Contemporary news
BREAKING NEWS: #Nyanya again. School Bus Hijacked by Gunmen
Reports reaching Africa Thisdady from Nyanya, Abuja has it that a school bus belonging to a private school has been reportedly hijacked by unknown gunmen, Tuesday morning.
According to the sketchy report, the bus, which belongs to a private school, Divine Kiddies Academy was said to have dropped off students of the school having routinely picked them from their various homes when some armed men invaded the school premises and made away with it.
It was gathered that the students had already disembarked from the bus before the incident.
Details later…
SaharaReporters Lied: #BringBackOurGirls Protester(s) Not Arrested Nor Detained By The Police
The news of the arrest and detention of one Mrs. Nyadar Naomi Mutah who is a leader of the #BringBackOurGirls protest at the order of Nigeria’s first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was carried by SaharaReporters and it filtered through the internet. However, the Nigerian Police Force has denied arresting or detaining the said protest leader in an official statement released later today and signed by CSP Frank Mba. Below is a copy of the police statement:
As part of measures geared towards eliciting useful information that could help security agents in the ongoing effort at finding and rescuing female students recently abducted by terrorists, suspected to be Boko-Haram, in Chibok, Borno State, Police Operatives this morning, 05/05/2014 invited one Mrs Nyadar Naomi Mutah, a native of Chibok and Deputy Director at the National Directorate of Employment, Abuja.
It was purely an interactive and fact finding interview. Mrs Nyadar cooperated with the Police in the course of the interview and was immediately allowed to return home to her loved ones. She was never arrested nor detained as being wrongly speculated in some quarters.
Meanwhile, the Police and other security agencies are leaving no stone unturned at ensuring that the abducted school children are rescued.
CSP FRANK MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA.
SaharaReporters have formerly been accused by its fans of been sponsored by anti-Goodluck Jonathan camp, an accusation the online news blog has not boldly denied.
#BringBackOurGirls: Abducted Girls turned to Sex Slaves.
Boko Haram insurgents have turned the abducted Chibok schoolgirls into sex slaves, raping them 15 times a day, one of the victims that escaped has said.
In an interview published in the UK newspaper, Mirror on Saturday, the girl said she was prized as a terror leader’s wife because she had been a virgin. She said young female captives were forced to convert to Islam and had their throats cut if they refused.
A girl called Rehab, 17, who also escaped from the sect, told how she jumped from a truck with schoolmate, Comfort, 15, as they were driven into the forest.
She said: “We summoned up some courage and grabbed some of the branches and clung on to them while the truck moved on with the other girls.
“We jumped down and began to run into the darkness. Comfort and I went in the same direction, but four other girls took the path back to a village. We didn’t know where we were but we kept running.”
Malam Ali Iliya, father of another schoolgirl who escaped, said: “My daughter said when the trailer got stuck, some of the girls began to jump out and run for their lives and she followed suit. We are lucky our children were not shot.”
Gordon Brown’s arrival
Describing the kidnap of 329 schoolgirls’ as one of the worst mass kidnappings in modern history, the Mirror said the Nigerian government appears to have done little and that former UK’s Prime Minister Gordon Brown is coming to the country tomorrow in his role as the UN’s Special Adviser on girls’ education to secure the pupils’ release.
But with stories of many already trafficked into neighboring Chad and Cameroon for just 2,000Naira (£7.50), campaigners fear that without urgent action they will never be seen again, the report said.
As he gets ready for his difficult mission to Nigeria on Tuesday, Gordon Brown said: “Abducting children is a heinous crime that the international authorities are determined to punish.”
BREAKING NEWS: JUSTICE OPUTA IS DEAD. CHARLY BOY MOURNS.
Justice Chukwudifu Oputa of the famed OPUTA PANEL is dead…Justice Oputa, father of the controversial artist Charly boy died today, Sunday 4th May 2014 in Abuja at the age of 96.
Details coming soon on Africathisday.com
#BringBackOurGirls : Christian Association Of Nigeria Releases ‘List’ of Abducted High School Girls
Evangelist Matthew Owojaiye of the Old Time Revival Hour Church in Kaduna has published a list of 180 abducted girls of the Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, calling on all Nigerian Christians for lamentation prayers for their safe release.
The list published by Evangelist Owojaiye features 180 girls, of whom 165 are said to be Christian.
Text of the statement:
ABOMINATION! ABOMINATION!!
CHRISTIAN GIRLS ABDUCTED IN CHIBOK, BORNO STATE.
