3 KILLED 2 DAYS AFTER CHRISTMAS DAY BOMBING

An attack at Kuru station, Wereng in Riyom LGA of Plateau State has left three members of a family dead. Their names were given as Phillip Francis 37, Simi Francis, 28 and Nerat Francis who was only a few months old. From the reports of the villagers who saw it happen, suspected fulani herdsmen are said to have carried out the attack.

The killings comes hours after the leaders of the Christian Association of Nigeria and the Jama’atu Nasiru Islam met at the Jos Central Mosque to discuss ways of maintaining peace in the crisis-ridden state.

Every one knows the truth behind these attacks, yet no one is willing to say it. There is leadership failure in Nigeria at the moment. When the common people are pushed to their tolerance limit they will surely fight back. It looks as if that day is not far away. Can Nigeria withstand a religious war?

THE REAL COST OF NIGERIAN PMS

THE REAL COST OF NIGERIAN PETROL BY DR. IZIELEN AGBON

An article titled, “The Real Cost of Nigerian Petrol” by one Dr. Izielen Agbon was published by Sahara Reporters, an online newspaper, on 15 December, 2011. After reading the article three times I wondered why a PhD holder with over 20 years teaching experience should decide to do his country such a disservice. His “simplest economics” turned out to be so flawed that I think he deserves a rejoinder.

One online commentator, Ifeanyi-Democracy 4ever, gave him the best immediate response on 16 December 2011. He wrote,

“Dr Izielen's calculation of N33.36 per litre of fuel is FATALLY wrong. This is surprising especially coming from a 'Dr' and former HOD and ASUU chairman. Only God knows how many generations of students this 'Dr' has fed with the wrong stuff. These are some of the persons causing UNIMAGINABLE damage to the system then turn around to blame Govt even for their inability to impregnate their wives.

“Back to 'Dr' Izielen's flawed calculation. According to him the cost of development, storage and transport of crude is $5 per barrel. Refining cost is $12.6 per barrel, pipeline distribution $1.5 per barrel while other distribution margins $16.6 per barrel. Assuming these estimations were right, which I doubt, what about the cost of the crude oil itself, which is $107 per barrel (international market price)? This could only be likened to someone doing an estimate of the cost of producing 'suya meat' without taking into consideration the cost of the starting raw material, which is raw beef.”

I entirely agree with Ifeanyi as explained below. According to the Department of Energy Information Administration, which issues the official United States’ energy statistics, the average cost of the pump price of PMS refined in the USA is as follows: 74% Crude Oil, 10% Refining Costs, 11% Taxes (Fed & State) and 5% Distribution and Marketing. These are Government figures.

A private researcher calculated independently and arrived at the following averages for the 150 refineries in the USA who jointly refine 17.6 million barrels per day: 69% Crude Oil cost, 7% Refining costs and refinery profits, 13% Federal and State Taxes and 12% Marketing and Distribution Costs. The margin of difference between these figures and the official figures is just 3% or less.

Dr. Agbon’s suggestion that in Nigeria, 1 barrel of PMS is refined at $5 for Crude, $12.6 Refining Costs, $1.5 Pipeline & Distribution and $16.58 Distribution Margins, giving a total of $35.7, is a huge departure from US averages and a monumental misinformation to the public. The percentages arising from Dr. Agbon’s figures are 14% for Cost of Crude, 35.3% for refining, 4.2% for Pipeline distribution and 46.5 % Distribution Margins.

PMS SHARE % IN COST OF REFINING 1 BARREL OF CRUDE OIL

US GOVT STATS (%) INDEPENDENT RESEARCH (%) AGBON’S NIGERIAN STATS (%)

CRUDE 74 69 14

REFINING 10 7 35.3

TAXES 11 13 4.2

DIST/TAX 5 11 46.5

TOTAL 100 100 100

Please note that refining processes do differ a lot. We are therefore being very simplistic here and dealing only with averages. However, the catalytic processes adopted by Nigerian refineries are very similar to those of US refineries.

1. Cost of Crude at 14% instead of 69% to 74% is totally unrealistic. Before 2003 Nigerian refineries were supplied crude by NNPC at reduced rates. However, from 2003, they started paying for the 445,000 barrels supplied them per day at international rates. As Ifeanyi aptly exemplified, it’s akin to a ‘suya meat’ producer who does not cost the raw beef he will use because he bred the cow in his house.

2. Was Dr. Agbon right when based all his computations on locally produced PMS and then extended his conclusions to cover imported products? For his information, the Group MD of NNPC recently told the Senate Committee on Petroleum that they sell the remaining crude they cannot refine at international prices. Also, that they don’t run any refinery at less that 60% capacity. Dr. Agbon’s capacity utilization figure of 38.2% (efficiency?) should be clarified. Note that all Nigerian PMS is refined at international costs and must be so priced. There is nothing like a Nigerian price today.

3. After using ‘netback calculation method’ and deducting the cost of ‘swapped petroleum products’ (whatever these mean) Dr. Agbon arrived at $36.86 per barrel for Nigerian PMS which translates to N34.45/lit or $0.22/lit. Does it make sense to say we started with $5 worth of crude and that we should sell the refined product for $0.22? Note that he mixed barrels, gallons and litres in his computations to confuse the reader, not me.

4. Dr. Agbon correctly states that PMS today is sold in the US and Nigeria at $3.52/gallon or N138 per litre. Therefore, at the artificially fixed pump price of N65/litre, there is a subsidy in place right now. Dr. Agbon and Prof. D. West, whom he quoted, are therefore both wrong to say that there is no subsidy on PMS pump price in Nigeria today.

