FOR THE RECORDS ... HEALTH ISSUES : Infertility: Why many Nigerian couples may never carry own babies ... TribuneNews

What could be the cause of infertility among Nigerians which is said to have become so rife that many couples have resorted to adopting children? SADE OGUNTOLA writes about some of these couples and what could be done to control their health problem.

WHEN Haruna Balogun and his wife, Julianah, were ready to have a baby, they figured that pregnancy was as easy as deciding to try. But it wasn’t so simple. Instead, for two years the couple wrestled with infertility. Even when they weren’t talking about it, it hovered in the air like heavy humidity. It festers at family gatherings and naming ceremonies, which should have been moments of joy.

Like Julianah, Veronica Agbor, a 40-year-old secondary school teacher, is in a second marriage because she had been unable to have a child.  She first became aware of her possible infertility while she was still with her first husband.

They both went to a hospital for treatment. The doctors said her first husband’s sperms were infertile.

Abosede Aluko’s marriage also ended on account of her infertility.  There was no quarrel.  It was a simple parting. Over time, she had simply sensed that he was no longer pleased with her. She left him. Abosede believed an early premarital ectopic pregnancy was the cause of her infertility, which required a major surgery.

Infertility is actually a very common disorder. It affects about 15 per cent of couples during their reproductive years, so it is one of the more common medical conditions for that age group,” said Osato Giwa-Osagie, a distinguished professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi–Araba.

Infertility is the failure to conceive. In strict technical terms, how medical doctors use it, infertility means a failure for pregnancy to take place after more two years of having sex without family planning. Of course, sex must be regular and should take place at least twice a week.

There are millions of infertile people in Nigeria

Professor Giwa-Osagie, President, Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health (AFRH), said, “Among women in the reproductive age group, between 10 and 20 per cent of them have difficult having a pregnancy within 12 months. Nigeria’s population is put at about 157 million. Even when those below the age of 16 are taken out, the number of people with infertility still runs into millions.

“Saying that 12 million Nigerians are infertile is slightly on the low side. Infertility is very common. Individuals can test this by taking time out to consider the number of people, class mates and their acquaintances that have been married for more than two years and no pregnancy.”

Nevertheless, Professor Giwa-Osagie said infertility was distinct from being childless, which means the person does not have any living child or viable child. Childlessness includes those who get pregnant but keep losing it, what is termed in medical parlance, miscarriage.

“In some social context, a woman that gets pregnant but keeps losing it is said to be infertile, whereas in the medical sense of it she is not infertile,” he added.

Ironically, hardly can a person be said to be sterile, unless the woman does not have a womb again or the man has no testicles and as such cannot produce any sperm at all.

According to Professor Giwa-Osagie, “It is possible that a man has zero sperm count. He, however, cannot be said to be sterile because he may be producing sperm in the testis even though they are not coming out. Of course, there are means of extracting the sperm from the testicles and using it to impregnate his wife for him. That is why we do not use the word sterility anymore.”

Until recently, the problem of African infertility did not receive much attention despite that many people see childlessness as a curse on couples.

But infertility is more apparent now than say three decades ago. “People are more educated and therefore more likely to complain if they are having problem with conception unlike in the 1950s and 1960s.

“Also, more women marry later because of education and as such more likely to have been exposed to multiple sexual partners and sexually transmitted infections as well as unplanned pregnancy and abortion, which could have caused damages to their fallopian tube, thus making infertility more apparent than before,” he said.

 Why does infertility occur?

The reasons for infertility are varied and gender-dependent. In men, Professor Giwa-Osagie mentioned causes of infertility to include, congenital problem, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), exposure to chemicals and radiations in the environment, drugs, consumption of foods contaminated with female hormones, as well as diseases such mumps and tuberculosis.

According to him, “These infections in men can actually destroy their testes or epidemidysis; so it is like the factory is destroyed. Even when the factory is intact, but the pipe that leads the sperm out is blocked, sperms will not come out. That is why infection is so important.

Wearing tight pants, smoking can cause infertility

Professor Giwa-Osagie also said that, “Wearing tight pants may keep the testicles worm; chronic exposure to heat by drivers that travel long distances; cigarette smoking; and too much intake of coffee and coffee containing products such as carbonated drinks have all be associated with infertility. In addition, common drugs such as chloroquine can damage sperm.

In women, causes of infertility also include infections, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs), abortion after unsafe sex, and poor diet.

However, there is no geographical difference in level of male infertility unlike women infertility where more women in the rural areas are affected than in urban areas.

Infertility in women common in rural than urban areas

According to the don, “In women, some of the causes of infertility occur more in the rural than the urban areas. They labour for too long a time and are not supervised by skilled birth attendants, thus making them susceptible to infections which can affect their chances of getting pregnant in the future.

“We know statistically that for instance in what was known as the former Western Nigeria, there are more women being delivered in places with midwives and nurses than say in Northern Nigeria. Therefore, impart of that unsupervised delivery will be more in Northern Nigeria than in Western Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, Professor Giwa-Osagie said maintaining good lifestyle could reduce the chances of infertility among Nigerians.

Can a woman maintain her fertility level for life?

“A woman is born with all the eggs she is going to use in her lifetime; it is not like in men where sperms are being produced all the time.”

 Imagine that a woman had 1,000 eggs, which is in her store for the whole of her life. When the store is finished, then fertility is finished, but for some women that store can be finished by the time they are 35. This is defined premature menopause.

Unfortunately, some women’s store of eggs gets exhausted early, when her body is producing antibodies against her eggs and so on.

“A man who is healthy even at age 75 can still have sexual intercourse with a lady of 20 years and impregnate her regularly. There is a very small risk that there may be increase in abnormal sperms in much older people, who are like 75 and above, but the risk is so small that it often does not result in abnormal baby by those people.

“This is different with women, because by the time, she is above 50 years, that is the end of her fertility. However, this could be extended using IVF to about 54 years.”

Can couple with infertility be helped to have children of their own?

There are more than 39 IVF centres in Nigeria, with some also in government hospitals. But IVF has its own challenges such as cost and efficacy.

Professor Giwa-Osagie said, on the average, the cost of a cycle of IVF ranged between N1.2 and N1.5 million in Nigeria. Also, the possibility of a pregnancy with each IVF cycle is about 30 per cent. About one in three gets pregnant each time they give IVF a try.

Nonetheless, he said that IVF is the last resort in couples with infertility, adding “the cause of infertility will determine the type of treatment to give.”

