Northern Nigeria Christian Association alleges conspiracy in Chibok Abduction

The Northern Nigeria Chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday released a statement expressing reservations and alleging conspiracy in the Chibok schoolgirls abduction.

The chapter said they believe the kidnapping is a conspiracy involving the governor of the state, Kashim Shettima, the principal of the school, the chief security officer of Borno & the commissioner for Education. In the statement, they asked how 300+ girls can disappear into air without any trace and where the daughters of the principal, vice principal & CSO of the state were when the kidnapping took place, and why no single photograph of the Chibok girls has been made public by school authorities. Find their press statement after the cut...


CHIBOK: PRESS STATEMENT BY NORTHERN CAN

Abducted female students of Chibok: CAN gives 6 posers to Borno Governor
...says there's conspiracy between Shettima, school authorities

The position of Northern CAN on the abduction of female students in Chibok

Since the abduction of some female students in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State, Northern CAN has decided to be silent for some reasons. We have decided that we will make statements when we have all the facts of the matter. It may interest Nigerians to know that we have fundamental questions which demand one million answers:
1.    Since the abduction of these girls over two weeks ago, has Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, constituted any panel of investigation with a view to making its report public?

2.    How did the 353 female students disappear from the school into the thin air?

3.    Why did the Borno State Commissioner for Education, Principal, Vice Principal and Chief Security Officer, all Muslims, ignore the valid advice of WAEC on the security implication of writing exams in the school and the need to have a centre where the children’s life will be secured?

4.    How did Boko Haram carry over 200 students and their food stolen by these criminals from the school? Was it carried with trailer?

5.    Why is it that since this issue came up, no single photograph of the abducted children was made public by the school authorities? After all, they were preparing for exams and may have submitted their photographs.

6.    Where were the daughters of the Principal, Vice Principal and Chief Security Officer when the abduction took place?

We hope that this is not a political gimmick to carry out a political conspiracy against these daughters of Nigerians, future mothers of Nigeria and citizens who are wants to be leaders of tomorrow.
So these are the questions; we have done our investigations, we are begging the international community, we are begging the Federal Government of Nigeria and the press to ask these legitimate questions from the Governor, Commissioner for Education, Principal and CSO of the school because Chibok is a predominantly Christian area. What we are after is the safety and future of these children, whether they are Christians or Muslims or our enemies doesn't matter. They are Nigerians, first and foremost.

Our positions are as follows:
1. The Governor and government of Borno State should and must as a matter of urgency stop playing politics with the lives of the children of other people. They should produce those children without delay because they know their whereabouts.

2. We demand an explanation from the Governor, Commissioner for Education, Principal and CSO of the school on what they did and what they did not do that led to the ferrying away of these innocent children who went to sit for an examination for the betterment of their tomorrow.

3. How come that the parents of these children have not been able to come out and say anything? Are they saying that these children are orphans and do not have parents? We demand an explanation because from our investigation, parents of these children are facing intimidation and threats from the government of Borno State. That is why they could not come out to speak; but they are nursing their pains in silence.

4. We also demand that the Federal Government and the international community should help us beg the Governor of Borno State to do everything within his powers to produce these children.

5. We also reject a situation where they will turn our daughters to be sex slaves of these criminals called Boko Haram members. We have it on good authority that some of these children are being raped 15 times a day. Some of these children are being compelled to be wives of these criminals. If you want to marry somebody's daughter, you must seek the consent of her parents and not to ferry under-aged children and perpetrate a lot of havoc on them.

The abduction of these girls seems a resurrection of what the Christian communities in Northern Nigeria have been suffering for centuries in the hands of the Emirs and Imams regarding forceful conversion and abduction of Christian girls. Borno State government should be reminded that the fundamental human rights of these people should be respected and protected.

The Governor should provide immediate explanation because we know that some people want to sacrifice these children on the altar of politics. There is a limit to which Christians would tolerate all these abnormalities. We suspect a conspiracy among all of these characters including the Governor, Commissioner for Education, Principal and CSO since non of the daughters of the teachers and Principal were abducted; there is more to it and this is the position of Northern CAN.

SIGN:
Wednesday May 7 2014
Prof. Daniel Babayi
Secretary-General
Sunday Oibe
Public Relations Officer

Soldiers Recover Ammunitions In Benue, Plateau, Kaduna

Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information in the Nigerian Army, on Wednesday said its officials has recovered different kinds of ammunition in Benue, Plateau and Kaduna States.

Olukolade, who said the ammunition was recovered by troops operating in the North Central and North Western parts of Nigeria, added that the troops seized a cache of arms run by a young member of an armed gang during a cordon and search operation in Anyibe, Logo Local Government Area of Benue State.

According to him, two rifles, three locally fabricated pistols and 61 rounds of special ammunition were recovered during the operation while the arrested gang member is currently being interrogated.

He further revealed that a cordon and search operation in two chiefdoms in Plateau State, led to the recovery of five guns, three locally fabricated pistols and two revolvers from the hideouts of armed gangs at Hukke and Reweinko.

