Benue State Governor Escapes Death By The Whiskers

The spate of wanton insecurity in Nigeria is worrisome, unpredictable and shows no sign of abating anytime soon. A while ago, plausibly 50 kamikaze armed men were said to have attacked the Enugu State Government House. The latest is the Governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam who was said to have escaped death by the whiskers on Tuesday 11/03/2014 when armed men purported to be Fulani herdsmen opened fire on his convoy in North-Central Benue state in Nigeria.

The Fulani herdsmen were said to be grazing on some farms around Umenger village as well as burning houses. On sighting the Governor's convoy, they opened fire and the Governors escort responded.

The Governor was traveling with the House of Assembly Speaker, Barr. Terhile Ayua, and the Commissioner of Police, Adams Audu visiting villages recently raided by the Fulani herdsmen.
The Governor visited the Ukpam village of Mbabaai in Guma Local Government before the shoot out where there were reports of yet another attack on the residents.

28 people allegedly died from an early morning raid; the Governor was visibly upset on being shown four corpses.

A Ukpam resident, Iorhen Mbaiorga, said the women and children left the village before the raid, leaving just the men.

"We would have confronted them but we were empty handed, while the people have very sophisticated guns…”

He added sobbing, "We are being attacked, our foodstuffs including yam barn and farms burned and destroyed without anyone coming to our aide. Some of our people were killed and taken away while some captured and taken alive."

Source: SaharaReporters

United States Fears Boko Haram Onslaught May Hamper 2015 Elections

The United States Consular-General in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins has expressed fears that Boko Haram terrorist activities in the northern part of Nigeria may hamper the 2015 polls.

Mr. Hawkins however assured that the U.S. will continue to support Nigerian government to fight the terrorist group. The diplomat opined during an interactive session with journalists in Ado-Ekiti, South West Nigeria, that the U.S. government had given in form of aid the sum of $15 million to the Nigerian government to strengthen the electoral process.

He expressed optimism that the 2015 elections will mark the watershed of credible election in Nigeria if the stakeholders can eschew violence. Mr. Hawkins decried the killings of innocent school students in Yobe State by Boko Haram and described the activities of the religious sect as worrisome that may mar the conduct of the 2015 general elections in Nigeria if not checked.

He also commended the Federal Government’s efforts for deploying military to engage the terrorists group, stressing that the war against terrorism was a must-win for the country to secure lives and property of the citizenry.

Culled from:
Guardian Newspaper Nigeria

Tips For Safe Electronic, Internet Banking Practice

Introduction:

There is a global surge in financial, electronic (ATM) fraud and this ugly phenomenon is increasingly becoming very sophisticated. In their bid to swindle unsuspecting victims, Criminals are upping their ante, in many occasions, deploying a mix of social engineering and reverse-engineering to circumvent security/safety measures deployed by financial institutions. Interestingly, insiders- bank staffers (Management, Cashiers, IT guys, Security Officers) are sometimes complicit in growing financial/electronic frauds. As will be gleaned from the ensuing part of this treatise, despite a global notoriety for 419 and fraud buoyed by bad Press, the Nigerian elements of this ignoble trade are pretty much dilettantes. This essay is an attempt to x-ray the escalating trend in financial, electronic (ATM) fraud and to proffer solutions to forestall such incidents.

The Audacity of ‘Lone Wolf’ Terrorism

Introduction

The gruesome daylight murder of a 25-year-old off-duty British Army Drummer- Lee Rigby, in Woolwich, Southeast London after the Boston Marathon bombings in the United States of America, has once again brought to the fore, the growing threat of ‘Lone Wolf’ Terrorism, a new terror impetus towards unsophisticated and uncoordinated attacks that are virtually impossible to thwart. A cardinal analogy between the London and the Boston incidents is the prospect that the suspected masterminds became radicalized and may have inculcated their proficiency from extremist publications on the Internet. The potency of terrorism generally is that it alters the psyche of a society and instills fear in the minds of people.

The Shifting Face of Terrorism

Some analysts have described the London attack as a form of "open-source jihad". Recent incidents lend credence to the assertion that 'lone wolf' attacks seems to be the new corridor to terror. Lone Wolf terrorism narrows the ease with which terrorists slip between the seams of a country’s security, military/defence establishment.

