Buhari blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for the insurgency by the militant sect, Jamā’a Ahl al-sunnah li-da’wa wa al-jihād, commonly referred to as Boko Haram and asked the President to resign saying, “Jonathan should vacate and give way to a competent hand to govern the country”.

Buhari further said: “When the Niger Delta militants started their activities in the South-South, they were invited by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua.

An aircraft was sent to them and their leaders met with the late President in Aso Rock and discussed issues. They were given money and a training scheme was introduced for their members. But when the Boko Haram emerged in the north, members of the sect were killed.”

Buhari may wish to note that President Jonathan never supported militancy and criminality in the Niger Delta at any time in his political career. Furthermore, the administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua used a combination of carrot and stick to end the militancy in the oil rich region.

Stick was used in the form of heavy military intervention in the form of the Joint Military Task Force which routed the militants by way of ground attacks and aerial assault with the use of Nigerian Air Force jets and helicopters. After this initial pacification, the carrot was introduced whereby the administration offered an olive branch for those wishing to embrace dialogue. Those who accepted the offer of dialogue came out of the creeks and dialogue took place leading to the conditional amnesty (militants were made to surrender their weapons and renounce violence before they could benefit from the amnesty).

Buhari may or may not be aware that these same steps were taken by the current administration with regard to the Boko Haram insurgency.

The Jonathan’s administration in fulfilment of its constitutional responsibility to maintain law and order and enforce the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowered the security forces to check the insurgency. As a democrat and listening leader, President Jonathan’s ears were opened to the cries of the people in the affected areas and after meeting with different informed groups agreed to employ the dialogue option and called for the leaders of Boko Haram to show themselves.

In furtherance of his desire to peacefully resolve the insurgency, President Jonathan inaugurated the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North on Wednesday, April 24, 2013 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, under the leadership of a cabinet minister, Tanimu Turaki, Minister of Special Duties.

A week after the President’s initiative, Boko Haram rejected the amnesty proposal yet the President kept faith with the committee and met with them as recently as a week ago and in furtherance of that meeting, he issued orders for the release of certain classes of detainees held in connection with the insurgency.

With the detailed historical time lines provided above, it is obvious that Buhari’s statement castigating President Jonathan for not treating Boko Haram as others were treated is not factual and borne out of insufficient study of historical facts.

Buhari also accused the President of using undue force on the insurgents, saying “In Bama and Baga towns, military personnel were reported to have been engaged in extortion and sometimes rape of women. And because a soldier was killed in Baga, the whole town was sacked by the military. This is not the best way the military should have acted when they were sent to restore law and order in a town. How can a responsible government allow its people to be killed in this way.”

Let me say that I appreciate Buhari’s concern for the victims of the Boko Haram attacks on Bama and Baga. However, he should be reminded that the President had ordered an investigation into the incident at Bama. The investigation is being carried out by qualified persons and Buhari ought to wait for the results of this investigation before apportioning blame. Members of the Nigerian armed forces are sacrificially laying down their lives to protect Nigerians and they deserve more loyalty from us all, particularly from one who was once their Commander-in-Chief.

But going back to history, Buhari is reminded that this is not the first time that terrorists have unleashed mayhem on Nigerians.

Buhari is reminded that in February and March of 1984, the Maitatsine sect under the leadership of Musa Makaniki unleashed violence in Yola. A conservative estimate is that 1000 people died during those riots and half of the residents of Yola in present day Adamawa State were rendered homeless. The military was unleashed on the sect by the military administration of the same Buhari who was then the Head of State. Similar charges as the ones made today by Buhari were made against the soldiers sent by his government to quell the Maitatsine riots of 1984. They were accused of undue force, destruction of property, raping women and killing civilians. Many human rights groups and activists including J. Peter Pham, the Director of the Michael Ansari Centre at the prestigious Atlantic Council have documented what took place during those riots. In putting down the Maitatsine insurgency, the military incurred collateral damage. Yet, Nigerians understood with Buhari. Did anyone call for his resignation as military Head of State because of the incident?

Also, it is a historical fact that Maitatsine riots again flared up more than a year after this in April of 1985, this time in Gombe in present day Gombe State, while Buhari was still the Head of State. Hundreds of people were killed and the military again was called in. There was collateral damage and Makaniki, the arrowhead of Maitatsine, escaped to Cameroon and was not caught until 2004 when Olusegun Obasanjo had ascended to power. To the best of my knowledge, nobody called on Buhari to resign even though he could not apprehend the leader of the sect.