Olukolade listed other items to include; some IED making materials, 45 live cartridges, various calibres of ammunition, bows and arrows, cutlasses, axes and diggers.

The spokesman, who said that the troops in Kaduna State encountered armed gangs and bandits at Kwandaga, noted that the operation recorded casualties although lots of arms and ammunition were recovered.

Olukolade reiterated that the 'Operation Restore Peace' which is geared towards ridding the North Central and North West parts of the country of armed gangs is still in progress in various locations.

Queen of Pop Madonna Joins #BringBackOurGirls Campaign

 

Madonna has added her name to the growing number of people in the world who are demanding to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls in Borno.

The queen of pop Madonna shared this pic of Malala, the Pakistani schoolgirl who stood up to the Taliban and defended her right to an education, on Instagram and wrote, “223 Teenage girls being held captive in Nigeria by Religious fundamentalists who believe it is a sin to educate girls! They are being sold as brides in the market place. This insanity has to stop! What is the US government doing about this? #bringourgirls back. #revolutionoflove”.

While there were some initial reports that the girls were being forced to marry against their will, there was some debate on how accurate that is. Now Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the terrorist group Boko Haram that kidnapped the girls, has released a video. He made his sexist views on women more than clear, demanding that girls just get married and releasing alarming threats about the kidnapped girls.

“I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market,” he says in the video. “There is a market for selling humans…I will sell women. I sell women.”

In the past few days more Nigerian girls have been kidnapped. The United States has put a $7 million bounty on Shekau and they are part of the international community demanding that Shekau be stopped and the schoolgirls returned safely. Meanwhile, people around the world gather together to protest the abduction of hundreds of GGSS Chibok female students in Borno.

How we jumped out of Boko Haram truck' - girls who escaped speak

Punch interviews two of the girls who jumped out of the truck they were being transported in by Boko Haram men after the men stormed their school and kidnapped over 250 girls. Interview below

What is your name?

Sawok: My name is Amina Sawok.

Walse: My name is Thabita Walse.

Can you describe the attack on your school?

Sawok: We were in the hostel. One of the men dressed in military camouflage asked us where our dining hall was. From our hostels, they took us to the dining hall and from there, we were moved into the waiting vehicles and they headed towards Damboa town. The incident happened around 11pm.

Walse: It is a long story. They came to our school and deceived us into believing they were soldiers. They were dressed in military uniform and made us believe they were about rescuing us only for us to later find out that they were insurgents. When we discovered, it was already too late and there was little we could do. Continue...

At what point did you know they were not real soldiers but insurgents?

Sawok: They were shouting and rude. That was when it became clear to us that they were insurgents, then they started shooting and set our school on fire. They even shot the security men guarding the school.

How did you escape?

Sawok: I jumped out of the vehicle that looked like a truck.

Walse: Our vehicle developed a problem and they were forced to stop. I took the opportunity with some girls to run into a dark bush.

What gave you the courage to jump out of the vehicle?

Sawok: I have heard a lot about Boko Haram, the bad things they do and how they have killed many people in the state. I was afraid and I became desperate. I felt getting to their camp could be dangerous for me and it would be better if I escaped.  That gave me the courage to jump out.  I believed that I would only get injured since it was dark and they may not know how to look for me in the bush.

Did all the girls that escaped plan it?

Sawok: No, I believe the same thing was running through our minds. Immediately one of us jumped out, the rest of us just started following her.

Do you have any injury?

Sawok: No, I am very fine.

How do you feel about the others that were not able to escape?

Sawok: I would have loved all of us to escape.  I can’t celebrate my escape because some of my friends and classmates are still in the hands of the insurgents and I don’t know what they are facing. It is my prayer that they should be freed.

Walse: I have no problem, I am okay and very strong physically. The only problem I have is that some of my friends are still held hostage by terrorists.

Photo: Check out Beyonce's Ankara print shoes...

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Adorable pics of 2face and Annie Idibia's 4month old daughter, Olivia

She looks so much like her older sister, Isabella Idibia. She's soooo cute!

International stars lend their voices to #bringbackourgirls campaign

Chris Brown, Scandal creator Shonda Rhimes, media/music mogul Russell Simmons, singer Keri Hilson, and actress Keke Palmer have all learnt their voices and are calling for the release of the 234 schoolgirls kidnapped at their school in Chibok over two weeks ago. More when you continue...

Waje, Seun Kuti take #BringBackOurGirls campaign to the streets

Waje and Seun Kuti have taken their #BringBackOurGirls campaign from the streets of Twitter to the streets of Lagos. The stars both took placards in hand to go against the kidnap of 234 young Nigerian girls two weeks ago. Earlier the group were reportedly tear-gassed by the police, they continue to March though.

Other celebs noted in the march include Kathleen Ndongmo, Cameronian activist, Debola Williams of The Future Project & designer Ugonna Omeruo amongst others. See more pics after the cut

Today Nollywood Lost Its Legend, Amaka Igwe

Amaka Igwe has died today, as reported by the President of Actor Film of Nigeria, Ibinabo Fiberesima after a long battle with asthma.

