Familiar terrain: SSS quiz Mallam El-Rufai at Lagos International Airport

By Daniel Eteghe
Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was Wednesday quizzed for questioning at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos by the State Security Services officers attached to the airport.
The Former Minister who was scheduled to travel to Dubai with Emirates Airlines was apprehended by the SSS and was asked several questions running into over an hour.
Vanguard gathered that his travel documents like the international passport and air ticket were seized from him by the SSS officers on duty.
A source who confided in Vanguard said that el-Rufai was approached at the check-in area of the airport and was politely told that he could not travel on that day, he however insisted that he had an important meeting in Dubai to attend to.
However after he was delayed for over an hour during questioning, his travel documents were later released to him to continue his journey to the United Arab Emirates.
The reason for his delay could not be ascertain as at press time but an SSS source contacted noted that the delay and eventual quiz of el-Rufai may not be unconnected with his ardent criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan administration in recent time, affirming that he had been on the watch list of the government for some time now.
When Vanguard got to to the SSS office at MMIA, one of the officers who declined to reveal his identity could not confirm or deny the quizzing of el-Rufai by his officers and directed our correspondent to speak with the SSS spokesperson, Marylyn Ogar in Abuja.
Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the SSS in Abuja proved abortive as at the time of writing this report.
Vanguard

Dokubo- Fight Kidnapping, Fight High Sea Piracy, Before You Talk To North.

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by Hamza Suleiman
NewsRescue- We recently read Mujahid Dokubo Asari throwing up some rants about him being ready to fight North Nigeria because of Boko terror, and his plan to cut the North off from what? Food or water? I do not really know, because honestly, I do not waste valuable time reading in detail from either MEND or Boko, I do not study terrorists speeches. And I am sure no other serious person does.
But because sadly the Nigerian media gives audience to these people, I will address him based on what the more intellectual of us, who will not have read his rants, but caught the caption, saw.
Dokubo, you say you will fight North Nigeria because of Boko Haram terror. Can you imagine how foolish you sound? Is North Nigeria Boko Haram?
Just the last 30 days, Boko made attempts on the lives of many Northern leaders and Emirs. So now you want to come and join Boko to finish the North?
Is it because your terrorizing hands are itching to do more terror, that you are threatening to join forces with Boko Haram and kill innocent Muslims and Christians in North Nigeria?
Do you know that Boko Haram has killed directly and indirectly more Muslims in North Nigeria than Christians?
Do you know that there are so many parts of North Nigeria that have more Christians than Muslims? Maybe you should fight your geography teacher if you ever went to school, before you talk about fighting North Nigeria because of the terror that Boko Haram is plaguing it with. The tolerance and diversity in North Nigeria, that Kaduna has a democratically elected Christian governor?
There are many things wrong with Nigeria, and Boko Haram is simply one of them.
It was noticed earlier that in your ignorance you said that the south with the Middle Belt will fight the North. Perhaps you should also rather quarrel with whoever taught you Nigerian history, because the Middle Belt is people like Ibrahim Babangida, Abdul Salam, etc, are they the ones that will fight the North? This article was already written for you. Read it…if you can read: Nigeria: The Illusion of a North Dominated Rule
Your MEND terror caused so much harm and loss to life that Nigeria has not yet recovered. Every pipeline you blew up, every time you disrupted our oil sales, you crippled our oil output and reduced production to less than 30%. This is called economic warfare and kills in sucking out sustenance, infrastructure, healthcare development and life’s of Nigerians in thousands.
The number you killed directly and indirectly, innocent Nigerians, the poorest in all quarters, and even people all over the world, due to the global higher price of oil that your reign of terror caused, is more than Boko Haram can ever kill. You think we did not know what you did, and why Yaradua had to placate you? Go read about economic warfare or have someone read it to you. Everyone knows the impact to life of your reign of terror.