5. Dr. Agbon also did not tell us how many liters of PMS are obtained when 1 barrel of crude oil is refined. He only told us that 1 barrel is equivalent to 142 gallons or 138 litres. The truth is that we only obtain 75 litres of PMS from 1 barrel of crude. Did he factor this into his calculations? He only said the cost of refining 1 barrel in Nigeria is $36.86.

6. Dr. Agbon goes further to assert that the Federal Government of Nigeria is actually charging tax on PMS at the rate of 91.2%. A little arithmetic tells me that this means that whenever I pay N65 for a litre of PMS, the Nigerian Government earns N59 from it. I leave the reader to judge the rationale of this assertion.

Dr. Agbon makes a final suggest ion that labour should not accept Government’s ‘economic fallacy’ of trying to sell us crude oil which Government got for free. Really?

Dr. Agbon finally concludes by calling all Nigerians out to settle this perceived dispute on the streets. He made this call only because his wife, children, house, car and other belongings are safe in Dallas, Texas, USA, where he resides. Is there no better way to resolve this issue?

I believe President Jonathan and his Finance Minster, Okonjo-Owealla, that our Government will spend about N1.4 trillion in 2011 settling bills coming from PPPRA. Why those bills arose in the first place, needs to be verified and stopped if not justified. If Government was subsidizing my fuel purchases to that tune, then I suggest Education be allocated the amount instead and not N400 billion in the 2012 Budget. ASSUU’s demands translate to only N109 billion additional costs according to the Education Minister. We can easily meet ASSUU’s requests.

Subsidy on PMS and Kero in Nigeria is real. Government cannot sustain it any longer because huge corruption has been introduced into its administration and the intended beneficiaries have been outsmarted by a wicked cabal that won’t let the system work. They are among the ruling class. President Jonathan is very brace to plan to end their billion Naira scheme. Please support the removal of all fuel subsidies in Nigeria by 2011 end.

James Pam (jamespam2004@yahoo.com) 18 December, 2011

HON. BITRUS KAZE

TEXT OF THE CONFRENCE PRESS ADDRESSED BY BITRUS B. KAZE, MEMBER HOUSE OF REPS, JOS SOUTH-JOS EAST FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY PLATEAU STATE ON FRIDAY 16TH DEC, 2011
Gentlemen of the press:
The outbreak of violence in Barkin Ladi in November and explosions last week along the Bauchi Ring Road again interrupted relative peace in Jos, my heart goes to the victims and relatives. At peace times while unsuspecting citizens on the Plateau relax believing albeit erroneously that everyone loves peace, our traducers return to the works to reinvigorate their evil schemes only to strike when least expected. Festivals and crowded avenues have become their favorite targets, the body language of terrorists provide early warning signs. Like any typical Jew in Jerusalem, peace loving citizens of Jos must at all times remain conscious of possible terrorists attacks.
The Plateau State government in conjunction with all stakeholders took certain hard decisions which paid off handsomely during the Eid-el Fitri celebrations. I urge all citizens to be vigilant and cooperate fully with government and security agencies as they take necessary steps to ensure peaceful Christmas and New Year celebrations. We must shun all forms of intoxicants and avoid trouble shooters, we can sacrifice the fanfare of these celebrations in order to secure a casualty free yuletide.
So far, we are encouraged by the confidence building efforts of the new STF Commander, Major General Olayinka Oshinowo. Since he took over in September the impunity with which terrorist wiped out several families virtually on a daily basis appears to be receding, so are the clumsy statements of the STF spokesman Capt Charles Ekeocha. Troops are no longer being hired for cow search missions, response to distress calls appears to have improved but isolated killings are being reported in the hinterland, there is room for improvement. The relative peace we enjoy in Jos under Gen Oshinowo exposes a trend, STF commanders and Security Chiefs from a particular ethnic stock, region and religion are simply unable to maintain neutrality in dealing with the Jos crises that is if they are not found culpable.
A former Police CP in Plateau was indicted for taking sides, an erstwhile STF commander blatantly refused to hand over some of his men who were implicated in the crisis. Such gross misconduct severely injured the public confidence on the STF, the deep seated mistrust against its operatives must be understood from this view point. Happily, our calls for investigations of crimes against humanity in Jos is receiving attention. A body of investigators from the International Criminal Court, Hague will arrive Jos soon, no one found culpable will escape justice. We are immensely grateful to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project SERAP and its solicitor Femi Falana for this feat.
We totally condemn statements credited to Yahaya Mamood SAN that Jos will not know peace unless Gov Jang is compelled to carved out an emirate for the Hausa-Fulani residents of Jos. This gives credence to our position that the Jos crisis is sponsored by people desperately seeking to foist an emirate system on the Tin City. As counsel during the Justice Niki Tobi Judicial Commission of Inquiry of September of 2001, Yahaya Mahmood knows better that his witness Alh Saleh Hassan himself testified that he is a Tera native from Gombe State who arrived Jos in 1945. His father couldn't have been in Jos 200 years earlier! Records show that his son Shehu Saleh Hassan like Alh Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande and Alh Muhktar Usman Mohammed who also traced their roots to Kano and Borno States, did not only enjoy Plateau State government scholarships but mounted exalted public offices in Jos at various times. Circumstances preceding the creation of Chiefdoms in Kaduna State do not obtain in Jos. Whereas in Kaduna the creation of new chiefdoms freed Southern Kaduna natives from emirate rule, in Jos Hausa-Fulanis aliens are fighting to wrest traditional rulership and ownership of Jos from the natives.
The Justice Feberima Commission of Inquiry into the Jos Crisis of April 1994 reported that "One Alhaji Sale Hassan, a Tera man by tribe, called on the Jasawa community to wrest the rulership and ownership of Jos from the (native) tribes. This incitement by Alhaji Hassan generated tension and created unnecessary sentiments. Thus a seed of discord was sown." By these mischievous claims, Yahaya Mahmood watered the seed of discord long sown by his client. For a former Magistrate and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria former to resort to outright fallacy, intimidation and incitement amounts to serious misconduct and a breach of the Anti Terrorism Act 2011. Arrangements are advanced stage for our team of erudite lawyers to file a petition against him before the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Bar Association.
Thank you for listening!

