Senator killed in fresh Plateau attack

CHANNELS TV NEWS
Senator Gyand Dalyyop Datong (Plateau North, PDP) has been shot dead by gunmen while attending a mass burial ceremony for victims of an attack by Fulani herdsmen in Riyom and Barikin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state, North Central Nigeria.

A statement from the Plateau state commissioner of Information, Abraham Yiljap confirmed the shooting.

Senator Datong won his first election into the Senate in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011. He was previously a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency.

Also shot dead is Hon. Gyang James Fulani, the Chief Whip of the Plateau state House of Assembly. Hon. Fulani was representing Barkin Ladi constituency. Barkin Ladi is about 25 kilometres from the state’s capital, Jos.

Another lawmaker representing Barkin Ladi/Riyom federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Simon Mwatdkon is currently hospitalised after recovering from coma.

Over 37 people were killed in Barkin Ladi at the weekend in a new cycle of violence between Fulani herdsmen and Berom tribesmen who live in the two local government areas.

Over 9 villages were attacked by people believed to be Fulani in the raids on Saturday.

The attack reportedly took place at the venue of the burial of some of the victims of Saturday’s attacks.

14 Dead As Suicide Car Bomb Hits Church In Nigeria

Abuja: In the latest deadly attack on Christians in Nigeria, at least 14 people were killed and many injured when a suicide car bomber detonated his explosives inside a church compound in the country's north on Monday, police said.

The blast occurred at the Living Faith church near the capital of Nigeria's northern state of Bauchi, they said.

State police commissioner Mohammed Ladan said a police checkpoint has prevented the bomber from gaining access to his target.

"So he rammed the car into a security gate and the car exploded," said Ladan. While a police source said that security forces are still verifying the extent of damage. The source said the death toll from the blast could rise.

No group has claimed responsibility but the attack bears the signature of a radical Islamic militant sect - Boko Haram - which has been bombing churches and other public squares in the oil-rich African country with the intention of installing an Islamic state.

The group had targeted and killed several politicians and Muslim religious leaders in the northern region for not conforming to their aspiration.
O
n April 29, gunmen had killed at least 15 people in an attack on a university theatre being used by Christians in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano.

Nigeria has 160 million people and is split between a largely Muslim north and Christian south.
SOURCE: ZEE NEWS

NIGERIA: Boko Haram Members Debut On U.S. Terrorist List

The U.S. State Department has, for the first time, included members of the Nigerian sect Boko Haram as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists":

The Department of State designated Abubakar Shekau, Abubakar Adam Kambar, and Khalid al-Barnawi as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. Shekau is the most visible leader of the Nigeria-based militant group Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad, commonly referred to as Boko Haram. Khalid al-Barnawi and Abubakar Adam Kambar have ties to Boko Haram and have close links to al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.[...]

The designation under E.O. 13224 blocks all of Shekau’s, Kambar’s and al-Barnawi’s property interests subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with or for the benefit of these individuals. These designations demonstrate the United States’ resolve in diminishing the capacity of Boko Haram to execute violent attacks. The Department of State took these actions in consultation with the Departments of Justice and Treasury.

Boko Haram claimed responsibility today for attacks that have left 40 people dead in Northeast Nigeria this week. More than 640 people have been killed in attacks by the group this year.

Interestingly the State Department has not yet taken the more sweeping step of labeling the group as a whole a "Foreign Terrorist Organization". According to Reuters, this reflects a desire "not to elevate the group's profile."

That makes some sense, though Boko Haram would certainly seem to be a more active threat than such largely-defunct groups as the Tamil Tigers, Aum Shinrikyo or Sendero Luminoso.

Boko Haram Targets Northern Govt. Properties

The Islamic sect, Boko Haram has issued new threats warning the 19 governors of northern Nigeria to be prepared as properties of government in their respective states and in Abuja, the nation’s capital, are their next target of attack. The group said they would soon begin to carry out deadly attacks on all government establishments in northern Nigeria and Abuja, warning that such properties should be evacuated in preparation for the attacks.

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Nigeria: Gunmen Raid Cattle Market; Kill 60

Death cows lie amid burned posts Thursday, May 3, 2012 following a raid by gunmen in a cattle market in Potiskum, Nigeria. Image: Adamu Adamu/AP

A man receives treatment at the general hospital in Potiskum, Thursday, May 3, 2012, following a raid by gunmen on a cattle market in Potiskum, Nigeria. About 60 people were killed after a failed cattle raid on Wednesday in the northeast Nigeria market sparked a retaliatory attack by robbers angry one of their colleagues had been burned alive by herders, an official and witnesses said Thursday. Image: Adamu Adamu/AP Related Story: Gunmen Kill 60, Injure Others In Yobe Market

Nigeria: Easter Car Bomb Explosion In Kaduna kills 38

People gather at the site of a bomb explosion at a road in Kaduna, Nigeria on Sunday, April 8, 2012. An explosion struck Sunday in Kaduna central Nigeria that has seen hundreds killed in religious and ethnic violence in recent years, causing unknown injuries as diplomats had warned of possible terrorist attacks over the Easter holidays.





"The explosion badly damaged the nearby All Nations Christian Assembly Church and the ECWA Good News Church as churchgoers worshipped at an Easter service, the possible target of the bomber. Witnesses said it appeared the explosive-laden car attempted to go into the compound of the churches before it detonated, but was blocked by barriers in the street and was turned away by a security guard as police approached."

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Nigeria: Briton And Italian Die In Hostage Rescue Bid

Mr. McManus was captured by gunmen during a raid on his apartment in May last year.

The men were killed in Birnin-Kebbi in the north of the country

Chris McManus and Franco Lamolinara in the video made by the hostage takers.

SKY NEWS

Two hostages - a Briton and an Italian - have been killed by terrorists in northern Nigeria in an attempted rescue operation.

The effort to free Chris McManus, from the North West of England, and his colleague Franco Lamolinara was launched by British special forces and the Nigerian army.
Sky sources say there were no fatalities on the British and Nigerian forces' side but there were several fatalities among the hostage-takers.

Prime Minister David Cameron said the pair appeared to have died at the hands of their captors, either before or during the course of the rescue bid.

Sky sources say it is believed there was a fight and during the assault the UK and Nigerian forces could not get to Mr McManus and Mr Lamolinara in time.

"It strongly appears that the hostage-takers shot the hostages," the sources said.

The rescue bid was launched after the UK received credible information about their whereabouts and that their lives were under increasing threat.

Speaking in Downing Street, Mr Cameron said Mr McManus and Mr Lamolinara were "taken hostage by terrorists" in northern Nigeria May last year.

He said: "Since then, we have been working closely with the Nigerian authorities to try to find Chris and Franco, and to secure their release.

"The terrorists holding the two hostages made very clear threats to take their lives, including in a video that was posted on the internet.

"After months of not knowing where they were being held, we received credible information about their location. A window of opportunity arose to secure their release.

"We also had reason to believe that their lives were under imminent and growing danger.

"Preparations were made to mount an operation to attempt to rescue Chris and Franco.

"Together with the Nigerian Government, today I authorised it to go ahead, with UK support.

"It is with great regret that I have to say that both Chris and Franco have lost their lives.

"We are still awaiting confirmation of the details, but the early indications are clear that both men were murdered by their captors, before they could be rescued."

He added: "Our immediate thoughts must be with Chris and Franco's families, and we offer them our sincerest condolences."

Mr McManus and Mr Lamolinara, contract workers for the construction company B Stabilini, were kidnapped by gunmen who stormed the apartment they shared in Birnin-Kebbi.

The two men were in the city building a bank.

In a statement, Mr McManus' family said: "As a family, we are of course devastated by the news of Chris' death which we received earlier today.

