Nigerian Federal Allocations: Okonjo-Iweala, State Governments Draw Battle Line

Federal Republic of Nigeria Finance Minister
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Nigeria National Accord

Finance minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday challenged state governors to tell Nigerians what they have done with the huge allocations that have accrued to their states from the federation account.

The minister pegged the total allocation that has accrued to the “top 10 states” at N1.6 trillion for 2013 alone. The states, according to Okonjo-Iweala, are: Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, Lagos, Kano, Katsina, Oyo, Kaduna and Borno.

Some governors of the “top 10 states” have taken on the finance minister. While Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi said the finance minister was blind to the development strides in the state, his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Godswill Akpabio, described her claims as “spurious and incorrect.”

The minister who spoke at the 12th convocation ceremony of Babcock University in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, said state governors have no reason not to develop their states, given the huge amounts they have collected from the federation account.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was conferred with a Doctor of Science in Global Economic Development, Honoris Causa, by the university authority, said it was high time Nigerians held their governors accountable over moneys collected on their behalf to accelerate development of the country.

She said: “Clearly, the federal government cannot do it alone; we need the private sector to work with us and we have reached out very much to the private sector in transforming Nigeria.

“But in addition to that, we should also ask ourselves: what is the role of the state and local governments in supporting our transformation?”

She said the nation’s constitution domiciles the provision of some basic public services on the concurrent list, making it a joint responsibility of the three arms of government, lamenting that people seldom ask what the state governments are doing to develop the country.

“A lot of attention is turned on the federal government. So we also need to ask, what do our states and local governments do with the resources they get?” She stated. “In terms of these resources I can confidently say, based on available data, that gone are those days when the states were not getting money; that is not the case.

“We need to ask more questions: poverty eradication, building of infrastructure is not for federal government alone.

“In 2013 the top 10 allocations were going to the following states — Akwa Ibom N260 billion, $ 1.7 equivalent.

Rivers State was the next, N220 billion or $1.5 billion; Delta State, N209 billion or $1.3 billion; Bayelsa, N173 billion; Lagos, N168 billion; Kano, N14O billion; Katsina, N103 billion; Oyo, N100bn; Kaduna, N97 billion; Borno was number 10 — N94 billion. These were the allocations all these states got last year. The question is: what did they do with the money?”

The minister said it would be so unfair for some state governors to be performing with these funds while others keep giving excuses for under-development in their states.

In his reaction, the chief of staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Chief Tony Okocha, said apart from the fact that the federal government is owing the Rivers State government over N2 billion spent to execute federal government projects in the state, the Amaechi-led administration was using the allocation it was receiving to fix federal roads in the state.

On her part, the commissioner for information and communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, said Okonjo-Iweala had been to the state and even commended Amaechi for his good works. Semenitari said: “She has been in Rivers State several times. She has also commended Governor Amaechi’s work. Maybe she should tell Nigerians what she saw that made her say he had done well.”

But the chief press secretary (CPS) to the Rivers State governor, Mr David Oyofor, said if the minister could not see what was on ground, then she was blind: “It’s most unfortunate if she said that. Anyone that can’t see what Governor Amaechi has done, is doing in Rivers State and how he has transformed the state for good is certainly blinder than a bat. But, I would rather wait to see her full comments before releasing any statement.”

The reaction of Governor Akpabio was no less a knock for the minister.

Akpabio, who spoke through his commissioner for information, Aniete Ekong, described the minister’s blanket claim of non-performance as spurious.

“Ordinarily, we should not make any comment on this. But the truth is that such claims are better made with specifics and data stratification. You don’t just present data in that manner. (247ureports.com)

Tragedy in Adamawa: Bomb Blast Kills Dozens in Mubi, Boko Haram Opens Fire in Madagali

Damage from Mubi blast in Adamawa State, Nigeria on June 1, 2014.

Nigerian National Accord

A powerful explosion Sunday evening rocked the commercial border town of Mubi town in Mubi South Local Government area of Adamawa State with sources among local officials and residents saying that dozens were feared killed.

One source said he saw over 30 corpses at the scene.

Military sources also confirmed the bomb explosion Sunday evening, saying that a total of 18 persons had so far been reported dead while 19 wounded have been evacuated to hospitals for treatment.

A suspect who was said to have been identified with the car used in conveying the bomb device has been arrested by troops in the area. He is being interrogated while further investigation is ongoing.

The blast came in less than 48 hours after a letter purportedly written by suspected members of the dreaded Boko Haram threatening to attack the Adamawa state University (ADSU)Mubi, was discovered

Reports from Mubi indicated that the explosion occurred at about 6:45pm near a Primary school at Anguwar Kabang area of Mubi which is one of the major social hubs of the town that harbors a drinking joint, and a TV viewing center.

Details of casualties remained sketchy as at the time of filing this report, as residents were rushing home to beat the curfew imposed on the town from 7pm when the explosion occurred.

“The explosion is around 6 :45pm in Kabang area where there is concentration of beer palour.

“Security personnel are taking affected people to hospital. But I can’t say the exact casualty”, Ahmad Gude the chairman of Mubi South said.

However, a resident who simply identified himself as David Dauda said he saw several corpses at the scene

‘’ The blast occurred shortly after people are dispersing from a football playing ground. People gathered there to watch a football competition and just few minutes after soldiers patrol vehicle left the place then we heard a blast.

‘’ I saw over 30 dead bodies littering the area, while others were rushed to hospital,’’ said Dauda

The bomb blast has shattered the relative peace enjoyed in the area as no major insurgency attack occurred for about a year now which spurred residents to start agitating for the removal of the 7pm to 5am curfew imposed by the military in the area for over four months.

Since last week, there was heightened tension in the Adamawa State University (ADSU) Mubi as threat letters of an impending attack on the University which allegedly sent some students of the institution packing became public , although the Vice Chancellor Dr Alkasum Abba on Friday said he suspected that the enemies of the University may be behind the threat letters.

When contacted the Public Relations Officer of the Adamawa State Police Command DSP Othman Abubakar confirmed the bomb incident to news men in Yola although he could not reveal the number of those killed or injured.

In a related development, suspected Boko Haram members have again struck at Madagali town on Sunday night.

Locals say that the insurgents struck at major social hubs of the town called anguwar Baraganda and opened fire indiscriminately.

‘’The gunmen struck this night at a major social hubs at Anguwar Baraganda.They sporadically opened fire and for now we cannot ascertain the casualty as people run for their lives,’’ said Mr James Abawu Watharda,the council chairman of Madagali.

NEWSDIARY


Troops arrest Mubi bomb suspect

In recent operational engagements of troops deployed to fight terrorism in North Eastern Nigeria, a key suspect in the terror bomb explosion that rocked the Kabang community in Mubi, Adamawa State on Sunday evening has been arrested by troops who cordoned the area in a swift response to the explosion.

The suspect was nabbed as observant members of the public confirmed sighting him alight from the vehicle used in conveying the explosive device that was detonated in Kabang shortly before the explosion.

So far, 19 persons wounded in the explosion have been evacuated and are receiving medical attention in hospitals while 18 others have been confirmed dead.

Meanwhile patrol troops have successfully repelled an ambush in Buratai community in Biu, a town in Borno state. The troops who fell into the ambush laid by the terrorists while on  patrol, engaged the terrorists in a decisive fire fight killing four of them and capturing one alive.

Also in Kawuri in Borno state, troops in a patrol have killed five terrorists in a shootout. The troops also captured two AK 47 rifles and two vehicles used by the terrorists.

Chibok Schoolgirls: Outrage Over Police Ban On Protests

Former Minister of Education in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘It’s tyrany of the highest order’

Ezekwesili, Keyamo, others condemn Mbu’s action

Nigerian Nation

The police have banned public protests in Abuja for the release of more than 200 schoolgirls seized by Boko Haram since April.

Federal Capital Territory Police commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu said the rallies were “now posing a serious security threat”.

The protests have been going on almost daily for the government to take firmer action to rescue the girls.

In a statement, Mbu said public protests had “degenerated” and were now a security threat.