JOS BOMBED AGAIN ON 15 DEC 2011

Christian Areas of Jos, Nigeria Bombed, Killing One

Thursday, December 15, 2011 11:50 AM

PICTURE: Ishaku Nyam beside the Tina Junction TV viewing center is attached for subscribers, to be used with credit to Compass Direct News.

FLASH from COMPASS DIRECT NEWS

News from the Frontlines of Persecution

Summary:

JOS, Nigeria, December 15 (Compass Direct News) – Joshua Dabo, like other young Christians in this city in central Nigeria, had dreams for his life. He had graduated from a Christian high school, Mt. Olives Secondary School, and at 31 was finally looking forward to attending university. He was among the 120 people from the Christian community on Bauchi Ring Road who paid to watch a classic soccer rivalry, Barcelona FC v. Real Madrid, on TV at an outdoor bar (called a “viewing center” in Nigeria) on Saturday night (Dec. 10). A few minutes into the match, televised in the hall of corrugated sheet metal at Yangwava Television Viewing Center at Ukadum village, a bomb went off. Dabo was decapitated. He was the lone fatality in three bomb blasts targeting viewing centers in predominantly Christian areas of Jos during the Spanish soccer match; at least 10 others were injured in the blasts, leaving four in critical condition, including two in a coma. At Tina Junction along the Bauchi Ring Road in Jos, where the first bomb exploded, Hiroshima Ishaku Nyam, a member of the Jos Jarawa Church of Christ in Nigeria congregation, told Compass that his house was damaged by the bomb at the TV viewing center opposite his house. Danladi Dabo, brother of the slain Joshua Dabo, said he was at home when he first heard an explosion at the Tina Junction venue. “Knowing that my brother is a soccer fan, I raced to the viewing center near our house to alert them, but just about 100 meters to the place, my fears were confirmed as a bomb exploded,” Dabo said. “I was dazed by the explosion, but I kept running there, knowing that my brother was in there. On getting there I found my brother’s body but with no head. I was shocked.” Family members buried Joshua Dabo on Sunday (Dec. 11).

**********

Christian Areas of Jos, Nigeria Bombed, Killing One

Explosions hit three TV viewing centers during high-profile soccer match.

By Obed Minchakpu

JOS, Nigeria, December 15 (Compass Direct News) – Joshua Dabo, like other young Christians in this city in central Nigeria, had dreams for his life. He had graduated from a Christian high school, Mt. Olives Secondary School, and at 31 was finally looking forward to attending university.

Apart from commitment to his fellowship at Nasara Baptist Church at Tirji Junction near the University of Jos, Dabo ran a barbershop to earn income as he awaited admission to college, and he was an ardent soccer player and fan.

As such he made sure to be among the 120 people from the Christian community on Bauchi Ring Road who paid to watch a classic soccer rivalry, Barcelona FC v. Real Madrid, on TV at an outdoor bar (called a “viewing center” in Nigeria) on Saturday night (Dec. 10). A few minutes into the match, televised in the hall of corrugated sheet metal at Yangwava Television Viewing Center at Ukadum village, a bomb went off.

“It was shocking for me,” said viewing center owner Emmanuel Exodus Nimkun, 30, of the Ukadum congregation of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN). “I saw Joshua Dabo standing without a head. I have never seen a thing like this – a human being standing but with his head blasted off, and he was struggling to move.”

Dabo was the lone fatality in three bomb blasts targeting viewing centers in predominantly Christian areas of Jos during the Spanish soccer match; at least 10 others were injured in the blasts, leaving four in critical condition, including two in a coma.

Nimkun told Compass that he was bleeding and his back was hurt after the explosion, but he held Dabo and brought him down.

“I began to cry, and suddenly there were shouts that another bomb was hidden in a bag beside the viewing hall that had not exploded,” he said. ‘We all ran out, and then a policeman came to the scene. He picked up courage and went to check the bag, and the device was intact.”

A few minutes later, military personnel arrived and took the device away, he said.

“They told us that the battery of the device had run out, and that that was the reason it did not explode,” Nimkun said. “If it had exploded, they told us, the destruction could have been massive.”

Nimkun said his cousin was badly injured and was among six people taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital.

A worker with the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission, Nimkun said he opened the TV viewing center for additional income, never considering that it would become a target for Muslim extremists. The culprits were unknown at press time, but the area has a history of Christian-Muslim conflict.

“I cannot reconstruct that place again, because it will keep reminding us of that sad incident – if only for the remembrance of Dabo, I will not reopen that place again,” he said. “This is a person killed not because he has done anything wrong but because he is a Christian.”

Danladi Dabo, Joshua Dabo’s older brother and a member of Nasara Baptist Church, said he was at home when he first heard an explosion at another viewing center, in Jos’ Tina Junction area.

