Nigeria News Forum

The Nigerian government has started paying ex-militants in the Niger Delta region, the   BBC is reporting . The organization cited a Bloomberg News report quoting the amnesty program’s spokesman, Piriye Kirayamo, as saying  "Payments of stipends to the ex-militants resumed this Monday. The payments are done directly from the CBN [Central Bank of Nigeria] to their bank accounts.” He added that "The payment also includes tuition for those studying abroad." Respectable publicantions like the economist had warned the government against bribing militants noting that it didn’t work in the past.

No fewer than 100 people suspected to be militants have been reportedly killed as the Nigerian military on Saturday continued the aerial bombardment of Fatola, the base of militants and pipeline vandals in the Arepo area of Ogun State. One of our correspondents who was around the scene of the incident at the time, observed that the attack started at about 12pm and lasted for about 30 minutes. Our correspondent counted at least eight missiles fired by a fighter jet, which flew across the creek at intervals. Another aircraft was observed hovering around the area. Residents, who were caught unawares, ran for their lives due to the ground-shaking effects of the missiles. Business activities were grounded and many residents fled their houses for fear of being hit by missiles. A resident who was on the road when the shots were fired said the Saturday attack was more intense than previous air raids. Speaking on condition of anonymity, she said, “The air raid started on Th...

The Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB and Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, yesterday stated that military coup d’tat or not in Nigeria, as speculated in some quarters, would not deter the movement from carrying out its non violent struggle to actualize Biafra. MASSOB/BIM contended that even if Nigerians wake up tomorrow morning and discover that the military has toppled the present democratic government in place, the movement would not mind because the MASSOB/BIM leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike had actually wanted to start the current agitations in 1997 during the Abacha military regime but one thing or the other shifted it to 1999 during Obasanjo’s regime. In a press statement issued yesterday to newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra state, shortly after the inspection of MASSOB/BIM’s information office at Umuaka, in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo state, MASSOB/BIM’s National Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha noted that the group met the requirement...

ABUJA – THE leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN has said that its planned strike expected to commence Thursday because of the alleged insensitivity of the Federal Government to resolve some issues affecting the oil and gas sector will be total. This is just as the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and the Minister of State, Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu are expected to meet with the aggrieved leaderships of PENGASSAN and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG this morning to find a way out of the unresolved vexatious issues. Speaking to Vanguard on phone in Abuja Wednesday, the National Public Relations Officer, PRO, of PENGASSAN, Emma Ojugbana said that there was no signal to the effect that the strike which he said would be a total shut down would be shelved. Ojugbana who said he was not aware of any scheduled meeting with the government today, stated, “As I speak with you as the ...

THE Federal Government  explained yesterday why it has refused to enter into dialogue with the Niger Delta Avengers who has continuously bombed pipelines in the region even as the militants  vowed not to beg government for negotiation. The Federal Government gave the explanation  a day after the Avengers blew up three more trunk lines in Bayelsa and Rivers. Meanwhile, residents of over 75 riverine communities Delta state have cried out over the pollution of their environment and environment by the activities of the Avengers and other militant groups. Avengers are economic warriors Giving reason why the Federal Government was not holding talks with the Niger Delta Avengers  on how to put an end to the bombing of pipelines, Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo said that they are not freedom fighters but economic warriors who are fighting for their own private pockets. Professor Osinbajo who delivered the second foundation lecture of Elizade Universit...