Nigeria 'attempted jailbreak' leaves more than 20 dead

Security forces have launched a huge operation against Boko Haram

Twenty-one people have been killed in an attempt to escape from detention at the headquarters of Nigeria's secret police in the capital, officials say.

Police said the trouble started when a prisoner beat a guard with his handcuffs in an attempt to escape.

Local media say many of the police detainees are suspected members of the Islamist group Boko Haram.

The group has waged a violent four-year campaign to install a radical form of Islam in the north.

Thousands have been killed since the conflict started in 2009.

At least three million people have been affected, Nigeria's Red Cross said last week.

Rare video filmed by Boko Haram shows a previous attack on a military barracks

It is unclear whether all of those killed during Sunday's unrest are prisoners.

A spokeswoman for the State Security Services, Marilyn Ogar, said two service personnel had been seriously injured in the incident.

Guards at the facility in Abuja opened fire after the attempted escape of one prisoner, she said.

The army was deployed to the area, which is near the presidential villa.

'New recruits'

Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati described the incident as an "attempted jailbreak" in a post on Twitter.

He said the situation was under control and that President Goodluck Jonathan was safe and well.

Boko Haram attacks have increased during the first three months of 2014.

Amnesty International says 1,500 people have been killed in north-east Nigeria this year.

A report by the human rights group says more than half of those killed were civilians.

As well as attacks on schools, Boko Haram has hit military installations such as the main barracks in the city of Maiduguri earlier this month.

Meanwhile UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has said human rights violations by Nigerian security forces were creating "fertile ground for Boko Haram to cultivate new recruits".

Boko Haram was founded in Maiduguri in 2009. It wants northern Nigeria to become an Islamic state.

CAR conflict: Chadian troops 'kill eight' in Bangui

Some Central Africans have accused Chad

Chadian troops have killed eight people in the Central African Republic capital, Bangui, the African Union force there says.

The soldiers reportedly opened fire on residents of mainly Christian neighbourhoods in northern Bangui.

One local journalist told the BBC the Chadians had been attacked by a Christian militia.

The country has been hit by civil conflict since Seleka rebels ousted the president in March 2013.

Chadian troops have been accused of supporting the rebels, who are mostly Muslims.

The contingent involved in Sunday's incident had come to repatriate Chadians from the country.

Despite the deployment of some 6,000 African Union and 2,000 French troops in the country, violence has continued unabated.

On Friday a grenade attack on a funeral in Bangui was reported to have killed 11 people.

Horrific attacks

The conflict has taken on an increasingly sectarian nature, with UN human rights chief Navi Pillay warning last week that hatred between Christians and Muslims in CAR had reached a "terrifying level".

There have been horrific attacks, including acts of cannibalism and children's heads being cut off.

Around a quarter of the country's 4.6 million people have fled their homes.

After the Seleka deposed President Francois Bozize and installed their leader Michel Djotodia as president, they were accused of targeting Christians.

In January, Mr Djotodia was in turn forced to step down amid criticism he had not done enough to stem sectarian violence.

Since then, Muslims have been singled out for attack, with thousands fleeing their homes, many to neighbouring countries such as Cameroon and Chad.

Earlier this month UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon proposed the UN authorise a force of 12,000 peacekeeping troops for CAR.

Nigeria: How the Gun Battle Began - - SSS - It's Not True - Security Sources, Residents

The Department of State Services has issued a statement, claiming that the sustained gun battle around its headquarters and the vicinity of the presidential villa this morning began after a detainee disarmed an operative and tried to effect a jailbreak.

"At 0715 hours, the Service suspect handler went to the detention facility within the Headquarters to feed the suspects," the SSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, said in the statement. "One of the suspects attempted to disarm him by hitting him at the back of his head with his handcuff. His attempt to escape drew the attention of other guards at the facility who fired some shots to warn and deter others.

"The gun shots attracted the attention of the military with whom we have an understanding of mutual assistance in the event of any threat. The Army immediately deployed a team to reinforce our perimeter guards to forestall any external collaborators. The situation has since been brought under control."

But knowledgeable security sources are telling PREMIUM TIMES that the SSS narrative begs further questions because they are "untrue and misleading".

The sources frame their doubts around the presumed impenetrability of the DSS facility and headquarters; the unusually huge military intervention force; the quality of ordinance deployed; and the prolonged period of gun exchange.

