Eze Ilomuanya divides Orlu Monarchs

Emeka Ibemere
The Appeal Court victory of Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, the former Chairman of Ndi Eze in Imo State has divided the Monarchs in the Orlu Zone of the State where Ilomuanya hails from.
A source closed to the Eze Ilomuanya claimed the state governor Rochas Okorocha, who singlehandedly removed the chairman of Ndi-Eze from Orlu is behind the recent altercation among the Orlu monarchs.
 It was gathered that the Governor working on the Orlu zonal Chairman of Ndi-eze, allegedly asked him to refute in the recent publication (advertorial) by the Orlu Zonal Chairman of Ndieze about the victory of Ilomuanya, as discussed in their mgba-nko (meeting).
But the act has pitched Eze Okeke against other Ezes from the zone, who accused him of not serving their interest in the whole saga.
Eze Okeke had allegedly denied any discussion on the Appeal Court victory of Eze Cletus Ilomuanya at their last meeting in Orlu.
However, some of the Ezes that attended the meeting are reacting over the alleged publication from Eze Okeke referring the monarch as a liar. They maintained that they truly discussed about Eze Ilomuanya’s victory extensively at their meeting.
Reacting on the issue, the Orlu Local Government Chairman of Ndieze, Eze Ugonna Iriele expressed disappointment on the action of Eze Okeke.
He wondered how an Eze of Okeke’s status would probate and reprobate at the same time and for whose interest.


Eze Iriele disclosed that it was him (Eze Iriele) that raised the issue on their State Chairman, Eze Ilomuanya and it was discussed extensively, especially on how to reconcile the Eze and the governor for the position benefit of Imo in general and Ndi Eze in particular.
It was gathered that during the meeting, that Eze Okeke suggest that Ndi-Eze should meet with the governor and beg that everybody buries the hatchet and allow peace to rain.


Also, Eze (Barr) Anayo Durueburuo, Eze Okwudor was quoted to have kicked against Eze Okeke’s action in this way:
“I was abashed by the publication because in the meeting at Orlu, we the Ezes from Orlu Zone had a motion concerning the appeal court victory of Eze Ilomuanya, it was discussed and it was agreed that we are going to meet with Governor Rochas Okorocha and persuade him to adhere to the court judgment and reconcile with the authentic Chairman of Imo State Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Ilomuanya who is his brother”.
According to him, he was shocked to hear that Eze Okeke went to the print to deny the discussion of Ndi Eze Orlu Zone without their consent.
Consequently, the two Ezes referred to the publication as lies and maintained that Eze Ilomuanya’s appeal court victory was discussed extensively in their meeting.

N1.9Bn Subsidy Scam: How Wagbatsoma, Four Others Fraudulently Obtained Subsidy - Witness

A second prosecution witness in the on-going trial of Walter Wagbatsoma and four others implicated in a N1.9billion subsidy scam, on Tuesday, July 30, 2013, shed more light into how the accused persons fraudulently obtained the sum from the Petroleum Support Fund.

The witness, Muhammed Ala Shehu who was cross examined by the three defence counsel, told a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja that all information contained in his testimony before the court were derived from documents sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and interviews conducted with various parties at the inception of the investigation of the case.

Wole Olanipekun, SAN, asked the witness if he went through the Revised Guidelines for the Administration of Petroleum Support Fund (PSF), the document which outlines the modalities for fuel importation by oil marketing firms. Shehu responded that he did and a copy of the Revised Guideline was handed to him for identification before it was tendered and admitted as exhibit.

  Olanipekun went further to ask if Shehu, in the course of investigations, invited any expert to check the amount of litres discharged by Ontario Oil and Gas, a company belonging to Wagbatsoma, before arriving at the notion that the company discharged less than it claimed subsidy for. The witness responded that he relied on documents submitted to the EFCC and the information derived from officials of the Integrated Oil and Gas Tank Farm and that of Obat Oil and Gas. He said that letters were written to the two Tank farms to furnish the Commission with detailed record of products discharged by Ontario Oil and Gas and the amount of money paid by the company to the farms for storage. He explained that all documents provided showed that the volume of products discharged was different from the volume for which subsidy was paid.

 Regarding an earlier testimony made by Shehu on Monday, July 29, 2013 that the PPPRA Guidelines for importation were not properly adhered to, Olanipekun asked Shehu how he arrived at that notion.  In response, the witness said that “the PPPRA visited the EFCC in the course of investigations and the Revised Guidelines were given to us by one Ndaliman Mohammed Ama, a staff of the PPPRA.”

