But human rights group, Campaign for Democracy (CD), and the Oodua Youth Movement (OYM) want President Olusegun Obasanjo to first address the causes of the various crises in the country before threatening the people with a state of emergency.

The senators at a meeting of the Northern Senators Forum in Jos, weekend, said they were solidly behind the President in declaring a state of emergency in Lagos State should violence persist there.

They also urged the Federal Government to flood Lagos with well-equipped law enforcement agents with a view to checking what they called terrorism, and the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) which they dismissed a terrorist group.

Besides, they passed a vote of no confidence in the Police Affairs Administration, and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Musiliu Smith for the inability of the police to combat crime in various parts of the country, especially the alleged involvement of some policemen in crime.

The forum in a communiqué read to newsmen yesterday by its chairman, Prof. Iya Abubakar said:

"In spite of the provision of the sum of N2.5 billion to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in the Supplementary Appropriation Act 1999 for the purchase of motor vehicles and equipment for Abuja and Lagos, the crime rate in these cities rather than reduce has in fact escalated.

"Of great concern are the frequent allegations of linkage of serving police personnel with these crimes. Further allegations of non-payment of salaries of the police for months on end have continued unabated. We are strongly of the view that the Honourable Minister for Police Affairs and the Inspector-General of Police have clearly failed the nation and as a matter of honour, should resign their appointments with immediate effect."

The Northern senators also decried alleged "selective compliance with the 1999 Supplementary Appropriation Act by the President which has adversely affected the socio-economic life of not only our electorate but indeed the entire country."

They re-affirmed Senate’s earlier stand on the issue and resolved to reserve further response until the committee set up to meet with the President during their recess reported back to the Senate.

Similarly, they were unhappy about what they called "lopsided and unfair manner of appointments into key offices of government in favour of some particular sections of the country since the advent of this administration to which they said had continued despite the outcry from other parts."

The senators accused the Federal Government of intransigence over the matter and urged it to respect the principle of federal character in all its appointments, which they saw as the best way to address cries of marginalisation from parts of the country.

The educational backwardness in the North also engaged the attention of the forum with members calling on governors of the Northern states to give priority attention to primary and secondary education with emphasis on science and technology.

On the planned deregulation of the petroleum sector, the forum described it as ill-timed and insensitive to the feeling of Nigerians saying "government should first introduce programmes geared towards poverty alleviation before saddling Nigerians with another round of increases in the price of petroleum products."

The G-14 of the House of Representatives on its part said President Obasanjo’s threat to declare a state of emergency in Lagos State was in order "if that is the only option to restore law and order in Lagos."

In a statement in Abuja, spokesman for the group, Mr. Chidi Duru said:

"Given the state of lawlessness and disorderliness OPC activities have thrown the nation into and the urgent need to restore peace and tranquillity in Lagos, G-14 caucus is inclined to believe that President Obasanjo’s plan to declare a state of emergency in Lagos is in order if that is the only option to restore law and order in Lagos."

Gov. Bola Tinubu according to the group, "is incapable of ensuring adequate security in Lagos as he is unable to guarantee his own security given the attack he suffered recently.

"Gov. Tinubu should therefore allow the Federal Government and the Inspector-General of Police, to move in for the restoration of law and order," it added.

While urging the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Musiliu Smith to take personal interest in what is happening in Lagos, the G-14 caucus observed that the "invincibility theory built around the OPC is imagined rather than real as the group’s activities are within the range that police can checkmate.

"It is inconceivable that despite the existence of several law enforcement agencies, OPC’s nightmarish activities have continued unabated. We expect prompt and decisive steps to check OPC as any further delay would compel us to believe that this deviant group is backed by some powerful elements in Nigeria," the group said.

However, human rights group, CD in a statement signed yesterday by Dr. Beko Ransome-Kuti decried what it called President Obasanjo’s incessant threats to "impose state of emergency on different parts of Nigeria while ignoring the causes of disquiet and crises all over the country."

