Boko Haram: Stamp out roots of conflicts - UN tells FG

The United Nations refugee agency has said the Federal Government needs more than military force to stamp out Boko Haram, adding that “roots of conflict” must be addressed to defeat the insurgents.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Hussein, expansive economic, social and political opportunities are important to reducing the country’s ethnic and sectarian tensions and countering the growing threat posed by the terrorist group.

Hussein said this on Wednesday during the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva.

“Profound inequalities, corruption, and resulting marginalisation, naturally generate discontent. And the more marginalised and desperate the people, the more likely they are to turn to radical and violent movements,” he stated.

In his opening remark to the Council’s 23rd special session on terrorist attacks, abuses and violations committed by Boko Haram, the UNHCR warned that the atrocities perpetrated by Boko Haram had caused “a critical human rights situation” in northern Nigeria and the Lake Chad region that could only be tempered through development initiatives.

“This despicable and wanton carnage, which constitutes a clear and urgent menace for development, peace and security, must be stopped. Boko Haram’s leaders must know that they will be held accountable in a court of law for these appalling violations of human rights,” Hussein stated.

He therefore called for a “thorough and clear-sighted consideration of the possible roots of conflict,” suggesting that greater participation in decision-making, improved services, and broader economic, social and political opportunities were elemental to building an inclusive society devoid of the tensions that feed extremism.

“Solutions can never be found if the real dimensions of the problem at hand are denied. Vanquishing this threat to peace will require sustained attention that extends beyond the use of military force. Strengthening the rule of law, repealing discriminatory legislation, and implementing inclusive and non-discriminatory policies must be part of the response to the violations committed by Boko Haram. We must also reflect on some of the possible root causes of this insurgency,” Hussein added.

He commended the Federal Government’s efforts at reclaiming territories previously seized by the insurgents and urged to make concerted efforts to redress the imbalances in the North-East region.

“In this regard, I welcome Nigeria’s recent Presidential Initiative for the North-East, which aims to address longstanding social and economic issues, and to create the context necessary for sustainable recovery and economic development,” Hussein said.

Boko Haram: Stamp out roots of conflicts - UN tells FG

Polls: Jonathan, an example to the world, says EU

The European Union (EU) Observer Mission for Nigeria’s 2015 general elections on Wednesday described President Goodluck Jonathan as a good example to the world following the conduct of the polls and concession victory to his opponent without rancour.

Jonathan had on Tuesday before the final collation of result of the presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), telephoned his opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari, congratulating him for winning.

‎Head of the EU Observer Mission, Santiago Fisas‎, who commended Jonathan for his action led a delegation of the Mission to present an interim report of its findings to the President at the Aso Rock Villa.

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‎He said: “I congratulate him (Jonathan) for that and I seized the opportunity to give to him our preliminary report about the election.

“He was very happy and of course, I will come back in July with the final statement at a press conference and to give it to the new President and our recommendations would be contained in the final report.

“The elections are so important for the people of Nigeria, but it is an African example for all Africa and countries in the world.

“You know many people didn’t expect that the elections will be peaceful, they expected a lot of violence after the elections but it turned out not to be true.

“Also, I congratulate President Jonathan but I would like to congratulate Nigerian people because they showed a lot of commitment to that election.

“Not in all circumstances would you see such that, people stood in the sun for a very long and hot day, despite some of these problems. It shows that you Nigerians are truly democratic.”‎ he said‎

According to him, it would remain the discretion of the Nigerian government to decide what recommendations to adopt or reject from the Mission’s findings about this year’s elections.

He said: “It is up to Nigerian government to accept or not to accept the recommendations. We are observers and we have made our recommendations and I don’t want to advance the final report that will be finished after the gubernatorial elections.

“When we can embark on a new ideas with a new President, probably that will be in July, then we will make recommendations public”, he said.

Polls: Jonathan, an example to the world, says EU

Buhari issues Boko Haram vow, says sect will “soon know our strength”

The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, has issued an audacious vow to crush the jihadi group, Boko Haram, which has tormented Nigerians for years, with an estimated 20,000 people killed.

