Friday, 26 August 2016
Monday, 22 August 2016
Sunday, 21 August 2016
Lawyers warn Buhari on probing Jonathan over ND Avengers 1 hour ago – The allegation that former President Goodluck Jonathan is part of those sponsoring militants in Nigeria has continued to draw reactions – Lawyers across the country have added their voice to the controversy and told President Muhammadu Buhari what to do concerning the allegation – They however warned Buhari against humiliating the former president all in the name of conducting a probe without facts Some Nigerian lawyers have warned President Muhammadu Buhari about the reported plan to probe his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan over the latter’s alleged sponsorship of the Niger Delta Avengers. Former President Gooluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, his successor Jonathan was named by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) as one of the sponsors of the agitating group that has blown up many government installations across the Niger Delta region and has threatened to declare independence on October 1. The former president, on his part, had denied the allegation fingering those who are jealous of his rising international profile as responsible for the report that linked him with militants. Daily Trust reports that Femi Falana, one of the lawyers who spoke on the issue warned the federal government to probe Jonathan only with watertight evidence that he was actually involved. Falana, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, said a serious allegation as this must be handled with care. The senior lawyer added: “During the campaigns, the groups (militants) threatened to break up the country if Dr Jonathan did not win the 2015 presidential election. “Did the security forces monitor the groups after the elections? Are we not dealing with another case of failure of intelligence? “Those who set up the Boko Haram sect are known to the state. Has the government moved against them? “The militant groups in the Niger Delta were set up by politicians. Have they been asked to account? Surely, the state has lost the monopoly of violence to militant and terrorist groups. “The incompetence of the ruling class has compounded the crisis of nation building.” On his part, Auwalu Hamisu Yadudu, a professor of law, said though there was nothing bad in probing Jonathan, the evidence must be real. “Although some people are of the view that Jonathan should not be probed because he was defeated in election by President Buhari and so on, but in law that should not be a basis to exempt him from being probed if found wanting in committing some wrongdoings that warrant probe. “I will not encourage humiliating or maltreating the former president in the name of probe. “Not only an ex-president, whoever is involved in this kind of situation should be treated fairly and justly. “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) have their mandates, so if the allegations against Jonathan fall within their mandates they should handle it,” he said. In his reaction, constitutional lawyer, Festus Okoye, said: “As far as I am concerned, any individual that has committed any form of criminal offence or has committed any form of infraction should be investigated and tried, including former President Jonathan. “There is no need to set up any panel, the former president is like anybody in the country, and you know that nobody is above the law. “If he has a case to answer, he should be referred to either the ICPC or the EFCC, depending on his offence. “Why didn’t they threaten to do so when he (Jonathan) was our president and doing what he did. “The country is for all us and we must all be seen to be working in the interest of the country. So we should not be threatened with secession. “The fact that an armed robber is not arrested, does not mean that those who are arrested should not be tried. “So, those who are saying why Jonathan alone do not mean well for the country. The fact that he was a former president makes the probe necessary.” In his own advice, another senior lawyer, Abeny Mohammed, said: “This is not what the country needs at this time. This country is not a nation-state, as such we are just patching its up unity. “That is why we must restructure this country so that the powers and finances are not concentrated at the centre while states cannot even pay salaries. “The PDP government, which Jonathan led, was corrupt, but the federal government, in the probe of the government, has in their wisdom left him out. “I know that the people who asked Jonathan to reach out to Buhari (after his defeat) may have a sort of agreement that says, in any event, he must not be probed.”
Saturday, 20 August 2016
Friday, 19 August 2016
IYC condemns report linking Jonathan to Niger Delta Avengers 2 hours ago – IYC says those linking ex-president Jonathan to Niger Delta Avengers are some politicians from the region, and are in the present government – The IYC says the accusations against former president Jonathan started after he visited President Buhari a few weeks ago – The group says the top hierarchy of government knows about the accusations against Jonathan The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide has condemned what it regards as a desperate act by some politicians to rope former President Jonathan into the formation of the Niger Delta Avengers. In a statement made available to NAIJ.com by Eric Omare, IYC spokesman, the group alleged the accusations against former President Jonathan started after he visited President Buhari a few weeks ago Police to Niger Delta Avengers The IYC claimed that the report linking Jonathan to Avengers is a deliberate action by politicians in the Niger Delta region, adding that the top hierarchy of government knows this fact. Former President Jonathan has denied involvement with the Niger Delta Avengers The statement read: “The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide in the strongest terms condemns the desperation by some politicians to rope former President Jonathan into the formation of the Niger Delta Avengers. This desperation came to the pinnacle with the lead story published by some national newspapers especially the Nation newspaper to the effect that intelligence report indicate that Jonathan is one of the persons behind the formation of the Niger Delta Avengers. “The characters behind this desperate plan are the politicians of Niger Delta extraction who are in the present government and do not want a peaceful resolution of the renewed militancy in the region. They prefer a military option that would result in the killing of innocent Niger Deltans. The genesis of these frivolous accusations against former President Jonathan started after he visited President Buhari a few weeks ago and after the meeting while speaking with the media he said that everybody desire peace and that the leaders of the Ijaw nation are working hard to achieve peace in the Niger Delta region including himself. “This did not go down well with these party chieftains and political officer holders in the federal government from the Niger Delta region because they do not want a peaceful resolution of the crisis and secondly, they don’t also want Jonathan’s intervention to resolve the crisis for obvious political reasons. So this is the reason why they have orchestrated all sorts of lies to drag former President Jonathan into the formation of NDA. It is deliberate and we are sure the top hierarchy of government knows this fact. “We also strongly condemn the irresponsible journalism by some media houses for relying on concocted facts to write stories instead of hard facts. Former President Jonathan is advised to explore legal options to bring such irresponsible journalism to a stop.” The Niger Delta Avengers on Thursday, August 18, threatened that it will declare a Niger Delta Republic on October 1, should President Muhammadu Buhari fail to restructure the country. In a statement released on the website of the Avengers, Mudoch Agbinibo, spokesman of the Avengers, said that the Niger Delta no longer wants to be part of Nigeria. Niger Delta Avengers had claimed responsibility for major attacks on oil facilities in the region in recent past, vowing not to relent until the nation’s economy was completely crippled.
BREAKING: Panic in Delta as militants attack NPDC 8 minutes ago – Suspected militants have attacked pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) – The militants reportedly blew up two pipelines belonging to the NPDC on Friday, August 19 File photo: New militant group blows up pipelines in Delta state. Some gunmen suspected to be Niger Delta militants, have reportedly attacked facilities belonging the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC). Niger Delta group joins forces with Buhari to fight Avengers On Friday, August 19, the suspected militants blew up two pipelines belonging to the NPDC in Delta state. Vanguard reports that the attack which occurred at about 2am on Friday, was said to have been carried out by a new militant group, Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM). According to the report, a technical team of NPDC and security officials have been despatched to the affected area to contain the spill. More details shortly.
Monday, 15 August 2016
Saturday, 13 August 2016
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