Mbu told reporters at a news conference that the protests were posing a serious security threat.

“Accordingly, protests on the Chibok girls are hereby banned with immediate,’’ Mbu said.

He said after a group under the aegis of “Bring Back Our Girls’’ protested on April 28, another group, “Release Our Girls’’, emerged.

Mbu said information at the disposal of the command indicated that “dangerous elements’’ were about to hijack the protest, hence the ban.

“As the FCT police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness.

“Information reaching us is that too soon, dangerous elements will join groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government,’’ he said.

Mbu said a situation where the ‘Fountain of Unity’, venue of gathering for the protest, was being turned into a place for “cooking and selling’’ was embarrassing.

According to him, many diplomats live in that area of the territory.

He called on the people of the territory to encourage the security agencies in the war against terrorism and criminality by appreciating the sacrifices they had made.

Asked whether the ban would not violate the freedom of expression and assembly, the commissioner said that one person’s freedom should not affect another person’s freedom.

“People have been protesting over a month now…it is the issue of terrorism, it is not solved in one day.

“Then, when you continue to do it persistently, it becomes nuisance to the government,’’ he said

The commissioner also announced the revocation of permits earlier issued for tinted glass vehicles in the territory.

‘Yes, there is a period when permits were granted but the recent security challenges have made the police authority to revisit the issue and have resolved to revoke same.

“The permits issued so far remain revoked. You are hearing this from my mouth.

“The only authority to grant tinted glass permit is the Inspector-General of Police himself under his hand and signature,’’ he said.

The commissioner also redeployed all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) in the FCT and directed them to hand over to the next senior police officers in their respective divisions.

FCT Police spokesman Altine Daniel, said the decision was taken after the commissioner met with the DPOs.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed the redeployment of all Divisional Police Officers; they have to hand over to the next senior person in the various divisions.

“The commissioner of police was not satisfied with the conduct of the Divisional Police Officers,’’ she said

A core group that is part of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign has accused the government of sponsoring a new group, known as Release Our Girls.

The new group shifts the responsibility of the kidnapping from the government to Boko Haram, the militant group which has killed thousands in its campaign to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria

The Federal Government has been facing growing pressure both at home and abroad to do more to tackle the group and bring about the girls’ release.

A deal for the release of some of the abducted schoolgirls in Nigeria was close to being secured when the Nigerian government called it off late last month. It was learnt..

Some of the girls were set to be freed in exchange for imprisoned Islamist militants

It was not clear why the police took the action but President Goodluck Jonathan said the protests were calculated to bring down his government.

Minister of Information Labaran Maku also accused the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) of being behind the protests.

He said the protesters were being sponsored by the opposition against the government.

The ban was immediately condemned by Lagos lawyer Festus Keyamo, who described the action as illegal and a violation of the constitutional rights of the people.

Former Minister for Education Dr. Oby Ezekwesili took to Twitter to condemn the ban.

Ezekwesili who has been the arrow head of the protests in Abuja tweeted last night.

“The FG would do well to send its officials who wish to roll back our Democracy by infringing on Citizens Rights to my #Democracy101 Class.

“There is no BASIS for and no POWER of FCT Commissioner of Police to ban peaceful assembly of any group of persons in in the city. None @ ALL

“We of the AbujaFamily of #BringBackOurGirls have in the face of harassment by both the Nigerian Police &hired thugs maintained our CIVILITY

“What Commissioner Mbu should do is REPRIMAND their sponsored thugs who attacked us, WOMEN at our peaceful gathering. He can. He hired them.

“When their thugs attacked us while Mbu’s POLICEmen stood aloof, we refused to engage wt their gutter conduct. We figured this was their PLOT

“Predictably, Mbu has proven by his latest ill advised statement of repression of Citizens Rights that he and his bosses HIRED those THUGS.

“If Mbu’s daughter were one of 200 Daughters of Nigeria held captive by terrorists & We came out to STAND 4 their CAUSE, he would do this??

“Our AbujaFamily of #BringBackOurGirls diverse women, men and young people STANDING with our #ChibokGirls SHALL never abandon them. Never!

“No matter how DIRELY they want to take our FOCUS off our #ChibokGirls, We shall not permit them that LUXURY. All WE are SAYING………!!!”

Keyamo said Mbu’s statement is against the spirit and letters of section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

All the above, Keyamo said, guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

According to him, “It is shocking that the Federal Government, hiding under the facade of the Police, has finally openly displayed its disdain for the public outcry over the kidnap of those innocent souls. The Federal Government would really have wished that we all went about our normal businesses and live in denial like it did for many weeks.

The Government has shown that it is more concerned about its image and self-preservation than the safety of those girls.

“At a time when Government has not shown a capacity to protect lives and properties, it is even denying the citizens the basic right to cry out about Government’s inaction. It is like beating a child mercilessly and choking the child at the same time to prevent the child from crying out. It is inhuman, it is degrading and it is humiliating. That order by the Commissioner of Police should be rescinded immediately or else the Federal Government should be prepared to arrest and lock up all Nigerians. Even the military did not succeed in muzzling Nigerians like the Federal Government wants to do by this feeble Order,” he said.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on House Compliance Hon Moruf Akinderu-Fatai said the statement is a desperate attempt by an ineptitude administration that has failed to meet up with concerns that is now global.

He said: “If you are stopping people from converging, where is the democracy? Are we back in Abacha era? All progressive forces must resist this and we must encourage more people to violate this dictatorial directive. As Peoples representatives, they are our employers because they voted for us and they can and must ask questions when they have concerns. We, as government must bring back the girls hale and hearty and it must be now. The president should lead properly and provide directions at all times. All well meaning Nigerians must resist this directive either in Abuja or anywhere in the country.

Lagos State University (LASU) senior lecturer Prof Lakin Akintola described the action as tyranny of the highest order.

“This is not military regime; Mbu is ignorant of the constitution and several court judgments had said protest is legitimate. Where did he get his constitutional order to ban protest in Abuja. Mbu will go down in the history as the most tyrannical police commissioner in Nigeria. We are yet to forget his escapades in Rivers State,” he said.

University of Lagos Senior lecturer Dr Ismail Ibrahim described Mbu’s statement as grave encroachment on fundamental rights of Nigerians.

Dr Ibrahim said Mbu is using strong Army tactic which is alien to democracy.

“I am not surprised by the statement because Mbu is known for disregard for rule of law; he has no right to restrict fundamental human rights of Nigerians. Even, if he succeeded in prevent people from physical gathering, he cannot stop the use of social media, which has been proven to be effective in bringing the world attention to issues,” he said.

Mbu’s statement, Dr Ibrahim said, portend great danger to democratic institution.

Troops Arrest Mubi Bombing Suspect

Damage from bomb blast in Abuja, Nigeria.

Written by editor
Nigerian Guardian

A KEY suspect in the terror bomb explosion that rocked the Kabang community in Mubi, Adamawa State, on Sunday evening has been arrested by troops deployed to fight terrorism in the North-east, who swiftly cordoned the area after the explosion.

   Meanwhile, as part of the strategies lined up in the ongoing war against terrorism, the Nigeria Police Monday commenced an extensive counter-terrorism campaign nationwide.

   Consequently, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.D Abubakar, has called on the citizenry to partner the Force and support its ongoing Counter-terrorism Enlightenment Campaign (CEC). He further urged the citizens to pay attention to the security and safety tips contained in the counter-terrorism leaflets.

   According to a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. A.C. Olukayode, which was made available to The Guardian yesterday, the suspect was nabbed as members of the public confirmed sighting him alight from the vehicle used in conveying the device that was detonated shortly before the explosion.

   So far, the 19 persons wounded in the explosion have been evacuated and are receiving medical attention in hospitals while 18 others have been confirmed dead. The statement added that patrol troops successfully repelled an ambush in Buratai community in Biu, Borno State.

   The troops, who fell into the terrorists’ ambush while on patrol, engaged them “in a decisive fire fight, killing four of them and capturing one alive. Also in Kawuri in Borno State, troops on patrol killed five terrorists in a shootout and also captured two AK 47 rifles and two vehicles used by the terrorists.

