Does GEJ Really Answer Those Questions?

By: Isi Esene

President Goodluck Jonathan addressed many questions from a posse of journalists today during his periodic media chat which started around 7pm 4th May 2014.

The President answered questions ranging from security, infrastructure, economy, insecurity, chief of which is the bomb blast in Abuja and the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls from the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok in Borno state.

Here are the 10 most I-can’t-believe-it things you should know from the president’s responses.

- When asked about the location of the Boko Haram group who kidnapped the schoolgirls, President Jonathan said: “I don’t know where they are… there is no confirmation of the location of the schoolgirls, you are a journalist, you know more than me.”

- When asked about the government’s effort to bring the missing girls back home safely, President Jonathan said: “I assure you that we will get the girls out but we can only do it with the co-operation of their parents and guardians.”

- When asked about the attitude of the Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke to calls for her to appear before the House of Representative members over her alleged utilization of public funds in hiring private jets, President Jonathan said: “The Petroleum Minister has appeared before the Parliament for over 200 days [really?]… in the Nigerian Parliament you’ll agree with me that there is more politics than work.”

- While speaking about the differences between the Boko Haram Islamic sect and Niger Delta militants, the President said: “The Niger Delta militants are not terrorists, they have a reason for their agitations.”

- While adding to this statement President Jonathan revealed more saying, “I met [Mujahid] Asari-Dokubo for the first time in the State House. Whenever we [the government] call them they come.”

- President Jonathan tried to explain why no one in his government has dared to go to Sambisa Forest, the Boko Haram enclave like he visited the creeks during the reign of Niger Delta militants saying, “If I go there or send any of my ministers they will just kill you.”

- Mr. President took time out to explain that the insurgent attacks has reduced compared to sometime ago when attacks were a Sunday-Sunday affair, he said: “Even when I’m in church I am monitoring what is happening. Anytime I get reports of an attack somewhere… my face will change immediately… my expression will change. It used to happen every Sunday.”

- President Jonathan compared the Boko Haram terrorist attacks with that currently raging in Pakistan saying: “Pakistan [terrorists] has been fighting terrorism for over 10 years now so it’s not something that a 6 months State of Emergency can solve.”

- He said further, “Anytime I hear of any one Nigerian dies I feel pained… even if it’s a Boko Haram member – I am their president.”

- Mr. President tried but failed to explain the difference between corruption and stealing. He said, “People have been confusing corruption with stealing. If public officers steal money they term it under corruption….”

And one extra…

- Mr. President wouldn’t dare allow the media chat end without throwing a parting shot at the suspended CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamisuspended he would have come up with a different figure… If anyone steals $50 billion or $20 billion anywhere America will know, they will tell you where it is; it is their money.”do Sanusi. While addressing the issue of ‘missing’ $20 billion he said, “If Sanusi hadn’t been 

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BringBackOurGirls

Three Abducted Girls Dead, Eighteen Others Now Sick – Channel 4 News

The jihadis who kidnapped more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls two weeks ago say they are “willing to consider” the release of those who have not already been trafficked abroad and sold into marriage.

The girls’ abductors, who have been in regular direct contact with a government intermediary, also report that three of their teenaged captives have died – although they did not state how this happened. Eighteen others, they say, are now sick.

The intermediary told Channel 4 News that the al-Qaeda-affiliated group, Boko Haram, has threatened to kill the remaining hostages if there is any attempt by the Nigerian military to rescue the girls. Meanwhile in the capital Abuja, the Nigerian government is coming under intense public pressure to secure the girls’ release.

On Wednesday, the government admitted for the first time that it had officially engaged the services of the negotiator. It declined to reveal his identity. He has told Channel 4 News that he wishes to remain anonymous for reasons of personal security.

The intermediary has, however, been in regular, direct contact with senior members of the Islamist insurgent group who claim to be holding the girls, for several days now. He has maintained links with Boko Haram for nearly a decade and has successfully negotiated past hostage releases.

It is not clear how many of the 220 teenagers remain in Nigeria, following reports that they had been split into smaller groups and some moved into neighbouring Chad and Cameroon and sold for a bride-price of less than £10 each, following their forcible conversion to Islam.

Read Full Story Here >>>>> Channel 4 News

IF YOU DON'T SPEAK WHEN THEY COME FOR ME...

I want to share this from savannah reports on facebook page

What a callousness! What a Wickedness! What an inhumanity of man against man!

They slept on the night of March 15th 2014 and as they had done the nights before, they prayed before they slept and hoped to carry on with life the next day, but that was not to be. Over 150 innocent and unsuspecting people of Moroa land in the southern part of Kaduna State - mostly women and children both pregnant and nursing mothers - were sent to an early Mass Grave by sworn enemies of the region, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen. All the churches in the areas affected also went down in ashes and so too every grain and food item. Eternity itself will be too short to thank those who will take the trouble to share in the pain of my people by sharing this story and reward seven-fold those behind this evil.

I have shed so much tears and still shed tears but then I have to take time out to speak or else I remain a specimen of futility to my generation at large, to my state and my people of Southern Kaduna in particular and to humanity in general.
It is common human folly to keep mute when evil befalls the house of another, thinking as we often do, that it is not my household that is affected. However, evil is not a permanent friend - when it is done with your neighbour, it finds its way to you. Also, a threat to life anywhere is a threat to life everywhere. The eternal drama of life has a way of rewarding its actors and actresses both in time and in eternity.

By this post, I wish to arouse the conscience of all those who are not from southern kaduna or from Kaduna, or even Nigeria; I wish to draw your attention to the height of inhuman cruelty and crime against humanity perpetrated against my people, the place of my origin, in the southern region of Kaduna state last Saturday week.

I wish to end with this quote by a pastor in Nazi Germany who chose to be indifferent to the crimes against the Jews and others as the Nazi government visited hell on them. He had said:

"First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a communist;

"Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist;

"Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist;

"Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew;

"Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak out for me."

Pastor Martin Niemöller

I wish to add: now they have come for Southern Kaduna, now they have come for Maiduguri and Yobe and Adamawa, if you keep silent because these are not your places, be rest assured that, in the course of time, they will come for you...only that time it might be too late as there may be no one to speak for you.

Behold the Mass Grave
Mercy Musa Swanta