Nigeria Content Online

The mystery gunmen in Borno struck
again on Tuesday, killing a deputy superintendant of police and a
six-year-old girl in Maiduguri.

The police officer, identified as
Gadzama, was in Maiduguri to condole with the family of one of those
killed last week before he was killed near the NNPC mega station at
Abbaganaram area of the city.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
gathered that the police officer, an indigene of Askira Uba local
government area in the state, was trailed by the gunmen to the fuel
station and shot at close range.

Similarly, a six-year-old girl, believed to be his daughter, was also shot dead by the gunmen.

Lawal Abdullahi, the police public relations officer, confirmed the
incident, saying that the police had commenced investigation into the
issue.

The workers unions
at the College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State, yesterday began
an indefinite strike over the state government’s refusal to implement a
new salary scale. The striking workers who carried placards of various
inscriptions locked the main gates of the college as early as 8.00am.
They vowed not to return to the duty post until government implements
the new pay rise, and accused the government of marginalising them.

Addressing workers
in turns, the chairman of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union
(COEASU), Tope Egunjobi; Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education
(SSUCOED), Charles Egunjobi; and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU),
Femi Ajayi, all contended that Governor Kayode Fayemi had agreed that
they would be paid with the new salary scale beginning from January
2011.

“All the
institutions in the state are being paid with the new salary scale. We
don’t know why the state government has been partial to the workers of
College of Education, Ikere Ekiti. Even the workers of the University
of Education (TUNEDIK), whose licence was revoked by the National
Universities Commission (NUC) are being paid the new salary scale,” the
unions alleged.

The acting provost
of the college, Titilayo Ogunmola, could not be reached for her
reaction as she was said to be in a meeting with officials of the state
government in Ado Ekiti over the issue.

Nigerian former
head of state, Yakubu Gowon said yesterday in Benin that if Nigeria
must truly realize its vision of a great nation, the sacrifices, dreams
and ideas of the nation’s departed heroes must not be allowed to be in
vain. Speaking at the final passage rites of the late nationalist and
political icon, Anthony Enahoro, at the Ogbe Hard Court of Samuel
Ogbemudia Stadium, Mr. Gowon, described the late elder statesman as an
“exceptionally gifted democrat who defended Nigeria’s unity and fought
for her through democracy.”

He however told the
audience that Mr. Enahoro left Nigeria with the regret that he was not
able to see a Nigeria of his dream as enunciated in his NADECO and
PRONACO philosophy. He challenged all Nigerians to continue to give Mr.
Enahoro’s vision a look, and try to arrive at his dream of a
full-fledged Nigerian democracy.

“No tribute, brief
or long; no encomium, expansive or restricted, is enough to acknowledge
his achievement in life and his greatness,” he said.

Mr. Gowon recalled
his school days in the 1940s when Mr. Enahoro was a young political
firebrand and a budding political thorn in the flesh to the colonial
masters of the day.

“We used to look at him in awe,” he said.

Mr. Gowon said that
he never dreamt that he would meet Mr. Enahoro until his government
released him from prison after the late politician was jailed by the
colonial government for a ‘treasonable felony’. Mr. Enahoro served as
federal commissioner of information in Mr. Gowon’s administration.

“His performance as commissioner was exceptional as it was exemplary,” Mr. Gowon said.

In his tribute,
Governor of Edo State Adams Oshiomhole, called on Nigerians to fight
their oppressors as taught by Mr. Enahoro, saying that he was not given
to lamentations.

“He taught us how to engage, not how to beg,” he said. “He believed that if something is wrong, it must be challenged openly.”

According to Mr.
Oshiomhole, the lesson from Mr. Enahoro is that a man who fights on the
side of the people cannot be imprisoned by man.

Governor of Delta
State Emmanuel Uduaghan said ideas propagated by the late activist,
especially fiscal federalism founded on ethnic nationalities were
worthy of consideration, while Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State said the
clarity of the late Enahoro’s vision for Nigeria was infectious.