   In a statement to The Guardian yesterday, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, said the enlightenment campaign, meant to boost security awareness across all strata of the Nigerian society, would be sustained until every citizen is well informed of their responsibilities in this age of terrorism.

   “The public enlightenment materials, which are factsheets containing distress call numbers of the Police, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), are designed by the police to educate the general public on their basic roles in the fight against terrorism and how to identify terrorists’ subterfuge and other known modus operandi of criminals,” it read.

   This is expected to help in protecting citizens from falling victims to crime, thereby improving overall sense of communal safety. Meanwhile, the factsheets have been translated into major Nigerian languages for wider reach.

   Reiterating the commitment of the police and other security agencies to winning the war against terror, the IGP enjoined the general public to insist on frustrating every step of the terrorists by remaining vigilant all the time.

   He further thanked Nigerians for their patience and resilience in the present circumstance, adding that such challenge could only strengthen the collective resolve to preserve the nation’s peace.

Borno to Relocate Returnee Chibok Schoolgirls

Map of location where Nigerian students were abducted.

Written by Njadvara Musa, Maiduguri
Nigerian Guardian

THE 57 Chibok schoolgirls, who escaped from their captors last week, would be relocated to others schools in Zaria, Abuja or Lagos to complete their secondary education, the Borno State Government has said.

   Also, American counseling experts on trauma would be in Maiduguri to attend to them, as their parents do not want to part with them yet.

   The state’s plan was made known yesterday at the Government House in Maiduguri, where Governor Kashim Shettima had a closed door meeting with parents, Chibok council chairman, Bana Lawan, and the schoolgirls.

   “The abduction of the schoolgirls by the Boko Haram gunmen does not only affect parents here present in this council chamber but all of us,” Shettima said. “I have daughters too, and as a leader, people’s lives and property must be protected, and the traumatized girls and their parents rehabilitated.

   “These girls have no other place to go to. We also have no plans to politicize the abduction of the 219 innocent schoolgirls from their school. If any person doubts their abduction, let him or her go to the affected town and meet their parents.”

   Shettima said of their education: “We will not disclose the name of the secondary school where they will complete their secondary education, as it has been interrupted by their abduction since April.”

   He further disclosed that each returnee schoolgirl complete her secondary education at the cost of N1.5 million, while their parents would be consoled, until the remaining schoolgirls are rescued.

   He also directed the council chairman to meet all the affected parents in Chibok and console with, while an undisclosed amount of money would be disbursed to each parent.

Death Toll In Adamawa Terrorist Blast Hits 65

Nigerian women bearing the brunt of insurgency in the northeast.

Written by Mohammed Abubakar, Kanayo Umeh , John Okeke (Abuja), Isa Abdulsalami Ahovi (Jos) Njadvara Musa (Maiduguri) and Emmanuel Ande (Yola)
Nigerian Guardian

The death toll in last Sunday’s bomb blast in Mubi town in Adamawa State may have  risen  to 65, The Guardian learnt.

  However, the Defence Headquarters said that only 18 persons died in the blast contrary to media reports which put the figure at 40 and above.

  In a related development, gunmen suspected to  Boko Haram members on Sunday attacked a church in  Attagara  village in Gwoza council of Borno State, killing nine worshippers and torching many houses.

  But, in a counter attack,  four of the fleeing insurgents were killed by youths in the community.

  Meanwhile, the Federal Government has denied seeing a new video released by the Boko Haram insurgents, which purportedly showed the abducted school girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok looking unhealthy and begging for their release.

  Similarly, the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) yesterday expressed outrage at the activities of Boko Haram, saying that their members were a band of criminals who were misrepresenting Islam.

   Also, security operatives  yesterday averted what would have turned into a bloody clash in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

 In the same vein, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has ordered an indefinite ban on all protests in Abuja calling for the release of the over 250 girls kidnapped in April from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, in Borno State by the insurgent group Boko Haram.

According to a Mubi resident, Mr. Robert Audu, who said he lost three of his relations during the blast, told The Guardian that when he visited the Mubi General Hospital, the mortuary was filled  with dead bodies.

  “I am shocked to hear that some security agents are claiming that only 14 or 16 people died, it is a lie, I went to the hospital myself and the dead bodies I saw on ground alone were more than 40”, he added.

  Another resident who identified himself as David Dauda, said he saw corpses litter the ground, stressing, “ I saw over 30 dead bodies in the affected area ,while others were rushed to the hospital.’’

  Also, a  survivor of the blast, Abubakar Jika, said that the dead bodies he saw loaded in vehicles were more than 40 and that four of his neighbours who were injured died yesterday.

    However, when The Guardian contacted the 23 Armour Brigade Yola Army Public Relations Officer, Captain Nuhu Jafaru, to confirm the number of the casualties yesterday, he said, ”I am not in Mubi, call the Brigade Commander,  he is in Mubi.”

  The blast came less than 48 hours after a letter purportedly written by suspected members of the Boko Haram threatening to attack the Adamawa State University (ADSU) Mubi was discovered.

   As a fallout of the Mubi blast and the rumoured threat to attack some parts of Yola,  the state capital, the police yesterday beefed up security in the metropolis.

  Attagara is a border village with Cameroun and 129 kilometres southeast of Maiduguri, the state capital.

   According to an eyewitness, Hamba Wisso, some armed men stormed a local church at Attagara village and opened fire on worshippers while the Sunday service was going on at about 9.30 a.m.

  “Nine people were killed in the church, while the community youths mobilised and killed four of the attackers, and eight others fled on motorcycles towards Kughum, a border village with Cameroun,” said a police source involved in the on going operations at Sambisa Forest.

  Speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja, Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade also denied knowledge of any negotiation between the Federal Government and the insurgents.

  Olukolade also confirmed the attack in Mubi town in Adamawa State, adding that a suspect in the attack was apprehended by security agents.

  According to Olukolade, the attack at a bar and football viewing centre in Mubi resulted in the death of 18 persons with 19 others injured.

  He said the injured are currently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital, as investigations to determine the culprit in the bombing are ongoing.

  He added that ongoing air and land surveillance by security agencies has resulted in the killing of five terrorists in Biu and Kauri in Benue State.

  Reacting to reports of military operations by the Camerounian forces,  which led to the death of 40 suspected members of Boko Haram sect, who crossed over the border, Olukolade insisted that only the Camerounian authorities can confirm or deny such report.

  He, however, added that countries in the West Africa are still collaboration in the war against terrorists.

   Responding to a question on the terror suspect, Sadiq Ogwuche, who is one of the masterminds in the Nyanya bombing, Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mbah said the paper work for his return to Nigeria was  almost complete.

 The Secretary-General of OIC, Eyad Ameen Madani, who led a delegation from the 57-member organisation on a condolence visit  to President Goodluck Jonathan over the several deaths and destruction caused by Boko Haram activities in Nigeria, said the activities of the sect was in sharp contrast to the teachings, philosophy and ideals of Islam.

  Speaking with State House correspondents after his closed door meeting with Jonathan, Madani, a former Hajj Affairs Minister of Saudi Arabia, said the activities of Boko Haram had no place in Islam and should be clearly seen for what it is, a criminal activity, that were simply misrepresenting Islam.

  He added: “We are also here to express our solidarity with Nigeria in facing up to this terrorist organisation and to condemn the terrorist act they have been committing, and to show our condolences to the Nigerians and to the families of those who were affected.

   “The OIC has issued statements that we are very clear, that these people are outlaws, what they do is a criminal act, it has absolutely nothing to do with Islam, Islamic teachings, the history, the culture, the civilisation of Islam and we should identify them for what they are as a terrorists group.

   “So we listened to the President and we offered what OIC could do in terms of expressing its support, its willingness to be actively involved in facing up to this terrorists group.

   Asked to specify in specific terms, what form of support the OIC was planning for Nigeria, Madani said such crises were multi dimensional and needed to be tackled as such.

  “We are willing to, if Nigerian government would allow us to, convene an inter-faith dialogue, because we feel that there is a lot to be said about these claims, and to show the many aspects of similarities and living together between not only Christians and Muslims but between all faiths and convictions.