“From the history taking, where the problem is due to infrequent sex, lack of ovulation; use of contraceptive, menstrual regulating drugs or a blockage of fallopian tubes from fibroid or ovarian cysts, once these are taken care of, conception will take place,” he noted.

Where there is an indication of excess male hormone as evidenced by excess hair on the face and legs, milk coming out from the breast when pressed because of her high level of an hormone known to cause infertility called prolactin, or abnormality of womb; except these are corrected, pregnancy may not occur.

In the man, where there is no sperm that is produced; the percentage of abnormal sperm is high; or the movement of the sperm is sluggish, treatments are given to correct these as well as improve chances of conception.

The question now is can permanent cure be found to infertility among Nigerian couples thereby putting smiles on faces of many who have lost hope of carrying their own babies? 

WEEKEND RAMBLINGS : 30 minutes in Aristos’ Avenue .... TribuneNews

SEYI SOKOYA reports his experience on the Allen Avenue part of Ikeja, the Lagos State capital, where he was harassed by sex workers popularly referred to as Aristos.

IT was an impromptu encounter, a shocking experience to which the flesh could easily have submitted. Some people describe it as open cheque, while to the Yorubas it is ‘ifa’. But honestly, one cannot imagine what might be the outcome, especially in a strange territory.

This reporter’s encounter with Aristos in the heart of Allen Avenue in Ikeja, Lagos State would, no doubt, always linger in his mind. It was a scary experience and could possibly be the most embarrassing moment he had ever encountered, particularly in his journalism career. The reporter was mute and helpless when he was offered sex in the open. Despite being a reserved person who honours the opposite sex to a fault, the impromptu encounter with some sets of sex workers who were not even bothered about his wedding ring made him discover that his courage was not enough. But he eventually escaped from the den via the God of wisdom.

As the writer discovered, easy pleasure was not new to people who were familiar with the area, especially those who patronised the place often, either for business appointment or ‘crusades’ at night. Although he had often heard about the activities in the vicinity, the scenario caught him unawares, as he suddenly found himself in the midst of the seducers. They were neither scary nor armed, but they almost tempted the writer with their spotted wears and pulchritudinous faces.

Honestly, this reporter was dazed. It was as if one was in another world. It was one adventure the writer was not prepared for; otherwise he would have had more time to relate with the ladies of the night than he did or even taken the extra effort to visit the sex dungeons reportedly existing in the place.

The 30-minute encounter with the ‘high spirit ladies’ was fun and a great lesson. Allen was a haven of all sizes; any male would definitely get his taste. It was a mixture of the old and young; slim and robust, tall and short and dark and light in complexion. They flaunted their cleavages with diverse provocative outfits. These ladies were spotted at every point of the street waving at cars as well as passers-by, especially men, while some were tempted to wait for negotiation. The sex workers he came in contact with could not give a genuine reason on why they engage in the business. 

The premises of banks and some business firms, even at the close hours, were alive; the reporter sighted some daring activities of these prostitutes in front of the banks and firms. It was obvious that night life on Allen Avenue is never a dull moment. The street lights coupled with the security illuminations reflected on the glittering faces of the Aristos, just as it gave whoever wanted to have them for the night a clear picture.     

The zeal to always do the unusual and hunt for controversial artistes in the entertainment industry led the reporter into this; he escaped from a tempting interview session with one of the controversial Nollywood artistes at a hotel around Toyin street in Ikeja, only to fall into the den of Allen Avenue girls.

It was late, precisely, 11 pm. As the writer strolled down from Toyin Street linking Allen Avenue roundabout, a lady beside the road approached him and asked if she could be of assistance. He did not give any response in order not to fall into the trap of the night. As another lady called his attention while crossing the roundabout, his mind told him where he was.

This writer was still relaying his shocking experience to a colleague on telephone when another one came very close to him and started making frantic efforts to seduce him. He had to drop the call and quickly caution her. It seems she was not satisfied; the next thing was a funny display. The reporter was furious. She was not shy to show off in the open. Dipping one of her fingers into her mouth; she brought the other hand down to her crotch as she came closer. The reporter resisted and pleaded that he was not in the mood, then fled that spot. To the reporter’s surprise, before the twinkle of an eye, she had entered into negotiations with another man at the same spot.

The reporter took a step of faith forward, eager to get a taxi out of the vicinity in no time, but all efforts were thwarted. Not far from where he discharged the other lady, he was surrounded by another set of sparkling ladies, whom he discharged with a little psyche. But one of them persisted; she came within a close range and, with her pointed ‘heavy balls,’ she told the reporter to his face to ‘come and do.’

He replied, “to do what?” and she was not shy to offer him sex in the open. He told her that the kind gesture was appreciated, but it should be fixed for another time, as he was merely waiting for a friend to pick him up. She did not want to let him go and he did not want to appear too harsh. Truth be told, he was also scared of being attacked.

She offered a way out: she and the writer could “have it somewhere on the street” before his friend arrived. That was not all: if he was not in the mood for sex, she could only suck on his manhood. He gasped and was short of words. “Are you avoiding me?” she asked as she flaunted her boobs and asked if she was not endowed enough. He had to tell her that she was good looking, and that he would want to meet her another time, all in the bid to discharge her. She later said: “Give me money for Indomie since  you have refused to have fun.” The reporter was almost tempted to give her money, but he did not because he feared that others might besiege him to get theirs too and he could put himself in a mess.  

Wondering if the security agents are aware of the activities of Allen Avenue? Interestingly, some policemen suspected to be stationed at the environs were also having a nice time. The reporter sighted a police van at a strategic spot where some policemen were enjoying their stay with some set of Aristos. The reporter also learnt that a security man protects the Aristos from being attacked.     

A taxi driver who took the reporter out of the den confirmed that the policemen stationed at the axis condone the activities on the street, especially at night. “They also have their cuts. They even protect them from being harassed or kidnapped. In fact, the policemen, banks and company security guards and taxi drivers also patronise them.”

He also relayed his recent experience with a prostitute who boarded his cab and could not afford the sum of N500 they agreed upon, but told him to have sex with her in his car in place of the money, an offer which he claimed he refused.

“They are not costly; one can have fun with them with either less than N500 or a little above that. It is no more news that they have sex on the street; some prefer having fun beside the walls, in the car, on the tiles of ATM machine booths, or even at the security guards’ cubicles. Lately, some of them have been coming with mats. All they just have to do is to settle the security guards on duty for the period of time they intend to spend,” he revealed.

