Hours after a former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party and tore his membership card, another top member of the party has followed suit.
Abdullahi Muhammad, the senior special assistant on security to the governor of Gombe State
Abdullahi Muhammad, the senior special assistant on security to the governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwambo, openly tore his membership card in the state capital, Gombe, on Tuesday morning, citing dissatisfaction with the manner the country was being run as his reason.
He specifically alleged that only a few of the large population of Nigeria were benefiting from the nation’s finances.
He is believed to have joined the All Progressives Congress.
It is not known how long Mr. Muhammadu had been a member of the ruling party though he was one of its active members in the North East state. It could not also be established when he was appointed an aide to Mr. Dankwambo, who assumed office in 2011.
Efforts to reach the media aide to the governor, Junaidu Usman, to confirm the development failed.
Mr. Obasanjo, who was the country’s president between 1999 and 2007, had on Monday in Abeokuta, announced his resignation from the PDP and directed the party’s chairman in the ward to tear his membership card.
The former president, who had repeatedly criticised President Goodluck Jonathan over his style, was not only the leader of the party when he in office but became its Board of Trustees Chairman in 2007 when he left power.
Heavy fighting broke out on Saturday in Monguno, Borno State, which has been under Boko Haram control since August last year, in the bid of the military to flush out the militants in the town.
In a related development, the terrorists have attacked a military base in Gombe, in a renewed offensive to capture the Gombe State capital.
Military sources said the fighting is ongoing simultaneously on both fronts.
“The fighting is going on at the same time; federal troops have advanced on Monguno, to flush out the insurgents but the terrorists have attacked a military base in Gombe. We are dealing with the situations,” a source said.
One of our correspondents reports that in Gombe, the insurgents launched an early morning attack on Hina and Dadin Kowa in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the state but were repelled by the military.
They subsequently attacked the nearby Zambuk, but were again repelled.
At the time of filing this report, a fierce battle is ongoing between the terrorists and men of the Nigerian Army at the 301 Artillery Regiment, Gombe, according to a resident, who spoke to our correspondent on the telephone on condition of anonymity.
He said, “Residents of the town are trembling as they remain indoors, praying hard for divine intervention in the matter.”
He added that gunshots were heard all over the town as security agents were working hard to restore normalcy.
Latest report from Gombe indicated that troops had successfully repelled the invaders from the town.
A soldier said the insurgents gained entered the barracks through a bush path around 5.30am.
They were said to have set ablaze the Quarter Guard before the federal troops overpowered them with the attendant casualties on the said of the rebels, and flushed them out by 12noon.
Meanwhile, Air Force helicopters are said to have pounded and successfully dislodged the Boko Haram fighters from Monguno.
Unconfirmed report says the federal troops have recaptured the town from the insurgents.
A suicide bomber who rammed into a military check point in Bajoga, Gombe State Wednesday, failed to achieve his mission.
A coding to Major General Chris Olukolade, Director Defence Information, he said the bomber attempt to escape also failed as he was brought down by vigilant soldiers when he tried to flee after hitting a military Amoured Personnel Carrier with his IED laden Honda car. The explosives which failed to detonate have been evacuated and handed to the police.
Also in Kano, security forces have raided the terrorists’ hideout in Nasarawa Local Government Area leading to the arrest of bomb making experts who are already helping in the investigation into activities of bombers lately. Officers believe that the efforts will yield useful clues.
Troops deployed in all locations of the counter terrorism campaign have been directed to sustain the tempo of operations all through the period of seasonal celebrations and ensure that the intention of terrorists to attack civilian target while avoiding troops is duly frustrated.
A bombing at a bus station in Gombe city in northeast Nigeria killed at least 20 people on Monday, the latest violence in the region repeatedly targeted by Boko Haram, the Red Cross said.
“There was an explosion at the Dukku motor park. The Red Cross mobilised with 20 body bags and they have all been exhausted. We are still looking for more bodies among the carnage,” said Abubakar Yakubu Gome, the Red Cross secretary for Gombe state.
About 30 were reported dead after there explosions rocked the popular Gombe Line Transport Services Limited in Gombe State.
According to the police and an eye witnesses the explosions were reported to have occurred around 9:30 am Friday leaving many dead.