 J. A Badejo (SAN), counsel to  Babatunde Fakuade,  a third defendant  in the suit who is also  a staff  of the PPPRA, asked the witness if his team received any information in form of a petition from Integrated Oil and Gas alleging a suspicious discrepancy in the products discharged. He also asked if the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR issued any Certificate of Discharge showing that the volume of products discharged was lower than what was claimed. Shehu responded that the EFCC did not receive any petition from Integrated Oil and Gas Tank Farm but petitions came from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and some Civil Society Organisations.  He added that the DPR didn’t give the EFCC any certificate. He also explained that the DPR did not even look into the quantity of the products but the quality which they took for laboratory tests to ascertain that the product met Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON)’s criteria for importation into the country. 

 

 Shehu had alleged in his earlier testimony before the court that one Danjuma Adegbo, who is also a staff of the PPPRA was at the product discharge point. According to the witness, Danjuma told the EFCC during interview that he was called by Fakuade to leave the discharge point before the product was discharged.  When the EFCC contacted PPPRA over the issue, Fakuade was sent to answer questions relating to the query at that time.  “And from interviews conducted with the third defendant, he said he was not at the point of discharge.”

 Taiwo Osipitan (SAN) also cross examined the witness about his earlier testimony where he alleged that the government-approved auditing firm, Akintola Williams Delloite, which was supposed to be the eyes of the government, did not do its job before recommending payment for subsidy to Ontario Oil and Gas. Shehu clarified the issue by saying that the fourth defendant, Mr. Ezekiel Ejidele, the managing partner at Akintola Williams Delloite, when invited by the EFCC said he didn’t witness the discharge.   Osipitan then put it to Shehu if his earlier testimony suggested a conspiracy between the first, second and fourth defendants or a mere negligence.  Shehu responded that, “I wouldn’t know, we have a shore tank carrying various numbers of litres, we have one for 19 million litres and another one for 12 million litres. The audit firm was suppose to advise the  Federal Government based on their audit since it served as the eyes of the Government, but it never did. Its officials were not present at the discharge point and they went ahead to make recommendations to the government for subsidy to be paid” 

 

Justice Lateefa Okunnu, after listening to all the submissions, discharged the witness and adjourned the case to July 31, 2013 for continuation of trial.

Lagos CDAs/CDCs in election fever

Emeka Ibemere
If you are a keen follower of politics at the grassroots, you would notice the ecstasy and trappings of political campaigns, emotions and tensions going on in your neighbourhood.
What is the cause?
 Its election time for all over 2000 Community Development Associations and Community Development Committees of the councils, popularly known as (CDA/ CDC) in Lagos State.
CDAs are now the unofficial Fourth tier of the government in its effort to take governance to the grassroots. The foundation was laid for the constitutional allocation of a certain percentage of funds to take care of the CDAs.
There is automatic membership of the CDA of a particular resident in a particular area and the resident is entitled to participate in the administration of that CDA.
In the past politicians have leveraged on the activities of the CDAs to win serious council, senatorial, Governorship, and Representatives elections.
Some smart politicians have started aligning and signing pacts with the Community Development Associations (CDAs) for 2015 election.

Lagos State government had a month ago dissolved all the CDAs and CDCs executives and called for fresh elections in all the areas.
The elections are to be contested into 16 vacant positions while about 23 positions are to be appointed as ex-Officio members in each CDA/CDCs in the state.
The election comes on the expiration of the constitutional two years tenure of the previous executives of the Associations.
In the last one month, election fever seems to have captured the residents of the CDA/CDCs in the state with campaigns and promises from the candidates who have declared interests to contest the elections.
So far, no fewer than 50 CDAs / CDCs have carried out their elections under the supervision and monitoring of either the Council Chairman, Councillors, electoral body, or caretaker committees of each CDAs and CDCs.
Daily Newswatch gathered that essence of the CDAs and CDCs was to act as a check on their councils’ chairmen and councillors and monitor government projects in their areas with the view to ensuring that projects are completed at schedule time according to specifications.
It was on these responsibilities that all the CDAs recently involved themselves in elections across the state to elect responsible leaders that would represent them at the councils.
To these end, both the State and the Local Government Areas inaugurated committees to monitor all the CDAs and CDCs elections, which has been going on in the last two months.
In a recent report, the Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Lagos State, Kehinde Bamigbetan, last week, inaugurated an eight man electoral body that would supervise the conduct of election into various positions of executive committee of the 74 Community Development Associations (CDA’S) and Community Development Committee (CDC) of the council.
It was reported that the members of the electoral body was to conduct the forthcoming elections in all the CDAs new executive members in the local council. The use of the body, according to the stakeholders was a new move towards ensuring that people who are committed and ready to render selfless service to their communities are elected as representatives of the people at the CDA level.
It would be recalled that the CDAs was established by law, as a fourth tier of government that will serve as a link between the people and government at both local and state levels.


