Newspaper headlines: Tension as militants send warning to Tompolo

The newspapers for Monday, June 13, focus on the rift between Niger Delta militants, the arrest of a Boko Haram recruiter by the NSCDC and the call for the restructuring of Nigeria by eminent Nigerians among others.

The ongoing restiveness in the Niger Delta took a new turn yesterday, June 12, after a militant group, the Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta, warned those it described as old generation of Ijaw activists, namely Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, Ateke Tom, General Boyloaf, General Africanus Ukpaparasia and others, “not to meddle in this ongoing process.”

Vanguard reports that the group unilaterally declared cessation of hostilities in the region and differed with other militants groups over their positions regarding the bombing of oil installations in the Niger Delta.

While the group is on the same page with the JNDLF on cessation of hostilities, it disagreed with it on the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu, and former national security adviser, (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), and other conditions.

The group in a statement yesterday said: “We align ourselves with the unilateral declaration of cessation of hostilities on oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta by various militant organizations.

“We are in total support of the Federal Government option of dialogue, taking into cognizance the numerous appeals from both local and international platforms. In as much as we have considered this option, we wish to reaffirm that the Ijaws have never been a conquered people. 

“The Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta wishes to state that we are not comfortable with some aspects of the demands contained in the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Forces as published in the mass media and the Avengers. 

“The Reformed Egbesu Boys of Niger Delta wishes to state that we are not comfortable with some aspects of the demands contained in the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Forces as published in the mass media and the Avengers. 

In other news, the Sun reports that a major recruiter of Boko Haram sect was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over the weekend.

According to the newspaper, the recruiter, who was arrested in Borno, also has three sons who are members of Boko Haram.

The Borno state commandant of NSCDC, Ibrahim Abdullahi in a statement yesterday, June 12 in Maiduguri said his command arrested a 56-year-old Boko Haram kingpin in Askira Uba local government area of the state.

He said:“Our men have made remarkable progress by arresting a Boko Haram kingpin. “The notorious kingpin was said to be a recruiter as well as supplier of arms and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) to the terrorists.

“He confessed that his three children were also arrowheads of the Boko Haram sect.” 

Abdullahi also disclosed the command had since handed over the suspect to the Nigerian Army for further investigation.

Meanwhile, some eminent Nigerians have urged President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure Nigeria in line with the principle of “true federalism”.

Among those who called for the restructuring of Nigeria included a former vice-president, Dr. Alex Ekwueme; Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; and a former minister of information, Prof. Jerry Gana.

The Punch reports that the Nigerians made the call during the 17th annual convention of the Igbo Youth Movement, on Sunday, June 12 in Enugu, themed ‘Still in search of true federalism’.

Speakers at the event equally canvassed for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference.

The speakers argued that agitations for secession by a few nationalities in the country would reduce if the national conference report was implemented.

Ekwueme, in his address, stressed that it was time for Nigeria to revert to the basic principles and arrangements left behind by the country’s founding fathers.

He said: “It was on the basis of that (balancing interest of minority and majority) that I came to the conclusion that we should have six regions or geo-political zones as you call them as of the 1994 constitutional conference – three in the North and three in the South.

“From the south, you have the South-West, the Yoruba; you have the South-East, the Igbo; and then you have two minority groups, Mid-West and COR (Calabar, Ogoja and Rivers) as South-South.

“In the North, you have the North-West, which is Hausa/Fulani; then the North-Central, Middle Belt, which is the aggregation of minorities, and then in the North-East again, minorities predominated by Kanuris in Borno and Yobe and then other minority groups.”

The celebration of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola featured on the front page of the Guardian newspaper.

The Ogun state government remembered June 12 with a two- kilometre trek from the June 12 Cultural Centre to the late Abiola’s family house at Gbagura, Abeokuta.

Those who participated in the trek, led by the deputy governor of Ogun state Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga were officials of civil society organisations including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Plank Sellers Associations and Motorcyclist Associations.

Some eminent Nigerians including former vice president Atiku Abubakar, erstwhile secretary- general, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and member, board of trustees of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Frank Kokori eulogized the late MKO Abiola.

Kokori insisted that June 12 should be the nation’s Democracy Day instead of May 29 while Atiku described June 12 as “a shining light, a reminder of what is possible –  a united Nigeria.”

The Tribune reports that low consumption, low turnover and competition may have forced marketers to sell premium motor spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol below N145 per litre.

According to finding by the newspaper on Sunday, June 12, some independent marketers are now selling petrol between N130 and N143 per litre depending on the area and the marketers

The Newspaper reports that NIPCo filling station at Fadeyi bus stop, on Ikorodu Road was selling petrol at N143 per litre, while NNPC Retail Station at Igando was selling at N135 per litre as on Sunday.

In a telephone conversation with the Nigerian Tribune, the public relations officer of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Western Zone, Alhaji Abdul Lateef Jaiyeola, stated that: “firstly, that is the outcome of deregulation, whereby competition will force down the price. Secondly, our members are recording low consumption and patronage from motorists. Those who used to sell 100,000 litres (equivalent of three trucks) daily are now finding it difficult to sell 33,000 litres daily.”

However, he stated that products from private depot owners were now cheaper and available than products from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

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