The newly-built Islamiyya school at Farawa was attacked around sunset when Muslims were preparing for the Maghrib prayers, residents said.

They said they heard loud blasts from within the school premises, followed by gunfire, sparking chaos as people run back into their homes.

“We heard the sound of three powerful blasts which were followed by gunshots as people were heading for the mosques,” a resident said, asking not to be named.

“Later in the evening we learnt that it was the newly-constructed Islamiyya school which was about to be commissioned by the state government that was attacked.”

The blasts left gaping holes in the classroom buildings and tore off part of the green roofing which has the ‘Kwankwasiyya’ inscription emblazoned on it in white colour.

Frontage and back sides of at least three classrooms in the one-storey building were heavily damaged.

But it seemed the explosions did not ignite fires.

Kano has seen sporadic gun and bomb attacks since the January 20 major strike blamed on the Boko Haram sect, mainly targeting security personnel and institutions. The Bayero University was also attacked last month.

Residents of Farawa area said Wednesday’s Islamiyya school attack was strange because the sect blamed for previous attacks claims to be propagating wider application of Islamic law.

“We find the attack on Islamic school very strange and disturbing. We heard stories of attacks on formal educational institutions in places like Maiduguri and elsewhere but we have never heard of anything like an attack on Islamic schools by these people. The government must truly do something to bring this situation to an end,” he said.

Daily Trust learnt yesterday that security personnel found two home-made explosives that did not go off at the school premises.

The other school that was attacked in Kano on Wednesday was the newly-built Ja’en Special Primary School, located at a remote part of Sharada Industrial Estate. The attack happened around midnight, residents said.

“The deafening sounds of the explosives woke all of us up around midnight. We did not know what happened until in the morning when pupils who reported to the school were turned back,” a resident told Daily Trust.

The one-story building, which also bears the Kwankwasiyya political slogan on its roof, had its ceilings and doors damaged by the blasts.

The impact of the blasts also completely shattered the windscreens and side glasses of a grey-coloured Volkswagen salon car that was parked in front of the structure.

Our reporter could not gain entry into the school compound because the gates had been locked by the school’s security men.

“We stopped our children from going to the school because we are not certain about their safety,” a parent of one of the pupils in the school told our correspondent.

Sources said some unexploded bombs similar to those found at the school in Farawa had been evacuated by security personnel.

Nobody was killed in the two incidents.

Confirming the attacks, a spokesman for the police in Kano, Magaji Musa Majiya, said, “One unexploded device was found at Ja’en primary school while two others were found at the Farawa school by our operatives. They had all been demobilised.”

He added: “No arrests were made and no lives were lost in both incidents.”

There was no immediate reaction from the Kano State government. Education commissioner, Alhaji Faruk Iya, did not answer calls made to him by our reporter to seek for his comments on the two incidents.

“The accident took place around 2.30pm and the  people that died included men and women while six others sustained injuries,” resident Al-Amin Bakura said.

Bakura said villagers had made efforts to rescue the trapped victims from the mingled vehicles without success.

Another witness, Hannatu Yar Baba, said she heard the trapped victims crying and wailing. “It was a gory scene. I cried as we saw them dying and blood gushing out,” she said. Jakana is 40 kilometres west of Maiduguri, the state capital.

Daily Trust gathered that few minutes after the accident, rescuers from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) from Benesheikh, the headquarters of Kaga local government area arrived at the scene.

A middle cadre officer who does not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak, described the accident as “a disaster” and attributed it to “over speeding and lack of patience.”

He said both survivors and the deceased were taken to hospitals in Maiduguri.

Efforts to speak to the Borno State head of operations of the FRSC, Amos Thizha on phone failed.

Accidents along Maiduguri - Kano busy road are recurrent. The road is the busiest in the North east as it stretches to Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Central African Republic.

Another witness, who simply identified himself as Emanuel, said he saw two bodies while several others were rushed to the hospital.

“I saw two corpses while several others were rushed to the hospital. They were four in the vehicle, and it was the driver and his conductor that died. As the other two passengers were pushing the vehicle, some boys selling sachet water shouted to the driver that his vehicle was emitting smoke, that was shortly before it exploded,” he said.

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Indabawa confirmed that  two people were killed in the incident, and that four AK 47 riffles were recovered from the scene.

“We don’t know where they were going to. They were in a vehicle, and they had explosives believed to be dynamites. No building was affected”, he said.

The commissioner of police, who pointed out that a lady who was selling water by the road was not affected, said there was no damage on the road to show that it was bomb.

“From time to time armed robbers carry dynamites because of the bullet proofs we have in banks”, he said.

Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, who also visited the scene, said the occupants of the vehicle were suspected armed robbers believed to be carrying dynamites, and on a robbery mission.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has also confirmed that the explosion was from a commercial bus, and not an attack as speculated.

A statement issued by Yusha’u Shuaibu, the agency’s Head Public Relations, stated that NEMA rescue team confirmed that the explosion was caused by suspected armed robbers.

“The rescue team from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) which was mobilized to the scene after the incident, said the explosion may have been caused by combustion/overheat from the engine of the bus,” he said.