“Knowing that my brother is a soccer fan, I raced to the viewing center near our house to alert them, but just about 100 meters to the place, my fears were confirmed as a bomb exploded,” Dabo said. “I was dazed by the explosion, but I kept running there, knowing that my brother was in there. On getting there I found my brother’s body but with no head. I was shocked.”

Family members buried Joshua Dabo on Sunday (Dec. 11).

Danladi Dabo said that Christians in Jos have reached out to their Muslim neighbors, but Muslims seem uninterested in peaceful relations with Christians.

“The government has urged us to live peacefully with each other, but while we Christians have accepted to live peacefully with Muslims, they have continued to attack us,” Dabo said. “I pray and urge the Nigerian government to take decisive steps to stop these killings, now that they know that Muslims are the aggressors.”

Damaged House

One of the survivors of the attack, 22-year-old Gift Danjuma of Zumunci Baptist Church in the Ukadum area, told Compass that her family has lost four members to religious conflict in Jos in the past three years.

“I thank God that I survived this attack, but this is becoming too much for us,” she said. “In the last three years we’ve had four members of our family killed – Umaru Haruna, Salami Mainoma Dutse, Esther Ishaya, and Ruth Danladi.”

Muslim extremists killed Haruna, Ishaya and Danladi as they returned from work in 2008, while Dutse was killed in 2010 while returning from a church activity, she said.

“Unless the Nigerian government does something urgently to curtail these attacks on us Christians by Muslims, we will get to the point that Christians will have no other option than to fight back in order to stay alive,” Danjuma said.

t Tina Junction along the Bauchi Ring Road in Jos, where the first bomb exploded, Hiroshima Ishaku Nyam, a member of the Jos Jarawa COCIN congregation, told Compass that his house was damaged by the bomb at the TV viewing center opposite his house.

“I was sleeping when the sound of a loud explosion woke me up,” Nyam said. “The entire house was shaking and vibrating. Suddenly the ceiling in my bedroom and the living room caved in.”

He switched on a flashlight but could hardly see anything, he said.

“There was dust all over,” Nyam said. “I struggled until I found my way out of the room. It was then that I heard people outside our house shouting that a bomb had exploded at the TV viewing center opposite our house.”

Nyam said his family had travelled to Abuja for a church program, so he was able to restrain himself from running out to check on them. Some 20 minutes later, he heard gunshots outside, confirming his resolve to stay inside.

Ironically, he said, the University of Jos had organized a peace meeting that brought together area Christians and Muslims a few meters from one of the bombed viewing centers.

Nyam said that after the bombings, it will be difficult for Christians to trust Muslims again.

“How will Christians be convinced that Muslims really want genuine reconciliation in the face of the bombings and secret killings of members of Christian communities going on in the city of Jos?” he said.

The third TV viewing center bombed is located opposite the University of Jos Staff Quarters along Bauchi Ring Road. It is also a few meters away from a Christian ministry known as City of David.

James Daniel, 22, an apprentice carpenter and a member of the Evangelical Church Winning All Nasarawa Gwong congregation, told Compass that about 100 Christians were watching the soccer game at the TV viewing center.

Daniel, whose carpentry workshop is near the TV viewing center, said the bombs planted at Tina Junction and Ukadum went off first.

“Most of the viewers here are Christian students of the University of Jos who reside here,” he said. “Thank God none of them died, as most of them only sustained injuries.”

Daniel said that ever since the Christmas Eve bombings in the Angwan Rukuba area of Jos last year, Muslims have targeted Christians through bombings or secret killings.

Plateau state has seen religious conflict since 2001.

END

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Copyright 2011 Compass Direct News

Compass Direct Flash News is distributed as available to raise awareness of Christians worldwide who are persecuted for their faith. Articles may be reprinted by active subscribers only.

JOS BOMBING OF 10 DEC 2011

THE BLASTS

There were 4 IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devises) planted in three local tv viewing centres all along the Bauchi Ring road.
These centres were packed with mostly young people watching the English Premier League.

THREE of the devices exploded. One youngman was confirmed dead. 11 others, including a woman sustained injuries.

But mercifully (God's mercy!), the 4th device did not explode and was neutralised by the Police Bomb squad. No group has yet claimed responsibility. But investigations are continuing.

Prompt response and mature conduct by security officers helped calm agitated youth angered by the blasts.

I went out 7am Sunday in company of the STF Commander Maj Gen Oshinowo and the Commandant of NSCDC Mr Agu and toured areas affected by blasts.

Communities listened to us and maintained the peace. The dead man was subsequently buried after we visited family and paid our condolences.

Visited the injured in hospital and gave words of encouragement.

Security surveillance intensified. However, nothing as effective as communities, families, groups and individuals staying alert always, and report suspicious objects and people (4 objects deposited to harm and all those I interviewed said they saw nothing!).

People too to avoid rushing to explosion sites immediately - there may be other devices timed to give more devoting blows (as in this case one failed to explode).

Plateau State Govt sees this as a wicked plan aimed at innocent civilians.

Action also intended to deny us peace and make us live in perpetual fear.

No way! Plateau people will retain and promote this peace; they will be totally unafraid; they have the right to live in peace and enjoy this good land - and these wicked people will not shake our confidence and steal away our freedom.

No panic. No shaking. Just vigilance. And prayer - until the grounds where these IEDs are being assembled quake beyond imagination.

NO MATTER HOW LONG, EVIL WILL BE EXPOSED...laid bare for all to see. SOON!

KEEP YOUR CONFIDENCE!!

