With less than three weeks to the all important general elections held next month across Nigeria, there are conflicting reports that the son of late head of state, Mohammed Abacha, may have dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It will be recalled that the junior Abacha was one of the aggrieved gubernatorial aspirants of the PDP in Kano State.
Reports surfaced at the weekend that Abacha and some leaders of the APC at the national level met in Abuja in an effort to smooth his planned defection to the opposition party.
mohammed-abacha
Mohammed Abacha.
However, the Daily Trust newspaper reports online on January 26, 2015, that Abacha, in a telephone interview conducted on Sunday, denied defecting from the PDP to the APC.
According to the report, he stated that he remained a loyal and committed member of the PDP, adding that he would remain in the PDP no matter the challenge.
“People have been calling to confirm the veracity of the report that I have decamped to APC. It is not true. I’m in PDP and will remain there Insha Allah. Rumour mongering is one of the ills hindering our political development in this country but unfortunately, it has become part of us in this county,” he said.
The late Sani Abacha
The late Sani Abacha
Meanwhile, the son of the late head of state expressed dismay over the conduct of the PDP governorship primaries in Kano State, saying the selection of the party delegates was carried out in violation of the party’s constitution.
“We asked our party’s leadership to correct the anomaly in the selection process to avoid litigation after the poll. If our party wins election, our opponent can take us to court.
“To avoid this, we appeal for correction of the irregularities. Somebody has gone to court to seek redress on the irregularity and I won’t want to pre-empt the judgement but what I can say is that we are all waiting for the outcome of the case,” he said.
It will be recalled that President Goodluck Jonathan last month met behind closed-doors with Mohammed Abacha.
Speaking at the end of the meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the aspirant told State House correspondents that he was confident that the PDP would recover its stolen mandate from the APC in the state during next month’s polls.
The federal government last June withdrew N446.3bn theft charges instituted against the younger Abacha, having initiated nine counts of stealing against him in February 2014.


For a while now, not much has been heard of former first lady, Maryam Abacha.
In this new photo of the widow of Sani Abacha, a former dictatorial President of Nigeria from 1993 to 1998, Mariam is spotted with her billionaire Cameroonian son-in-law, Mohamadou Bayero Fadil. Mohamadou is married to Gumsu Abacha.
READ ALSO: 5 Reasons Why Buhari May Not Be The Messiah Nigeria Needs
See the photo below:
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Recall that after the death of Sani Abacha in June 1998, Maryam Abacha attempted to leave Nigeria with suitcases filled with money. She was arrested, placed on 24-hour surveillance, and banned from leaving Nigeria.
READ ALSO: Don’t See Buhari As A Military Man – Rasheed Raji
In 1999 Maryam Abacha said that her husband acted in the good will of Nigeria; an official of the Nigerian government said that Maryam Abacha said that to convince the government to grant her a reprieve, as the president, Olusegun Obasanjo, had been jailed by Sani Abacha. As of 2000 Maryam Abacha remained in Nigeria. Maryam and Sani Abacha had three daughters and six sons. Maryam Abacha’s eldest surviving son is Mohammed Abacha.


The Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Hans Rudolf Hodel, in a meeting with the President elect, Muhammadu Buhari, disclosed that about $370million recovered from former head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, has been traced by the Swiss government to a Luxembourg account.
Ambassador-of-Switzerland-to-Nigeria-Hans-Rudolf-Hodel-360x225
Swiss Ambassador to Nigeria, Hans Rudolf Hodel
The ambassador also revealed to Buhari that Nigerians ferrying money to Switzerland will now have to prove that such wealth is acquired legally before they are allowed to lodge such in the European nation’s banks.
Hodel said in the past the banks only needed to prove that the money deposited with them are legal money, adding that situations Switzerland has changed with depositors now needing to prove that they acquired the money legally before they will be allowed to deposit money in any bank in that country.
Sani Abacha as military head of state
Sani Abacha as military head of state
He said that collaboration between the Nigeria government and its Swiss counterpart in fighting corruption is a long standing issue, adding “our laws are there to help all countries fighting corruption. We will help this government.
“If you remember, many years ago, we gave back the Abacha money to Nigeria. The situation in Switzerland has changed. The policy is no longer the same. In the past, people come to deposit money in Switzerland without too much controversy. Now, it is not possible to deposit money in Switzerland because of legal origin.
“Before now, the bank has to prove that the money is legal. But now, before you deposit money in any Swiss bank, you have to prove that you have earned that money legally.
“If you are a wealthy businessman, you have money in billions legally, but if, for example as a journalist, you come to Switzerland with two million dollars and say you earned it because you did a very good job, nobody will believe you.”
READ ALSO: Read What Fayose Wants Nigerians To Do To Obasanjo Over Military Coup Rumour
The Ambassador said the Nigerian government and the Abacha family have sought legal assistance from the Swiss government to enable them retrieve the money, pointing out that Swiss government has offered the legal assistance.
He said further that his government is directly involved since the money is not in a Swiss bank.
On what he discussed with Buhari, he said “Even if the relation is perfect there is always room for improvement. Investors are looking towards Nigeria and it is a good example Nigeria gave to the world by its peaceful election.
“I congratulate the President -elect for this fantastic election and indeed the whole Nigeria people which has shown the world what they are capable of doing and with this election Nigeria has become an example not only to Africa but to the whole world on how election can be conducted.”
During Abacha’s regime, he and his family reportedly stole a total of £5 billion from the country’s coffers. In 2004, Abacha was listed as the fourth most corrupt leader in history.
Abacha served as the de facto Presidentof Nigeria from 1993 to his death in 1998.


