Chibok Girls Issue Not Yet Over.

Kano - Boko Haram has claimed the 219 schoolgirls it kidnapped in Nigeria earlier this year have converted to Islam and have been married.

The Islamist group's leader, Abubakar Shekau, also denied claims by Nigeria's government that it had agreed to a ceasefire and apparently ruled out future talks.

In addition, Shekau said the Islamists were holding a German national, who was kidnapped in Adamawa state in northeast Nigeria in July.

The schoolgirls were kidnapped from the remote northeast town of Chibok in Borno state in April, raising global awareness about the group whose five-year insurgency in northern Nigeria has claimed an estimated 13 000 lives.

Little trust

The new video, obtained by AFP on Friday, comes after a surprise announcement by the Nigerian military and presidency on 17 October that a deal had been reached with the militants to end hostilities and return the children.

There was immediate scepticism about both claims. Previous ceasefires have proved fruitless and there is little trust in the influence of the purported Boko Haram envoy, Danladi Ahmadu.

Violence - and renewed kidnappings - have continued unabated since the announcement, including a triple bombing of a bus station in the northern city of Gombe on Friday that killed at least eight.

Nigeria's government maintains that talks are ongoing in the Chadian capital, Ndjamena.

But Shekau, speaking in Hausa, dressed in military fatigues and boots with a black turban, and flanked by 15 armed fighters, said: "We have not made ceasefire with anyone.

Marital homes

"We did not negotiate with anyone... It's a lie. It's a lie. We will not negotiate. What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not."

He also said he did not know Danladi.

Shekau previously threatened to sell the girls as slave brides and also suggested he would be prepared to release them in exchange for Boko Haram prisoners.

In the latest message, he said while laughing: "We have married them off. They are in their marital homes."

Human Rights Watch said in a report published this week that Boko Haram was holding upwards of 500 women and young girls and that forced marriage was commonplace in the militant camps.

LVG gives Rooney derby go-ahead

 Manchester - Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has been passed fit for the Manchester derby on Sunday, manager Louis van Gaal has said on Friday.

However, Radamel Falcao has been ruled out of the clash with reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.

Van Gaal dismissed reports England striker Rooney was suffering from a foot injury and said his skipper would be fit to start at Eastlands after serving a three-game suspension.

But Falcao, who missed the last two games following a kick in training, is still injured and the Colombian will miss the match at City.

Some reports suggested Rooney was doubtful after he was apparently seen hobbling at a sponsor's event at Old Trafford on Monday.

"Rooney was not injured. The media was writing that but he was never injured," Van Gaal told a news conference on Friday.

"Maybe his shoes were too tight, that is possible. But he was never injured and he shall play. He is my captain."

However, turning to Falcao, Van Gaal added: "Falcao is still injured."

But Rooney's return is a boost for the Dutch boss, especially as the forward has scored 11 goals against City, notably the dramatic overhead kick which sealed a 2-1 win at Old Trafford in February 2011.

"I have heard that also he has scored a lot of goals against Manchester City, the most of any player," said Van Gaal. "I said that to him to stimulate him but he doesn't need that.

"I am very happy that he can play again and he shall play," the Dutchman added.

City have won five of their last six league encounters against United but Wednesday's League Cup defeat by Newcastle stretched their winless run to three matches across all competitions.

"It is not the greatest moment of Manchester City," said Van Gaal ahead of his first Manchester derby.

"What we have seen of Manchester City in the last matches was not so good.

"We have a good feeling about this match."

However, Van Gaal warned his players not to get too caught up in the fervour of a derby clash and said it was important they retained their composure.

"We don't have to accelerate this feeling because it is football and you have to play the game, not only a game with emotion but also in a tactical way.

"For me, I have to analyse and prepare for the games in the same manner (as the other matches)."

United make the trip across Manchester knowing a win would close the gap between themselves and City to just a point.

Synagogue submits building collapse victims’ names to coroner

The coroner probing the September 12 Synagogue building collapse, Magistrate O.A. Komolafe, said on Wednesday that he had received the list of the names of the people lodging in the church guest house prior to the collapse.

The coroner had demanded for the list from the Synagogue Church of All Nations, following a request by the Lagos State Chief Forensic Pathologist, Prof. John Obafunwa.