Is it too much to ask that Buhari show the same level of understanding that Nigerians showed to him in 1984-1985 to President Jonathan?

Some issues should be beyond politics. Anytime an elder statesman calls into question the abilities of the armed forces, it goes a long way to weakening their morale and resolve which are precisely what should not be weakened when we face an insurgency such as the present one.

I will like to advise Buhari not to see security as just a job for the government. It is a job for everybody. In other nations, when terrorists strike, politicians close ranks and unite against the terrorists. Our case in Nigeria should not be different. And indeed, I have cause to thank National Assembly members from Buhari’s party, the Congress for Progressive Change, who saw wisdom in the President’s declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states and voted in support of the declaration. This is precisely the type of multi-partisan collaboration that will see Nigeria achieve her developmental goals.

•Omokri is Special Assistant on New Media to the President
-Punch

Breaking news from Katsina State in Nigeria’s North-West indicates that the state may be the next target of Boko Haram Islamic insurgents.

As Nigeria’s military forces asserted control over the troubled North-East following Tuesday’s emergency rule imposed on Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states by President Goodluck Jonathan, reports came of bomb and gun attacks last night in Daura, the hometown of former military ruler, retired Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. Among the bombed targets are Daura Central Prison, two police stations and a branch of a first generation bank. It is not yet known if anybody died in the attacks launched around 10:00 p.m.

Analysts said the operation bore the signature of Boko Haram. Incidentally, Gen. Buhari, a leading opposition figure, has often come under criticism for failing to unequivocally condemn Boko Haram’s campaign of violence. His prediction of violence after losing the 2011 presidential ballot to Dr. Jonathan has routinely been cited by the Nigerian Government as evidence that he supports the terrorist group but the taciturn general who now leads the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), usually counters, accusing the administration of creating the Boko Haram monster.

Meanwhile, the emergency rule imposed on the North-East has so far proved successful as no Boko Haram attacks have been recorded since then apart from the killing of Borno’s Christian Association of Nigeria Secretary, Rev. Faye Pama Musa, minutes after the presidential broadcast on Tuesday night.

Yesterday, the Nigerian Army clamped a dusk-to-dawn curfew across Adamawa State. A statement signed by Nigerian Army spokesperson in Adamawa, Mohammed Nuhu, urged all the residents to abide by the curfew.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the Defence Headquarters, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, has reassured that “every resource available” to the armed forces would be used in the operation against Boko Haram.

By WOLE MOSADONI

Minna—Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, said he “will surely seek the mandate” of Nigerians in the 2015 presidential election under the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC.

Buhari who lost the 2011election on the platform of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, however said he was ready to step down for any other better candidate that may emerge under the new party.

He spoke in Minna, capital of Niger State during the maiden edition of Sam Nda-Isaiah Annual Lecture Series, saying that politics should not be seen as a do-or-die affair.

Buhari, however advocated that the best candidate should always be given a chance in the midst of many.

He said: “Whoever said he wants to contest has a chance. Let him come out because the more we are, the merrier. But I will be ready to step down if there is a formidable and better candidate.

“It is not about me but for the survival of the party. APC is about ensuring internal democracy. Whoever emerges is the person I will support. Yes I will be ready to step down”.

Also speaking in a separate interview with newsmen, former governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau assured that the presidential ticket of the emerging party will surely be given to the most credible candidate of the party.

According him, “it is even too early to talk about or to have a presidential candidate. In APC, we will have internal democracy that will guide the party. Let us have the party on the ground first and it will be followed by congresses at various levels that will produce our candidates and at that point, anybody can contest and the party will support the best candidate that will emerge.

“Let Nigerians know one thing for sure, we are not talking of just dismantling the PDP. We want a change. We are not just talking about change in democracy but change in attitude, change in approach, change in character, change in conducting the business of government. That is why our slogan is change. We are determined to change Nigeria for the better”.

Gen. Buhari, who spoke on “the role of youths in sustaining democratic values in Nigeria,” asked the media to be courageous and carry out their constitutional responsibilities by keeping leaders and those in government on their toes towards serving the electorate diligently.

Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu in his message, noted with dismay that youths were being used to foment crisis in the polity.

He said: “It is regrettable that young people have become most vulnerable to social vices in society today and this was largely due to the lack of adequate parental care and neglect of our core moral values and social norms. This is why we must pay more attention to the training of our children for the good of the society”.

