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Friday, January 27, 2012

Explosions rock Kano

By Abdulsalam Muhammad
KANO—KANO—For the third time in one week, another bomb explosion, yesterday, rocked Sabon Gari, a predominantly Christian quarter in Kano, injuring two persons. Another explosion, from a burst tyre at Sabon Gari market, yesterday, afternoon caused pandemonium as people thought it was another bomb blast.

The Improvised Explosive Devise, IED, went off between two long buses at a motor park along New Road, Kano, triggering pandemonium.

Eyewitness told Vanguard that the explosive, stuffed in an empty soft drink can, was thrown by unknown persons between commercial buses operated by two transport companies, Gobison Bus and Ezenwata Motors.

The explosion was said to have shattered the glasses in one of the buses, while two people sustained slight injuries in the pandemonium that ensued.

The eyewitness said as soon as the dust settled, transporters evacuated their buses from the park in anticipation of more bomb blasts.

Soldiers, who arrived the scene immediately cordo-ned off the area and commenced investigations into the remote causes of the explosion.

A soldier keeping watch at the eastern end of the new road told Vanguard: “We had a blast at the park and two people were feared injured. The police bomb disposal unit is inside conducting their investigation.”

A resident in the area, who also spoke to Vanguard on the incident, said: “We heard a blast, rushed in there to see what happened and saw two people slightly injured. They were taken to the hospital.”

Unconfirmed report had it that a utility vehicle laden with bombs was discovered in the garage but police authorities said they were still investigating and that it was “too premature to let the cat out of the bag.”

Police image-maker, Magaji Majia, told reporters that the police had dispatched a team of bomb disposal experts to the scene of the blast.

Also confirming the story, an Army spokesman told reporters on phone: “Yes, we had a blast in Sabon Gari area of the city and we have deployed our men to the spot to take charge of security. But I advise you call the police for details.”

A combined team of gun-wielding soldiers and police personnel have taken over the entire stretch of New Road and the adjourning street in a bid to restore normalcy to the trouble spot.

The Improvised Explosive Devise, IED, went off between two long buses at a motor park along New Road, Kano, triggering pandemonium.

Eyewitness told Vanguard that the explosive, stuffed in an empty soft drink can, was thrown by unknown persons between commercial buses operated by two transport companies, Gobison Bus and Ezenwata Motors.

The explosion was said to have shattered the glasses in one of the buses, while two people sustained slight injuries in the pandemonium that ensued.

The eyewitness said as soon as the dust settled, transporters evacuated their buses from the park in anticipation of more bomb blasts.

Soldiers, who arrived the scene immediately cordo-ned off the area and commenced investigations into the remote causes of the explosion.

A soldier keeping watch at the eastern end of the new road told Vanguard: “We had a blast at the park and two people were feared injured. The police bomb disposal unit is inside conducting their investigation.”

A resident in the area, who also spoke to Vanguard on the incident, said: “We heard a blast, rushed in there to see what happened and saw two people slightly injured. They were taken to the hospital.”

Unconfirmed report had it that a utility vehicle laden with bombs was discovered in the garage but police authorities said they were still investigating and that it was “too premature to let the cat out of the bag.”

Police image-maker, Magaji Majia, told reporters that the police had dispatched a team of bomb disposal experts to the scene of the blast.

Also confirming the story, an Army spokesman told reporters on phone: “Yes, we had a blast in Sabon Gari area of the city and we have deployed our men to the spot to take charge of security. But I advise you call the police for details.”

A combined team of gun-wielding soldiers and police personnel have taken over the entire stretch of New Road and the adjourning street in a bid to restore normalcy to the trouble spot.

Boko Haram issues new threats

KANO, (AFP) – The purported leader of Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram has issued new threats in a message posted on YouTube while also saying last week’s attacks in Kano were over the torture of its members.

“We were responsible,” a voice identified as that of suspected Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau says in audio played over a picture of him. “I ordered it and I will give that order again and again. God gave us victory.”
A purported spokesman for the group had earlier claimed responsibility for coordinated bombings and shootings on January 20 in Kano which left at least 185 people dead.

Police stations were the main targets.

The authenticity of the message could not be independently verified, but the photo matched up with previous ones said to be of Shekau and the voice was similar to earlier recordings.

He says in the message that “we attacked the security formations because our members were arrested and tortured. Our women and children have also been arrested.”

The man said to be Shekau then issued another threat: “They should know that they also have wives and children. We can also abduct them. It is not beyond our powers.

“Soldiers raided an Islamic seminary in Maiduguri and desecrated the Koran. They should bear in mind that they also have primary and secondary schools and universities, and we can also attack them.”

The purported leader of the group blamed for hundreds of deaths also accused the authorities of killing civilians in Friday’s violence.

“After we finished our war, policemen stuck around and started killing civilians and later blamed us,” he said. “We are not fighting civilians, but security forces. We only kill soldiers, policemen and their collaborators.”
Friday’s attacks were the worst yet attributed to Boko Haram and occurred in a city that serves as the economic heart of Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north and a centre of Islamic culture.

