NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*Nigeria: Going One! Going Two! ...What Are We Worth?

By Ikechukwu Enyiagu

Africa on the “future” market: “…And after Tunisia was priced and sold, Egypt the great one came along: ‘Going one, going two…gone.’ It was sold too, to the highest bidder. Sudan had its price and it was commensurate to its leaders’ table of choices. The price going for Libya seems not commensurate but did it have to take redundant shakes to get its leaders singing her praises? Now, ladies and gentlemen, the giant is here- that great one, the enviable giant of Africa. We are all home to her might and greatness, to her feats and boasts. Here comes Nigeria, ‘the giant'. Let’s begin the bidding.”

This is the song of our land, the story of Africa. It’s the story of a great people, a people cut in-between the status quo and true change. “There is need for change and there must be change,” cries mother Africa. “There is a future and my children shall have great portions. But to you leaders have I presented these available options, choose wisely.” Now that Nigeria has come to the bidding table, what is she worth: Another civil war perhaps, a world terrorists’ base, or hopefully, a people driven by true wisdom? ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Map of Nigeria

"Going one, going two," it’s the bell for Nigeria. What will take us home this time? To whom shall we owe the future? What will be the history for the next generation? Bidding is inevitable and buying is sure, but the story of its transaction will leave an indelible imprint everywhere. For Nigeria, these great three-Another civil war, Terrorism, and Wisdom,-have come for this bidding and one must take her home…and that, soon enough.

Another Civil War:

This force believes that it must gain its freedom, and must do all it takes to defend what it believes in-including fighting for it and paying any price there is for its cause. This force realizes that casualties abound on the two opposing sides but has decided that nothing goes for nothing and everything counts. In the end and after a second civil war in the country, this force will leave everyone who survives it scampering from pillar to post, looking for sticks to start building all over again, and wondering why we will never grow up.

Terrorism:

This force doesn’t believe in too many words but in action. It doesn’t consider casualties, and its major aim is to strike terror everywhere-to enthrone a state of chaos and hopelessness, and to oppose all. It realizes that there is need for ultimate sacrifices, and is willing and ever ready to offer all needed in achieving its aim. In the end, if there is ever one, every survivor is left mousing like a mouse, praying to survive, just for another day. ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: Scene from Abuja MEND Nigeria golden jubilee independence celebration car bombing - Forensic experts comb and examine a blast scene, looking for clues and collecting samples for forensic analysis.

Wisdom:

This force, more powerful than all, though amenable in nature, is driven by the absolute truth, selflessness, and willingness to consider things in all honesty. It believes that, no matter how much war is fought or how the truth is covered, it will someday come to light because truth is never obliterated. It believes that a ‘round table’-the meeting of the true elders-is the seat of progress. Wisdom doesn’t consider an opponent more stupid, silly, inexperienced, and foolish than he really looks. It creates room for growth, starting with itself, and sees beyond its every fear of the truth. In the end, wisdom builds, establishes, and defends everything in its care-even better than money does.

Going one, going two…the bell is swaying in the hands of our leaders. What have you, leaders, decided for our country this time having clearly seen the dangers of indifference, whose bid have you concluded would ultimately be accepted? Boko Haram seemed a name of the illiterate few and an inconsequential sect when they started and when they sent across, including to me, a threat letter of their impending attacks before they began, but is now racking international havoc on us all. The Unknown Soldiers Squad (USS) is new on the horizon, and wisdom demands that it be not mistaken for a jobless few, and waved aside just like we tend to treat all important matters. This line of thought has dealt with us enough to resist the temptation of attending to it. And now, it’s the Great Britain warning that Al-Qaeda has concluded making Nigeria a terror base to the West. What does that tell us all? ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria

I strongly believe that our leaders should call for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) to iron out the rough edges of history and chart a meaningful and fruitful-for-all course for the future. The call for SNC shouldn’t send people with ‘personal’ interests in a ‘one nation’ panicking; rather it should help them see that their peace, prosperity, security, lives and future, and that of their families cannot successfully thrive over and against the peace, prosperity, security, lives and future of their neighbours and fellow citizens. It will give us all a common front and an organised pattern to tender our grievances, air our views, suggest opinions, make our demands, compare what we have hitherto believed to that of our brothers and neighbours, and come to an agreeable and implementable conclusion.

Our military should be trained the more on the acts of combat and to always be on the alert, but honestly, training them to fight internal disorderliness created by the selfish few in power who have refused to either step down for true democracy, allow for true justice to prevail, or help in building a more agreeable tomorrow, is not going to make much difference in the long run; if anything, it will incubate the worst kinds of nightmares and hatch them before the glaring eyes of all. There are Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Libya to advise us against that choice of step. And now that China wants to partner with us for speedy growth, where is the footstool without security and unity?

Let the PDP-headed government decide, for once, to do what is right, and be forever remembered for it. Let this government arrange and call for a true Sovereign National Conference. The voices of our history as a country say ‘yes’ to a Sovereign National Conference, and I say ‘yes’ too. “Let greater wisdom prevail upon us, lest in following the trivialities of incongruent memories, we divide to allow things fall apart.” Sovereign National Conference(SNC)in Nigeria is the beginning of democracy in Africa. Going one, going two…oh; wisdom, please prevail!

Ikechukwu Enyiagu can be reached at ike.enyiagu@gmail.com

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*Tags: Nigerians, Sovereign, National, Conference, Going, Worth, Abuja, Lagos, Africa, Masterweb

*Nigeria: When A Nation's No. 1 Law Officer Becomes Helpless

By Kali Gwegwe

A new but sad vista was added to the myriad of reasons why not much have been achieved in Nigeria’s much talked-about war against graft despite the huge amount of human and material resources invested in it. As a matter of fact, it was tales of helplessness and absence of zeal that were brought to the fore when the immediate past Attorney-General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke volunteered answers during the screening exercise of ministerial nominees at the National Assembly in Abuja on Thursday, 30th June, 2011.