“We must also know that by 2015, we are going as united constituent group. There were times when we went as constitutionalists and federalists, and some as regionalists, this time around; we must do everything possible within the time period to unite ourselves and to go that time as a united group.

“The interest of the people is paramount, we must understand that, and we must also understand that political parties are platforms and it is the interest of our own people that should guide our actions, our interests and our activities,” he said.

Aliyu also cautioned former head of state, General Mohammadu Buhari against making inflammatory statements capable of affecting the fragile unity and security of the country.

He noted the emerging trend of destructive political activities in the nation ostensibly to prepare the grounds for the actualisation of some people’s political ambition.

On Sardauna foundation, he said the foundation has a total bank and investment portfolio of N2.3 billion. He said amount comprises  of redemption of pledges amounting to N1.829billion, and interest and proceeds from the investments amounts to N517million.

Governors that attended the meeting are: Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto, Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa.

Others are Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi; Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno and Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau, who has not attended the meeting for a very long time. The remaining state governors were represented by their deputies and SSGs.

Justice Abubakar Umar had last week granted permission to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to arraign Hembe and his former Vice Chairman of the committee, Chris Azubogu, over corruption charges.

Hon. Herman Hembe and Hon. Chris Azubogu are being accused of receiving ESTACODE from the Security and Exchange Commission to enable them travel to the Dominican Republic for a conference which they did not attend, and also failed to return the money to the commission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-gTzdcHksQ

Following proceedings after his court appearance today, the court adjourned the matter to May 28th for hearing of preliminary objections filed by defense counsel and possible arraignment.

Hembe’s lawyer, Jibril Okutepa (SAN) told the court that the charges and proof of evidence was only served on the defendant yesterday, and as such, did not meet the required 48 hours before appearance in court.

He further argued that the court did not have the jurisdiction to grant leave to EFCC to proffer charges against them.

Okutepa maintained that there is nondisclosure of a prima facie case in the proof of evidence submitted to the court by the EFCC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxO_SY1Q_tc

On his part, the counsel for second defendant, Hon. Chris Azubogu, Lawrence Emeka Eteba explained to the court that his client was absent in court because he had to attend to security issues in his constituency in Anambra state.

He also objected to the short notice given to his client to appear in court. Eteba also argued that the evidence did not show a prima facie case against the accused.

On his part EFCC Counsel Offem Uket, argued that the EFCC served both accused persons with the charges since the 15th of May, through the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly.

He also said the preliminary objections raised by defense counsel was only served to him yesterday, and needed 48 hour to response, asking the court to remand the accused person EFCC custody.

However, the presiding judge ruled that the accused persons have not been charged yet, and should continue to enjoy EFCC administrative bail.

Information Minister Labaran Maku, who spoke at the State House in Abuja yesterday after the Federal Executive Council meeting, said it was undemocratic to provoke people to violence. But he said the council did not discuss Buhari.

“In no major nations of the world will politicians or parties urge people to go and fight in polling stations or defend their votes or threaten violence because democracy is civility,” he said.

Maku added: “We all know the consequences of violence in politics. We all know the consequences of lives lost in pursuit of ambitions and the nation is going through a period now that is critical and it is important that all of us who are critical stakeholders in the Nigerian project should weigh whatever we say such that it would aid national unity, national development and will aid peace particularly now in Northern Nigeria.

“Any statement that is made not only by politicians all Nigerians have a duty to ensure greater peace, greater civility in our polity because civility is important. The difference between democracy and other forms of government is that democracy is civil.”

He said the law provided ways for aggrieved people to seek redress.

“We are seeing the consequences of lack of peace in our community. At this time it is not about the Federal Government, it is the responsibilities of all Nigerians particularly those that God has elevated to positions of responsibility in the polity,” he said.

CPC says Jonathan instigating CAN against Buhari

Buhari’s party, the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), yesterday fired back at the Presidency over its reaction to comments by the former head of state.

President Jonathan’s spokesman Reuben Abati on Tuesday condemned Buhari’s statement on 2015 and labelled him a section leader. He said also Buhari was wrong to have said the Federal Government is the biggest Boko Haram.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, CPC spokesman Rotimi Fashakin said Jonathan is the most sectional-inclined leader as all his oil ministers so far are his Ijaw kinsmen.

He said also that Jonathan’s swift exoneration of MEND in the October 1, 2010 bombing was symptomatic of a sectional leader.

“Third, so far… Jonathan has shown very generous affinity for Nigerians of Ijaw stock in terms of appointments and promotions in the Federal Public sector. There is a marked lopsidedness that smacks of clannishness and ethnocentrism by the President,” he added.

“On corruption and sleazy tendency, the Jonathan administration transcends all others before it! Nigerians are still befuddled by the impeachable show of arbitrariness by the regime in expending N2.67 trillion on fuel subsidy instead of the appropriated N240 billion in the 2011 appropriation act.”

Fashakin said Buhari’s statement that the Federal Government is the biggest Boko Haram was referring to the tendencies of trying to provoke ethno-religious pogrom in the name of Boko Haram.