MEND/Niger Delta South Nigeria terrorists, now operating a High Sea Piracy terror cartel

Do you think we have forgotten what you are? A mere “terrorist”? I do not believe terrorists can retire, and by your constant war-drum statements, always threatening Nigerians, last we remember you threatened us when he removed the oil subsidy on us, Jona’s bulldog, you are still actively in duty.
Dokubo, we have so many of your secrets. We know what you are and what you are not. You can not fool us that you are a freedom fighter. You do not know what freedom and peace mean. In fact, though you became Muslim, you are yet to learn the tenets of the religion, that it means peace, equality and justice, not aggression, lies and corruption. You are simply a Boko type of “Muslim”, reading from the same twisted books they read in the same twisted way.
I put you and Boko Haram in the same boat. Mere menaces. You both believe that every problem is solved by spilling the blood of innocent people. Like CAN president who solicits Christians killing innocent Muslims due to the terror of Boko Haram, talk like yours and his that led to “Christians” killing over 200 innocent Muslim passerbys in Kaduna, because Boko terrorists struck a Church. Their blood on all your hands.
Like if in the US, KKK, or White supremacists kill, as happened in the Sikh temple shooting, for US citizens and Indians to kill any White man in revenge for KKK.
Or the Christian LRA Joseph Kony runs in Uganda. For all Uganda, DRC and Rwanda’s non Christians to fight Christians in the area because of the ills of this deadly so-called Christian fanatic terrorist organization. But you can not understand these things, your brain only understands ‘go’. You are what Boko love, the people they will get to do their dirty work and bring about their ulterior plan to get us fighting each other for them. Cheaper bombs they say. See: NewsRescue- Boko Haram Finds New Improvised Explosive; Obama Remains Conspicuously Mum
And if you do want to fight, why don’t you fight the more serious and deadly problems Nigeria has right there in the south.
Do you think we do not know that the deaths from armed robbery by your southern militants and armed gangs kills more innocent Nigerians every week than Boko Haram does every month?
Mujahid, do you think we do not know that the terror from kidnapping by your militant southerner friends makes life in the south unbearable?
Mujahid, do you think we are not frustrated that your armed friends are now operating on the high sea, destroying not just Nigeria, but the world, and that as the media reports, your MEND militants are now responsible for one tenth of all global high sea piracy?
See: NewsRescue- Alarming Rise in Nigerian-based Piracy: Expanding Range and Activity
Do you think we do not know that people in your backyard have illegal pipelines and tankers and steal over 30% of Nigeria’s oil and sell in the black market? Thus destroying Nigerian livelihood and polluting the land in out beautiful south?
Dear Dokubo Asari, why do you not take those your trigger eager fingers and your rotten speech and channel it to fight these greater issues in the South and leave us to fight Boko Haram as we have been doing and getting killed while doing so in the North? If you are not going to help us fight Boko Haram terror, then please be quiet. You do not care about the Christians and Muslims in the North, because you have not shown any identity or religious affiliation, other than being a terrorist and a bulldog of President Jonathan. You do not deserve the “Jihad” in your chosen MuJihad name, ’cause you do not nearly understand the drill and greater moral requisite of the Greater Jihad.
A northern president waged the harshest war yet against Boko Haram, President Yaradua from that North you so hate, dealt a massive blow to Boko Haram terror organisation, a blow your brother, Goodluck can not deal, as he continues to protect his friends, and as such he being guilty by association or even directly as a sponsor of Boko. It was that same Northern leader, his blessed memory, Yaradua that created the billion dollar amnesty program for your terrorist friends, and made you not a globally wanted terrorist, but able to speak and walk freely.
Why do you not take your fight to your Bayelsa brother, who refuses to fight Boko intelligently and reveal its sponsors?
Fight, fight, fight, kill, kill, everything, kill. Where do you think you are? In a jungle?

