PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Abuja gun battle, "fighting" parliamentarians highlighted in Nigeria
Lagos, Nigeria (PANA) - Friday's fierce gun battle between the State Security Service (SSS) and elements, suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Sect, the fisticuffs involving parliamentarians and moves to guard oil installations across the country were the major stories in Nigeria this week.
Running the story on gun battle, The GUARDIAN on Saturday screamed "Gun Battle In Abuja" with the riders '7 Dead, Building Reduced To Rubbles' and 'SSS Confirms Arrest Of 12 In Connection With The Incident'.
It said that seven people were feared dead on Friday following a fierce gun duel between operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) and persons suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect. The incident took place near the Apo Legislators’ Quarters in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
In a statement released on Friday in Lagos, the Deputy Director of SSS, Marilyn Ogar, said a combined security team was tipped off by two Boko Haram members that some arms were hidden in some uncompleted buildings at the Zone E area, near the Legislators’ quarters.
She said Kamal Abdullahi and Mohammed Adamu who had earlier been arrested for terrorist activities, led the team to an uncompleted building.
"The team commenced digging for the arms but came under heavy gunfire by other Boko Haram elements within the area, which prompted response from the security team. Some persons where injured and 12 others have been arrested in connection with the incident and are making useful statements,” she said.
The GUARDIAN reported that the building, which purportedly housed the victims, was almost reduced to rubble. Seven bodies were taken away in an ambulance with the inscription of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Quoting eyewitnesses, The GUARDIAN reported that shooting actually started a little before midnight and lasted for an hour and was carried out by people dressed in army uniforms.
It was further gathered that the victims were squatters, artisans and petty traders obviously from Northern Nigeria, going by their dressing.
The uncompleted twin duplex, believed to belong to a senior military officer, is said to be about 100 meters away from the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
However, The GUARDIAN said its investigation revealed that the house had provided shelter for some suspected Boko Haram members and other itinerant traders who eked a living operating tricycles popularly called Keke NAPEP.
The DAILY INDEPENDENT treated the story with the headline "Nine die as security forces, Boko Haram clash in Abuja". It said a shootout in Nigeria’s capital between security forces and suspected Boko Haram Islamist gunmen early on Friday killed at least nine people and injured several, adding, however, that the police confirmed only seven killed.
The other headlines were The NATION -- "Eight die in security agents, Boko Haram clash in Abuja"; The PUNCH -- "Bloody confusion in Abuja"; The SUN -- "12 suspected Boko Haram members killed in Abuja"; and the VANGUARD -- "Shootout in Abuja: DSS, Army kill 8 Boko Haram suspects, others sustain gunshot wounds".
Also during the week, the papers reported that parliamentarians in Nigeria's lower legislative chamber engaged themselves in fisticuffs on the floor of the House on Tuesday upon their return from a long recess, signalling a new twist to the crisis that has dogged the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Punches were traded freely, while members climbed on chairs and jumped on tables as the cavernous chamber erupted in violence that was shown live on national television.
Local TV stations continued to run the footage of the free-for-all on Wednesday, as Nigerians seek to make sense of what many have tagged "the show of shame".
The 360-member House of Representatives, just like the upper 109-member Senate, is controlled by the PDP, which broke into two factions last month, at the height of a prolonged crisis.
But following the party's split at a convention held in the capital city of Abuja at the end of August, MPs elected under the party's platform have also lined up behind the "Old PDP" and the "New PDP", setting the stage for the violence that erupted on Tuesday.
As the executive members of the "New PDP" made attempt to brief the house on Tuesday, supporters of the "Old PDP" disrupted the proceedings, triggering the free-for-all.
The SUN treated that story with the headline "Rowdy session in House as lawmakers throw punches…Tukur, Baraje divide Lower Chamber".
According to the SUN, "Save for the quick and spirited intervention of the principal officers of the chamber, the situation would have degenerated as the the battle for the soul of the ruling PDP shifted to the House of Representatives in Abuja."
It said that the trouble started when loyalists of the embattled National Chairman of the Old PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the break-away factional chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, threw caution to the wind.
Emotions flared as Baraje led seven aggrieved governors and some prominent members of the party to meet with the PDP caucus in the House. The Governors were Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Ahmed Abdulfatah (Kwara), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).
