Shocking : Latest Letter From Boko Haram Leader To The Nation

This is the full text of the latest message from the
Boko Haram leader, ABUBAKAR SHEKAU. The
transcribed message, which was delivered in Hausa
and in Kanuri, reads as follows: “Of course there is no doubt about it; we carried out
the attacks in Maiduguri and we were responsible
for the other attacks being carried out all over. But
the Giwa Barracks attack is something worth telling,
because Allah has helped us to kill his enemies in
Giwa Barracks. We launched the Maiduguri attacks and killed infidels in Giwa Barracks. But specifically, I will devote half of my speech to the
issue of Civilian JTF. Your name is not Civilian JTF but
Civilian Trouble. My advice to you so-called Civilian-
JTF is to flee, take up arms, get conscripted into the
army or police, because I am telling you is that I
have started a war against you. The war against you has just begun. In this world, there are two kinds of people; there
are those who are with us or those who are against
us, and the latter group are those I’ll kill once I spot
them. From now on, my focus of attack is going to
be the Civilian-JTF. Let the Civilian-JTF know that this is me, Shekau
talking. You will now really understand the person
called Shekau. You don’t know my madness, right?
It is now that you will see the true face of my
madness. I swear by Allah’s holy name that I will
slaughter you. I will not be happy if I don’t personally put my knife on your necks and slit your
throats. Yes! I’ll slaughter you! I’ll slaughter you!
And I’ll slaughter you again and again. I call on all my followers and brethren wherever you
are, to rise and take up arms and start killing the
vagabond. Kill them, kill them and kill them. Now
our religion and our way of worship is nothing but
killings, killings and killings! Kill and slaughter but
don’t eat them. You should spare the old, women, the lunatic, and the repentant. You only succeeded in arresting innocent civilians in
the city, placing tyres on their necks and setting
them alight. By Allah, I will kill you. Killing is my job.
Let’s kill them all, we’d rather leave this world. Let
the whole world perish! May Allah curse you! Oh! Allah, they are your servants but are they are
assisting (Goodluck) Jonathan, they are your
servants who pray but are humouring the Koran,
they are your servants but are assisting Clinton and
Obama. Allah gave us the courage to break into Giwa
Barracks (where) we killed and we burnt. We
rescued over 2,000 of our brethren, and most of
them Commanders!…One of them even took up a
gun and started fighting there. They all got away. Glory be to Allah. The world has changed! Work has
started. And for your information, western
education is forbidden. University is forbidden, you
should vacate university! You should leave
university, I hate university. You should quit
university, I hate it, bastard. Western education is totally forbidden. Girls, you
should return to your homes. In Islam, it is allowed
to take infidel women as slaves and in due course
we will start taking women away and sell in the
market. We carried out the Maiduguri attack. And those you
killed included freed detainees who were not our
members but ordinary people who on being freed
headed to town, thinking they were safe. They were
dressed in shorts and when you encountered them
you mistook them for us and killed them. This was what really happened. We rescued all of our brethren, we gave them
clothing, shelter, vehicles, food and all they
needed….Our brethren are in good state, we thank
God.
“Nigerians, let me let you know that you are in
serious disaster. Don’t think we are northerners, because you are misunderstanding the whole thing. Let me make it crystal clear to you save you from
unnecessary distorted newspapers and the radio
analysis on issues you don’t understand. We are not
fighting the north, we are fighting the world. And
you will see us fighting the world. This is our job. I promise that we will kill all your (Muslim) clerics.
Just like I killed Albani and it was splashed all over
the newspapers. I’ll kill them all. Who was Albani, he
was nothing. I’ll kill all of them. I’ll spare none but
who follow Allah and the Prophet. Whoever follows
Jews and the west is my enemy. My brethren wherever you are, in Abuja, Lagos, or the south-south, wherever you are, commence
attacks. Even as an individual, take up your swords
and slaughter anyone you come across in his sleep. My brethren, take up knives and start slaughtering
people. Just pick up your knife and break into
homes and kill. I heard some people asking
Jonathan to relocate to the northeast to take charge
of the fight against us, but let me tell you, Jonathan
is too small, let even Obama, the President of America relocate to Nigeria and take charge, we will
not be deterred”- ABUBAKAR SHEKAU, SUPREME
COMMANDER OF BOKO HARAM, PREMIUM TIMES, 24th
MARCH, 2014.

What’s your Say on this ?