Clearly, his opinion about the EFCC and ICPC were not unexpected. Adoke was quite aware that of recent, the nation’s two anti-graft agencies have become very unpopular among members of the National Assembly. This is not unconnected with the bitter experiences of the former speaker of the House of Representatives; Mr. Dimeji Bankole and other principal officers. He therefore capitalized on this unique opportunity to play to the gallery without counting his teeth. ( Continues below...... )

Photo Above: Mohammed Bello Adoke was appointed Attorney General and Minister of Justice on 6 April 2010, when Acting President Goodluck Jonathan announced his new cabinet.

Without doubt, Adoke’s comments about EFCC and ICPC carried marks of occupational fatigue and ‘do as you wish’ attitude. All of these are dangerous and unexpected of the No. 1 law officer of a country that’s desirous of winning the battle against corruption. As Attorney-General of the federation and Minister of Justice, Adoke had both teeth and voice but for reasons best known to him alone; refused to bark simply because the fierce looking leadership of both the EFCC and ICPC hanged a charge of ‘interference’ on his neck. This is novel in the history of anti-graft crusade.

To many observers, it was shocking to hear that the EFCC and ICPC lacked the required capacity to do thorough investigation and collation of evidences to secure the conviction of persons charged with corrupt practices. This cannot be true. Perhaps, the former law officer was only trying to polish the fact that officials the nation’s two anti-graft agencies do collect gratification and deliberately leave openings to enable accused persons escape the long arm of the law.

There is already this cloudy opinion in some quarters that the fast becoming culture of rift between the office of the Attorney-General of the federation on one hand and those of EFCC and ICPC on the other are the handiwork of some well heeled apostles of corruption in and outside the country. It started in the early days of the late President Musa Yar’Adua’s administration. The then attorney-general, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa and the leadership of EFCC and ICPC never agreed to put their kernels in one basket. It therefore became extremely difficult for government to wage an effective war against corruption. Some analysts are of the opinion that these unnecessary disagreements are mere smokescreens rehearsed and deployed to distract and eventually deceive unsuspecting Nigerian masses. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Farida Waziri, EFCC Chairman

Let no one, including Mohammed Adoke stand on the Vaswani brothers’ case to undress the EFCC and ICPC in front of Nigerian masses. The truth is that, right from 2000 when the ICPC was inaugurated; the office of the Attorney-General of the federation has never wanted to fight corruption. They have rather been busy rubbing drums of grease on the elbows of Nigeria’s many and powerful apostles of corruption. To support this opinion, let’s consider the submission of Adoke as it concerns the Halliburton scandal. According to him, “I decided to confront the issue once and for all. I called for the reports and went through the reports. I found out that there were no sufficient evidences linking any of our past leaders in respect of the said Halliburton scandal.

“Those of them that we could identify, including Halliburton itself, Julius Berger, and others, we decided to evaluate the position of our laws. At the end of the day, in line with global best practices, we opted to settle with them, because if we decided to prosecute them, the likeliness of our securing a conviction was very minimal.”

With due respect to Mohammed Adoke, his submission was not only shallow but an insult on the sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians. He should do well to tell Nigerians how weak our laws are that it cannot nail persons that clearly took bribes to influence the awards of contracts. This is made more repulsive because some of the foreigners that gave the bribes have been indicted in their countries. Even in the face of the worst case scenario, we should ascribe to Femi Falana’s opinion that the aim of going to court is not always to win. Sometimes, it should act as opportunities to make bold statements. In the Halliburton case, the statement would have been: corruption is killing our nation. The truth about the Halliburton case is that no one is disputing the fact that bribes were given. What, according to Adoke was the problem is lack of sufficient evidences to nail those involved. Even at that, the minutest of evidences should have been presented in court and allow the judge to make a pronouncement. This will add real value to the war against graft. Our anti-corruption war should also seek to place moral burdens on those that committed corrupt practices but were freed by the courts due to technical inadequacies. This will in some way help to discourage corrupt intentions. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: EFCC Operatives

We are aware that it has become fashionable for those accused of corrupt practices to abandon proving their innocence to pursuing technical loopholes to escape justice. Unfortunately, there is no practical evidence anywhere that any of Nigeria’s attorneys-general has religiously made attempts to tighten our laws so as not to give room for corrupt persons to shorten the long arms of the law. This is what I earlier on referred to as occupational fatigue. It’s sometimes caused by lack of patriotism. That’s the reason for question like, “na my papa work? It takes only a patriotic mind for a public office holder to go all the length for one’s country.

More than that, the majority of Nigerians are convinced about President Goodluck Jonathan’s promise of a national reformation agenda. The foundation of this conviction is in his decision to appoint a no-nonsense Nigerian in the person of Professor Attahiru Jega as head of INEC. Every informed mind is aware of the fact that the task of national transformation starts with the conduct of credible elections, which the Professor Jega-led INEC did. The president will need to do same for the office of the attorney-general and minister of justice if the war against graft must be won.

Furthermore, appropriate legislation should be made to streamline the activities of the EFCC and ICPC to make them more civil in terms of their mode of reporting, investigation, invitation, arrest, and prosecution. Also, the reasons behind the constant conflict between the offices of the attorney-general and the anti-graft agencies must also be addressed so as to avoid technical lapses that led to rewarding corrupt people with their ill-gotten wealth. Most importantly, thorough investigation must be concluded before the arrest of suspects. These investigations should be tired to time. No investigation should take more than twelve months.

While I agree with Adoke that the EFCC and ICPC were in some cases involved in snowmaking while doing their jobs, it will be very difficult to invite or arrest Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) without the media making noise about it. This is where the ‘show’ comes in. Is he suggesting that their invitation, arrest, and prosecution should be done in secrecy?