Is the government aware of the activities of Allen Avenue? And are the proprietors of banks and companies aware of what their buildings are being used for at the close hours? 

EBOLA ALERT .. WE MUST TELL THESE GOONS TO SHUT UP : Hold Jonathan Responsible If Ebola Spreads Further – APC ... InformationNigeria

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said Nigerians must hold President Goodluck Jonathan personally responsible if the Ebola Virus Disease spreads more than it has done in the country.

The opposition party said this following Jonathan’s failure to stop a rally by Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), aimed at supporting his re-election bid, in Port Harcourt on Saturday, despite warning from individuals and groups.

“As we said in our statement of Aug. 28th 2014 calling on President Jonathan to halt the TAN rallies, especially the one in Port Harcourt, could anyone guarantee that none of those who have had contact with the medical doctor who died of the disease will attend the rally? That is why we are calling on Nigerians to hold the President responsible if Ebola spreads more than it has in the country,” APC said.

The party said shortly after it made the call for a halt to the TAN rallies, others, including the NBA and Prof. Itse Sagay, in a clearly patriotic duty, issued similar calls.

“In fact, the APC in Rivers described such a rally most appropriately as a ‘firing squad against the people’. But because he will rather be re-elected than give a damn over the safety of the same people who voted him into office, because he will rather transmogrify than transform, President Jonathan ignored all the calls and allowed the rally to hold. This is an unprecedented act of political
desperation,” it said.

APC said for those who might try to spin the issue by saying the President has no control over the organizers of the rally, they should be asked who the rallies will benefit, whose top officials, including Secretary to the Government Anyim Pius Anyim, have been attending the rallies and what is the source of the funding of the gatherings.

“The TAN rallies are government-sanctioned. The TAN rallies are the Jonathan Administration’s cunning way of beating the INEC ban on campaigns for next year’s general elections. The TAN rallies highlight the impunity of the Jonathan Administration. President Jonathan is the sole beneficiary. He can stop the rallies today, if only he wants to put the nation’s interest above his own personal interest,” the party said.

HELP FROM A NEIGHBOUR IN THE TERROR WAR : Cameroon Troops Kill 30 Boko Haram Members ... LeadershipNews

Cameroonian authorities have confirmed that the country’s military killed 30 suspected Boko Haram militants who attacked areas where 480 Nigerian troops had crossed over to during a battle with the insurgents.

Cameroon’s state radio reported yesterday that the troops beat back two attempts by suspected Boko Haram militants to enter the country’s northern territory through a locality that shares boundary with Nigeria.

Cameroon military spokesman Lt-Col Didier Badjeck told the Voice of America (VOA) that allegations made in Cameroonian media that the incident was a defection were unfounded, adding that they were particularly careful over the presence of the Nigerian soldiers as Boko Haram militants could also disguise as a regular army and attack them.

“People should support but allow the Cameroon army to handle the situation and fight Boko Haram as professional soldiers.

“We cannot neglect details in a war front and we are consequently examining any potential actions of Boko Haram,” he said.

“During a confrontation late Tuesday, the soldiers killed 14 insurgents, 16 were killed in an earlier attack on Monday,” he added.

Meanwhile, the insurgents have attacked Mirga town, Biu local government area of Borno State, and burnt down all communication masts.

It was also reported that a Toyota Land Cruiser jeep belonging to APC chieftain Alhaji Modu Kakas had been snatched at gun point by the insurgents.

A resident who confirmed the bloodless attack said, “When these people (Boko Haram) attack a place, they leave a trademark of death. When they come to your town and did not kill anyone, then you have to thank God and make sacrifice (sadakka).

“Those living in Borno State know the magnitude of killings meted on the innocent people by these people who are claiming to be doing the work of Allah.”

Death toll hits 30 as Fulani attack more Eggon communities in Nasarawa

The violent feud involving Eggon and Fulani communities in Nasarawa State took another dimension yesterday when Fulani attackers invaded Tudun Adabu, an agrarian town, in the morning which led to hours of fierce fighting leaving casualties on both sides.

One of those who fled the area when the Fulani were said to have invaded at about 10am, Esla Jatau, said there had been rumours since Monday morning of the impending attack by Fulani herdsmen, so women and children were evacuated before they struck about 10am.

Unlike their attack on Akunni and Ikposogye where they had a field day destroying homes and property because the residents of the villages had deserted their homes, the Fulani met stiff resistance from Tudun Adabu youths who engaged them in exchange of fire lasting several hours.

A victim who craved anonymity said at about 11am Fulani were seen carrying their dead and the injured heading towards Obi town. He added that rampaging youths had also barricaded Lafia-Obi road in search of Fulani commuters and, in the process, vandalized many cars.

The crisis, which started with the assault on a Fulani community penultimate Friday, has snowballed into an endless cycle of violence in the state where up to 30 people are feared to have lost their lives.

Mallam Abdullahi Shuiabu, from nearby Daddere community, said residents of the area had fled their homes for fear that the crisis may spread into their community which only last week witnessed the killing of four Gwandara men by Eggon youths.

The president of Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA), Mr Chris Mamman, said the series of attacks on Eggon communities was unprovoked, adding that it was not a case of Eggon fighting with Fulani but that of Fulani wreaking havoc on Eggon communities.

However, the secretary-general of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Alhaji Abubakar Husseini, said the leadership of Fulani and Eggon communities in the state had reached an agreement on peace only for the Eggons to renege on the peace deal and provoke the ongoing faceoff.

Speaking on behalf of the Nasarawa State government, the senior special assistant on public affairs, Hon. Abdulhamid Kwarra, said government has made adequate provision for the internally displaced who are currently being camped in Wamba, Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon, Lafia and Obi local government areas.

He denied media reports that the fight was between the entire Eggon nation and the Fulani, noting that it is only the Ombatse faction of Eggon that was fighting the Fulani.

He called on residents of the state to remain calm and law-abiding , saying reprisal attacks would only fuel the crisis more. The state government, he said, is working round the clock to ensure that the carnage and destruction is halted.

10 perish in boat mishap

No fewer than 10 persons were said to have been killed as the boat they were traveling in capsized yesterday in Ebe village, Lokoja local government area of Kogi State.

The boat which carried over 100 passengers from the village, which is the home town of the former speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulraham Dangana, was said to have sank into the River Niger as a result of heavy turbulence occasioned by alleged clash between the security patrol team and a boat conveying oil thieves called “bunkerers”.