Posted From The Beats Online Magazine News Room

Boko Haram shifts base, attacks Gen. Buhari’s town

Gunmen, suspected to be Boko Haram terrorists have attacked banks and police formations in Daura, the hometown of General Muhammadu Buhari, in the Northwestern state of Katsina, where there has never been any incident of terrorism since 2009, when Boko Haram began its military campaign.

Brigadier-General Illyasu Abbah, Commander of The 3 Brigade, Nigerian Army, headquartered in Kano, revealed to press men Friday evening that three soldiers and four terrorists died during the ensuing encounter.

Abbah said from reports made available to him, the terror-gang came in large numbers chanting “Allahu Akbar”.(Allah is the Greatest).

The guns seized from the attackers

The army boss who told journalists that intelligence reports at his disposal indicated that terrorists who are being dislodged in the troubled North-East states are shifting their base to the northwest, called for unflinching support from members of the public in terms of giving useful information to security agencies.

Earlier reports on the Daura attack claimed that six police men and two civilians were killed, but the Katsina state Commissioner of Police, Abdullahi Magaji was silent on the number of casualties from the police side.

The Police boss told journalists in Katsina that the operation was carried out by armed robbers.

However, addressing reporters at the 3 Brigade headquarters yesterday, the Commander, Brigadier-General Illyasu Abba revealed that three soldiers and four terrorists lost their lives during several hours of gun duel.

Brigadier-General Abbah during his briefing in Kano also noted that four terrorists were arrested, while several fleeing others sustained different degrees of bullet wounds during the cross-fire.

Items recovered by the miltary include, 11 AK 47 riffles, 73 Magazines, 275 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, 118 rounds of FNW ammunition, 141 rounds of 9mm ammunition, one smoke of gun, two vehicles, and various Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Brigadier-General Abbah’s full sattement: “in keeping with the tradition of 3 Brigade, Nigerian Kano of updating residents within its area of operational responsibility on the fight against terrorists and criminal elements, the Brigade states as follows, on 16 May 2013 at about 2130 hours, members of the terrorists sect coordinated simultaneous attacks in Daura Local Government Council of Katsina state, on the Area Command of the Police and the Divisional Police station.
“The terrorists proceeded to rob four banks; however, troops of 35 Battalion responded to distress call and made gains against the terrorists. At the end of the encounter with troops which stretched up to Dutsi along Mani Road, four terrorists lost their lives while a good number of them sustained gunshot wounds. Three soldiers also lost their lives in the shootout while others sustained injuries.
“The Army boss, however, appealed to the general public to cooperate with security agencies by divulging timely information on the activities of the militants, “headquarters of 3 Brigade and, Nigerian Army and all its units within its area of operational responsibility of Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states would like to assure residents that it is ready to respond to these threats.

“The three states may likely experience influx of persons with criminal tendencies fleeing the North-East, “where military operations are ongoing to root out terrorist s operating within the zone. The Brigade would also like to advice financial institutions with outstations outside of the state capitals to always leave minimal unattractive cash in their vaults at the end of business as the terrorists are in need of cash.

“There may be likelihood of house-to-house search; but the success of such operation will depend largely on the cooperation of the people, because the terrorists that attacked Daura were so many as the switched off all the security lights in Daura before carrying out their operation.
“The irony of it all was that when the terrorists invaded Daura, they started shouting Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, as children joined them to chorus it as they carried out their operations.”

CP Magaji, however, claimed that his Command also killed four of the gun men that attacked banks and police stations and also recovered four AK 47 and four IDEs.

“Yesterday (Thursday) around 10:00 p.m, we received an information that some armed robbers were attacking banks in Daura town. When I received this message I tried to connect all the DPOs within the area at the same time dispatched armoured personnel carrier and other vehicles that could rescue the situation.

‘”These hoodlums are armed robbers, I therefore urged people in the community to be wary of strangers and report any person of suspicious movement. The police are always ready to ensure protection of lives
and property and we are on trail of the fleeing hoodlums’ he stressed.

“Most people ran into the bush when the shooting and the bombing started. I believed they came in about ten cars and they overwhelmed the security in the town. In fact everybody was on his own during the attacks by the hoodlums who are armed robbers. I therefore urge people in the community to be wary of strangers and report any person of suspicious
movement. The police are always ready to ensure protection of lives and property and we are on the trail of the fleeing hoodlums.”  however, learnt from residents that the Sabon Gari Police station in Daura was also burnt down by the terrorists during the attack.

Boko Haram crisis: Nigeria air raids target militants

The Nigerian military has launched air raids on militant training camps in the north-east of the country, officials say.