Editor’s note: The richest oil blocks in Nigeria are owned by a few dozen people while half of the 160 million Nigerians live on less than S1 dollar daily. In this piece by Obinna Akukwe, he explains how  our past leaders started the process of oil block sharing in the country and how it works.
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L-R: IBB, Late Sani Abacha and Olusegun Obasanjo
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author only, and do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com’s editors or other contributors.
Story Highlights
  • Discretionary allocation of oil blocks.
  • The oil block national cake sharing fiesta could take twists according to the mood of the Commander-in-chief at the  particular time.
  • The process of sharing Nigeria’s oil block national cake.
  • Investigations into the activities in this sector are futile.
  • The regime of President Goodluck is not showing any signs of changing the status quo.
(Nigerian Bulletin)- The process of sharing Nigeria’s oil block national cake is as fraudulent now as when Ibrahim Babangida started the process of discretionary allocation of oil blocks to indigenous firms.
Discretionary allocation of oil blocks entails that a president can reward a mistress who performs wonderfully with an oil block with capacity for cumulative yield of over $20 billion dollars without recourse to any process outside of manhood attachments. Babangida, Abacha, Abdulsalami and Obasanjo awarded discretionary oil blocks to friends, associates, family members, party chieftains, security chiefs and all categories of bootlickers, spokespersons and cult members without any laid down procedures. The recipients of such oil blocks will get funds from ever willing offshore financiers and partners to graciously settle the benefactors, the awarders, facilitators and the Commander-in-Chief through fronts. These settlements mostly paid into foreign accounts runs into hundreds of millions of dollars according to the potential yield of the block. Sometimes, the awarder (sharer of national cake and direct intermediaries) demand additional stakes in the bidding company. The awarder sends fronts as part of the directorship and management of the bidding firms without leaving a link to them. That is how the oil block national cake is distributed to a few Nigerians.
Signature bonuses which are paid when an investor successfully bids, wins and signs agreement with the petroleum ministry, running into tens of millions and sometimes hundreds of millions of naira ,is often waived off. There is actually no waiver; rather a diversion of what would have been paid to government t coffers is paid into private purse as appreciation gifts. That is why those in the Petroleum Ministry dread retirement as though it signifies going to hell fire. No matter how little your influence, something substantial must enter your hands especially in hard currency. The nation loses billions of dollars in diverted revenue whenever any round of auction occurs.
OML 110 with high yield OBE oil fields was given Cavendish Petroleum owned by Alhaji Mai Daribe, the Borno Patriarch in 1996 by Sanni Abacha. OBE oil field has estimated over 500 million barrels of oil. In layman’s language and using average benchmark of $100 dollars per barrel, translates to $50 billion dollars worth of oil reserve. When you remove the taxes, royalties and sundry duties worth about 60% of the reserve payable over time you get about $20billion dollars worth of oil in the hands of a family.
OPL 246 was awarded to SAPETRO, a company owned by General Theophilus Danjuma, by Sanni Abacha in 1998. Akpo condensate exports about 300,000 barrels of crude daily.
OML 112 and OML 117 were awarded to AMNI International Petroleum Development Company owned by Colonel Sanni Bello in 1999. Sanni Bello is an inlaw to Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Head of State of Nigeria.
OML 115, OLDWOK Field and EBOK field was awarded to Alhaji Mohammed Indimi from Niger State. Indimi is an inlaw to former Military President Ibrahim Babangida.
OML 215 is operated by Nor East Petroleum Limited owned by Alhaji Saleh Mohammed Gambo.
OML 108 is operated by Express Petroleum Company Limited is owned by Alhaji Aminu Dantata.
OML II3 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Pet Ltd is owned by Alhaji W.I. folawiyo.
ASUOKPU/UMUTU marginal oil fields is operated by Seplat Petroleum. Seplat is owned by Prince Nasiru Ado Bayero, cousin to the Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi. This oil field has the capacity of 300,000 barrels of oil daily. This translates to $30million dollars daily at average benchmark of $100 dollars per barrel. Deducting all sundry taxes, royalties etc , this field can yield $12billion dollars daily for the owners.
Intel owned by Atiku, Yarádua and Ado Bayero has substantial stakes in Nigeria’s oil exploration industry both in Nigeria and Principe and Sao Tome. AMNI owns two oil blocks OML 112 and OML 117 which it runs Afren plc and Vitol has substantial stakes in oil blocks. Afren plc is operating EBOK oil fields in OML 67. Vitol lifts 300,000 barrels of Nigerian oil daily. Rilwanu Lukman, former OPEC Chairman has stakes in all these named three companies.
OPL 245 was awarded to Malabu Oil& Gas Company by Sanni Abacha. Dan Etete, Abacha’s oil minister owns Malabu Oil. In 2000, Vice President Atiku Abubakar convinced Obasanjo to revoke
OPL 245 given to Malabu Oil. Etete had earlier rejected Atiku’s demand for substantial stakes in the high yield OPL 245 and it attracted the venom of Ota Majesty who revoked the licence. However, in 2006, Obasanjo had mercy on Dan Etete and gave him back his oil block worth over $20 billion dollars.
OPL 289 and OPL 233 was awarded during Obasanjo era to Peter Odili fronts, Cleanwater Consortium, consisting of Clenwater Refinery and RivGas Petroleum and Gas Company. Odili’s brother in law, Okey Ezenwa manages the consortium as Vice Chairman.
OPL 286 is managed by Focus Energy in partnership with BG Group, a British oil concern. Andy Uba has stakes in Focus Energy and his modus operandi is such that you can never see his name in any listings yet he controls OPL and OML through proxies.
OPL 291 was awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited, owned by Emeka Offor by Obasanjo . Immediately after the award, Starcrest sold the oil block to Addax Petroleum Development Company Limited (ADDAX) Addax paid Sir Emeka Offor a farming fee of $35million dollars and still paid the signature bonus to the government. Emeka Offor still retains stake in ADDAX operations in Nigeria.
Mike Adenuga’s Conoil is the oldest indigenous oil exploration industry in Nigeria. Conoil has six oil blocks and exports above 200,000 barrels of crude daily. The oil block national cake sharing fiesta could take twists according to the mood of the Commander-in –Chief at the particular time. In 2006, Obasanjo revoked OPL 246 which Abacha gave to Danjuma because he refused to support the tenure elongation bid of the Ota Majesty. In 2000, Obasanjo had earlier revoked OPL 241 given to Dan Etete under the advice Atiku. However, when the Obasanjo-Atiku faceoff started, the Ota Majesty made a u-turn and handed back the oil block to Etete.
During the time of Late President Yarádua , a panel headed by Olusegun Ogunjana was set up to investigate the level of transparency in the award of oil blocks. The panel recommended that 25 oil blocks awarded by the Obasanjo be revoked because the manner they were obtained failed to meet the best practices in the industry. Sadiq Mahmood, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum endorsed the report to then president with all its recommendations. As a result of the report Yarádua revoked eleven oil blocks.
In April 2011 Mike Adenuga attempted to buy Shell’s OML 30 for $1.2 billion dollars. The Minister for Petroleum and Nigeria’s most powerful woman refused the sale of the OML30 to Adenuga citing national interest. This block was later sold to Heritage Oil for $800 million dollars eleven months later.
This oil block business is so lucrative that Danjuma’s Sapetro divested of its investment in Akpo condensate for $1billion dollars. This business is second to none in Nigeria. That is why any attempt to investigate the activities in this sector will always be futile. The money is so much that they give bribes in millions of dollars. A birthday gift or child naming gift from an oil block owner to a government official could be as paltry as $2million dollars, and if the official’s father died, the condolence gift could reach mere $3 million dollars. When they want to bribe legislators, it is in millions of dollars and any ongoing investigation ends within weeks. They are so confident that with excess money they can buy up Nigeria and they are succeeding. In the name of competitive bidding, which Obasanjo introduced in 2005, Officials bring companies overnight and through processes best described as secretive and voodooist they award blocks to party faithful, fronts and phoney companies.
During the third term agenda, Obasanjo was deceived that the allocation of oil block to party faithfuls is to fund the third term agenda. With the failure of the third term, the beneficiaries went home with their fortunes and thanked God or Allah for buttering their bread. Senator Andy Uba co ordinate the award of the last rounds of oil block by Obasanjo in 2005 and 2007. The then minister of petroleum, Edwin Daukoru was a mere errand boy who took instructions from the presidential aide.
The regime of President Goodluck is not showing any signs of changing the status quo. Controversies have trailed the activities of the Minister of Petroleum and many players in the Industry accuse her of demanding stakes from every oil deal. It is hoped that President Goodluck Jonathan will remember his transformational promise to Nigerians and endeavour to face the hawks in the oil industry. The angst in the air is so much that if this monster of illegal allocation of oil block is not addressed, the much touted revolution could begin all of a sudden and all who condoned this illegality at the expense of hungry Nigerians may have nowhere to hide.
The religious leaders should tell these oil block beneficiaries, awarders, fronts, brokers and all involved in short changing the Nigerian people to find means or returning all these back to the Nigerian people, through massive development projects. The voice of impoverished Nigerians is crying daily and if care is not taken the God who delivered Nigeria from Abacha dark days will visit them with calamities untold. With the rot in this oil block awarding system and other loot all over the Nigerian nation, something worse than revolution may happen.