"During this ordeal we have relied heavily on the support of our family and friends which has never waned and has enabled us to get through the most difficult of times.

"We are also aware of the many people who were working to try and have Chris returned to our family, and his girlfriend. We would like to thank all of them for their efforts.

"We knew Chris was in an extremely dangerous situation. However we knew that everything that could be done was being done."

There have been a number of foreigners kidnapped while working in Nigeria in recent years.

In September 2008, two Britons were held by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta.

A Scottish oil worker was abducted and his guard killed in April 2009, in the Rivers State capital Port Harcourt.

Three Britons and a Colombian were kidnapped in January 2010 and in November of the same year, four men from the US, Canada and France were taken 7.5 miles offshore on the Okoro field.

Goodluck Jonathan and Fragments of a Dysfunctional State

These days and much expected of a Nigeria that is full of uncertainties, there are many ways now to pick up fights, and with Nigeria, unlike her counterparts in cyberspace which did change the way the world thinks and operates, its networking activism as seen the past few weeks to effect change and turn things around in the country is really hard to tell if the cybernation picketers or the normal weak and vulnerable working class populace on the ground have any hope since a federal Nigeria government had declared from its court ruling that the fuel subsidy strike is illegal and therefore the participants in the alleged protests are doing so at their own risk, engaging in what would cost them terribly.

Also, in a hopeless situation with the on the ground picketers, some not sure when the next meal will be available and, at the mercy of President Goodluck Jonathan himself who had nothing to do with all these if it had not been the barrels of the gun begun from IBB (Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida) to structurally adjust the nation’s programs, to OBJ (Olusegun Obasanjo) who spotted GEJ (Goodluck Ebele Jonathan), and dabbled him into nasty political tactics that certainly would consume the presidency if Jonathan comes short of taking the next step - meeting to what the people demands and settling his personal score with Boko Haram, the Islamic jihad bloodthirsty nihilists, whose big rolling funding machines are part of his cabinet he patently acknowledged while the media mounted a microscope on him.

Ironically, Jonathan is on the nation’s hot seat. Just that he may have had good intentions to lead the nation to the forefront as a honestly good man and not as a political money launderer or a traditional grassroots political player; he has been called many names in which fights had been picked among his admirers and haters. He has been called a “dumb-ass idiot,” “a dummy,” “a political fool shenanigans follower,” “a OBJ surrogate,” “a clueless Ijaw man whose presidency was not his own making,” “a college professor who should have been in the classroom rather than putting up a political trap that’s about to nail him,” “a figurehead who’s not smart enough to outplay his political foes and the ones that had set him up as a guinea pig in a nation sitting on a time bomb,” and a host of other name-calling slogans.

Jonathan did not know what befell him until the outcome of the strike began to take its toll - where his own police force he had sent out to enforce the law are fatally shooting peaceful demonstrators demanding what they had thought was fair, objecting to his removal of fuel subsidies among other complaints in a nation a do-nothing National Assembly legislators amass wealth on public funds and earns more than any government official on Earth. In a nation nothing had worked on normal settings from its franchise military juntas and dictatorships, to an abnormal, doctored democratic fabric. In a system where the chief engineer Obasanjo begun the Fourth Republic, rigging himself into reelection to the presidency, gathering his cronies to enrich them, to cover-up his own shady dealings amassing incredible wealth, and deliberately handing over power to a sick and incompetent successor with a puppet that lacked political guts as running mate to an ailing president, provides a clue about the way the system works. What Obasanjo had done in his political gimmick by handpicking deadbeats as successors and taking that as a credible succession formula being components of any political system and democratic fabric, and the way Obasanjo stage-managed his acts means Nigeria doesn’t have one - a credible and sound democracy.

Obasanjo had thought of what it would cost him giving up power entirely. He would have been in the dock - he couldn’t have taken it. He would have been made to testify under oath - that has not worked effectively in a state without structure and sound judiciary. He would have been made to face the question of how he legalized his funds and his friends’ ill-gotten funds and assets in the West where bags of cash full to the brim loots are dumped. And what Obasanjo had done in his picks of the political airheads to succeed him was not to bury the OBJ system, but to save it. It backfired. So far, it seems so.

The nation has been perilous on the first day of Obasanjo’s transition from around which Nigerians should have known clearly that in any democracy, no system, much less the deadbeats that he chose, can be stable if it depends on the well-being and survival of one man - Obasanjo - which is why the country is crumbling.

Nigeria is beginning to be the usual sickening joke we had thought was going to be a thing of the past when Jonathan got the peoples votes on his own very playgrounds and, had promised a new dawn, not knowing the onetime college professor who should have stayed where he belonged teaching, had no clue what he was doing in the presidency, and had relied on the misleading counsels of his kitchen cabinet who had taken him as a fool and for a long ride until his admission of the bloodlust Boko Haram being part of his dysfunctional regime that has practically nothing to offer the nation since he took the oath to defend the nation’s integrity other than anarchy.

One would presume Jonathan was telling a bunch of confused Nigerian audience in his thinking that perhaps the not consistent gullible press had not known about his pally with bedfellows who bankroll the Islamic group from public funds to terrorize the whole nation in the name of radical Islam.

What had been going on and especially what happened on Christmas Day, 201i, on that scheduled program to blow up institutions which the terrorists had forewarned, signaled Jonathan's fall. I had carried out a “swing poll” few days after the simultaneous bombings on whether Jonathan should resign on the basis of keeping a staff of traitors who cared less about the country’s well-being, and a staff that do not want his presidency to succeed which leaves him with the choices of quitting or getting rid of his cabinet that’s taking the country to hell.

In that “swing poll,” I had said that by Jonathan not doing much in critical and testing situations, that he is giving credence to the perpetrators of injustice. That his statements demonstrates his lack of sense of leadership and very apathetic about the suffering of his subjects - the Nigerian people. That he needs to show more responsibility to handle every situation protecting Nigerians. That if he cannot perform to secure his own people from his ineptitude, he must resign.

Thus Jonathan should either dissolve his present cabinet staff of cronies that was not his own making but that of special interests who had designed his administration to be a failure, and a staff out to discredit his South-South connections which links him with his protege, the source behind the origin of all the chaos. Jonathan should resign to save himself from further embarrassments. He has not done anything differently except for his willingness to negotiate with Boko Haram terrorists whose sponsors helped neutralize the president’s attempt to sought the cells of the terrorists with a tactical move for negotiations. Negotiate with terrorists for what?

That gesture energized and motivated the terrorists to keep up steadfastly with their quest for what they demand - an Islamic state. When the president isn’t doing much independently to use his sense of judgement as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces; and, when it’s very clear that the Islamic murderous gang Boko Haram are composed of people he knows very well, what message is he really sending to the Nigerian people?

Jonathan should know that he is sitting on a time bomb. If he has any advisers on this current crisis, which I doubt, it’s about time for him to find a way to diffuse that bomb for his own life and the interest of the nation. And on the striking working class, this is the time he should gather these people, consult with them and give them what they want. This is the best time for him to use diplomacy which should constitute a fair warning to a legislative fraud that power belongs to the people, giving the people what they want for the interest of the country and again for his own life.

Should President Goodluck Jonathan Resign?

It has been noted in some circles that President Goodluck Jonathan should resign for his feeling very irresponsible and not showing possible leadership of the country by not demonstrating his ability to manage crisis - which case he is not intuned with the sadness being caused by the suffering Nigerian people. That the Christmas Day simultaneous bombings was not the first time, second time or third time it had occured in the country.

That by not doing much, he is giving credence to the perpetrators of injustice. That his statements demonstrates his lack of sense of leadership and very apathetic about the suffering of his subjects - the Nigerian people. That he needs to show more responsibility to handle every situation protecting Nigerians. That if he cannot perform to secure his own people from his ineptitude, he must resign.