Yilap

(Hon. Abraham Yiljap is the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Plateau State)

PLATEAU PROBLEMS

Plateau Problems Are Motivated From Outside

the guardian, SUNDAY, 04 DECEMBER 2011 00:00 FROM ISA ABDULSALAMI SUNDAY MAGAZINE - SUNDAY MAGAZINE

Top of Form

Nde Alexander Molwus, Special Adviser to Governor Jonah Jang on Political Affairs spoke with ISA ABDULSALAMI, on the situation in Plateau State.

On the Crisis

IF you look at crises in Plateau State in their proper perspective, they did not just start from 2008. You remember that the crises on the Plateau, which even led to the state of emergency during Joshua Dariye’s regime started in 2001and unfortunately, people thought then that that was Dariye’s problem and that if Dariye goes, there will be no problem on the Plateau. People thought he is the architect of the problems in Plateau State.

And with some undiluted interests, the state of emergency was slammed on the state, unfortunately hoping that that would solve the problems therein.

Situation under Gov Jang

When the Jang administration came on board in 2007 and the democratic decision to conduct local government elections in 2008 was taken, there were intrigues and the 2008 crisis was hatched. This dealt a devastating blow to the image of the state. There were security arrangements that were put in place to check the security problems. This was never to be when another crisis erupted again in 2011, particularly during the Muslim fasting period. It was unfortunate. Just as it was seen then as Dariye’s problem, it is now seen as Jang’s problem.

The security challenge is such that we have a situation where some people outside Plateau, believe that if it is not them, nothing works.

If you trace the historical leadership problems in Plateau, any indigenous leader in Plateau is always accused of not being sensitive to security problems in the state and they will create all sort of blackmail around such leaders.

In 2008 crisis, whether there was any advice to the effect that elections should not hold in Jos North, I don’t know because I was not in the government then. Each crisis in Jos has been an importation into Plateau State. It is not really an issue that emanated from Plateau. It is instigation by some people who believe they should lord it over everything in the northern part of this country. They believe it is their rights to determine what is happening in whatever state in Nigeria. Plateau people have their identity in the comity of states in the federation. They stand as a figure that must be respected. The state must be respected like any other state in Nigeria and its leaders should be respected like any other leader in Nigeria. And therefore, there should be no basis for lording it over the state by other people outside Plateau. This is the fundamental crux of the problem of Plateau, because all the leaders in Plateau that have embarked on the Plateau Project, that is, ensuring the dignity and respect of Plateau in the comity of states in Nigeria, are deemed to be incompetent, and not acceptable to some. But Plateau is for Plateau and for Plateau people and anybody who resides in Plateau and wants to identify with the aspirations, the culture and ethics of the people is welcome.

That is why it is called the “Home of Peace and Tourism.” But where you want to use that to impose your own ideas on Plateau people, Plateau people will resist such. And that is the fate of the late Joseph Deshi Gomwalk, because he stood for Plateau Project. So to our adversaries, the best way to deal with the situation was to kill him. Apart from J.D. Gomwalk, who paid with his life, the rest, we thank God that with the sophistication of modern administration, survive.

Look at Chief Solomon Lar. He was humiliated. He was imprisoned and he was the last to be released of all the governors detained, at the end of it, he was found not guilt.

When it came to Fidelis Tapgun, he also suffered the same thing and he left. Even Atukum, who was a military officer, suffered it because he stood for Plateau and insisted that the people must maintain their identity. Look at Dariye too. He was accused of everything, that he was insensitive to security matters, that he was the cause of everything, that he was the problem. All sorts of things were embarked upon to remove him including impeachment because they believed he was the architect of the problem.

Now, when Jang took over, you discover that initially they thought he was friendly to the Jasawas and they even organized a reception for him. They even went to the extent of giving him a certificate. That was what we were told. But when Jang put his feet down to embark on Plateau Project, look at what they are saying again; that the whole problem is again Jang’s.

So, the issue in Plateau state is not an issue of labeling one man. The problem is as long as you are the leader in Plateau State, and you embark on the Plateau Project, to lead by the aspirations and concerns of Plateau people, you are their enemy and therefore you must be part of all sorts of things. I think all the leaders we have, have become a problem as far as some people are concerned, because they have refused to listen to the dictates outside Plateau.

To me, the problem is not whether there are issues of security matters as in 2008, not even some of the issues we had been ignorantly holding onto before now, but we discover that any leader from Plateau is not good enough as far as some people are concerned.

We thank God for the elite in the state who are coming to grips with the reality because during Lar’s regime, some people believed he was the problem. During Tapgun, he was the problem. During Dariye, he was the problem and today some people also believe Jang is the problem. Therefore, the revelation by one of the United States diplomatic cables by Internet whistle blower, WikiLeaks, claimed that Mukhtar’s advice was not heeded by Jang, should be taken with a pinch of salt. Disjointed information is at play here. I am saying that what is happening is just to give a dog a bad name in order to hang him.

Author of this article: FROM ISA ABDULSALAMI

ATTACK AT RAKWOK VILLAGE

Rakwok in Barakinladi, a village around Kurafalls junction off Bokkos road, reported the death of 3 young men who were way laid on their way home last night. One of the survivor who escaped told Stefanos that they encountered a road block as they approached home at around 7pm last night.

He said they heard gun shots on stopping and almost immidietely, he noticed his friend had been shot. As he tried to escape the attackers who were shoughting as they followed him, were speaking fulani. He said they followed and tried to gun him down but he escaped into the village,

While collecting this report, gun shots from the fulani could be heard all around the nearby hills. As villager ran for the lives, we watched the fulanis setting a home ablaze.

The men of the Special Task Force on security responded, rounded them up and took them to Jos.