   “Africa, we keep saying, is a model of such tolerance, its history is a history of tolerance, of living together and that African tradition has done thing that needs to stay and this is where the principles of OIC position is.”

   Besides, he said the OIC, through its different organs could be available to the request of the Nigerian government in any way it can do to help out alleviate the social and economic conditions in any area where these elements may operate

  Foreign Affairs Minister, Aminu Wali, who accompanied the delegation, expressed Nigeria’s appreciation to the OIC for its support, noting that it showed the organisation was ever willing to come to the aid of member states.

  Trouble began when some youths in Bukuru took to the streets over a dead body discovered yesterday  morning in  their area.

   A resident of the area, who simply called himself  Dadut, told journalists, “we were at home when we saw a group of youths armed with sticks and other dangerous weapons, who started protesting, and we the youths in our area had to come together quickly  prevent them  from attacking us.”

  He further said it took the intervention of the men of the Special Task Force (STF) deployed to restore law and order in the area.

  Confirming the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Felicia Anslem, said that there were skirmishes around the locality in the morning but they had been put under control.

Also speaking to journalists, the STF’s spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, confirmed the development, but said no life was lost.

Confirming  the ban  order to The Guardian, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Altine Daniel said , as directed by the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT,  Joseph Mbu, “protest on the Chibok girls is hereby banned with immediate effect”

 In an address to the media  yesterday , the CP said the  decision was taken to forestall any security breach that might occur as two different groups have emerged on the same mission, causing heavy concentration of people in one place, thereby exposing themselves to terrorist attack.

  But reacting to the ban, a leader of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, Oby Ezekwesili told CNN yesterday that it was obviously the handiwork of an overzealous police commissioner which is contrary to Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution.

 “As the FCT police boss, I cannot fold my hands and watch this lawlessness. Information reaching us is that soon,  dangerous elements may join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosives aimed at embarrassing the government”, Mbu said

  The Police chief who said he was part of the protest at the beginning noted that since a new group emerged and started the same protest it “has degenerated to the extent that they are now selling and cooking at the Unity Fountain. The trend is now posing a serious security threat to those living around and citizens who drive through.”

“They are still unrelenting; the group has now shifted to Maitama Amusement Park. This area is very close to the residence of diplomats.”

  He, therefore, urged Nigerians to appreciate the efforts of the security operatives in their efforts in the fight against terrorists

   Also, human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo in a statement described the ban, as “unconstitutional, illegal, null and void. It is against the spirit and letters of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. All the  above guarantee freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.”

Somalia: Late, Erratic Rainfall Raises Concerns About Harvest Prospects

Somalia is again facing serious food deficits.

June 2, 2014
by UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Somalia: Late, erratic rainfall raises concerns about harvest prospects2 June 2014, Mogadishu/Rome – Late rains and erratic weather patterns in Somalia have raised concerns over a worsening of the food security situation, as food stocks from the last, poor harvest become depleted and prices continue to rise sharply, a new FAO report says.

The situation is being exacerbated by conflict and inadequate funding for priority actions designed to address the needs of hard-hit communities, according to FAO’s Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) report. This is in line with an earlier report from FAO Somalia’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU).

GIEWS presents a worrisome picture as the lean season progresses and the recent escalation in conflict in the southern and central regions continues to have a disruptive impact on markets.

“The people of Somalia cannot afford to wait to see how the next harvest turns out. They need urgent support to improve their food security and maintain their livelihoods, most of which depend directly on agriculture,” said Luca Alinovi, acting Head of FAO’s Somalia Office and FAO Representative in Kenya.

FAO, in coordination with partners in the Food Security Cluster (FSC) addressing the humanitarian situation, is urgently seeking $18 million to scale up rapid interventions (90-day priority needs response) to prevent and mitigate the further deterioration of the food security situation.

A delayed start to the 2014 gu season (April-June) has added to concerns already fuelled by the weak January harvest of the 2013/2014 deyr cereal crops, cultivated during the secondary, late-year rainy period. Harvests were well below average in the central and southern areas of the country, following weeks of late and erratic rainfall, as well as flooding around rivers.

Lower stocks, coupled with the market and trade disruptions, led to double-digit increases in wholesale prices of maize and sorghum in some areas.

In the main producing areas of the south, April retail prices of maize and sorghum were as much as 60 and 80 percent higher, respectively, than one year earlier, also due to the scaling back of humanitarian assistance operations.

The gu rains resumed in early May, but rains will need to continue through the end of June in order to prevent further deterioration of the food security situation in Somalia.

Conditions are expected to improve slightly in August and September when the harvest is ready for consumption, but the positive impact is likely to be moderate given the unfavourable prospects of the current season.

The number of people in need of humanitarian assistance in Somalia is currently estimated at about 860 000, including over 200 000 malnourished children under five years of age.

Urgent action needed

The urgent activities proposed by FAO are aimed at meeting the most vulnerable Somali communities’ immediate needs and making them more resilient to droughts and other shocks.

British Judge Prevents Theresa May Sending Asylum-Seeker Back to Lawless Somalia

Somalian official shot dead in Mogadishu.

Home Secretary accused of acting unlawfully as man fears Islamists will kill him on his return

Monday, 2 June 2014

The Home Secretary, Theresa May, has been accused of acting unlawfully by forcing the removal of failed Somali asylum-seekers to Mogadishu where they fear they will be murdered by Islamic militants. In what is being seen as a test case affecting thousands of Somalis in Britain, a judge has granted an injunction at the last minute halting the removal of a 23-year-old man, identified only as Abdullah, who was due to be flown back to Mogadishu on Tuesday.

His lawyers argued successfully that a decision on his future should await the imminent findings of an immigration upper-tribunal. This will consider UK government claims that Mogadishu is safe.

The man was reprieved, but his lawyers still fear he could be removed within days or weeks depending on the findings of the tribunal.

Speaking to The Independent from the Harmondsworth detention centre near Heathrow on Monday, Abdullah said: “I do not have words to describe it. I am overwhelmed with fear. It is a place that I escaped from and I came to this country hoping my life would be changed for the better.”

In January, Abdullah was forcibly put on board a flight to Istanbul en route for Mogadishu but a last-minute legal challenge meant he was brought back to the UK. He has spent the past months on bail under curfew wearing an electronic tag until he was taken back into detention.

During the course of his removal he said he had been “handcuffed… assaulted, punched and dragged” by escorts in front of other passengers who heard him screaming for help.

He said his message for the Government was straightforward. “Britons might have shed their blood in multiple continents in protection of human rights but it seems that human rights [are being] violated here at home,” he said.

The Home Office issued new advice to case workers considering asylum appeals from Somalis in April this year. The UK Government still acknowledges that Somalia remains too dangerous to return people to areas outside the capital, but says the general situation has improved since the overt withdrawal of the Islamist terror group al-Shabaab in 2011.

The advice adds: “There is no frontline fighting or shelling any longer; and the number of civilian casualties has gone down. The available country information does not indicate that, at present, the situation is of such a nature as to place everyone who is present in the city at a real risk of treatment such that removal to Mogadishu would be contrary to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

Toufique Hossain, of solicitors Duncan Lewis who is representing Abdullah, said: “The law has not changed whatever the Secretary of State chooses to say in the country guidance, because that is up to the tribunal to decide and there should not be attempts to remove people until then.”

He said there was a clear risk that his client’s human rights would be breached if he was sent back and that the security situation in Mogadishu had recently worsened.

Abdullah said he had been in contact with another man who was removed in similar circumstances last month who is now in hiding. The man, who also wishes to remain anonymous, told Al Jazeera this week: “I have surrendered myself to death. All I am thinking is that I am a dying man.”

The Home Office’s own guidance notes that Mogadishu’s four main hospitals treated 4,412 people for weapons injuries in 2013.

Al-Shabaab, which was responsible for the assault in February on the presidential palace in which a government official died, has warned that individuals returning from the West would be targeted as infidels.

