Nigerian Times

Nigerian soldiers on duty 9 Feb 2012 06:14 Africa/Lagos Nigeria's military obstructs journalists covering unrest NEW YORK, February 9, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Nigeria's military has harassed and obstructed journalists trying to report on unrest in recent days, according to local journalists and news reports. On Sunday in the city of Jos, in Nigeria's north central region, soldiers detained Jeremie Drieu, a videographer with French television station TF1, and local journalist Ahmad Salkida after they sought permission to film in the area, The Associated Press reported. The Nigerian federal government has been enforcing a state of emergency in Jos following bloody clashes between Muslims and Christians that have claimed the lives of at least two journalists, according to CPJ research. Soldiers searched and interrogated the journalists and escorted them to their hotel, where they were forced to pack and leave Jos and Plateau state as night fell, the journal...

Nigerian soldiers of the Special Task Force (STF) on patrol. "Wetin, wetin, what is happening?" Asked the harmless student in the group protesting students of the Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi in Jos, and a soldier in the Special Task Force (STF) on security in Jos shot him in the chest and killed him. The full report is on page 4 of today's Saturday Punch newspaper. Nigerian youth full of dreams of a New Nigeria murdered by a heartless law enforcement officer paid to protect him and other innocent citizens, because the indignant student in angst only asked the right question on what is happening in Nigeria! Echoing the the burden of the late Marvin Gaye's song What's Going On ? Mother, mother There's too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today - Ya Father, father We don't need to escalate You see, war is not the answer For only lo...

There is no sign or report of any violence on Bonny Island as the deadline given by the dreaded militants is today Wednesday July 16, 2008. I have spoken to my contact inside the Kingdom and she said there is no trouble in town and the Nigerian soldiers and mobile police officers are at their various posts from Finima to Bonny. I hope the militants will let Bonny Island be as peaceful as it is today. The enemies of the Niger Delta have left town and they are either in their safe comfort zones in Abuja or have fled to foreign countries where they believe they would be safer.

Nigerian soldiers Many families are fleeing Bonny Island before tomorrow July 16, the deadline of the ultimatum militants gave foreigners and non-indigènes to leave before their attacks on the kingdom. The Nigerian soldiers are fully armed to confront them as I saw many soldiers guarding the Nigerian LNG Bonny Plant Complex and residential areas. I saw a tough looking soldier in combat mood with a machine gun behind a fortification of sandbags. They were frisking people on foot and searching vehicles. I was at the Guaranty Trust Bank on Bonny Island to deposit some dollars in a domiciliary account, but the bank could not receive such deposits, because it was not fully operational in fear of the looming hostilities and most banks have been shut on Bonny Island. I heard the bad news that some people fleeing Bonny Island drowned when their boat capsized in the Bonny river. I was sad, but I could not stop those I knew were fleeing in fear. I can only pray for their safety. I believe the ...

THE LAST WORD: Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Commander of the United Nations- African Union. Last week Agwai's peacekeeping mission in Darfur suffered a serious setback when unidentified rebel forces overran an AU base. He spoke with Newsweek about the difficulties of his mission and how to be a peacekeeper where peace does not yet exist. "We are here as peacekeepers, and our job would be easier and smoother if there were a peace deal brokered for us. Unfortunately, right now, there is no peace to keep. So it has become another Herculean task to see that people are protected," he says. Force Dejection Newsweek International Oct. 15, 2007 issue - Gen. Martin Luther Agwai might have the toughest job in Africa. As commander of the new joint United Nations-African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission in Darfur, the former head of Nigeria's armed forces will lead the 26,000-strong force that will be deployed to the region next year. His mission suffered a serious setback last Satur...