In an address Wednesday after receiving his Certificate of Return as the president-elect, Mr. Buhari warned that the sect will soon know the “strength of our collective will”.

“No doubt, this nation has suffered greatly in the recent past, and its staying power has been tested to its limits by crises, chief among which is insurgency of the Boko Haram,” Mr. Buhari, a retired general, said in Abuja.

“There is no doubt that in tackling the insurgency we have a tough and urgent job to do. But I assure you that Boko Haram will soon know the strength of our collective will and commitment to rid this nation of terror, and bring back peace and normalcy to all the affected areas. We shall spare no effort until we defeat terrorism,” he said.

Mr. Buhari’s ascension to the presidency followed an electioneering campaign centred largely on his pledge to combat the sect and stamp out corruption.

Until lately, the present Goodluck Jonathan government struggled to contain Boko Haram, as the militants went on rampage killing incident people and seizing swathes of areas in the north east.

The government has however reversed the momentum in the last two months, and has dislodged Boko Haram insurgents from captured areas.

Mr. Buhari, who won the 2015 election after losing three previous elections, noted that Nigeria had been through devastating and unprecedented violence in recent years.

He said the country and her citizens have suffered greatly, and that stopping terrorism had become a seemingly intractable challenge.

He assured that all efforts would be directed at ending terrorism and restoring peace in all parts of the country.

Buhari issues Boko Haram vow, says sect will “soon know our strength”

Death Penalty 2014 in figures - Amnesty International

The renowned French thinker, Albert Camus once wrote, “Capital punishment is the most premeditated of murders” – words that are as significant today as when he originally penned them, nearly 60 years ago.

Over the last year, 2,466 death sentences were recorded in 55 countries around the world according to new figures from Amnesty International’s Death Sentences and Executions report – up 28% from 2013.

Military sentencing in Nigeria following Boko Haram attacks, and unfair mass trials in Egypt have been identified as significant contributors to these increases

Some of the worst offending countries aren’t even publishing accurate figures: of the 289 executions that Iran admitted to last year, a further 454 are believed to have taken place. China’s figures are a state secret, yet it’s estimated to have sentenced and executed more than all other countries combined.

But the tireless campaigning by Amnesty International and others is making a difference. Just 22 countries carried out executions in 2014 (compared to 41 two decades ago), and the total number of executions is down from 778 in 2013 to 607 last year

Death Penalty 2014 in figures - Amnesty International

Police arrest Ogun State bank robbery suspect in Edo

The Edo State Police Command on Wednesday paraded one, Etopa Sadiq, suspected to have taken part in last Thursday’s bank robbery in Owo, Ondo State.

‎The robbers, numbering about 40, had attacked four commercial banks and a police station in the town, leaving at least 20 persons dead.

The robbers, who reportedly arrived in about 10 vehicles, were also said to have carted away larged sums of cash, arms and ammunition.

‎The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi, who paraded the suspect at the state police headquartres in Benin, the state capital, explained that the 35-year-old man was  arrested after a gun battle with officers of the command, following information that the suspected robbers had fled to Ibilo in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of the state.

He also said the fleeing robbers abandoned assault riffles and other munition at the scene of the arrest.

“After the robbery, the hoodlums headed towards Ibilo in Edo State, where police operatives of the command intercepted them in a gun battle, which made some of them to flee while one suspect, by name Etopa Sadiq ‘m’, was arrested.”

“Efforts are in top gear in arresting the fleeing suspects,” Adegbuyi said.

Items said to have been recovered from the scene included seven AK 47 riffles, three Riot Gunners, two SMGs, two Lar riffles, four TO6 riffles, one Scorpion riffle, one Berretta riffle, Chief Revolver pistol, two Pump Action‎ guns and one Tasser riffle.