An army spokesman said jets and helicopter gunships had been used to attack several camps.

He told the BBC that a plane had been hit by anti-aircraft fire but had managed to return to base.

States of emergency were declared this week in three north-eastern states hit by Boko Haram’s Islamist insurgency.

Nigerian military spokesman Brig Gen Chris Olukolade said two militant bases in the Sambisa Forest Reserve were destroyed in raids.

The reserve is about 70km (45 miles) south of the Borno state capital, Maiduguri, where the militants first emerged in 2009.

Reports say dozens of militants have been killed, but there has been no independent confirmation.

Nigerian forces are trying to regain control in the states of Adamawa, Yobe and Borno.

“It is not just Sambisa, every camp is under attack,” the Reuters news agency quoted Brig Gen Olukolade as saying.
‘Land and air’
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Their mandate is to ensure that activities of Boko Haram insurgents and rebels in these areas are brought to zero level”

Soyinka Okupe Special assistant to the Nigerian president

Meanwhile, explosions and gunfire were heard overnight on Thursday in Katsina state, where gunmen launched several attacks.

Residents told the BBC’s Hausa service that banks, police stations and prisons were destroyed in the town of Daura, near the border with Niger.

They said they had seen the bodies of five members of the security forces and three militants, but there has been no official confirmation of casualties.

Soyinka Okupe, a special assistant to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, said that government forces would continue to hit the militants hard.

“Their mandate is to ensure that activities of Boko Haram insurgents and rebels in these areas are brought to zero level.

“So they will employ everything that is in their power to effect that, including land and air.”

Mobile phone networks were not functioning in many parts of north-east Nigeria on Thursday.

A security official told the AP news agency that the mobile phone service had been shut down during the military operation.

Militants have previously attacked mobile phone masts in the area in an effort to disrupt communications.

Official: Nigeria military attacks suspected Islamic extremist camps in northeast, killing 21

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Soldiers in Nigeria launched their first raid against suspected Islamic extremists in a campaign to take back control of the nation’s northeast, killing at least 21 people, a security official said Friday.

The fighting happened Thursday in the Sambisa Forest Reserve, just south of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, which soldiers previously targeted hunting for fighters belonging to the extremist network known as Boko Haram. Details of the raid, however, remained sketchy on Friday as a military spokesman offered contradictory details about the assault.

Meanwhile, gunmen launched an assault on the hometown of one of Nigeria’s former military rulers hundreds of miles (kilometers) away, attacking police stations and banks.

Soldiers started the attack on Sambisa Forest Reserve on Thursday, having previously converged on the area in advance of President Goodluck Jonathan’s state of emergency decree affecting three states in the nation’s northeast, a security official said. The shelling with cannons killed at least 21 suspected Islamic extremists, the official said. There was no independent confirmation of the assault or casualties.

“We are not going to leave the forest until it’s over,” the official said, referring to the emergency rule.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity since he was not authorized to speak publicly about the ongoing military operation.

Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade, a military spokesman based in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, told the BBC on Friday that the military conducted air strikes on “enclaves in the forest, the deep forest,” where insurgents were hiding. Olukolade also said that insurgent fire hit one of the military’s aircraft, causing it to abandon the fight and return to a nearby airfield.

However, when Olukolade later spoke with The Associated Press, he said he was “not certain” if airstrikes had been carried out. Read back portions of his comments to the BBC, the brigadier general said: “I don’t want to talk about that.”

“This is my position at the moment,” he said. He declined to discuss casualty figures from the fighting.

A written statement attributed to Olukolade issued Friday night said soldiers destroyed heavy weapons such as anti-aircraft guns and anti-tank weapons, as well as vehicles, generators and other equipment. “The Defense Headquarters is quite satisfied with the progress of the operation and the fighting spirit of participating troops,” the statement read.

Under the president’s directive, soldiers have ultimate control over security matters in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. Over the last few days, witnesses and AP journalists have seen convoys of soldiers in trucks and buses moving through the region, as well as trucks carrying armored personnel carriers. Jet fighters also have been seen flying low over Yola, the capital of Adamawa state. Soldiers shut down the state’s border crossings Friday with neighboring Cameroon as part of the security crackdown.

This new military campaign comes on top of a previous massive deployment of soldiers and police to the region. That deployment failed to stop violence by Islamic extremists, who have killed more than 1,600 people since 2010, according to an AP count. It also has seen soldiers arrest, torture and even kill civilians.
In a statement Friday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said his nation remained “deeply concerned” about the fighting in northeast Nigeria.

