Nigeria: Death Row Soldiers Still in Underground Cells; About a week after the 12 soldiers condemned to death by a military court-martial were moved to military facilities in Kainji in Niger State and Lagos, LEADERSHIP has again gathered that the soldiers are still being kept in an underground cell. A source said last night that they were still in the cell waiting for their appeals to be fixed for hearing and determination. The source further said that the soldiers are no longer being fed well compared to the way they were fed before they moved them to the cell. They no longer eat well since they were moved to the underground cell. They fed them better than now that they have been moved. We are waiting for the court to hear and determine their appeals, the source said. Last week, LEADERSHP exclusively reported that the soldiers had been moved to the military intelligence headquarters in Apapa, Lagos State and that they were facing inhuman treatment where they were kept. The source, however, revealed last night that the inhuman treatment meted out to them initially had stopped. The soldiers were tried and convicted for mutiny by a military court-martial about two weeks ago. Since the verdict was passed on the soldiers, many Nigerians have been appealing to the military authorities to reduce their sentence, with some even appealing to President Goodluck Jonathan to temper justice with mercy. Were Still Searching for Missing aircraft Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force last night disclosed that the situation remained the same with the missing aircraft: it is still trying to determine the whereabouts of its missing fighter jet. We are still searching for the aircraft. The search team is still at work. Every information received so far has not given us a clue about its location, the spokesman of the NAF, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said. LEADERSHIP recalls that two weeks ago, specifically on September 14, the Defence Headquarters, through its spokesman, Major-General Chris Olukolade, had announced that an Air Force Alpha jet involved in operations in north-east Nigeria was missing. An Alpha Jet (NAF 466) belonging to the Nigerian Air Force is missing around Adamawa State. The aircraft, with two pilots onboard, left Yola at about 10:45am on September 12, 2014, on a routine operational mission and was expected back by 12pm. Since then, all efforts to establish contact with the aircraft have not yielded any positive result. Search-and-rescue efforts towards establishing contact with the crew are ongoing, a statement issued by Olukolade had read. We must unite to defeat Boko Haram- Jonathan President Goodluck Jonathan said yesterday that lack of unity among Nigerians was the main reason why the country was yet to defeat the deadly terror group, Boko Haram, and contain its activities which had claimed the lives of thousands of innocent people. He urged politicians and highly placed Nigerian to be mindful of their action, saying that while it was usual to struggle for political space, such actions should be done with caution taking cognizance of the fact that the country needs to remain strong and united for the good of all citizens. Speaking at the interdenominational church service to mark the 54th independence anniversary of the country which was held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, Jonathan cited the countrys successful containment of the Ebola Virus disease as a battle won against a deadly disease because the country was united irrespective of political affiliations. He said, When I listen to some comments by some highly placed individuals, I feel sorry for this country. There are some of us who, while struggling to get what we desire, we have even forgotten that we cannot get that if we destroy our country. So, if we come together, while pursuing whatever achievement we want - I believe that we dont have any other country than Nigeria - I am sure we will overcome Boko Haram. We were able to defeat Ebola because all Nigerians agreed together in waging a war against the disease. That is the strength of unity, the president added, even as he observed that some of the challenges the country was facing whether kidnapping or the greatest problem we are having - which is terror - is because all of us have not united to fight these challenges. Noting that the Armed forces has done well and only needed the encouragement from Nigerians to do better, Jonathan commended the security services for doing their best in spite of their challenges, including sabotage. The president further declared Nigeria is great because of the strength and resilience of its people and not due to its oil and abundant natural resources, noting that Nigeria is a poor country if you look at the resources and the population. On his part, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, said that all the problems facing Nigeria were self-inflicted, including corruption and insurgency. He said corruption in Nigeria was caused by a poverty mentality as a result of people not being satisfied with what they had. He also blamed those who are desperate to take power by all means for the countrys woes, and warned troublemakers in Nigeria to get ready for judgement. It doesnt matter what level you are, the judgement of God will find those who are troubling Nigeria, he affirmed Ruling out poverty as being responsible for the level of terrorism in the country, the CAN president said: Terrorism is not fuelled by terrorism but poverty can create an environment where more people can be recruited. The CAN president also warned Nigerian women to desist from shielding their bad husbands who are guilty of perpetrating crimes against the country. Oritsejafor further stressed the need for deliberate steps to be taken to de-radicalise those holding extremist religious beliefs. A Supreme Court justice, Justice Walter Onoghen, took the first Bible reading while Senate President David Mark took the second. A special prayer which was sent in from the Catholic Pontiff, Benedict Pope Francis XVI, was also read at the service. Also present at the service were deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, deputy speaker Emeka Ihedioha, former head of state General Yakubu Gowon, former head of interim national government Ernest Shonekan, secretary to the government of the federation Anyim Pius Anyim, head of service of the federation, ambassadors of Isreal and Greece, the service chiefs, and the primate of the Anglican Communion Archbishop Nicholas Oko, among others. 3.3m Nigerians Internal Refugees - Report No fewer than 3.3 million Nigerians are internally displaced by insurgent activities in the country, the 2014 report of the internal displacement monitoring centre and Norwegian Refugee Council has said. The report said the figure accounts for 10 percent of the 33 million internally displaced persons worldwide, a situation the report describes as worrisome and requires urgent attention. This revelation was contained in the text of a press conference which, according to the group, is about the deteriorating state of insecurity and humanitarian crisis in Nigeria, caused by the failure of leadership and the abuse of our politics. The press conference with the theme, Nigeria, A Country In Crisis, was held in New York by a group known as #Nigeria Unite, and a copy of the text was made available to newsmen in Kaduna at the weekend by a northern youth group, the Arewa Citizens Action for Change (ACAC) . The Nigeria Unite group, in the text jointly signed by Rev Peter Ichull, Olarewaju Suraju, Mariya Ibrahim Baba and Gloria A Kilanko, said: Firstly, the enormous humanitarian crisis of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and other victims of the violent insurgency in Nigeria need international support and assistance. According to the 2014 report of the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and the Norwegian Refugee Council, out of the 33 million internally displaced persons all over the world, Nigeria accounts for 3.3 million or a whopping 10% of the total as at May this year. This situation is entirely as a result of the activities of the three versions of Boko Haram. Since May, the situation had deteriorated precipitously with hundreds of thousands more refugees wandering into the neighbouring countries of Niger, Cameroon and Chad. Secondly, if liberal democracy which enables free, fair, credible and non-violent elections fails in 2015, such failure will likely endanger the unity and survival of Nigeria as we know it today. The group further noted that Nigerians were increasingly being militarised and divided along ethnic, religious and sectional lines and carpeted the current leadership for lacks the capacity, morality, sincerity and political will to investigate and prosecute the alleged sponsors of Boko Haram.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 06:33:42 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015