Volunteer Force Leader Condemns Hostage Taking
LEADER of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujihad Dokubo-Asari has condemned hostage-taking and kidnapping in the Niger Delta region.
The condemnation was contained in his goodwill message to the people of Niger Delta to mark the 2007 Isaac Boro day.
Dokubo-Asari said that the unfolding scenario in the Ijaw and Niger Delta territories have convinced him that reactionaries and counter-revolutionary elements have hijacked and diverted the struggle from its original course to a destination that will not be in the best interest of our people.
He further lamented that "In our case what have we turned this effective and noble tool into? We turned it into a conduit pipe leading to easy money extortion to restore back dignity. Today, we waste valuable lives for the sole purpose of satisfying our insatiable greed. Nobody takes us seriously anymore.
"Whenever we take hostages, they say leave them, "when we give them money them go leave them." Even we are not ashamed. We boast to others who refuse to join our banditry and criminality that we are in the struggle when we are actually the enemies of our people, struggle and territory.
We will stand condemned in this world and in the hereafter, if we do not turn away from the path of disgrace... we degenerated and deviated from the path of nobility, honour and dignity?"
The struggle, Dokubo-Asari noted has lost focus because of ideological bankruptcy as many have even taken the name and memory of their great soul to 419 and extort money from government, corporate organisation and individuals.
"Do we need to rubbish and desecrate all our sacred icons for a few pieces of silver?, Dokubo-Asari said.
The detained leader stated that NDPVF is an organisation with a strong bias against corruption, ideological prostitution and political moral bankruptcy and those who want to continue to claim to be part of the organisation, must urgently read its mission statement and change their lives and behaviour.
"By our rules, we will denounce you. There is no longer any room for "we no go chop?" We are not your parents, relations or a charitable organisation or an employment agency. You cannot force yourself on us and insist that you must be part of us when you are not ready to abide by our rules. We will not allow you to put sand in our garri. Enough is enough or you would be shown the way out," warned Dokubo-Asari.
He advocated for the setting up of a government in exile by the Ijaws and Niger Delta indigenes in diaspora and pointed out that most struggles for the liberation of occupied territories are led by persons in diaspora.
"Brothers and sisters, the victory for the struggle for the liberation of our people can only be realised if you seize this opportunity and organised yourselves into a vanguard for the propagation of the fundamental issues at take in our quest for the restoration of our independence and dignity.
10,000 Policemen to Provide Inauguration Security
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command will deploy about 10,000 policemen to provide security during the May 29 presidential inauguration ceremony at the Eagle square, Abuja, FCT police commissioner, Mr Lawrence Alobi, said in a radio programme in Abuja yesterday.
He advised troublemakers to keep off the streets of Abuja on that day, adding that the police would deal ruthlessly with anybody caught trying to disrupt the ceremony.
"People calling on others to protest should know that when the crises begin, it would be difficult to control the crowd," he warned.
Alobi said he was aware of plans by some persons to cause problems, and vowed that the 10,000 policemen would be deployed to areas to ensure a smooth handing over process from one civilian government to another.
"There are threats to disrupt the inauguration from some quarters, so we are not taking these threats lightly," he said.
The police commissioner assured Abuja residents that the large number of policemen to be drafted to provide security at the inauguration would not affect security arrangements in their residential areas.
Alobi had earlier informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) last Thursday that police escorts, patrol vehicles, motorcycles, police dogs, mounted troop, crowd control operatives and anti-riot personnel would be deployed for the exercise.
He said the command had beefed up security at all the roads into the city, including hotels, strategic places and black spots to ensure a hitch-free inauguration.
The police commissioner said operatives from other sister security agencies would be involved to ensure the success of the ceremony while helicopters would be used for air surveillance.
"We have mobilised our men and I believe we have the logistics to perform wonderfully," Alobi said.
He reminded groups and individuals that the Public Order Act was still active and that those planning to stage protests must apply at least 48 hours in advance for permission to embark on the exercise.
Petrol Price Hike Brings Fears of Protests
Oil-rich Nigeria has hiked the pump price of petrol by 15%, raising fears of a dispute between unions and the government.
Although no official announcement has been made, Nigerian motorists woke up to find petrol stations in Lagos, Abuja and other cities had increased their pump price to 75 naira from 65 naira per litre.
The increase came just 24 hours before President Olusegun Obasanjo steps down after eight years in office.
Attendants at Nigerian garages told AFP that the adjustment was aimed at covering their rising cost of business.
Since Obasanjo came into office in 1999, past fuel price hikes, supported by authorities, have triggered strikes aimed at making the government to reverse its decision.
"This is one price increase too many. Obasanjo has increased fuel price by more than five times since he came to power in 1999," union leader Dele Dada told AFP.
He said unions would resist the hike.
"This is a bad parting gift to Nigerians. How can somebody who has less than 24 hours to leave government introduce a policy that will further impoverish the people?" Lagos lawyer Gani Fawehinmi asked.
Analysts say the hike might cause a quick crisis for new president Umaru Yar'Adua.
The oil unions suspended a two-day-old strike on Saturday after the government met their demands over the proposed sale of two state-owned oil refineries to private investors.
The strike by some 4 000 workers of the state-owned oil group NNPC disrupted fuel supplies.
Nigeria, Africa's biggest producer and the world's sixth oil exporter, has seen a quarter of its daily output of 2.6 million barrels per day of crude cut back by unrest in the Niger delta.Obasanjo ally buys second Nigerian refinery
Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote has acquired a controlling stake in Nigeria's third-largest refinery in Kaduna for an undisclosed sum, consolidating his grip on the OPEC member nation's refining sector.
It was the second major refinery purchase in a week by Dangote, who is a major financier of the ruling party and ally of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo, after he bought the largest refinery in Port Harcourt on May 17.
"We are handing over Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to Dangote today," a spokesman for the privatisation agency, the Bureau for Public Enterprises, said.
He declined to give details of the Kaduna sale until after a ceremony planned for later on Monday, the eve of Obasanjo's retirement.
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