“We are also deeply concerned by credible allegations that Nigerian security forces are committing gross human rights violations, which, in turn, only escalate the violence and fuel extremism,” the statement reads. “The United States condemns Boko Haram’s campaign of terror in the strongest terms. We urge Nigeria’s security forces to apply disciplined use of force in all operations, protect civilians in any security response and respect human rights and the rule of law.”
Meanwhile, oil-rich Nigeria suffers from continued insecurity throughout the country, whether it be kidnappings in its east, oil pipeline thefts in its southern delta, or violence by ethnic militias throughout its fertile central belt.

That could be seen Thursday night in Daura, a rural town in Katsina state that’s the home of former military ruler and perennial presidential candidate Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. There, far from the states under emergency rule, gunmen attacked police stations and at least four banks, witnesses said. At least two soldiers and five suspected insurgents were killed in the fighting, according to statements from the police and the military.

After the attack, Maj. Gen. Bola Koleosho told journalists in Abuja that Islamic fighters are using camouflage uniforms, similar to those worn by government troops, to perpetrate violence against civilians and to create an impression that it was carried out by government forces. Islamic extremists have raided military barracks in the past and displayed uniforms, weapons and bulletproof vests as trophies in propaganda videos.

Also Friday, mobile phone service returned to parts of northeast Nigeria after being cut Thursday. The security official told the AP that the service cut came on the orders of Nigeria’s government and security forces as soldiers moved into the northeast to begin operations. The official said service likely would be shut off again.

Mobile phones have become the only real communication device in Nigeria for both voice calls and the Internet, as the state-run telephone company collapsed years ago. By cutting off service at towers, the military could stop extremists from receiving warnings or intelligence ahead of their operations. Authorities said Thursday they had no information about the service cutoff or refused to comment.

Nigeria’s military and security forces have tracked fighters by their mobile phone signals in the past as well, prompting extremists from Boko Haram to attack mobile phone towers in the region.

In His Words : Jonathan Declares State Of Emergency

ADDRESS BY PRESIDENT GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN, GCFR ON THE DECLARATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN BORNO, YOBE AND ADAMAWA STATES IN ORDER TO RESTORE PUBLIC ORDER, PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY IN THE AFFECTED STATES OF THE FEDERATION

MAY 14, 2013

Dear compatriots,

1. It has become necessary for me to address you on the recent spate of terrorist activities and protracted security challenges in some parts of the country, particularly in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and most recently Bayelsa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states. These unfortunate events have led to needless loss of lives and property of many innocent Nigerians including members of our security forces.

2. The recent killing of security operatives by a cult group in Nasarawa state is particularly condemnable. I have directed that no effort or expense be spared in identifying and bringing to justice all those who had a hand in the killing of the operatives.

3. The activities of insurgents and terrorists have been reprehensible, causing fear among our citizens and a near-breakdown of law and order in parts of the country, especially the North. We have taken robust steps to unravel and address the root causes of these crises, but it would appear that there is a systematic effort by insurgents and terrorists to destabilize the Nigerian state and test our collective resolve.

4. Since I returned to the country after cutting short my visit to South Africa and aborting a planned state visit to Namibia, I have received detailed briefings from our security agencies. These briefings indicate that what we are facing is not just militancy or criminality, but a rebellion and insurgency by terrorist groups which pose a very serious threat to national unity and territorial integrity. Already, some northern parts of Borno state have been taken over by groups whose allegiance is to different flags and ideologies.

5. These terrorists and insurgents seem determined to establish control and authority over parts of our beloved nation and to progressively overwhelm the rest of the country. In many places, they have destroyed the Nigerian flag and other symbols of state authority and in their place, hoisted strange flags suggesting the exercise of alternative sovereignty.

6. They have attacked government buildings and facilities. They have murdered innocent citizens and state officials. They have set houses ablaze, and taken women and children as hostages. These actions amount to a declaration of war and a deliberate attempt to undermine the authority of the Nigerian state and threaten her territorial integrity. As a responsible government, we will not tolerate this.

7. Previously, we adopted a multi-track approach to the resolution of this problem through actions which included persuasion, dialogue and widespread consultation with the political, religious and community leaders in the affected states.

8. We exercised restraint to allow for all efforts by both State Governors and well-meaning Nigerians to stop the repeated cases of mindless violence.

9. Yet, the insurgents and terrorists seek to prevent government from fulfilling its constitutional obligations to the people as they pursue their fanatical agenda of mayhem, mass murder, division and separatism.