Daughters of Zion taken captive, to be treated as slaves and sold into marriage to unclean people. Abomination has been committed.
Raise lamentation to High Heavens. What a shame on the Church of the Living God.
FACTS:
Chibok Local Government is 90% Christians. Majority of the girls abducted are Christian! Why did Boko Haram visit Chibok Local Government? Why didn’t they visit so many other Local Government Girls Secondary Schools in Borno State?
The Church in Nigeria is hereby called to A Lamentation Prayer.
Time:
Every Christian home must raise a lamentation to heaven daily. Let God arise and defend his Name, Honour and Majesty.
Let a 15 minutes cry to heaven be done in every Church every time they gather. Oh God, Rend the Heavens and come down!
Why should the people say where is our God?
Here are the names of our daughters.
S/No. Name Religion
These are the Christian Girls:
1 Deborah Abge Chrstian
2. Awa Abge “
3. Hauwa Yirma “
4. Asabe Manu “
5. Mwa Malam pogu “
6. Patiant Dzakwa “
7. Saraya Mal. Stover “
8. Mary Dauda “
9. Gloria Mainta “
10.Hanatu Ishaku “
11. Gloria Dama “
12. Tabitha Pogu “
13. Maifa Dama “
14. Ruth kollo “
15. Esther Usman “
16 Awa James
17 Anthonia Yahonna
18 Kume Mutah
19 Aisha Ezekial “
20 Nguba Buba “
21 Kwanta Simon.
22 Kummai Aboku.
23 Esther Markus
24 Hana Stephen.
25. Rifkatu Amos
26 Rebecca Mallum
27.Blessing Abana.
28. Ladi Wadai
29. Tabitha Hyelampa.
30 Ruth Ngladar .
31 Safiya Abdu .
32 Na’omi Yahonna.
33 Solomi Titus .
34Rhoda John
35 Rebecca Kabu
36. Christy Yahi.
37. Rebecca Luka.
38. Laraba John
39 Saratu Markus.
40. Mary Usman.
41 Debora Yahonna.
42.Naomi Zakaria
43 Hanatu Musa
44. Hauwa Tella
45.Juliana Yakubu.
46. Suzana Yakubu
47.Saraya Paul.
48. Jummai Paul
49. Mary Sule
50. Jummai John.
51.Yanke Shittima.
52. Muli Waligam .
53. Fatima Tabji.
54. Eli Joseph.
55.Saratu Emmanuel.
56. Deborah Peter.
57.Rahila Bitrus.
58. Luggwa Sanda.
59. Kauna Lalai.
60. Lydia Emmar.
61.Laraba Maman.
62.Hauwa Isuwa.
63. Confort Habila.
64. Hauwa Abdu.
65. Hauwa Balti.
66.Yana Joshua.
67.Laraba Paul.
68.Saraya Amos.
69. Glory Yaga.
70. Na’omi Bitrus.
71. Godiya Bitrus.
72. Awa Bitrus.
73. Na’omi Luka.
74. Maryamu Lawan.
75. Tabitha Silas.
76. Mary Yahona.
77. Ladi Joel.
78. Rejoice Sanki.
79. Luggwa Samuel.
80.Comfort Amos.
81. Saraya Samuel.
82. Sicker Abdul.
83.Talata Daniel.
84. Rejoice Musa.
85Deborah Abari.
86. Salomi Pogu.
87.Mary Amor.
88. Ruth Joshua.
89Esther John.
90. Esther Ayuba.
91. Maryamu Yakubu.
91. Zara Ishaku.
93. Maryamu Wavi
94. Lydia Habila.
95. Laraba Yahonna.
96. Na’omi Bitrus.
97.Rahila Yahanna.
98. Ruth Lawan.
99. Ladi Paul.
100 Mary Paul.
101. Esther Joshua.
102. Helen Musa.
103. Margret Watsai.
104. Deborah Jafaru.
105. Filo Dauda.
106. Febi Haruna.
107.Ruth Ishaku.
108.Racheal Nkeki.
109. Rifkatu Soloman.
110.Mairama yahaya.
111.Saratu Dauda.
112.Jinkai Yama.
113.Margret Shettima.
114.Yana yidau.
115. Grace Paul.
116. Amina Ali.
117. Palmata Musa
118. Awagana Musa
119. Pindar Nuhu
120.Yana Pogu.
