Chibok: Presidency, Igbo group fault Northern elders’ position




Latest blog entries - Eloti tV





Chibok: Presidency, Igbo group fault Northern elders’ position



The Presidency on Tuesday flayed the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) for demanding that President Goodluck Jonathan rescue the over 200 Chibok school girls or forfeit his 2015 re-election bid.


The NEF had given Jonathan a two-month ultimatum within which to rescue the girls.


The over 200 Chibok school girls were abducted by the Boko Haram sect since April 14 and have since been in the sect captivity.


A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Doyin Okupe, retorted that the President did not require such threat or ultimatum to be alive to his responsibilities.


“The issue of insurgency, especially those ideologically based on Islamic extremism is a global phenomenon and requires tact, military capability, serious de-radicalisation techniques and community based counter insurgency programmes to ensure success,” Okupe stated.


The presidential aide said the administration was doing everything possible to ensure that the girls are rescued alive, adding that the various measures adopted by the government would soon yield positive result.


“We are improving on our operational capabilities and efficiencies by acquiring more advanced weapons and technologies for our military and security agencies.


“We have drafted more military personnel to the region to strengthen the fighting power of our armed forces.


“We are taking advantage of the offers from our international military and intelligence allies to assist in identifying key locations.


“We are working with our neighbours to secure the borders and limit the movements of the Boko Haram fighters, building on the agreements reached at the recent summits in Paris and London.


“We are deploying more resources to maximize operational efficiency, acquire more advanced and relevant weaponry and boost the general morale of our combatants. This is why the government recently requested for an additional funding of $1billion.


“And the last piece in the puzzle is targeting the domestic and international funding, and stopping the money flows into the coffers of the terrorists.


“With all these efforts and the support of our allies, these steps will help fight the threat of the Boko haram and move us closer to bringing the girls back safely,” the statement added.


Also on Tuesday, a pro Igbo group, the Igbo Redemption Group (IRG) joined issues with the northern elders over the matter, saying their position was unreasonable, unpatriotic, divisive and unfortunate.


Briefing journalists in Abuja, the leader the IRG, Chief Delly Ajufo, said the northern elders’ position had confirmed the suspicion that the kidnap of the girls was meant to prevent President Jonathan from seeking re-election.


“Statements like these coming from people who cannot lay claim to any significant contribution to the growth and development of Northern Nigeria is nothing but a mark of desperation which we hopefully assume does not represent the views of right thinking leaders of the North,” Ajufo said.


Print Friendly

Read More






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

INEC to issue permanent voter cards in 10 states

Latest blog entries - Eloti tV INEC to issue permanent voter cards in 10 states The National Independent Electoral Commission says it will commence the issuance of the permanent voter cards in 10 states of the federation. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue, Alhaji Baba Yusuf, told journalists on Tuesday that the issuance of the cards would be between May 23 to May 25 while the continuous voters’ registration would hold between May 28 and June 1. He said the commencement of the two exercises were a prelude to the 2015 general elections. Yusuf explained those eligible to register in the CVR included those who were not up to 18 years as at 2011 and those who were unable to register during the last exercise. “Those who had problems with the direct data capture machines and were not captured during the 2011 registration exercise as well as those who could not register in 2011 for one reason or the other can also register this year,” he said. The REC advised vot
Read more

October 1: You are free to live in any part of Nigeria, FG reassures Nigerians

By CALEB AYANSINA ABUJA – FEDERAL Government, Friday, reassured every Nigerian not to panic but to live freely in any part of the country without fear of molestation. The assurance was coming on the heel of growing tension in the country, barely 24 hour to the expiration of the October 1 deadline quit notice issued by the coalition of Arewa youth groups. The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo also challenged religious bodies and other relevant stakeholders in the project Nigeria to leverage on their influence to jettison every divisive groups and their actions in the country. Osinbajo, who was speaking at the public lecture to mark the 57th independence anniversary of Nigeria organised by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Abuja, reiterated the government resolve to achieve just and equitable society. Represented by the Minister of Mine and Steel, Kayode Fayemi, the VP explained that in a society like Nigeria, there is bound to be differences, therefore
Read more

Donna Karan Apologizes (Again) After Defending Harvey Weinstein

Image
Designer Donna Karan says she didn’t know the extent of the accusations against Harvey Weinstein before she spoke out to defend the disgraced movie mogul. “I heard a whisper, but there were whispers all over,” Karan, 69, said of the sexual misconduct allegations during an interview with ABC News which aired Monday on Good Morning America . “It wasn’t until a day and a half after the I truly heard about it.” She added: “That’s my honest truth. I didn’t know.” The fashion industry vet sparked outrage earlier this month after calling Weinstein a “wonderful” person in a  Daily Mail  interview and suggesting women may be “asking for it” by dressing provocatively. She backtracked days later, issuing an apology and declaring that her statements did “not represent my actual views.” She apologized again in the recent interview, declaring, “I made a huge, huge mistake.” She admitted, “what I said is so wrong and not who I am.” “I was exhausted. I had just come from a 14-hour plane trip,”
Read more