A picture of former military ruler, Gen Sani Abacha with former Palestine leader, Yasser Arafat taken on Sunday, June 7, 1998, a day before he died on June 8, 1998 has gone viral. Abacha died while at the presidential villa in Abuja. He was buried on the same day, according to Muslim tradition, without an autopsy.
This led to speculation that he may have been executed extra judicially by way of being poisoned by political rivals via prostitutes.
READ ALSO: Nigerians React To Abacha’s Newly Discovered $370m Loot
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Gen Sani Abacha with former Palestine leader, Yasser Arafat Photo Credit: AP
The government identified the cause of death as a sudden heart attack. It is reported that he was in the company of two Indian prostitutes imported from Dubai. It is thought that the prostitutes laced his drink with a poisonous substance, making Abacha feel unwell around 4:30am. He retired to his bed and was dead by 6:15am. It was recently revealed that a new loot of $370 million has been traced to the former Military Head of State, late Sani Abacha in Luxembourg.


Dear President Obama, Please Don't Return Abacha's Loot To Jonathan, Abeg!The United States has recently ordered a freeze on $458m in assets stolen by the former military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha, and his accomplices.
The Federal Goverment was delighted with this development and seeks return of the loot. But do they deserve to get it back? And, if yes, then would this sum be allocated for the needs of Nigerians, or it would vaporize.
Learn more from the “letter” below:
We beg you dear America with everything you hold dear, please and please, do not repatriate that $458 million seized Abacha assets/loot to Nigeria right now. In case you do not know, though we know you know, there is a hole in the bucket right now.
To be more precise, we do not even have a bucket, we have a basket here at present. Bandits are in power. If you give them this money now, I promise you, we will be repatriating this very same $458 again, plus other billions (USD) in another 16 years. Guaranteed!
Something is missing over here so we cannot yet collect that money, please bear with us. Soon it will be repaired and then we will come for it; but for now, kindly keep it well as you have been. The last repatriated funds our leaders’ godfather got back from Switzerland and other of his looted billions of dollars we have been recovering locally, and from the Luxembourg and other stashes, only they know where the money is. The things they said they did with said funds are nowhere to be seen today. And this lemon in power currently did not fall too far from the tree.
The $458 will be gone before you can say “Jack Robinson”; before it even reaches Nigeria. That, sadly, is the way of things these days. We believe you heard about the Berne declaration report and how they steal billions of dollars of our earnings before it ever reaches our shores. This is what we go through. Right now, you can literally see them licking their fingers and fighting over how they will divide the $458 among themselves to buy more private jets and sponsor more terror to test their security in their fortified mansions and bombproof cars.
It is not a problem we cannot and will not handle. We are resolving this slight, dreadful glitch as we speak. It was an unfortunate situation, actually a series of unfortunate coincident incidents that got us here: an imprisonment and a death/murder; odd “coincidences” that got us this Good luck.
God bless you, enh, America, unna do well. To have actually kept the looted assets intact for 16 years; that is a miracle, the like of which is unheard of in these parts. Even for few minutes, billions of dollars will not be found over here, talk less 16 years.
In our country, while you are looking at the money like this, it will be disappearing. Pension, disappear. Subsidy, disappear. Oil revenue, disappear. NEITI/gas revenue, gone. Tax, gone! Road use tax, gone before it is started. Malibu, gone. NNPC $20-127 billion remittance, gone. The money I had in my pocket just now, gone. In fact, the $458, check it where you kept it. The government vipers have heard of it, it may have grown wings already!
As official reason not to remit these funds, please consider the implication of transferring such funds which will potentially be utilized to sponsor terror in Nigeria. It has been noted that as billions of dollars got missing from the nation’s coffers. Boko Haram and other deadly menaces in Nigeria happened to simultaneously get stinking rich and able to afford limitless sophisticated weaponry. We will not want funds released from the US to be used to sponsor al Qaeda and global terror via transfers from Boko Haram in Nigeria, through AQIM.
Please consider that at this time in our history, we would benefit immensely if there is a global ban on the purchase of our oil all together. We cause too much ecological pollution for the worth of the oil harvested from our country; and the earnings from the oil, of which most is looted, ends up doing us more harm than good. This is not the right time for us to get any more money from any source whatsoever.
Please consider this seriously. As obtains today, most of us live under a dollar a day, while the 1003 cabal and leaders, sorry, rulers who colonize us, live on over a million dollars a day. This is calamitous. We should not be giving them more dough. If you give them this money now, I promise you, we will be repatriating this very same $458 again, plus other billions (USD) in another 16 years. Guaranteed! These klepto’s are predictable like desert encroachment. Nostradamus spoke of them in the Century II quatrain 62: “Mabus (Abacha), though dead returns. Both man and beast suffer terribly. Then, all of a sudden, vengeance arrives. Much blood, thirst, hunger, when the comet passes”.
Between our Abacha reincarnate leader, sorry, ruler and his second-in-command, the oil minister, the two who we now find are in-laws, long story; you cannot imagine what we go through in our country.
At this time we will prefer for our government officials to be strongly sanctioned as they constitute a risk to themselves, to Nigeria and international partners. You can imagine we have an agent of the president, Wendell Simlin, aka, Reno Omokri who is an open terrorist, on the government payroll.
Did you hear about the deadly Immigration scam? Are you aware of the artificial inflicted fuel scarcity the proposed refinery cabalization? The colossal man-made flood and what happened to the funds that were allocated to rehabilitate those who lost all? Too much to yarn about, maybe some other time.
Then on a final note, you might not know but our government reveres and gave honorary awards to late Abacha who we (the people and you) recognize was a murderous thief. If this money is returned to the Nigerian government now, even if they do not consume it, they will give it back to the criminal members of his family who have been hoarding our money all this while. What purpose will your noble action serve then?
We thank you for acting in the best interest of Nigeria. In a little while, we would have cleared up this mess and the money can then be sent to our new era of youth leaders in the new Nigeria.

In God We Trust.


Professor Sadiq Suleiman Wali, General Sani Abacha’s personal doctor recently spoke to the press, revealing the details of Abacha’s sudden death seventeen years after his mysterious demise.
Abacha