Kali Gwegwe, CEO, Nigeria Democracy Watchtower writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and can be reached at kali.gwegwe@nigerianfootballpost.com ( 0806 407 4810 )

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*Tags: Nigerians, Anti, Graft, War, Nations, Law, Officer, Helpless, Abuja, Lagos, Africa, Masterweb

By Masterweb News Desk

A faceless group calling itself Unknown Soldiers Squad (USS) Network that sent a threat email last week to a Masterweb writer, has given Nigeria federal government a three week ultimatum. In a comment post made on July 5, the group gave the federal government three weeks to convene a Sovereign National Conference (SNC) or face terror in the land. They wrote that if their deadline for a SNC is not met, the country would witness their wrath which would not spare both the army and Nigeria State Security Service (SSS) at roadblocks. They said the ratio of their casualties at roadblocks would be 50 to 1 (apparently 1 suicide bomber).

USS comment post, just like their threat email of last week was apparently sent from a cyber cafe. The comment post was made on July 5, two days after the article on their threat email titled "Nigeria Terror Alert: Masked Group Threatens To Blow Abuja Into Pieces" was published.

USS comment post is republished unedited below.

__________________

USS COMMENT POST

Comment from: USS NETWORK [Visitor] 07/05/11 @ 13:39

It's of no doubt; We the Unknown Soldier's Squad (USS) Network was jobless. We are uneducated and touts, that is why we've accepted the uneducated/tout's job opportubity in Nigeria to die with the WISE & EDUCATED.

We gave Federal Government of Nigeria 3 weeks to consider a Sovereign National Conference for opinion poll and dialogue as the way forward.

We are out and bold to cause change to Nigeria bad government or die along with them. We hereby give the Government the chance to hear us first or the SOUND blast that will follow sequencially untill the WISE and EDUCATED are uncomfortable in Aso Villa.

We are aware of the SSS and the Nigeria Soldier's monting road blocks all around, unfortunately, they are all out to die with us on the day to come and can never stop us:- 50 soldier's (to) 1 - USS.

__________________

The faceless group this time in the comment post spelt their name correctly unlike in their threat email to Masterweb writer, Mr. Ikechukwu Enyiagu. A copy of USS threat email is republished in the article - "Nigeria Terror Alert: Masked Group Threatens To Blow Abuja Into Pieces" published on our website on July 3, this month.

Is USS threat to be taken seriously? It makes sense for Nigeria State Security Service (SSS) to investigate all documented cases of terror warning, to determine their credibility. This is imperative, in view of the increased terrorist attacks in recent times in the country, which have not spared Abuja, the federal capital city. Nigeria Police should be vigilant and monitor all suspicious activities rather than collecting money from suspects and motorists. The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) unit of the force should share intelligence reports and coordinate activities with SSS.

It is not a bad idea for all ethnic groups in Nigeria to convene and agree or disagree on how to federate as Nigerians or good African neighbours. Few people based on their selfish interests should not bully others to order on "which way" for the nation. Viable nations are not built by force but by general consensus of the people through their representatives.

Photo Above: Faceless Niger Delta militants

Photo Above: Late Boko Haram Leader, Mohammed Yusuf. Police said Yusuf was shot while trying to escape.

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*Tags: Nigerians, Terror, Alert, Masked, Group, Threaten, Three, Weeks, Ultimatum, Africa, Masterweb

By Masterweb News Desk

A struggling pregnant woman's life was cut short Tuesday, June 28 at a roadside market in Uzuakoli, Bende LGA of Abia State from police loss of N20 ($0.13) extortion money. Madam Chinyere Chima an indigene of Alayi in Bende LGA of Abia State met her untimely death when a bus driver ran over her at her petty market post in Uzuakoli. The petty market is a short distance from the railroad crossing and has mostly female subsistent traders baking under the sun or sheltering from the rain on the roadside selling to motorists and travelers. Items sold by these women are mainly snack items that travelers can munch on to quench hunger and thirst, and include but not limited to bananas, groundnuts, kola nuts, bitter nuts, bread, and pure water. Foodstuff such as garri, crayfish, vegetables (such as ugu, uhah, ukazi, dried oligbu), rice, stockfish, etc. are also sold, but in small quantities.

The bus driver according to witnesses was being pursued by police after refusing to give them N20 at a police check point. According to witnesses, the bus driver refused to give the police N20 illegal extortion they always collect from commercial drivers at check points. The driver slowed down but sped off refusing to give them any money which resulted in the police engaging him in high-speed pursuit. ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: ( Photo not related to incident that killed Madam Chima ) A policewoman blocks a driver who was reluctant giving them money, while her partner puts pressure on the driver to meet their demands. Eventually the policewoman was knocked down by the unyielding driver, who successfully sped away - CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE POLICEWOMAN KNOCKED DOWN.

The bus driver was forced to a halt after running over and killing pregnant Madam Chima. The bus narrowly missed other market women at the roadside petty market. The bus driver was subsequently arrested by the police for manslaughter and attempt to elude police. All attempts by Masterweb to reach Abia Police Command were abortive as calls to their number were aborted as a result of the phone not being turned on or charged. Sources say the police is trying to treat the case as manslaughter case, covering up the fact that it was the refusal of the driver to give them N20 that led to the high-speed chase and death of the innocent pregnant woman.

Masterweb will continue its investigation of the case and will keep you posted on any development. If you have any useful information on the case, please email it to admin@nigeriamasterweb.com

RELATED ARTICLE => Dead Abia School Principal Not Beaten - Police Bid To Collect Money/Rubbish NSCDC?

Photo Above: Map of Abia State, Nigeria

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*Tags: Nigerians, Police, N20, Extortion, Bid, Leads, Death, Pregnant, Woman, Abuja, Africa, Masterweb

By Masterweb News Desk

An unknown group calling itself Unknwon Soldiers Squard (USS) Network, has threatened to blow Abuja, the Nigerian capital into pieces and have everyone on the run, including the president. The faceless group sent a threat message by email to Ikechukwu Enyiagu, one of Masterweb writers, in response to his article titled "Nigeria: Sovereign National Conference Inevitable" published on our website on July 1, this month.

USS's threat email apparently sent from a cyber cafe was dated July 1, 2011 (the same day Enyiagu's article was published). The email is republished unedited below.

