in recent times been feeling the impact of government failures is in the area of power supply. Most parts of the country have been thrown into darkness as recent reports indicate that electricity generation in the country has fallen well below 1000 megawatts. Already, the parlous power situation and the attendant additional cost of production have forced companies like PZ, Dunlop and Lever Brothers, among others, to either shift production to Nigeria’s neighbouring countries or totally close down their operations.

As recently noted in an article by Professor Pat Utomi, power outage in Nigeria has never been as bad as it is in under Yar’Adua. Yet, indications are that contrary to government promise, improvement in electricity supply to Nigerians may be years away. Of late, the government has been giving reasons why even if the much vaunted 6,000 megawatts generation capacity is achieved by the end of the year, electricity supply to homes and business premises of Nigerians may not witness dramatic improvement. The reasons include hostility by communities which are hosting power projects under construction, problems with gas transportation pipelines and weak transmission infrastructure.

Manufacturers have also been under the pain of high exchange rate, inefficiency at the ports and high interest rates. As recently noted by the Transition Monitoring Group, a coalition of over 360 civil society organisations in press release, the failure of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration to find remedy to the country’s parlous power situation has not only made nonsense of the much trumpeted seven-point agenda, it has also heightened infrastructural decay and high cost of living in the face of declining value of wages and salaries and macro-economic policy instability.

Also, the falling value of the naira against major world currencies, this magazine learnt, has led to increase in cost of imported raw materials, a further hike in cost of production, and is responsible for the general rise in price level currently being experienced in the country. The net effect of the problems is increase in the rate of unemployment and high rate of inflation.

The most critical aspect of how Yar’Adua has lost control is the power play among different political tendencies in his government. One bone of contention between the President and governors on the one hand, and other elective officers in the PDP on the other, is the automatic ticket.

The governors proposed an amendment to Article 9:2. On page 18 of the document, the governors proposed that "the party shall issue automatic tickets to any first-term serving President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all first-term serving governors who have expressed interest to re-contest for a second term without going through party primaries." But they can lose this privilege if the respective legislatures impeach them based on a serious petition.

However, the National Assembly has thrown its hat into the ring on this score. While the Senate President, David Mark, called for automatic ticket for senators in June, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, did so for members of the lower legislative chamber in July, because, as he put it, "it is desirable for the growth and stability of our nascent democracy."

He made this demand when he inaugurated the constituency projects of PDP Rep, Baba Shehu in Agaie, Niger State. According to Bankole: "In the legislative chambers, the rule of ranking off members is strictly adhered to in doing a lot of things and it is advantageous to have ranking members with experience as this has positive effects not only on legislations but also on the ability of the member to attract development to his constituency." By the time the executive and legislature work full circle at cross purposes, things, according to observers, will fall apart.

The Turai Yar’Adua factor is also very strong in the power play. According to Saharareporters, the "First Lady" is a woman "whose greed for self-enrichment and fascination with power has put her firmly in control of her husband’s notoriously colorless cabinet." It added that you could say that Turai is the real ruler of Nigeria, the Andy Uba of this dispensation. "Everybody knows that her husband has no control over her. And we know that if she doesn’t like any official, that official’s days in office are numbered. If you cross her, you’re done with." The President’s inability to rein in these tendencies of the wife is seen as another strong shortcoming of his.

There is also a conflict between the Katsina Mafia, those powerful elements that Yar’Adua brought from Katsina to work with him and other powerful elements from other states. These elements include Abba Sayyadi Ruma, the serving minister of Agriculture and natural Resources who was Secretary to the Katsina State Government, and Dr. Taminu Yakubu Kurfi, a former Finance Commissioner in the Katsina State government and former Managing Director of Federal Mortgage bank. He is the Chief Economic Adviser to the President.

There are also Dr. Yayale Ahmed, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina State; Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara and former Delta governor, James Ibori. Ibori and Saraki are said to harbor some bitterness towards one another. Other very powerful figures that are believed to be bigger beyond the President’s control are Alhaji Dahiru Manga, a business mogul from Katsina and Michael Aondoakaa, the Minister of Justice.

These people, according to critics, "fall over one another for the President’s attention so much that it is difficult for him to distinguish between genuine advice and self serving ones"

[Description of Source: Lagos TheNews in English - independent weekly news magazine]

Nigeria uncovers another sect opposed to Western education

AFP20090806011001 Ibadan Nigerian Tribune Online in English 05 Aug 09

Nigeria uncovers another sect opposed to Western education

Text of report by privately-owned Ibadan-based Nigerian Tribune Online on 5 August

[Report by Okey Muogbo: " Another Boko Haram Sect Uncovered -As Manhunt for Boko Haram's Sponsors Continues -Kano Businessman Implicated -Yar'Adua Orders Probe Into Boko Haram Leader's Death "]

As part of the efforts to nip the activities of dangerous sects like that one led by Mohammed Yusuf, leader of the Boko Haram sect in the bud, Nigerian Tribune has been informed that security agents have uncovered another sect that is opposed to Western education and way of life.