THE MIDDLE BELT

HERE IS AN ARTICLE FROM A MISGUIDED MIDDLE BELTAN WHO HAS BECOME A WILLING TOOL IN THE HANDS OF HIS OPPRESSORS. SEE THE TRUE DEFINITION OF THE MIDDLE BELT AT THE END OF HIS ARTICLE AND ALSO A 1952 WILLINK'S COMMISSION MAP SHOWING AREAS IN THIS DEFINITION.

What Manner of Middle Belt?

Allafrica.com, Mohammed Yunusa, 27 October 2011

The Middle Belt Forum or Middle Belt Dialogue as they variously regard themselves, as well as its youth wing are offshoot of the Middle Belt Democratic Front-a Christian minority organisation that sprang up due to the perceived fears of the minority being dominated by the Northern People's Congress (NPC) as well as the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). The Middle Belt Democratic Front was founded originally by twelve members out of whom nine were Christians.

Some among these nine members were reverend fathers, while some were pastors. And that is why the activities of the Middle Belt Forum as we have it today are being dominated by the agenda of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

Indeed, there is nothing like a neutral conception of a phenomenon. Every concept shapes and defines the direction of human thought and action. It is such direction of thought and action that inform the understanding of the North Central Muslims about the Middle Belt Forum, not as a socio-cultural organisation that incorporates and appreciates the ethnic and religious diversity of the North Central, instead, it is being correctly understood as a divisive and bias religious organisation that champions the bias orientation and affairs of its founding members.

Objectivity demands that we call spade by its name. The following rhetorical questions will prove that the activities of the Forum are devastating to the corporate and harmonious existence of the North Central and Nigeria at large. Our zone-the North Central- is very important because it performs neutralising functions in the sense that it provides an avenue for the far North and the South to interact and appreciate the cultural diversity of Nigeria and therefore building unity in diversity.

Now, we all know that the North Central is made up of six states: Kogi, Benue, Niger, Plateau, Kwara and Nasarawa. But why is it that the Middle Belt Forum always emphasises on the wellbeing of states like Borno, Kebbi, Adamawa and Bauchi, especially the Christians in that area? The leadership of the Middle Belt forum cannot debunk this fact, or can they? They should clarify whether this co-called socio-cultural organisation that is the MBF is a Northern Christian organisation or an organisation that represents the North Central states.

It is important therefore to call the attention of our Christian brothers in the North Central zone that their concept of the Middle Belt as sub-consciously and consciously handed over to them through careful orientation, as well as their activities amount to nothing but violent propaganda, the like of which has today culminated in the Jos crisis.

The intolerant views of the Middle Belt Forum is also reflected in its reaction to the appointment of Sheikh Ahmed Lemu-a Nupe man from Niger State ( North Central zone) as chairman of the committee on post-election violence. Sheikh Lemu is being labeled as an Islamic propagandist and a jihadist, while Prof. Jerry Gana, also a Nupe man and a Christain is being regarded as a top citizen of the Middle Belt. And the question is what is their criteria of defining who a Middle Belter is?

One reason why the Middle Belt Forum is generally regarded as a bias religious organisation is that only the minority Christian leaders and traditional rulers such as the Tor Tiv of Tiv land and Gbon Gwom of Jos are always selected and invited for MBF meetings and dialogue. And the question is why can't they include the Attah Igala, Etsu Nupe, Ohinoyi of Igbira, Emir of Lafia, Emir of Ilorin or the Etsu of Pategi in their list of invitees?

It is very unfortunate that those prominent members who should have diverted their energy towards nation building are wasting their energy on divisive activities. They cannot bring the North Central zone together unless they bury the religious bias brought into the conceptualisation and activities of the Middle Belt Forum.

Many of the North Central Christians who are using the Middle Belt Forum to seek for political offices through religious manipulations had in the past received the goodwill of such Northern leaders as Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto in form of scholarship and appointments and so they cannot dangerously manipulate religion to gain political office at the expense of the unity and corporate existence of the zone.

Yunusa sent in this piece from Lokoja, Kogi State

For Mohammed Yunusa's information:

TRUE DEFINITION OF THE MIDDLE BELT

All areas that were outside the sphere of authority of the Sokoto Caliphate and the Kanem Bornu Empire as at the time of the 1914 Amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates to form Nigeria. These areas include but are not restricted to:

a. The whole of the present day Niger State,

b. The whole of the present day Kwara State,

c. The whole of the present day Kogi State,

d. The whole of the present day Nassarawa State,

e. The whole of the present day Plateau State,

f. The whole of the present day Benue State,

g. The whole of the present day Adamawa State,

h. The whole of the present day Taraba State,

i. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT),

j. Southern Kaduna including the old Jema’a LGA, the old Saminaka LGA and the old Kachia LGA,

k. The following parts of the present day Bauchi State – the whole of Dass LGA, Tafawa LGA and Bogoro LGA and parts only of the present Toro LGA,

l. The following parts of the present day Gombe State – the old Tangale-Waja Division, old Yamaltu-Deba Division and present day Alkaleri LGA,

m. The following parts of present day Kebbi State – Yauri and Zuru, and

n. The Gwoza Chiefdom in the present day Bornu State.

CHRISTIANS FLEE JOS NORTH

Christians Flee Jos North

Allafrica.com, Raymond Gukas, 27 October 2011

A Pentecostal pastor , King James Dapar has raised the alarm that Christians residing in Jos North in Plateau State were deserting their homes for fear of being killed.

Dapar who is a pastor of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN), Chwalnyap (also known as Congo Russia) area of Jos metropolis called on security agents to quickly intervene to end the ugly trend .