In his tribute, former governor of Edo State, John Odigie-Oyegun
described Mr. Enahoro as a man of undisputed courage and tremendous
vision, pointing out that the democracy Nigerians enjoy today is
traceable to the vision of the late Enahoro. Other dignitaries who paid
tribute to the late sage were Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida
Aliu, Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, David Edebiri, Tom Ikimi, Ayo
Adebanjo, Ndubuisi Kanu, Ayo Opadokun, Frank Kokori, and Itse Sagay.

The crisis in Jos,
the Plateau State capital, which has claimed many lives has been blamed
on the inaction of the federal government, a civil rights group,
Intersociety has said.

Speaking through its chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, yesterday in Awka, the Anambra State capital, he said

“Government’s
action is missing, but inaction is noticeable. It may be correct to say
that over 15,000 Nigerians including women and children had been killed
since 1999 as a result of unabated ethno-religious/political violence
and it may also be safe to submit that the number of politically
related murders in Nigeria since 1999 has risen to between 160 and 200.
And over 90 per cent of these dastardly acts have remained judicially
and socially unresolved.

“With respect to
Jos killings, is it correct to say that the president is theoretically,
the Commander-in-Chief of Nigeria’s 700,000-strong Armed Forces? If the
answer is yes, then the president must take charge, because it appears
the contrary is the correct answer. It is our total submission that the
killings in Jos are deliberately political. The sponsors of these
killings are the same ethnic nationalities who adorn their plate
numbers with “born-to-rule” insignia,” Mr Umeagbalasi stated.

He said impunity
has continued to rule over the land and the president must address this
issue for democracy to thrive. “What is far more important is the
president’s capacity and competence to govern, especially as regards
the security and welfare of the Nigerian citizens as well as credible
protection of the territorial integrity of the state of Nigeria. It is
very disheartening that most of those who perpetrated these killings
are still on the prowl, no thanks to the president. He added.

The group regretted
that apart from the 17 people who were convicted by the Federal High
Court in December 2010, most of the perpetrators have not been held to
account for heinous atrocities committed, as the white papers that
originated from the two commissions of enquiry set up by the Federal
and the Plateau State governments had equally not been issued or
implemented till this date.

He scored Goodluck
Jonathan low for allowing key security formations in Plateau State to
be controlled by Muslim officers and described it as a dangerous
security and intelligence policy on the part of the president.

“We recall vividly
that during the Niger Delta uprising, the combatants and key senior
security officers posted in the area were drawn from the northern part
of the country.

Consequently, it is our respectful request that the entire security
establishments in Plateau State should be overhauled and officers and
combatants from parts of the country other than south east, middle-belt
and core north posted to the area.

The
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday in Abuja
gave out cheques worth over 57 million naira as benefits to the
families of their late officers who were killed in active service.

The family of late
Mauazu Abdullahi, former head forensic unit got over N22 million naira,
while the sum of N22 million and N12 million naira went to the families
of late Tahir Hassan Zakari and Abdul-Aziz Jibrin respectively.

The Chairperson of
EFCC, Farida Waziri while presenting the cheques to the families said
looking at members of the families of slain officers of the Commission
receiving their insurance and other benefits, reminds her that these
officers died not from old age or sickness, but due to the wickedness
of the evil and diabolic ones.

Mrs waziri also
said that her solace however is that they have not died in vain, she
said apart from the fact that they died serving their fatherland, they
have been able to secure cover for all their staff.

Meanwhile, the
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Related Commission
(ICPC) has said that it will partner with the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure free and credible elections in
Nigeria come 2011.

A member of the
Commission, Simeon Oguntimilehin disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja
at the venue of a book launch and presentation titled: “Towards
Credible Elections In Nigeria” written by Timothy Ihemadu. He said that
ICPC will educate and monitor the electorate starting from registration
centres, as well as dealing with people who violate electoral rules.