10. While the efforts at persuasion and dialogue will continue, let me reiterate that we have a sacred duty to ensure the security and well-being of all our people and protect the sovereign integrity of our country. Therefore, we shall, on no account, shy away from doing whatever becomes necessary to provide the fullest possible security for the citizens of this country in any part of the country they choose to reside.

11. We have a duty to stand firm against those who threaten the sovereign integrity of the Nigerian state. Our will is strong, because our faith lies in the indivisibility of Nigeria.

12. Following recent developments in the affected states, it has become necessary for Government to take extraordinary measures to restore normalcy. After wide consultations, and in exercise of the powers conferred on me by the provisions of Section 305, sub-section 1 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I hereby declare a State of Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

13. Accordingly, the Chief of Defence Staff has been directed to immediately deploy more troops to these states for more effective internal security operations. The troops and other security agencies involved in these operations have orders to take all necessary action, within the ambit of their rules of engagement, to put an end to the impunity of insurgents and terrorists.

14. This will include the authority to arrest and detain suspects, the taking of possession and control of any building or structure used for terrorist purposes, the lock-down of any area of terrorist operation, the conduct of searches, and the apprehension of persons in illegal possession of weapons.

15. The details of this Proclamation will be transmitted to the National Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. But in the meantime, let me make it clear that within the purview of this Proclamation, the Governors and other political office holders in the affected states will continue to discharge their constitutional responsibilities.

16. I urge the political leadership in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to co-operate maximally with the Armed Forces and the Police to ensure that the exercise succeeds. We call on the citizenry to co-operate with our security agencies to ensure a return to normalcy within the shortest possible time.

17. I am again approaching our neighbouring countries, through diplomatic channels, as done in the recent past, for their co-operation in apprehending any terrorist elements that may escape across the border.

18. Nigerians are peace-loving people; these sad events perpetrated by those who do not wish our nation well have not changed the essential character of our people.

19. I want to reassure you all that those who are directly or indirectly encouraging any form of rebellion against the Nigerian state, and their collaborators; those insurgents and terrorists who take delight in killing our security operatives, whoever they may be, wherever they may go, we will hunt them down, we will fish them out, and we will bring them to justice. No matter what it takes, we will win this war against terror.

20. I am convinced that with your support and prayers, we shall overcome these challenges and together, we will restore every part of our country to the path of peace, growth and development.

Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria Is At War, Government ;Prepared To Fight – Falana

Right activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana on Monday said the presence situation in the country is nothing short of a full blown war.

Mr Falana, who was a guest on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily, said a situation where a clash between terrorists and security operatives led to the death of over 187 people; where unknown cultist ambush and slaughter over 40 police officers; and where a Supreme Court Judge is presently looking for his wife, child and driver can be nothing short of war.

“There is a war everywhere; that is why as Nigerians, we cannot afford to leave the Federal Government to fight this war; they cannot,” he said.
Mr Falana said though the country is facing a huge war it is ill-prepared to fight.

“These boys have more sophisticated weapon than our armed forces,” he said.

The lawyer said the Federal Government is playing politics with the fight against terrorism by not providing the police with adequate equipment to fight insurgents and criminals.

He said, “A lot of money was budget for security and defence this year, what has happened to the fund if by the middle of May you haven’t passed the budget? It is tantamount to shedding crocodile tears if we simply express regret anytime policemen or soldiers are killed when we didn’t armed them, when we didn’t sufficiently equip them.

“How many of our soldiers and policemen have learnt anything about counter-terrorism? It is a new terrain. How many of them are trained to fight or participate in guerrilla warfare because that is what is going on.

“Are we saying we are so poor that we cannot acquire helicopters to conduct aerial surveillance on a daily basis in these areas?

“Do you know that the policemen and most of the soldiers sent to combat these boys have no bullet proof? It is that bad. You just simply give them Ak47.”

Exclusive Gist : “If they do not leave our wives and children, we will not leave,”- Shekau

Nigeria extremist group Boko Haram says it is kidnapping women, children as violence goes on.

 

LAGOS, Nigeria — The leader of an Islamic extremist group in Nigeria says his group has started kidnapping women and children as part of its bloody guerrilla campaign against the country’s government, according to a video released Monday.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau says the kidnappings are retaliation for Nigerian security forces routinely imprisoning the wives and children of his group’s members. The video shows 12 children, a mix of boys and girls, though it does not identify them or say where they came from.

