Direct Your Protest To Chibok Girls Abductors And Not To Me- President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday urged those who have been protesting the abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State to henceforth direct their protests to terrorists and not the government. He also urged them to learn from citizens of other countries who do not blame their governments for any terrorist acts in their nations. The president also admitted publicly for the first time that his administration was currently consulting with some stakeholders with a view to exploring what he called alternative methods of resolving the present crisis. Jonathan made the disclosure in speech delivered on his behalf by the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, to a team of #BringBackOurGirls campaigners led by a former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili. The protesters who earlier planned to take their protest to the Presidential Villa where they wanted Jonathan to address them were restricted to the Federal Secretariat within the Three Arms Zone, a few metres away from the Villa gate by security agencies. Those who joined Akinjide in the delegation that represented Jonathan at the rally included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim; Minister of FCT, Bala Mohammed; Minister of Information, Labaran Maku; Minister of Women Affairs, Zaynab Maina; and Minister of Environment, Lawrencia Laraba. Others were the Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values, Sarah Jubiril; Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati and Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, among others. Jonathan, in the speech, made spirited efforts to convince the protesters that contrary to their belief, his administration was working hard in conjunction with the international community to rescue the abducted girls and end terrorism. He said it was wrong and unfair to say that there was a slow response to the abduction. He said, “It is wrong and most unfair to suggest that there was a slow reaction to this kidnapping. As Commander-in-Chief, Mr. President meets with the security chiefs almost daily and he is on constant consultation with regional and global partners on this terrorists’ threat. “That is why I want to appeal to your group and to others through this medium that it is important that genuine patriotic zeal is matched with the realistic understanding of the situation in expressing concern and sentiment on this matter and other matters of terrorism. “As early as January 23, 2013, Mr. President at Davos, Switzerland asked the world for help in tackling terrorism. He later met with President Obama during the United Nations General Assembly meeting in September 2013 where he also requested for the support of the United States of America. “Government believes that we must all come together to fight terrorism and that protest should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our innocent daughters and deprive them of a place at the fountain of freedom in our country. “Our security forces are among the best trained in Africa, they are making so much sacrifices in the fight against terror. As we sleep daily, they are on the field confronting the enemy. They need our support, not attack and discouragement. They are also losing their lives. “When terrorists see Nigerians turn on each other in blame, it gives them a huge moral boost. We must never lose sight of the fact that the terrorists are the real enemies.” Jonathan warned the protesters and Nigerians against politicising the anti-terrorism campaign, saying nationals of other countries do not behave that way. “We must be careful not to politicise the campaign against terrorism. When a bomb goes off in Kabul, Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. “When a bomb goes off in Baghdad, Iraq, the people of Iraq do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. “When a bomb goes off in Islamabad, Pakistan, the people of Pakistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. “When a bomb goes off in Nigeria, we must all unite to fight the terrorists. This is the task of this generation. “Our daughters must be freed to come home to their parents and loved ones. Our daughters must be freed so that they can return to schools to receive their education. “Our daughters must be freed so that they can return home to be with their friends and play like all children their age do. “All Nigerians must unite against terror, whether we be male or female, old or young, North or South, irrespective of political or religious affiliation. This is our fight, we must unite. The Federal Government is united with the people of Nigeria in this fight,” he added. The President reeled out the various steps his administration had taken to rescue the abducted girls. These, according to him included military and diplomatic efforts. Beyond that, he said he had started consultation for alternative methods of resolving the impasse. He added, “Government has mobilised all resources, military and diplomatic, in the search for our girls who have suffered so much trauma in captivity by agents of terror. “From the very first day this kidnapping occurred, the Federal Government took action, directing our security services to go after the abductors. “The search for our daughters has now assumed regional and global proportions and our nation has received strong supports from our neighbouring countries and the international community, including the United States, China, Africa, the United Kingdom and the entire African continent. “The security forces have also reached out to the Borno State Government and community members for support and collaboration to bring back our innocent daughters. So far, the campaign to bring our daughters back home is on and is receiving global support. “Nigeria in collaboration with Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin Republic have all agreed to establish a single centre for sharing intelligence on the activities of terrorists across our national boundary. “Apart from those efforts on the public space, we have initiated consultations with so many stakeholders to explore alternative methods of resolving this crisis.” The President urged civil society groups to use their influence to encourage Nigerians to provide useful information to the security services, using the emergency number 112, saying citizens must protect citizens if their civilisation is to endure. He however appreciated the support and efforts of the group and others across the worldwide against the kidnap and senseless mayhem. He described the act as very painful, adding that the world is under the grip of terrorism http://www.punchng.com/news/direct-your-protest-to-chibok-girls-abductors-jonathan/