Have your say/opinion

Nigerians Should Decide Whether Nigeria Should Disintegrate Or Not -- Bashir Tofa

Nigeria Sunday Tribune Interview

Alhaji Bashir Tofa was the presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC). In this interview with Kola Oyelere, the Kano-born politician, who contested the aborted 1993 presidential election against the late Chief MKO Abiola, speaks on issues ranging from the lingering insecurity in the country to why the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, would continue to be a thorn in the flesh of the nation as well as the domination of the nation’s political landscape by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Excerpts:

Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the August 26 suicide bombing of the UN building in Abuja where over 20 people died. How do you see the sect’s action? Could Boko Haram have been responsible for the bombing or any other international terrorist group?

I have heard that Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the attack on UN House. Somebody who was said to be a member of the sect has made such claim, but deep in my mind, I don’t believe that the attack was perpetrated by Boko Haram. If you look at their sophistication, operation and the structure of the terrorist group, it can be indicated that it was beyond their capacity.

Second, I can’t see any reason why Boko Haram should bomb the UN’s House, because the UN is nothing whatsoever to Boko Haram. So, it is up to the Federal Government if they are really serious about finding the culprits to work very hard with the UN or anybody that can assist this country to find the true culprits behind this dastardly act. However, I don’t believe that Boko Haram has the capacity to carry out the act, besides they don’t even have any reasons, because one has to identify the specific motives behind the bombing. Why would anybody do that? I can’t find any answer why Boko Haram should do it.

The thinking of many people is that the UN House’s bombing would strain the relationship between Nigeria and the United Nations. What is your view of this?

I don’t think it would strain any relationship between Nigeria and the UN, because they are aware that the Nigeria’s government was not responsible for the attack. If the relationship would go sour, then the UN would have left Iraq but it is still there, the UN is still in Palestine and many other countries like that. So, the UN always differentiates between what government does and what individuals or terrorist groups do.

It was predicted that Nigeria may disintegrate. Don’t you see that all these scary events, bomb blasts, kidnappings, and general insecurity in the country are symptomatic of this prediction?

Well, if there are people who want the country to disintegrate, they will not succeed by the grace of God. Nigerians have to decide whether they want to continue together or not, however such should not disintegrate the country, and I don’t think there are foreign powers that want Nigeria disintegrated. Nevertheless, Nigerians need to sit down and determine that by themselves.

The views of some people are that the emergence of Boko Haram is a response from some Northerners against President Goodluck Jonathan who believe that the presidency was taken away from them?

These statements emanated from people who don’t know anything but want to portray themselves as political analysts. Some of them even said that some politicians were giving weapons to Boko Haram to perpetrate their evil act against the Federal Government. However, what people should be doing is to condemn this act and not to blame it on some people.

Number two, if the Federal Government truly believes that there are people trying to sabotage the efforts of Mr. President because they do not like Dr. Jonathan or because of zoning, then the Federal Government should try to find out who are the people and bring them to book.

The South East geo-political zone has indicated an interest to produce the nation’s president come 2015. How would the North feel on this, in view of the North’s insistence that the president should come from the zone in 2015?

I am totally against the fact that power must go to a certain section of the country, whether North, South, West or East. I want power to go a Nigerian who really cares for everybody. A Nigerian who will deal with everybody equally, creates opportunities for every Nigerian and leaves the country a better place.

The moment we continue talking about the South or North or West, we would never make political progress in this country, that was what brought us into tribal and regional problems and we should have outgrown such divisive tendencies by now. Right now, we should be looking for a Nigerian whom everybody trusts, a Nigerian who would be fair to everybody, irrespective of one’s ethnic or religious affiliation. We all have equal responsibility and right to aspire to any elective post, though people are saying it is our time while others are also saying they must produce the president come 2015, all these are rubbish, we should put those things behind us and go for people who really mean well for this country. There is no Nigerian who does not have the right to rule this country, all Nigerians should be seen as politically equal, and all political parties should always seek for the best candidate and should not field any candidate on the basis of his/her tribe or religion, but on the trust that people have in him, knowing that this man or this woman can serve this country well and can treat everybody well.

Late Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, late Nigeria’s Prime Minister, Tafawa Balewa, and other notable northern leaders fought for one North, do you think North is still an indivisible entity, in view of the issue of Boko Haram and several killings in the region?

So also late Chief Obafemi Awolowo fought for one South-West and late Chief Nnamdi Azikwe fought for one South-East, but that does not mean that all these regions were one or are still one. We have our differences, no doubt. What is required are for those differences to be accepted while we become united at the same time. The North is just like any other parts of the country; we have different tribes as well as people who are either Muslims or Christians. This is part of our existence, but whether we can unite and be one to project our interest and interest of the country is another thing entirely, but we should try to do it.

The role of opposition parties in any democracy is to checkmate the activities of a ruling party, either at the state or national level, do you think the opposition parties in the country are doing this?

The opposition parties are trying to survive while some of their leaders are just projecting their self-interest.s.They hobnob with the PDP, trying to either make money or acquire positions. It’s not been good as far as the opposition parties are concerned in the country. We don’t find among them leaders who stick to their principle, but people who always look for what they can benefit. Personally, I don’t think any of these opposition parties, whether ANPP, ACN, Labour Party or APGA and so on can be effective and checkmate the PDP-controlled Federal Government. If they can come together and fuse into a single political party, that would be the beginning of the end of the PDP, in my opinion, but if they don’t, I assure you that within the next two years, you would find out that some of these governors would decamp to the PDP, while some of the Senators, and members of the House of Representatives would equally follow suit and that would be the end of opposition in the country.

Patraeus: al-Quaida Affiliates Pose Increasing Threat

(Fox News) - CIA Director David Petraeus, in his first public appearance since taking the helm of the agency, said Tuesday that al-Qaida's leadership has been driven underground but that its affiliates and sympathizers pose an increasingly dangerous threat to the US.

Petraeus said successful takedowns of key al-Qaida leaders, including Osama bin Laden earlier this year, have made the terror network "much weaker and less capable" than when it attacked America ten years ago on Sept. 11, 2001.

He said bin Laden's replacement, Ayman al Zawahiri, is seen by the al-Qaida base as "less compelling," and the organization is "struggling to find qualified replacements" for other operatives and leaders. The attention of leaders in Pakistan's tribal areas has shifted from terror plotting to "security and survival," Petraeus said, noting that the decimation of al-Qaida leadership presents a "window of vulnerability" for the US to exploit.

But, in a hearing before the House intelligence committee, Petraeus said al-Qaida's offshoots around the world are filling the void. He pointed to al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, based in Yemen, as "the most dangerous regional node in the global jihad."

The group was behind the failed plot to bomb a Detroit-bound jet on Christmas Day 2009 and the plot to send bombs hidden in printers on cargo jets last year. Petraeus also expressed concern about affiliates and sympathizers in Somalia, Nigeria, Algeria and Iraq.

Petraeus commanded US military forces in Iraq, and later in Afghanistan, before taking the CIA directorship. He said al Qaeda in Iraq has suffered "significant losses" since the 2007 troop surge but is still capable of carrying out sensational attacks.

While al-Qaida's mission of terror is "shifting" to affiliates, Petraeus said, the core remains "committed" to attacking US citizens. He said the US will need to keep pressure on the network for the "long haul."

The Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, echoed Petraeus' comments. He said the "relentless pressure" on al-Qaida has weakened the organization, but "the stark fact is that we remain threatened."

"It would be an error to conclude that we have reason to gloat, reason to soften our focus," he said. "The terrorists still wish to do us harm, destroy our institutions, and to kill Americans without conscience."

