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Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara has condemned a communique issued by the Imani Center for Policy and Education over the self-determination of Western Sahara. 

 

In a statement sent to SaharaReporters, Dipo Fashina, coordinator of the NMLWS stated that the resolution of the Imani Center on the issue which justified Morocco's claims of sovereignty over the Territory of Western Sahara was not only subjective but a historical fraud.

Al Jazeera

Imani Center had stated after its June 27, 2021 seminar in Ghana that the "participants considered the admission into the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), then its maintenance by the AU, of a non-state entity, which has, since merely been a source of obstructions and division, as a striking example to this day. According to the participants, the AU should correct this 'cumbersome legacy' and 'historical miscarriage'. 

 

"Thus, the suspension, if not the expulsion, of the 'SADR' (The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, also known as Western Sahara), an armed group with no attributes of a sovereign State, must not be considered as a taboo or unattainable objective." 

 

Fashina noted that the Western Sahara territory had been given the right to self-determination as far back as 1963 as spelt out in the United Nations General Assembly resolution 1514. 

 

He also stated that the International Court of Justice already issued an advisory opinion that denied Morocco's claims of autonomy and affirmed the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.

 

Fashina also condemned the stance of the Imani Center as he noted that the resolution of the conflict between the Saharawi people and the kingdom of Morocco over Western Sahara would contribute to the regional and continental economic integration of Africa. 

 

The statement reads: ”The attention of the Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara has been drawn to a communique issued by Imani Center for Policy and Education, a 'think tank' as the outcome of a Seminar held in Accra, Ghana, titled ‘The imperative of Economic Recovery: How can the Resolution of the Sahara Issue Strengthen Africa's Regional and Continental Integration?" Published in The Guardian online edition (Nigeria), 29 July 2021. 

 

“Coming from Ghana, a country that played a remarkable role in the liberation struggles in Africa and gave Africa one of the best models of leadership, in the history of anti-colonial, liberation struggles in the world, the communique calls into question, the real motive of its authors. 

 

“The seminar aims ‘aims to debate and discuss the African Union's current challenges in an Objective, Scientific and dispassionate manner, in the context of a highly intellectual and fact-based exercise with credible experts and influential decision makers’.

 

“A very serious problem is that the Communique falls very much short of the criteria of objectivity, scientific merit and dispassionateness which the authors claim on their own behalf. 

 

“The communique is intellectually unsound, politically weak, historically out of place, unjust in political morality, it demonstrates huge ignorance of the history and contemporary issues around which the issue of Western Sahara is being discussed worldwide. 

 

“The communique smacks of treachery to the history and substance of the liberation struggles in Africa led by Kwame Nkrumah, Samira Machel, Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane, Augustinho Neto, Julius Nyerere, Nelson Mandela, Ahmed Ben Bella, Amilcar Cabral and many other great African leaders."

 

It continued, “...The General Assembly had demanded that Spain should undertake immediate steps to guarantee the exercise of self-determination under UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) adopted in 1960. The General Assembly had always maintained that the people of Western Sahara are entitled to the right of self-determination. 

 

“As far back as 1963, the Territory if Western Sahara was listed among Non-self-governing territories as recognized in the UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 of 14 December 1960 that contained the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. It should be recalled that under Resolution 1514 (XV), the General Assembly, declared inter alia that all peoples have the right to self-determination and that by virtue of right, they should freely with determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. 

 

“In this regard, the right of the people of Western Sahara to a referendum for self-determination has been reaffirmed by both the General Assembly and the UN Security Council as well as by the International Court of Justice. 

 

“Morocco has never acquired the status of an administering Power of the Territory of Western Sahara in terms of Article 73 of the UN charter. The UN list of non-self-governing territories confirms that after the withdrawal and abandonment of responsibilities by Spain on 26 February 1976, Western Sahara has not had any other administering Power.

 

“With regards to Morocco's claims of sovereignty over the Territory of Western Sahara. It should be recalled that on 16 October 1975, the International Court of Justice issued an Advisory Opinion that denied the claims of Morocco and Mauritania and affirming the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination under international law. 

 

“...In view of these, the Western Sahara is a question of decolonization and therefore cannot be settled and should not be settled without the granting of the inalienable right to self-determination (decolonization) for the Saharawi people. 