121. Saraya Musa
122. Hauwa Joseph.
123. Hauwa kwakwi.
125. Hauwa Musa.
126. Maryamu Musa.
127. Maimuna Usman.
128. Rebeca Joseph.
129.Liyatu Habitu.
130. Rifkatu Yakubu.
131. Naomi Philimon.
132.Deborah Abbas.
133. Ladi Ibrahim.
134. Asabe Ali
135. Maryamu Bulama.
136.Ruth Amos.
137.Mary Ali
138. Abigail Bukar
139 Deborah Amos
140. Saraya Yanga
141. Kauna Luka
142. Christiana Bitrus
143.Yana Bukar
144. Hauwa peter
145.Hadiza Yakubu.
146.Lydia Simon
147. Ruth Bitrus .
148.Mary Yakubu
149.Lugwa Mutah.
150 Muwa Daniel.
151 Hanatu Nuhu
152. Monica Enoch.
153. Margret Yama.
154.Docas yakubu.
155. Rhoda peter
156. Rifkatu Galang
157. Saratu Ayuba.
158. Naomi Adamu.
159. Hauwa Ishaya
160. Rahap Ibrahim
162. Deborah Soloman.
163Hauwa Mutah
164. Hauwa Takai.
165. Serah Samuel.
Below are the Muslim Girls.
166. Aishatu Musa.
167. Aishatu Grema.
168. Hauwa Nkeki
169. Hamsatu Abubakar
170.Mairama Abubakar.
171 Hauwa Wule
172. Ihyi Abdu
173. Hasana Adamu.
174. Rakiya Kwamtah
175 Halima Gamba.
176. Aisha Lawan .
177. Kabu Malla
178. Yayi Abana.
179. Falta Lawan.
180. Kwadugu Manu
The Military may not be able to solve the problem but prayer will. Ordinary Military force may not get them out! Intensive Agonizing Prayer will.
WHAT NEXT AFTER RECOVERY?
We make the following demands of the Federal Government whose duty it was to protect the innocent girls.
1. A N50million damage as trauma compensation to each girl.
2. A preparation to take each girl to an overseas University on Government scholarship by September 2014. Preparation for that must start now!
3. SS1 and SS2 girls in that school must be transferred to schools of their choice from Government coffer. How can any girl feel safe in this kind of school? Living in perpetual fear of attack?
LET GOD ARISE, LET ALL HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED.
Evangelist Matthew Owojaiye
Old Time Revival Hour
Kaduna.
He did not say how he obtained the list, and Africa Thisday has not been able to authenticate it.
BREAKING NEWS: KENYA UNDER TERRORIST ATTACK. TWIN BOMB EXPLODES IN MOMBASA – PICTURES!
The explosions happened simultaneously around 8pm and it is thought al Qaeda-linked Somali group al Shabaab is behind the attack. Four people are already confirmed dead and more than 20 injured last night after suspected terrorist bombs exploded in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.
All the casualties occurred as a bomb ripped through a bus shelter in the Mwembe Tayari area, near the city centre.
The other blast was at the Reef Hotel, in the Nyari area of the city, where senior police officials were attending a workshop.
Kisauni district commissioner of police Tom Anjere said: ‘No-one was hurt or injured at the Reef Hotel but our concern is that senior security officers were there attending a workshop and they were clearly the target of the attack.
‘An improvised explosive device damaged the bar and we have set-up police check points in the area.’
No one claimed responsibility for the attack last night.
Last year al Shabaab claimed it was behind the Westgate shopping centre attack, which killed 67 people in Nairobi.
It has also been reported that Al shabaab is linked to Nigeria’s Boko Haram and the Al qaeda.
Africa Thisday’s top commentator in Nairobi had this to say: “Africa is under siege. This is beyond Islamic terrorism. Think about what is happening in Nigeria and the rest of Africa. Very soon, South Africa may become unsafe. The west has questions to answer with regards to this prevalent bombardment of Africa by masked men.”
BREAKING: BIG BROTHER AFRICA’S ELIKEM PROPOSES TO POKELLO
Big Brother The Chase lovebirds Elikem Kumordzie and Pokello Nare may be getting hitched pretty soon. Elikem proposed to Pokello on stage at the 2014 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards. The two were on stage to present the award for Best collaboration of the year when Elikem suddenly went down on his knees to pop the question, “will you marry me?”.
A close source disclosed to Africa Thisday that Pokello might already be pregnant for Elikem hence an anticipated acceleration of wedding formalities.