Soon after the moderator recoganised the governors and described Baraje as the leader of the party, MP Henry Ofongo raised a point of order, but the lawmakers sitting with him shouted him down. He punched and pushed some of the lawmakers and that resulted in the pandemonium.
The NIGERIAN TRIBUNE ran the story under the headline "PDP CRISIS: REPS EXCHANGE BLOWS" while the VANGUARD called it "Reps fight as Baraje’s nPDP visits Tambuwal".
The story on government's intention to properly guard oil installations across the country found space in almost all the newspaper with the NATION captioning its story "Govt to spend N15b to guide oil installations".
It said about 15 billion Naira (about US$ 100 million) would be spent annually by the Federal Government and International Oil Companies to check the increasing wave of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the country.
The paper said it was the South East Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa.
According to the paper, Governor Obi said oil production had improved following progress made by the military joint task force deployed to the region to protect the installations.
Obi said government had made substantial progress in tackling crude oil theft in the region, leading to substantial improvement in crude oil production level, adding that oil production has now stabilised at 2.4 million barrels per day, as against about 1.7 million barrels a few months back.
With the headline "FG, state govts earmark N15bn to fight oil theft", the VANGUARD on Friday reported that the Federal Government as well as state governments had agreed to commit 15 billion Naira annually to equip security services to fight crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Addressing newsmen after a meeting of the National Economic Council, deputy governor of the South South Bayelsa State, John Jonah, said the move was to ensure that security agencies were in a position to secure the country’s oil facilities.
On the lingering strike by university teachers, The PUNCH reported, under the headline "ASUU may end strike next week", that hope of an early resolution of the strike embarked upon by the public university lecturers rose as the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, met with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting, held behind closed doors, had in attendance the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, and the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie.
The union was led by its National President, Dr. Nasir Faggae, and two former Presidents of ASUU; Dr. Dipo Fasina and Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano.
While Fagge said that the union would make its position known after the National Executive Council meeting, Wike assured Nigerians that students would soon return to school as government was ready to make sure that all the contending issues were resolved as soon as possible.
-0- PANA VAO/MA
Running the story on gun battle, The GUARDIAN on Saturday screamed "Gun Battle In Abuja" with the riders '7 Dead, Building Reduced To Rubbles' and 'SSS Confirms Arrest Of 12 In Connection With The Incident'.
It said that seven people were feared dead on Friday following a fierce gun duel between operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) and persons suspected to be members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect. The incident took place near the Apo Legislators’ Quarters in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
In a statement released on Friday in Lagos, the Deputy Director of SSS, Marilyn Ogar, said a combined security team was tipped off by two Boko Haram members that some arms were hidden in some uncompleted buildings at the Zone E area, near the Legislators’ quarters.
She said Kamal Abdullahi and Mohammed Adamu who had earlier been arrested for terrorist activities, led the team to an uncompleted building.
"The team commenced digging for the arms but came under heavy gunfire by other Boko Haram elements within the area, which prompted response from the security team. Some persons where injured and 12 others have been arrested in connection with the incident and are making useful statements,” she said.
The GUARDIAN reported that the building, which purportedly housed the victims, was almost reduced to rubble. Seven bodies were taken away in an ambulance with the inscription of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Quoting eyewitnesses, The GUARDIAN reported that shooting actually started a little before midnight and lasted for an hour and was carried out by people dressed in army uniforms.
It was further gathered that the victims were squatters, artisans and petty traders obviously from Northern Nigeria, going by their dressing.
The uncompleted twin duplex, believed to belong to a senior military officer, is said to be about 100 meters away from the official residence of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
However, The GUARDIAN said its investigation revealed that the house had provided shelter for some suspected Boko Haram members and other itinerant traders who eked a living operating tricycles popularly called Keke NAPEP.
The DAILY INDEPENDENT treated the story with the headline "Nine die as security forces, Boko Haram clash in Abuja". It said a shootout in Nigeria’s capital between security forces and suspected Boko Haram Islamist gunmen early on Friday killed at least nine people and injured several, adding, however, that the police confirmed only seven killed.