Abdullah described how he was a member of a minority clan and that his father, a university professor, had been shot and injured and many members of his family killed.

“We are an easy target and we are made to be victims. I have seen many bad incidents happen to my family. I made my own way to this country – this is my last hope,” he said.

Home Office figures show that there were 33 enforced returns to Somalia in 2013. In the first quarter of 2014, 19 people were sent back although the figures do not show how many were returned to Mogadishu where the violence is worst.

Louise Calvey, director of delivery at Refugee Action, said she was “very concerned” that the Home Office had recommenced forcible removals to Somalia. “This is in the face of serious security concerns reported through UNHCR, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.”

Jasmine Sallis, of the Unity Centre in Glasgow which has been campaigning against the enforced returns of Somalis, said: “It is completely absurd that the Home Office is even attempting let alone successfully sending people back to Somalia given that it is extremely dangerous there.

“The Government is clearly failing its human rights obligations.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “We believe that those who fail to establish a genuine fear of persecution should return home voluntarily. If they do not, we will enforce their removal.

“There has been no change to our returns policy in relation to Somalia and Somaliland, and removals continue to take place.”

Rebels Kill 30 In Church Raid In Central African Republic

Buildings burned in the Central African Republic.

Rebels stormed a Catholic church compound Wednesday in the capital of Central African Republic, killing at least 30 people in a hail of gunfire and grenades, witnesses said.

Islamist fighters from the Seleka coalition, ousted from power nearly five months ago, were blamed for the attack on the compound at the Church of Fatima, where hundreds of civilians had sought refuge from violence ravaging Bangui's streets.

Muslim refugees fill the back of a semi-trailer bound for Cameroon as they flee the violence in the Central African Republic.

Muslim refugees from the Central African Republic crowd a truck headed for safety in Cameroon.

A Burundian member of the MISCA peacekeeping force retrieves a rifle abandoned by "anti-balaka" militia members who had tried to slaughter a herd of cattle belonging to Muslims.
Catholic churches have served as sanctuaries for Christian and Muslim civilians since the country erupted into sectarian bloodshed in December.

It was feared that the new bloodshed would spark reprisals on the city's few remaining Muslims, most of whom have fled the city in an exodus this year that the U.N. has described as ethnic cleansing.

“We were in the church when were heard the shooting outside,” the Rev. Freddy Mboula told the Associated Press. “There were screams and after 30 minutes of gunfire there were bodies everywhere.”

About 30 people were killed, according to another priest at the scene, the Rev. Paul Emile Nzale.

An AP reporter counted at least 20 bodies taken to one hospital in the city because the morgue was not in service. At a second hospital, a doctor who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters confirmed that at least three other bodies had been taken there.

A political crisis in the Central African Republic has taken on inter-communal dimensions, stoking hatred among the Christian majority toward a brutal Islamist rebel regime that seized power by force in March 2013. Muslim civilians were largely spared, while the rebels looted, raped and killed Christians.

The conflict tearing the Central African Republic apart has brought childhood to a halt. Children have seen their parents hacked to pieces, watched as boys and girls like them were shot or maimed. Some have been forced to make cold calculations far beyond their years.
Most of the sectarian violence in Bangui since January, when the rebels were forced from power,  has involved Christian militia fighters targeting Muslims. Previous attacks have launched retaliatory violence in the capital.

The crisis in the Central African Republic has forced nearly 1 million people from their homes, and at one point nearly 100,000 sought shelter on the grounds of the Bangui airport, which has been guarded by French and now other European peacekeepers.

Central African Republic Leader Denounces Plot, Peacekeepers Kill Two

Central African Republic Interim President Catherine Samba-Panza.

Fri, May 30 2014
By Crispin Dembassa-Kette and Serge Leger Kokpakpa

BANGUI (Reuters) - The Central African Republic's interim president accused armed groups on Friday of seeking to destabilise her government, as two people were shot dead by Burundian peacekeepers in a second day of violent protests in Bangui.

Tensions have soared in the mostly Christian capital after Muslim gunmen attacked a church in its Fatima neighbourhood on Wednesday, killing at least 17 people and abducting 27 others, according to U.N. officials.

Thousands marched through the centre of Bangui on Friday to demand the resignation of Interim President Catherine Samba-Panza and the withdrawal of the Burundian contingent of an African Union peacekeeping mission, accused by the city's Christian majority of favouring Muslims.

In an address to the nation, Samba-Panza promised that those responsible for Wednesday's attack on Our Lady of Fatima - which lies on the edge of the embattled PK5 Muslim neighbourhood of Bangui - would not go unpunished.

"Inter-community hatred is being exploited shamelessly by the enemies of peace who want to trigger another transition government and who are sparing no effort to undermine the actions of current transitional authorities to reconcile Christians and Muslims," she said.

One of the most coup-prone African states, the Central African Republic has been beset by conflict since independence in 1960 as armed groups have battled for control over its deposits of gold, diamonds, uranium and, most recently, oil.

Protesters - angry at international peacekeepers' failure to end more than a year of simmering sectarian violence in the landlocked nation - burnt tyres and erected barricades on the main streets of Bangui for a second day.

A spokesman for the African Union peacekeeping mission (MISCA) said Burundian troops opened fire after being shot at by members of a crowd who attacked their base, next to the U.N. mission in the centre of town.

"There were two people killed and two wounded amongst the assailants," spokesman Francis Che told Reuters by telephone. "The crowd has dispersed. We recovered two weapons and a hand grenade."

However, the protesters said they were unarmed and had come to hold talks with the head of the U.N. mission.

"We gathered here this morning, with women and children and with no weapons, and the Burundians killed five people," said Eric Sako, a businessman. "We were in the U.N. offices trying to explain things, and they opened fire on us."

HATRED EXPLOITED

A former French colony of some 4.5 million people, the country has been gripped by ethnic and religious violence since northern Seleka rebels, who are mostly Muslim, seized Bangui in March 2013. The Seleka left power in January under international pressure and since then anti-balaka Christian militias have preyed on Muslims in the capital. Those attacks have largely driven Muslims from Bangui and the west, effectively partitioning the country, whose east is controlled mainly by Seleka.

In her address to the nation, Samba-Panza declared three days of national mourning for Wednesday's attack and urged protesters to remove the barricades from Bangui's streets. French peacekeepers used bulldozers to remove burning tyres and barriers on Friday.

The church attack - the worst on the Christian population since Seleka left power - stoked frustration at Samba-Panza's failure to return peace to country, despite the presence of 2,000 French troops and 6,000 African Union peacekeepers.

A former mayor of Bangui, Samba-Panza is tasked with steering the country to elections due in February 2015.

Some 5,000 Christians displaced by violence were sheltering in the church at the time of the attack, which came after hours of skirmishes between anti-balaka Christian militia and Muslim residents.

Fatoumata Lejeune-Kaba, a spokeswoman for United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), told a news conference in Geneva that at least 17 people were killed in Wednesday's attack on the church, while 27 others were abducted.

"In the past, when we heard about abductions, sometimes people asked for ransom," she said. "But sometimes people disappeared and were never found again."

(Additional reporting by Hubert-Mary Djamany in Bangui and Daniel Flynn in Dakar and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva; Writing by Daniel Flynn and Bate Felix; Editing by Alister Doyle)

Protesters Lash Out At Peacekeepers In Central African Republic

Unrest escalates in the Central African Republic.

By Gemma Parellada and Laura Smith-Spark, CNN
Fri May 30, 2014

STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Protesters rally in Central African Republic capital against international peacekeepers
They are angry the force has not done more to stop deadly attacks in Bangui
Civilians have also clashed with peacekeepers in the town of Bambari
Christians and Muslims in Bambari co-existed peacefully until last week; now town is split

(CNN) -- Thousands of angry protesters poured into the streets of the Central African Republic's capital Friday. The target of their rage? Peacekeepers sent to protect them.

Two people were fatally shot, according to the African Union-led peacekeeping force, known as MISCA, when peacekeepers opened fire as their base came under attack in Bangui.

Tensions have been high in Bangui for months. But they erupted this week after an attack
Wednesday on a church that killed at least 17 people, according to the U.N. refugee agency.