Resolving Extra-judicial Killings, Assasinations, Crimes & Spurious Acquittals in Nigeria

The is no gainsaying the fact that Nigeria is awash with unresolved criminal infractions and frivolous acquittal of high profile suspects. This tendency casts aspersions on Nigeria's Security agencies and the Judiciary whether or not they are directly complicit. According to Lord Hewart (1870-1943), 'justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done'. In the words of Martin Luther King, 'injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.  It is a crime to allow an innocent person to rot in jail while the guilty waltz free.

If The United Kingdom is Negotiable, Why isn't Nigeria?

The United Kingdom, Nigeria's colonial master, has a date with history. Come September 18, 2014, voters in Scotland will be asked a straight Yes/No question: "Should Scotland be an independent country from the United Kingdom?. Let's quickly bring to mind that Scotland became part of the United Kingdom on May 1, 1707, more than 300 years ago! The principle of 'Devolution' ascribed greater autonomy to Scotland hence they enjoy quasi independence - they have their own Parliament, Health Care System, Police (Police Scotland), Educational System, and a large chunk of the North Sea Oil largesse accrues to them. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Scottish people yearn to take their destiny in their hands after more than 300 years of a political marriage with England and Wales.

Latest Boko Haram Rampage, Massacre of School Children: Matters Arising

Probably basking on the euphoria of a new Staff of office, Nigeria's Chief of Defense Staff - reportedly exuded optimism that Boko Haram onslaught will be a thing of the past sooner than later. Rather than dampen the Sect's penchant for bloodletting, the statement seem to have galvanized them to up the ante.
Again Boko Haram is credited with the recent barbaric slaughtering of dozens of students of Federal Government College, Buni Yadi, Yobe State. Recall that in 2013, the Sect killed about 42 students of Government Secondary School, Mamudu, Potiskum. It also emerged Boko Haram once again had a free rain in Michika LGA of Adamawa State. On March 1st, two explosions occurred in a busy market in Maiduguri claiming the lives of dozens of people. At the time of penning this Piece (1700HRS GMT, 04/03/2014), news filtered in that 40 people were hacked to death at Jakana village in Bornu state. It is daunting to keep pace with the the Sect's rampageous campaign. Butchering hapless unarmed individuals especially school children negates the rules of engagement; it is unmanly and a crime against humanity.

How Nigeria Can Overcome Terrorism/Insurgency & Instability (Concluded)

*Continued from pt 1

Nigeria Urgently Needs A Coherent Counter-Terrorism Strategy/Policy

Rather than our typical haphazard approach, it is high time Nigeria articulated a coherent and unified strategy towards countering terrorism and insurgency. We cannot continue doing the same thing, the same way over and over again and expect a different result.

The United Nations Counterterrorism Committee advocates countries to have comprehensive national strategies that include countering incitement motivated by extremism and intolerance. In the same vein, the United Nations Counterterrorism Implementation Task Force (UN-CTITF) also recommends promotion of public-private partnerships. It posits that developing partnerships with the private sector especially where State resources are limited.

Sequel to the complexity of the Security situation in Nigeria with a mix of economic, political and social strife, the United Nations Counterterrorism Implementation Task Force (CTIF) accentuates the importance of strategy and a collective effort to counter terrorism.

How Nigeria Can Overcome Terrorism/Insurgency & Instability (Pt 1)

Introduction

The unrelenting insecurity, terrorism/insurgency miasma in Nigeria is disturbing. Innocent people are arbitrarily hacked to death, the issue is talked about for a few days, a Committee/Panel is assembled and the whole episode fizzles out sooner than later. Terrorism/Insurgency and insecurity has taken a big toll on innocent lives, public infrastructures and Nigeria’s economy. A recent report suggests Nigeria’s military campaign against terrorism and insurgency may have gulped over N1 trillion. Caging Boko Haram has hitherto proved cagey due to the unconventional (Guerrilla-war nature) of their operation with a trend towards ‘Lone Wolf’ terrorism - maximizing the use of surprise, terror  by a loose network of individuals or groups sympathetic to a common cause. The potency of terrorism is essentially psychological; terrorists know they cannot win the war so they attempt to make the price of their antagonist’s victory exorbitant.

Took the plunge!

Finally embraced blogging! Let's take back humanity and make the world a better place.
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“I am only one;
but still I am one.
I cannot do everything;
but still I can do something;
and because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something
that I can do.“

-Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909)
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