Obafunwa, leading a team of forensic pathologists conducting autopsy on the bodies of the building collapse victims, had said the list of the lodgers would be needed to identify the bodies.

No fewer than 116 persons lost their lives in the Synagogue tragedy while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

At the Wednesday proceeding, Obafunwa gave the assurance that his team would reveal the identities of the dead persons upon the conclusion of their work.

The pathologist, who said his team was able to identify 100 per cent and 98 per cent of the victims of the Associated Airlines and Dana Airlines plane crashes respectively, assured that the Synagogue’s case would not be different.

Obafunwa gave this assurance while answering questions under cross-examination by lawyer to the church, Mr. Olalekan Ojo.

He said, “We know what we had to do and how we had to do it. The same thing happened in the Dana crash in which we identified 98 per cent of the victims. The same thing happened in the Associated Airlines crash in which we identified 100 per cent of the victims.”

In his testimony, the pathologist told the coroner that his final report would both reveal the identities of the victims and the cause of their deaths and the possible cause of the building collapse.

“The final report will contain the various causes of death, which will answer so many questions as to what collapsed the building. It will tell us who died in the accident, by way of disaster victim identification,” Obafunwa said.

The pathologist further testified that he was in the position to tell whether the victims were exposed to smoke or corrosive odours from an explosive, if it was true that the building collapsed as a result of detonation.

He said, “As a forensic pathologist, I can identify the effect of corrosive burns, even when I was not there, even with just the photographs (taken during autopsy) and the detailed information from the autopsy report.

“Something related to that is the presence or absence of smoke after 10 days of embalmment. You don’t look for smoke outside the body; the evidence of smoke inhalation is in the lungs and we took samples of the lungs and examined them under the microscope.”

Asked if he could identify some injuries peculiar to explosion even after the bodies had undergone embalmment, Obafunwa said, “If a building collapsed as a result of explosion, there could be a variety of injuries. Some people might die from the crush effect, some people might die as a result of fire; the fire could occur before or even after, you will still see burns.

“The question is whether the person died in the fire or before the fire. The person could die as a result of severe blood loss because of injury from shrapnel. There are multiple ways in which death could arise when you have an explosion, you could have complete disintegration; I am just giving a general answer.”

Meanwhile, a Lagos-based lawyer, Olukoya Ogungbeje has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to put a halt to further proceedings of the coroner court.

Ogungbeje, in his suit filed on Tuesday, is arguing that the setting up of the coroner court was in violation of the fundamental principles of natural justice as preserved by Section 36 of the Constitution.

The lawyer contended that the outcome of the coroner’s inquest was already a predetermined one.

He argued that the coroner was set up by the Lagos State Government after its agencies had already made public statements indicting the SCOAN and its founder, Pastor T.B. Joshua.

Ogungbeje said, “The Lagos State Building Control Agency even went ahead to seal up the main building of the church. The General Manager of the agency even said in the papers and I quote him as follows, ‘We have investigated and found that they had no approval for the additional structures. Even the main church which they have added about three floors on was sealed two days ago.’”

Adamawa on fire: B’Haram sacks police station, prison

Fighting between Nigerian troops and Boko Haram insurgents escalated in Mubi, Mararaba Mubi and Uba in Adamawa State on Wednesday.

Casualty figures could not be obtained as of 8pm but the development forced the state government to impose 24-hour curfew on the affected communities.

Our correspondents gathered that   Mubi, the second largest town in the state and host of two high institutions, was the worst hit.

A parent, Ahmad Sajoh, whose   daughter is studying at the Adamawa State University, said that as of 2pm on Wednesday, the police barracks in the Government Reservation Area was overrun by the insurgents while the prison in the town was blown open.

He added that   fighting which was ongoing at the army barracks caused confusion at the IDP camp in the Lamorde area of the town.

However, an online newspaper, SaharaReportersreported that Boko Haram insurgents took over the headquarters of the 234 battalion in the town.

Our correspondents gathered that the development made banks to move their cash to Yola, the state capital.

Sources told The PUNCH that insurgents   launched an attack on Uba   in the Michika-Madagali area of the state in response to sustained aerial bombardment of their hideouts by security forces.