Jonathan Says Terrorism A Domestic Issue He Can Manage

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan said Islamic radicals who have attacked government officials and security forces are a “domestic problem” unrelated to his election or the nation’s split between a mainly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south.

“I can promise you that as a government we are committed and up to the task and will bring it down,” Jonathan told reporters at the United Nations in New York, ahead of a meeting today in Washington with President Barack Obama. “It does not rise to the level where we will have to ask President Obama or other world leaders for assistance.”

Authorities in Nigeria’s north have blamed a radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram, which draws inspiration from Afghanistan’s Taliban movement, for bomb attacks and killings targeting government officials and security forces. More than 14,000 people died in ethnic and religious clashes between 1999 and 2009 in Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, according to the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.

At least 14 people were killed and 17 seriously wounded when three blasts went off yesterday in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, including one at the state government secretariat, Borno state police spokesman Lawal Abdullahi said. In a separate incident, a gunman in the city suspected to be an Islamic militant shot dead Ibrahim Mohammed, a Muslim cleric, late yesterday at his home, Abdullahi said.

Jonathan, 53, a Christian from the oil-rich Niger River delta region, defeated his nearest rival, Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim, in the April 16 vote by a 57 percent to 31 percent margin. At least 800 people were killed as protests by supporters of the opposition candidate, a former military ruler, triggered violence between Muslim and Christian ethnic groups, according to New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Terrorist Attacks

“We have challenges, but it has nothing to do with the elections,” Jonathan said. “It has nothing to do with Christians and Muslims. Boko Haram would rather attack Islamic groups that embrace the western way of life. Even the most powerful countries are confronted with terrorist attacks. You have to manage it and gradually suppress it.”

Jonathan said he would use a “carrots-and-sticks approach,” of negotiations with Boko Haram and the use of military force if talks fail. He pointed to the negotiations and amnesty program that has reduced violence in the Niger Delta.

Images of New Year's Eve Abuja Bomb Blast

Photo: Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Oluseyi Petirin was amongst the first senior government personnel to arrive the scene.













IMAGES COURTESY OFTHE WILL NIGERIA

Nigeria: A Troubled Nation and the Murderous Islamic Jihadists

They started from slaughtering my kith and kin in the early years of the republic -- beheading them, murdering pregnant women and their unborn children. A horrific event and a tragedy. They kill and brag about it and I have been weary of pointing out.

Killing their fellow human beings especially when it comes to the Christians is baked in their genes. They murder their victims -- Christians -- mercilessly in the name of radical Islam. They have never stopped being bloodthirsty even with a declaration of an "undying commitment" by the West to the security and survival of the Christians could halt the blood lust Jihadists in their quest to eliminate their victims in the most brutal way.

It has become their way of life and a sport. They believe as the satanic verses of the Holy Quoran prescribes, that what they do is the right thing to be done, ala, their heroic welcome to heaven for destroying lives and killing en masse we who they call infidels. And, in most cases, particularly in Nigeria, they walk away free of charge and praised by the "brains", the bankrollers behind the massacres for all the atrocities they unleash to innocent civilians and Southern Christians

And there is no end in sight in the cycle of violence carried out by these northern Islamic Jihadic hoodlums and nihilists. It has been their nature ever since the fabricated state called 'Nigeria' came into being, to be positively bloodthirsty.

They are mass murderers and proud of it. They have done it over and and over again without remorse. They just love it and, ironically, the world watched as it unfolded, doing practically nothing like the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. Their sponsors, the cabals and caliphates run the country as if it's their own personal property -- from the military juntas to the civilian regimes. They have been untouchable with the help of their colloaborative Southern bigots.

Their goal is a "Holy War," to wipe out the "infidels" from the face of this planet. Several millions of Christians including Nd'Igbo have perished in their desire. And they will never stop, taking a look at the chronology of events since the nation's sovereignty which could be easily traced to the pre-independence era when the Founding Fathers collectively agreed to form a union of different cultures and nationalities without realizing the consequences. Had the problem been detected and made clear that coexistence was impossible and addressed appropriately like in all confederacies, perhaps 'Nigeria,' by now in 49 years of its existence, would have been stable, or probably with an intact and viable government.

Since independence, Nigeria has been disturbed by internal strife and power struggle among the three major ethnic groups and other ethnic minorities. The question here is, can Nigeria still survive as a nation under the pressure of power games, religious differences and political rivalry? How long is the country going to continue to fertilize its land with human blood? And at what cost?

The chronological list below and the tragic events that followed suggests the country is in dire need of a sense of purpose to avoid more ominous consequences.The problems the country encountered since its birth speaks clearly for itself, that no such thing as Nigeria. It is a fabrication which brings to mind the case of the Balkanization Theory which eventually came to terms with reality and endorsed by the League of Nations, though violent and series of wars, and finally a plebiscite. Nigeria is typical:

October 1, 1960: The Founding Father's vigorous fight with the colonial masters would bring along with it an independent nation; and the Northern Peoples Congress overwhelming victory would elect Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Prime Minister of the First Republic in a doctored parliamentary system devoid of who the people are and how they could have governed themselves better.

1962: A power tussle between Obafemi Awolowo's Action Group and Samuel L. Akintola's defection in alliance with the northern caliphates would result in chaos and lost of lives in the Yoruba dominated Western Region. Brothers would kill brothers, and Awo and some of his followers would serve time in federal penitentiary for treason.

May 1965: Confusions in the military -- rumors of attempted military coup by top military officers of the Nigerian Army did not hold water, dismissing it as heresay and overlooked as a mere rhetorical balderdash. But a serious stuff was in the making.

January 15, 1966: A coup was planned and foiled and the military came in wrestling power from an inept, corrupt civilian administration that was barely six years old. Major General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, an Igbo, would take over the affairs of state as a result of being the most senior military officer, and the rest would be history.

May 29, 1966: On the orders of Major Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, Ironsi would be flogged, kidnapped and dragged on the streets, and murdered in the most brutal of circumstances. The then most senior military officer in the army, Brigadier Ogundipe, a Yoruba, would be compelled to leave for London in order to pave way for the Hausa-Fulanis and their brutal Islamic Jihadists to sought Igbos wherever they could be found for a pre-meditated and diabolical act of genocide.

August-late September 1966: Anarchy, mayhem, rape of Igbo women, lynching, arson and the list goes on and on, becoming the order of the day. More casualties and more Igbo women and children were gruesomely murdered on the course of human error intended to take out the Igbo nation from the map of a concocted Nigeria.

January 4-5, 1967: Ghana's Head of State, Lt.-General Joseph Ankra would chair a meeting at Aburi, Ghana, to decide what solution would address the Nigerian conflict and determine how the mass killing of Igbos could be stopped. The meeting ended well, on a consensus, but the Nigerian vandals negated the resolution in a sudden 180-degress turn and continued apace their rounding up of Igbo people.

Nevertheless, when on January 19, 2010, the bloodbath in Jos erupted between Moslems and Christians, I had told a colleague that violence is in the blood of the northern Islamic Jihadists which has been their only strategy in place of diologue and diplomacy, and that there has not being a way to figure the whole thing out; and that it will -- predicting with certainty -- erupt again, sooner than later and knowing who these cold-blooded murderers are. After the wantom killings of January which left over 200 dead and series of others injured, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan's Office on Media and Publicity issued out a press release on January 20, 2010, guaranteeing "never gain":

“Once again, there has been an eruption in Jos, the Plateau State capital, accompanied by a most regrettable loss of lives and property. This is one crisis too many, and the Federal Government finds it most unacceptable, retrogressive, and capable of further sundering the bonds of unity in our country. The country cannot afford these constant eruptions, and while the situation has been brought under control by the security agencies, government is determined to find a permanent solution to the Jos crisis. Today, the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, convened a meeting of security chiefs to review the situation and initiate forward processes to reign in the violence. This is in addition to the initial orders for the urgent containment of the crisis. He has further directed an urgent meeting of all key stakeholders, towards achieving lasting peace in the area..."