How NNPC bleeds Nigeria | Mind-boggling revelations of record breaking sleaze

Written by JOHN-ABBA OGBODO
• $1.4b interest unpaid, $5.7m penalty fund missing
• $55.7m outstanding against foreigners
• Declares $200m security vote illegal
A FRESH account of the mind-boggling mismanagement of Nigeria’s resources has come to the fore with the disclosure by the Auditor-General of the Federation (AGF), Samuel Ukura, that the account of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) is riddled with abuses.
In his 2010 report titled: “Annual Report of the Auditor-General of the Federation on the accounts of the Federation of Nigeria for the Year Ended December 31, 2010” just forwarded to the National Assembly, the AGF also observed that the Joint Venture Cash Call Account had been grossly abused by the operators.
“Penalty charges amounting to USD$5,700,000.00 for late submission of letters of credit were not collected from crude oil customers who failed to submit letters of credit within five (5) business days… as stipulated by Article 13.3 of the general conditions of the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA).
“The Group Managing Director had been informed through the Accountant-General of the Federation to recover the above penalty charges from the affected crude oil and gas customers”, the report read in part.
The report continued: “The Internal Audit Unit of Crude Oil Marketing Department (COMD) of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) used green ink when carrying out the routine audit of the records of the department. This practice is a contravention of the provision of the Financial Regulation (2009) 3002 which states that ‘except in the case of drawing offices, where they may be required for the preparation of maps and plans, the use of green ink or pencils in the recording of checking of accounting or store transactions by officers other than those in the office of the Auditor-General is strictly forbidden.’”
According to the report, “in the year under review, the following observations were made: An amount of USD$55,789,478.04 was outstanding against some foreign crude oil customers and are no longer engaging in business with NNPC.
“An amount of N377,364,075.70 was outstanding against some local crude oil customers. Since local sales of crude oil attracts only ninety (90) days credit facility, considering the age analysis of the debts, it would appear that serious efforts were not made for the recovery of these debts.”
On the Joint Venture Cash Call, the report said: “In the year under review, the following observations were made during the examination of the Joint Venture Cash Call Account (i) Interest earned on Joint Venture Cash Call Account amounting to USD$1,449,047.58 was not paid into the Federation Account as petroleum related revenue.
“(ii) An amount of USD$200,000,000.00 was paid to NNPC Corporate Headquarters as security payment. This expenditure was not included in the approved budget of the Joint Venture operators and the nature of the security as well as the beneficiaries were not disclosed.
“The statutory auditor of the Joint Venture operators only submitted the audited accounts of the operators to NNPC/NAPIMS without the accompanied Management Reports (Letter of Weakness). Management Report on audited Financial Statement is a vital supporting document detailing weaknesses observed by the auditor in the internal control system of the audited entity. Considering the magnitude of the interest of NNPC/NAPIMS in the operation of the Joint Venture Operators and the nature of the business, it is imperative for NNPC/NAPIMS to have access to the Management Reports (Letter of Weaknesses) of the operators in order to determine the level of weakness in the internal control system of the operators and to make necessary recommendations for improvement. It should be noted that the non- inclusion of the Management Reports with the Audited Financial Statements made the audit assignment incomplete.
“Examination of Annual Returns from the Joint Venture Operators for the year ended December 31, 2010, showed that Joint Venture Cash Call amounting to USD$824,410.23 and N120,496,213,000.00 were in arrears as at the above date. Inability of NNPC/NAPIMS to meet up with the Cash Call obligations based on the approved cash call budget would appear to impede the general performance of the Joint Venture Operators vis-a-vis revenue accruable to the Federation Accounts.’’
It continued: “A loan of USD$250,000,000.00 was granted to NNPC to fund pipeline expansion, up till date, payment of this loan is yet to be made by NNPC to the Joint Venture Cash Call Account.
“During the examination of the Bank Statements of the Bank Accounts of the Joint Venture Operators, it was observed that some operators overdrew their Naira Joint Venture Operation Accounts totaling N15,653,723,618.70. Authority for the operators to obtain the overdrafts was not made available to the Team of Auditors. In addition, it was observed that high interest charges on the overdrafts, which was not budgeted for constitute a drain on the available Joint Venture Cash Call Funds of the affected operators.
“An amount of USD$282,950,223.60 was paid from the Joint Venture Cash Call Account on July 5, 2010 to NNPC Corporate Headquarters for the purpose of funding Escravos-Lagos pipeline expansion project Phase 2. As at the time the fund was released by NAPIMS, the budget in respect of the project for the year 2010 was not yet approved. Hence the fund was released in anticipation of the approval of the 2010 budget, which means that when the 2010 budget in respect of the project is approved and released, the money would be refunded to the Joint Venture Cash Call Account where it was drawn. However, there was no evidence of such refund into the Account as at the time of the audit in September 2011. Using fund meant for Joint Venture Cash Call to finance different projects for which it was not budgeted without the approval of the National Assembly, amounts to unauthorised virement of fund.”
Consequently, the report said: “The Group Managing Director has been informed through the Accountant General of the Federation to pay the interest of US$1,449,047.58 earned on the Joint Venture Cash Call Account into the Federation account; explain the payment of US$200,000,000 outside the approved budgetary provision with detailed evidence of disbursement, nature of security and acknowledgement from the beneficiaries; make sure that the loan of US$250,000,000 is refunded to Joint Venture Cash Call JP Morgan Chase account without delay; make available the authority for the operators to obtain the overdrafts. However, in the absence of an authority for the overdrafts, the interest charged on the overdrafts should be determined and the affected operators should be made to refund their own portion.’’
The report also indicted the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), saying: “During the audit examination of accounting and other records at the Department of Petroleum Resources, for the Federation Account Revenue, it was observed that the computation of royalties payable by the oil companies was based on the actual crude oil lifted by them and not calculated on actual production figures contrary to the provisions of the MOUs with the relevant oil companies. The MOUs provide that payment of royalties should be based on production volume multiplied by the prescribed royalty rates.”
The General Manager, Media Relation of the Corporation, Dr. Farouk Umar, said that the NNPC was yet to get a copy of the report, adding that “we are just hearing about it for the first time.”
He said: “We have not seen the report. I will go and look at the report and NNPC will study it and react to it later.”
<<< Nigeria’s president Jonathan has overseen unprecedented corruption despite still short of half his term
Guardian.

