No longer news that some 234 girls are still missing after the female students were kidnapped by the radical Islamic extremists, Boko Haram.
Since their abduction, the defence headquarters is yet to issue a statement or provide updates to parents and Nigerians waiting to get updates on their whereabouts.
It is however shocking that the Director of Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, said on Sunday that the military was satisfied with the ongoing operations in Borno, despite the .
Olukolade said this in an interview with newsmen on the sideline of media tour of military operations in Maiduguri. He said the troops had been able to sustain momentum in terms of the offensive against the terrorists, notwithstanding the reactions from the insurgents.
“The bases we visited are part of the responses to the terrorist offensive and that is an achievement; the military had moved close to where the insurgents are.
“It shows that the military had taken over the land.‘’
Borno state education commission Musa Inuwo Kubo and the principal of the Chibok Government Girls Secondary School had initially said that 129 science students were at the school to write a physics exam when the abductors struck, after midnight on April 14. Twenty-eight pupils escaped from their captors between Tuesday and Friday. Then another 16 were found to be day scholars who had returned to their homes in Chibok before the attack.
The defence spokesman said that the morale of the soldiers was high, adding that ”we are expecting to see more successes from the troops” but did not speak on the abducted school girls after 12 days. He had in a statement issued last week noted “the search for the abducted students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok is also being intensified”.
NAN correspondent on the media tour, reports that the group visited military camps in and around Maiduguri.
The group visited 7 Division Headquarters of the Nigeria Army, 7 Division Garrison, Military check points in and around Maiduguri, amongst others.
At the camp in the outskirts of Bulanbuli, the soldiers were seen carrying out their duties as expected.
Maj.-Gen. Ahmed Mohammed, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division of the Nigerian Army, who was also on the tour of the formations, told the troops that the Federal Government was happy with their operations.
“That is why we are here to say a big thank you and to convey the appreciation of the whole country.
“I wish to say big thanks for your courage and dedication.”
The journalists were also taken on night patrols by the troops which lasted from 9 p. m. to 12.30 a.m. around Maiduguri and its environ.
The essence of the tour, according to Olukolade, is to have a first-hand information on the operations of the troops.
Nigeria Police Police
PRESS RELEASE
IGP CAUTIONS AGAINST DIVISIVE AND INFLAMMATORY COMMENTS
…Says it will attract consequences
Worried by the incessant resort by some Nigerians to the use of unguarded, inflammatory, and unsubstantiated statements, some of which are capable of causing the breach of public peace, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar, CFR, NPM, mni, psc has issued a stern warning to those in the habit of making such statements to desist from doing so forthwith. He notes that much as the Force is not ignorant of the fundamental Rights of the citizens such as the Rights to freedom of speech, it will not condone any such provocative, divisive and inciting comments that are clearly uncorroborated by any fact or evidential proof. The IGP who notes that such statements are capable of desecrating our national symbol and identity and promoting a regime of lawlessness, warns that any of such utterances will be met with appropriate legal sanctions.
The IGP therefore, urges all Nigerians to emulate the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari and others who recently have boldly taken a firm stance against terrorism. The IGP maintains that the present times call for such courage and uncommon patriotism from all opinion leaders, adding that the unrelenting war against terrorism and other related crimes must be won with the cooperation of all Nigerians.
CSP FRANK E. MBA
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FORCE HEADQUARTERS,
ABUJA
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
Press Release
Why we Awarded Crude Lifting Contracts to Indigenous Companies – Alison-Madueke
… Says Nigerian Content Has Come to Stay
The Minister of Petroleum Resources and Chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Board, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, has described the recent award of term contracts for crude lifting, majorly to indigenous companies as part of the Federal Government’s objective to encourage effective local participation in the oil and gas industry.
Speaking to journalists over the weekend in Abuja, Mrs. Alison-Madueke stated that over 60 percent of the 2014 to 2015 annual term contracts for the lifting of Nigeria’s crude oil was decidedly awarded to local firms after a painstaking pre-qualification process.
The Minister said the balance was shared among some international trading companies, refineries and to some countries with bilateral trade agreements with Nigeria.
“When we unveiled the Nigerian content law a few years back, the overriding principle was to grow indigenous capacity in an aggressive manner and I am happy to report that today, in the oil and gas sector, Nigerian content has been placed on the path of irreversible progress,” the Minister said.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke noted that the award to local players is in line with the aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan for effective transformation of the petroleum industry.
She said the advent of the Nigerian content law has encouraged indigenous investment in critical infrastructure.
“We have seen robust indigenous investments in Marine vessels of various categories and wholly owned Nigerian vessels have increased astronomically through the years. These vessels are the Category one and Category two types. Investments in reception, storage and distribution facilities such as jetties, depots, trucks, vessels and modern retail outlets have more than doubled over the past few years, and this has helped to increase the nation’s sufficiency level in petrol,” the Minister said.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke remarked that as at the last count indigenous investments in the sector have created over 40, 000 jobs across the hydrocarbon value chain.
“We have witnessed increased local investments in asset, in land, swamp and offshore rigs which are vital performance indicators in business growth in Nigerian service companies. As we speak Nigerian companies are forging partnerships for deep water rig ownership and are evolving strategies that will increase rig ownership among local players,’’ she noted.
Ohi Alegbe
Group General Manager
Group Public Affairs Division
NNPC, Abuja
27-04-14
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