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Nigerian Military Sights Abducted Schoolgirls In 3 Boko Haram Camps

Foreign specialists have yet to provide any concrete assistance for the search, and rescue of the Chibok schoolgirls, military sources say. Nigeria’s Special Forces from the Army’s 7th Division have sighted and narrowed the search for the more than 250 abducted Chibok schoolgirls to three camps operated by the extremist Boko Haram sect north of Kukawa at the western corridors of the Lake Chad, senior military and administration officials have said. “It has been a most difficult but heroic breakthrough,” one senior military official said in Abuja. That claim was supported by another senior commander from the Army’s 7th Division, the military formation created to deal with the insurgency in the Northeast. The 7th Division is headquartered in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. The breakthrough comes at a critical moment for the Nigerian military that has faced cutting criticism over its handling of the kidnapping of the girls more than a month ago. The news is also key for the Maiduguri-based 7th Division a week after a humiliating mutiny by troops of its 101 battalion who fired at the General Officer Commanding the division, Ahmadu Mohammed, a Major General. Maj. Gen. Mohammed escaped unhurt, but has since been redeployed. The soldiers blamed him for the deaths of at least four of their colleagues killed near Chibok, a remote community in Borno State where the girls were taken captives April 14. But military insiders said Mr. Mohammed was targeted for daring to arrest the growing indiscipline within his troop. The abductions have sparked international outrage, with the United States, United Kingdom, France and Israel, providing intelligence and surveillance assistance. Nigerian military officials coordinating the search and other officials in Abuja said Boko Haram insurgents split the girls into batches and held them at their camps in Madayi, Dogon Chuku and Meri, all around the Sector 3 operational division of the Nigerian military detachment confronting the group’s deadly campaign. Another source said there is a fourth camp at Kangarwa, also in Borno State. That claim could not be independently verified. “Our team first sighted the girls on April 26 and we have been following their movement with the terrorists ever since,” one of our sources said. “That’s why we just shake our heads when people insinuate that the military is lethargic in the search for the girls.” The location of the abducted girls – north east of Kukawa – opens a new insight into the logistic orientation of Boko Haram, responsible for thousands of deaths in a five-year long insurgency. President Goodluck Jonathan said the group has killed at least 12,000 people so far – that’s minus the hundreds killed in a car bomb on Tuesday in Jos and the about 10 murdered on Sunday in Kano in a suicide bombing. But the details established by the military shows that while the world’s attention is focused on the Sambisa forest reserves, about 330 kilometres south of Maiduguri, the terrorists mapped a complex mission that began at Chibok, and veered north east of Sambisa, before heading to west of Bama and east of Konduga. With the sighting, officials fear that Boko Haram militants may be seeking to create new options of escape all the way to Lo-gone-Et Chari in Cameroon to its Southeast, Lake Chad to its east and Diffa in Niger Republic to its north, providing a multiple escape options in the event of hostile ground operations against it. Notwithstanding the sighting, the government is said not to be considering the use of force against the extremists, a choice informed by concerns for the safety of the students. But with growing local and international pressure, a likely option may be for the authorities to enter into talks with the group, whose leader, Abubakar Shekau, in a May 12 video broadcast, called for dialogue and “prisoner” swap with the government. The government has ruled out that option in the open but knowledgeable sources in Abuja hinted at a possible “twin track” approach that includes open rejection and a closet engagement. “That option is not as bitter as you think in the face of the alternatives confronting us,” the source who has deep insight on the thinking of the administration, said. “Government is working hard to free the girls in less than one week, possibly before end of this week,” the source said.

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Charlie Sheen rips Rihanna again after she calls him a ‘Queen’

Charlie Sheen has replied Rihanna after she changed her main twitter image to a pic of him asking for her autograph & called him an ‘old queen with his diapers out of a bunch’. Charlie writes; “Dear Ms. Rihan- oh wait, no last name, Okay, Dear R – clearly English is NOT your primary language. Firstly I want to thank you for recognizing me as Royalty. I’m flattered. And secondly; do the good Queen a favor and go tend to the dungeon in my Castle. But beware of the rats and the snakes. They stir with folly awaiting your tepid advance, in the shadows…” later Doosh! cs”

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Rihanna mocks Charlies Sheen

Hours after Charlie Sheen lashed out at Rihanna after she turned down request to meet him and his porn star fiancee at a restaurant last night, BadGal RiRi responded by changing her main twitter image to a photo of Charlie Sheen asking for her autograph.

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