Boko Haram: Christian Association Of Nigeria Writes Hillary Clinton.

Hilary Clinton and President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja today

By Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor,

Dear Madam Secretary: Welcome to Nigeria and thank you for taking the time to visit our beleaguered country at a time when insecurity is at the highest levels it has been in recent memory. Just days before your visit, 17 worshippers were killed in a church service so we do indeed appreciate the effort and courage you displayed in coming.
Madam Secretary, I had wanted an audience with you to raise my concern over recent statements credited to the US Government, including at a congressional hearing in which I testified last month. These pronouncements from the State Department have distortions, omissions and in some cases clearly misrepresent facts on the ground in a manner that beclouds the crisis facing Nigeria and is ultimately deleterious to the quest for a peaceful and truthful resolution.

However, as I understand that your schedule is very tight, I will address here the latest such statement contained in your just released 2011 International Religious Freedom report.

Much to our dismay, the information contained in our memorandum to the presidential panel on Post-Election Violence was not included in the 2011 State Department International Religious Freedom Report. Our memo presented widespread incidents of violence targeting Christians in 12 northern states in April last year during the reporting period of the 2011 report. Unfortunately the destruction of over 700 churches and the systematic massacres of hundreds of Christians in 48 hours – the largest single attack on Christendom in contemporary world history anywhere on the planet - were not included in your report.

Even more surprising, the report failed to accurately describe the horrific Christmas Day multi-city church attacks. These coordinated attacks on three states, comprising Niger, Plateau and Yobe, claimed over 60 lives and, for a second consecutive year, stunned the world. The report merely mentions the Christmas Day church bombing of St. Theresa’s Catholic church in Madalla, then fails to communicate the scope and significance of the Christmas Day attacks.

The pernicious persecution, denigration and dehumanization of Christians in northern Nigeria especially has been a fact of life for over a quarter century. It is therefore disconcerting that the US report addresses it in a speculative tone that undermines the harsh reality of the masses of orphans and widows left behind.

The report while conceding that the Nigerian constitution forbids adoption of state religion does not plainly point out that the 12 northern states by adopting Sharia codes and creating religious police, ministries of religion and funding mosques are an affront to the constitution’s establishment clause as well as the doctrine of separation of faith and state.

Finally it is deeply troubling that your report makes an unsubstantiated claim that more Muslims than Christians died in the attacks of last year. This theory was predicated on an erroneous assumption that since the attacks were in “predominantly” Muslim areas, it “follows’ that Muslims would be hardest hit.