-Guardian

This came as the United States described the step taken by the Federal Government as a positive development and promised to work with government on the issue.

General Buhari spoke with newsmen in Abeokuta, yesterday, after condoling with the Matriarch of the Awolowo family, Mrs. HID Awolowo in Ikenne over the death of her son, Chief Oluwole Awolowo. He said he was in support of any move to bring about peace in the country.

The former Head of State who was accompanied by former Speaker of House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari; National Chairman, CPC, Chief Tony Momoh and pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare said, “it is good that they have set up a committee on amnesty. I have not seen the terms of reference but, it is a right step in the right direction.

“This is not the first time amnesty would be given to a violent group, you remember it happened in the time of Yar ‘Adua when he granted amnesty to militants in the Niger Delta. Whatever that would bring us peace as a society, we should do it”.

US commends FG’s peace proposal

Meanwhile, Political Counsellor at the United States Embassy, Gregory Lawless, who spoke on the proposed amnesty for Boko Haram members during a teleconference in Abuja on US-Nigeria Binational Commission, said: “We are working with the Nigerian government as a group to embrace a more holistic approach to the issue of violent extremism, whether it is in the North or other areas. We think it is a positive development. We will work with the Nigerian government as it develops its own policy approach to counter violent extremism. We provided lessons learned from our post-September 11 experiences in an effort to strengthen Nigeria’s community engagement and strategic communication efforts.

“We offered to help Nigeria develop an intelligence fusion centre to improve their intelligence, analysis, and dissemination efforts, although Nigerian officials are still deciding their scope and mission requirements for such a centre.

“We agreed to collaborate further to build on Nigeria’s amnesty programme by advancing economic development and environmental protection of the Delta.” Besides, Lawless said his country “is also committed to partner with Nigeria to enhance regional maritime security and to reduce the inflow of small arms and light weapons”.

Boko Haram does not deserve amnesty —Senator Sawa

A retired army Colonel and Senator in the Second Republic, Sen. Andramus Sawa, has, however, disagreed with the proposed amnesty, saying unless the sect members show remorse for the calamity they have done to hundreds of families whose breadwinners, relations have been killed and apologize to the nation, amnesty should not be granted to them.

Speaking on the ‘Focus Nigeria” programme of the African Independent Television, AIT, in Abuja, yesterday, he insisted that the Federal Government should not grant amnesty to a sect that has not shown remorse for the thousands of innocent Nigerians it had killed nor shown any sign of repentance.

He said government has no reason granting amnesty to an unrepentant group which is out to Islamize Nigeria by killing thousands of innocent Nigerians.

His words: “I want to say it clearly that the process of Boko Haram being given amnesty is not right. Gradually we are knowing them the more and, we shall expose them and when we expose them; we want government to do something about it.

“The government can’t just fold its hands and be watching our brothers and sisters being killed. When people talk about amnesty, I know some who are my friends and some who are my nephews and also know some, who are my very close relations, who were killed in Maiduguri, killed in Potiskum, killed in various places here in Adamawa State, for no just cause.

“Nothing has been done to them in areas of orientation, so how can the Federal Republic of Nigeria be talking about setting up a committee. Committee for what? Committee to do what? To give amnesty to who, to murderers? In fact, the issue of amnesty should not even be discussed”.

Continuing, Sawa said: “Let the sponsors of Boko Haram sit down and know what to do. I am a Christian and I will never be a Muslim. I will remain a Christian until I leave this earth, when the God Almighty has brought me to accomplish what he wants me to accomplish.

“No one can stop me because no one has power to do that. So, the sponsors know themselves. Now, let me ask a question, how can someone tell you that Boko Haram has no face, they are faceless? But what he will be telling you is that he wants you to give them amnesty. Amnesty to whom? Let them unveil those boys and let us know who these boys are before we can start talking about anything. Amnesty is an impossibility.”

Sen. Sawa further said that the ongoing onslaught of Boko Haram was a continuation of the campaign of forceful Islamization of Northern Nigeria, which began with the Usman Fodio Jihad. He, however, insisted that it was impossible to Islamize the North, describing the campaign as an effort in futility.

He said in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the CPC, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, in Abuja on Friday, that Achebe was a Nigerian writer that effectively combined intellectualism with simplicity.

The former head of state said the late writer’s debut literary work, Things fall apart, which was published in 1958, has continued to attract wide readership across the globe.