Another 27 civilians were reportedly abducted by assailants and remain unaccounted for, the U.N. agency said.

It said the church, Notre Dame de Fatima, was housing 9,000 internally displaced people at the time of the attack.

Convoy ambushed while fleeing C.A.R. Official: No end to violence in C.A.R. Muslims evacuated from C.A.R. capital

They included some 2,050 people who had moved there only a week ago to escape trouble in nearby neighborhoods, the refugee agency said.

Some of those killed and injured in the church attack were taken Wednesday evening to Bangui's Community Hospital, where medical personnel battled to save them.

In the emergency room, a priest and a 15-year-old boy arrived as patients but did not survive.

Other victims were driven straight to the morgue. Two children were among those killed, the refugee agency said.

Burning tires, barricades

It's not clear who attacked the Church of Notre Dame de Fatima.

But the Fatima area borders the unstable "PK5" neighborhood, where the last remaining group of Muslims in the capital live, trapped and under siege from Christian militia groups.

According to witnesses, an armed group burst into the church Wednesday afternoon, shooting people in and around the area.

Immediately afterward, angry young men responded to the attack by installing barricades around Bangui.

Smoke rose as the youths burned tires, while Christian, or anti-balaka, militiaman moved through the city and sporadic gunfire rattled in the streets.

A few hours later, on Thursday morning, a mosque in Bangui's La Kouanga area was destroyed in apparent retaliation for the church attack. The attackers ransacked the interior, removing carpets and breaking down the doors.

It was one of the last mosques remaining outside the PK5 neighborhood. Local Christians had been protecting the mosque because it was being used by foreign Muslims, from Senegal and elsewhere, but that tolerance came to an abrupt end with the church attack.

AU troops tried to remove the barricades Thursday, but tensions were high around the mosque.

Hundreds also came out in the streets to protest against the international peacekeeping forces -- French troops and the MISCA forces -- whom they accuse of doing too little to protect the people.

The unrest continued Friday.

The International Red Cross described the situation in Bangui as "fluid and somewhat chaotic."

Its teams on the ground have received reports of injured people in the demonstrations but are still assessing the number of casualties, it said.

A town divided

People in Bangui are not alone in suffering the effects of brutal sectarian violence. And once again, the peacekeepers sent to protect the people are bearing the brunt of their anger.

Until last week, Muslims and Christians co-existed peacefully Bambari, a town some 240 miles northeast of the capital.

But all that changed when fighting broke out between Muslim youths and French peacekeepers outside the town.

The young Muslim men, afraid that the peacekeepers would disarm the predominantly Muslim militia based in the town -- leaving them unable to fight off the advancing Christian militia -- took up arms. Some Muslim militia members then joined them.

As the first shots and explosions rang out, terrified Christians and other non-Muslims took refuge in a dusty area between the town's cathedral and the diocesan headquarters.

For three days, thousands took shelter from the clashes. Even as the fighting eased Sunday, most remained there, too scared to leave.

Meanwhile, members of the Muslim community stayed in their neighborhoods, leaving the town of some 65,000 effectively segregated. The French peacekeepers have kept a distance outside town.

The mostly Muslim militia once known as the Seleka changed its name this month to Republican Forces.

Its leaders decided this month to make Bambari their headquarters to stave off the threat from anti-balaka rivals.

"We don't want dialogue with the anti-balaka," a spokesman for the rebels in Bambari said.

"The only thing that exists between us and the anti-balaka is cartridges," he added, slapping the barrel of his gun to emphasize his point.

Spiral of violence

The country began its descent into chaos in March 2013 after a coalition of mostly Muslim rebels ousted President Francois Bozize. The former Seleka group has since been forced from power, but Christian and Muslim militias have continued to battle for control.

To counter attacks on Christian communities, the vigilante groups known as the anti-balaka, which translates to "anti-machete," fought back.

The ethnic violence prompts fears of another genocide like the one in Rwanda 20 years ago.

According to the spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the attack on the Church of Notre Dame de Fatima followed violence this week in which suspected anti-balaka elements killed three Muslim youths.

Ban urged the transitional government, which took charge this year, to prevent further violence and hold those responsible to account. He also called on the peacekeeping forces to do all they can to support those efforts.

The United Nations has promised as many as 10,000 military personnel by September 15, which may help expand peacekeeping operations.

Journalist Gemma Parellada reported from Bambari and Bangui, and CNN's Laura Smith-Spark wrote and edited in London. CNN's Aliza Kassim and Nana Karikari-apau contributed to this report.

Central African Republic: Peacekeepers Tied to Abuse

French troops oversee the murder of Central Africans.

At Least 11 People Missing After Detained by Congolese Troops

June 2, 2014

(Johannesburg) – African Union peacekeepers from the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) have been implicated in the enforced disappearance on March 24, 2014, of at least 11 people in the Central African Republic.

Approximately 20 soldiers from the African Union peacekeeping force known as MISCA took the group of 11, including four women, from the home of a local militia leader in Boali, a town 80 kilometers north of the capital, Bangui, witnesses told Human Rights Watch.

The peacekeepers detained the men and women after the militia group known as the anti-balaka, who are predominantly Christian and animist rebel fighters, on March 24 killed one Congolese peacekeeper and wounded four others. Those detained have not been heard from since, although their families have inquired about their whereabouts at the MISCA base and local police stations.

“The African Union needs to say what happened to the group that was detained and taken by the Congolese peacekeepers,” said Peter Bouckaert [3], emergencies director at Human Rights Watch. “The peacekeepers are there to protect the civilian population, not to abuse them.”

Human Rights Watch called for an independent and impartial international investigation into the incident and the immediate suspension from peacekeeping duties of the implicated troops.

Human Rights Watch conducted a detailed investigation into the incident and spoke with five witnesses. Many other local residents, including officials and activists, told Human Rights Watch that they were too afraid to investigate or even discuss the incident because the Congolese MISCA troops have been known for intimidation and violence. Confirming this hostile atmosphere, while Human Rights Watch was investigating the March incident on May 25, Congolese MISCA soldiers severely beat a local police officer at a checkpoint following a dispute, and broke a beer bottle over his head, injuring him.

Contacted by Human Rights Watch, MISCA’s leadership announced that an investigation into the incident had been ordered and would be conducted by the human rights section of MISCA. Human Rights Watch is cooperating fully with the investigators.

The anti-balaka are largely Christian and animist fighters engaged in a battle against predominantly Muslim Seleka forces, which overthrew the previous government in a March 2013 military campaign. Both groups have committed massive human rights violations against the local population over the past year. African Union and French peacekeepers were deployed to help stabilize the volatile situation and protect civilians.

This is not the first incident of abuse by Congolese forces Human Rights Watch has investigated. Human Rights Watch has gathered evidence that, in December 2013, Congolese troops in the town of Bossangoa tortured to death two anti-balaka leaders following the brutal lynching of a Congolese MISCA soldier the same day.

An enforced disappearance occurs when someone is deprived of their liberty by state agents, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or by concealment of the fate or whereabouts of the disappeared person. Under customary international law, there is an absolute prohibition on enforced disappearances, and they may be prosecuted as a crime by the International Criminal Court (ICC). Although a discrete crime in and of itself, the act of enforced disappearance also simultaneously violates multiple human rights protections, including the prohibition of torture and freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention.

“Enforced disappearances, torture, and extrajudicial killings of civilians are serious human rights crimes and make a mockery of MISCA’s mandate,” Bouckaert said. “The African Union needs to investigate and address these crimes immediately. At stake is nothing less than the reputation and legitimacy of the peacekeeping force in a country that desperately needs protection.”

Enforced Disappearances in Boali
The five witnesses Human Rights Watch interviewed said that tensions flared in Boali on March 24, 2014. A local anti-balaka leader, the self-declared “General” Maurice Mokono, who had been drinking heavily, fired two rounds into the air from a rusted AK-47 automatic rifle he had recently repaired.

