NIGERIAN MILITARY SEIZE MORE ARMS FROM BOKO HARAM

Troops engaged in cordon and search in Baga  continue to discover more arms of various background and shapes abandoned in some houses and the surrounding by fleeing terrorists. 

Heaps of weapons most of which were strange looking or destroyed are still being gathered. Many abandoned or destroyed motorcycles have also been discovered.

A soldier was stabbed while another was shot during a close quarter battle which ensued  as troops involved in cordon and search caught up with some of the fleeing terrorists yesterday evening.  

A number of individuals who claimed to be residents are also being interrogated in order to ascertain their identity and motive. The group consisting mostly women continued to hail and cheer the troops as they conduct thorough search in the area. Wanting to be sure the group was not working for the terrorists despite the excitement, they had to be placed under watch.

The cordon and search as well as patrol of the localities continue while the offensive on terrorists is progressing in other areas of the theater of the counter terrorist campaign.

CHRIS OLUKOLADE

Major General

Director Defence Information

EMIR OF MUBI URGES IDPs TO RETURN HOME, AS NEMA ASSESSES LOCALITIES.

Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Isa Ahmadu, has appreciated the Federal Government for the restoration of security in his domain and called on his subjects that were displaced by the insurgency to return home. This is even as NEMA continues to assess damaged communities including Mubi.

Speaking in his palace when he received a Federal Government delegation led by the Minister of Youths Development, Mr Boni Haruna, the Emir advised his people to be vigilant and law abiding and assist the government towards the maintenance of security in the area. He urged returning residents to give all the necessary cooperation to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) assessment team as they go round to conduct assessment. He thanked the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan  for his concern about the condition of the displaced people and his assurances of support  to assist them return to normal life.

The Youths Development Minister said his visit with the NEMA team was to assess the return of peace in the area and to convey the assurances of President Goodluck Jonathan to support the returnees through the National Emergency  Management Agency (NEMA) to settle back in their homes. The Minister said the commander of the Army Battalion based in Mubi had assured that the soldiers have cleared the town and made it safe  for law abiding citizens to return to their homes.

Leader of NEMA assessment team, Musa Zakari, said the Director General of the Agency, Muhammad Sani Sidi has directed them to carry out the assessment for immediate deployment of necessary support for the returnees to start  rebuilding their lives.

The assessment team met with a returnee, Mr Bitrus Yohana and his family of ten, who came back after several months of displacement. Mr. Yohanna appreciated the Federal Government and the military for the restoration of security in the area. He as well as other formerly displaced persons now back and trading in Mubi Market, called on other displaced persons still taking refuge elsewhere to return home. The team has visited Hong, Maiha, Uba, Mubi and Gombi local government areas.

The Minister and NEMA officials also visited Mubi market where business activities have picked up and other places that included the Adamawa State University and State General Hospital.

It would be called that Mubi was at one time renamed by  Boko Haram.

Sani Datti

Snr. Information Officer, NEMA

22/2/2015

Yola, Adamawa State

PRESIDENCY REPLIES CHIEF OBASANJO

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

OBASANJO’S UNWARRANTED ATTACK ON PRESIDENT JONATHAN IS ODIOUS, REPUGNANT AND SELF-SERVING

We find the false claims and allegations reportedly made against President Goodluck Jonathan by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday in Abeokuta very odious and repugnant.

As we have had cause to say before, it is most regrettable indeed that a man like Chief Obasanjo, who should know better, chooses to repeatedly, wantonly, and maliciously impugn the integrity of a sitting President of his country for the primary purpose of self-promotion.

It is obvious from Chief Obasanjo’s serial vituperations against President Jonathan who is doing his best to positively transform Nigeria for the benefit of all of its people that he has willfully chosen to close his eyes to the present administration’s good works and intentions. For reasons best known to him, Chief Obasanjo has set his mind on regime change by fair or foul means.

Otherwise, it would be completely senseless, irrational and out of place for Chief Obasanjo, who still claims to belong to the same party as the President, to accuse President Jonathan of plotting to win the rescheduled presidential elections by “hook or crook” and planning to plunge the nation into crisis if he loses the election.

For the record, President Jonathan has no such intention and will continue to give the greatest possible support to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant federal agencies to ensure that the rescheduled elections are successfully conducted.

Indeed, it is not President Jonathan who remains faithful to his oath of office who is trying to plunge Nigeria into crisis, but Chief Obasanjo who is scheming to plunge the country into chaos in pursuit of a selfish and highly egocentric agenda.

Chief Obasanjo’s plot with others within and outside the country to thwart the general elections and foist an unconstitutional Interim National Government, which he hopes to head, on the nation is well known to us, but by the Grace of God Almighty, his odious plan to return to power through the back door will fail woefully.

We know very well that it is in pursuit of this nefarious plot that the former President continues to sow the seeds of discord and crises in the polity by purporting to remain in the ruling party while openly consorting with the opposition, endorsing its candidates and predicting victory for opposition candidates in a manner most unbecoming of a supposed elder statesman.

Thankfully, the vast majority of Nigerians who are patriotic and right-thinking cannot be fooled by Chief Obasanjo’s antics.

We urge them to be assured that President Jonathan's commitment to democracy in all its ramifications remains constant and that he will never be party to the use of any unlawful means to remain in office or gain political advantage over his opponents.

The President stands by his commitment, which he reaffirmed on national television last Wednesday that on his watch, all elections in Nigeria, will be free, fair and credible, and that all certified election results will be respected.

As President Jonathan has also assured the nation, the rescheduling of the general elections was in the best interest of the nation and was never driven by any ulterior motive on the part of government as Chief Obasanjo and others have alleged.

President Jonathan will continue to put his best efforts into giving Nigeria quality leadership and will not be distracted from his purpose by unwarranted and needless criticism by persons who ought to know better.

The President also continues to trust in the good judgment of Nigerians and to believe that in appreciation of his sincere efforts to move the country forward over the past four years, they will re-elect him for a second term on March 28, 2015 with a mandate to pursue his agenda for national transformation to a successful conclusion.

Reuben Abati

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

February 14, 2015

INEC EXTENDS PVC COLLECTION BY 4 WEEKS

The Independent National Electoral Commission has again extended the deadline for collection of Permanent Voter Cards to March 8^th.

Announcing this in a statement signed by Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta  Ogakwu, INEC explained that the four weeks extension was occasioned by the postponement of the 2015 polls.

INEC urged registered voters to endeavour to collect their PVCs by March 8^th, to enable them exercise their franchise on March 28 and April 11 respectively.

2015 POLLS: DSS ASKS NIGERIANS NOT TO RELOCATE

PRESS RELEASE

It has come to the knowledge of security agencies that people are relocating to their States of Origin in anticipation of violence during the forthcoming general elections in the country.

We wish to reassure the public of their safety wherever they reside as adequate security is assured for all before, during and after the elections.

We want to also seize this opportunity to caution those who spread falsehood or rumours of violence to desist from such acts. Those who intend to foment trouble are hereby warned that there will be no hiding place, as the long arm of the law will fish them out. 

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Marilyn OGAR, msi

Deputy Director, Public Relations,

Department of State Services

9^th February, 2015