Buhari said, “He was known for an inimitable courage in freely expressing his personal convictions on prevalent national discourse irrespective of the desire of the principalities in the land.

“He rebuffed two attempts by the PDP-led Federal Government to confer national honours on him because of his conviction that the party had not given Nigerians any hope of responsible governance.”

While condoling with the immediate family members of Achebe on this loss, Buhari prayed to God to grant the family and the entire nation the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Punch

Buhari said this in Abuja on Wednesday while fielding questions from reporters after inaugurating the Congress for Progressive Change Merger Committee.

The 18-member committee is saddled with the responsibility of having talks with the Action Congress of Nigeria on the proposed merger.

He explained that the CPC would first conclude discussions with the ACN after which talks would be initiated with the All Nigeria Peoples Party.

“We have written priority (with ACN) and we are going to go into discussion with ACN before we move to the other party,” the former Head of State told the journalists.

Buhari, however, assured, “It is not impossible that the new party is presented to the people of Nigeria by the middle of this year.”

The Katsina State-born general, who acknowledged the fact that he had said he would not run for the office of the President again, having failed to win the election three times, said he would wait for the outcome of the merger talks before giving a definite answer.

He said, “For the umpteenth time, I said it (that I won’t run again), it is on record that I would not present myself again for election.

“But after that, I have said so many times that members of my party and groups went and said that I don’t belong to myself and that I belong to them. They also said they belong to me.

“I asked them to go and organise the party and if you approach me I may consider it. This is the stage we are.

“I mentioned it several times and I’m waiting on my party and if we have a merger, it will make things much easier for me. The new party will then decide whether it will offer me its ticket and it is up to me to consider accepting it or rejecting it.”

While inaugurating the committee, which has a former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Garba Gadi, as its chairman, Buhari said personal interest should not stand in the way of a great opportunity to build a better Nigeria.

This, he said, would happen once the CPC, ACN and ANPP came together as one party.

He said, “The issue before you now and as you go into your negotiations is fundamentally one – that you will negotiate the best deal for Nigeria.

“It is essentially a matter of give-and-take. There is nothing sacrosanct about any of the issues you will be called to thrash out, but of course, there is a bottom line, the outlines of which have been given in the committee’s terms of reference.

“Your task is national. Petty personal interest should not stand in the way of a great opportunity to build and run a better Nigeria, which will happen once CPC, ACN and ANPP come together.”

Buhari told the committee not to take the negotiations as a battle, saying it was a friendly game with fellow brothers who he said, desire the nation for what people like him also desire for the country.

He said the country was at a crossroads, stumbling from one disaster to another “simply because its leaders lack purpose.”

The former Head of State regretted that the opposition had also not been able to get its act together because its leaders had refused to unite.

“In Nigeria today, therefore, unity – unity of people, unity of political parties, and unity of the opposition is no longer an option. It has become a national imperative,” he added.

Buhari said it was a great joy to know that the leaders of the two parties were eager to merge, adding that the sentiment in the country was for full merger and not alliance or electoral understanding or anything of sorts.

According to him, “What Nigerians want is merger and that is what you are going to negotiate and bring home to them.”

He said the work of the committee would be simple because there was already in existence, an unexecuted understanding between the CPC and ACN for the creation of a new party, with a brand new logo and a new flag already designed and all other paraphernalia of a political party put in place.

All these, according to him, should be dusted off and built upon to avoid time wasting.

The committee, he said, should be able to finish its job in six weeks before the two parties would now constitutionally seal the merger in another six weeks.

Buhari said the new party should actively support the restructuring of the country, adding its 36-state structure was not working.

-Punch

Zulai Buhari, 40, the first daughter of former Nigerian head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) has died.

Saharareporters learnt Ms. Buhari died earlier today from sickle cell anemia, a source disclosed that she developed complications after having a baby two days ago Chasel Hospital, private clinic in Ungwar Sarki area of Kaduna.

Today she passed away despite effort save her. However, the new born baby is healthy and doing well.

Zulai’s father General Buhari has been a candidate in several of Nigeria’s presidential elections. Saharareporters contacted associates of the general who confirmed news of his bereavement, they said Zulai will be buried soon according to islamic rites.

Former Head of State and Presidential candidate for the Congress of Progressive Change,  Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), again on Tuesday met  behind closed-door with former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa,  over the insecurity  and other challenges  in the North.