 

“From all we have seen, the so-called Moroccan plan of autonomy is neither credible nor serious...

 

“The position of the African Union is well spelt out as the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) became a member state of the Organization of African Unity in 1982. It should be recalled that membership to the OAU was open to any independent sovereign African State. The admission of SADD to the membership of the OAU in 1982 signified that more than half of the Member States of the OAU recognised Western Sahara as an independent sovereign African state. 

 

“It goes without saying that the resolution of the conflict between the Saharawi people and the kingdom of Morocco over Western Sahara would contribute to the regional and continental economic integration of Africa. 

 

“However, the just resolution of the question of Western Sahara is the implementation of the settlement plan enunciated in 1991 by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity and agreed upon by both Morocco and the Polisaro Front in 1991. 

 

“Any solution not based on the history of Western Sahara and political principle of the right of all nations to self-determination will not resolve the question of Western Sahara. Historical justice will be done when the Saharawi come to rule themselves in a Saharawi state. This is where we stand. 

 

“The Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara (NMLWS), wishes to use this opportunity to reiterate its u alloyed support to the people and government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.”

 

 

Document: How Not to Defend Colonialism in Africa by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

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Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara has condemned a communique issued by the Imani Center for Policy and Education over the self-determination of Western Sahara. 

 

In a statement sent to SaharaReporters, Dipo Fashina, coordinator of the NMLWS stated that the resolution of the Imani Center on the issue which justified Morocco's claims of sovereignty over the Territory of Western Sahara was not only subjective but a historical fraud.

Al Jazeera

Imani Center had stated after its June 27, 2021 seminar in Ghana that the "participants considered the admission into the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), then its maintenance by the AU, of a non-state entity, which has, since merely been a source of obstructions and division, as a striking example to this day. According to the participants, the AU should correct this 'cumbersome legacy' and 'historical miscarriage'. 

 

"Thus, the suspension, if not the expulsion, of the 'SADR' (The Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, also known as Western Sahara), an armed group with no attributes of a sovereign State, must not be considered as a taboo or unattainable objective." 

 

Fashina noted that the Western Sahara territory had been given the right to self-determination as far back as 1963 as spelt out in the United Nations General Assembly resolution 1514. 

 

He also stated that the International Court of Justice already issued an advisory opinion that denied Morocco's claims of autonomy and affirmed the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.

 

Fashina also condemned the stance of the Imani Center as he noted that the resolution of the conflict between the Saharawi people and the kingdom of Morocco over Western Sahara would contribute to the regional and continental economic integration of Africa. 

 

The statement reads: ”The attention of the Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara has been drawn to a communique issued by Imani Center for Policy and Education, a 'think tank' as the outcome of a Seminar held in Accra, Ghana, titled ‘The imperative of Economic Recovery: How can the Resolution of the Sahara Issue Strengthen Africa's Regional and Continental Integration?" Published in The Guardian online edition (Nigeria), 29 July 2021. 

 

“Coming from Ghana, a country that played a remarkable role in the liberation struggles in Africa and gave Africa one of the best models of leadership, in the history of anti-colonial, liberation struggles in the world, the communique calls into question, the real motive of its authors. 

 

“The seminar aims ‘aims to debate and discuss the African Union's current challenges in an Objective, Scientific and dispassionate manner, in the context of a highly intellectual and fact-based exercise with credible experts and influential decision makers’.

 

“A very serious problem is that the Communique falls very much short of the criteria of objectivity, scientific merit and dispassionateness which the authors claim on their own behalf. 

 

“The communique is intellectually unsound, politically weak, historically out of place, unjust in political morality, it demonstrates huge ignorance of the history and contemporary issues around which the issue of Western Sahara is being discussed worldwide. 

 

“The communique smacks of treachery to the history and substance of the liberation struggles in Africa led by Kwame Nkrumah, Samira Machel, Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane, Augustinho Neto, Julius Nyerere, Nelson Mandela, Ahmed Ben Bella, Amilcar Cabral and many other great African leaders."

 

It continued, “...The General Assembly had demanded that Spain should undertake immediate steps to guarantee the exercise of self-determination under UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (XV) adopted in 1960. The General Assembly had always maintained that the people of Western Sahara are entitled to the right of self-determination. 