"The truth is that a jailbreak is impossible in the SSS headquarters," one of our sources said."It has two fences and is highly fortified. And there is no way a man on handcuff could launch an attack vicious enough to disarm an operative.

"Also our people need to tell the world whether it was only one gun taken from the disarmed operative that the detainees used in engaging soldiers and SSS operatives in sustained gun battle for about three hours.

"If it is about subduing one man who attempted a jailbreak, why did we need truckloads of fully armed soldiers and deployment of Armoured Personnel Carriers, RPGs and other sophisticated weapons?

"Also, why did the exchange of fire lasted for so long? Why did we have to deploy helicopter gunships to hover around the villa and Yellow House (SSS headquarters).

"Nigerians should demand the truth. I can tell you that a more serious incident happened than our people are willing to admit and there is a serious attempt at cover-up."

Some residents of the area also believe what happened could not have been just an attempted jailbreak.

"Whatever this is, it appears more serious than an attempted jailbreak claimed by the SSS," former Minister Nasir El-Rufai, who live a few metres away from the SSS headquarters said. "May God Protect the innocent and destroy the murderers, kidnappers and planners of genocide, Amen."

Another former minister, whose home neighboured the SSS headquarters, Femi Fani-Kayode said,"I live 50 metres away from the SSS headquarters and the Villa and what I witnessed with my eyes and heard this morning was a full scale battle."

The entire vicinity of the presidential palace and the SSS headquarters has been cordoned off, making it impossible for journalists to do area assessment with a view to determining what actually happened

The tale of Nelson Mandela's rabbit

Once upon a time there was a little rabbit who lived in the ear of a statue - the statue of a man called Nelson Mandela.

The statue lived on a green in Pretoria and the rabbit, which was made of bronze like the statue, didn't get into mischief until one day somebody saw it.

Why, people asked, is a rabbit sitting inside the ear of this monument to the first black leader of South Africa, the man who helped end white minority rule, who promoted reconciliation, and who touched all our lives before he passed away in December?

"We don't think it's appropriate," government spokesman Mogomotsi Mogodiri told the BBC in January, "because Nelson Mandela never had a rabbit in his ear."

The sculptors pleaded that the little figure was just their trademark, and a way of saying how fast they had worked to get the statue made in time - the Afrikaans word for rabbit is haas, and that also means haste. And furthermore - you would need to look really hard to notice the tiny rabbit up there on the 9m (30ft) statue.

None of these arguments convinced the men in suits in the government offices in Pretoria. "It was agreed that it should be removed and that was done," said one of them this week. The rabbit is now gone - and all we know is that it was given back to one of the men who helped bring the statue to life, Dali Tambo.

Will appeals by tweeters to #savetherabbit fall on bronze ears? Will a suggestion by the animal rights charity Peta to adopt it be adopted? "We would be honoured," Peta says, "to use the bronze rabbit, the same animal who proudly leaps across Peta's logo, to honour Mandela's vision of a more peaceful, kinder world." Mr Tambo has said only that it might "end up in the garden near Mandela".

The lesson for small, cute bronze rabbits is clear: you may go into the fields or down the lane, but not into history.

Kenya: Security Threats to Be Met With Full Force - President Kenyatta

 

President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses the nation (file photo).

President Uhuru Kenyatta has resounded a stern warning that the Jubilee government will not tolerate terrorist activities in the country. While delivering the annual State Of The Nation address before the joint session of the National Assembly and the Senate Assembly, the president said that a raft of measures will be implemented to guarantee the safety and security of the nation.

"Threats to safety will indeed be met with our full might," President Kenyatta said adding that in due course, the police force will be increased from the current ratio of one officer to 750 civilians, to one officer to 535 civilians.

Additionally the president added that along with the 1200 vehicles that have already been supplied to assist officers in patrols around the country, officers will be insured in the line of duty.

Installation of CCTV cameras in major cities in the country and broadband connectivity at entry points to deter unwanted intrusions are also going to be implemented by government according to the president.

During the address, the president also mentioned the resettlement of internally displaced persons that the Jubilee government embarked on and is ongoing.

"In September 2013, the government began the implementation of a cash payment programme for all pending cases of IDPs that had not been resettled so far, a total of 8298 households. A total of 777 have received cash payments of Ksh 400,000 per household, totalling KSh 3.3 billion," Kenyatta said.

The president also reiterated the government's full commitment to supporting devolution as evidenced by the budgetary allocation of 32 per cent as opposed to the proposed 15 per cent in the first year of devolution contained in the constitution.