According to the sources, the sect is based in Niger State and although it shares the same philosophy with the Yusuf's group, it was learnt that the Niger State group is not violent, "at least for now," said one of the sources.

According to the source, security agents are keeping an eye on the new group because "that was how the Yusuf's group started as a non-violent group in 1995, then under the leadership of one Abubakar Lawan.

"But as soon as the founder left for further studies, Yusuf took over and turned the group into a violent sect that shook the nation," the source added.

Meanwhile, as the crisis caused by the activities of the Boko Haram Islamic group begins to die down, security agencies are said to be closing in on sponsors of the militant religious group.

Top ranking government officials revealed, on Tuesday, that one of such sponsors (names withheld) has been identified in Kano State.

The man, described as a wealthy businessman, was said to have freely sponsored the sect members many times in the past, including sending them on training outside the country.

The sources also disclosed that there were proofs of huge financial transactions between the businessman and late Mohammed Yusuf, the leader of the Boko Haram sect.

It was also gathered that security agents had closed in on a number of highly placed members of the society in parts of the far north of Nigeria.

The sources said that the backers of the murderous sect were mostly politicians, who needed the sect members' violent disposition to achieve their political and in some cases, economic ends.

It was gathered that the sect, though an Islamic group, it was not popular among the majority of mainstream Muslim clerics and its disposition to violence made them very useful to politicians.

Nigerian Tribune gathered that apart from the sponsors, the government is still keeping watch on members of the sect across the North who have not been killed or arrested as they could regroup and launch fresh attacks because of their fanatical commitment to the ideals of the sect.

It will be recalled that reports claimed that Yusuf's group had about 1.5 million members in Nigeria.

It was believed in security circles that part of the farm was used to train and indoctrinate members of the sect locally.

The source lamented that the greatest problem facing security agents was how to get politicians in power and authority to act on security report to save the country from crises like the Boko Haram's.

Meanwhile, President Yar'Adua has vowed to probe the killing of the Boko Haram leader, Yusuf, in Maiduguri.

The president, gave the assurance in Abuja, on Tuesday, when he addressed a joint media briefing with visiting Beninoise president, Mr Boni Yayi.

He disclosed that he had already ordered a probe into the killing after the sect leader's men were crushed by security agents and the leader allegedly arrested and killed.

The president, who was commenting for the first time on the incident, said he had directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) to coordinate the probe into what transpired during the crises and report to him before the week ran out.

Yar'Adua said: "This is an incident that will be investigated, together with all the events that have happened. Yesterday, I directed the NSA to carry out a post-mortem with the security agencies as a first step so that we can have a full report of what happened during the crisis, including how the leader of Boko Haram was killed, the circumstances under which he was killed."

According to him, the position of the Federal Government was very clear on the issue of the rule of law, right from inception, pointing out tha t his personal belief and strong commitment to it were also known to all government functionaries.

"I have been emphasising since this administration came into power on our uncompromising stance on the rule of law and everybody in this country, and all the officials, are aware, clearly and unambiguously, of the stance of this administration on the rule of law and, indeed, my personal commitment and firm belief that it is the rule of law that will anchor good governance and progress in this country," he further stated.

He, however, insisted that his government would not rush into taking action on the matter until the result of the investigation had been known and confirmed.

"Now, it is after we get this report, which I hope before the end of the week, the NSA will make available this report. Then we will examine this report to determine what actions to take, whether we need to carry out further investigations into the entire matter, because it is really a very serious issue," he added.

[Description of Source: Ibadan Nigerian Tribune Online in English -- Website of the privately owned daily; URL: http://www.tribune.com.ng]

Nigeria: Group Says 'Excruciating Poverty' Responsible for Rise of Islamic Sect

AFP20090806583001 Isheri Nigerian Compass Online in English 2300 GMT 05 Aug 09

[Report by Godwin Isenyo, Kaduna & Kunle Olasanmi: "ACF: N'Delta Militants not Different From 'Boko Haram'; We Handed Over Killed Sect Leader Alive, Says Army; South-South Leaders Reject NNPC Re-Organisation; Suspected Sect Members Arraigned in Abuja"]

The pan-Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), insists yesterday that there is no difference between the Niger Delta militants and the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Last week, the "do not accept Western education" members of the latter wreaked havoc on some states in the North.

But the ACF said the militants, holed up in the creeks of the volatile Niger Delta region, belong to the same category as the deadly Boko Haram sect, whose action led to the death of more than 800 people and the destruction of millions of naira worth of valuables in an orgy of violence.

Besides, the forum told the South-South governors, who withdrew their support from the Federal Government's amnesty for the quarreling militants, to tread softly over the matter.

Rising from a joint meeting of its Board of Trustees (BOT) and the National Executive Committee (NEC), and in what seems to be justifying the activities of the Boko Haram sect, the ACF insisted that excruciating poverty in the land gave rise to the existence of the Islamic group.