Nigerian authorities have shown little sign of being able to stop violence blamed on the group.
Another police station was attacked in Kano on Tuesday night, while an explosion also went off in the city on Thursday. A German engineer was also kidnapped on the outskirts of Kano on Thursday.

It remained unclear however who was behind both of those incidents.
Shekau was seen as Boko Haram’s second-in-command at the time of a 2009 uprising put down by a brutal military assault.

The leader at the time, Mohammed Yusuf, was captured by soldiers and handed over to police, but later killed when officers said he was trying to escape.

Boko Haram went dormant for about a year after the military assault before re-emerging in 2010 with increasingly sophisticated attacks.

It claimed responsibility for the August suicide bombing of UN headquarters in Abuja that killed at least 25 people.A video posted on YouTube earlier this month was also said to be of Shekau. In the video, the man said to be Shekau issued a message to President Goodluck Jonathan and threatened further violence.

The appearance of the man in the video appeared significantly different than earlier images said to be of the Boko Haram chief, but a Western diplomat said “we assessed it was Shekau.”

Tenure elongation: S’Court delivers judgment today

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE& ABDALLAH EL-KUREBE
ABUJA
— TODAY is a decisive day for five of the nation’s 36 governors. The Supreme Court will give a ruling on whether or not their tenures should start from the day they were re-sworn-in after re-run polls or from their first swearing-in date.


The affected state helmsmen are Governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Timipre Sylva (Bayelsa), Ibrahim Idris (Kogi), Liyel Imoke (Cross River) and Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko (Sokoto).


Their tenures were truncated upon the decision of various Courts of Appeal that they did not win the 2007 gubernatorial election which first brought them into office.


After winning the re-run election they subsequently obtained the approval of the courts that their tenure should run from the second inauguration after the 2007 election, a decision the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is challenging.
Four of the five governors are in their first term and are seeking re-election. Idris is the only second term governor.


Apart from Sylva, the other three governors won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) re-election tickets and will stand for forthcoming polls.


Governor Imoke, on Monday won the PDP gubernatorial ticket to contest for a second term and thereby joined his colleagues – Murtala Nyako and Aliyu Wamakko.


Governor Sylva is the only one of the affected governors excluded from a second term having been barred from participating in the PDP gubernatorial primaries last November. The governor is presently in court pressing his case that he was unjustly excluded in the contest.


Thus, today’s decision of the court has varying implications for the five governors.
In Kogi, an election has been held already. If the verdict goes against extending Idris’ tenure, he will hand over to the Governor-elect, Capt Idris Wada in March. Otherwise, he will remain on the saddle till April 5.


Relatedly, a positive verdict will see the other governors remaining in office as follows: Nyako (April 30), Wamakko (May 28) and Imoke (August 28).  Otherwise, the guber polls will go on as scheduled next month in Adamawa and Bayelsa while that of Sokoto and Cross River  will hold in March and April respectively.


The wait in Sokoto In Sokoto, the wait for the apex court’s ruling has been characterised by agitation, optimism and hope.
While supporters of Governor Wamakko are optimistic that the bang of the Judge’s gavel would be in Wamakko’s favour, opponents within his Peoples Democratic Party and those in the opposition parties, particularly the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) are hoping that the ruling would be against the governor.


However, those rallying for peace are hoping and praying that whatever happens at the Supreme Court should not result in chaos.


Sokoto State PDP Secretary, Aminu Bello Sokoto is optimistic that Governor Wamakko would cross the hurdle if the full tenets of the laws were followed. “As far as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act are concerned, the five governors and, in this regard, Governor Wamakko, will win the case at the Supreme Court,” he said.


He opined that the courts listen to all manner of persons who approach it regardless of the frivolity of the claims, “but that is not to conclude that because it must listen, then one has a good case. Wamakko has every justification to win the case.”


Ibrahim Magaji Gusau of the CPC decried alleged political intimidation of members of the opposition parties in the state. “You see, Wamakko should give way for peace and political tolerance to reign in Sokoto State. My hope is for the Supreme Court to remove Wamakko from office in order for us to have peace in Sokoto state,” he said.


ANPP’s Yusuf Dingyadi wants Wamakko removed in order to save other political parties from being manhandled by the security agencies. “Look at what is happening in Sokoto now. The ANPP state Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma, was arrested by the police after a meeting convened at the instance of the Security agencies.”


According to Dingyadi, “the meeting turned out to point accusing fingers at leaders of opposition political parties that they were sponsoring thugs during the nationwide strike. That afternoon after the meeting, Milgoma was invited to the Police headquarters and detained until the following day when he was released on bail. Why should peace not reign because Wamakko doesn’t want anyone to be?”


However, Special Assistant to Senator Abubakar Gada sees the Supreme Court removing the five governors including Wamakko because the PDP failed to organise an all-inclusive primaries thereby making  a wrong choice of candidate in the person of Wamakko.


According to him, PDP risks losing the governorship election, which holds in March because of the wrong choice. “The party is the largest political organization in Africa and should not stand any chance of losing its popularity nor grip from the support of the people that gave it overwhelming victories from 1999 through to 2011 at both state and federal levels of politicking.”


All over Sokoto, people are discussing the outcome of the Supreme Court judgement. Although security is in place, the mood in the polity appears tensed.