Police arrest Ogun State bank robbery suspect in Edo

With Buhari as President, i may return to creek - Asari-Dokubo

A former Niger-Delta militant, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, says with the defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan, he and other militants might be forced to ‘return to creeks.’

Asari-Dokubo, who hails from the same state as Jonathan, said the voting pattern showed that the South-West and the North ganged up against the South-South and South-East geo-political zone.

The ex-militant said in a statement by his spokesperson, Rex Anighoro, that it was unfair that the minorities were being emasculated by the majority ethnic groups.

He said he feared that the government of the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, would be vicious.

Asari-Dokubo said, “The conditions that advanced the need to embrace the creeks have been sadly re-energised, it is clear that a vicious government who may maim and murder the voice of the so called minorities may have just been birthed.

“Indeed integration is nonexistent as regional gang ups and supremacy is symbolic with this victory.”

The ex-militant, who had in January said he and his colleagues would wreak havoc if Jonathan lost, praised the President for being a true statesman.

He said it was the struggle of the militants that led to the Jonathan presidency.

Asari-Dokubo said since the South-South had lost the presidency, ex-militants would meet to decide the next line of action.

He said, “While President Jonathan enjoys his moments and basks in the euphoria of a now world renowned statesman having congratulated Muhammadu Buhari, we must quickly be reminded that our struggle was never about Jonathan or about the presidency.

“President Jonathan was a beneficiary of our struggle, our sweat and blood that many bled and died for, he was never in the struggle and he can never wish away our collective march forward for statesmanship.

“Yes indeed to an extent he was a mitigating factor in self determination pursuit as we went on sabbatical, this mitigation he seem to have willingly repudiated. The days coming will be critical, we shall study all the conditions and consult widely before determining the way going forward for our collective existence and survival as a people. The days coming shall either drive the quest of integration or further separate us.”

With Buhari as President, i may return to creek - Asari-Dokubo

My attack on Buhari not personal - Fani-Kayode

The spokesperson for President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign team, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Wednesday stated that all his attacks against the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and his party, the All Progressives Congress, during the electioneering, were what his job required of him and not personal.

He also commended the APC campaign directorate for doing something “they believe in”.

“There was absolutely nothing personal as regards this Directorate or myself. I had nothing personal against anybody. I was simply doing my job for which I have no regrets and I wish them well and I sincerely hope that they will take Nigeria to a level that we can all be proud of,” he said.

Mr. Fani-Kayode also congratulated Mr. Buhari for his victory and also commended President Jonathan for conceding defeat.

“We start by saying that we commend and we congratulate General Muhammadu Buhari for winning this election. We also wish to commend our President, President Goodluck Jonathan, for having the courage to concede that he has lost the election at the earliest moment and also for being able to stand up and rise above party politics and being able to speak like a statesman,” he said.

The former Aviation Minister also prayed for peace in the country and success for Mr. Buhari.

“May God grant each and everyone of us peace. May He watch over our nation. May He guide our President for the next two months whilst he is still in power and thereafter and may He guide and lead the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, in the herculean task that lies ahead for him.

“My prayer is that he brings our nation together, heals the wounds and that he builds the bridges in terms of religion, ethnicity and region that he needs to build in order for us to make Nigeria a better place and to ensure that Nigeria becomes a great country that she is destined to be,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to continue to support the PDP, despite losing the election.

He also asked for full cooperation to the incoming administration “and to remember that we are first and foremost Nigerians before anything else”.

Mr. Fani-Kayode said he had no regret for serving Mr. Jonathan and the PDP. He also advised the PDP not to lose hope.

“And having lost, it does not mean that it is the end to the world, it just means that we need to re-group, re-organise ourselves and begin the process all over again because another elections will come in a few years’ time.

“And that is where we are today. We have conceded that we have lost. We acknowledge the fact that we fought a good fight. We do not have any fears about the future. We did the right thing during the campaign. We have no regrets about our candidate or the way in which we conducted our campaign and we will live to fight another day,” he said.

My attack on Buhari not personal - Fani-Kayode