Sani Abacha’s sudden death caused lots of rumours
An event in 1998 that changed the Nigerian history. By June 1998, Sani Abacha had ruled Nigeria for almost five years. Isolated by the West, Abacha promised elections and a transition to civilian rule by October 1998, but with just months to polls, all the political parties nominated General Abacha as their candidate for president.
READ ALSO: Nigerians React To Abacha’s Newly Discovered $370m Loot
Professor Wali describes Abacha as “a quiet person, calm person. He could be really firm on some issues, but normally he didn’t talk much”.
READ ALSO: Federal government opens up why Abacha received centenary award
He served as physician to the three previous Nigerian heads of state after being reluctantly recruited in that role in the early 1980-s. He considered himself politically neutral and lived outside the sprawling heavily guarded presidential complex known as Aso Rock in the capital Abuja. But he was always in the presidential entourage.
Professor Wali says Abacha’s health was not so serious  before his death. “Abacha was generally healthy though he had some health issues, he was treated, he’s responded [to that treatment] very well. He didn’t have any heart-related diseases at that time.”
READ ALSO: ‘My Husband’s Death Was Like A Coup’ – Maryam Abacha
On the 7 of June, 1998  Wali’d been with Abacha, as he hosted the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat and all seemed well. The next morning General Sani Abacha was due to fly to the OAU summit being held in Burkina-Faso and professor Wali was due to go with him.
Professor Wali recounts that “around 6 am I had a phone call from his security officers, and they said, “please come, come to the villa, come urgently!”  Before I even could get ready, they came and picked me. I had no idea what it all was about.”
The car carrying the doctor sped towards the presidential villa through a special entrance – a shortcut which only the president was allowed to use.
READ ALSO: 7 Things History Wont Forget About Abacha
The doctor realised something was seriously wrong.
“I arrived then I saw chief security there and he said “doctor come in, please, come in!” We all rushed and I just saw the president. There was another doctor who came earlier, resuscitating him. Abacha was in the sitting room. He was on the couch. He was in his normal work clothes. I didn’t panic. I’ve seen a lot of serious problems before in my practice, but to affect him was very tough, definitely. I joined and we did as much as we could to resuscitate him. But I realised that he was dead because he was fuming. We just continued resuscitation and even injected some things, but it didn’t work.”
READ ALSO: Rare Photo Of Former First Lady, Maryam Abacha
After 40 minutes trying to resuscitate the stricken general, Professor Wali said General Abacha had died. “I said, sorry – there’s nothing we can do”.
There was no immediate public announcement, in a country prone to coups, Abacha’s head of security first increased the guard around the presidential complex and then called the heads of the armed forces to gather to decide on his replacement.
“Immediately the security officer took over, and he invited all the service chiefs to come to Abuja, by then most of them were based in Lagos.” says doctor Wali.
When the service chiefs arrived, some of them asked to see the body to pay their respect to their former leader.
READ ALSO: Abacha Secured 60 False Security Vote Letters To Loot CBN — US
“They wanted to make sure, that he is dead. And some of them were crying” – tells Wali.
Professor informed the family of what have happened. Obviously, the sudden death of an apparently healthy head of state raised a few questions.
Professor Wali was determined that there should be an autopsy to find out what caused the sudden heart attack. After much deliberating, the family declined, preferring the quick burial in line with Islamic tradition. But the doctor was determined to find some clues as to what have happened.
READ ALSO: Sadiq Sani Abacha Writes Open Letter To Prof. Wole Soyinka Over His Statement
“I still try to take some samples of blood and urine and hair and things like that, just thinking for the future chemical tests,” Professor Wali said, adding that “it’s very difficult to say [whether he died of natural causes]. What I can see. The blood test we did, has shown some raised cardiac enzymes [proteins that are released into the blood by dying heart muscles].That’s why we thought maybe it was cardiac attack.”
READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Maryam Abacha Celebrates 68th Birthday
Every Nigerian has his own theory about what happened to General Abacha. There are rumours that he was poisoned, or that he spent a night entertaining young ladies. Speaking on the rumours, Professor Wali said: “when I entered [Abacha’s premises], there were no ladies. It might be true but I did not see them. Concerning the poison, as I said no post-mortem has been done, so I couldn’t assure whether he was poisoned or it was a heart attack.”
READ ALSO: Abacha’s Daughter Tempted To Join APC
While the generals deliberated on who would take over, plans were made to take Abacha’s body to his hometown in Kano later that day. It was decided to finally tell the public what had happened.  But the mystery around Abacha’s death still remains seventeen years after his sudden and unexpected demise.
Earlier Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Chief Security Officer (CSO) of General Sani Abacha, who was Nigeria’s military Head of State from November 1993 to June 1998, told the press his own version of Sani Abacha’s last days.


Joseph Edgar, an investment banker and blogger, has run into Nigerian music legend Majek Fashek this morning in Lagos.
Majek Fashek: From Nigerian Music Legend To Beggar
Joseph Edgar and Majek Fashek
On his way to work the man saw a loony figure in sagged pants with dirty black underwear showing, and a caftan perched precariously on his extra lean shoulders.
The man with long unkempt dreadlocks and yellow teeth had a surprisingly very handsome face. In this man Edgar recognized one of the legends of Nigerian music Majek.
READ ALSO: I’m Under Spiritual Attack – Majek Fashek
He was begging for ogogoro because he did not have 100 Naira to pay for it. The blogger reportedly stopped, brought out the money, but suddenly got confused.
“Should I give him this money and contribute to his death or should I refuse him and watch him throw a tantrum like a disposed toddler. He saved me the dilemma as he grabbed the money from me and rushed to the ugly, black dirty merchant of death, who gleefully poured him a glass full,” Edgar recalled.
Majek Fashek: From Nigerian Music Legend To Beggar
Majek downed the drink and hugged the blogger like he had just saved him from death.
“I looked deep into his eyes and saw a lost soul. He was actually begging for help, the demon inside of him peered at me from his once very beautiful eyes, daring me to do my worse.”
Speaking with the blogger, Majek said that he was not going to leave this host until it finished its dreadful task of killing him.
Shortly after the rencounter with the former music star, the impressed Edgar shared his experience and sad feelings in his blog.
“Did we fail him as Nigerians, did we put an umbrella over the rainmaker, did the flood of his talent wash away his life, what can be done, do we continue watch him make a mockery of a life once blessed?” the blogger asked.
READ ALSO: Where Are They? The Celebrities Of Yesteryear…Blackface, BabaFryo, Majek Fashek Etc
“Majek in his destitution represents Nigeria. Blessed with more than enough resources, rich in human capacity, more fertile land than the whole of Asia and filled with gifted and talented people, but yet beggarly and poor. Daily our leaders go to ‘jibowu’ to beg poorer countries for aid, for debt forgiveness. The contradiction never leaves me. Japan with no known natural resources is so developed that we can only look in shame.
“Majek with all the talents of a thousand people, begging the woman who can’t lift a finger beside him for N100, Majek being laughed at by miscreants and being mocked with so much joy by those who were not half as blessed by God,” he added.


The health status of reggae legend, Majek Fashek has been in the news for quite some time now, and it seems no one is ready to pick up the issue until few days ago when brought you news of a Good Samaritan who has offered to help out on the veteran singer’s deteriorating state of health.
A woman living in Massachusetts, USA identified as Monica Omorodion who had worked with Majek as a backup singer during his hay days has signalled her intention and launched a foundation to help Majek.
Save Majek Fashek Campaign! Wife And Son To Return Home
Majek Fashek with Monica back in the days.

New report has it that Monica won’t be working alone on this as she has started talking with Majek’s wife, Rita and his eldest son, Randy who are both living in the US.
READ ALSO: HEARTBREAKING: How Nigerian Music Legend Turned Into Beggar
They intend to return to Nigeria when they have gathered enough funds to step up rehabilitative efforts to save Majek who is a blessing to Nigerian music.
According to Monica, “The goal is not to bring Majek to the US right now. The goal is to raise money to help him get to Rehab. No money will be given to him directly. I am working with his wife and son here right now”.
“We are also looking at some in South Africa. The wife is working with me and his oldest son, Randy. They have gone through so much trauma because of their father’s case. But they are hopeful. When we have raised the needed funds, the three of us will be returning together to help him. The other sons are great.”
About a year ago, Majek Fashek disclosed that he is under spiritual attack. 


Reggae Legend and guitarist, Majekodunmi Fashekun, popularly known as Majek Fashek, who has been off the music scene for a while, has finally cleared the air on what happened to his career.
I’m Under Spiritual Attack – Majek Fashek
Majek Fashek
Majek in a chat on Channels TV’s Rubbin’ Minds said that he had never taken drugs all his life and what was responsible for his haggard looks and stagnant career was spiritual attack by witches and what he described as home trouble.
He said: “I never used drugs. I have home trouble. When people see your star they begin to get jealous and they want to kill it. That was what hap­pened to me.”

In the interview, ‘The Rainmaker’ Majek also revealed that he has finally relocated to Nigeria and was working on a new album.
It would be recalled, it was reported last year that Majek Fashek’s health had deteriorated with claims that he had was battling with mental illness
However in an interview he granted last year he saying: “I’m a strong man. I may look old and rough right now, but I know what I’m saying and what I’m doing. Many people think that Majek has gone and that Majek is no more, but I’m still here and I’m probably going to live longer than a lot of you.”
The Edo born Majek who was once one of the biggest musicans in Africa hit limelight in the 1980s with the release of his debut album, “Prisoner of Conscience” containing the hit track ‘Send Down The Rain’.
He was hailed as the new Bob Marley and inked an international recording deal with Interscope. However, the musician’s fortunes dwin­dled amid reports of drug addiction.