Just last week, Saturday July 20, Ifesowepo Kwaru Community Development Association, Ikotun LCDA, in Alimosho Local Government Area, conducted their CDA election.
The election which began with the accreditation of residents started by 7Am and end by 9Am. The election was spiced with the contestant addressing the voters on what they would do for the community, in what looked like their manifestos to the residents.

It was followed by the Election which was conducted by the representatives of the Ikotun Local Council Development Area. The election took place at the CDA, s meeting ground 2 Segilola Valentine Street, Kwaru Family Way, off Custom, bus stop Ikotun, with the residents coming out en-mass to exercise their franchise.
The smooth and peaceful election was only contested on the Chairmanship position while the other positions were not contested for. The other officers were returned unopposed; as the 16- man executive cabinet would be headed by Apostle Awaji Onward Mark garnered 96 votes to win the election while his opponent Lawrence Adesuwa received 46 votes to come second.
The elected officers are: Apostle Awaji Mark Onward as Chairman, Mr Nduka O Joseph, Secretary, Alhaji Oduwale S.O Treasurer, Mr Justine Nwafor Financial Secretary, Mr Igbodepe Tunde Public Relations Officer, Mr Gbade Johnson, Welfare and Mrs Adeniyi Olufunke 1^st Vice Chairman. Others are Alhaji Adetunji Alabi, 2^ND Vice Chairman, Mr Bolu Ogunsina, and Vice Secretary, and Mr Justine as the auditor of the Association. The officers have been ratified by the Local Government officers
The officers also include ex-officio members. They are Captain David Marcus, Mr Abikelaja Babatunde, Chief Gilbert Ifubesi, Pastor Kalu Peter, Mr Gbadebo Kolawole, Mrs Ikoro, Mrs Abiola Adeyinka and Mrs Ruth John.
Representatives of the Ikotun LCDA, who supervised the election announced the result and ratified the positions. Addressing the contestant before the election, the Council officers warned the officers not to see their positions as an avenue to enrich themselves while reminding them that the positions are call to duty.
The speaker of the representatives said the leaders must see themselves as servants of the community and must carry everybody along in the discharge of their duties. She further told them that the service has no salary attached to it, adding that instead they should commit their own time, resource, funds and sacrifice to the community.  The Ifesowepo Kwaru Community Development Association’s residents expected their elected officers to make sure that security, light and road issues are resolved in the area.