__________________

USS's THREAT EMAIL

Enyiagu,

We read your comment, a call for the Sovereign National Conference in Nigeria. And in other to give the last chance for a peaceful dialogue in Nigeria, we are restraining our blown to pieces plan in Nigeria Capital.

Meanwhile, We are strongly behind and in full suport to your call for a Sovereign National Conference in Nigeria, and as matter of fact, if the present Government did not listen, honour your call which is in the mind of the whole, then- we the (Unknown Soldiers) are prepared to unleash the most terifying Terror in the FCT which at this time must set every body from the President to the common man in this nation on the run. a promise!.

Take our message home; THIS IS NOT BOKO HARAM alone but joint and the target is the Nigeria Head of States and it arms. Yet, our message is simpler:- Enough is enough, divide (Nigeria) now.

Thanks,

The Unknwon Soldiers Squard (USS) Network.

__________________

The faceless group if it actually exists, appears not to be well educated as their email contained simple typographical and grammatical errors. Setting grammatical errors aside, some of the other errors include the misspelling of "Unknown" and "Squad" in the full name of their organization. Is this threat to be taken seriously? It makes sense for Nigeria State Security Service (SSS) to investigate all documented cases of terror warning, to determine their credibility. This is imperative, in view of the increased terrorist attacks in recent times in the country, which have not spared Abuja, the federal capital city. Nigeria Police should be vigilant and monitor all suspicious activities rather than collecting money from suspects and motorists. The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) unit of the force should share intelligence reports and coordinate activities with SSS.

It is not a bad idea for all ethnic groups in Nigeria to convene and agree or disagree on how to federate as Nigerians or good African neighbours. Few people based on their selfish interests should not bully others to order on "which way" for the nation. Viable nations are not built by force but by general consensus of the people through their representatives.

Photo Above: Map of Nigeria showing its 36 states and capital (Abuja or FCT)

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*Tags: Nigerians, Terror, Alert, Masked, Group, Threaten, Blow, Abuja, Pieces, Africa, Masterweb

*Nigeria: Sovereign National Conference Inevitable

By Ikechukwu Enyiagu

Challenges do not go away when ignored, they persist, gain grounds, and dominate their host, and ignoring to weed a farm while expecting a good yield is not one of fruitful farming principles. The choice of neglecting or feigned ignorance of the presence of a challenge is the foundation of all defeats. The challenges on unity in Nigeria can’t be wished away nor can it die simply because our leaders have ignored its cries and refused to face and deal with it the right way. Great Britain, even when they went ahead with this amalgamation, already saw, beforehand, the challenges and dangers of that decision, but simply chose to ignore it. It’s only a wicked man and an inevitable loser that ever relies as a more desirable choice on the compelling of obedience and compliance than convictions.

This world, in all its vastness and diversities, is just a family. All diversities are aimed at achieving constructive growths for everyone. We have many governments and countries which make up Africa, Europe, Asia, USA, Arab world, etc. Again, the reason for all these is to maximize participation and growth in and from all quarters. No coerced union ever worked for long, and the people involved never progressed. Tribes have become countries, states joined to make great nations, and countries emerged as great continents-all in mutual understanding and agreement. There are, however, some nations that have divided and gone separate ways-all in a bid to maximize participation and growth in and from all quarters.

Nigeria, for reasons well known and recited by every Nigerian, was made into a country comprising of peoples with ever stretching diversities and dissimilarities. This Amalgamation of 1914 has been on test drives to this moment but we have often either failed to note our lessons or simply ignored them in the euphoria of African contentment with smallness. In spite of all efforts made by our heroes past for a better envisaged Nigeria of our time, some of them, honestly, saw its overwhelming challenges and near impossibilities and, voiced their doubts. Amongst their honest predictions, those of some alive and clear-cut warnings of those who know the truth were: ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: Map of Nigeria showing its 36 states and capital (Abuja or FCT)

Lord Lugard: “The North and the South are like oil and water, they will never mix.” Yet he went ahead and amalgamated them.

Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa: “The Southern people who are swamping into this region daily in such large numbers are really intruders; we don’t want them and they are not welcome here in the North. Since 1914, the British Government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country. But the people are different in every way, including religion, custom, language and aspirations… we in the North take it that Nigeria unity is only a British intention for the country they created. IT IS NOT FOR US”.

Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo: “Nigeria is only a geographical expression to which life was given by the diabolical amalgamation of 1914, that amalgamation will EVER remain the most painful injury a British Government inflicted on Southern Nigeria”.

Al-Hajji Sir Ahmadu Bello: “The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate from our great grandfather, Othman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We must use the minorities in the North as willing tools, and the south as conquered territories and never allow them to have control of their future.”

Retd. General Yakubu Gowon: “Suffice it to say that putting all considerations to the test, political, economic as well as social, the basis of unity is not there.” ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: Nigeria Ex-Military Head of State, Yakubu Gowon leaving after attending Late Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua's funeral in Katsina, Katsina State May 6, 2010.

Dr. Benjamin Nnamdi Azikiwe: “If this embryo republic of ours must disintegrate, then in the name of God, let the operation be a short and painless one”.

Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu: “Nigeria is a stooge of Europe. Her independence was and is a lie. Nigeria committed many crimes against her nationals which in the end made complete nonsense of her claim to unity. Nigeria persecuted and slaughtered her minorities; Nigerian justice was a farce; her elections, her census, her politics - her everything - was corrupt. Qualification, merit and experience were discounted in public service. In one area of Nigeria, for instance, they preferred to turn a nurse who had worked for five years into a doctor rather then employ a qualified doctor from another part of Nigeria; barely literate clerks were made Permanent Secretaries; a university Vice-Chancellor was sacked because he belonged to the wrong tribe.” ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: Chief (aka People's Servant) Charles O. Okereke( left ) interviewing Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu( right )

Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan: “If anything at all, these acts of mayhem are sad reminders of the events which plunged our country into 30 months of an unfortunate civil war. As a nation, we are yet to come to terms with the level of human suffering, destruction and displacement, including that of our children to far-away countries, occasioned by those dark days. In recent years, we have also witnessed other acts of intolerance, violence and destruction of human life perpetrated by unpatriotic elements for no justifiable reason. Indeed, the nation still bears some of the scars of other similar events like the aftermath of the June 12 1993 elections that brought our polity to the brink. It is inconceivable therefore, that there are some in our midst who seek to re-enact a stalemate in the political process. My fellow countrymen and women, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.” ( Continues below….. )

Photo Above: President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria

As a result of the differences which our leaders pretend do not exist, Biafran independence was declared. MASSOB still cries for freedom, OPC brought its awareness, while MEND came with a new force. Now, it is Boko Haram-bombing everywhere and killing everyone in a bid to Islamize Nigeria. All these are asking for one thing: the freedom to be themselves in their fatherland.

Nigeria, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Nigerian leaders, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Let’s stop this beating about the bush, this meandering around the glaring truth, and opt for a Sovereign National Conference (SNC). The prophetic speeches of our heroes past have all been happening before our eyes while we feign blindness. Suppressions cannot suppress, if anything, the cries will get more dramatic and violent by the day. If there is any hope left for a better Nigeria, if there is wisdom in averting another civil war, then SNC is the answer.

I hereby call on our president, Goodluck Jonathan, to step up to this challenge that will imprint his name in the sands of time, and call for a SNC. It’s inevitable, it’s unavoidable, and it’s the only way out-the only way to our freedom, peace, and prosperity. There must be a conference of true representatives who will speak for their people. Two cannot work together unless they agree. Only an ignoramus favours chaos and war against a meeting of the elders. It’s a sovereign national conference or complete hopelessness.

Ikechukwu Enyiagu can be reached at ike.enyiagu@gmail.com

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*Tags: Nigerians, Sovereign, National, Conference, Inevitable, Abuja, Lagos, Africa, Masterweb

By Masterweb News Desk

Two Nigerians were severely beaten by residents in Rustenburg North neighbourhood, accusing them of ignoring all efforts in getting them out of the community. They were punched, kicked and beaten with sticks by the angry mob. It took the intervention of the police to rescue them from the claws of death. They were taken to Tlhabane clinic for treatment of injuries inflicted on them. No arrests were made by the police.

The duo and many other Nigerians, residents of the eight-flat building known as Las Vegas flats.had been accused by the community of using their flats as bases for selling drugs, prostitution and other criminal activities. They were eventually evicted by the landlord, Dr. Irfam, and seen on Friday, June 10 removing their belongings under police supervision. The landlord said he was overjoyed to see them leave. The duo later returned, asking the landlord for keys to their flats on the pretext of collecting what they had forgotten. They never returned the keys, but kept staying in the flats which brought the wrath of the community.

Israel Maimane, Community Police Forum (CPF) spokesperson said the duo had being occupying the flat despite the fact they had been evicted two weeks ago. In his words: “They pretended to be collecting their remaining belongings and then stayed without the owner’s permission.” ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Map of South Africa's North West Province showing Rustenburg.

The Nigerians lived in Las Vegas flats for four years that the landlord (Dr. Irfam) described as hijacked as they engaged in all forms of criminal activities and stopped paying their rent two years ago. Dr. Irfam in a press statement said: “My heart is filled with joy. I do not know how to show it. I had lots of complaints and was accused of harbouring criminals, but all the time I tried everything to kick them out. Last year I wrote a letter to the community policing forum (CPF) asking them to help me evict the tenants. I am relieved because they had not been paying the rent for two years. That is why there had been electricity and water cuts.”

Early this month before the eviction order was served, CPF accused the police of dragging its feet in tackling criminal activities at the flats as they had been informed of them. In a press statement Israel Maimane, CPF spokesperson said: “Our operations with the police on more that one occasion recovered stolen goods and young girls who we believe were being used by the Nigerians for prostitution.” He said they had engaged police about the Las Vegas flats since November last year. According to him: “The police appeared hesitant to act until when a violent confrontation between the community and the tenants took place in February.” Records indicate 4 members of CPF and 10 Nigerians were taken to hospital with injuries after the confrontation.

Maimane said that when the CPF and police planned joint crime-prevention operations in the area where the flats were, police cars would appear in advance in the area, apparently tipping off residents of the planned operation.

Rustenburg is a South African town in North West Province. Rustenburg is prominent in Afrikaner history. It was established in 1851 as an administrative centre for a fertile farming area producing citrus fruit, peanuts, maize, wheat, tobacco, sunflower seeds, and cattle.

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*Tags: Nigerians, Mobbed, Angry, South, Residents, Africans, Masterweb

-Police Bid To Collect Money/Rubbish NSCDC?

By Masterweb News Desk

Masterweb yesterday conducted investigations into events leading to the death of Magnus Obinna Ezeugo, Principal, Bende Junior Secondary Grammar School, Umuttorie, Bende LGA, Abia State after a news report on Vanguard newspaper on the same day titled "14 NSCDC men in Abia held for murder". The said article can be read at http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/06/14-nscdc-men-in-abia-held-for-murder/

According to reliable information obtained by Masterweb News Desk from interview of some key witnesses, Magnus Ezeugo was not at anytime beaten by operatives of Abia State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Mr. Ezeugo apparently died from either stroke or heart attack as a result of high blood pressure associated with diabetes that runs in his family according to sources. Our investigations found out that the deceased's brother, Mr. Chibuzor Ezeugo, an officer of NSCDC Abia State Command also is diabetic and receives treatment for high blood pressure.