The Three bombs which were said to be concealed in bags went off during Friday morning rush hour, the latest in a series of attacks targeting commuters blamed on Boko Haram, police and witnesses said.
“We had explosions at the Gombe line motor park…As for the death toll, we are still working on that,” said area police chief Abdullahi Kudu.
An employee of the state-run bus park, Lawanti Aliyu, and other witnesses said three men left bags packed with explosives among the buses which went off at 9:00 am (0800 GMT).
Fuller account of the story will be brought to you soon
Two persons, including a suspected female suicide bomber in Hijab and a soldier, were blown up yesterday in front of a military barracks in Gombe, the Gombe State capital.
Another soldier was injured.
But, sources said no fewer than three soldiers died, when the time bomb went off as the woman approached the Quarter Guard area of the 301 Artillery Regiment, pretending that she wanted to lodge a complaint.
She was said to have bombed herself and the three soldiers interrogating her at the entrance.
There were doubts about the suicide bomber’s sex following speculations that she was probably a man disguised as a woman in order to enter the barracks.
Last Thursday, the Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) in front of Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo’s residence blew up, killing two security men and injuring six others.
According to a military source, the bomber was on a mission to attack the barracks around 11am.
The source said when the bomber got to the gate, she met a long queue of vehicles being checked.
The source said: “The insurgents are becoming desperate, they are trying to use female bombers thinking that because of the strict Islamic culture in the North, soldiers would not conduct thorough checks on women.
“When this female bomber in full veil (Hijab) got to the queue at the barracks, the soldiers on guard insisted on no waiver for any female motorist entering the barracks. It was in the process that the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) exploded. She got killed instantly.
“Apart from mopping up the area, the military is already investigating the botched suicide mission.”
Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade confirmed the attack.
Gen. Olukolade told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone that one soldier died while another was wounded in the explosion.
He said normal activities had resumed at the barracks in Gombe.
“Intelligence deduced from credible information earlier received on this plot confirms the vigilance of some members of the public,’’ Gen. Olukolade said.
He said in a statement: “Troops mounting a security check point at a Barrack entrance in Gombe this morning (yesterday) intercepted a lady suicide bomber while she was attempting to gain entry into the barracks.
“The lady suicide bomber who had primed herself with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) concealed under her Hijab was intercepted when troops acting on intelligence report indicating that a terrorist group was plotting to attack barracks around Gombe using female suicide bombers, halted her and as she was being searched the bomb detonated, killing the lady.
“Unfortunately one of the troops conducting the search also died while another was wounded in the explosion.
“Normal activities have since resumed in the barracks.”
Immediately the explosion occurred, soldiers cordoned off the road leading to the barracks.
Also, shops and other business centres were hurriedly shut when the blast occurred as passers-by ran helter-skelter.
A resident, who did not want his name mentioned, told NAN he was in his house around 11.20 a.m. when he heard the blast.
He said he also heard soldiers shooting into the air, apparently to scare people.
The source said he saw some injured persons being conveyed in vehicles from the scene, while soldiers blocked the road and stopped people from going there.
Troops had a bloody encounter with insurgents in Pitta, a boundary town between Adamawa and Borno states on Saturday night, leaving 30 insurgents dead.
The encounter led to the recovery of 25 machine guns, Rocket Propeller Guns (RPGs) and more than 50 motorcycles from the insurgents.
According to Gen. Olukolade, the insurgents wanted to attack some villages along Pitta axis on Saturday, but troops acted on intelligence report and foiled it.
He said: “The troops successfully repelled the insurgents who suffered heavy casualties.
“We have beefed up security in the area to protect all the villages and avert reprisals.”
President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, performed the ground-breaking of the N100bn expansion project for Ashaka Cement’s new 2.5million metric-tonne capacity cement production line in Gombe, North East Nigeria.
The project, which will be completed within three years, will increase the company’s current production capacity of over one million metric tonnes to about four million metric tonnes while creating a lot of jobs.
President Goodluck Jonathan
He said this just as he disclosed that Government had commenced plans to bring down the price of cement.Jonathan, who was represented by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said the new investment was a testimony of global investors’ growing confidence in the Nigerian economy as well as the Federal Government’s commitment to transforming the Nigerian economy, leaving out no region.