. He disclosed this when The Middle Belt Dialogue (MBD), a non-governmental pressure group presented some relief materials (Clothing and cash) to the Church for distribution to members who had suffered losses from the persistent crisis in Jos.

The MBD delegation led by the Facilitator, Mr. Rima Shawulu lamented that the Chwalnyap community had been under constant attack by the Hausa Fulani aggressors at the slightest provocation.

The community is in the midst of the Hausas and according to the pastor, residents of the area have only one escape route in times of crisis.

He however expressed fears that this strategic route may soon be blocked as some of the Christians living along the route have since relocated and were planning to sell their houses to the Hausas.

According to him, once the houses are sold to the Hausas, there would be no escape route for Christians again anytime violence erupts and called on the state government and wealthy Christians to intervene by buying the houses rather than allowing those he called oppressors to buy them.

Dapar disclosed that the Plateau state government had earlier bought some of the houses that were destroyed by the Hausas with the intention of constructing a security outpost in the area, but up till now nothing has been done.

He lamented that as a result of the overwhelming forces of the Hausas on the community; people were relocating to safer zones and selling their houses to the Hausas.

He said "We are surrounded

by the Hausa people and they harass and intimidate us at will. At the slightest provocation, they will just start attacking us. But God has been helping us. Many people have relocated from Chwalnyap. Our people are relocating and selling their houses to the Hausa people.

"But our fear is that once the Hausa people buys the houses at the strategic route that is serving as escape route for us during crisis, we are finished" .

Dapar stressed that a security post in the area will checkmate the harassment of Christians in the area as well as ensure the security of lives and property in the area.

He added that residents of the area live in constant fear of attack in the midst of the Hausa settlers who have become a terror to them.

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The pastor thanked the MBD for the donations and for identifying with the church in its trying moment. While calling on the MBD to pray for the people of the area, he urged the group to help bring their plight to the attention of the authorities.

Responding, the Facilitator of the MBD, Mr. Shawulu said the group shares in the pains and travails of the community, hence the desire to assist with a token of gifts.

He said the group is made up of professionals from the Middle Belt with the

objective of contributing to the socio political wellbeing of the minority groups in the north.

Shawulu said the MBD will look into the challenges facing the community with a view of ensuring that they are addressed by the authorities.

COLLAPSE STATES BOUNDARIES, CREATE 6 REGIONS, DEVOLVE POWERS

The 36-State structure of Nigeria is clearly not going to take us far. Several issues can be cited in support of this assertion. The latest is the N18,000 minimum wage which many of our States cannot pay. Many of them have over bloated staff profiles which their State Governors find difficult to downsize. The recurrent expenditure of some of these States is already as high as 80%. Paying the new minimum wage would take this up to 100%, leaving not a kobo for development, a very sorry situation.

Many of our States are also not economically viable. They generate very little revenue internally and therefore depend heavily on Federal subventions. They have neglected revenue collection and the making of investments in commercial ventures because the Federal Government has become a Father Christmas doling out easy money regularly. The ‘black gold’ blessing has been turned into a curse by some State Governments.

The duplication of administrative structures 36 times is a most wasteful arrangement. Having 6 Regions will reduce the cost of running government to one sixth of what it is presently. Talk about taking government nearer to the people is mere talk which is never walked. It only succeeds in benefiting a few lucky government officials and their contractors.

The agitation for the creation of more State in the country is the most irrational demand any of us can make. It’s an ego trip not carefully thought out. I am always shocked when I see Senate President, David Mark, promising Nigerians that the National Assembly will create more States.

When General J. T. U. Ironsi abolished Regional Governments in 1967, his hope was to cage ethnicity, which was then tearing the country apart. The distrust between the four regions was palpable at the time. In the same flawed belief, General Gowon created 12 States in 1968 in attempt to bid farewell to the hydra-headed scourge of ethnicity and regionalism. Today, with the benefit of hind sight, we can say, how mistaken they were.

A close look at the voting pattern in the 2011 elections reveals that regionalism is alive and well in Nigeria. The East, the West and the North displayed block voting tendencies. The North showed a preference for the CPC, the West for the ACN and the East for APGA. This is not surprising because regionalism comes naturally to us. Our colonial master saw these preferred lines of cleavage and entrenched them in their administration up to 1960. The Mid-Western Region was added to the 3 existing Regions as a genuine and natural need of he people who were not comfortable in the West nor in the East.

There was nothing wrong with the 4-regional Federation except that the regions were very unbalanced in wealth, education and population. While the Northern Region had the largest population, it was the least in wealth and education, but has a lot of agricultural.. The West was the most advanced in commerce and education while the East was ahead of the other regions in entrepreneurship.

I see regional proclivity as a natural phenomenon to be encouraged and exploited to our common good rather attempting to kill it by artificial State boundaries that have lumped strange bed fellows together causing unnecessary internal acrimony. For example, I see no hegemony now or in the future between the people of Southern Kaduna and the rest of that State.

A ruling elite is slowly emerging in the country and it is working assiduously towards perpetuating itself in power. Wives, children, and contractors to those in power are the ones always propped forward in elections and for appointments.

Mentors and protégés are appearing on our political scene. This is what is referred to as god-fatherism. Oath-taking and fetish practices are used to bind members. The use of money is also rife in our politicking. New comers therefore have an uphill task trying to join the political process. This is most unhealthy for democracy.

We are supposed to be a federation, yet we are practicing unitarism by all definitions of the word. The Federal Government is too big, too strong and too rich, to the detriment of the federating units who are forced to crawl daily to the doorsteps of the Federal Government to beg for stipends in order to survive. In a true confederation, the federating units enjoy a high degree of autonomy as found in the USA. This ensures rapid infrastructural development.