 

“As far back as 1963, the Territory if Western Sahara was listed among Non-self-governing territories as recognized in the UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 of 14 December 1960 that contained the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. It should be recalled that under Resolution 1514 (XV), the General Assembly, declared inter alia that all peoples have the right to self-determination and that by virtue of right, they should freely with determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development. 

 

“In this regard, the right of the people of Western Sahara to a referendum for self-determination has been reaffirmed by both the General Assembly and the UN Security Council as well as by the International Court of Justice. 

 

“Morocco has never acquired the status of an administering Power of the Territory of Western Sahara in terms of Article 73 of the UN charter. The UN list of non-self-governing territories confirms that after the withdrawal and abandonment of responsibilities by Spain on 26 February 1976, Western Sahara has not had any other administering Power.

 

“With regards to Morocco's claims of sovereignty over the Territory of Western Sahara. It should be recalled that on 16 October 1975, the International Court of Justice issued an Advisory Opinion that denied the claims of Morocco and Mauritania and affirming the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination under international law. 

 

“...In view of these, the Western Sahara is a question of decolonization and therefore cannot be settled and should not be settled without the granting of the inalienable right to self-determination (decolonization) for the Saharawi people. 

 

“From all we have seen, the so-called Moroccan plan of autonomy is neither credible nor serious...

 

“The position of the African Union is well spelt out as the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) became a member state of the Organization of African Unity in 1982. It should be recalled that membership to the OAU was open to any independent sovereign African State. The admission of SADD to the membership of the OAU in 1982 signified that more than half of the Member States of the OAU recognised Western Sahara as an independent sovereign African state. 

 

“It goes without saying that the resolution of the conflict between the Saharawi people and the kingdom of Morocco over Western Sahara would contribute to the regional and continental economic integration of Africa. 

 

“However, the just resolution of the question of Western Sahara is the implementation of the settlement plan enunciated in 1991 by the United Nations and the Organization of African Unity and agreed upon by both Morocco and the Polisaro Front in 1991. 

 

“Any solution not based on the history of Western Sahara and political principle of the right of all nations to self-determination will not resolve the question of Western Sahara. Historical justice will be done when the Saharawi come to rule themselves in a Saharawi state. This is where we stand. 

 

“The Nigerian Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara (NMLWS), wishes to use this opportunity to reiterate its u alloyed support to the people and government of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic.”

 

 

Document: How Not to Defend Colonialism in Africa by Sahara Reporters on Scribd

International News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Hoodlums have destroyed two mosques, looted and razed down 14 shops at building materials market of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Daily Nigerian reports.

The market comprises general commodity section, including vegetables.

Chairman of the Vegetables Traders Association, in the state, Dalyop Pwasa, confirmed the incident.

“Yes is true that some people have entered into our market on Wednesday, broke some shops, stole items and burned down 14 shops.

“They have also destroyed two mosques in the market,” Pwasa added.

Corroborating Pwasa, the secretary of the market association, Fodio Umar, said the two mosques were completely demolished despite the curfew.

“It is confirmed that some miscreants have demolished the two mosques in our market,” he said.

They started the demolition on Wednesday and completed Thursday and they have completely pulled down the mosques to foundation level.”

Umar said they also burgled their shops and set many of the shops on fire.

According him, reports have been made to the police area command at Sabon Barki, who requested the two Imams of the mosques to report to the station.

“The curfew situation has made us unable to go and see the extent of damages on our property. Only our chairman was there.

“Dalyop Pwasa has been doing his best. He mobilise trucks that evacuated lots of our goods out of the market.

“He was the one that called fire fighters that quenched the inferno,” he added.

 

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Hoodlums have destroyed two mosques, looted and razed down 14 shops at building materials market of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, Daily Nigerian reports.

The market comprises general commodity section, including vegetables.

Chairman of the Vegetables Traders Association, in the state, Dalyop Pwasa, confirmed the incident.

“Yes is true that some people have entered into our market on Wednesday, broke some shops, stole items and burned down 14 shops.

“They have also destroyed two mosques in the market,” Pwasa added.