Its words:

"It must be highlighted again that Nigeria is meant to be a federal state. This should not allow the head of the Federal Government to address and treat the heads of state governments as if they are his house-boys. Irrespective of the labelling of state governors as chief security officers by the illegitimate Abubakar 1999 Constitution, the fact still remains that the police and other security officers are in the firm control of Gen. Obasanjo. Therefore, any breakdown of law and order in any part of the country must be firmly placed at his doorsteps. If he then wants to solve every disturbance the Odi way, we wish him luck.

"The point has to be made that blaming the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), just as NADECO was blamed in its hey days, will not solve the intrinsic problems of the country. We note that the OPC was described by Gen. Obasanjo as ‘illegal’ and we would like to be educated on how he arrived at this label or is it just at his say so? The OPC cannot be banned because all international human rights instruments including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and even the illegitimate Abubakar Constitution guarantee the rights of people to freely associate. Any individual or group that breaks the law must be apprehended and taken through the due processes of the law before sanctions can be applied. Ordering people to be shot at sight and labelling groups as criminal or illegal are all a throw-back to the military culture.

"It is only common sense that people cannot live together in peace and prosperity unless the conditions under which they co-exist is mutually agreed. The peoples of Nigeria have demanded a restructured polity, true federalism, fiscal federalism and a more equitable revenue allocation amongst other matters. All these and more must be agreed at a national conference which shall be sovereign to the extent that what is agreed will not be subject to anyone or any group’s veto or amendment. It was the refusal of the infamous late Gen. Abacha to state categorically that his constitutional conference was sovereign that led to its boycott. It is also the insistence of a particular group in this country to hold everyone down on their own terms that makes it necessary for them to perpetuate military rule and to impose their own constitution on the whole country.

"Until people are allowed to freely negotiate the terms of their mutual co-existence, Gen. Obasanjo can continue to declare his states of emergency in different parts of the country and Nigerian people will still feel dissatisfied. We call on Gen. Obasanjo to desist from his ineffective Constitution Review Committee as a means of writing a new constitution. The transition programme that threw up the parties was fraudulent and flawed as is amply demonstrated by the incessant crises in these parties. The elections that threw up those who claim to be the representatives of the people were also deemed to be fraudulent by both the international and local observers.

"As a first step to arresting the ongoing unrest in the country, the control of the police and other law enforcement agencies should be handed over to the state governors so that they can rapidly respond to the security needs in their states."

*Oodua Youths Movement, too

The OYM rising from an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) in Ibadan deployed "the dictatorial threat" of President Obasanjo to "clamp down on OPC and other similar organisations as contained in his highly insultive letter to the democratically elected Gov. Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State."

Ijaw youths pledge to end violence in Niger Delta

From Chido Okafor, Warri

PEACE may soon return to the restive Niger Delta as militant Ijaw youths from over 12 groups yesterday promised an end to hostage taking, abduction and piracy.

The youths who were brought together by the Ijaw National Congress (INC) western zone, led by Alaowei Broderick Bozimo made a pledge to end all forms of criminal conduct which had made the area a flashpoint of crises.

In demonstration of their determination to pursue the path of peace, vigilance groups to patrol the waterways in search of pirates and others who vandalise oil installations have been raised while a peace rally is to hold next week at Burutu, Delta State.

According to Bozimo, who is a lawyer, the youths have decided to embrace peace since the Federal Government has promised to develop the Niger Delta. "We don't want the development initiative to be jettisoned by allegations of youth militancy. That is why the youths have decided to call it quits with militancy."

He added: "I wish to state that the criminal activities of hostage taking, hijacking, abduction and piracy were never part of the struggle for justice, equity and fair play by the INC. These criminal acts can not by any stretch of the imagination be ascribed to any one tribe alone.

"Entrapped in years of socio-economic malaise, ecological degradation and deprivation, the Nigerian state expected that the Ijaw nation protest, but what began as a legitimate protest has been marred by abuses," he said.