Besides, the meeting which lasted for more than three hours at Buhari’s home, a source said, dwelt on the unity and the future of  the region among other issues.

The duo had met  in September where the unity of the region was said to be the high point of their discussion.

Bafarawa, a member of the Board of Trustees of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, had in that meeting  expressed his concern over political disunity in the North  ahead of  2015 general elections.

The former governor had said,  “I came to him (Buhari) to discuss in order to chart the way forward on how we can unite ourselves in the North because the North is in disarray.  Therefore, we need to unite since we are masters of all trade when you talk of political activities in the North.

“I think there is a solution to our disunity in the North because before now, discussions toward achieving unity had been based on political parties.”

Tuesday’s meeting, the  source added, was a  continuation of the September meeting, saying “several matters affecting North and the country were discussed.”

Bafarawa said the meeting was to make them more united to face the current reality in the country, especially the security challenges, the 2015 general elections and the stability the country.

He urged Nigerians to be “strong,  dedicated  and hardworking towards sustaining the country’s unity and future of upcoming generations.”

It was gathered that Bafarawa  said after the meeting that they were committed to sustaining and widening the scope of the meeting to include other stakeholders, saying the strength of the North in building and bringing positive solution to the country would be derived from honest advice and approach on the issues that are facing the country.

-Punch

The decision by former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to reject the proposed mediatory role for him by the islamist sect, Boko Haram, in the group’s dialogue plans with the federal government will have no effect on the commitment of both sides to the peace effort, presidency and security officials have declared.

Speaking to journalists after the Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting of the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) in Abuja on Wednesday, the former presidential standard-bearer of the party hinged his decision to reject any mediatory role in the proposed talks between government and the sect on his ignorance of the main intention of the group, stressing that he could not represent a faceless group. His words: “I think my party has done an excellent job on that. Unless some people don’t want to believe, I don’t know any member of Boko Haram.

Secondly, I don’t believe in their cause ordinarily. “If at a stage, I made mention of anything about the sect, it was when I said that there are three Boko Haram. One was led by Muhammadu Yusuf, whom we knew of in the military. He was a very fine soldier we all knew of but they arrested him and handed him over to the Police. He was a healthy and hearty young man, but they killed him. Again, his in-law was murdered, their houses were razed and the Borno State government compensated them. “All these, we criticised.

The second Boko Haram was a criminal who used to blow up banks and steal money and issue statements as Boko Haram. Then I said that the biggest Boko Haram was the Federal Government itself. This is because it has all the powers to stop those killings. This has paralysed activities in that part of the country. So, how can I represent the people I do not know? “I don’t believe in whatever they are seeking. I cannot work for either Boko Haram or government. I do not believe in what they are doing especially, the destruction of lives and property, and the government does not want to intervene to stop all that. With all the military and security, the Federal Government could not stop that.”

A top official of the presidency has however described Buhari’s decision not to get involved in the peace plan as an indication that “he is not only a bad leader but a selfish one who is not ready to make the crucial sacrifice the nation requires of statesmen at this critical time in the nation’s history.”

The official further accused Buhari of not being patriotic in this instance. “Let me emphasise that what he has done by turning down the offer to get involved in the peace plan is purely and simply a disservice to this nation and it should be condemned”, he added.

When Saturday Sun contacted the office of the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who is coordinating the peace talks with the sect, his media aide, Kunle Karounwi, said he could not comment on Buhari’s decision but however stressed that “so much effort has been put in to achieve peace, enduring security and national stability to an extent that an individual’s action at this point cant be of any effect on the peace process or scuttle it.” One of the sect’s commanders, Abu Mohammed Ibn Abdulaziz had in a telephone chat with journalists in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital over a week ago expressed the sect’s preparedness to cease fire and stop its campaign of violence on two conditions. He also claimed that the sect leader; Imam Shekau had appointed five members of the sect (himself inclusive) to handle the peace talks.

“Myself, Sheik Ibrahim Yusuf, Sheik Sani Kontagora, Abu Abbass and Mamman Nur have been appointed by our great brother and leader to handle the dialogue with the Federal Government,” he disclosed, adding that the sect would prefer the former military leader, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, ex-Yobe governor and now senator, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, first Nigerian minister of petroleum, octogenarian Shettima Ali Monguno, chairman of the presidential committee on insecurity in the northeast, Amb Gaji Gatimari and other prominent members of the Borno Emirate.