Even if such assumptions could be made without empirical data, the more credible and more plausible proposition is that given Boko Haram’s declared intent to obliterate Christianity in northern Nigeria and its systematic attacks which began almost a decade ago, the majority of the victims are Christians. Since Boko Haram has stated that it does not theologically or operationally target mosques and has so far not succeeded in attacking any, it is only logical that Muslims cannot be the majority victims.

This is borne out by quantitative data. Out of the 137 religious-motivated violent incidents we tracked, 88.3% were attacks on Christians, 2.9% were attacks on Muslims, attacks on security agents 4.4%, sectarian clashes 2.2% and extra-judicial killings were 2.1%. The US Terrorism report 2011 indicates a total of 136 terrorist attacks in Nigeria. It is inconceivable therefore that Muslims were the primary victims of a jihadist group whose intent is to Islamize Nigeria.

This year 2012 alone, there have been 49 security incidences of which 80% have targeted Christians.

There are numerous other points that we take issue with but that will have to wait till we have an appropriate forum to fully dialogue on this. However to assist you to be better informed, we are attaching several documents on the conditions of Christians in northern Nigeria:

The Memorandum of the Christian Association of Nigeria to the Presidential Panel of Post-Election Violence of 2011
A Compendium of the Marginalization and Persecution of Indigenous Christians and the Church in the Nineteen 19 Northern States of Nigeria conducted in 2010

In conclusion, we recognize that the State Department reports cannot cover every incident of religiously motivated violence in a country the size of Nigeria. However, the State Department has a statutory duty and moral obligation to give an accurate picture of events on the ground.  Although your report indicates that your embassy had “regular” meetings with religious leaders, it is somewhat odd that key data such as what we are now submitting was never asked for.

We also have no recollection of a visit by the ambassador-at-large for religious freedom in 2011 and also no record of the US embassy celebrating any religious holidays besides the Muslim holidays.

We urge you to work with us to achieve a truth-based peaceful resolution to the terrorism and extremism that threatens the very life of our nation. We look forward to future collaboration.
Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor,
National President, CAN

Take Tough Decisions; We'll Stand By You –Clinton Charges Jonathan

"We want to work with you and we will be by your side as you make the reforms and take the tough decisions that are necessary". 

The United States Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton has charged President Goodluck Jonathan to be bold and take the tough decisions that are necessary to tackle the spate of insecurity in Nigeria.

Clinton who arrived the presidential villa at 3:50pm amidst tight United States security accompanying her convoy, said doing so will attract the support of the US in the fight against Boko Haram.

Olufamous.com gathered that Clinton warned President Jonathan that Nigerian may not succeed to crush Boko Haram if it depends on military approach and conventional warfare only.

"We appreciate that you know how committed United States and the Obama Administration is to our partnership with your country. We consider it absolutely vital to our bi-National commission which as you have mentioned has helped us to expand and deepen our cooperation on full range of issues.

"We were also very supportive of anti-corruption reform efforts, more transparency in the work that you and your team are also championing because we really believe that the future for Nigeria is limitless but the most important task that you face, as you have said, is making sure that there are better opportunities for all Nigerians, South, East, West, every young boy and girl to have chance to fulfil his God given potential".

Earlier, President Jonathan had thanked Clinton for raising the relationship between Nigeria and America to a very high level that had never been reached for quite some time.

 by Olu Famous.

No Compulsion In Religion By Hannatu Musawa.