Writing for Leadership newspaper, Samuel Abulude and Obianuju Asika, writers on the entertainment industry, examine the lives and personalities of artists, comedians and actors who seem to have fallen off the Nigerian entertainment radar.
What Are Our Favored Celebs Doing Now?
Majek Fashek
Majek Fashek
Majek Fashek is presently in the northern part of the country laundering the image of the president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan for the upcoming elections. The rastaman whose latest album, Dancing Rasta is yet to be released, has been battling with ill health since he relocated back to Nigeria, due to personal problems that greatly affected his health. Gone are the days when the rainmaker was bubbly, robust and the cynosure of all eyes because of his talent. Majek’s talent is not in doubt. The reggae musician who has been a professional singer for over 25 years has had his glory days. He was the first Nigerian singer to have his debut album shoot to international acclaim.
READ ALSO: Hilarious 2015 Resolutions Naija Celebs Must Make
Baba Suwe
November 2011 would always be an unforgettable day for Babatunde Omidina aka Baba Suwe’s. He is yet to recover from the events of that day. The veteran actor cum comedian was the toast of fans of Yoruba movies in the 2000s. The accomplished comedian appeared in a lot of movies during that period, but life has not been the same again for him as a result of his arrest at he Lagos airport by anti-narcotic agents for allegedly concealing drugs in his stomach. Though he sued the NDLEA and won the case, with a compensation of two thousand pounds awarded to him, Baba Suwe hasn’t collected the money and sadly the person at the forefront of the law suit, Barrister Bamidele Aturu, died last year and that somewhat put paid to the case. Since then, ‘Adimeru’ has largely been shunned by corporate bodies and others.
In an interview, the comic actor confessed facing hard times as a result of the protracted drug saga. He lamented, “I have not collected any compensation money from NDLEA yet. The most painful thing is that I was wrongly accused. Had it been I actually committed the crime, I wouldn’t mind, but they just punished me for nothing. I was in NDLEA custody for almost three weeks, and nothing was found on me. No matter the kind of juju one may have, I don’t think there is anybody that can conceal cocaine for even two days. Even a lot of people that could have assisted me financially don’t want to associate with me again. People within and outside the industry have deserted me on account of the allegation. They still doubt me despite my victory in court. I have sung praises of some people in some of my movies, and I always appreciate whatever they give me. This makes a lot of people close to me. For instance, I was close to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu before and he was very nice to me. But now, it’s very difficult for me to be close to him. He is even not comfortable seeing me around him again because of the allegation. I don’t enjoy people’s love and admiration like before because people still believe that it was true,” he lamented.
READ ALSO: Baba Suwe Gives Up On 25 Million Naira
Eddy (Brown) Remedies
Eddy Asiedu Brown was the vocalist among the famed Remedies group which pioneered Hip Hop music in Nigeria in the late 90s and early 2000. Eddy Montana, as he was , was part of the group which churned out hits like Shako Mo, Omode Meta, to name a few. Other members are the rapper, Idris Abdulkareem and Tony Tetuila. They have since parted ways, but the Remedies were the toast of parties and clubs during that period. Signed under Kennis Music, The Remedies enjoyed enormous patronage, but where are the trio now? Eddy Remedy, according to some quarters, has not recovered from his messy divorce from Kennis Music singer and executive, Kenny St Brown, nee Ogungbe.
Eddy has now remixed his Shako Mo hit song and is using the platform to re-launch his embattled musical career. Reports say the singer is not in a good state financially.
Feyikogbon (Yinka Ikudaisi)
Feyikogbon is the popular drama series akin to the famed Tales By Moonlight. It was aired every Sunday on NTA 7, Tejuoso now NTA 10. The producer, Yinka Ikudaisi had started Feyikogbon from the NTV in 1978 and it is reputed to be the longest running Yoruba drama series.
The series came back on DSTV last year, featuring a blended cast of young artistes and veterans like Bimbo, Amuda and the narrator, Ajobiewe. The actor who is aged now was reported to have acquired numerous wives while his soap was the toast of TV. Feyikogbon married a number of talented actresses who featured in his productions. Now the actor whose drama series was gold, is living in the shadow of the times, struggling to eke out a living with his many wives, though some of them have deserted him according to news making the rounds.
Baba Sala
Baba Sala’s story is a sad tale. He obtained a loan from the now closed National Bank to produce his movie, Mose Bolatan. The movie underwent post production in London and the veteran comedian, elated that he had done a major work that would fetch him millions after it is screened, came back to Nigeria, The Ilesha-born actor was greeted with the news that the Mose Bolatan VHS was already being sold on the streets. This sad development took Baba’s bubbling career backward, leaving him in debt running into millions. Some even alleged that Baba was partly responsible for National Bank going bankrupt.
In 2012, Moses Olaiya (his real name) was spotted at LTV 8 Ground, in Ikeja during the festive period. He was still his comical self though age had caught up with him. The septuagenarian had to come from his Ilesha abode to monitor the screening of his movie, Orun Moor. Elder Moses Olaiya was instrumental in birthing the career of King Sunny Ade and , Michael Abulude.
Blackface
Black Face was with the famous trio Plantasun Boyz alongside 2face and Faze. The group made platinum songs that shot them to the top before they decided to call it quits in 2004. Black Face co-wrote the famous African Queen that became Tuface’s hit song. He continued with his solo career and released some songs but never got the recognition that would have made him a bigger brand.
READ ALSO: Jay-Z Acquires Boxing Promotion Company
Baba Fryo
This Nigerian ghetto singer from Ajegunle who was born Friday Igwe is famous for his hit street song Dem Go Dey Pose in the late 90s. He did some songs after the popular anthem, but sadly never made another hit like the first. He seems to have fallen into the category of one-hit wonders. In an interview, he expressed his frustrations as a musician but since then, nothing new has been heard from the once famous artiste.
Recently, Bracket spoke on the allegations making the rounds that they are gay.


The past weeks have seen many well Nigerians speak about the ailing health condition of veteran Reggae singer Majek Fashek. The latest key industry personality to wade into the matter is, Charlie Boy who is seeking support for Fashek’s rehabilitation.
Charlie Boy, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja today said Majek Fashek was an iconic artiste who should not be left in his present terrible condition.
Charlie Boy Calls On Nigerians To Help Save Majek Fashek
Majek Fashek
READ ALSO: Read What Majek Fashek’s Wife Said About The Legendary Singer’s Terrible Turn
“The worst thing we can do is stand and watch when we see someone struggling in agony, especially when their pain is self-inflicted”. Majek Fashek is our own; let’s see how we can heal our rain maker who needs all the love and understanding he can get right now. I know quite a few well meaning Nigerians have contributed to his rehabilitation, but I still encourage others to help see the healing of this great musician become a reality. It is our collective effort to help rehabilitate him as a social responsibility of fighting this hard drug menace that is wasting so many of our youths,” he said.
He further reiterated that, he decided to drum support for the legendary reggae king because had had worked with him and Fashek was such a huge talent that should not be left to suffer.
“I remember this very handsome man with a good heart and we had worked together a long time ago at the start of his beautiful but truncated music career. He is a multi- talented artiste of international repute, whose hit rendition `Send down the Rain’ still does exactly that anytime it is played- sending the shivers down our spines”
He further said that,
It used to be my favourite song from his album, and till today, I can sing his lyrics many years after. He brewed that song right in my studio in Oguta, in the seven months he spent with me there as an in-house producer. He was so promising, so full of dreams that it breaks my heart to see him so degenerated and entirely disconnected today,” he cried out.
His one time back up singer, Monica, first started a foundation to save the legendary singer.