According to a source, the security patrol were said to have chased a boat conveying drums of crude oil which was sighted on the River Niger at about midnight on Tuesday into River Burara.

The source further revealed that the unfortunate incident was as a result of the diversion by the passenger boat from the original channel on the River Niger to River Burara due to the alleged poor dredging of the River Niger by the National Inland Water Ways Authority, NIWA.

The passengers were said to be coming to Lokoja market from Ebe village in Kuba-North community in Lokoja.

Efforts to get the side of the general manager, corporate affairs of NIWA, Mr Tayo Fadile, proved abortive. He replied through a text message: “At meeting, will call you later”.

Jonathan, Obasanjo meet over insecurity, other issues

President Goodluck Jonathan and former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo have met in respect of the worsening security situation in the country.

The two men met yesterday in Abuja to brainstorm on the issue. The visit was on the invitation of President Jonathan.

This was coming barely two days after the former president commended efforts of the federal and Lagos state governments on the efforts made to check the spread of Ebola virus.

But Obasanjo told newsmen, shortly after arriving in Abuja from Abeokuta, that it was purely on security matters.

“Yes, I can confirm that I met with Mr President on his invitation. In fact, he had wanted to come down to Abeokuta, but as a sign of respect to the Office of the President, I had to go. We had discussion on the country’s security issues and that is all.”

Obasanjo, who appreciated the invitation of the president, said he would continue to make himself available on national issues in the interest of peace and progress of the country.

On the Eggon/Fulani crisis in Nassarawa state, Obasanjo called on the governments of Benue and Nassarawa to ensure that peace is restored to the warring communities. He said Eggon and the Fulani must understand each other.

“There is no way such will not happen, but the two state governments should come up with lasting solutions. The farmers would want their crops to be protected, while the cattle men will also want their cattle to feed. So, the government should fashion out peaceful means to end the crisis,” Obasanjo stated.

EBOLA ALERT : Man’s Wickedness! Ebola from Lagos to Rivers ... VanguardNews

When HIV/AIDS  was discovered in the US in the early 1980s, nobody believed it would reach a point that Africa would become the epicentre .The whites that were infected accepted their fate and ensured that they lived positively,informing anybody they were to have sexual contacts with about their health status, and ensuring that condoms were used correctly.

Governor of Rivers state, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

The religious leaders over there never intervened on the advice given by doctors and no religious leader,no matter how spiritually connected, claimed to have the cure for the HIV-AIDS. Today, the percentage of people living with HIV  in UK and US is less than what obtains in Africa.

If an African tests positive to HIV today,that person will assure himself/herself that nothing is wrong in transmitting it to another person, after all how did he/she get it in the first place? Within   one week, many innocent people will have been infected and this ‘distributor’ will be ashamed to start treating himself/herself on time.

When he/she reaches the final stage complicated with the opportunistic infections,he/she will be rushed to hospital where the doctors will be expected to do abracadabra. This is usually after many months of managing the person for an ‘attack”  in the church while the free government anti- retroviral drugs are wasting  in our hospitals.When the person eventually dies,people will say,’God gave and God has taken.’

WRONG EXERCISE OF POWER
When the Catholic hospital in Liberia treating Patrick Sawyer’s sister made the diagnosis of Ebola, Sawyer was aware of the diagnosis and the implications and he was restricted from attending to his sister.  But he  exercised his political power and violated the hospital’s instructions. It was reported that he was found many times with blood stains on his shirts while attending to his late sister. Even while in Nigeria,he repeated similar thing when he was restricted.

The management of First Consultants Hospital reported that they were under  pressure to release him since he was a diplomat but the management refused considering the effects of such unpatriotic act on the Nigerian  public.  Sadly, in our usual way of doing things, one can be sure that our government will not do anything to reward this hospital or immortalize the health practitioners  who lost their lives. Imagine what would have happened if  Sawyer succeeded in the wrong use of his power and connections and was discharged from First Consultants Hospital to travel down to Calabar?

A nurse that was involved in the treatment of  Sawyer wickedly(or do I say ignorantly) travelled to Enugu  possibly to ‘distribute’ the deadly virus to others including his family members. Remember that the said nurse was aware that other members of the hospital staff were quarantined along with other contacts of  Sawyer but she decided to run to  Enugu without considering the passengers in the vehicle she travelled in could be exposed to the Ebola virus.

Also, Sawyer as a true African, stubbornly left Liberia against medical advice to attend the ECOWAS convention in Calabar. It was reported that this  Sawyer having discovered that he tested positive to Ebola, he started urinating on the hospital staff of First Consultants Hospital hence the need for the late consultant, Dr Stella Adadevoh, to personally restrict his movements.

Some dubious religious leaders on their own part are busy preaching to their gullible congregation that the said virus is from God hence it requires God’s intervention to cure. I don’t want to talk about the  ‘saltwater’ treatment   which expectedly killed more people. What these religious leaders never knew was that Ebola had been in existence since 1976. Expectedly, the man that took Ebola to Rivers State might not tell the doctor that he was among the primary contacts of Sawyer hence the doctor falling prey to his antics.

In Liberia recently,we heard that some idiots called gunmen went to Ebola isolation centre and freed the quarantined patients and stole the materials brought to the patients believing that the materials were money.  They even went ahead to claim that Ebola did not exist the same way that some foolish people believed that the true meaning of AIDS is,’American Idea for Dodging Sex,’ and today they are either living with the virus or have died of the deadly virus disease.

THE GOVERNMENT THAT CANNOT BE TRUSTED
A national emergency was declared for Ebola virus disease  by our government  and about N1.9billion was released and expectedly as a Nigerian thing the few that are favoured in power will benefit from the money ‘allegedly’ released after all it is said that one man’s food is another man’s poison,whether the poor man out there is taken care of or not that does not concern them.

If you ever accuse any of the officials of embezzling the funds released,he/she will smartly rush down to court where he/she will get perpetual injunction restricting EFCC,ICPC and other law enforcement agents from investigating him and will still come out and ask you to tender an apology for even thinking of arresting him in the first place,the same way that the House Of Representatives asked NMA to apologise to Nigerians for fighting for their rights.

Remember that the vital aim of the said strike is to compel the government to revamp the moribund state of  our health sector. Don’t be surprised when the salaries of health workers would be subtracted ,reason being the purchase of personal protective equipment by the hospital management for the health workers.
Was it not this same government through their health experts that told us that nano-silver was potential cure for Ebola?