It wasn't even two months from that cycle of violence that spread to Bukuru and Apata area of the state before another cycle of violence erupted, and this time around, about 500 innocent civilians were feared dead.

The upshot is that, radical Islam has been the origin of all conflicts in Nigeria and until the cabals and caliphates who had thought that power is their birthright are made to know in concrete terms that Nigeria is nobody's personal property, and that the rule of law must be upheld and respected, prosecuting to the limit of the law the nihilists and hoodlums, and the cabals behind all that, what happened on Sunday, March 7, 2010 with graphic scenes of mass burial will surely happen again.

And since former President Olusegun Obasanjo lost out in his bid for a third term, and deliberately handpicked Umar Yar'Adua to succeed him fearng his political foes might be after him, and recognizing that neither carrots nor sticks nor any combination of the two can work in a fragile state like Nigeria; and now that the cabals are also losing out resorting to all kinds of games and violence to keep the presidency within their enclave which did put the country into political limbo since the ailing President Yar'Adua's condition has been permanently locked in the closet, now what?

The saga continues!

The Bigotry, Hatred and Censorship of Yahoogroups' Naija Politics Moderator(s): Martin Akindana and his Colleagues

Illustration: John Dyson


"NaijaPolitics's Group Description: NaijaPolitics ‘Mat’ is a Political Crossfire of Nigerian politics. A group dedicated to Gavel-to-Gavel discussion of political developments in Nigeria -Africa's largest democracy. A place where Political Pundits, Political Analysts, Policy Analysts, Political ‘Think Thank’, Political & Policy 'Wonks', Policy Makers, Political Aspirants, Political Activists, Political Strategists, Political Lobbyists, Current Office holders, the Politically inclined and others that 'swim', 'dream', 'dine', and 'talk' politics hit heads together. It is a place for Nigerian political heavyweights, where Men and Women of ‘timber and caliber’ talk about everything politics and nothing but politics. At NaijaPolitics mat, issues are not treated with kid gloves. It is a forum for serious-minded political ‘junkies’, where vital Nigerian national issues and interests are tackled head on. If you have what it ‘takes’, then get in the ‘RING’. The NaijaPolitics ‘Mat’ is a ’Political Crossfire’ forum. It is not for the weak-hearted. Only the fittest will survive. It is a political ‘Ring’ for ‘no holds bar’ discussion of all aspects of Nigerian political landscape and Nigeria Geopolitics... Welcome Aboard! Let’s ‘Play’

Regards,
Martin 'matto' Akindana
Moderator, NaijaPolitics forum"

Nonsense!!

First of all, I did not ask or requested to be subscribed to Naija Politics' Yahoogroups Forum, the discussion group its made up thousands of subscribers seek relevance by way of voicing out their "opinion" on how to fix a shambled Nigeria national state even when the tyrant and "moderator" Martin Akindana watches many of the made-up handles with the eye of a microscope either approving their messages or ignoring the ones he found disturbing and could destroy the "clean Image" it represents. And neither did my colleagues, Dr. Emeka Amanze and Nnamdi Nwuda at Biafrianigeriaworld Message Board and its sister-related websites asked or requested to be subscribed either as Igbonet or Biafranigeriaworld, or as individuals at this said censored forum moderated by a gang of Igbo haters who simply couldn't live up to the creed of what they founded, owned and stood for.

I will not be naming names for now, but I do know one thing, for sure, that the mad professor, Mobolaji Aluko's telltales to his gang in what supposedly should have been a free for all forum where "typical Nigerians" could address appropriately what concerns them and how the affairs of state is being run in their country, has indeed destroyed the intent for a profound public discourse on any issue that may arise at any given time regarding the nations social ills and a brutal, inept, corrupt regime. Aluko is one I have encountered dating back to 2000 at the Igbo-bashing, censored, Nigeriaworld run by Chuck Odili who had problems identifying his Igbonness.

It was a bitter struggle at Chucks Nigeriaworld, though healthy for any sound democratic fabric until the anti-Igbo sentiments erupted during the Sharia debacle which brought about a heated debate in which I for one called for an equivalent given in retaliation, that the Igbo would no longer sit idly and watch her kith and kin slaughtered in the the most brutal of circumstances. The obvious hatred and all that followed gave birth to Biafranigeriaworld, meaning it could be done uncut, uncensored and free. Today, BNW is still intact and viable, and keeping up with a very strong press which has been its top priority and had remained that way ever since.

But as it happened sometime in 2005 when Akindana started his Naija Politis Forum noticing the becoming conduct of a strong press, one that solidly stood for the ideals of free speech when he submitted unsolicited request to the management of Biafranigeriaworld to "please come join Naija Politics" as part of enhancing a fabricated, fledgling democracy, a concoction - Fourth Republic - put together by the military juntas which has been on life support ever since it was established more than a decade ago. Amanze, Nwuda and I talked over it, and studying carefully the implications of dining and wining with a set that had been known for its bigotry and hatred on Nd'Igbo, we arrived to the conclusion that "I go ahead" and represent BNW by honoring Naija Politics moderators' request. I gave a deep thought to it based on my encounters at Nigeriaworld where Odili and his anti_igbo cohorts had assumed Igbos were Nigeria's problem, and that the only way Nigeria could be credible and productive was to wipe the Igbo nation off the map of the country. But beyond this basic truth, there is much that isn't known - why did Odili decided to eliminate all Igbo handles on the counsel of Aluko and his Igbo-bashing colleagues even though the impeachment of Senate President Chuba Okadigbo and the removal of his own brother, Gbenga, from the senate floor, and who had been loyal to Okadigbo couple with then on-going debates on Sharia, Sovereign National Conference he championed and came to sell to the youngish intellectuals at Nigeriaworld who declined to buy his idea of a national conference; and other complicated issues which posed no threat to the dissolution of Nigeriaworld; and why should Aluko to have made it patently clear that Igbo handles in the fora was not relevant in a national conference?

As it turned out, my colleagues and I at the freaky controlled website - Nigeriaworld - did not back down; we had a choice, moving on which eventually gave birth to Biafranigeriaworld and its related sister websites that is still out there for all to use with no tribal or ethnic lines.

And one had thought this whole mess of anti-Igbo sentiments had climaxed, which would pave way for a new beginning of "reconciliation" in building a profound democratic fabric as in all civil and organized societies. The result was sour. The Yoruba hatred of Igbo people continued apace, and Akindana who thought he had been fair inviting my colleagues and I to join his casts at Naija Politics, ate up his own words and did not hide his bigotry toward a people that had been minding their own business.

My first post at Naija Politics in October of 2005 was news-related items with a joint Biafran and Nigerian flag which symbolized the website, Biafranigeriaworld, founded on anti-Igbo sentiments, and of bigotry and hatred.

But these bigots were watching me like a hawk with Akindana hiding behind closed doors, pushing his cohorts to effectively red tape all my postings. Henceforth all my postings were restricted because I had an Igbo last name and happened to be a founding member of Biafranigeriaworld. The one that caught the hawk's eye was a Nigeria news report from one of the dailies titled "EFCC Raids Adamawa SSG's Home" sent from BNW News and intercepted by Augustina Iyare, one of Akindana's handles writing to inform me it was impossible to approve my message even from a reliable hunch that "Tina" wasn't a skirt. "She" writes:

"Dear Ambrose,

I approved your message yesterday after much struggle. This is Nigeria politics, sir! I cannot participate in anything that will divide my country. You can send it elsewhere and see if they will support your Biafra flag. I see it as promoting your Biafra country. I might be wrong in my decision but that is per my love for my country. My duties here is to promote the growth of Nigeria and not Biafra.