MISCA soldiers quickly responded to investigate the shots. When it became apparent that the gunfire had come from the anti-balaka leader’s house, the soldiers tried to confiscate the automatic weapon. General Mokono refused to hand it over, and a violent argument broke out, partly fueled by the general’s drunken state and his limited ability to communicate in French, witnesses said.

As the argument became more heated, the anti-balaka leader followed the MISCA troops to their base, where he continued to argue with the Congolese MISCA commander, whom they identified only as Captain Abena. General Mokono then ordered anti-balaka fighters to collect their weapons, erect barricades, and “go to war” against the MISCA soldiers.

A respected local Catholic priest, Father Xavier-Arnaud Fagba, who sheltered 700 Muslims in his church from January to March to protect them from anti-balaka attacks, said that Captain Abena and General Mokono then asked him to mediate. The Catholic priest immediately noticed that General Mokono was very drunk, and told him that he should calm down. The general appeared to understand, and returned home at about 5 p.m., witnesses said.

“We met with the priest and the captain and worked things out and reconciled,” a close relative of the anti-balaka general said. “The general then went home and went to bed – he had drunk a lot that day. He went to bed, and that is when I left his house.”

Shortly after the general returned home, a group of anti-balaka fighters threw a grenade at the Congolese MISCA troops’ vehicle in the central market area of Boali and opened fire on them with automatic weapons. The attack killed one MISCA soldier and wounded at least four others. A witness said the anti-balaka fighters also stole two automatic rifles from MISCA troops.

One of the wounded soldiers showed Human Rights Watch the gunshot wound in his upper thigh and said he had spent weeks in the hospital. Following the lethal ambush, a group of about 20 Congolese MISCA soldiers surrounded the house of the anti-balaka general. A witness told Human Rights Watch:

They came to the general’s house and took away all the people inside. One boy had seen them coming and tried to go warn the general, and the MISCA soldiers ordered him to stop and sit down, and when he refused their order, they shot him dead. He wasn’t from Boali; he came from [a nearby village].

I was close by. I saw them take 11 or 12 people out of the house, but I learned later they also captured more people on the main road.

They found Téké, the general’s aide de camp, outside the house and started beating him. So then the general came out and they took him, and then they went inside the house and came out with the women, the older brother of the general, and some others who were staying at the house.

This witness, a friend of the general, said she recognized 10 of the people taken from his house: Gen. Maurice Mokono; his brother Zaboro, age 60; Mokono’s aide de camp, Téké, 29; Mokono’s younger brother, Gbagéné, 32; an anti-balaka fighter named Grace a Dieu, 19; the general’s bodyguard, called Risquer, in his 30s; Laurie, 22, the general’s pregnant wife; Ingrid, an 18-year-old Muslim survivor of an anti-balaka massacre whom the general had forced to marry his son; Jalina, 24, the wife of an anti-balaka commander who had been killed in fighting in Bangui; and Téké’s 25-year-old wife, whose name the witness did not know. Other witnesses said that an anti-balaka fighter named Bruno was also taken from the general’s house.

Three separate witnesses said that MISCA soldiers detained at least seven more people along the main road, probably because they were wearing traditional gris-gris amulets associated with the anti-balaka militia. Their names are not known, as they were not from Boali.

Since March 24, there has been no news about the people who were detained. Their relatives have gone to the main MISCA base in Bangui, Camp M’poko, and to all police stations in Bangui, but have not found their loved ones, whom they fear the MISCA soldiers have executed, unless the soldiers are holding them in an undisclosed location.

In a May 26 meeting with Human Rights Watch, Captain Abena, the commanding officer of the Congolese troops in Boali, and his commander, whom the witnesses said was named Colonel Leo, refused to answer any questions about the whereabouts or fate of the detained men and women. They acknowledged that the incident was under investigation before abruptly ending the meeting.

The March 24, 2014 incident is the second that Human Rights Watch has investigated involving grave allegations against peacekeeping troops from the Republic of Congo. In an earlier incident in the northern town of Bossangoa, on December 22, 2013, Congolese troops are believed to have tortured to death two anti-balaka leaders following the brutal lynching of a Congolese MISCA soldier the same day.

Four witnesses said that the then-commander of the MISCA troops in Bossangoa, Captain Mokongo, ordered a raid on December 22 on a known anti-balaka base in the town. Three anti-balaka leaders were captured, and their weapons were confiscated. Following the raid, residents in Bossangoa protested, calling for the release of the anti-balaka leaders.

As a precautionary measure, Captain Mokongo and his fellow commander, Capt. Wilson Aboni, ordered MISCA troops to return to their base. The troops had been posted at the Catholic Church, where some 40,000 people, mostly Christians, had settled in an improvised camp for displaced people. One MISCA officer, Sgt. Juif Ngali, was drinking at a makeshift bar in the camp and found himself cut off from his retreating colleagues. The officer tried to rejoin them, but was soon surrounded by a hostile crowd. Ngali fired his rifle in the air and then at a youth, killing him. The crowd wrested his gun from him, shot him dead, and then mutilated his body with machete blows.

When the mutilated body arrived at the base, soldiers sought revenge on the three captured anti-balaka leaders already in the camp. At the time, many local UN staff members were staying at the MISCA base for their safety, following fierce clashes between Seleka and anti-balaka fighters in the town. Witnesses told Human Rights Watch that the MISCA soldiers ordered all of the humanitarian workers to hand over their cellphones and locked the staff in a room. The MISCA soldiers then ordered the local police officers to also hand over their weapons, take off their uniforms, and hand over their cellphones, and ordered them to stay in a separate room.

During the evening, a group of French peacekeepers from the Sangaris mission arrived and secured the release of one anti-balaka leader whom they knew the MISCA troops were holding. They then left, unaware that two other anti-balaka leaders remained at the MISCA camp. These anti-balaka leaders, the witnesses said, were tied up in the painful arbatasher style, with their arms and legs bound tightly behind their backs.

The humanitarian workers and gendarmes overheard the MISCA soldiers torturing the two anti-balaka leaders throughout the night. The soldiers dripped melting, burning plastic on the bodies of the detained men, who screamed out in pain and begged them to stop, witnesses said. Following hours of torture, the men died from the wounds. Their burned, mutilated bodies were found the next day and viewed by many witnesses, including Catholic Church officials and humanitarians, who confirmed the two men suffered extensive burns.

Human Rights Watch met with Captain Mokongo on March 14, 2014. He said the two anti-balaka fighters were injured when they tried to attack the local hospital. He added that MISCA troops rebuffed the anti-balaka and took them to the hospital, where they later died of their wounds. “MISCA cannot hold prisoners, and they were injured,” he said. “We saw the state they were in, so our doctor took him to the hospital himself. It was there that they died.”

Captain Mokongo denied allegations that his men had tortured the two anti-balaka fighters to death. Many anti-balaka and their supporters have lost faith in MISCA forces, who they believe to be supported by local Muslims, he said, contending that was the reason for the rumors of torture.

Central African Republic Premier Calls for Voluntary Disarmament Next Week

Central African Republic Prime Minister Andre Nzapayeke.

Sun, Jun 1 2014

DAKAR (Reuters) - Central African Republic's prime minister on Sunday called for voluntary national disarmament next week in a bid to halt a worsening cycle of violence that threatens to drive Muslims from the West of the country.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Andre Nzapayeke declared June 8 would be a day for all citizens to hand in their weapons, after a spike in sectarian tensions in the majority-Christian capital Bangui following an attack on a church by Muslim gunmen on Wednesday.

The attack, in which U.N. officials say at least 17 people were killed, sparked two days of violent protests in Bangui. Thousands of people took to the streets to demand the departure of African Union peacekeepers and the resignation of Interim President Catherine Samba-Panza.

"Everyone who has a firearm is called upon to return it voluntarily to the town hall of their neighborhood," Nzapayeke said, adding he hoped this would encourage all neighborhoods - Christian and Muslim alike - to disarm at the same time.

Muslims in Bangui have expressed anger that previous attempts at disarmament left them prey to the "anti-balaka" Christian militia.

Nzapayeke said that members of the armed forces - many of whom have joined the anti-balaka Christian militia - were urged to declare their weapons to their commanding officers and to return to the ranks of the army.