The President reiterated that the current administration would continue to provide a conducive environment for industry, trade and investments to thrive in line with his Transformation Agenda.
He said, “The cement industry is a perfect example of the transformation that can happen in an industry based on the focused implementation of a well-thought out policy and a continuous partnership that harnesses the expertise of the private sector and the capacity of the public sector.
“The commencement of the capacity expansion of AshakaCem Plc’s cement production project further buttresses the confidence that global investors have in the Nigerian economy, which is now the largest economy in Africa.”
The President added, “As at 2002, the local cement industry had the capacity to barely produce two million metric tonnes per annum. By the year 2013, this had grown to 28.5 million metric tonnes and we expect the installed capacity to be about 39 million metric tonnes by the end of this year.
Jonathan noted that Nigeria had become a net exporter of cement, saying that “this is something that we all should be proud of.”
He pointed out that the Federal Government had commenced a plan of action that would promote the consumption and export of cement, enhance skills development and innovation in the industry and bring down the price of cement.
He stressed that his administration would continue to provide both the incentives and the conducive environment to make the cement industry globally competitive in line with the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan.
Three police officers suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect were on Wednesday arraigned before an Abuja Federal High Court by the Federal Government for masterminding a jailbreak at a police station in Gombe State in 2012.
The policemen – Cpl Jimmy Oba’a, PC Michael Manu and PC Iliya Mark – all of the Nigeria Police Force Bajoga Division, Gombe State, were accused of attacking the Ashaka Police Station in Bajoga Local Government Area of the state, during which they freed all suspects detained at the station.
The alleged Boko Haram members were also accused of killing the Divisional Police Officer, SP Abubakar Sadia, and three other cops during the operation.
They allegedly carried out the attack alongside other members of the terrorist group, including Abeimel Ibrahim, Isah Kano, Yambah Umaru, Danbga Wilfred and Sadeeq Ali Amatiga.
Prosecution counsel, Lawrence Alabi, on behalf of the Federal Government, told the court presided by Justice Ademola Adeniyi that the suspects committed the alleged offence on March 7, 2012 in Ashaka Gombe state.
But the accused pleaded not guilty to the three counts filed against them.
Justice Ademola adjourned the case to May 26 to hear their bail application, and ordered that they should be remanded in prison custody.
Count one of the charge reads, “That you Abeimel Ibrahim (m) of Unguwan Alheri, Ashaka Gombe State, (2) Isah Kano (m) of A14 Workers Village Ashaka Cement Gombe, (3) Yambah Umaru of Ashaka Town Bajoga Gombe, (4) Danbga Wilfred of Ashaka Town Bajoga Gombe, (5) Cpl Jimmy Oba’a of Nigeria Police Force Bajoga Division, Gombe State, (6) PC Michael Manu of Nigeria Police Force Bajoga Division, Gombe state, (7) PC Iliya Mark, Nigeria Police Force Bajoga, Division Gombe, (8) Sadeeq Ali Amatiga (m) of Ashaka Town, Gunakaye LGA Gombe State and others at large on 7/3/2012 at 1900 hrs conspired and agreed among yourselves while armed with different types of ammunitions and dangerous weapons and explosives to kill innocent people and destruction of public properties under the name of Boko Haram in Ashaka in Bajoga LGA of Gombe State, an offence which is punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
In count two, the Federal Government said the suspects willfully attacked, shot and killed the DPO of Ashaka Police Station, Sadia, as well as Cpl Imamu Ijinyawa, Cpl Yakubu Azi, Cpl Jdi Harima, in the course of their official duties without any provocation, an offence which is contrary to and punishable under Section 2 (c) (1) of Terrorism Acts, 2011 and punishable under Section 33 (1) (e) of the Terrorism Prevention Acts.
Also, in count three, the court was informed that the suspects attacked and burnt down the Divisional Police Station, stole rifles and other ammunitions, as well as one Jincheng motorcycle and one police beret, released all the suspects who were on detention and also destroyed the FinBank and Zenith Bank buildings in the town, an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 2 (3) (i) of Terrorism Prevention Acts and Section 443 (a) of the Criminal Code Act, Law of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
But, sources said no fewer than three soldiers died, when the time bomb went off as the woman approached the Quarter Guard area of the 301 Artillery Regiment, pretending that she wanted to lodge a complaint.