In Lagos State Community Development Associations (CDAs) and Community Development Committees (CDCs) were created to champion the cause of the communities and enhance grassroots development by checking the excesses of the leaders. But many CDA and CDC leaders have not been living to these responsibilities.
The leaders are supposed to work as community leaders and advance for provision of better life for its community, their major duty. According to the mandate giving to them, they are to act as checks on their councils’ chairmen and councillors and monitor government projects in their areas with the view to ensuring that projects are completed at schedule time according to specifications.
Meanwhile, there are plans to make CDAs and CDCs’ leaders lived up to their billings and help in the fight against corrupt practices in the local government areas, a group, known as Save Visions Africa (SVA), in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), have taken it upon themselves to educate the officers of the CDC and CDAs.
 To this end, the group has in the past organised workshops and seminars to empower them with sufficient knowledge about their roles and how they can execute them satisfactorily.
Peter Okereke SVA coordinator, speaking on corruption at the CDAs /CDCs level said recently that challenges to be tackled in the CDAs and CDCs include; high illiteracy at the grassroots, inflation of CDAs contracts, proliferation of ghost CDAs workers, poor CDAs project planning and prioritisation, poor budgetary processes, exclusive mode of CDAs system, difficulty in accessing information on CDAs projects, inadequate political will and legal space for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) involvement in CDAs activities, among others.
Okereke disclosed that in assessing the problem of corruption in the CDAs, and formulating and implementing reforms, CSOs with requisite experience must be prepared to monitor anti-corruption efforts, expose and deter corrupt practices.
“To sustain the fight against corruption at the grassroots governments, we encourage CDAs workers in all LGAs to build a strong network of an anti-corruption vanguard among themselves as a point of service information building and management. This network will act as a functional clearing house to check corrupt practices in the CDAs/CDCs and provide continuous back-up support to whistle blowers and report possible cases,” he stated.
Also Acting Chairman of ICPC, Peter explained that the seminar was important since the fight against corruption cannot be won without active involvement of all Nigerians and their leaders at the community levels.
“Members of communities keep an eye on strange happenings and movement of strange people in their environments. It is this pivotal role of CDAs that ICPC is exploring as a window of opportunity to galvanise communal consciousness for the entrenchment of integrity and restoration of societal core values as the bedrock for eradicating corruption in the society,” Peter, who spoke through Head of Department, ICPC Headquarters, Abuja, Adunni Okoduwa stated.
Also delivering paper, entitled; “Mobilising CDAs for Advocacy Against Corruption,” Debo Adeniran of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), recently noted that rather than pursue the virtues that brought members of CDAs together they most times end as mouthpiece of the local government.
“As soon as they recognised by the LGs, and then, attract annual subventions and attend regular meetings with the LG, instead of strengthening the CDAs, the recognition and subvention weaken them. Even the subventions usually get to them as little fraction or none at all, most CDAs never want to criticise their LG for fear of intimidation or deregistration. They therefore become, rather than their community’s arbiter, the LG’s mouthpiece in their game of public deception,” Adeniran stated.
Chief Strategist, Labour Resources and Development Centre, Tunji Sekoni in a report recently in a paper entitled; “Community Advocacy, Process and Prospects in Fighting Corruption at the Grassroots Levels”, also emphasised the need for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to make sure that the leaders of CDAs and CDCs at grassroots government to be more conscientious and show probity in their duties.
It would be recalled that the Local Government administration in governance brings the government closer to the people. CDAs and CDCs are an efficient partnership between the three tiers of government guarantees smooth administration of a State.  Lagos State has over 18 million people under 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State. 

Stakeholders worry over Child-inmates in prison

Emeka Ibemere

Ekpeyoug Uwem (not real name), a house boy at Ago Palace Way, Okota, Isolo LCDA of Lagos, was just 24 years old last month.

He was 12 years when he was taken to the Kirikiri Maximum prison as an inmate. Uwem has spent 12 years without trial.

What was his off

ence?  He allegedly stole her Madam’s N1000.

It was gathered that her Madam, after several beaten and threats to the little boy’s life, handed him over to the police, with an instruction: to be dealt with.

From there, Uwem took a free -ride provided by his captors-Police and after 30 minutes drive, landed in Kirikiri prison at Apapa Area of Lagos State, in 2001.

To date, Uwem is yet to be released or visited any court in the prosecution of his alleged theft.

Stories like this one; are everyday sing- songs of under-aged inmates who are languishing in various prisons across the country.

Investigations also revealed that these child-inmates are either dumped at prisons or police detention centers or the police stations.

Daily Newswatch checks also showed that many under aged inmates are currently in various police stations apart from also being held in prisons. Prior to now, the under-aged criminal responsibility is 14years, but with the new child right law, the issue of juvenile has been removed and everything is now 18yrs and a child is somebody below 18years.

It was gathered that children in the prison are 17years old or 18years. But our investigation revealed that they were never 17 years as of the time they entered inside the prison. Our source hinted that the kid-inmates were actually 12 to 13 years when they were arrested and dumped by the police.  Our source further explained that an 18 years old child in prison must have entered prison at the age of 12-14 years.

It was learned that when police arrest children who are under-aged and because they are under-aged and cannot be arrested that the police would cajole them to claim that that were 18 so that they would be of age of arrest and take them the prison, whereas their actual age would have been 14years. It was gathered that the police would asked them to say they were 17 years, so as to grant them bail but on getting to the police station, the police would prepare their charges and rush them to court which would in turn remand them in prison custody.  

A prison source told Daily Newswatch that the child-inmates would claim 17 years as instructed by the police just to be able to carry them to prison.