Describing the peace move as auspicious and necessary, Bozimo said the INC "through the instrumentality of the various youths organisations in Ijawland are committed to putting in place structures to arrest once and for all this unacceptable drift towards total anarchy so that an atmosphere of stability can reign."

The peace move, he said, would promote economic and social development of the Niger Delta as promised by President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Tuesday, 18 January 2000

Northern AD indicts govt over ethnic conflicts

From Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna) and Iyabo Sotunde (Ibadan)

THE Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the north has blamed the rising ethnic tension and conflicts in the country, especially in Lagos State on the Federal Government.

It accused the government of not doing enough to curb the crisis which it said, could derail the country's fledgling democracy.

In a joint statement by the its national vice chairman, (north), Mr. Yunana Shibkau and the publicity secretary of the Kaduna State chapter, Mallam Umar Farouk, they said "the alarming rate of insecurity due to the destructive activities of militant ethnic groups which presently constitute threat to law and order nationwide calls for drastic measures".

Blaming government for the ethnic uprisings, they said government has the onerous responsibility "to exercise the means of controlling violence, to guarantee peace, stability for the preservation of our young democracy".

The AD stalwarts noted the general consensus among Nigerians, calling for measures to counter the prevailing excesses of the various militant ethnic groups springing up nation-wide.

While faulting President Olusegun Obasanjo's statement, accusing Governor Bola Tinubu of treating the militant Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) with kid gloves, especially with reference to last week's killing of the Divisional Police Officer of Bariga Police Station in Lagos State, Mr. Afolabi Amao by people suspected to be members of the OPC, the statement said: "These recurring acts of lawlessness and insecurity were not only recorded in Governor Tinubu's domain alone. But also in other parts of the country," citing similar incidents at Shagamu (Ogun), Kano, Odi (Bayelsa) and Kwara states.

Besides, it cited the "constitutional problem that Obasanjo is grappling with, over the introduction of {sharia} in some parts of the northern states," saying "all these signify that the government is not in control."

It argued further that since Tinubu is not directly in control of the police force which should adequately curb the OPC-inspired crisis in the state, "he cannot be held responsible for the security lapses recorded in Lagos."

Also, the party's publicity secretary, Rev. Manzu Abubakar exonerated the governor from blame over the crisis, saying: "Tinubu must not be made a scapegoat irrespective of security threat in the state."

"It is not for the president to now look for a scapegoat out of Tinubu who has given police from the state's scarce resources to help them discharge their prescribed functions. It is for the president to re-examine the force, abrogate the breaches that are there and see how we can have an outfit that would live up to its billings," he said, yesterday in Ibadan after commiserating with the family of the late activist, Mr. Ola Oni.

But the National Youth Movement of Nigeria (NYMN) alleged that recent utterances about OPC by Tinubu had encouraged the group to perpetrate its criminal activities.

"We want to emphasise here categorically that the western region which has their son as the president of this country should strive hard to do something about the OPC militants who have constituted themselves into a criminal group," the movement said yesterday in Kaduna.

Tuesday, 18 January 2000

George urges Obasanjo, Yoruba leaders to check OPC

By Priscillia Nwankwo

NATIONAL Vice-Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South West, Commodore Olabode George (rtd) has urged an immediate end to the activities of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).

At a meeting of the South-West Zonal Working Committee of the party in Lagos yesterday, George asked President Olusegun Obasanjo and Yoruba leaders "to do something very fast" because "our culture abhors killing".

He said: "All the atrocities that Oodua People's Congress (OPC) are committing must stop. Our culture abhors killing any human being, more so our kith and kin.

"The only way to terminate this evil is for Mr. President to do something fast about this development. If they want to condemn OPC let them do so because something nasty and stupid is happening to our states."

Stating that the Yorubas are noted for commerce, education, agriculture and civility and not destruction and uncouth behaviour, the PDP chieftain asked Nigerians to give government the necessary information to enable it end the negative aspects of the OPC's activities.