Pastor Wole Oladiyun of the Christ Living Apostolic Ministries (CLAM) has asked that Majek Fashek to be brought to him for deliverance.
Pastor Calls For Majek Fashek To Deliver Him
Oladiyun as reported made the announcement during the first service of the church on Sunday.
READ ALSO: Read What Majek Fashek’s Wife Said About The Legendary Singer’s Terrible Turn
According to him, there is nothing impossible for God to do and the ‘rain maker’ can still rise again.
Pastor Calls For Majek Fashek To Deliver Him
Meanwhile, the latest key industry personality to wade into the matter is, Charlie Boy who is seeking support for Fashek’s rehabilitation.
Charlie Boy, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja today said Majek Fashek was an iconic artiste who should not be left in his present terrible condition.
His one time back up singer, Monica, first started a foundation to save the legendary singer.


Editor’s note: Naij.com guest author Chinedu George Nnawetanma responds to President Buhari’s claim that there are restraints to what he can do for Nigeria at the age of 72, and recollects 5 well-known world politicians who overcomed age limitations and made diffirence in their countries. 
Story highlights:
– “If the president knew there’s a limit to what he could do at his age, why didn’t he inform us about it while he was still campaigning for presidency?”
– “If the president knew there’s a limit to what he could do at his age, why didn’t he inform us about it while he was still campaigning for presidency?”
– “Declaring that there are restraints to what a leader can achieve beyond 72 is a theory that was proved wrong a lot of times.”
President Muhammadu Buhari’s unfortunate statement during his visit to South Africa: “There’s a limit to what I can do at 72″ has generated a well-deserved negative heat. If the president knew there’s a limit to what he could do at his age, why didn’t he inform us about it while he was still campaigning for presidency?
READ ALSO: Buhari Under Fire For Expressing Doubts 
It was the spokesman of Buhari’s campaign organization and now the senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, who in January this year boasted that Buhari was “as fit as a fiddle.” He also proclaimed that his boss was “in excellent condition to pilot the affairs of the country.” Why did then the limitations suddenly appear three weeks after he was sworn in as president?
READ ALSO: Fayose Urges Nigerians To Pray For Buhari 
Though I have nothing against President Muhammadu Buhari, I will not fail to point out the drawbacks in his administration whenever I observe them. In fact, doing this can only make the government serve the country better. After all, a former British prime minister, Winston Churchill, said: “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” Theologian Norman Vincent Peale stated: “The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.”
I will praise my president if he does something worthy of commendation, and I will also constructively criticize him if he veers off. Declaring that there are restraints to what a leader can achieve beyond 72 is a theory that was proved wrong a lot of times. Here are 5 world leaders who were elected at an older age than President Buhari, but didn’t let that stop them from transforming their countries and the world at large.
1. Pope Francis. His Holiness Pope Francis was elected on March 13, 2013 to lead the world’s 1.3 billion Roman Catholics ‒almost eight times the population of Nigeria. At the time he was 76 years old.
A few days into his papacy, Francis swung into action by tackling some of the Catholic Church’s most nagging problems. He set up a committee to look into the activities of the Institute for the Works of Religion popularly known as the Vatican Bank and widely regarded as corrupted. President Buhari promised to curb corruption in Nigeria, but one month on we are yet to be informed how he intends to achieve this.
The pope didn’t stop there though. He also set up a committee to investigate the embarrassing clerical child abuse scandal that had recently rocked the Church. These and many other efforts aimed at making Vatican more transparent and bringing the Catholic Church into the 21st century has earned the pope unparalleled global goodwill.
A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in February revealed that Pope Francis enjoyed approval of 70% Americans irrespective of their religious affiliations. It is remarkable that President Barack Obama’s current approval rating among Americans accounts for 47%, according to Gallup.
2. King Salman. King Salman of Saudi Arabia was elected earlier this year following the death of his elder brother at the age of 79. But the age did not in any way affect his performance. Months into his reign, the septuagenarian monarch sacked the Kingdom’s head of royal protocol for slapping a photojournalist live on television.
Before that King Salman had already banned a senior member of the Saudi Royal Family from taking part in all sporting activities for making racist remarks on a TV talk show. Moreover, he dismissed the country’s minister of health for engaging in a heated spat with a person who only came to complain of the poor condition of a hospital in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.
These actions signal that the old order of unruliness and highhandedness in the oil-rich Kingdom is gone to the satisfaction of the Saudi people.
3. Winston Churchill. He is, perhaps, the most popular British prime minister of all times. Britain’s wartime head of government was reappointed prime minister in 1951 at the age of 76 following the Conservative Party’s victory in the poll. From 1951 till his resignation in 1955, Churchill helped to fix the devastated Europe, and shrewdly managed the steady decline of the once-powerful British Empire. Those three and a half years were enough to cement his place as one of the 20th century’s greatest leaders, and forever carve his name in the hearts of the British people.
4. Ronald Reagan. The actor-turned-politician became the oldest president in the 239-year USA history (69 years old). Today Reagan is regarded as one of the best presidents America has ever had. A 2011 Gallup poll asking 1015 Americans who they considered the greatest US president placed him in first position with 19% above Abraham Lincoln (14%), Bill Clinton (13%), John F. Kennedy (11%) and George Washington (10%).
The major achievements recorded during Reagan’s two terms include ending the Cold War, reinvigorating the Republican Party rattled by Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, and creating over 16 million jobs for the unemployed Americans.
5. Nelson Mandela. South Africa’s anti-Apartheid icon was 75 years old when he became the country’s first black president in 1994. During his single-term tenure, Mandela spearheaded the reconciliation and healing of a rainbow nation broken by decades of the white minority rule and black segregation, and transformed it into a globally respected economic powerhouse.
Long live the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!


A suicide bomber today, infiltrated a local branch of Redeemed Christian Church of God killing six people including himself.
The explosion occurred at Redeemed Christian Church of God along Bauchi road in Potiskum Town, Yobe State.
BREAKING: Sunday Bomb Attack On Redeemed Church Kills 6 (PHOTOS)
Carnage In Bauchi Church

One eye witness told reporters that the bomb went off at a time worshipers were observing the Sunday service.
The resident said “six persons died” from the blast.
READ ALSO: How Popular Mad Man Regained His Sanity In Lagos Yesterday (Photos)
BREAKING: Sunday Bomb Attack On Redeemed Church Kills 6 (PHOTOS)
Yobe State police have confirmed the explosion and the number of casualties reported.
The Police Public Relations Officer in Yobe, Toyin Gbadegesin, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Damaturu that among the dead was also the suicide bomber.
READ ALSO: Those Who Invested In Buhari Will Be Disappointed – Coomassie
“A male suicide bomber detonated a bomb at Redeemed Church at Jigawa area of Potiskum, killing five on the spot,” Mr. Gbadegesin said. “A female member of the church who sustained injuries also died while receiving treatment in the hospital.”
BREAKING: Sunday Bomb Attack On Redeemed Church Kills 6 (PHOTOS)
He revealed that all the injured are currently getting rehabilitated at various health facilities in the area.
Potiskum last suffered a twin suicide attack on June 15, in which 10 people were killed and several others injured.
Potiskum last witnessed a suicide attack on June 15, the attack left 10 people dead and several others injured.