RACISM, PAN-AFRICANISM AND MODERN IMPERIALISM.
Ngugi wa Thiong’o has argued that the ideology of racism has become a weapon for mental and spiritual domination and subjugation of peoples, which comes wrapped up in many forms and disguises that include religion, the arts, the media, culture, values, beliefs and even feelings. He adds that racism is one of the most devastating of all ideological weapons wielded by imperialism today because it is meant to safeguard the entire system of exploitation of the many by the few within and among nations. He cites five interlinked features as being responsible for this state of affairs in which racism becomes the centre-stage.
First, racism obscures the exploitative relations of the system between the wealthy few and the majority of the poor. It also obscures the reasons behind the vast gaps of wealth that exist between the rich capitalist nations, and poor nations of Africa, Asia and South America. It creates a situation where the exploited majority who produce the wealth enjoyed by the few become subservient and ever grateful to the rich for the ‘assistance’ given to them. It also obscures the origin of this wealth, which was produced by slave trade, slave labour, and colonialism by creating a belief that Europe developed because it is exceptional and superior.
Pan-Africanism was conceived and developed as anti-imperialist ideology of the African people. It came into being when the African people in the Diaspora became conscious of themselves as Africans poised against a racist society, which had enslaved them. It was a response to the oppressive European race consciousness, which was conceived for the purposes of enslavement and exploitation. The resistance to imperialism and racism was born within the struggle to develop a Pan-African Ideology. The persistence of imperialism and its servant racism are therefore factors which need to be explored and examined in order to spell out new directions in the struggle against it in new conditions.
The concept race and its expression in the social sciences has followed the path of capitalist transformations. Over time, racism has been built into the body politic of modern imperialism. A successful struggle against the enemy must depend on how successful the Pan-African intellectuals are able to sharpen their tools of analysis to combat racist ideology in whatever forms it may appear.
Sserubiri Uhuru is Africa Thisday’s columnist from Kampala, Uhuru. Send your questions to: sserubiri@africathisday.com
UPDATE ON FRESH NYANYA BOMB BLAST
ABUJA- DIRECTOR- General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Sanni Sidi disclosed that yesterday’s bomb blast happened when a parked car with explosives exploded.
Speaking with Journalists at Asokoro General Hospital, Abuja, Sidi who noted that the gravity of the blast was not as intensive as the previous one, stressed that yesterday’s blast happened fifty metres away from the last one, but the same Nyanya, outskirts of Abuja.
Senator Mohammed arrived Asokoro Hospital at 10. 55 pm in company of the FCTA permanent Secretary, John Chukwu, Secretary, Social Development, Mrs Blessing Onuh; Health Secretary, Ademola Onakomaiya, other FCT executive members.
Also speaking with Journalists at same Asokoro Hospital, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala who described the incident as unfortunate especially coming barely some weeks after the last one, however assured residents of the territory of government’s readiness to provide security as well as protect lives and property, adding that it was early to give numbers of casualties as he was at the hospital to assess the level of services be rendered by his staff.
Giving the number of injured persons at the various hospitals, Secretary, Health and Human Services, Ademola Onakomaiya who disclosed that the total number of those who sustained injuries and Asokoro, Maitama General Hospitals and National Hospital were 41 with 30 at Asokoro, 2 in Maitama and 9 at National Hospital, adding that arrangements have been put in place as 20 bed spaces have been created in three hospitals where those at Asokoro would be taken to.
According to him, 8 for Maitama, 8 in Wuse General Hospital and 4 in Gwarimpa Hospital.
Last night, Africa Thisday’s correspondent in Abuja reported to have counted about 22 bodies before an ambulance conveyed the bodies out of the scene of the explosion.
Meanwhile, as at the time of filing this report, relations, friends of affected persons were outside the gate of Asokoro hospital as they were still locked outside.
Source: Vanguard
BREAKING NEWS: ANOTHER BOMB EXPLODES IN NYANYA, ABUJA. PICTURES.
AFRICA THISDAY has confirmed that Nyanya has been rocked by another bomb explosion. The bomb exploded close to where the previous explosion rocked. The previous Nyanya-explosion happened at about 7.00 a.m on the 14th, April 2014. Casualties have been reported. Africa Thisday’s Abuja correspondent at the scene of the explosion reported that he counted about 22 bodies. The National Emergency Management Agency and officers of the Nigerian Police force are controlling the traffic of the area as they advised residents to stay indoors.
More details dropping on our facebook page.
AFRICA THISDAY 