Having confirmed the news  from our supposed health experts,our national dailies carried headlines such as: Ebola: Hope rises for local treatments;Govt to introduce Nano Silver,drug developed by Nigerian scientist etc. This was happening at a time that a fledgling internet surfer knew that the said nano silver was a pesticide.
A woman recently lost her life after she was reported to have been rejected by many hospitals. The said hospitals suspected that the woman had  Ebola virus disease and  rejected her. After the woman died it was discovered that she had no Ebola. Do we now blame the hospitals for rejecting the woman?

In my own opinion,  I don’t think that I will blame the hospitals because there is no way endangering the life of other patients and staff of the hospitals when it was clear that government had not provided the required equipment to the hospitals. Another point there is: rejecting the suspected patients and allowing the patients have access to the Nigerian public ,is it not an act of un-patriotism on the part of the hospitals? The answer to that question will be, what has the government done for the management of the First Consultants Hospital Lagos,for sacrificing four of their staff,one of which was a consultant, to encourage other hospitals to be patriotic?

It was announced, last week, that about 70 people were quarantined in Rivers State. Somebody should help  ask our government officials the exact location where the suspected patients are currently quarantined? I am still in Rivers State and when I read the news, I  called the people I was supposed to call to know the exact location of the quarantine centre, they were as confused as I was (or do I say I am since I am yet to know the exact location).

We are no more kids,we have our communication gadgets,they should not deceive us at this age. If the patients are not at UPTH(University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital) and not at BMSH(Braithwait Memorial Specialist Hospital), worse still, the Emohua quarantine centre is yet to be fully completed as at the time of writing this report,where then exactly are the patients quarantined and where was the wife of the late doctor treated?

THE WAY FORWARD
(1)If the government is really serious in containing this Ebola virus disease, which I  doubt,they should restrict movements in and out of Lagos and Rivers States for now, because the  arrest of Boston bombers in USA was possible because movements were restricted.

(2)The supposed government health experts should always tell the masses the truth at all times and verify all statements before granting press briefings. The hospital owned by the late doctor is a busy hospital located at the heart of Port Harcourt,Rumuokoro axis of the Garden City. All his contacts should be traced immediately. I heard he just operated on a patient a day before he died,all these facts should be objectively  investigated .

(3)All hospitals,private hospitals inclusive,should be provided with large number of Personal Protective Equipment.
(4)When a patient in a quarantined center is discharged, before another patient is admitted, that place must be fully sterilized in accordance with WHO standards and the gloves used in touching/treating  one Ebola suspected patient should not be used on another patient. The mortuary the late doctor was  initially taken to, before being brought to UPTH should be decontaminated according to international best practices and all the workers at the morgue quarantined.

(5) Private hospitals that alert the government about a possible case of Ebola should be financially compensated because as First Consultant Hospital is currently locked up,the management is still counting their losses and it will take many years before the average Nigerian will start patronizing the hospital. By compensating the management of First Consultants Hospital and immortalising the health workers that died in the process,it will encourage many private hospitals and other health practitioners to be more patriotic

(6)Commercial bus drivers and taxi drivers  should start carrying three passengers per seat  and one passenger in the front seat as against the current practice of four passengers per seat and two passengers in front. This will help minimize the body contacts which is another means of contracting this virus disease.  Believe  me,our law enforcement agents once they collect their ‘roger’ (bribe) they will look the other way while the commercial drivers will pack their passengers like sardine .

(7)Any religious leader or house that claims having any cure for the deadly Ebola virus disease  should be arrested and prosecuted since when Jesus and Mohammed were on this earth,they never advertised their healing powers. Also,these religious leaders should be warned not to organise any gathering at this critical period.

(8)Our legislators should immediately enact laws so that any Ebola suspect who runs away will be prosecuted after being arrested and treated. This law will ensure that all Ebola suspects will surrender  themselves to the appropriate authorities and any health practitioner that treats any suspected Ebola patient without calling on the appropriate authority will be dealt with.

This is exactly the case in Port Harcourt where the primary contact of the index case ran away from Lagos to Port Harcourt to be treated by the late doctor. I am sure that our legislators will not enact any law because there is no financial inducement to set them into action .

The Nigerian masses should hold their leaders accountable because as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said in her book,The Purple Hibiscus,’the educated ones leave,the ones with the potential to right the wrong, they leave the weak behind. The tyrants continue to reign because the weak cannot resist.

Do you not see that it is a cycle?’, I call on the human rights lawyers to rise up to this challenge as any problem created in Nigeria by our leaders will be suffered by the masses because our leaders having ‘graciously’ supervised our health sector to its present deplorable state will always travel to Germany for private visits even when a foetus that is conceived today knows that Germany is known for medical tourism.

*JOHN is a medical doctor  based in Port Harcourt

FOR THE RECORDS ... A SATIRICAL RIPOSTE TO IHEJIRIKA : FIVE REASONS WHY EL-RUFAI IS NOT A BOKO HARAM COMMANDER ... By Elnathan John

I am not sure why retired General Ihejirika called Nasir El-Rufai a Boko Haram executive commander. I don’t know what evidence he has and we are not friends like that for me to call or WhatsApp him to ask. Aspresident come 2015, it behoves me to intervene when I sense someone being unjustly accused of a crime. El-Rufai is not my supporter, but as the bigger man (if you have met both of us you will see what I mean) I will come to his defence. It is up to him to see the light and support my candidacy. After thorough research, here are five reasons why Nasir El-Rufai cannot be a Boko Haram commander:

1. Nasir wears glasses. Not cool glasses. Nerdy glasses. A terrorist commander does not need glasses. Let us go into history. Do you know any real terrorist who wears glasses? Osama bin Laden, al-Zarkawi, Hitler, Nelson Mandela (until 2008 in America), Abubakar Shekau. Even Ihejirika himself who has been accused by an Australian negotiator of sponsoring terrorism doesn’t wear glasses – at least not in public. It is a bit hard to picture the diminutive El-Rufai struggling to keep his glasses on the bridge of his nose while planning a bomb attack.
2. Nasir keeps each of his three wives in a different house. The logic here is simple. A man with a terrorist mindset will show this mindset in most of his dealings. Having a different house for each wife means only one thing: he does not like the trouble that flows naturally from attempting to satisfy more than one woman at the same time in the same space. A sadistic terrorist would keep them in one house and derive pleasure from the intrigues, scheming and in-fighting. Now, when it is very tense in one house, he can just drive to another house. That is a man who likes peace. I don’t know if they have a schedule or timetable or anything, but Nasir seems like the kind of organised person who will draft and print an annual program just so none of the wives gets it twisted. You know, complete with conjugal visits, general hanging out, individual duties and responsibilities and time with the respective in-laws. You may argue that the fact that he has three wives is itself looking for trouble. Calm down. He may be 50, but he is a virile man. Think of it this way: three wives are less stressful, less sinful and less expensive than three mistresses.
3. I betrayed him and I am still alive. A Boko Haram executive commander would have organised to truncate my earthly hustle a long time ago. Let me explain. You see, I met Nasir a little over a year ago when he still had his back page column in ThisDay Newspapers. He invited me to take his column as a guest and wrote a glowing introduction to my column. Now, gratitude would mean that I also speak well of him and support him in his political hustle. Not long after, he published his book. I did not like the book. I even retweeted a bad review of the book. Yes, retweets are not necessarily endorsements, but you know how people judge you for retweeting bad things about them. For a while we weren’t so friendly on Twitter anymore and I do not know if he was busy or just ignoring me. As if that was not enough, I wrote several articles making fun of his height. Let us just say that many months later, to the glory of God and the credit of Nasir, I have not been attacked or killed. I have not received death threats. In fact, I recently visited his house and was served Indomie by his son, Bello. Yes, the Indomie had no egg or meat (I will talk about this next) but which person will still be kind after all I have written about Nasir?
4. El-Rufai doesn’t have that much money. Terrorism is very capital intensive. You can tell when a person has a lot of money when you go to his house. The Indomie I was served when I went there had a lonely journey down my stomach. I no longer eat meat, but I still eat eggs. However, I don’t hold it against the El-Rufai family. When you have a large family and dozens of visitors going in and out of your house daily, you have to cut costs. If he had that much money – enough to sponsor terrorism and be a Boko Haram commander – we would not have been reading about his plain Indomie today. Plus the guy is kind of stingy. You know how an older man will call you to his office or house to discuss something or ask you to do something and then when you are leaving sneak some naira notes into your palm? Well, not Nasir. Nasir behaves as if giving people cash causes Ebola.


5. Nasir talks too much and is too straightforward to be a Boko Haram commander. Any Boko Haram commander would have to be someone who can keep loads of secrets. Otherwise he would jeopardize operations for the entire group. Have you observed how Nasir uses Twitter and Facebook? He excitably tweets everything he thinks about this government and politics. And sometimes it gets him into trouble. If I got 50 naira for every time Nasir tweeted or posted something prematurely, albeit his honest opinion, I would have bought the VW Golf R I have been saving for forever. Often I think that Nasir would suffer major blood pressure issues if he was ever banned from tweeting or using Facebook. If he was an executive Boko Haram commander, the Nasir I know would have one day mistakenly tweeted: “Alhamdulillah, just activated two suicide bombers. Jonathanians will soon receive the shocker of their lives.”



Like I said in the beginning, I do not know if after this lengthy defence, Nasir El-Rufai will see the light and put his weight behind my candidacy. Me, I have done my part. They say you can take a horse to the river but you cannot force it to support your ambition. Or something like that. Whatever Nasir El-Rufai chooses to do, God bless his non-terrorist hustle.

BOKO HARAM AND TERROR, THE POLITICS AND THE BUSINESS : Chibok girls: Powerful Nigerians don’t want girls rescued — Shehu Sani ... PunchNews

Some powerful Nigerians are sabotaging the efforts of the Federal Government and other concerned citizens to ensure that the over 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram are set free.

This was disclosed by the President, Civil Rights Congress, Mr. Shehu Sani, in an exclusive interview with SUNDAY PUNCHlast week.

Sani, who has been involved in efforts to get government and Boko Haram to discuss the fate of the girls in the past, said some powerful individuals, whom he refused to name, ensured that the talks derailed.

Sani’s disclosure came even as SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that government had begun fresh talks with the group to secure the release of the girls.

Reports have claimed that the girls who were kidnapped from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, have been sighted in camps inside Sambisa Forest, in some border towns near Cameroon and in the Central African Republic.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Sani; and a United Arab Emirates-based Nigerian freelance journalist, Ahmad Salkida, who had communication channels with Boko Haram, had offered to mediate between the government and the sect. But none of these efforts have yielded fruits.

There have been speculations that recently President Goodluck Jonathan and Obasanjo held a meeting to discuss how to negotiate the release of the girls.

Sani, who is one of the negotiators facilitating the current talks, confirmed that government and the sect had started another round of talks for the release of the girls. However, he expressed fears that the powerful Nigerians who sabotaged earlier talks might derail the ongoing talks if care was not taken.

“What I want to tell you is that something is being done about it but I’m not disposed to making it public. Most times, publicising these issues always lead to sabotage by those who do not want the girls freed. I will not mention the names of these Nigerians.

“However, I can tell you that real and genuine moves are going on, which I am a part of. The claim that the girls have been abandoned is not true. There are genuine efforts by government and some individuals, who are discreetly making efforts toward getting their (pupils’) safe return home.”

The human rights activist noted that the girls could only be freed either forcefully or through dialogue and negotiation.

He added that the foreign intervention sought by some Nigerians had not produced results.

The United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Israel had offered to assist Nigeria in rescuing the school girls.

Both the US and the UK had sent security experts and technology to locate the abductees and secure their release. While the US claimed to have located the girls, France had specifically opposed negotiations with the sect.

Speaking on efforts made by these countries so far, Sani said, “I am not aware of any serious efforts made by any foreign country. I am not aware of what is happening on the side of the US forces. From the side of dialogue or negotiation, I have not seen any serious intervention or involvement of these countries.”

Similarly, the Convener, Coalition of Northern Politicians, Academics, Professionals and Businessmen, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said some powerful forces had been frustrating efforts to free the girls

The Second Republic lawmaker said, “Powerful forces have proceeded to stall the negotiation over certain political gains.”

Confirming the negotiation plan, the President, Kibaku Youth Association of Nigeria (a community in Chibok Local Government Area), Mr. Moses Zakwa, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the Federal Government engaged the services of an Australian negotiator.

He, however, said he was not aware if any Nigerian was engaged by the government for talks with the sect.