Corroborating Pwasa, the secretary of the market association, Fodio Umar, said the two mosques were completely demolished despite the curfew.

“It is confirmed that some miscreants have demolished the two mosques in our market,” he said.

They started the demolition on Wednesday and completed Thursday and they have completely pulled down the mosques to foundation level.”

Umar said they also burgled their shops and set many of the shops on fire.

According him, reports have been made to the police area command at Sabon Barki, who requested the two Imams of the mosques to report to the station.

“The curfew situation has made us unable to go and see the extent of damages on our property. Only our chairman was there.

“Dalyop Pwasa has been doing his best. He mobilise trucks that evacuated lots of our goods out of the market.

“He was the one that called fire fighters that quenched the inferno,” he added.

 

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging three men on charges of conspiracy, violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Reform Control Act, related to the export of firearms and ammunition from the United States to Nigeria. 

Defendants in the case include Wilson Nuyila Tita of Owings Mills, Maryland; Eric Fru Nji of Fort Washington, Maryland; and Wilson Che Fonguh of Bowie, Maryland.

File Photo

The indictment was announced on Thursday by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Baltimore Field Division.

According to the four-count indictment, from November 2017 through July 19, 2019, the defendants conspired with each other and with others to export from the United States to Nigeria defence articles and items identified on the United States Munitions List and the Commerce Control List without first obtaining export licenses.

The defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal from the United States that those items were being shipped from the Port of Baltimore in Maryland to Nigeria and at least one other location in Africa. 

It was stated that the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly contributed funds for the purchase of firearms, ammunition, reloading materials and other equipment for shipping overseas. 

The indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators communicated about their efforts and plans to ship weapons and ammunition using an online encrypted messaging application and code words to conceal their activities.

As detailed in the indictment, the defendants and other conspirators concealed the firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in heavily wrapped packages and duffle bags, and inside sealed compressor units, placing those items into a shipping container destined for Nigeria without obtaining the requisite licenses from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Finally, the indictment alleges that the defendants transported 28 firearms with obliterated serial numbers, including 18 rifles.

If convicted, the defendants each face a mandatory sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison each for violating the Arms Export Control Act and for violating the Export Control Reform Act; and a maximum of five years in federal prison for transportation of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

 

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging three men on charges of conspiracy, violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the Export Reform Control Act, related to the export of firearms and ammunition from the United States to Nigeria. 

Defendants in the case include Wilson Nuyila Tita of Owings Mills, Maryland; Eric Fru Nji of Fort Washington, Maryland; and Wilson Che Fonguh of Bowie, Maryland.

File Photo

The indictment was announced on Thursday by Acting United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Jonathan F. Lenzner; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore; and Special Agent in Charge Timothy Jones of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Baltimore Field Division.

According to the four-count indictment, from November 2017 through July 19, 2019, the defendants conspired with each other and with others to export from the United States to Nigeria defence articles and items identified on the United States Munitions List and the Commerce Control List without first obtaining export licenses.

The defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal from the United States that those items were being shipped from the Port of Baltimore in Maryland to Nigeria and at least one other location in Africa. 

It was stated that the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly contributed funds for the purchase of firearms, ammunition, reloading materials and other equipment for shipping overseas. 

The indictment alleges that the defendants and their co-conspirators communicated about their efforts and plans to ship weapons and ammunition using an online encrypted messaging application and code words to conceal their activities.

As detailed in the indictment, the defendants and other conspirators concealed the firearms, ammunition, rifle scopes, and other items in heavily wrapped packages and duffle bags, and inside sealed compressor units, placing those items into a shipping container destined for Nigeria without obtaining the requisite licenses from the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Finally, the indictment alleges that the defendants transported 28 firearms with obliterated serial numbers, including 18 rifles.

If convicted, the defendants each face a mandatory sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy; a maximum of 20 years in federal prison each for violating the Arms Export Control Act and for violating the Export Control Reform Act; and a maximum of five years in federal prison for transportation of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

 

Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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One of the occupants of a wooden cargo boat, which was attacked along the Bonny waterways in Rivers State earlier on Thursday, by an unknown military helicopter has narrated his ordeal.

