Is Nigeria Turning into Next Rwanda?

The world’s eyes have turned to Nigeria after the shocking incident of abduction of 276 schoolgirls from a government school in Chibok, in Borno state of Nigeria. Islamist radical group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility.

The Group has threatened to use the girls as child brides as a new tactic. Previously, it has employed the tactic of pressing young boys into service in the form of child soldiers. 

The group has been terrorising Nigeria but only the mass kidnapping brought the attention of the world to Nigeria. Since its campaign which began five years ago, it has murdered over 4000 people and caused half a million to flee their homes. This has created large swaths of ghost towns in the arid North of Nigeria.

In addition to pervasive poverty, residents of capital Abuja and town of Lagos have come to suffer frequent car bombs. This is the daily grind for 170 million citizens of the most populous nation of Africa.

The kidnapping of the girls might have escaped attention too, if not for two social media campaigns.  The first was a support group on Twitter angered by the slow response of the Nigerian government which found a worldwide following under the hash tag #bringbackourgirls. It found following from the likes of Michelle Obama, Angelina Jolie and Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai.

A second campaign by Boko Haram galvanised the international government machinery to action. In a horrifying tape released on Monday, the group leader Abubakar Shekau threatened to auction the girls as slaves.

Whether Shekau has as many captives is still unconfirmed, but the tape with its dangerous sexual tone has unleashed an international frenzy. Help has been pledged from the White House to Downing Street to free the girls through military action. Nigeria’s insurgency has come under the global spotlight, overnight.

Boko Haram, like most radical groups, finds followers by portraying modern, secular government as immoral and corrupt. This is easy to believe given the problems that Nigeria faces. Despite being the eighth biggest producer of oil in the world, it remains desperately poor especially in Muslim dominated North where 70% of people subsist on less than a dollar a day.

Thus, when a cleric named Mohammed Yusuf formed Boko Haram in late 90’s in Borno’s capital, Maiduguri, he was able to garner popular support. He was bent upon imposing Sharia law (floggings and amputations) and to ban Western education –Boko Haram means Western Education is sinful. The leaders of the group want to convert Nigeria into a theocratic state but the soldiers are all derived from the poor.

When Boko Haram took up insurgency, the Nigerian government met it with a robust response. A battle in Maiduguri in 2009 left over 600 dead and Yusuf was captured and executed. Surviving members fled to Niger, Chad, and Mali. Here, they received training from the Al Qaeda. By 2011, Boko Haram was back in Nigeria, pursuing a fresh Jihadist agenda. This time the leader was Shekau, a former follower of Yusuf.

Today, much of North East is under the control of Boko Haram. It is against this background that the US and British anti-terrorist experts arrived in Abuja yesterday. Though priority is rescuing the girls, they will also assist the Nigerian government with anti-terrorism strategy.

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Mixed Fortunes for Okada Riders in Nigeria

Okada or commercial motorcycle riders in different parts of Nigeria experienced mixed fortunes with some places promising them a bright future while others imposing an outright ban on their operation.

Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, the candidate for governorship in Ekiti state, representing the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) assured Okada riders that they would enjoy the freedom to operate without fear that their activities would be proscribed, once he became governor.

Fayose made these statements in Ire-ekiti in local government area in the state while he was campaigning ward to ward.  He requested Okada owners not to vote for a party   which on forming government was likely to throw them into the swelling group of unemployed in the country.

Mr. Idowu Adelusi, spokesman for Fayose released a press statement in Ado Ekiti saying that Fayose was concerned that the APC party would exploit the vote bank of Okada riders to clinch the election, only to later curb their operations. He, on his part, assured Okada riders that he would not curb their operations, but only provide them an environment conducive to reduce Okada accidents to the bare minimum.

The number of registered Okadas in Nigeria is around 8 million. Babangida Maihula, president of National Motorcycle and Tricycle Riders Association said that around 8 million Okadas were registered with his association. Maihula said that out of 8, five million Okadas did not possess micro insurance policy.

He told News agencies sin Lagos that micro insurance had been designed to help Okadas and tricycles. The payment of premium depended on the type off policy- whether third party, comprehensive or personal (sickness/accident).

He explained that Okada riders could pay the premium after doing the work for a week. Before Okada riders could not benefit from insurance. Now the story is different and they have been provided micro-insurance to suit their needs.

Once the problem has occurred, the Okada rider could contact the unit head and could immediately get indemnified. An annual premium payment of N 160,000 could be paid annually without feeling the pinch.  Mr. Maihula said the micro insurance policy products were selling well as it was proving as   beneficial.

But there was bad news for Okada riders elsewhere. The House of assembly in Kaduna state passed a law banning commercial motorbikes in parts of the state.

Hon. Peter Adamu, the speaker of the house, said that the law would cover areas like Kaduna North and Zaria Township. He said that anyone who did not adhere to the law would be punished with a fine below N 10,000 or imprisonment for three months or both.

He said all offenders will be tried by magisterial courts related to areas established in the schedule that will impose punishment, sanctions, or orders like confiscation of motorcycles.

Okadas have been banned in other states like Lagos and Kano.

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Concept of Non-Indigine Abolished by Amaechi in Rivers State

Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the governor of Rivers State has made a historic move in the annals of governance in Nigeria by abolishing the non-indigeneship in any state of the Federation.

He made this historic announcement over the weekend as he was welcoming a crowd of non-indigenes of the state who were paying a visit for solidarity at the Port Harcourt Government house.

Amaechi addressed his guests, who were members of the Non Indigene Political Forum (NIPF), which is a support group of the All Progressive Conference (APC) of the Rivers State. He said that he doesn’t believe in Non-indegeniship. According to him, anyone who has lived in Rivers State for over five years is entitled to all benefits of indigenes.

He said that he would personally deal with any case of segregation suffered by the so called, non indigenes.  This is because all are living in Nigeria and are legitimate citizens of the country. The APC believed it was time for change as the government in power was reluctant to spend money on this group of non-indigenes.

The non indigenes need a bottom-top approach to benefit the people and improve their standard of living. The governor announced a slew of largesse for the non indigenes people including a bus for the NIPF and 20% scholarship for non indigenes in the state.

 The announcements made by the governor left the audience in a tizzy. It was particularly challenging day for security personnel in the government house as they had to deal with an unprecedented crowd in the history of Solidarity gatherings at the house.

High Chief Williams Samuel Ubaka, a chieftain of the forum made the delegation address on behalf of the coordinator of the Forum, namely Chief Uchenna Okokoba. He told governor Amaechi that they were pleased with the developments made by the latter’s administration including good, accessible roads, higher education, health care and primary and secondary schools designed and run on world class basis. Their children were admitted to these schools with the help of scholarships and they were particularly grateful.

High chief Ubaka also thanked the governor for reserving 20% of seats for teacher’s recruitment for non –indigenes. Their children were given political offices so that they could participate in mainstream politics. Non indigenes also made further demands such as vehicles for the NIPF, implementing scholarship and employment quotas, pilgrimage facilities for non-indigenes, skill acquisitions and empowerment and reduction of fees for burial at Port Harcourt cemetery.

Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, chairman off Rivers State APC said that as  increasing number of people support the governor and the APC, the People’s Democratic Party  has minimal chance in River state. Dr. Ikanya expressed his administration for the governor who with his agenda for bringing non-indigenes to    the main stream was proving himself as a true Nigerian. He also claimed that no other government had done so much for the non indigenes residing in any part of Nigeria.

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