Zakwa said, “Some weeks ago, we understood that the Federal Government hired a private negotiator who has been working in regards to the release of the Chibok girls. Every person in Chibok and Borno State knows too well that a former governor of the state is the founder of Boko Haram. Everybody sees him like a semi-god that cannot be touched by any authority.”

Zakwa also revealed that the Chibok community had resolved to protect itself against further attacks from Boko Haram. He also dropped hints that the community might take the fight to the Islamic sect.

He said, “What I want to assure you is that the community and its indigenes are ready. We want to take the bull by the horn. Whatever it will cost us, we are fully ready to face members of Boko Haram. I want to assure you that an earthquake will soon happen and Nigerians will be happy with what we plan to do.”

However, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Pan Chibok Youths Association, Dr. Allen Manasseh, told our correspondent that he was not aware of any ongoing talks between the government and the sect.

He said, “I am not aware of any negotiation because I am not privy to that information yet. As I am speaking to you, I am in Chibok and I don’t know when negotiation started or how far they have gone with the negotiation. But if they have started negotiation with Boko Haram, then it is okay by us.”

Manasseh, however, expressed doubts about the Federal Government’s resolve to rescue the girls. While describing the ongoing efforts as belated, the Chibok youth leader said the government had had enough time to rescue the girls.

He said, “That is where my scepticism will come in because the girls in captivity are over a hundred and if the Federal Government is willing to negotiate with whoever is holding them captive, then it has taken too long for them to do that.”

The Northern Elders Forum had on August 11, 2014, given President Jonathan up to October to produce the schoolgirls or forget his 2015 presidential re-election bid.

An ex-Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Mr. Solomon Dalung, at a press briefing on behalf of the forum said the failure of the President to produce the Chibok girls and tackle other security challenges in the land, amounted to the forfeiture of his rights to ask for another mandate to lead Nigeria beyond 2015.

“In the light of our firm conviction that the insurgency and related security challenges pose threats to the 2015 elections and the survival of our nation, we strongly advise President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to bring an end to the insurgency in all its manifestations and produce the Chibok girls before the end of October 2014,” Dalung stated.

But Jonathan had reacted through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, saying he was already working on how to rescue the abducted girls.

“President Jonathan does not require any threat or ultimatum from any group of persons to be alive to his responsibilities to the Nigerian people,” Okupe had said.

Efforts to get the Presidency to confirm the said negotiation on Friday proved abortive.

Several calls made to the telephones of both the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, and the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, were not picked. Also, they did not respond to a text message sent to them.

Last Monday, a United States-based journal, Foreign Policy, listed the girls’ rescue as one of the missions that had been “forgotten” by the US government.

According to the magazine, the rescue of the girls is one of ‘The Pentagon’s top five “forgotten missions.”’

In a report titled ‘Forgotten Mission,’ which was published on Monday, the journal said there was no end in sight for the US mission in Nigeria to free the schoolgirls.

The abduction had called global attention, especially through a social media campaign with the hash tag, #BringBackOurGirls.

Foreign Policy recalled that President Barack Obama’s administration had deployed manned and unmanned aircraft to find the girls.

“It also dispatched advisors from the State and Defence departments, as well as the FBI. In late May, 80 troops (were) deployed in Chad to support and maintain unarmed Predator drones providing the mission with surveillance,” Foreign Policy added.

The journal further said, “Approximately 60 girls have escaped but the rest remain missing. Other missions said to have been forgotten by the US government included the hunting down of Joseph Kony of the LRA in Central Africa; destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons; NATO air policing; and the US operations in Afghanistan.

BREAKING UP BECAUSE OF A BREAK UP : Oyakhilomes divorce splits Christ Embassy members ... PunchNews

Members of the Christ Embassy are divided over a divorce suit filed against the Senior Pastor of the church, Chris Oyakhilome, by wife, Anita, in a London court.

Oyakhilome is the President of the Believers’ Love World Incorporated, the registered name of the Christian ministry, while his wife is the Vice President.

Some members of the church on a Facebook page, ‘Where is Rev. Anita Oyakhilome,’ which is believed to have been opened by Anita’s fans, expressed differing opinions on the matter.

On Saturday, one of the church members, Ijeoma Olive Ehirim said, “I am a Christ Embassy member. I hate one thing there: How can a pastor be working together with a lady hand in hand, attending meetings and lodging in a hotel for days. My girlfriend travels with our branch pastor annually for PPCF which holds in Lagos. Only God knows.”

Sharing a similar view, Samantha Iwowo, described adultery as one of the grounds for divorce.

Iwowo said, “Pastor Chris Oyakhilome must have been discovered compromising his marital bed business. It is what it is. God says judgement will start from His house. ‘Touch not my anointed’ is God’s instruction regarding all His children, not an individual nicking, scheming, threatening monies off people’s purses and telling them that salvation is tied to tithes and that seed sowing is only money donation to the church/pastor’s coffers. One down, more to roll. Christ be praised.”

In her post, Chinyere Okechukwu-George, claimed to have left the church when she observed some irregularities.

“I and my family left Christ Embassy for our own good after worshiping there for three years plus and seeing all the things going on under the disguise of church. And I can comfortably say that for over a year now, we have had so much peace in our Christian lives. I don’t care how you view my comment but truth must be told.”

Joseph Osagiede, however, responded saying the Oyakhilomes were still together.

He said, “I have been in Christ Embassy for 12 years. All is totally well with thier marriage. All those wishing them to split and also those going about saying nasty things about the church, be careful.”

Faith Ebunoluwa Adetayo also said, “I have been in Christ Embassy since 1990s and I can authoritatively say some things: I have seen the power of God work, demonstrated in healings and many other things. I have seen how that Pastor Chris is less concerned about mistakes we make.

“He believes that these sins of the flesh will disappear, only if we listen to the word of God. Rather than condemning us, he speaks words of encouragement. And for your information, Pastor Anita is still very much in the ministry and she’s with her darling husband.”

Meanwhile, the Christ Embassy has kept mum on the divorce case.

A woman, who picked SUNDAY PUNCH’s call to the Nigerian office of the church on Saturday, said she had no information to give on the matter.

When asked to confirm if the divorce suit was true or not, she simply said, “I have no information to give on the matter.”

When another call was made to the church thorough another number, the respondent, who identified herself as Pastor Christabel, said the church had no information about the case.

“No, we have no information on the matter,” she said.