"In support of the county level of government, my administration arranged a massive transfer of skilled men and women to the counties. Across Kenya, public servants with the best training are building our country from its roots. The key inter-governmental structures they need to support their labours, and align their plans with those of national government, have almost all been established," the president said.

The president while concluding his address handed three reports; the first appraising the country's progress in realizing the national values and principles of governance outlined in Article 10 of the Constitution, the second a consideration of the country's progress in fulfilling international obligations, and the third report examining the state of national security.

Charles Ble Goude: Ivory Coast youth leader appears at ICC

Charles Ble Goude has denied leading pro-Gbagbo militias on violent attacks

Charles Ble Goude, an ally of Ivory Coast ex-President Laurent Gbagbo has made his first appearance at The International Criminal Court (ICC).

Mr Ble Goude, a former minister, has been charged with committing crimes against humanity during clashes that followed the 2010 election.

He denies all the charges - including accusations that he led a militia.

His extradition last week infuriated supporters of Mr Gbagbo, who is also at The Hague court, awaiting trial.

The warrant against Mr Ble Goude was unsealed in September.

Armed militias took to the streets after the election in 2010

Prosecutors at the court accused him of being responsible - "as indirect co-perpetrator" - for four crimes against humanity, including rape, murder and persecution.

The crimes are said to have been committed during between December 2010 and April 2011, following the disputed election.

Some 3,000 people lost their lives in the crisis, after Mr Gbagbo refused to concede victory to his rival, Alassane Ouattara.

Mr Ble Goude was the head of the Young Patriots, an organisation of Gbagbo loyalists that was blamed for a campaign of violence against those seen as Mr Ouattara's supporters.

In an interview last year with the BBC, Mr Ble Goude said that he had only organised rallies and meetings and never run a militia.

'Impartial justice'

At the hearing on Thursday, Mr Ble Goude appeared in a grey suit with a white shirt. He confirmed his name and asserted his innocence.

"I'm a consultant in political communication," he said, greeting supporters in the gallery with a smile and a clenched-fist salute. "I will go home."

Supporters of Mr Gbagbo have described last week's handover of Mr Ble Goude to the ICC as a setback for reconciliation.

Many have accused the ICC and the government, now led by Mr Ouattara, of pursuing "victor's justice" by targeting only those who were close to Mr Gbagbo.

A UN representative overseeing human rights in the Ivory Coast issued a statement on Thursday, emphasising the need for "impartial justice for all".

"All that have committed violent crimes, whatever their political, ethnic or tribal or religious background, should be tried," Doudue Diene said.

The ICC is currently preparing to prosecute three allies of Mr Ouattara, the AFP news agency reports, quoting sources close to the court.

The Ivory Coast's next election in 2015 is expected to be a test of reconciliation in the country.

Africa: Is the Crimea Referendum a Good Model for Africa?

What would happen if African peoples where given the chance to vote in referenda to decide which country they wanted to be part of or if they wanted their own?

The referendum in Crimea is a dangerous precedent reminiscent of the Austrian Anschluss and the other uprisings in eastern Europe to join Germany in the 1930s. I used to think that Europe's states had grown naturally, organically - in contrast to Africa's imposed borders. That I thought was a major reason for Africa's weak states and small local wars.

Then I read up on the post World War One settlement and discovered that Europe's borders had been reset by three men: Woodrow Wilson, the American president, and two Europeans; David Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister, and Georges Clemenceau, the Prime Minister of France.

As a result of the lines they drew on the map, the tribes of Europe were reorganised, some freed from foreign rule, some forced into countries they felt no loyalty to and some displaced and forced to leave their homes. It was a mess and planted some of the seeds of World War II.

Africa's arbitrary borders, mostly drawn by people who had never set foot in the continent, have always been an obvious target for renegotiation. But Africa's first rulers, who foresaw chaos and disintegration if the nation states were reconfigured, ruled it out.

"Respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each State" was one of the founding principles of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the forerunner of the African Union. Despite all the wars, internal and external, this principle has been pretty much adhered to by both presidents and people.

Loyalty to an African state is not always related to the ability of that state to make the lives of its people better. Patriotism, an emotional thing, does not take these benefits into account, even in countries where the majority of citizens are marginalised or oppressed by the government.

Even in the catastrophic recent meltdown of South Sudan after just two years of independence, no one is advocating return to rule from Khartoum. In the dying days of Mobutu's Zaire (now the DRC) I was astonished to find that people felt it to be a great country. I asked why Katanga, the rich south east province, didn't secede - as it had in 1960. My suggestion was greeted with shocked surprise.