He said the government would not tolerate any further demonstrations which had not received authorities' approval.

Central African Republic has been gripped by ethnic and religious violence since northern Seleka rebels, who are mostly Muslim, seized power in the mainly Christian nation in 2013.

Seleka left power in January under international pressure after 10 months of looting and violence that had prompted the formation of the Christian self-defense militia.

Since then attacks by anti-balaka have largely driven Muslims from Bangui and the west, effectively partitioning the country, whose east is controlled mainly by Seleka.

Several thousand Muslims, however, remain in the PK5 neighborhood of Bangui, where skirmishes with anti-balaka have become a regular occurrence. Hundreds of Muslims in PK5 protested on Saturday against calls for disarmament and demanded their safe evacuation from the city.

Samba-Panza, visiting hospitalized people injured in recent days of violence in Bangui, said that disarmament would be done in an orderly fashion in collaboration with the AU force (MISCAST) and France's 2,000-strong peace keeping mission so as to protect the Muslim population.

(Reporting by Crispin Dembassa-Kette and Hubert Mary Djamany; Writing by Daniel Flynn; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

Deadly Fighting Erupts In Libya's Benghazi

Scene of fighting in Occupied Libya.

At least 19 killed and 82 injured in worst violence the city has seen since war that toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

Last updated: 02 Jun 2014 23:05

Heavy fighting has erupted in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, apparently between the armed group Ansar al-Sharia and irregular forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar, a CIA operative and a former army general.

At least 19 people have been killed and 82 injured in the fighting, hospital sources told the international press.

Witnesses said on Monday that gunfire, which began the day before, could be heard across the city, particularly coming from a special forces army base in a western suburb of Benghazi.

Haftar is campaigning to rid Libya of fighters that he says the federal government has failed to control.

Suleiman El Dressi, a Benghazi resident in the area of the clashes, told the media that two people had been killed as a result of explosions there.

"Residents are at home and they are very scared, waiting for the clashes to be over," he said.

"Central government cannot control anything happening here, in the east [of the country], they are hopeless and useless."

Local residents say the fighting is the worst they have seen since March 2011 when counter-revolutionary forces attacked loyalists to the late leader Muammar Gaddafi.

On Sunday, a Libyan fighter jet under Haftar's command attacked an Ansar al-Sharia base in Benghazi but did not hit the target, witnesses and a senior Libyan official told news agencies.

The AP news agency quoted a member of Ansar al-Sharia as saying no one was hurt in the bombing.

The aircraft attacked a building which houses a base belonging to Ansar al-Sharia, Mohamed al-Hejazi, a spokesman for Haftar, told Reuters.

"Our forces attacked the crown prince's former building, where Ansar al-Sharia is based," he said.

However, a Reuters reporter at the scene said there was no damage at the building.

Ansar al-Sharia gained support following the massive Pentagon-NATO bombing of Libya and the brutal assassination of Gaddafi in 2011. The group is thought to be behind the 2012 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi that killed four people including the US ambassador.

Libya is in turmoil three years after the CIA-Pentagon-NATO war of regime change that removed Gaddafi, with various factions locked in conflict.

Neo-Colonial Libya's New Leader Maiteeq Takes Office Amid Strife

Fighting is ongoing in Occupied Libya outside GNC in Tripoli.

TRIPOLI---Neo-Colonial Libya's new prime minister Ahmed Maiteeq on Monday held his first cabinet meeting at the premier's office after police forces helped him take over the building.

The North African country is struggling with turmoil and a political crisis as outgoing premier Abdullah al-Thinni has refused to hand over power to Maiteeq who was elected by parliament in a chaotic vote last month.

Thinni had resigned in April but has said he received conflicting orders from Libya's divided parliament over the legitimacy of Maiteeq's election and would continue in his post until the General National Congress (GNC) assembly resolved the dispute.

Maiteeq arrived at the prime minister's office late in the evening escorted by police cars, witnesses said. Thinni had moved earlier to another government building, his spokesman said.

In a brief statement after a cabinet meeting, Maiteeq denounced clashes between militant Islamists and army forces that had erupted in eastern Benghazi, killing around 20 people.

Standing behind his cabinet, the businessman vowed to make improving security and fighting terrorism a top priority.

There was no immediate comment from Thinni after Maiteeq's statement was read live on television. The cabinet's tenure might be short-lived as Libya is preparing for elections later this month.

First Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Ezzedin al-Awam told Reuters on Monday that Thinni had told him he had not handed over officially the prime minister's office to Maiteeq.

Parliament is at the heart of a growing confrontation among rival political parties and brigades of former rebels who refuse to disarm and have allied themselves loosely on competing sides of a split congress.

Four decades of revolutionary anti-imperialist rule by Muammar Gaddafi and three years of unrest since his ousting have left Libya with few institutions and no real army to impose state authority on former fighters and Islamist militants who often use their military muscle to make demands.

Those rivalries have come closer to open confrontation since last month after Khalifa Haftar, a renegade former general and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative, began a self-declared campaign with renegade forces to purge Islamist militants he says the government has failed to challenge.

Maiteeq, a businessman backed by independents and Islamist lawmakers, was appointed by GNC members after a chaotic vote contested by rival factions as illegitimate.

Former Colonial Power Speaks on the Situation in Occupied Libya

Imperialist bombing of Libya in 2011 in which Italy participated.

Tripoli, 3 June 2014

Speaking to the media at the Italian embassy in Tripoli yesterday, Italy’s Special Envoy to Libya and current ambassador, Giuseppe Buccino said that  “The significance of appointing a Special Envoy to Libya is an indication that Italy is concerned by the current situation in Libya”.

However, he went on to stress that “it is also an indication that we are committed to helping Libya. Therefore a Special Envoy for Libya, in cooperation with UNSMIL, is useful”.

The appointment of an Italian Special Envoy to Libya mirrors steps taken by Libya’s main allies the UK, France and the US. However, unlike Libya’s other main neo-colonial masters, Italy did not appoint a separate person to act as Libya’s Special Envoy, but chose to appoint its existing ambassador in Tripoli.

“We already have strong relations with Libya – we did not need to appoint a dedicated Special Envoy”, explained the man with two jobs. “A Special Envoy has more powers than an ambassador”, he continued.

With regards to his exact tasks as Special Envoy, Buccino said that the “first task of the Special Envoy is to coordinate with UNSMIL. Duplication or multiplication of efforts does not help”, he stressed.

“My mandate is to strengthen relations with Tariq Mitri and UNSMIL”, Buccino continued. The three main areas of coordination are the legislative elections of 25 June as a way to resolve the domestic Libyan political process”.

“Secondly we commend and support the progress and work of the Constitutional Assembly that has been achieved up to this point. And thirdly Italy’s commitment to UNSMIL’s efforts to foster a Libyan national dialogue”.

“We can build on the Rome Conference commitments”, Buccino explained, “but we need a government to work with and a clear division of powers between the Libyan government and the legislature”.

Underlining the importance of Libya to Italy, the former colonial power between 1911-1951 when half of the population was slaughtered by Rome, the ambassador and Special Envoy said that “Libya is a priority of Italian foreign policy. The issue of illegal and legal immigration from Libya is paramount. In 2014 over 40,000 migrants have been rescued already as part of the Italian Mare Nostrum humanitarian operation”.

“This is a ten-fold increase on 2013. There are ten patrol boats in the process of being delivered to the Libyan coast, seven financed by Italy and three by the EU.

“We understand that the conditions within Libya may not be right at this time, but we do ask Libya to take more action. Less than 10 percent of migrants getting to Italy are stopped by Libyan authorities”, Buccino pointed out.

With regards to local occupied Libyan matters and the existence of two Libyan Prime Ministers and governments, the Italian Ambassador and Special Envoy to Libya would only say that “Like the EU and US I have met with both caretaker Prime Minister Thinni and Prime Minister Maetig”.

However, seasoned observers have noted that it is significant that none of the EU states have sent the customary congratulatory message to new Prime Minister Ahmed Maetig.