Nigeria’s truly national newspaper
Ogun, firm row over expressway
SEC gets banks’ merger plans
NEWS – Page 4
BUSINESS
Page 11
•Intercontinental, Access give notice
•Dispute over construction site
http://www.thenationonlineng.net
TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH
VOL. 6, NO. 1833 TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011
N150.00
BOKO HARAM VIOLENCE
Amnesty: troops killed 23 in one day attack Rights group seeks probe No evidence, says army
A
MNESTY International yesterday accused security agencies of killing 23 people after last Saturday’s bombing by the Boko Haram sect in Maiduguri, the beleaguered Borno State capital. The rights group asked President Goodluck Jonathan to stop unlawful killings in the state. The bomb, allegedly planted by the Islamist group, went off in the Budum market in central Maiduguri. Three soldiers were injured. But the AI, in a statement by its Deputy Director for Africa, Tawanda Hondora, claimed that security forces, in retaliation, killed 23 people. The military denied it all.
‘
The government must now investigate these heinous crimes and put on trial those found to be responsible for the killings. Allowing troops to go on the rampage will not bring to justice those who carry out these terrible bomb attacks on civilians. From Dele Anofi, Abuja
The AI statement said: “The Nigerian authorities must immediately put a stop to unlawful killings by security forces. At least, 23 people were killed by police following a bomb blast on Saturday in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri. “According to reports received by Amnesty Interna-
’
‘
One needs to ask Amnesty International whether there was any killing at all, let alone talking of unlawful killings. Are they providing names and identification of those illegally killed as they claimed or what?
tional, the Nigerian Joint Military Task Force (JTF) responded by shooting and killing a number of people, apparently at random, before burning down the market. “One human rights defender told Amnesty International ‘soldiers went on the rampage. They shot several people and burned all their shops and properties and
’
burned their cars.’ “President Goodluck Jonathan must get a grip on the Nigerian armed forces and immediately prevent them from carrying out further human rights violations and unlawful killings “The government must now investigate these heinous crimes and put on trial those found to be responsible
for the killings. Allowing troops to go on the rampage will not bring to justice those who carry out these terrible bomb attacks on civilians. “While staying within the law, the government must step up efforts to bring to justice members of Boko Haram who wreak untold suffering on people in the middle belt. “One wing of Boko Haram has reportedly disowned the bomb blast, saying it may have been carried out by a splinter group.” Amnesty International also pleaded with the Federal Government to check the activities of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State. The statement added: “The JTF was set up by the federal Continued on page 2
How EFCC chair, 12 others got AIG
F
RESH facts emerged yesterday on the row over Mrs Farida Waziri’s rank. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) chair and 12 others were promoted to Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in 1999 by former In-
Continued on page 2
News Page 53
Eagles list okay, says Siasia
S
UPER Eagles coach Samson Siasia has boasted that he stands by the team he in unleashing on the Black Stars of Ghana next month. Siaone told sportswriters at the NFF secretariat in Abuja on Monday that the team he picked can withstand any team in the world at any point in time “I have full confidence on that team. We are still rebuilding ...
Sterling Bank’s Q2 profit hits N3.2b
S
TERLING Bank Plc strengthened its balance sheet and improved on profitability in the first half, surpassing the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) five percent industry target for nonperforming loans and increased total capital by 39 per cent.
Editor, Northern Operation, Abuja
•Mrs Waziri in her AIG uniform
T
HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) believes the Clerk of the National Assembly Salisu Maikasuwa and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Mr Sanni Omolori, are conspirators in the alleged N38 billion loan obtained by the former leadership.
Sports – Page 24
From Yusuf Alli, Managing
spector-General of Police M.A.K. Smith, according to documents obtained by The Nation. The promotion enabled Mrs Waziri to wear the AIG rank and manage police formations reserved for those in the rank. But the absence of the Police Service Commission (PSC) at the time of promotion affected her confirmation on the substantive rank of AIG. The details are contained in police records. According to the Nigeria Police Force Orders of June 30, 1999 issued by the Office of the IGP, 13 senior police officers were elevated to AIG between May 26 and June 4, 1999. The Force Orders was
EFCC: clerks aided Bankole
BUSINESS – Page 12
Gunman expects life in prison
N •An octogenarian prays for Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole during his inspection of Akpakpava, a popular Benin City road being rehabilitated after years of neglect ... at the weekend
ORWEGIAN police are investigating claims by Anders Behring Breivik, who has admitted carrying out Friday’s twin attacks in Norway, that he has “two more cells” working with him. Mr Breivik made the claim at the first court hearing ... FOREIGN – Page 60
•POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P24 •PROPERTY P25 •ENERGY P37 •AVIATION P43