Editor’s note: Naij.com guest author Dr Tunde Olufon comments on President Buhari’s double-edged decision to dismantle the military checkpoints, and brings forward the arguments why in some states they shouldn’t be so simply rejected.
 Story highlights:
– “The governors still need military presence in their states since Boko Haram is yet to be completely defeated in the northeast and some parts of the North Central geopolitical zones.”
– “The advantages of military checkpoints cannot be underestimated, and they should be employed and dismantled as occasions demand regardless of the inconveniences.”
– “We have reasons to believe that the new government is determined to reverse the trend of insecurity berthing Boko Haram, renew hope in the hopeless, resuscitate the spirit of patriotism and give equal opportunities that would ignite the fire of nationalism in Nigerians.”
A nation-wide jubilation greeted the presidential directive on the military checkpoints dismantling across Nigeria’s entire road network on Monday, June 22, 2015. However, some governors insisted that the volatile areas should be exempted from the blanket ban, and the soldiers should continue with the legitimate and constitutional internal security operations.
READ ALSO: Checkpoints: Re-opening Of Blocked Roads Begin In Jos
With no doubt, the commander-in-chief is sensitive to the citizens’ hardships and pains caused by the checkpoints. At the same time, the governors still need military presence in their states since Boko Haram is yet to be completely defeated in the northeast and some parts of the North Central geopolitical zones.
Military incursion into politics in January 1966 led to almost 30 years of military dictatorship and turned soldiers into an integral part of the Nigerian society.
The Nigerian military presently has six divisions and several battalions spread across the country, which presence has always given the feeling of safety to the populace.
Responsibilities of the Nigerian army include:
  • Protecting the borders of Nigeria, its territorial integrity and citizens during internal or external aggression, crisis and environmental disasters.
  • Promoting Nigeria’s global interest in peace-keeping missions, operations/initiatives, and supplying humanitarian aid to the regions in need.
The domestic responsibilities of soldiers include but not limited to the following:
  1. Aiding civilian population during environmental disasters (storms, floods, earthquakes, landslides, etc.)
  2. Constructing local bridges, make-shift shelters in the war-torn areas, assisting in restoration of vital services like electricity, portable water, clearing of blocked roads, searching and rescuing hostages, etc.
  3. Rendering support to the police when they couldn’t handle riots or other forms of civil unrest themselves.
It is no secret that Nigerian soldiers have always performed excellently since independence, both at domestic and international levels, and proved to be friendlier than other security officials.
During the last 16 years of the new democratic dispensation, all government activities of hiring and firing have always been implemented “with immediate effect”. This is inheritance of military mentality imbibed subconsciously by the “bloody civilians”.
An African adage states that a weeping person should intuitively maintain stable sight to carry out other chores meaning that tears should not impair the eyesight or sense of reasoning!
The thing is that the government structures and citizens in some regions are still insecure despite military presence. Thus, it should now be intensified more than ever for the needed peace to reign and socioeconomic needs to endure.
The need for heavy security protection cannot be overemphasized. It is almost tantamount to a taboo for insurgents to take over a city. The advantages of military checkpoints also cannot be underestimated, and they should be employed and dismantled as occasions demand regardless of the inconveniences.
Due to security dereliction, despite all the efforts, the following terrorist attacks were perpetrated between 2010 and 2014:
  • The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja.
  • A Roman Catholic church, Madala, Abuja outskirts.
  • The United Nations building, Abuja
  • Two bomb blasts at a bus station, Nyanyan, Abuja, between April and May, 2014, respectively.
  • Bomb blasts at Abuja Central Area shopping centre, June 2014;
  • Coordinated bomb attacks on This Day newspaper offices in Abuja and Kaduna, June 2014.
In 2010, when the first bomb blasts hit the Eagle Square vicinity during the celebration of 50th anniversary of independence and the Mogadishu military cantonment in Abuja, the city was virtually “locked up” with military checkpoints.
However, despite all security precautions, the terrorists made the way to the territory proving all the measures inconsequential. Why should the poor masses spend precious hours on the road every day only if the insurgents still have bombs detonated in their habitations?
Recently, the military checkpoints have been replaced with the highway patrol vehicles manned by the well-trained police officers across the country.
What does it entail to handle the internal security of a country like Nigeria that is being torn by civil unrests/insurgency/terrorism?
The unwillingness of the past administrations to give equal rights and opportunities to all citizens as entrenched in the Constitution has created rancour between more than 250 ethnic groups. If not quickly redressed, deeply-rooted anger could metamorphose into civil disturbances, insurrection, insurgency or full-blown terrorism that would demand greater security tactics to handle!
Internal security (IS) operations primarily involve restoration and maintenance of law and order in the face of civil disturbances and disobedience through the application of minimum force. Effective IS operations should deal with minor or major civil disorders due to political reasons that could lead to revolts or rebellions, and forestall the consequences of economic and infrastructural breakdown.
Now the Nigeria Police Force has been charged with the onerous responsibility of maintaining law and order, protecting life and property, preventing crimes and prosecuting offenders. How is it supposed to function effectively in 33 states without the military support?
READ ALSO: IGP Arase Says Police Will Build Its Checkpoints
We believe the police officers are adequately trained for such challenges of internal security with emphasis on the patriotic zeal, integrity and righteous leadership. Now, when the state-of-the-art patrol vehicles equipped with high-technology communication devices and sophisticated modern equipment are in place, brilliant performance should be envisaged.
Cooperation with the citizens in respect of crime prevention and detection must be paid enough attention in order to ensure steady and continuous success of all kinds of IS operations.
Positive results should be recorded through well-coordinated surveillance and application of stop-and-search patrol technology.
The professional training of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) should also be brought to fore since its primary function is to intervene and quell internal disturbances like workers’ or students’ protests.
In other climes, the “third force”, similar to Nigeria’s PMF, is usually established to address internal security issues like racial or tribal rivalry, religious intolerance, maladministration and corruption, famine and poverty, lack of agricultural, educational and social planning, socio-economic grievances, ideological and political differences, student unionism exuberances, pay differential, and industrial upheavals. The majority of citizens in the developing countries are poorly educated and indifferent to the problems outside their daily chores and environment.
A downtrodden and illiterate citizen who could not understand the main reasons for his predicament in life, his misery and poverty, is prone to become an easy prey for politicians, enemies of the state or saboteurs eager to foment trouble in the polity.
We have reasons to believe that the new government is determined to reverse the trend of insecurity berthing Boko Haram, renew hope in the hopeless, resuscitate the spirit of patriotism and give equal opportunities that would ignite the fire of nationalism in Nigerians.
The Word of Wisdom says: “A stitch in time saves nine.”
Your own opinion articles and news/photo reports from your area are welcome at info @naij.com. More details in Naij.com’s step-by-step guide for guest contributors. Drop us an email at info@corp.naij.com telling us what you want to write about and why. Contact us if you have any feedback, suggestions, complaints or compliments. We are also available on Facebook and Twitter.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Naij.com, its editors or other contributors.


A survivor of the twin blasts that rocked Jos, Plateau state capital, Mallam Zachariah Ahmed, has recounted the horrible incidents that preceded the explosion.
This Day reports that Mallam Ahmed, who narrowly escaped death from the twin blasts that hit the Plateau state capital, Sunday night, described his escape as an act of God.
Jos Bombing Survivor Recounts Horrible Experience
File Photo of  bombing victims at a local hospital
READ ALSO: Boko Haram Attacks: Police Bans Hawking
Naij.com had reported that no fewer than fifty people were confirmed dead in first explosion which first occurred at Bauchi road, just before the University of Jos main campus, while the second explosion occurred around Yantaya, Nasarawa Gwon area, both in Jos North local government area of the state.
“We were inside the mosque when we started hearing gunshots.  In the process, we all abandoned our prayers and started to run outside. It was in the ensued confusion that the bomb went off. I was lucky to have escaped by the whisker.
“After the blast, we saw plenty of mutilated bodies of those killed all over the premises of the mosque. I cannot say precisely how many were killed, but they were over 50,” he narrated.