The chain of events leading to Magnus Ezeugo's death according to our investigations were as follows:

On Saturday, June 4 Chibuzor Ezeugo (the deceased's brother) was severely beaten by the deceased's children on the orders of their father ( Magnus Obinna Ezeugo ) due to a family feud. Chibuzor Ezeugo sustained a broken head from the attack which he reported to the local police in Ubakala and was treated at the Federal Medical Center (FMC). Chibuzor Ezeugo reported the attack to his command on Monday and NSCDC officers were dispatched the following day to Ipupe in Ubakala to investigate the case and make arrests if necessary. Magnus Ezeugo and three of his sons were arrested after interrogation by the NSCDC operatives. Magnus Ezeugo's wife voluntarily followed her arrested family members to NSCDC office in Umuahia.

Magnus Ezeugo and his sons were interrogated at NSCDC office and detained during which Ezeugo pleaded to be released to enable him conduct an examination in school. He was released the same day along with his youngest son, so that he could hand over the conduct of the examination to the vice principal. He was to report back to NSCDC after the handover. Hours after Magnus Ezeugo got to the school he collapsed and died from what sources said appeared to be heart attack or stroke. Only an autopsy can determine the cause of death. It is premature to attribute the death to physical trauma from beating, without medical determination of the cause. Unconfirmed sources revealed to Masterweb that the police says the deceased's family and families of NSCDC officers arrested in connection with the death are to provide money for an autopsy. Masterweb calls on all well meaning Nigerians to put pressure on Nigeria Police using all channels available to them to demand a government funded credible autopsy on the deceased to ascertain the cause of death. Magnus Ezeugo's death should not be used as "money collecting" machinery by the police - collecting money from all sides and abandoning the case at the end. It should not also be used by police to rubbish the relevance of NSCDC by unjustly giving her bad name that may bring its dissolution.

While Masterweb commends members of the Nigeria Police Force who have honestly dedicated their lives to the protection of lives and property in Nigeria, we will not relent in condemning all the bad eggs in the force. We salute the police officer who saved our CEO from untimely death in Umuahia in the hands of an armed robber in Nigeria Police Force who unsuccessfully hatched out plans for the murder and robbery of our Chief Executive. It happened in December last year when our CEO who was in Nigeria on vacation was on his way with his wife and daughter to visit a relative at World Bank Estate, Umuahia. Our CEO who was trying to find his way at the estate made a legitimate left turn into a street with a police post in the midst of other residential buildings - the time was 8.25 pm. An armed police officer lying in wait for a prey at gun point ordered our CEO to stop and out of the car. Our CEO came out of the car with both hands in the air. All the police officer was shouting was: "I will kill you". "I will kill you", "I will kill you", cocking his gun four times as our CEO pled for his life, explaining that he was trying to find his way to Coping Junction. The trigger happy officer ordered another officer who came to the scene to search our CEO's car. The intervening officer shouted: "Don't you see he is a chief", "Ihugi owu chief" (Ihugi owu chief is "Don't you see he is a chief" in Igbo). He refused to search our CEO's car. The trigger happy evil officer now turned around to speak in Igbo that he was sorry for his action, that he thought our CEO was one of the teenagers driving around drinking and smoking dope. Our CEO in his mid fifties could not have been mistaken for a teenager.

The truth was that it was dark and the evil police officer in question suspecting that our CEO had money, planned to rob and murder him, thereafter killing both his wife and daughter, then finding something to cover up the crime. Our CEO's wife might have helped in getting the intervening officer save the situation by complaining to him as soon as he stepped out that what his fellow officer was doing to an innocent law-abiding unarmed citizen was wrong.

When our CEO visited the police post the following morning, the DPO in the building told him that all streets adjouring their post were thoroughfare. He said he did not understand why the officer threatened to kill our CEO. Efforts by our CEO to file a complaint against the evil officer were frustrated by the relative he was visiting at World Bank Estate who warned him that the police would raid her residence at night if he took any action against the officer. People we gathered are afraid of reporting cases involving the police for fear of reprisal by criminal elements in the force.

Masterweb hereby calls on the Inspector General (IG) of Police to use his good offices in ensuring that:

1. A credible autopsy to determine the cause of death of Magnus Ezeugo is carried out.

2. All criminal elements in Nigeria Police Force are identified and flushed out.

3. The evil police officer that almost killed our CEO is identified, dismissed from the police force and prosecuted in court.

4. The gunmen who robbed and murdered Odinigwe Mokelu in Port Harcourt on his way back from church on Sunday, June 19, 2011 are identified and prosecuted in court.

5. All unsolved murders in Nigeria are properly investigated to determine those responsible for the nefarious act.

6. Nigeria Police does its best in protecting lives and property in the country, and reducing to a minimal corruption within its ranks.

RELATED ARTICLE => Nigeria: Abia Amnesty - Facts of The Matter

Photo Above: Map of Abia State, Nigeria

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*Tags: Nigerians, Dead, Abia, School, Principal, Beaten, Africa, Masterweb

By Masterweb News Desk

Patrick Onyemechara, 53, former Director of City of Monroe Revenue and Taxation Department in Louisiana, USA, was sentenced last Tuesday to 10 years imprisonment with hard labor on each of 10 felony theft counts at 4th Judicial District Court. The sentences run concurrently. Onyemechara was ordered to pay restitution to the City of Monroe in the mount of $121,688. Judicial District ad hoc Judge James Boddie gave Onyemechara credit for time served, by suspending two and half years of the sentence, reducing it from 12 1/2 to 10 years. Onyemechara was held in the Ouachita Correctional Center since 2009 as he could not come up with the required $1.8 million bail. His passports remain in the custody of the court as he was determined to be a potential flight risk Jury selection was under way for his trial when he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of felony theft in March. Sentencing was scheduled for June 13, but later rescheduled for Tuesday, June 21, at the request of Ad Hoc Judge James Bodie.

Onyemechara would be placed on 10-year supervised probation after release from prison. He would not be allowed to apply for or have access to a passport and cannot visit any foreign country during the probationary period.

In a speech shortly before his sentencing, Onyemechara said he was sorry for what he did, but he was not a bad person. "From the depth of my heart I am truly, truly sorry for any pain I have caused to anyone or any business in this jurisdiction. I am portrayed as this godfather with this Sicilian and Nigerian connection - I'm not a bad person and only God can judge me." Onyemechara said.