The occupant, Awwal Rufai, expressed shock over the occurrence, as he explained that the boat transported passengers and foodstuffs.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported today that a yet-to-be identified helicopter allegedly shot at a local passengers’ boat travelling from Port Harcourt to Bonny in Rivers State.

See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Unknown Helicopter Shoots Passengers’ Boat In Rivers, Many Feared Dead 0 Comments 12 Hours Ago

An eyewitness at the Bonny-Nembe waterside, where the boat began its journey in Port Harcourt, told journalists that there were casualties.

“The local boat that just left here to Bonny, within the Treasure Island area; a chopper or I will call it a fighter helicopter, just came behind, went very low and started shooting at the wooden boat.

“From the information we got from a boat driver, there were passengers in the boat. The boat also contained foodstuffs such as garri, rice and other items. Everyone knows that is the route transporting foodstuffs to Bonny. Some people died in the boat,” the source said.

According to The Nation, Rufai, a marine technician specialised in fixing outboard engines,and one of the victims said the helicopter hovered around the area three times before it opened fire on the boat.

He said five of them were in the boat, which carried largely foodstuffs, when the incident occurred at about 2pm, on Thursday.

He identified two other occupants of the boat as Paul Jacob and Hadi Abdul, saying three of them sustained various degrees of injuries from the attack.

Recounting the incident, he said: “Normally, we leave Port Harcourt by 10am. On our way coming back, getting to Dutch Island our engine stopped.

“We called for a new engine; a new engine was sent to us and we received it at 1pm. Between 1:30pm and 2pm, a chopper was seen around that area, it came around the first time, went back, came back again the second time and left.

“The third time it came around, it dropped a rope from the chopper and a personnel was seen coming down from the chopper into the boat and later went back up, next thing they opened fire and started shooting at us.”

When asked whether there was any loss of life, he said: “It was just me and one other person that was affected. He got shot on the knee while I got shot on my middle finger. It is a market boat and we were carrying foodstuffs such as garri, beans, rice, drinks, sugarcane.”

 

Military News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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One of the occupants of a wooden cargo boat, which was attacked along the Bonny waterways in Rivers State earlier on Thursday, by an unknown military helicopter has narrated his ordeal.

The occupant, Awwal Rufai, expressed shock over the occurrence, as he explained that the boat transported passengers and foodstuffs.

SaharaReporters had earlier reported today that a yet-to-be identified helicopter allegedly shot at a local passengers’ boat travelling from Port Harcourt to Bonny in Rivers State.

See Also Breaking News BREAKING: Unknown Helicopter Shoots Passengers’ Boat In Rivers, Many Feared Dead 0 Comments 12 Hours Ago

An eyewitness at the Bonny-Nembe waterside, where the boat began its journey in Port Harcourt, told journalists that there were casualties.

“The local boat that just left here to Bonny, within the Treasure Island area; a chopper or I will call it a fighter helicopter, just came behind, went very low and started shooting at the wooden boat.

“From the information we got from a boat driver, there were passengers in the boat. The boat also contained foodstuffs such as garri, rice and other items. Everyone knows that is the route transporting foodstuffs to Bonny. Some people died in the boat,” the source said.

According to The Nation, Rufai, a marine technician specialised in fixing outboard engines,and one of the victims said the helicopter hovered around the area three times before it opened fire on the boat.

He said five of them were in the boat, which carried largely foodstuffs, when the incident occurred at about 2pm, on Thursday.

He identified two other occupants of the boat as Paul Jacob and Hadi Abdul, saying three of them sustained various degrees of injuries from the attack.

Recounting the incident, he said: “Normally, we leave Port Harcourt by 10am. On our way coming back, getting to Dutch Island our engine stopped.

“We called for a new engine; a new engine was sent to us and we received it at 1pm. Between 1:30pm and 2pm, a chopper was seen around that area, it came around the first time, went back, came back again the second time and left.

“The third time it came around, it dropped a rope from the chopper and a personnel was seen coming down from the chopper into the boat and later went back up, next thing they opened fire and started shooting at us.”

When asked whether there was any loss of life, he said: “It was just me and one other person that was affected. He got shot on the knee while I got shot on my middle finger. It is a market boat and we were carrying foodstuffs such as garri, beans, rice, drinks, sugarcane.”