Hannatu Musawa

Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi is not only a knowledgeable Islamic scholar; he exemplifies the character of a Muslim nurtured from an early age in a virtuous environment. Having been taught and raised by his late father, Sheikh Abubakar Mahmoud Gumi, he serves as a role model for the spirit and virtue that Muslims can aspire for and attain.
In the spate of the recent unabashed religious threats and violence by misguided elements, it has been necessary for notable and respected members of the Nigerian Islamic society to speak out on the outrageously arrogant, criminal and aggressive actions of people purporting to speak and act on behalf of Islam. Up until the recent sermons Sheikh Gumi has given, in which he has contradicted much of what these unsavory elements spew, hardly anyone within the Nigerian Islamic leadership order has had the courage and persuasion to speak out. Few Scholars have been brave enough to set the record straight on the fact that the individuals and groups presently attacking the peace and stability in Nigeria by claiming an Islamic affiliation are operating with a vile distortion of the noble and peaceful teachings of Islam.
It is regrettable that Islam, a religion of peace, harmony, goodwill and brotherhood has been used by unruly and ghastly people to justify unwarranted acts of violence such as suicide bombings, threats and other forms of violence. At the very base of Islam is the quest for freedom, justice and equality and when a Muslim uses Islam to threaten and condemn another because they do not share the same faith, that discrimination is totally foreign to the pure teachings and doctrines of Islam. In the Quran, God bestowed honour on every single individual, no matter their background, race or tribe. Liberty and everything that emerges from it are some of the great favours God has given us and concepts such as kidnappings, threats and the kind of unprovoked violence we are seeing in Nigeria today towards people of a different faith to Islam, especially the Christian community, are not part of the true teachings of Islam.
It is so shocking that people claiming to promote Islam can issue an ultimatum in which they threaten a Christian president to convert to Islam or face their wrath. How on earth can they give a Christian who believes in his religion as much or even more than they believe in their religion that kind of ultimatum? Under Islamic dispensation, it is clearly taught that “There is no compulsion in religion…” The Qur’an was very clear on the issue of forced conversion by stating, “Had your Lord wanted, all the people on earth would have believed. So will you force people to believe?”
Throughout history, Muslims themselves were the targets of forced conversion during the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades and the Communist era of the 20th century and first hand Muslims understand how unacceptable and unreasonable such a notion is. Threatening people who don’t convert to Islam, persecuting non-Muslims and treating a society in the unjust manner that extremist elements have been doing most definitely is not what Islam is about. When one reads in the Qur’an that Allah encourages Muslims to deal kindly and justly with anyone of any faith who has not fought Muslims for our faith and driven us out of our homes because God loves the just, one wonders why anyone would want to put a negative interpretation to what is clearly a message of patience, peace and harmony between different faiths cohabiting.
The second source in Islam, after the Qur’an, are the statements made by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), who in his lifetime gave a clear view on the persecution of non-Muslims when he stated, “Whoever kills an innocent non-Muslim will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.” How could such statement possibly be compatible with the extremist ideal for Islam to force itself onto others? Instead, it makes it clear that non-Muslims should by no means be harmed by Muslims.
The one doctrine that is used by extremists to lend credibility to the notion that Islam encourages violence is the concept of jihad. The word Jihad brings into play the vision of a marching band of religious fanatics with savage beards, short trousers and fiery eyes, brandishing swords, screaming in Arabic and attacking everyone and everything in their wake.
However, the true spirit of Jihad in Islamic terms means to endeavour and strive in a noble way. Over time this meaning of Jihad has been eradicated or at least diluted. The critical juncture in the Islamic world requires reviving and recapturing the true and pristine meaning of Jihad. Jihad can be divided into two broad categories. First is ‘Jihad-e-akbar’. This is Jihad against one's own person to curb sinful inclinations, which is the purification of self. This is the most difficult Jihad and hence in terms of rewards and blessings is the highest category of Jihad. The second is ‘Jihad-e-asghar’. This is Jihad of the sword. This is communal Jihad and presupposes certain specific conditions. The Quran speaks of fighting only as a self defence and this is the very condition laid down in several verses of the Holy Quran. The so-called verse of the sword in the Islamic scripture is often taken out of context as if it inculcates an indiscriminate massacre of all non-Muslims. The Quranic words such as “kill whatever you find them” apply only in cases of self-defence and a state of unprovoked war; they do not apply to provoked wars and battles. The Muslims who interpret these verses in any other manner commit a travesty of the lofty ideals of Islam. There is not a single instance in the life of the Holy Prophet where he offered the alternative of the sword or Islam to anyone.
The Holy Quran does not make Jihad in context of an article of faith. The sayings and traditions of the Holy Prophet render it into a formula for active struggle that invariably and incorrectly tended towards a militant expression. Suicide bombings, violent threats and killing those of different faiths just for the sake of killing are contrary to the purview of the real spirit of the Islamic Jihad. It is pure and simple mass murder. The presentation of Islam as a crude and barbaric religion which gives itself the right to cause unwarranted human and material suffering and destruction under the guise of Divine authority is not the kind of Islam we find in the precepts of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
The basic unity of the followers of all faiths is emphatically stressed in the Holy Quran and the creation of discord and disunity by terrorism or otherwise has no place in Islam. Islam is an all-encompassing codes of values and conduct and with those values, those of us that practice it from the depths of our heart and soul must use its teachings as a ground of hope to progressively promote unity and accord in Nigeria rather than mischievously and maliciously using it as a justification for violence.
The Holy Quran teaches that God has sent His revelation to all people from time to time. Jesus Christ and many of the Prophets of the Old Testament are mentioned by name and they are all honoured and revered by all true believing Muslims. Indeed, the Quran requires belief in the truth of all the Messengers of God and requires an affirmation in them all wherever they appear. And therefore it seeks to bring about reconciliation between the followers of different faiths and to establish a basis of respect and honour among them. The Quran says: “Surely, those who believe and the Jews and the Christians and the Sabians - whichever party from among these truly believes in Allah (God) and the Last Day and does good deeds, shall have their reward with their Lord, and no fear shall come upon them nor shall they grieve.”
In the Holy Scriptures, the Qur’an, Torah and the Bible, both Christians and Muslims are taught that God is the Source of peace and the bestower of security. And since the doctrine of peace and security are ‘His’’, the establishment of that peace and maintenance of security must, therefore, be the constant objective of all Muslims and Christians alike. Those who choose to exact a campaign of hatred, violence and threats against others who have done nothing to provoke them, purely because others worship in a different way to them, must revaluate Allah’s message of peace and harmony and understand that, only through conformity to the spirit of peace, patience, conscience and the promotion of human welfare can we achieve a society where all can co-exist. If they don’t, they have only themselves to blame in the hereafter when they have to make the real account to the Almighty, All seeing and All Knowing.
Sheikh Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Gumi is a beacon to the inherent justice in Islam and a brave Scholar, especially when examined with the lenses of the present Islamic leadership in Nigeria. Like his father, he lives a life outstanding in its dedication to the cause of Allah. May God protect him and guide him to continue speaking out against those within the Muslim Ummah choose to distort the message and meaning of Islam. Nigerian Muslim, extremists especially, can learn from Sheikh Gumi when he explores them to follow Allah accordingly and advises them that there is no compulsion to Islam.