"People must give proper information. All this is the handiwork of some devil incarnates that have suddenly descended on our communities, the young and old must come out and fight this murderous cancer that is ravaging our community," he said.

George advised the Yoruba to seize the opportunity of having their kinsman as the nation's president to deliver themselves "from the clutches of poverty. "We must count ourselves lucky in this zone to have been able to produce an eminent son in the person of President Olusegun who is leading the greatest country in the black world in this new millennium and in this golden year 2000."

He added: "About 40 years ago, the South West zone known as Western Region was the beacon of light not only in Nigeria but in Africa in the areas of agricultural development, education, economic and social infrastructural development.

"The zone owes its people the obligation to bring back this glory of yester-years.

"We must re-engineer our plans and objectives in the national polity so as to bring employment opportunities to our teeming millions of youths who are jobless. We have to regroup and unite to lift up our zone in the positive direction, in order to give proud legacies to our generation and the future ones. We should eschew bitterness, and rancour among ourselves especially over sharing of political positions. If we remain united, we will remain strong and the wolves from wherever will not be able to penetrate our fold."

Internal Affairs Minister, Chief S.M. Afolabi who indicated he is determined to control "this conflict in our states," noted that "many people lost their lives because of this OPC people. Some were bathed with acid. We are living in danger. We have to unite and lift democracy", he said.

His Information counterpart, Chief Dapo Sarumi, said "the OPC must be condemned in our community or state."

Blaming the mayhems perpetrated by the group on idleness, Sarumi said: "We have to do something about it to make some jobless youths in our states to have something doing.

"We must think what to do for oppressed ones. Democracy is not democracy if there is no disagreement. We have to barnish poverty and ensure peace in our nation", he noted.

Tuesday, 18 January 2000

Police charge 91 suspected OPC members with murder

By Sylvester Ebohdaghe

NINETY-ONE persons suspected to be members of the Oodua Peoples' Congress (OPC) were yesterday arraigned at the Ebute Metta Magistrate Court, Lagos over last Sunday's killing of Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Afolabi Amao.

The suspects were charged with conspiracy, murder, acid-bath and stealing of fire arms. They were, however, remanded in prison custody, pending the advice of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP).

The suspects, both male and female, were taken to court under tight security. Plain-clothes and anti-riot mobile policemen, heavily armed, cordoned off the area to forestall attacks.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. J. Oshinowo, refused them bail.

The male suspects were then taken to Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, while the females were taken to Ikoyi Prison. The case was adjourned to February 28.

Amao, a Superintendent of Police (SP) was allegedly abducted and subsequently murdered and his body thrown into the Lagos lagoon, last Sunday, by a group suspected to be members of OPC, Ganiyu Adams' faction.

Some police who were at the Bariga police station when the group struck, were also reportedly bathed with acid. The station was vandalised and firearms stolen.

But the body of the late Amao is yet to be recovered despite frantic searches by police.

The police have combed the lagoon with helicopters, marine boats and divers without finding Amao's body.

However, a body which fished out of the lagoon yesterday by police divers would not be identified by the late officer's family as his.

From Arthur Obayuwana, Abuja

GOVERNMENT formally took over the Sani Abacha Foundation For Peace and Unity (SAFPU) yesterday and renamed it the Institute for Conflict Resolution, Abuja.

Integration and Cooperation in Africa Minister Jerry Gana received handing over notes from the foundation's director of programmes, Idi Faruk.

Other instruments transferred to government yesterday included title documents and a list its facilities, assets and personnel.

The 6772.89 square metres complex, located at Plot 496, Central Business District was declared open in November 1997.

Yesterday's take-over exclusively reported by The Guardian late last year, is to give the foundation new impetus and a more focused approach to studies in conflict resolution and peaceful coexistence.

Gana said the N500 million complex would not be steered along old lines, but re-energised as a "centre of excellence in peace studies and its promotion and well rounded research in conflict resolution."