Onyemechara was arrested in 2009 accused of taking tax payment cheques (checks) collected by his office and ordering cashiers under him to cash them with funds in their drawers. He would keep the money to himself. He was employed with the city for 11 years with eight of them spent as Director of the Revenue and Taxation Department. He became Director of Taxation and Revenue in 2001. According to prosecution, one of the biggest cashed cheque was a $12,029 tax rebate from the state of Louisiana to the city of Monroe. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Patrick Onyemechara

Onyemechara's trouble began when a city employee discovered a cheque for $73,606 dated Dec. 12, 2006, written by a Monroe business to cover delinquent sales taxes had not been deposited into the bank. Upon further investigation, the city employee found additional cheque stubs for delinquent sales tax receipts that lacked corresponding payment posting to city accounts of the businesses. At that point, city officials contacted Monroe Police which executed a search warrant on Onyemechara's office. Investigators interrogated taxation and revenue employees, who confirmed Onyemechara gave them instructions to forward all delinquent sales tax payments to him. According to documents, one city cashier said Onyemechara presented a number of cheques to her and told her to "cash the checks and give him the cash". The cashier kept a log of each check, with transactions dating back to 2004. Investigators also served a search warrant at Onyemechara's home, where they discovered more financial records and bank documents.

Speaking for prosecution, Assistant District Attorneys Neal Johnson and Fred McGaha said the theft amount was fixed at $121,688, which was the amount documented by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor's Office during its two-year audit of the department. According to them, the amount represented what was on the error logs maintained by various cashiers. They said there was over $240,000 worth of transactions that fit the pattern used by Onyemechara, but error logs that were kept only documented $121,688 because the defendant got the head cashier shred the logs.

Before sentencing, Judge Boddie heard a victim impact statement from Stacey Haynie, Director of Accounting for the city. Haynie said she found evidence of error logs dating back to 2003 and "based on that, I believe it started the day he walked in the door as director". She said some of the error logs were destroyed at Onyemechara's direction and that he threatened staff from time to time. In her words: "employees worked out of fear". Onyemechara's defense lawyer, Charles Kincade pleading for leniency, told the court his client had no prior criminal history and that none of the threats were ever documented. "He is a true first-time offender. He has exhibited remorse." Kincade said.

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*Tags: Nigerians, Ex, Tax, Chief, Jailed, Ten, Years, Us, Theft , Africa, Masterweb

*Nigeria: Intersociety Comments On Onitsha Horror & Abuja Suicide Bombing

Intersociety Comments On Horror In Onitsha Upper Iweka And The Suicide Bombing Of The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters

(Onitsha, Nigeria, June 19, 2011)-The Leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law notes with happiness the smashing of a hideout operated by a heinous terror gang at Onitsha Upper Iweka in Anambra State, Nigeria. The successful operation reportedly took place on Thursday, June 16, 2011. According to media and eyewitnesses’ accounts, including our fact finders, over a dozen dead bodies and instruments of death, including sophisticated guns, machetes, empty and filled gallons of undiluted acid and house-hold utensils were discovered and recovered by both private and public security operatives that conducted the operation. The terror hideout was discovered at the left side of the popular Onitsha Upper Iweka, behind the MTN Mast, on Onitsha-Enugu Dual Carriage Way, after its Flyover, and inside an abandoned deep and wide gutter, measuring over ten feet.

This is a clear manifestation of accuracy and incontrovertibility on our part. Recall that we had in our Memo to the out-going( commissioners and special advisers) Anambra State Executive Council, dated June 13, 2011, cited elaborately the activities of the hoodlums at the Onitsha Upper Iweka, which include pick-pocketing, bag-snatching, car-jacking, robbery and armed robbery, fee-fraud, rape, forceful discharge of passengers and offloading of goods and collection of exorbitant “service charge ”, abduction, unlawful killings as well as police extortions, which include toll collection and “wetin you carry”(what is in your bag or carton, with intent to extort). We had also in the Memo, listed Aba Park, Mikemera Park, Lagos Park, Old ENTRACO/Asaba Park (the location of the terror hideout), Old TRACAS Park, all located within the same axis, as the hot spots where these heinous activities are perpetrated, especially against the visitors to the State as well as those passing through the Onitsha-Enugu Federal Road, on which those places are situated. Please see the Memo at www.intersociety-ng.org (under press releases and newsletters). It can be found under a sub-heading “Security”.

We have, again, been vindicated! While re-assuring our teeming readers, supporters and the world public of accurate, objective, credible and incontrovertible positions on topical public matters at all times, we reiterate our earlier demand contained in the Memo with respect to the above subject matter that the worsening security situations in the area should be brought under firm control. The successful operation so carried out is not good enough. It is only a scratch on its surface. Other parts of the area should be routinely combed by a crack team of detectives. There should also be a proper investigation into the discovery and recovery of the dead bodies and the instruments responsible for their death, including human and material instruments. The investigation should go beyond liquor-joint or drunken-cop patterns, to pathological and forensic types. This has also brought to bear the need to have Anambra State’s outdated Coroner Law reformed and upgraded urgently, so as to incorporate the modern tools of criminal investigation into the criminal inquiries over this type of unnatural deaths as well as to civilianize and break the yoke of the age-long “Sergeant Nwaiboko” style of criminal investigation, retained by the present leadership of the Nigeria Police Force, which is grossly ineffective and outdated.

The statement credited to the Onitsha Area Commander, Mr. Larry Osita, over the incident, to the effect that the dead bodies were part of those killed extra-judicially and dumped inside the disused drainage by some members of the public, on suspicion of being “armed robbers”, if true, is totally condemned. Also, if it is true, then the Area Commander has a case to answer before his Abuja superiors, including the Police Service Commission. Again, if it is true, then he might have, if not must have known about the existence and activities of the terror gang and abetted same. In criminal law, aiding and abetting are both acts of commission and omission. This type of “official” comment is utterly diversionary, especially when pieces of circumstantial evidence, obtained therein, are overwhelming. The Anambra State Police Command must not treat these explosive barbaric activities with its usual kid gloves. The Command must seek forensic and pathological assistance so as to get to the root of same. The Anambra State Ministries of Environment and Works should visit the area with a view to ascertaining why such big gutter is not in use. If it is blocked elsewhere, they should find out who, when, how and why it is blocked with a view to re-opening it and rid it of further use by violent criminals.