Jonathan Plans Big Borrowing To Finance 2013 Budget -Deficit Spending Seen In New Budget.

Federal minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

By SaharaReporters, New York

The Federal Executive Council has approved a fiscal framework for the 2013 which spends N4.929 trillion on estimated revenues of N3.891 trillion.
Debt financing will be required to cover the nation’s growing expenses. President Goodluck Jonathan is to use $75 per barrel of oil as the benchmark for the 2013 budget.
 Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, disclosed the budget information to State House correspondents after the FEC meeting in Abuja.
 "Everybody has agreed that the work for budget for 2013 must start early this year that is why we have the fiscal strategy paper this early,” she said. Once we finish here we are going to transmit the document to the National Assembly".
 She said the budget might be presented to the National Assembly before the end of October when the members, who are currently on recess, would have resumed.
 Okonjo-Iweala said the theme for the 2013 budget is “fiscal consolidation with growth”.
 Other highlights of the proposed 2013 budget included an expected oil production of 2.5million barrel per day as against 2.48 million barrels per day in 2012.

Capital expenditure is also expected to rise n 2013 from 28.53% to 31.34% while recurrent expenditure is expected to decline from 71.47% in 2012 to 68.66% in 2013.
 The minister also noted that work is on to ensure a decline in fiscal deficit and borrowing from 2.85% and N744.44billion in 2012 to 2.17% and N727.19billion in 2013 respectively. A further decline she said is expected by year 2015.
 She also noted that government is to create a sinking fund of N25billion yearly to accumulate money for paying off bonds while another N75billion for debt