“We are also aware about how the Jonathan administration has consistently used the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) under the leadership of his fellow Niger-delta Nigerian, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, to demonize (Buhari) in the despicable attempt to veil the murderous intent of the administration,” he said.

ACN backs Buhari, flays Presidency

The Action Congress of Nigeria yesterday joined the fray, saying it was in support of Buhari’s statement that 2015 elections must be credible.

Spokesman for the party Lai Mohammed said in a statement that there was no justification for the “crude, vitriolic and impudent verbal attack (on Buhari) for no other reason than his timely warning against election rigging in 2015.”

“The statement for which Gen. Buhari is now being mercilessly savaged was nothing but a warning against those who may be planning to rig the 2015 general elections, hence should not have rankled anyone who believes in free, fair and transparent polls,” Mohammed said.

“We hold no brief for anyone. But it is true that if elections are rigged, as they have been so shamelessly and brazenly done by the PDP since 1999, naturally people will react, and in doing so it is impossible for anyone to predict how far things can go.... If the presidency and the PDP have no intention to rig in 2015, why are they so worried about the consequences of such action?”

Referring to what he called insults hurled on Buhari by Abati, Mohammed said Presidency statements must use “civilised and elevating language, rather than beer parlour and unguarded phrases…. The insults heaped on Gen. Buhari, a former Head of State, for merely exercising his right to freedom of speech is totally unacceptable and run against the tenets of decorum and mature political discourse.”

They made remarks, but the chairman’s statement was written and he has given it to journalists, and since he has given it to them, it has become public knowledge. The others that have made remarks included the man that contested the governorship election, the CPC leader of Niger State lawmakers, Senator Ibrahim and the leader of CPC elders in Niger state.

In my own remarks, I showed my gratitude because of how you the CPC members in Niger State  have reached cohesion by cooperation, and our strength in the state has manifested in the hard work our representatives are doing. They have vindicated our party, because they are keeping the trust reposed on them by the people that voted for them.

I thank you very much and I apologise because I came late. You that came from Niger have even arrived at my office before me. I apologise. I received two party officials that came from Abuja, they came in the morning that is why I came late, I apologise.

I thank you very much, I wish you safe journey back home, and you should continue to be patient. I and the leaders of your party have decided that by the grace of Allah in 2015, either there will be fair election or it will be a tough contest where nobody will find it funny.

I have discussed with Kaduna people recently because of what has happened that took us even to the Supreme Court, but it still happened in Kogi, Adamawa and Sokoto bye- elections.

In Kaduna, the Igabi case has become famous where they voted senator, voted representatives and the party leaders, just as you are here now, moved and stayed there, until CPC was given her rightful vote.

Therefore, in 2015, all wards in Nigeria should become Igabi, otherwise we should leave politics and assume we are slaves, and continue living in slavery. Thank you very much, May Allah help us.

The commissioner said after negotiating with authorities in Niger Republic, the state government had completed the “33KVA line electrification network to Mallamfatori (in Nigeria) and the installation of substation and breaker in Bosso town of Niger Republic.”

He said the project will open door for some communities in northern parts of Borno State to enjoy uninterrupted power supply from what Niger got from its dedicated line in Nigeria.

He said the state government had installed dozens of electricity transformers in order to resuscitate small and medium scale businesses but lamented the delay in the completion of the multi billion naira 330KVA power project which will improve supply to Yobe and Borno States from Gombe.

“The state government had provided a 33KV to Damboa Road; we have also done the electrification of Shuwari 11and rehabilitated the 33 KVA line at Manda Girau in Biu as well as Biu-Marama-Pete-Hema-Shani electrification network,” he said.

He added that transformers have been installed at the Maiduguri Maximum Prison, JTF headquarters, Miringa town in Biu, Neitel Shoe Factory and Trailer Park but frowned that the impacts of the projects are rarely felt because of poor supply from the national grid.

Mele described Borno as the worse hit by epileptic power supply in the country. “The highest we get is less than 7 megawatts and this include what we consume here as well as the dedicated line that takes light to Damasak (in Borno State) and part of Niger Republic,” he said.

Mele said Governor Kashim Shettima had met with officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) and Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and deliberated on how to address the problem, adding that the state is also discussing with a German company on a 20KVA Independent Power Project.

He said ACF told Jonathan that the forum has taken steps toward resolving the issue by setting up a committee which will make its report available to government on completion of its assignment.

Also speaking, ACF Chairman, General Jeremiah Useni, said the forum is in support of the proposed dialogue with the sect.

He said, “even when you are fighting with somebody you have to sit down one day to talk.”

On the recent comments credited to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, over 2015 election, Useni said, “I don’t think there is any war going on. If you say anything and I disagree with you does not mean we are fighting, we are not fighting anybody.”

Abati said Jonathan assured the northern leaders of government’s readiness to  collaborate with the forum. Other members of the forum  at the meeting include  former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomasie, former Katsina State governors Saidu Barda and Brig. Lawrence Onoja, among others.