Long Live Nigeria.

Thanks,

Tina."

Yes, she approved one of my messages "after much struggle." And she told me about the fora being Nigeria politics, thus, according to her, she loves her country. The question here is, didn't the bigots including "Ms. Iyare" knew beforehand that I was pro-Biafranigeriaworld as claimed when they subscribed my name without my consent? Didn't they visit the Biafranigeriaworld website before reaching a decision to have my name subscribed following my write-ups in the past? So in a free world where a strong press amounts to a concretely established democracy, the word Biafranigeriaworld is or should be banned? That being said without hiding the fact that Igbo-bashing is still alive and well, I left the freaky controlled group with immediate effect. It wasn't even a few months from the time I left that the bigots and tyrants sent me another unsolicited request to join and see how the forum had improved perhaps on the realism anti-Igbo sentiments is no longer in place. It had been request upon request I had declined over the years until October 2009 when the first message surfaced in my mailbox from the group owner, Akindana, "graciously" welcoming me to Naija politics.

I agreed to the "owner's" statement of adult content and checked-in after over four years of my deliberately staying out of touch. Nothing much changed. The forum still lacked substance and had no relevance in a typical political discussion group.

Enter my first post. It had disappeared without explanation. And series of other posts followed with a tiny fraction escaping interception. But as in Congress making no laws abridging the freedom of speech, and as in Akindana's preamble that Naija Politics is "where vital Nigerian national issues and interests are tackled head on," which suggests in his own word "interests," does it mean Igbo-related issues is of no Nigerian national interests? I simply don't get it, and one wonders why a fabricated Nigeria is still way far from a sound democracy.

Again, not surprisingly, the bigotry and hatred of Igbo had been taken to my blogs, websites and elsewhere by unknown handles making inflammatory remarks about Igbo people deserving whatever they get in a tribalized and murderous Islamic Jihadic Nigeria as the country copes not only with one - The Case of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Nigeria and Terrorism - but with uncountable existential threats as we have seen unfold over the years, and most recently the Jos Riots in which hundreds of lives were lost. Faced with this horrific prospect, bigots like Akindana keeps a tight lip as the murderous Islamic Jihadists go on the rampage slaughtering innocent civilians. Even at my blog - The Pogrom, War & Starvation - where I had posted "Benjamin Adekunle Shooting at Everything," his comments of bigotry and hatred energized the bigots and had the bloodthirsty cannibals never stop talking. Never mind the idea of the pogrom and civil war, Adekunle, however, did not hide the fact he was anti-Igbo, and never have I seen anything like that. Adekunle wrote:

"I want to see no Red Cross, no caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no Missionary and no United Nations delegation. I want to prevent even one Igbo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the center of Igbo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that don't move."

And my reaction to that comment was, "If the above comment is not bigotry and hatred, what else is?"

But the bigots came to applaud Adekunle and justify the pogrom and war, for example, one anonymous, and of course, Akindana's cohorts: "It is called a job you looser. What do you think people in the army do? Dance around like a ballerina? No. They are meant to kill so shut up." And another anonymous: "Do you seriously believe that the Nigerians were supposed to provide food to the rebels? Aid meant for civilians would have been hijacked by Ojukwu's thugs, so stop this crap!..." And Adebisi, an unknown bigot from Akindana's camp. The "skirt" writes:

"Why do people want to pedal the myth of a Biafra genocide industry? We are setting ourselves up for round two, meanwhile, the myth peddlers are filling their coffers and building up hate for their own personal reasons. Do you know any of the people whose pictures you parade about your websites? I see no analysis of what happened. Why and who actually did what? Lots of personal abuse and the pornography of death - using pictures of dead and dying children to refight a lost war..."

These and uncountable hatemails that keeps popping up in my mailbox even taken lightly as an empty threat, I tried as much as I could to reason with the bigots on the concept that "Nigeria" belongs to all of us, and that without Igbo agenda Nigeria political discourse is senseless, and despite all the efforts in what I should have taken seriously by countering Akindana and his colleagues' rhetoric, I took it that well-grounded opposition is the key to healthy democracy and kept submitting my thought-provoking articles which reveals the simple truth of a failed state; Akindana stayed busy restricting my posting privileges while al-Qaeda keeps developing series of terrorist cells in the Islamic Jihadic Northern Nigeria.

Hoha! (Pointblank): The Talkingheads on Nigeria

"The failure of the Nigerian leadership over many years to respond to the legitimate needs of their own young people, to have a government that promoted a meritocracy, that really understood that democracy can't just be given lip service, it has to be delivering services to the people, has meant there is a lot of alienation in that country and others,"

-------Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton Speaking at a town hall meeting of State Department employees, Clinton said the Nigerian government has failed for years to address the legitimate needs of its people.


"The Obama administration appears to have a blind spot when it comes to the war on terrorism...When the Obama administration decided to treat Abdulmutallab as an ordinary criminal, it did so without the input of our nation's top intelligence officials...They would have explained the importance of gathering all possible intelligence about Yemen, where there is a serious threat from terrorists whose sights are trained on this nation... They would have explained the critical nature of learning all we could from Abdulmutallab. But they were never asked."

-------Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) that the Obama administration has a "blind spot" when it comes to fighting the war on terror in the weekly GOP Internet and Radio Address.



"Let me tell you something, Nigeria is just a funny entity. When the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo described Nigeria as a mere geographical expression, rather than a nation, the man knew very well what he was talking about. If we are a nation, we should be able to speak with one voice, we should be able to have a common destiny, our aspiration should be towards national goal and all our actions should reflect that national goal and national interest. But these days, everything that is anti-nationalism is what is pervading the political and socio-economic atmosphere of Nigeria. The ethnic agenda is taking the centre stage as against the national interest. Otherwise, why should Nigeria almost at 50 still be talking about federal character with a Commission created for it? Not only that, it went ahead to insert it in the Constitution to say every appointment and decision taken must have tribal and ethnic consideration at the expense of merit. Otherwise, why should we be talking about the President‘s inability to handover. Does it cost him anything? If we truly belong to the same nation, we should trust each other. There should not be what I will describe as mutual suspicion of each other. We have succeeded in promoting religious and tribal hegemony as against national interest. Otherwise, Ya‘Adua was aware of what he should do whenever he was going on vacation or on sabbatical according to the Constitution. The man knew very well the state of his precarious health condition and yet, he went ahead to stand for election. We knew what was happening to him during the campaign; he was collapsing. Then there was nothing Nigerians could do because the powers that be wanted him at all cost and here we are today."

-------Nigerian-based attorney, Fred Agbaje
in Punch's exclusive interview.


"The judiciary as the pivot on which our constitution deservedly stands is balancing the delicate concept of separation of powers as well as ensuring that the pure water underlying the aforesaid constitutional principles is not polluted has unequivocally spoken. The judicial voice must be respected without qualms by all. The ultimacy of the ruling firther lies in the fact that what seems to be an unending falsehood and shenanigans being paraded to Nigerians as truth about Yar'Adua's health by the People Democratic Party leaders and the jokers masquerading as ministers would stop fortwith by allowing constitutional sanity to have its way."

-------Lagos, Nigeria-based attorney Femi Falana disagreeing on Justice Dan Agbatu's court ruling on the role of Vice President Goodluck Jonathan in the absence of the President.

The Case of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, Nigeria and Terrorism

Life was certainly easing up a little bit with a hopeful upcoming prosperous better year in a matter of days as the war on terror seemed to be waning; though, the emergence of Taliban in Afghanistan had taken a new dimension for the United States and its allies in fighting the terrible war on terror. Nobody had thought al Quaeda was still functioning very well in maintaining its strongholds toward the development of fatal devices to attack United States' interest all around the world.