While confirming the incident, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) stated that 47 others were critically injured and were receiving treatment at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Our Lady of Apostle Hospital, Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BhUTH) and Sunnah Hospital, Angwan Rimi, all in Jos.
“As at 3 am, we had 44 people dead while 47 were injured, and majority of them are in the intensive care units (ICUs) of the hospitals.
READ ALSO: One Person Confirmed Dead As Explosion Rocks Kano City
“The state specialist hospital was the first hospital we brought them to but because of the high casualty figure, the hospital facility was overstretched so we took some of them to Bingham University Teaching Hospital and Our Lady of Apostle Hospital,” the north-central zonal coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Mohammed Abdulsalami, said.
“Normally when situations like this occur, we know that there are emergency items that are required in the hospitals such as bandages that will first of all be applied to the victims to arrest the bleeding. So we were able to provide all that.
“Why we are here now is to monitor the situation and to enquire from the hospital management what more they require so that we could forward their request to Abuja for the items to be made available immediately,” he added.
Nigerians have said that president the recent spate of bombings has increased pressure on the Nigerian leader.


Editor’s note: More and more Nigerians feel inclined to agree that President Muhammadu Buhari should deal with frictions that have prevented him and his party, the APC, from demonstrating tangible results in the first month of governance. The Naij.com columnist ‘Yomi Kazeem goes even further and says that President Buhari should first focus on his spokesmen — the ‘bridge’ between him and the people — instead of trying to battle some external forces, incuding the PDP which is now in the opposition to the ruling APC.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the original author. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of  Naij.com, its editors or other contributors.
Amid the various criticisms Goodluck Jonathan faced over the course of his presidency, one particular criticism remained constant: the poor choice of media handlers. Jonathan’s spokesmen won him little support as, gaffe after gaffe, they turned out to be one of the biggest reasons for the disillusionment with the his presidency.
On social media, these men — the mouthpieces of a president — were often seen engaging in abusive exchanges (the online version of fisticuffs) with regular Nigerians. Their ‘ability’ to read the tone and mood of the nation was infamously horrible. They became notorious for publishing photos of President Jonathan dancing and being merry a day after bomb explosions and deaths of Nigerians.
As far as presidential spokesmen go, the last set was a clear manual of how not to be a presidential spokesman.
Given the widespread belief that President Jonathan’s handling of the media and choice of spokesmen might have cost him the presidency to some extent, everyone assumed it would literally be impossible for his successor to repeat the same mistakes. Nevertheless, one month into the Buhari presidency, the murmurs of his ineptitude considering media handling are becoming more and more audible.
Primarily, the job of a presidential spokesperson is to relay messages from the president to Nigerians. But their job often goes far beyond that in many ways. One of their biggest roles is to forge, build and tweak the general perception of the president. So far, President Buhari’s media handlers have done little in that regard. The lack of a crisp and coordinated communications strategy since President Buhari’s taking over the office has resulted in the shaping of different perceptions of his presidency to fit various narratives. With social media accounts of his spokesmen sometimes silent for days, many, including international media, are steadily drumming up the perception that nothing is going on.
Coupled with Buhari’s lack of appointment of key government personnel as well as his cabinet, this narrative becomes easier to push with little resistance from the president’s ‘last frontier’ — his spokesmen.
Recently, one of the president’s advisers was in for a hard time on social media following an unfortunate tweet:
Predictably, the responses from Nigerians showed their displeasure:
Similarly, there are question marks over their ability to relay the president’s empathy amid the spate of recent bombings in the Northeast. Having been another crucial failing of Jonathan’s spokesmen, it is worrying that it is a reoccurring error.
President Buhari came into office on the back of an excellent and coordinated campaign which had excellent communication and clarity of purpose as one its defining hallmarks. Since taking office, however, this key component that won him the presidency has disappeared. As it stands, Nigeria could well be on its way back to the period where the president’s spokesmen were the first thing with which he was attacked instead of being his last line of defence.
On May 29, it appeared those days were over; we might have been wrong.
President Buhari’s Spokesmen Pose More Threat Than PDP
‘Yomi Kazeem for Naij.com
‘Yomi Kazeem is a media professional based in Lagos, Nigeria.
According to the latest reports, the number of deaths in the Zaria bomb blast on Tuesday, July 7, has increased to 25 people, including a two-year-old child.
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
Sence of a Bomb Blast in Nigeria
The bomb explosion affected the following areas of Kaduna state: the Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Saminaka and Birnin Gwari. At least 32 people sustained serious injuries and currently being treated at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital.
READ ALSO: Another Bomb Blast Hits Kano City Details remain sketchy but tweets from the Kaduna state governor, El-Rufai, about 20 people were killed in the blast.
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
victim of the Kaduna bomb blast
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
Dead bodies beign carried to hosiptal in Kaduna
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
Dead bodies beign carried to hosiptal in Kaduna
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
Dead bodies beign carried to hosiptal in Kaduna
UPDATE: The governor of the state, Nasir El Rufai, has visted the scene of the bomb blast
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
The governor has prayed Allah to grant the victims peaceful repose, comfort their families and heal the injured
— Governor Kaduna (@GovKaduna) July 7, 2015

Malam Nasir @elrufai has just visited and comforted the injured persons being treated at the ABU teaching hospital pic.twitter.com/UBq5bUQkzq
— Governor Kaduna (@GovKaduna) July 7, 2015
BREAKING: 25 Killed Today In Zaria Bomb Blast
El Rufai at the state hospital were the bomb blast victims are currently being treated.
During his speech at the scene of the attack El-Rufai urged the people of Kaduna State to stay vigilant and promptly report all suspicious persons and activities to the security agencies and community leaders.
Extra security measures are now taken across the state. Meanwhile no terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the blast but it is believe to have been carried out by the Boko Haram group.
READ MORE: http://www.mrralphworldwide.blogspot.com


Madman in China took a cleaver and attacked eight children at the school playground.
A middle-aged man attacked children at the school playground with a cleaver on Tuesday in China, 8 got injured and are being treated in hospital.
Chinese Man Attacked Students At Playground, 8 In The Hospital
*Chen Zuihang approaching school
Horrible pictures taken by CCTV have emerged after the police identified the suspect who injured 8 kids on school playground. 35-year old Chen Zuihang has been confirmed as the official suspect, he was detained shortly after the attack at Macheng school, Hubei province, China.
Chinese Man Attacked Students At Playground, 8 In The Hospital
*Chen Zuihang attacking a student with a cleaver
According to the officials of the city, the police are investigating the motives.
According to the reports of news agencies, there were series of attacks in China on kids in grade schools and kindergartens, often made by people who were mentally ill or were angry at society.
After the attacks made a month ago and a year ago, school officials have tightened security at schools.
Chinese Man Attacked Students At Playground, 8 In The Hospital
*Teacher carrying injured kid after the attack
A month ago, China was shocked by the attack made by a man armed with knives, who slashed at students on their way from school, killing one and injuring another 2 in the Ankang city.
A year ago, another man armed with a kitchen cleaver attacked 6 students and one parent in Maoming city.
Chinese Man Attacked Students At Playground, 8 In The Hospital
*Kids in the hospital after the attack
This news of the attack in Macheng school was followed by another attack on Wednesday, by a man that stabbed 7 people to death in a village in central province. The attack happened at 4 a.m., the attacker was arrested shortly after.
Chinese Man Attacked Students At Playground, 8 In The Hospital
*Parents with kids who got hurt
Chinese Man Attacked Students At Playground, 8 In The Hospital
The attack was caused by disputes with neighbours of the attacker.
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