He added: "We will make better use of facilities here for the promotion of peace and stability in Africa through conflict resolution. There is going to be precipitate research so that when Nigeria is intervening through peace keeping forces, we will be doing so with knowledge, so that we do not do it blindly and even aggravate the problem."

He assured the over 40 workers "who are willing and able to continue in the excellent work" of their job security. He said: "You do not have to pack and go. We will maintain this place well so that the whole of Africa will benefit from the vision of setting it up."

Faruk told reporters shortly after a closed-door meeting with the minister that dwindling funds for the maintenance of the foundation necessitated the handing over.

He, however, maintained that the complex was never owned by the late military ruler. He said: "From day one, it was a public trust. No one could have owned it."

Asked whether he contacted the general's family when maintenance funds were dwindling, he said:"I couldn't do that. It was just named after him. You know the concept had its roots in Not in our Character. It is the nature of foundations. Right now, President Olusegun Obasanjo has one being named after him somewhere in Abuja here. It is the fashion. It only became difficult to maintain this place with Abacha's name after the man died....."

He also denied that Lt-Gen. Jeremiah Useni, who until yesterday chaired its board of trustees, had been providing funds for its sustenance following Abacha's death, saying: "No kobo was received from Abacha's government to set up the place. Only donations from government agencies and the other donations."

He had earlier told the minister that the foundation had good working relations and research collaboration with a number of Nigerian academic institutions, including the Centre for Peace, Research and Conflict Resolution of the War College, Abuja.

He said plans had also reached an advanced stage to establish a master's degree programme in Peace Studies, Diplomacy and Law, in affiliation with the University of Ibadan.

By Olufemi Adedapo

THE police were called into the premises of Guardian Newspapers Limited (GNL) yesterday following a bomb scare at its Rutam House, Isolo, Lagos head office.

They were invited by officials of the company after a young caller warned that a bomb had been planted on the premises.

A personal assistant to one of the company"s directors received the call at about 11.30 a.m.

The caller had warned that the bomb was planted in her office and was sure to explode at about noon.

Barely 15 minutes later, another call came from the same person, who was now more specific that the bomb would explode at noon.

The assistant then called the office of the security manager of the comapny, Mr. Paul Orumah, who contacted the management.

Consequently, the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Mike Okiro was called. He promptly responded by sending the best of his men from the anti-bomb squad.

Six policemen of the bomb disposal squad from Ikeja, led by Mr. S. Balogun, a chief superintendent of police arrived at Rutam House at about 1.45 p.m. They were armed with sophisticated bomb detectors and other equipment with which they swept the company"s premises.

The entire staff was asked to go out for the search to take place, thereby halting news flow and production as well as other activities.

The search took about an hour and was extended to offices and all other key operational areas of the company.

Orumah, said: "All the key areas were thoroughly searched."

However, according to him, investigations are underway to trace the caller.

An attempt was made to raze The Guardian under the regime of the late General Sani Abacha in December 1995.

By Lekan Sanni,Staff Reporter

"YOU can't blame everything on O'odua People's Congress (OPC). The fifth columnists are everywhere, not just fighting the Lagos State governor, but also the Federal Government itself. They want to create the atmosphere of instability."

With these words, the Alliance for Democracy (AD) governors who met in Lagos yesterday, told the Federal Government to unmask those funding the spate of crises in the state. The governors promised to stand by their Lagos State counterpart, Bola Tinubu, over threat by the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency.

The meeting was attended by party leaders, including Chief Abraham Adesanya. Only Ekiti State Governor Adeniyi Adebayo did not attend. The meeting started at 11 a.m.

Ogun State Governor Segun Osoba, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said the recent crisis and violent clashes in Lagos State were attempts to destabilise the South-West and the entire country.

According to Osoba, the Federal Government must look beyond the OPC as he described the present crisis as a "deep security problem" that ought not to be handled with simplistic approach.