 

Military News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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On lndependence day in 1960, Nigeria was hailed by both friends and foes as a country with a lot of promise; some even predicted that Nigeria, within a short period of 20 years, would join the comity of developed nations. With a young and vibrant population, the sky was her limit.

However, after a short period of six years, cracks began to appear on the Nigeria's wall; it became painfully clear that our leaders' vision for the country was poles apart; on the one hand, the North was more interested in clinging on to power at the centre and the continuation of the feudal system. On the other hand, the South was more interested in the decentralization of power; more powers to the federating units, so that every region could develop at its own pace. It was this dichotomy in vision that led to a series of events which culminated in the 1966 coup, led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu. That violent overthrow of government led to a  counter-coup which disproportionally targetted the Igbos, which resulted in a bloody civil war.

Shortly after the end of hostilities in 1970, more oil was discovered in large commercial quantity and sold on the world market. That development was supposed to give a fresh impetus to our economy, but most of the proceeds were badly mismanaged and embezzled. Additionally, agriculture, which hitherto was the traditional mainstay of our economy, was gradually relegated to the background, and in some cases, neglected. 

It must be stated that all successive governments, military and civilian, despite their mouthwatering and ear-defeaning slogans to revamp agriculture, continued to pay lip-service to it. One needs to take a cursory look at our annual budget to fully understand our overdependence on oil revenue.
With the foregoing, I have essayed to give a synopsis of why our development is painfully slow and our economy is in the doldrums, among others. Little wonder then that under this government, Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world. No thanks to Buhari's economic policies and nepotistic appointments. 

Furthermore, it's of paramount importance to state that the bane of Nigeria is leadership. The 1999 Constitution is the most fraudulent document ever produced in the history of Nigeria. An in-depth study of that document would reveal that Nigerians go to the polls every four years to elect a constitutional monarch and not a president. And the present occupant of Aso Rock villa, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, has taken advantage of the undemocratic articles in that document to showcase his undemocratic credentials to Nigerians; in the history of Nigeria, no leader has been so brazenly nepotistic, tribalistic and divisive like Buhari. 
Since he assumed the mantle of leadership in 2015, Nigeria has been in crisis. He has shown with empirical evidence that his administration sanctions organized criminality. On his watch, the Fulani herdsmen have turned Nigeria into a killing field, without consequences.
By his actions and inaction, he has emboldened those barbarians with a primitive mindset to kill, maim, rape, pillage, and grab farmlands with reckless abandon. And if those being subjected to this degrading level of human existence fight back, Buhari would send his army after them. This is precisely what is now happening in Jos, Plateau State. The good people of Jos reserve the right to defend themselves against barbarous murderers and land grabbers. According to Professor Ephraim Lipson, "Persecution breeds persecution. For once a breach is made in the defences which tolerance erects around the human spirit the flood-tide of evil passion pours through with unrestrained violence."

The South and the Middle belt are sick and tired of Buhari's reptilian deception; it's now crystal clear that he is using his exalted office to feather the nest of his kinsmen, the Fulani herdsmen, by granting them a monopoly of violence against other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. This calamitous state of affairs is unacceptable!

In view of the foregoing, the much publicised clamour for restructuring and true federalism has no chance of success----The National Assembly will neither debate them, vote on them, nor pass them into law. And, even if it did, Buhari won't sign them. As a leader, Buhari is the most convincing definition of a failure.

Whichever way we look at it, Nigeria could best be described as a sinking ship or a crumbling edifice. And anyone with a modicum of common sense must do everything within his/her power to run for safety. 

In line with self-preservation, it is high time we went our separate ways.

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  David Abu Disable advertisements : 
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Former United States’ president, Barack Obama, has condemned Thursday explosion outside the Kabul airport that killed and injured over 100 persons.

Two suicide bombers and gunmen had attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.

Barack Obama

The attacks led to the death of at least 100 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops.

The blasts came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the U.S. officially ends its 20-year presence on Aug. 31.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings on its Amaq news channel. The IS affiliate in Afghanistan is far more radical than the Taliban, who recently took control of the country in a lightning blitz.

The Taliban were not believed to have been involved in the attacks and condemned the blasts.

Reacting in a statement on Friday, Obama condoled with family members of those who lost their lives.