Christmas Day was another way to learn a lesson that al Quaeda was still out there, underground, recruiting and training would-be suicide bombers and terrorists in the name of radical Islam. And this time around, in an attempt to use another United States aircraft for another act of terrorism on United States, it came from what some couldn't have imagined since the focus of "fishing out" al Quaeda operatives had been on the Arab Peninsula, the Far East - India, Pakistan, Kashmir, Afghanistan - and countries surrounding the Black Sea, including the states in Limbo, the quasi countries teetering on the brink of statehood - Abkhazia, Puntland, South Ossetia - "nations" that particularly doesn't exist and where al Quaeda had been known to either have strongholds or gearing up to open up cells.

Yes, some couldn't have imagined that a Nigerian-born Umar Forouk Abdulmutallab would be trained to attack the United States, which has raised questions from many circles including my colleagues who had been wondering what had gone wrong regarding the Nigerian terror suspect, the least they had expected.

On the morning of December 26, 2009, my longtime friend, Ardis Hamilton, had called me, and I had looked forward to his gist relating to his trip to Costa Rica, one of his routine annual vacations.

"Hey, Ambrose, what's happening, man!? What's going on with Nigeria, man!? Come on, man, what's going on with your country and all that terrorism stuff, man!? That is not cool, and I will tell you that," shouted Ardis.

"Are you surprised it happened?" I replied in response.

"Of course, I am, man! This is crazy. Unbelievable. Nigeria?" Ardis said.

"Well, unfortunately, not too many of you guys know about that country called Nigeria and the goings on ever since it was fabricated by the colonists," I said.

That was part of our brief telephone conversations regarding what unfolded the previous day, the day a 23-year-old Nigerian, Abdulmutallab, attempted to blow up a Detroit-bound Northwest Airline Flight 253.

The news was all over the media - the print and electronic - with some astounded and many not even surprised, for it was only a matter of time for the secular Northern Nigeria murderous Islamic Jihadists to take their deadly casts to a whole new heights going overboard to blow up a United States aircaft. Even upon my arrival later in the day of December 26, at Black Township's Leimert Park, California, where the joyous festivities and merry-making to commemorate Kwaanza, being held and observed which was lukewarm as a result of Abdulmutallab's newest adventure that gave him a "15 minutes" of fame in a very bad way, "what's up with Nigeria?!" echoed all around the hood.

Leaving aside the thought of the alleged son of a "prominent Nigerian banker" who had been privileged to attend British run elite school in neigboring French-speaking Togoland, then to University College, London, what could have inspired this kid to go as far as he did, and the senior Abdulmutallab could not detect his boy's out of character early enough for attempt to destroy a Detroit-bound Northwest Airline Flight 253, not to have happened? How are we sure Abdulmutallab's father did not encourage him or prepared him through series of contacts by way of bankrolling the projects in the quest to kill we who they call "infidels" in their "satanic verses" of the Holy Koran? And since Abdulmutallab, the former minister and "prominent Nigerian banker" claimed and told us he reported his son's suspicious moves to the United States months before said attempt, why was he reluctant in notifying the Nigerian media? With the history of the northern caliphates and its groomed Islamic Jihadic nihilists and hoodlums who plundered and demolished properties, raped Igbo women, eviscerated the pregnant ones, beheaded Southern Christians, and burned down their churches to the ground, why should it take too much probing to elicit testimony that these dreaded mallams are cold-blooded murderers?

And of what background is Abdulmutallab? And what is the history of his clan in Nigeria and elsewhere on the northern deserts of West Africa? And throughout this process, and the damages radical Islam had caused all around the world with obvious horrific events in Nigeria before 9/11, why is it so difficult to comprehend the fact that terrorist cells had been in Nigeria even before the United States began its war on terror?

The tone I have drawn here: origin, religion, ethnicity and arguments in this form of public worship are not only the product of terrorists, suicide bombers, making of lethal devices. organizational funding, travel arrangements and logistics. They have been encouraged, sponsored and developed by Saudi Arabia, and the West vividly knew it and kept quiet. Saudi Arabia is the root of all terrorist activities, and in order to win the war on terror effectively, that root must be uprooted.

And Abdulmutallab's full name has nothing to identify with a typical traditional Nigerian, or a typical Hausa descent like Dogoyaro, Baba Yara, Sofo Bature, Funla Masa, Mutum Banza, Kudi Mangana, Metusa, Gujia, Ina Zaka and names and stuff of that nature typical of Hausa heritage in a fabricated Nigeria. He bears a full-fledged Arabic name whose clan "is" Arab influenced.

So now that Abdulmutallab's father has been cleared for his beforehand complaint to the United Staes about his son's out of character, what point does it make when a father who had taken the full task of raising a child, sending him to the best institutions of learning in these modern times, not to have known way before time that his son had gone out of character - in a dire case of terrorism years ago - while grooming his child as a mentoring parent to produce one of society's best on the basis of humble beginnings from a father's prominence and legacy?

But a deeper reason may be at work here, for instance, the extensive to near exhaustive debates, commentaries and analyses including reports that had been seen over the years at Igbonet, Igbo Forum, and BiafraNigeriaWorld and other related websites; and my articles that had been widely published on a wide range of issues regarding a fabricated national state called "Nigeria," and that "Nigeria" had never been a one country from the time of the constitutional conferences as asserted by Obafemi Awolowo; and in 1966, when the country lost its sense of purpose which resulted to the first military coup; in July 1966, the counter coup which propped up a whole lot of confusion, leading to a civil war on agitation for self-reliance based on the inexplicable events which erupted the pogrom; and ever since, too many complicated issues arriving from civil unrest, militancy and things like that for the quest of plebiscite; the Hausa-Fulanis and their murderous Islamic Jihadists chose all sorts of anarchy instead; which was evident that the country had nothing in common from its numerous cultures and ethnicities as in the Balkans, and shouldn't have been joined together by a British mandate.

Shouldn't we have known, then, from all the vagaries and uncertainties surrounding a Nigerian national state, that no such thing as Nigeria, and that it is impossible for its existence?

Well, Awolowo, the Yoruba tribalist, saw it firsthand and argued that this is indeed the case. He wrote:

"When imperial powers ratified the final share-out of colonial territories at the Berlin Conference in 1885, Nigeria existed as three separate political units. These corresponded roughly with the present three regions, and administered by three different authorities. Since the amalgamation all efforts of the British government have been devoted to developing the country into a unitary state. This is patently impossible; and it is astonishing that a nation wide political experience like Great Britain fell into such a palpable error. If rapid political progress is to be made in Nigeria, it is high time we were realistic in tackling its constitutional problems. Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no "Nigerians" in the same sense as there are "English," "Welsh," or "French." The word Nigeria is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria from those who do not."

But whether or not Awolowo was right - and I for one think that he was, at least about his analogy on the Welsh, the Scot, and the Brit to a multicultural and multiethnic enclave like Nigeria, even though his orchestrated "economic blockade" was designed to wipe out the Igbo nation from the face of this planet in Yakubu Gowon's-led genocidal campaign, despite all legitimate measures taken to avoid it, which brings to the fore that nothing could stop the bloodthirsty northern Islamic Jihadists from carrying out their wish list of horrific carnage; blood letting, wantom killing, demolishing and plundering of properties that continues apace.

Yet the West kept a sealed lip and watch all the atrocities unfold until terrorism surfaced on American soil, which begun a new chapter and a new way of fighting the war on terror, never mind the Islamic presence in the United States, not to be compared in any way the huge Islamic communities in France, Germany and Britain. And inspite of all this, and apparently, no serious attempt was made to have noticed the presence and threats of a potential deadly gangs of terrorists.