An online newspaper, The Cable, had reported on Friday that the divorce case, with Suit No FD14D01650, was filed on April 9, 2014 at the Divorce Section A, Central Family Court, First Avenue House, High Holborn, London, the United Kingdom, on Anita’s behalf by Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors.

Anita reportedly filed for dissolution of the marriage between her and her pastor husband, which produced two teenage daughters – Sharon and Charlyn – on the grounds of “unreasonable behaviour” and “adultery.”

MORE EXPLOSIVE REVELATIONS BY THIS AUSTRALIAN NEGOTIATOR : Boko Haram funded through the CBN ... TheHeraldNews

Violent terrorist group, Boko Haram has been said to be funded through the Central Bank of Nigeria, at least in previous times and before the emergence of the new CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele.

This revelation was made by Australian negotiator who spoke to key Boko Haram figures in the past few month, Dr. Stephen Davis.

The Cable reports:

Davis, who spoke with TheCable on phone from Australia in his first interview with a Nigerian journalist, said Western countries could not trace the majority of the source of funding to Boko Haram because “it is done through a legal channel, through the gatekeeper, the CBN, and that makes it very easy to cover up”. He said Boko Haram commanders told him a senior CBN official, who currently works in the bank’s currency operations division, was the one handling the transactions. “One of the biggest of suppliers of arms and military uniforms to the JAS (Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, better known as Boko Haram) currently lives in Cairo, Egypt. He is the recipient of money sent by political sponsors from Nigeria.

The funds go through the CBN’s financial system and appear to be a legal transaction. “Meanwhile, the CBN official who handles the funding is an uncle to three of those arrested in connection with the Nyanya bombings. The three boys lived with him. They were arrested by the SSS (Department of State Security) after the bombings but they do not seem to have been interrogated about their uncle in CBN. Or if they have given up information about their uncle then the SSS has not moved against him.” “Also, a senior official of CBN, who recently left the bank, was very close to Sodiq Aminu Ogwuche, the mastermind of the Nyanya bombings who also schooled in Sudan. Boko haram commanders said Ogwuche’s wife used to visit this top official in his office at the headquarters of the bank in Abuja before the Nyanya bombings. They were very close,” Davis said.

Excerpts from The Cable’s interview with Davis:

TheCable: How did you become involved in the negotiation for the release of the Chibok schoolgirls?

Davis: Because I had built trust among the militants, I made calls to them when I heard about the abductions. They confirmed to me that the girls were with them. I came to Nigeria in late April (the girls were abducted on April 14). I told the president I would try to intervene and help get the girls out. He said he would give me the needed support if I wanted. However, what I discovered was that thrice we tried to get the girls released, and thrice my efforts were sabotaged. That was when I now realised that some politicians were also involved in the insurgency. There were the remnants of those involved in the former peace deal as well as a political arm and what I call the ritual arm which specialises in butchering human beings. While I was making efforts to get the girls released, the political backers of the group threatened that if I got 30 or 40 girls out, the militants would kidnap another 60 to replace them. I became very frustrated. They threatened that any commander of the group who agreed to participate in any dialogue would be slaughtered by other commanders. The political sponsors are very powerful because they supply the finances and the arms. Until they are cut off from the group, those girls will not be released. We are talking about 200 Chibok schoolgirls, but there are over 300 other girls that have been kidnapped. There are many young men that they also kidnapped and turned them against their families. They asked them to go and slaughter their family members and they are doing it. Nobody is talking about those ones. They are the new child soldiers.

TheCable: How can we get these girls released?

Davis: The first thing is to stop the bagman who supplies weapons and military uniforms. We know his name, location and associates. If the man is stopped, the slaughterers, the ritual arm of the group, would be demobilised. The girls can be released afterwards. This man controls these ritualists.

TheCable: Was there really any deal to release the girls?

Davis: Yes, there was. Some commanders of the group told me that they would first release 100 of the girls and that would be the first step towards dialogue. They needed a guarantee from President Jonathan that they would not be arrested or prosecuted if they showed up for dialogue. They agreed with me that if they did that and no one was arrested, then they would return to the camps to release the rest of the girls.

TheCable: In all your discussions, did they name their sponsors?

Davis: They named the man who lives in Cairo. He is of the Kanuri tribe. He passes arms, ammunition and uniforms to them. The CBN official who handles the funding (name withheld by TheCable for legal reasons) is an uncle to three of those arrested in connection with the Nyanya bombings. The three boys lived with him. They were arrested by the SSS (Department of State Security) after the bombings but they are yet to be interrogated about their uncle. The official still works with the CBN. He is still there. He works in currency operations. He knows how to handle the transaction in a way that it can never be traced. Western countries are frustrated that they cannot trace the funding. How can they when it is passed on legally, through the gatekeeper, through the CBN? Also, a senior official of CBN, who recently left the bank, was very close to Sodiq Aminu Ogwuche, the mastermind of the Nyanya bombings who also schooled in Sudan. Ogwuche’s wife used to visit this official in his office at the headquarters in Abuja before the bombings. They were very close. Don’t forget that the CBN official who handles the transactions also used to report to his superior, the official who recently left the bank. Also, there is a politician who was supplying operational vehicles for the suicide bombers. He gave them Hilux vans. He is a prominent politician. If the president goes after these guys, they will say it is political. That is part of the problem. Everybody will say the president is going after his political opponents, especially as there is a general election next year. The militants also named the former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff. In 2003 and 2007, Sheriff was very close to them. He used them for his elections. They worked for him. However, in 2007, the leader of the group, Muhammed Yusuf, collected money from Sheriff in return for support. Yusuf’s mentor, Ja’afar Mahmud Adam, exposed and criticised him for collecting money from Sheriff, and Yusuf ordered his killing in April 2007. But eventually, Yusuf and Sheriff fell out. However, it is acknowledged that Sheriff was and is a major financier of the group. He pays for young men to go for lesser hajj. From there they are recruited into the group. They interact freely with the Al-Shabbab militants from Somalia. They are trained by Al-Shabbab. Some of them go to Mali for training. These guys are in touch with the ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which now simply calls itself Islamic State and controls parts of Iraq). They are deadly. They share the same philosophy. The militant commanders I spoke with also named a former army chief as one of their sponsors. You have senior military officers who are benefiting from the insurgency because of the security budget. It pays them to keep the insurgency going so that they can continue to make money. I asked them several times who the army chief was and they told me it is… (name withheld by TheCable for legal reasons).