The statement reads, “Like so many of you, Michelle and I were heartbroken to hear about the terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport that killed and wounded so many U.S. service members, as well as Afghan men, women, and children.

"As president, nothing was more painful than grieving with the loved ones of Americans who gave their lives serving our country. As President Biden said, these service members are heroes who have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others. Our hearts go out to the families who lost a loved one, and to everyone continuing the mission in Kabul. We’re also thinking of the families of the Afghans who died, many of whom stood by America and were willing to risk everything for a chance at a better life.

"May God bless the memory of those we lost, and protect those who remain in harm’s way.”

 

International Terrorism United States of America News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Former United States’ president, Barack Obama, has condemned Thursday explosion outside the Kabul airport that killed and injured over 100 persons.

Two suicide bombers and gunmen had attacked crowds of Afghans flocking to Kabul’s airport, transforming a scene of desperation into one of horror in the waning days of an airlift for those fleeing the Taliban takeover.

Barack Obama

The attacks led to the death of at least 100 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops.

The blasts came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the U.S. officially ends its 20-year presence on Aug. 31.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the killings on its Amaq news channel. The IS affiliate in Afghanistan is far more radical than the Taliban, who recently took control of the country in a lightning blitz.

The Taliban were not believed to have been involved in the attacks and condemned the blasts.

Reacting in a statement on Friday, Obama condoled with family members of those who lost their lives.

The statement reads, “Like so many of you, Michelle and I were heartbroken to hear about the terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport that killed and wounded so many U.S. service members, as well as Afghan men, women, and children.

"As president, nothing was more painful than grieving with the loved ones of Americans who gave their lives serving our country. As President Biden said, these service members are heroes who have been engaged in a dangerous, selfless mission to save the lives of others. Our hearts go out to the families who lost a loved one, and to everyone continuing the mission in Kabul. We’re also thinking of the families of the Afghans who died, many of whom stood by America and were willing to risk everything for a chance at a better life.

"May God bless the memory of those we lost, and protect those who remain in harm’s way.”

 

International Terrorism United States of America News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has called on the government of the Republic of Benin to release Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to continue his journey.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Friday during an interactive session titled, “Sanctions on the loose: Chasing the gnat with a sledgehammer,” the elder statesman said the secessionist didn’t commit any crime against Nigeria.

Prof. Wole Soyinka

Men of the Department of State Services on July 1, 2021, raided the Ibadan, Oyo State, home of the activist, killed two and arrested 12 of his aides.

Igboho later fled to the Republic of Benin where he was arrested alongside his wife on July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjehoun Airport in Cotonou on their way to Germany.

His wife, Ropo, was released and Igboho is facing illegal migration charges in the West African country and seeking asylum to evade Federal Government request for his extradition to face allegations of stockpiling arms which he had denied.

The Nobel laureate said Igboho’s offence was resisting tyranny of Fulani herdsmen against his people in Oyo State.

Soyinka said, “I refuse to believe that Igboho committed any offence except agitating against Fulani tyranny on his people. He peacefully demonstrated his position. I can’t consider that to be decided a criminal. Agitating for secession is not a criminal act as long as it’s done peacefully. You don’t have to criminalise that.”

 

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, has called on the government of the Republic of Benin to release Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to continue his journey.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos on Friday during an interactive session titled, “Sanctions on the loose: Chasing the gnat with a sledgehammer,” the elder statesman said the secessionist didn’t commit any crime against Nigeria.

Prof. Wole Soyinka

Men of the Department of State Services on July 1, 2021, raided the Ibadan, Oyo State, home of the activist, killed two and arrested 12 of his aides.

Igboho later fled to the Republic of Benin where he was arrested alongside his wife on July 19, 2021, by the International Criminal Police Organisation at the Cadjehoun Airport in Cotonou on their way to Germany.

His wife, Ropo, was released and Igboho is facing illegal migration charges in the West African country and seeking asylum to evade Federal Government request for his extradition to face allegations of stockpiling arms which he had denied.

The Nobel laureate said Igboho’s offence was resisting tyranny of Fulani herdsmen against his people in Oyo State.