And with all that warning shots, we sat idled and watched as if it's a child's play which made sense recollecting the ongoing debate at BiafraNigeriaWorld Message Board; and reading carefully we learn a whole lot from the talking heads at this message board. One, Icheoku, by his handle, made it patently clear that Nigeria is a terrorist state and Abdulmutallab had been groomed to be a terrorist from childhood. He writes:

"Reading the views of the ruling class of BiafraNigeria, on the US action of including Nigeria in the list of terrorist states, shows we are yet to understand that the US is a country, which takes the security of the lives and investments of its citizens seriously. How can anyone fail to see that all the unprovoked and persistent killing of innocent Christians in the North particularly since the North commenced its agenda of islamizing Nigeria through the introduction and forceful implementaion of Sharia, did not influence the terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab? The boy was right there, in the North till he was 13 years, his impressionable years. He saw those who worshiped with him in the same mosque routinely murder thousands of Christians, burn their churches and rape their women because their Imams openly dub them (Christians) infidels and promise them heavingly rewards of 12 virgins if they die while killing Christians. He saw fellow Muslims in the North celebrate Osama bin-Laden when WTC was bombed on 9/11, 2001.They even made and wore t-shirts with Osama bin-Laden's picture. It became a fashion statement for them in the North and no one challenged them. He knew they went on a killing spree of Christians because of a cartoon in far away European country. Besides, he heard Osama bin-Laden's admonition to Nigerian Muslims to overthrow the infidel government of Olusegun Obasanjo some years back. Yet we fail to acknowledge these facts. As far as I am concerned, Northern Nigeria is a hotbed for growing real and potential terrorists. Therefore, Nigeria is a terrorist State. It is clear now because the Muslims have gone beyond the borders of Nigeria."

Writing from experience and based on eyewitness accounts, Icheoku was a victim of the pogrom and had seen all kinds of terrorist activities unfold in his native land. And this one from Ikenga Iguedo:

"Nigeria is a terror sponsor state and should be branded a such, calling Nigeria a place of interest at this moment despite the fact the Nigerian oligarchy has not and will never condemn terrorism is absurd, an action the Western authorities will defiantly regret in the long run. These people live and thrive in terror, killing Christians for them is like watching a baseball match in America. The Obama administration has the duty to inform the American public of the truth about Nigeria. He must encourage Gordon Brown to loosen the conspiracy of the British government and the Nigeria northern oligarchy to hold on to power by means of terrorism and in turn, allow Britain unlimited access to oil in the Christian South. It's now down to oil money or American lives."

Nevertheless, recognizing the fact that Nigeria is a terrorist state which summarizes the agenda from this framework that terrorism had been well established in Nigeria even before the world knew it, the United States must not stop fighting the war on terror; the pounding of terrorist nations must continue in order to defeat this new war of terrorism, entirely. But again, for those who wish us well and wish the United States well, too, must keep something in mind, especially in France, Germany and Britain which has in all accounts the largest concentration of not particularly and radical Islamic community, that our protection based on expericience to defend ourselves against any existential threat begins at home, and avoiding it must be done preemptively.

Hoha! (Pointblank): Nigeria is a Terrorist State

"What the US did is a punishment to Nigerians, not the government. They are harassing the people by that decision. Agreed, we have our internal problems as a country, but they would have looked at other ways of dealing with the problem. Apart from harassment, many people may decide to cancel their trips. I am already revisiting my dairy to put off some trips. Travelling on its own is a burden; the situation at the moment has further been worsened by this restriction. Already, you can no longer check in on some airlines on the Internet. The moment the word Nigeria appears, you cannot go further, even though every other thing was done. These are consequences for us and this is what I want the US government to understand. They are harassing the people, not the government."

------- Wole Soyinka, Nobel Luareate speaking with journalists in Lagos, Nigeria



"Nigeria expresses its disappointment and concern of the undeserved placement of Nigeria on the countries of interest list and views this action as having the potential of undermining longstanding and established U.S.-Nigeria bilateral ties,"

------- Dora Akunyili, Nigeria Information Minister disappointed on US listing Nigeria among the terrorist nations.



"I am sure that you have been observing the trend in the media and we are referring to the issue of America listing Nigeria as one of the 14 countries to be placed under watch. I am speaking on behalf of the Senate and on behalf of the Senate President to state categorically that we are very unhappy about the development and when we resume, we are going to take up this matter seriously if America has not taken Nigeria off that list. We also want to advise America that in their own best interest, they should conduct this matter very well in a manner that will not result in diplomatic row between America and Nigeria because the American president had, himself, clearly admitted that this was a failure of the system and manpower of Americans and I don’t see where Nigeria comes in there."

------- Senator Ayogu Eze, Senate Committee Chairman in Information and Media on the Senate Floor of Nigeria's National Assembly soundbiting America



"Nigeria is now a terrorist state that is not news anymore. The news now is that all Nigerians traveling to the US and some European countries will now seem to regret having the green passport. That Nigeria will sooner than later join the league of terrorists states or rogue states was almost predictable. What with the haste Nigeria was dragged into the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in 1986. What with the zeal with which some so called Islamic countries fall over themselves competing to Islamize Nigeria at all cost despite the fact that 50% of their own citizens leave below the poverty line. A good look at the landscape of Nigeria will tell you that every available space is being converted into a mosque..."

------- Ndiameeh Babrik, Modern Ghana



"Reading the views of the ruling class of BiafraNigeria, on the US action of including Nigeria in the list of terrorist states, shows we are yet to understand that the US is a country, which takes the security of the lives and investments of its citizens seriously. How can anyone fail to see that all the unprovoked and persistent killing of innocent Christians in the North particularly since the North commenced its agenda of islamizing Nigeria through the introduction and forceful implementaion of Sharia, did not influence the terrorist, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab? The boy was right there, in the North till he was 13 years, his impressionable years. He saw those who worshiped with him in the same mosque routinely murder thousands of Christians, burn their churches and rape their women because their Imams openly dub them (Christians) infidels and promise them heavingly rewards of 12 virgins if they die while killing Christians. He saw fellow Muslims in the North celebrate Osama bin-Laden when WTC was bombed on 9/11, 2001.They even made and wore t-shirts with Osama bin-Laden's picture. It became a fashion statement for them in the North and no one challenged them. He knew they went on a killing spree of Christians because of a cartoon in far away European country. Besides, he heard Osama bin-Laden's admonition to Nigerian Muslims to overthrow the infidel government of Olusegun Obasanjo some years back. Yet we fail to acknowledge these facts. As far as I am concerned, Northern Nigeria is a hotbed for growing real and potential terrorists. Therefore, Nigeria is a terrorist State. It is clear now because the Muslims have gone beyond the borders of Nigeria."

------- Icheoku, BiafraNigeriaWorld on Nigeria is a terrorist state.



"Nigeria is a terror sponsor state and should be branded a such, calling Nigeria a place of interest at this moment despite the fact the Nigerian oligarchy has not and will never condemn terrorism is absurd, an action the Western authorities will defiantly regret in the long run. These people live and thrive in terror, killing Christians for them is like watching a baseball match in America. The Obama administration has the duty to inform the American public of the truth about Nigeria. He must encourage Gordon Brown to loosen the conspiracy of the British government and the Nigeria northern oligarchy to hold on to power by means of terrorism and in turn, allow Britain unlimited access to oil in the Christian South. It's now down to oil money or American lives. DIVIDE NIGERIA AND MICRO MANAGE THE TERRORIST NORTH."

------- Ikenga Iguedo, BiafraNigeriaWorld on Nigeria is a terrorist state.