“So those children will say something like that and they will carry them. And when you go to the prison and see these children and ask them of their age, they will tell you that they are 14 or 15 years but they were brought in as 17. They will also tell you that they were told by the police to say that; so that they will be released”. A warder revealed.

In Enugu state, there were quite a lot of such cases in detention. Investigations revealed that most of the suspects committed minor offences like stealing N500 or chicken and the police would arrest, dump and lock them up in police stations and prisons because of such minor offences.

Four years ago, 80 under aged inmates at Enugu Maximum Prison were released through the help of some Non Governmental Organizations who visited the prisons with the state chief judge.

In Lagos, both maximum and medium, there are over 1000 under age inmates in both Ikoyi, Maximum and Minimum prisons, including the female prison. While over 1000 under aged are in various police cells throughout the state.

According to findings, Lagos state has been working so hard to reduce the number of under aged even as far as setting up a magistrate court inside the prison.

Our source revealed that with what Lagos state was doing, the number of under-aged inmates might have drastically reduced but that a large number of them are still inside the police detention cells.

 “You still find a whole lot of under aged people especially at the robbery area. But they are all suspects and have not yet been adjudged criminals. They are just hanging there. So it won’t be right to say that yes, these people are this, because they can go to court and their case has not been proved beyond reasonable doubt”.

Police are accused of detaining suspects without trial. Daily Newswatch gathered that there was a case of 14 years old who has been detained for 7 years at Ikoyi for wandering.

 Investigation revealed that there was also an under aged who stayed up to two to three years without trial because he couldn’t explained to the police who arrested him for being in possession of N35, 000, in his pocket.

There was a case of an under-aged who stole N500 from his teacher and the teacher had to arrange with the police and he was send to prison.  

Further checks also showed that 65.1% of most under-aged persons in prison are there because they don’t have legal aid.

“It is when you have legal assistance that people know that you shouldn’t be there. Also most of the people in prison are poor and there is hardly any justice to the poor people”, Giwa Amu stated in an interview he granted Daily Newswatch recently.

Giwa-Amu Igbono, a lawyer and a senior partner, Stephen and Solomon Foundation, Prison Ministries of the Knights of St. Mulumba, Lekki Sub-Council is devoted to ensuring that oppressed people who have been denied justice and their fundamental Human Rights are set free. His chambers had succeeded in securing the release of 3000 inmates from various prisons across the country.

Chinedu Onyeanuforo said taking a child to police detention center for stealing N500 is an act of wickedness.

He disclosed that there are some designated centers to take them to for rehab rather than taking them to police station, adding that those taking to police stations should be those caught in the act of robbery.

He said when they go to the police station and when no nobody comes for them, that the police would depend on what the law says, on keeping the charged for too long in police cell and based on that they would have no other option but to carry them to court.

According to Onyeanuforo, the police should have other options like remand homes where child-suspect would go to instead of rushing them to police and from there to court and subsequent prison. He further disclosed that the children that get into criminal activities sometimes in conflict with the law.

“They do not know what to do and people are just careless about it and the police keep them and at the end send them to court. Ideally, they should be sent to reform school and not to prison. But this depends on the degree of the offence like you said stealing N500 is not enough to send somebody to prison but that is what the child said, it is not what the person who took him there told the law enforcement agents”. Nwosu Chijioke stated.

“So they will obviously lie to the law enforcement to be able to hand the child in. it is when we interact with the children on a personal basis that they will start telling you the truth which is not known”.

Vincent Ajah stated that the reasons why there are so many underage inmates in the cell steams from the obvious reasons of poor family orientation and change in family values.

He blamed it on parents who are always on the move and do not have time to take care of their children adding that these kids get into criminals activities that lead them ultimately to prison.

He disclosed that the economic hard times of some families, where the children have to go out and fend for their families also contribute to the over population of kid-inmates in prisons.

Ajah stated that as children, they could easily be diverted into crimes.

“So the family values, economic situation and, parental carelessness are the major causes. Poor orientations which people are giving their children today are also part of the major causes of crime”. He stated.