Soyinka said, “I refuse to believe that Igboho committed any offence except agitating against Fulani tyranny on his people. He peacefully demonstrated his position. I can’t consider that to be decided a criminal. Agitating for secession is not a criminal act as long as it’s done peacefully. You don’t have to criminalise that.”

 

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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A former Assistant Director at the Department Of State Services, Dennis Amachree, on Friday, said that some Nigerian politicians create problems for the country.

He lamented that politicians often order the release of any arrested suspects of national crime.

Dennis Amachree

Speaking at the 'Sunrise Daily' morning programme by Channels Television, Dennis said the political class limits the operations of intelligence operations by making orders for the release of crime suspects via phone calls.

According to him, the independence of intelligence agencies including the DSS, could make security outfits more effective while discharging their constitutional roles.

"The thing I know is that the intelligence community is solid in this country but what impedes them in carrying out some of the jobs they want to do is politics, politicians because when you mix with politics security, then it becomes a big problem.

“If these agencies are independent on their own, they should be able to do a better job but when they are under the direction of leaders that are not forthcoming or who don’t think seriously about the whole country, then we have problem.

“You are a Nigerian and have you ever heard anything called ‘Orders From Above’? And have you heard a situation where somebody was arrested for certain things, national crimes, security crimes and a call will come to let the person go? It has happened in the history of this country.

“So, you will find out that it is not a situation where security agencies are not very free to do what they are supposed to do. But if their allegiance is to the constitution of Nigeria, you will find out that they will carry out the national interest.”

When asked for the second time to make clarification on his earlier point, the ex-DSS director said, “That phone calls would come and you can let somebody go? Yeah, you will find out that you have to carry out orders because you are not at the top of the organisation. Even if you are at the top of the organisation, somebody above you will call you and say, ‘Okay, we don’t want to do it like this, we will do it like this’.”

Amachree scolded members of political parties including the ruling All Progressives Congress and the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, for turning security matters to score political goals.

“When security is being executed, it does not know ethnicity, it does not know religion, it does not know which party but here there is this separation whereby, you remain when PDP was in power, APC was all over them and again when APC comes into power, you find the others all over them and there is nothing good coming from the opposition party and that is unpatriotic,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to be more patriotic and not to see security matters from the optics of political affiliation, ethnicity or religion.

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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A former Assistant Director at the Department Of State Services, Dennis Amachree, on Friday, said that some Nigerian politicians create problems for the country.

He lamented that politicians often order the release of any arrested suspects of national crime.

Dennis Amachree

Speaking at the 'Sunrise Daily' morning programme by Channels Television, Dennis said the political class limits the operations of intelligence operations by making orders for the release of crime suspects via phone calls.

According to him, the independence of intelligence agencies including the DSS, could make security outfits more effective while discharging their constitutional roles.

"The thing I know is that the intelligence community is solid in this country but what impedes them in carrying out some of the jobs they want to do is politics, politicians because when you mix with politics security, then it becomes a big problem.

“If these agencies are independent on their own, they should be able to do a better job but when they are under the direction of leaders that are not forthcoming or who don’t think seriously about the whole country, then we have problem.

“You are a Nigerian and have you ever heard anything called ‘Orders From Above’? And have you heard a situation where somebody was arrested for certain things, national crimes, security crimes and a call will come to let the person go? It has happened in the history of this country.

“So, you will find out that it is not a situation where security agencies are not very free to do what they are supposed to do. But if their allegiance is to the constitution of Nigeria, you will find out that they will carry out the national interest.”

When asked for the second time to make clarification on his earlier point, the ex-DSS director said, “That phone calls would come and you can let somebody go? Yeah, you will find out that you have to carry out orders because you are not at the top of the organisation. Even if you are at the top of the organisation, somebody above you will call you and say, ‘Okay, we don’t want to do it like this, we will do it like this’.”

Amachree scolded members of political parties including the ruling All Progressives Congress and the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, for turning security matters to score political goals.

“When security is being executed, it does not know ethnicity, it does not know religion, it does not know which party but here there is this separation whereby, you remain when PDP was in power, APC was all over them and again when APC comes into power, you find the others all over them and there is nothing good coming from the opposition party and that is unpatriotic,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to be more patriotic and not to see security matters from the optics of political affiliation, ethnicity or religion.

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
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