In Nigeria, affinity, cohesion and integration is strongest at the regional level among peoples of similar culture, tradition, religion and language. Self determination is best defined in this context and not in a central federal government. The manner in which our 36 States boundaries have mutilated hitherto happily co-existing communities should be redressed.

With the emergence of Shariah as a State religion in some northern States, security, even development and egalitarian societies can no longer be more be guaranteed in such States. Those who belong to the State religion have an upper hand. Others in such States are minorities and highly disadvantaged. Such States should be allowed to form one regional government so as to achieve their aspirations. Why is the whole country thrown into a quarrel about Islamic Banking when such regions, if created, will be free and very happy with it? The demands of Boko Haram may be satisfied in a region that they dominate. The unitary government system has failed us and should therefore be abolished.

The agitations for and the proliferation of States may see no end. As at the last count towards the end of the life of the sixth NASS, there were 34 requests for the creation of new States across the country. I recall that when Gen. Murtala Mohammed created 7 more States atop Gowon’s 12, he said,” There should be no jubilation for or against the creation of any State and there should be not agitations for any more.” Subsequently, Obasanjo, Abacha and Babangida created more States, not because it was economical, but just to try and correct perceived imbalances in the number between the north and the south, the east and west, etc. Yet the problem has not been solved. The South East today is disadvantaged in that it has the fewest number of States in comparison to the other 5 geo-political zones. The North East has 7 States while the remaining 4 zones have 6 States each. Achieving a balance would require the creation of one State in the South East and abolishing one in the North East. Can anyone honestly see this happening?

The 774 Local Government areas in the country are also not equally distributed between the federating units. While some States have as many as 40, others have only 17. Remember that these numbers translate directly to the share of federally accruing revenues and the number of representatives in the House of Reps. How can we best achieve a balance in the number of LGAs across the country?

The revenue sharing formula enshrined in our laws has been challenged and it is still being challenged. Its basis is obscure. Were the percentages fixed as the revenue sharing formula arrived at on the basis on somebody’s selfish motives? Those whose regions generate the larger chunk of federal revenues feel they should receive a bigger share on the basis of derivation and they have a valid a point.

Security challenges can only get bigger in a centralized governmental structure as we are operating. The disadvantages of over-centralization of powers in the Nigeria Police are becoming apparent. That is why the States Governors are agitating for State Police to be allowed. As chief security officers in their States, the Governors do not command “even a fly” (in the words of Gov. Jang of Plateau State). Obviously, 36 State Police formations will amount to a colossal waste of resources and create party-loyal or Governor-loyal police outfits. If we operate a few regional governments, then regional police will become a workable, natural preference, thus freeing the central government to focus on the military and wading off external aggression. Just imagine has the Nigerian Army has been dragged into local politics and religion in Borno, Bauchi and Plateau States. An Army General is currently facing a Court Marshall in Maxwell Kobe Cantonment, Rukuba, for his alleged partisanship in the release of Boko Haram terrorists from Bauchi prison.

Many of our constitutional provisions and other statutes are obnoxious to the people of some parts of the country while highly welcome in otherst. For example, the Land Use Act provides for the allocation of grazing land to nomadic cattle rearers. Though this provision may be necessary in Adamawa State, of what value is it in Lagos State? The Constitution specifies 3 Senators per State irrespective of population. Why should Lagos State with 10 million registered voters produce the same number of senators as Bayelsa State with only 0.8 million voters? The Constitution has an Exclusive List reserved for federal legislation and a Concurrent list for both States and the Federal Governments. Labour matters are on the Exclusive List, so States cannot legislate on them. No wonder, the minimum wage issue is bound to create unnecessary acrimony. It’s unfair that the Federal Government should fix minimum wage while States pay it. I expect the Exclusive Legislative List to be very short and nothing like a Concurrent List.

The sum total of all these is that we are operating an unfair governmental structure which is stifling development, misallocating resources, dislocating communities, creating a ruling class, killing nationalism, promoting mediocrity, ethnicity and corruption. In order to free resources for appropriate allocation to ensure rapid economic development and grant political self-determination to all peoples in this country, I have the following suggestion to make. It is a three-pronged approach designed to be implemented simultaneously. My sincere belief is that, if implemented, it will substantially satisfy yearnings, aspirations and agitations by all Nigerians;

1. COLLAPSE STATE BOUNDARIES. By this I mean that all the 36 six State Governments should cease to exist while the 774 LGAs are retained.

2. CREATE 6 NEW REGIONS. These will immediately replace the 36 States. They should be called Regions (not States) so that we can mentally move away from the States structure and begin to imbibe regionalism which promotes greater patriotism in Nigerians leading to a reduction of corrupt tendencies. These regions should receive at least 50% of all centrally generated revenue while the LGs receive 25%. The Federal Government should be left with just 25% to take care of a vey lean Presidency.

3. DEVOLVE POWERS. A lot of the responsibilities currently placed on the Federal Government should be transferred to the 6 new regional Governments. For example, policing, education, agriculture, tourism and culture, etc. should be regional government affairs. All legislative functions should become part-time activities while the size of the legislature at all levels should be trimmed down to no more than 25% of its present size.

It goes without saying that these measures will necessitate the review of our Constitution and statutes. Regional groups freely formed should volunteer immediately to start the process of drafting their ideas of a new Constitution for their regional governments. A Constitutional Conference should convene to adopt a new Nigerian constitution which recognizes the new governmental structure for the country. The new constitution can then rightly start with the words, “We the people of Nigeria …”