“These days children are saying; ‘I want to make money because that’s the in- thing’. They are no longer interested in hard work. And to worsen it, the parents are not there to give these children guidance. Because the Bible said train up a child the way he is supposed to go and when he is old he would not depart from it”. He continued,

“And also there is peer groups influence. Some years ago, I carried out a research in the same prison. I wanted to know offenders habit. We studied people in the prison between the ages of 15 to 34years and when we asked them the reason they went into crime, almost 75% was as a result of peer group influence. So peer influence has a lot to do in crime activities among the young people in particular. This is because what their peers are doing; that’s what they will prefer to do”.

According to Ajah, some parents who do not have time to listen or talk to their children considering the generation of today’s kids who are vibrant children, if they are not occupied, they tend to occupy themselves with something else; so they go with their peers and whatever their peers say are the thing they will do.

 He disclosed that sometimes, they get the good ones and most times, they follow the bad ones.

“This is because, when you see them after they have committed the crime, you will see the innocence in them that they didn’t even know what they were doing”.

Ajah said with the new law, juvenile has been expunged and replaced with the child rights law. It was gathered that 21states have adopted it into law in Nigeria because it means giving a lot of rights and privileges to teenagers.

Army "Corners" Boko Haram Leader, Shekau, In Borno Hills-Punch Newspaper

The leader of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, may have been cornered by operatives of the Joint Task Force in Gwoza hills, Borno State.

A top security source told Saturday PUNCH on Thursday that the JTF had located the area where the Boko Haram leader was hiding.
The source stated, “We are combing Gwoza hills where we believe Shekau is hiding.”
The source added that a unit of the Army’s Special Forces team had launched a “well-coordinated assault” on a group of insurgents somewhere in the Gwoza hills areas on June 26, 2013. Shekau, the source added, was in the group of Islamists, with some of his closest aides.
He added that the operation ran into “hitches” and in the ensuing gun battle some of the insurgents and members of the Special Forces group lost their lives.
Another military source told Saturday PUNCH that one of the army casualties was one of the country’s best Special Forces officer, Major A.T. Fambiya, who had volunteered to lead the operation.
Sources told Saturday PUNCH five soldiers were also gunned down by the insurgents during the encounter.
Fambiya, who hailed from Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, had reportedly volunteered for the mission because of his excellent knowledge of the area.
The source said the military authorities had accepted Fambiya’s offer because he had grown up in the area and he understood the area’s rocky terrain.
Fambiya, who was on posting to the 322 Artillery Regiment in Benin City, Edo State, was redeployed to the JTF on June 13, 2013, a few weeks into his deployment to the JTF’s Operation Boyona.
A brief biography of the late soldier presented by the Nigerian Army authorities during his burial at the Nigerian Military Cemetery, Abuja on Thursday stated that he “was killed in action on 26 June in a fierce encounter with Boko Haram terrorists.”
The secrecy surrounding the operation made the next of kin to the Major, a pastor, Iliya Joshua, to call on the Federal Government to investigate the cause of the death of his brother.
“We call on the Federal Government to investigate the rumoured cause of the death of the officers since it remains a mystery to our family,” he said, without giving any explanation about what he meant by “rumoured death”.
Iliya later told our correspondent that he made the call to the Federal Government and the military authorities to investigate the deaths because his brother was not supposed to be in Borno.
He said that the late major was supposed to be undergoing training at the Nigerian Army School of Artillery, Kantagora, Niger State.
He said, “I made the call because he was supposed to be at the Army school of artillery. The last time I called him, he said that he was not part of those people that were going to Maiduguri for this operation.
“But later, I was told that he had been killed. He was not supposed to be on posting to that place.”
 When our correspondent contacted the Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen Chris Olukolade, he said that the mandate of the JTF was to look for all insurgents and not just the leader of the Boko Haram sect.
“We know that we are combing everywhere for every insurgent. The pursuit of the insurgents is continuing. That is the mandate at the moment,” he said.
President Goodluck Jonathan had told the CNN a few days ago that the Boko Haram threat would be overcome by security operatives in the country.
He said that the Federal Government was neither negotiating nor begging the Islamic militants as steps were being taken to deal decisively with the scourge.
He had said, “We are not negotiating with Boko Haram. It is done all over the world. It is not negotiation. We are not begging.
“Our security architecture was first designed to deal with ordinary criminals but since terror started, we have been building it. I believe if you are to interview me again in three months’ time, you will praise me that this government has tried.
“We are tackling terror from various angles. We must first of all stop them through military intervention, which we have initiated by declaring a state of emergency in three states where these terror attacks are predominant.”