He said: "First issue (discussed) was this issue of threat to declare a state of emergency in Lagos and we came to the conclusion that there is a tint of alarmist feelings about it. We solidly stand by the governor of Lagos State. We believe he is doing his best to contain the situation in Lagos within the limitations of the constitution. And so, we stand by him.

"And we also believe that there is an attempt to foment some problem by those that we believe are fifth columnists, who we believe have infiltrated the nascent democracy which we are in.

"We also dismissed the OPC and we came to the conclusion that some enemies of democracy must be funding some groups masquerading as OPC, creating problems that can be embarrassing to democratic development in the country and we think that there is (the) need for the Federal Government to do more security surveillance.

"Our reason for coming to that conclusion is that at what point were these so-called OPC members trained in what appears like a guerilla warfare? Who is funding these hoodlums masquerading as OPC? Who is arming them with sophisticated weapons? The Federal Government needs to look into all these; unravel all these problems and let us know the security report on the source of funding and the people behind the so-called OPC.

"Because we believe that it's very easy to just look for an escapist situation and blame everything on OPC."

Osoba said that it was the view of the governors that the OPC should not be blamed entirely for the violent clashes in the South-West.

He compared the present situation to Gen. Sani Abacha's days when everything that happened in the country was blamed on the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), including the numerous bomb blasts and the killing of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

The fifth columnists are not only fighting the Lagos State government, but even the Federal Government with the purpose of creating the impression that there is instability in the country, he added.

"And the Federal Government must bear in mind that we are trying to impress the international investors to come into the country. And we must not take simplistic approach to a very serious issue. It has deep security problem which the Federal Government itself must unravel.

"I mean, you will recall that in Abacha days, they said that the bombings in Lagos were being done by NADECO, the killings were being done by NADECO. Chief Abraham Adesanya, Pa Solanke Onasanya, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Ganiyu Dawodu were locked up for six months on the excuse that they were the ones who killed Kudirat. Now the issue is in court, you are now getting the story and the fact.

"What we are saying is that there are people who are creating problems, just as they created during the days of Abacha. Everything was blamed on NADECO. Kudi was killed by the leaders of NADECO.

"Now, we are getting to know... the court is yet to make pronouncement. But the evidence so far is showing that the people who killed Kudi are people within the same government that blamed it on NADECO."

Osoba said, however, that the governors are not condoning violence which he said, they totally abhor.

According to him, the philosophy behind the founding of OPC was not to create violence, adding that as chief security officers of their states, they cannot sponsor violence.

"We should not go the way of Abacha who was creating state sponsored terrorism", he declared.

According to Osoba, the governors still stand by the call for the creation of state police with the necessary amendment in the constitution.

"We still stand by our position that there should be state police by going back to special constabularies which we had not quite long ago. In the 1960s, we had them," he said.

On crime prevention, he said that the meeting blamed the Federal Government for not doing enough, as the police lack the necessary fire power and equipment to combat crime.

For instance, he said that the Lagos State government was trying its best by providing vehicles, maintaining the vehicles and giving ration allowance to policemen on special duty.

He said: "A police that has to take {Danfo} to go and pursue armed robbers who are in Lexus and Toyota Jeep, how can you pursue armed robbers in rented {Danfo} or {Molue}?" he asked.

These issues and others, he said, would be further discussed at the Council of State meeting.

On ransome of N200,000 placed on Gani Adams by the Arewa Peoples Congress (APC), Osoba said that such was illegal as only the police in charge of civil security was in a position to do so.

He said that the People's Democratic Party (PDP) controlled Federal Government would want to destabilise the AD states for political reasons. According to him, attempt had been made since the regime of Gen. Abacha to make in-roads into Ogun State.

But he said that AD states would fight such move with all democratic forces within their control "to make sure that they don't make in-roads into our territory."

On OPC and vigilance, Osoba said that vigilance groups started in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, where it has been very successful.

According to him, vigilance groups in Ogun State do have regular meetings with the police and they are recognised and registered.