“If they do not leave our wives and children, we will not leave,” Shekau says in the Hausa language of Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north.

Police and security forces have not announced any kidnapping cases involving Nigerians taken after Boko Haram attacks, though such abductions could be easily done in the chaos after an assault. Shekau quoted the Quran in the video and said anyone taken by the group could begin a new life as a “servant,” without going into detail.

Nigerian security forces often arrest children and wives to draw out criminal suspects in other matters, human rights activists say. Security forces also have been accused of abuses in their fight against Islamic extremists.

In the video, a Kalashnikov assault rifle sits over Shekau’s right shoulder as he speaks, the background covered with a rug. It’s unclear when the video was shot, though Shekau claims attacks Boko Haram launched on the towns of Bama and Baga in northeastern Nigeria in recent days.

In late April, at least 187 people were killed in fighting in Baga, a town in Borno state that sits along the banks of Lake Chad.

Witnesses say soldiers angry about the death of a military officer set fire to homes there and killed civilians. Human Rights Watch recently said an analysis of satellite imagery before and after the attack led them to believe the violence destroyed some 2,275 buildings and severely damaged another 125.

Nigeria’s military has blamed the blazes on rocket-propelled grenades fired by extremist and denied killing civilians, despite growing criticism and evidence showing mass civilian casualties.

Boko Haram leader Shekau said in the video that his fighters only launched a “small” attack there at night and had nothing to do with the civilian killings.

“The next morning security forces, they entered there, they burned down house,” Shekau says. “They killed that they wanted to kill and in the end, they came and said it was Boko Haram. It’s a lie.”

Boko Haram’s attacks have been increasing in number and sophistication since 2010. Attacks blamed on the group and other Islamic extremists have killed at least 244 this year alone, according to an Associated Press count.

 

Boko Haram: Lagos, Ogun Deny Registering Northerners

The Lagos and Ogun state governments have denied allegations in some quarters that, since the plot of the Boko Haram sect to bomb Lagos was unmasked, the two states had been registering northerners domiciled in their states.

FASHOLA AND AMOSUN

In separate interviews , the officials said a report by a foreign news organization that potential tenants, especially from the north, were being forced to register their bio-data with relevant authorities before they were offered accommodation was untrue.

Special adviser to the Lagos State governor on security, Maj. Tunde Panox (rtd), said although the state had stepped up security measures since the Boko Haram incident, no Nigerian from any part of the country had been directed to register his or her bio-data with the state government.

Panox said: “Since the arrest of two members of Boko Haram sect and the subsequent recovery of explosives, two AK-47 rifles and other dangerous weapons in the roof of a house in Ijora, Badia, Lagos, about a month ago, by the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and soldiers from Abuja, the Lagos State security meeting comprising the representatives of the police, army, navy, air force, SSS, Immigration, NSCDC and others held an emergency meeting and it resolved that every Lagosian must know his or her neighbour.”

In Ogun State, the public relations officer of the state vigilance service outfit, Soji Garzzalo, said it was not true that the Hausa/Fulani were being forced to register before they were allowed to live or do business in the state.

Garzzalo told LEADERSHIP Sunday: “We are telling our people to be security-conscious and then that if they noticed any of these Fulani/Hausa descent either from the Chad, Niger, Mali or others they should inform us, the police and the civil defence. There was never a time that we subjected them to any form of intimidation or harsh treatment at all.”

On the organisation’s collaboration with landlords, Garzzalo said: “We also had agreement with landlords through the Community-Police Relations Committee which is also member of the Community Development Association (CDA), that there is a form that every tenant must fill with all their data fully disclosed.”

In the form, there is provision for guarantors, at least two of Hausa stock, when these foreigners arrive in the state and need accommodation.

The Sarkin Fulani of Abeokuta and chairman of the Association of Fulani Chiefs in Ogun State, Alhaji Mohammed Kabir Ladar, agreed that Ogun people had been very tolerant and accommodating.

He said what had happened in the state in terms of surveillance and security arrangements were in consonance with other states of the federation. “But the difference is that the state security outfit and other security agencies involve all leaders in the system,” he said. “We do meet with the Department of the State Security Service and other security agencies monthly to review and discuss issues that had to do with security.”

The state government does not discriminate against Hausa/Fulani, he noted.

Also, the Sarkin Hausawa of Abeokuta, Alhaj Hazzan Hussein, said the alleged discrimination against his people might not be true because “there is no policy or steps that any of these landlords will take without informing our representatives that live among the Yorubas”.

Source: Leadership