To the South-South governors, the ACF warned against their threat to withdraw support, saying it remains the position of the forum that in a democracy, political leaders do not pursue their interest by issuing threats.

"This is because democracy is a contest of ideas and reason. And since the legislature is the most deliberative institution where bills are debated, rejected or amended on the basis of superior arguments, those who feel dissatisfied by any aspect of the bill should canvass their positions in the hallowed chambers rather than resorting to insinuations."

The ACF noted with regrets that already, some people from the Niger Delta have gone as far as asking for the dismissal of the Petroleum Resources Minister, Dr. Rilwan Lukman, because a Petroleum Training Institute is to be built in Kaduna, arguing that in a democracy, those who feel dissatisfied about any bill should canvass their position rather than resorting to insinuations.

The forum, in a three-page communiqué it issued at the end of the parley, also condemned the alleged extra-judicial killing of the leader of the sect, Muhammad Yusuf.

Signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, the communique said: "It is noteworthy that the followers of such sects as Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants are those who feel aggrieved by the prevailing conditions in the country. This attitude is aggravated by the widening gap between our affluent and ostentatious leaders and the broad masses of the poverty-stricken and deprived people.

"ACF notes with deep concern the seeming extra-judicial killing of the leader of the Boko Haram sect and other persons who might not have been part of the insurgency. It urges that in all future incidences, security forces must use minimum force and avoid unnecessary casualties.

"The first joint meeting of the Board of Trustees (BOT) under its new leadership and the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) met at its headquarters in Kaduna on Tuesday 4th August, 2009.

"The Chairman of BOT, Lt-Gen. J.T Useni (rtd), chaired the meeting which was supported by the Chairman of NEC, Maj-Gen. IBM Haruna (rtd).

"The meeting considered the Boko Haram crisis that erupted in some parts of the Northern states and noted the efforts by the government and security agencies that brought it under control.

"It commended their efforts and urged the government to beef up the intelligence gathering capacity of the security agencies so that such insurgences are nipped in the bud before they occur. Federal and state governments are also urged to control the quality of religious leaders and teachers to prevent undue indoctrination of our youths.

"The joint meeting considered the threats by the South-South governors and their political leaders to withdraw support for the amnesty, if the Petroleum Resources Bill does not address all their concerns.

"Arewa Consultative Forum (A CF) noted the efforts made so far in exploration of oil in Benue and Chad Basins. The forum commended the relevant agencies for such efforts and appealed to the NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation] to step up investments for the volume, quality and pace of exploration in Benue and Chad Basins, since oil has been discovered in commercial quantities in the same belt across Niger and Chad Republics.

"Meanwhile, the forum urged that every effort should be made in ensuring that farmers embark on massive plantation of Jathropha for the purpose of improving the agricultural yield and in the hope of reducing the nation's dependency on fossil sources of oil. Jathropha farming may cut the Gordian knot after all."

Also yesterday, the Nigerian Army insisted that it handed over the leader of Boko Haram, Mohammad Yusuf, alive to the police before he was killed under controversial circumstances.

The commander of the operation that led to Yusuf's capture in Maiduguri last Thursday, Colonel Ben Ahonotu, said the sect leader was interrogated by a senior military officer before the handover.

"I personally arrested Yusuf and handed him over to the police after a short questioning the same day, only to be told that he died in a shootout," Ahonotu said yesterday, adding that "a senior military officer conducted the interrogation of (Mohammad) Yusuf."

He, however, did not disclose the identity of the army officer.

The police had said that Yusuf was not killed in their custody, but died in a gun duel while trying to escape.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, on Tuesday, ordered an investigation into the uprising and the controversial killing of Yusuf.

"This is an incident that will be investigated together with the overall events that have happened," he said in response to reporters' questions about his reaction to the Boko Haram leader's death.

The United Nations (UN) human rights chief, Navi Pillay, and rights groups, such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, had asked the government to investigate the security forces' role in the violence.

Pillay called "upon the government of Nigeria to fully investigate all incidents and hold those responsible to account" and to ensure that "every effort should be made to avoid unlawful killings."

Meanwhile, weeks after the Federal Government re-organised the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) through the retirement of 15 senior officials and the appointment of 38 others, the South-South has rejected the exercise.

Acting under the auspices of the South-South Elders and Leaders Forum, the geo-political zone insisted that the re-organisation was against the region.

For instance, the leaders alleged that 13 of the 15 retired persons were from the South-South, noting that the new promotions were skewed against the region.

The sweeping condemnation of the alleged plot by the Federal Government to disempower the geo-political zone was contained in a nine-point communique issued by the leaders after their third consultative meeting at the Le Meridian Hotel, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, on Tuesday.

The leaders had met on July 5 at the same venue after holding its inaugural meeting in Warri, Delta State.

They alleged that there was an underground conspiracy by the Federal Government to ease out promising indigenes of the region from the civil service through premature retirement.