‘She suffered an asthma attack and was immediately rushed to the hospital after initial interventions had failed. She passed on before getting to the hospital’, as it was said in the official statement released earlier this morning.

According to the statement by the official spokesperson of Amaka Igwe studios the incident happened in Enugu, where she was for the preparations of pre-productions for new soap, accompanied by her husband.

Amaka Igwe was 51 and she left a husband, Charles Igwe, of 21 years of marriage, and 3 children and a large family.

She was a famous Nigerian film producer, director and writer, the owner of Amaka Igwe Film Studios. Amaka Igwe was one of the most notorious figures in Nollywood, being the producer of Rattle Snake, Violated,Checkmate and House of Commotion.

She was the member of the International Board of Trustees of the African Movie Academy Awards, the AMAA and one of the jury. Moreover, the was the conductor of annual university challenge for students of Nigerian universities that competed for a prize in film – Raymond Dokpezi prize.

She was an advocate of the future of Nigerian filmmaking as well as a true fan of its history.

Photos: Ini Edo's husband throws her surprise birthday party

Ini Edo's husband Phillip Ehigwina threw her a surprise birthday party yesterday and invited some of her close friends to celebrate with them. Ini turned 32 on April 23rd. See more pics after the cut...

 

She also celebrated with friends at Elegushi Beach in Lagos on Sunday April 27th. See pics below...

Abducted schoolgirls allegedly married off for N2,000, moved abroad

OK, here's seriously hoping that this is not true. But according to reports, the 234 girls abducted at Government Girls College on April 15th may have been married off for N200 each and may also have been removed from the Nigeria to neighbouring countries like Chad and Cameroon.

Daily Trust reports

Most of the 234 Borno schoolgirls in Boko Haram captivity have been ferried abroad to Chad and Cameroon after they were married off to sect members on N2,000 bride price each, an elder told Daily Trust yesterday.

Dr. Pogu Chibok, who is the leader of the Chibok Elders Forum, told Daily Trust yesterday that latest information available to them indicates that most of the girls have been taken to the neighboring Cameroon and Chad by their captors.

He said before they were ferried in canoes across the Lake Chad, a wedding ceremony was conducted at a town on the border with Cameroon where they were married off to Boko Haram militants. Continue...

He said N2,000 was paid as bride price on each of the girls to the specific Boko Haram members who took them from their school and who had assumed “ownership” of the students.

“They ferried them in canoes to Cameroon and Chad republic after they were wedded off to Boko Haram members who bidded (sic) and paid N2,000 each as dowries on their heads,” Bitrus said.
“The dowry was paid to their captors, the very people who abducted them from their school. One of them who married one of the girls took her to a border town close to Cameroon where villagers saw her.”

Following their abduction, the schoolgirls were thought to be first taken to the Boko Haram camps in the notorious Sambisa Forest. Reports later said villagers had seen the girls being conveyed in trucks to other locations.

Bitrus said yesterday: “So many sources have informed us that the girls have been taken to Cameroon. Many villagers said they saw the girls being transported in trucks and then in canoes.
“On Sunday they were taken to Dikwa area where they (Boko Haram) have a camp there. From there they took them to Marte, then Monguno before they were finally ferried in canoes. It was yesterday we got this latest report of them being married off to the insurgents by their captors.”

He said sources in Cameroon told them that most of the girls were now being held at “an area where the Boko Haram operates in Cameroon.”

On whether military authorities were informed about the movements of the girls, Bitrus said: “The military was alerted on Tuesday about two weeks ago when some villagers saw many of the girls being transported in trucks, some with even their school uniforms. The villagers tried calling the senator representing the zone but they couldn’t get him so they went to Bama barracks where they reported the matter.

“At the Bama barracks they were told that they must put it in writing, that that is the military tradition. At that time if the military had intervened they would have stopped them from reaching their destination.

“And the fact that for nearly two weeks we have been talking about this and nothing is being done, then there are questions we have to ask. Nobody did anything.”

Bitrus sobbed as he spoke to our reporter yesterday.
“What is happening with the Nigerian nation? I think we demand some answers. Today it is happening to these unfortunate girls from Chibok, tomorrow it may be somewhere else and that is why all Nigerians must rally around us on this,” he said.

“If these captors are trying to achieve a political point, I think the best thing is for us to try to make sure that they don’t succeed but from all indications they are succeeding due to inaction of government. It is helping these people in achieving their objectives.”
Earlier yesterday, Bitrus spoke to the BBC Hausa radio saying “parents of these girls have been angry that despite the existence of government, there has not been concrete effort from government on the matter.

“Female parents have been crying day and night, because nobody knows what government is doing about the whole issue. All that we read in the papers is that Nigerian Army have done this or that.”
When contacted over claims that the military was informed of the movement of the schoolgirls, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, told Daily Trust: “The concern and anxiety from all quarters is quite understandable. Please be assured that as much as the forces may not disclose details of action being taken to secure the freedom of the girls, every information received on the subject is duly analyzed and acted upon as necessary.

“No information is being ignored in the concerted effort to ensure the safety and freedom of the girls. Just pray for the successful outcome of all efforts please.”

Culled from Daily trust