Nigeria: Ex-presidents call for unity and peace

Two former presidents of Nigeria have issued a joint statement on the state of the nation. Former military president, Gen Ibrahim Babangida and former president Olusegun Obasanjo (who also served as military president 1976-79) issued the rare joint statement in Minna, Niger State, the home town of Babangida, on Sunday 29 July. They said that the statement was in response to the “unfolding events that are threatening to unravel the nearly century-old labour of our founding fathers”.

They urged that there was a need for a strong, united and peaceful nation, noting that there were internecine crises raging across the land unabated, with damaging consequences on the social, political and economic life of the nation, with untold hardships being visited on all citizens in one form or the other on a daily basis. They also pledged to do whatever was necessary to promote the quest for peace and harmony and to join hands with all patriots to sustain and further enhance the unity and progress of Nigeria.

Their statement has been met with mixed reviews. While some have commended both men for speaking out in unison against the security challenges that have held the country in a firm grip over the past year, others such as the Ohaneze Ndigbo socio-political group of the South-Eastern region, were less charitable as they referred to both men as hypocritical.

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© 2012 Menas Associates

Police arrests Babangida's aide in connection to bombings

A spokesman for Nigeria's former military leader Gen Ibrahim Babangida condemned the detention of one of Babangida's aides in connection to the car bombings in Abuja. The arrest of Raymond Dokpesi was "frivolous", said Kassim Afegbua.

According to Nigerian police Dokpesi exchanged text messages with key bomb suspect Henry Okah, and was one of nine people arrested over the attack which killed at least 10 people, on the day of Nigeria's independence celebrations.

Dokpesi, who owns the Africa Independent Television network, has recently been appointed as Babangida's chief of staff. Speaking about the arrest Afegbua said it was nothing more than a "political witch-hunt". He was released without charge but is expected to be questioned later in the day.

Okah has denied any links to the bombing, but a communiqué sent by the militant group he once headed has said it had carried out the attacks. If confirmed, this would be the first attack Nigeria's militants have carried out in the capital. Okah, who resides in South Africa, is believed to lead a militant faction of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), opposed to a government amnesty for the oil-producing Niger Delta. South African authorities have described Okah as the mastermind behind the attack.

Source: BBC News

For more news and expert analysis about Nigeria, please see Nigeria Focus and Nigeria Politics & Security.