Similarly, the Thursday, June 16, 2011 bombing of the general packing garage of the Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, Nigeria, is a clear case of failed security system in Nigeria. The dire security situation in the country reminds us of the immortal question threw at the African leaders in 1994, by then President Julius Nyerere of the Union of Tanzania, whereupon he asked:” why is it that when the Europeans and the North Americans are busy finding their way to the moon, Africans are busy heading back to the cave?”. The Nigerian security system is in comatose and at the crossroads of intractable uncertainties. Her Police Force is peopled and commanded at the top by “comprador bourgeoisies”. It is possible that the Nigeria Police Boss and his senior commanders do not know how to operate their emails, not to talk of embracing modern security technologies.

Apart from the Police Act and the country’s criminal legislations, which are anachronistic, the security patterns adopted when Dane Guns were in use, are still retained in today’s advanced securitization, to the extent that “Sergeant Nwaiboko’s pattern of criminal investigation and definition of “ who a witness is”, is still reigning in today’s Nigeria’s security industry. Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. When the 9/11 struck the USA, she quickly invented “Homeland Security”, but what do we have in Nigeria today? “Wielders of Atomic Bombs pursuing wielders of Nuclear Weapons”! Using conventional war tactics against an asymmetric tactical war outfit or an amorphous terror brigade is an act of corporate empty headedness. Buying helicopter gunships, warplanes, armoured personnel carriers and grenade launchers, etc to execute an “invisible warfare”, is purely war instruments meant to crush innocent Nigerian citizens the more, because to kill one guerrilla operative conventionally expressly means to mow down 200 civilians in the process.

Conventional war tactics are meant for conventional warfare and asymmetric war tactics for asymmetric warfare. If the IGP’s convoy cannot be installed with explosive or bomb tracking devices in this modern age, then the Nigeria Police Force is doomed and nobody is safe in this country. This also explains why the Force could not say for sure the real number of personnel it has as well as those that are routinely retired statutorily and punitively. The Force, also, cannot boost of the regularly updated website and a central server and its official emails are rarely accessed. Our judges, on their part, have continued to turn down pieces of evidence generated from technological sources, and even when lawyers quote online authorities as their information sources, such are turned down and dismissed except they are from one archaic and obscure source. The regular announcement of the invitation of foreign detectives to help in unmasking these faceless violent groups is a further failure on the part of the Police. Intelligence gathering requires terrain knowledge no matter the level of sophistication. What the foreign detectives should provide are technical supports.

Above all, Nigerian borders, especially the Nigerian-Chadian and the Nigerian-Nigerien Borders are very porous. The country’s political leaders should tell Nigerians why the routes between the country and Sudan and that between her and Iran are not monitored. What is the business of those that frequent these routes? Are there terrorist training camps being hosted by some radical elements in the two countries? Is it correct to say that the so called “Boko Haram” uprising in the North-east, Nigeria is engineered by some radical Northern elements so as to force the Federation to return the Presidency to the “North”, which is akin to the Niger Delta uprising of 2003 and the Southwest “pen” militancy of the early 1990s, all of which yielded the “targeted results” for their promoters? Are some top security commanders in Nigeria sympathizers of the so called “Boko Haram Sect”? If the so called “Boko Haram” doctrine is against western education, are bombs, guns, laptops, tracking devices and phones they reportedly use not originated from “western education”?

Security wise, particularly, in the area of the Police, for the Force High Command to be turned around, total purge is urgently required, which will sweep off all the AIGs, DIGs, the IGP and any CP, who above 50years old. Among the remaining CPs, DCPs and ACPs must be found an ICT and modern technology-derived security egg-head to be made the next IGP, who should be 45 to 50years. The country’s Procedural and the Substantive Criminal Laws as well as the Police Act and various High Court Rules must be made to incorporate the technology-derived pieces of evidence and other modern adjudicative and investigative processes. The modern investigation and adjudicative tools such as tracking devices, CCTVs, modern forensic and pathological components as well as PCs, E-Libraries, Laptops and Storing Devices should be embraced and procured for the country’s security personnel and judiciary. The law setting up the SSS and the NIA should be reviewed so as to assign its operatives more and well-defined security roles, more so when the country’s security responsibilities are seemingly blurred, that is to say it is difficult to ascertain who manages the country’s foreign intelligence and counter-intelligence as well as their internal counter-parts.

The possibility of setting up Anti-terrorism & Allied Matters Court, which procedures must be brought in tandem with international best practices, in order to ensure the speedy trial of the suspects, should be considered. There is also need to pass a legislation making Nigerian Judiciary to join other respected countries as a country with “Universal Jurisdiction” in matters of grievous human rights abuses by ex or incumbent political leaders within and outside the shores of the country.

Also, the plurality of the Nigerian Federation had been taken for granted. Equitable allocations of human and material resources are non-negotiable! Concentration of infrastructural development and provision of social services only in the capital cities of the North make those who feel disadvantaged wiling tools in the hands of the promoters of this violence. Due to the porosity of the country’s borders, it is very difficult differentiating between Chadians, Nigeriens and Nigerians, more so when their dominant ethnic groups belong to same Afro-Asiatic Language Family. The social, economic and political contents of the so called “Boko Haram” uprising should be frontally identified and addressed by Nigerian authorities.

Signed:

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman, BOT (+234(0)8033601078)
Website: www.intersociety-ng.org

Photo Above: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Intersociety, 41, Miss Elems Street, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State, Nigeria.

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*Tags: Nigerians, Intersociety, Peter, Obi, Scorecard, Anambra, State, Africa, Masterweb