The other headlines were The NATION -- "Eight die in security agents, Boko Haram clash in Abuja"; The PUNCH -- "Bloody confusion in Abuja"; The SUN -- "12 suspected Boko Haram members killed in Abuja"; and the VANGUARD -- "Shootout in Abuja: DSS, Army kill 8 Boko Haram suspects, others sustain gunshot wounds".
Also during the week, the papers reported that parliamentarians in Nigeria's lower legislative chamber engaged themselves in fisticuffs on the floor of the House on Tuesday upon their return from a long recess, signalling a new twist to the crisis that has dogged the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Punches were traded freely, while members climbed on chairs and jumped on tables as the cavernous chamber erupted in violence that was shown live on national television.
Local TV stations continued to run the footage of the free-for-all on Wednesday, as Nigerians seek to make sense of what many have tagged "the show of shame".
The 360-member House of Representatives, just like the upper 109-member Senate, is controlled by the PDP, which broke into two factions last month, at the height of a prolonged crisis.
But following the party's split at a convention held in the capital city of Abuja at the end of August, MPs elected under the party's platform have also lined up behind the "Old PDP" and the "New PDP", setting the stage for the violence that erupted on Tuesday.
As the executive members of the "New PDP" made attempt to brief the house on Tuesday, supporters of the "Old PDP" disrupted the proceedings, triggering the free-for-all.
The SUN treated that story with the headline "Rowdy session in House as lawmakers throw punches…Tukur, Baraje divide Lower Chamber".
According to the SUN, "Save for the quick and spirited intervention of the principal officers of the chamber, the situation would have degenerated as the the battle for the soul of the ruling PDP shifted to the House of Representatives in Abuja."
It said that the trouble started when loyalists of the embattled National Chairman of the Old PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and the break-away factional chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, threw caution to the wind.
Emotions flared as Baraje led seven aggrieved governors and some prominent members of the party to meet with the PDP caucus in the House. The Governors were Dr Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Ahmed Abdulfatah (Kwara), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), and Sule Lamido (Jigawa).
Soon after the moderator recoganised the governors and described Baraje as the leader of the party, MP Henry Ofongo raised a point of order, but the lawmakers sitting with him shouted him down. He punched and pushed some of the lawmakers and that resulted in the pandemonium.
The NIGERIAN TRIBUNE ran the story under the headline "PDP CRISIS: REPS EXCHANGE BLOWS" while the VANGUARD called it "Reps fight as Baraje’s nPDP visits Tambuwal".
The story on government's intention to properly guard oil installations across the country found space in almost all the newspaper with the NATION captioning its story "Govt to spend N15b to guide oil installations".
It said about 15 billion Naira (about US$ 100 million) would be spent annually by the Federal Government and International Oil Companies to check the increasing wave of pipeline vandalism and oil theft in the country.
The paper said it was the South East Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa.
According to the paper, Governor Obi said oil production had improved following progress made by the military joint task force deployed to the region to protect the installations.
Obi said government had made substantial progress in tackling crude oil theft in the region, leading to substantial improvement in crude oil production level, adding that oil production has now stabilised at 2.4 million barrels per day, as against about 1.7 million barrels a few months back.
With the headline "FG, state govts earmark N15bn to fight oil theft", the VANGUARD on Friday reported that the Federal Government as well as state governments had agreed to commit 15 billion Naira annually to equip security services to fight crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
Addressing newsmen after a meeting of the National Economic Council, deputy governor of the South South Bayelsa State, John Jonah, said the move was to ensure that security agencies were in a position to secure the country’s oil facilities.
On the lingering strike by university teachers, The PUNCH reported, under the headline "ASUU may end strike next week", that hope of an early resolution of the strike embarked upon by the public university lecturers rose as the Vice-President, Namadi Sambo, met with the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Abuja on Thursday.
The meeting, held behind closed doors, had in attendance the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, and the Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie.
The union was led by its National President, Dr. Nasir Faggae, and two former Presidents of ASUU; Dr. Dipo Fasina and Dr. Abdullahi Sule-Kano.
While Fagge said that the union would make its position known after the National Executive Council meeting, Wike assured Nigerians that students would soon return to school as government was ready to make sure that all the contending issues were resolved as soon as possible.
-0- PANA VAO/MA