Africa: Can Musicians Contribute to Peace in Africa?

Photo: Thesupermat/Wikipedia

Youssou N'Dour.

In his latest music video, world-renowned Senegalese pop star Youssou N'Dour does what he does best. His song, One Africa, performed with vocalist Idylle Mamba from the Central African Republic (CAR), is a sterling example of N'Dour's unique style that mixes French lyrics with Wolof (a local language in Senegal) and his trademark Mbalax rhythms. The song is an emotional call for peace in the troubled CAR where Christians and Muslims remain engaged in a bitter conflict.

The video includes images of Senegal's first president Léopold Sédar Senghor. A Christian leader in a predominantly Muslim country, he was an example of religious tolerance.

The video goes on to show Muslim imams and Christian pastors in the CAR holding hands amid the destruction of the conflict that has torn communities apart. The lyrics are mostly French and Mamba, who lives in Cameroon, might not be that well known to her fellow Central Africans, but this is certainly a positive message.

However, the question may be asked whether the message will indeed reach the right people. To what extent are musicians or artists able to contribute to peacebuilding in Africa, especially given the dearth of good leadership on the continent? Cynical observers will say that it is merely a way for musicians to attract attention and improve their sales.

For some, activism could involve mainly photo opportunities. Institutions like the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Education Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) have long since recognised the power of associating a famous face with a good cause.

Goodwill ambassadors include stars like Nigeria's Femi Kuti (pictured), Benin's Grammy-winning singer, Angélique Kidjo, and Colombia's Shakira. South African actress Charlize Theron has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2008 - along with the likes of United States musician Stevie Wonder, and actor George Clooney.

Others, however, devote a lot of time and energy to trying to make the world a better place. Two musicians who are especially famous for their activism in Africa and, by extension, hobnobbing with powerful politicians are Bono from U2, and Bob Geldof, who led the Live Aid campaign to raise money for Ethiopian famine victims in the 1980s.

Both singers are still involved in various initiatives, following the Live 8 project in 2005 that accompanied former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Commission for Africa, on which Geldof served. Their 'Make Poverty History' campaign to scrap debt and increase aid to Africa was severely criticised, but it did raise global awareness of these issues.

The difference between these artist-activists and personalities like N'Dour, however, is that the former have not, so far, run for political office. Raising awareness and speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos is one thing, but being in the executive is quite another. Dare one say that being a politician is a job?

Haitian President Michel Martelly, for example, was a well-known musician before reaching the highest office in that country. Superstar Wyclef Jean also attempted to stand for president in the election that brought Martelly to power in 2010. N'Dour, who tried to run for president in 2012, is now an advisor to Senegalese President Macky Sall, with the rank of minister.

N'Dour is well liked and must be admired for his grassroots projects and investment in the media in Senegal. But he seems to be diplomatic only when it suits him. During an interview with French media on 16 March, N'Dour surprised some by attacking non-Africans for meddling in Uganda's affairs.

Somalia: Death Toll of Buloburte Hotel Car Bomb Rises to 20, Officials Said

A car bomb that targeted a hotel in Buloburte town, central Somalia region of Hiran has killed at least 20, officials said.

A suicide car bomb hit the Hotel Amalow at midnight around 2.30 pm local time on Tuesday killing soldiers and officers. The hotel Amalow was frequented by government officials and the commanders of both Somali military and those from African Union Forces [AMISOM].

Hiran Governor Abdi Farah Laqanyo said the leading commander of Somalia army in Hiran region Col Mohamed Amen was among those killed in the attack. Also five Djibouti soldiers of the AMISOM peacekeepers were killed in the attack while 11 others of Somalia National Army [SNA] lost their lives in the overnight attack.

According to sources, the suicide car exploded outside the hotel where the security guards fired the car as it was approaching, but soon after the explosion some 20 armed men stormed the hotel and begun firing those around.

More than a dozen soldiers were wounded and were rushed to a hospital in Mogadishu today, AMISOM spokesman Col Ali Adan Humud said.

Al Shabab militant group which is linked to al Qaeda network claimed the attack. The town of Buloburte has fallen for Somalia Army and the AMISOM forces in last week.

Malawi: Patients Bring Candles to Malawi Hospitals As Graft Scandal Hits Budget

Weeks after his official payday, primary school teacher Chafwakale Chirwa Khungwa has almost forgotten that he is on the payroll of the Malawian government. He is too busy scratching a living from side jobs to make ends meet.

Recent revelations of high-level corruption have prompted the government to shut down its payment system to investigate allegations of theft by officials, delaying payment of salaries to teachers, nurses and doctors.

The graft scandal, known locally as "cashgate" has also led Malawi's key donors to withhold millions of dollars in budget support to a country that relies on foreign aid for about 40 percent of national expenditure.

The impact has been felt across Malawi. Patients have been asked to bring candles and torches to hospitals when the power is cut, and, like Khungwa, teachers have taken side jobs to pay their bills.

The exact amount of money siphoned from government coffers in one of Africa's poorest nations has not yet been determined.

The government's Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) estimated that government officials stole up to 20 billion Malawi kwacha ($44 million) between April and September 2013, salting away funds without supporting documentation or receipts. The cost of official government expenses is also under scrutiny and there is evidence of outright embezzlement by politicians and civil servants, the FIU said.

A separate forensic audit from the firm Baker Tilly Business Service Ltd, commissioned by the British government's Department for International Development (DfID) indicates that 13.6 billion Malawi kwacha (about $30 million) was stolen between April 1, 2013 and Sept. 30, 2013.

The cashgate scandal came to light in September, following an assassination attempt on then Budget Director Paul Mphwiyo, who is believed to have been targeted because of his bid to end financial corruption within government ranks. In response, donors have withheld up to $150 million of budget support, leaving critical public services reeling.

"My daughter went into labour but when I called for an ambulance, they asked me to contribute towards fuel for running it because the hospital had not received enough allocations," said Stella Suzi of Nkhata Bay district. "We have been asked to contribute candles or torch batteries to be used whenever there is a power cut."

Khungwa, the schoolteacher from a rural area in the central district of Dedza, said he has gone unpaid for weeks after the government payday. He said he now spends most of his time doing piecework instead of teaching to cover his essential living expenses.

"I teach for a whole month but I don't get my salary when time comes for me to be paid. My landlord expects that I will pay him for the house I rent once the month ends, but where do I get the money to pay him?" he asked. "He would not understand if I told him that I haven't been paid because government would be considered the last institution to delay payment for its staff."

"I also need to eat and support my relatives. They know I am working and their expectations on me are high. But how do I do that when I haven't been paid my salary? I would rather keep my class idle and fetch some piecework so I get money to meet my needs."

LEAN MONTHS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

Staff in government departments have seen payment of their salaries delayed since September when details of the corruption scandal began to unfold.

The worst periods for civil servants were in November and January when they waited nearly three weeks, until the 18th of the following month, before getting paid for the previous month's work. The official government payday is the 27th of each month.

Several senior and junior members of staff from the government's accounts department and politicians connected to the ruling People's Party (PP) of President Joyce Banda have been implicated in the corruption scandal.

Budget director Paul Mphwiyo was shot three times outside his home, but survived the attack. It was thought he was about to reveal the fraud within government ministries.

Police have arrested former a justice minister, Ralph Kasambara, on charges of masterminding the shooting. They also have arrested PP director of recruitment Oswald Lutepo, who is among 70 people facing charges linked to the scandal. The charges filed against him say his companies were used to process some of the dubious government contracts.

Police found government officials with cash stashed in the boots of their cars or in their homes, and investigators allege the money was stolen by taking advantage of loopholes in the government's central computerized payment system, the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS).

Sarah Sanyahumbi, the head of the U.K.'s DfID in Malawi, told Thomson Reuters Foundation the donor community had had doubts about the viability of the government's financial management system and said donors would only unlock the aid to Malawi after the government had put its finances in order.

Minister of Information and Civic Education, Brown Mpinganjira would not link the unpaid salaries of civil servants directly to the corruption scandal and withholding of donor aid.

"Sometimes it is a question of responsible officials delaying the process to prepare documentation that leads to the payment of the salaries," Mpinganjira in an interview.

However, he could not explain why these delays were coming directly after the financial scandal and the withholding of funds by major donors, such as Britain, Norway and the European Union.

John Kapito, executive director of the Consumers' Association of Malawi (CAMA), said despite investigations at senior levels of government, corruption was endemic at local level because politicians were not held to account.

"Malawi needs to understand that corruption and misallocation of resources will continue slowing the growth of this economy, pushing all Malawians into poverty," said Kapito.