Residents said they saw a large number of insurgents at Mararaba, a town about seven kilometres from Mubi.

Sajoh told one of our correspondents that his daughter called to inform him about the development in Mubi.

He said, “This morning, I got a call from my daughter who is a 200-level student. She was hysterical. I was in Abuja for a meeting, but her information forced me to head back to Yola immediately.

“I ordered her to leave the hostel and join her cousins to escape the town. I called my father who confirmed the story. By the time I arrived at Yola airport, the town had fallen to the insurgents.

“My parents are trapped while my daughter and her cousins are missing. We have lost contact for   six hours.”

Sajoh, who is the director of Press and Public Affairs to the former Governor Murtala Nyako, added, “Mallam Iliyasu of the Bursary Department of the state university, who is trapped in the town said by 2pm, the Police Barracks in the GRA was overrun by the insurgents, the prison was blown open while fighting was going on at the army barracks. The IDP camp at Lamorde area was thrown into confusion.

“The new rulers of the town had issued a decree banning   entry and exit to the town. Students who trooped to the motor park were stranded with most taking refuge in any house that could welcome them.

“The barracks are the least safe locations in the town. So far, there are no reported cases of killings or abductions. But fear and apprehension have taken over.”

Another source said that Mubi was currently deserted by residents after the incident, the second in three months.

The   higher institutions in the   town were forced to close down again.

There are fears of   humanitarian crisis should the town fall into the hands of the insurgents.

A fleeing resident, Joshua Gajere, said   several people might have been killed during the shootings that lasted for almost two hours in Uba and other villages.

He said, ‘‘We are in serious trouble as these boys (Boko Haram) have taken over our towns, splitting into groups and advancing towards Mararaba, Mubi and Vintim, the home town of the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh. They made the   Nigerian troops to retreat to Mubi’’.

Gajere added, “As I am talking to you now, residents are scampering for safety.

‘‘Mubi has now become a ghost of itself as people in their hundreds are fleeing for their lives.

‘‘Even here in Maiha, we saw military vehicles zooming off towards Yola, the state capital.’’

However, a resident from Michika, Mr. Siva Zira, told one of our correspondents that the   military was having an upper   hand as they were able to dislodge the insurgents in Michika and Uba.

Meanwhile,   Governor James Ngillari has asked the people of the state, particularly those in the affected areas to remain calm as security agents were on the top of the situation.

His Director of Press and Public Affairs,   P.P. Elisha, said   the governor met with security heads in the state to assess the situation.

He said, “It’s unfortunate with this development, His Excellency, has met with security chiefs in the state on Wednesday to assess the situation.

“People should remain calm, security agents are on the top of situation.’’

It was further gathered banks in Mubi have taken the pre-emptive steps to move out large volume of cash to the Central Bank of Nigeria in Yola.

Our correspondents could not get the Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, to comment on the   hostilities as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.

The government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Mubi, Mararaba Mubi and Uba.

The Secretary to the State Government, Mr Andrew Weyle, who announced this, advised the people to stay away from the roads and other public places.

He said,“Following the escalation of violence by the insurgents, his Excellency the Governor of Adamawa State, Mr. Bala James Ngillari, has approved the imposition of 24 hours curfew on Mubi, Mararaba Mubi and Uba, with immediate effect.

“People are advised to stay off the roads and public places except those on essential services.”

It was further gathered that the insurgents   killed the son of a prominent traditional ruler in the area.

A resident, who identified himself as Kwahir Sani, said, “We fled to a village called Wuro Gude near Mubi when the violence erupted and I have lost contact with some of my children.

“As I am talking to you now, we are hearing gunshots by military in Mubi.”

It was gathered that the insurgents also attacked Askira Uba and Kukawa in Borno State for over six hours.

A fleeing resident said the terrorists killed many people, burnt many houses and carted away food stuffs.

Agence France Presse reported that the heavily armed terrorists, on arrival in Kukawa, opened fire on a police station and market, sending many fleeing.

KOLAROV OF MAN CITY

Cape Town -  Manchester City's Serbian defender Aleksandar Kolarov has opened the mind games ahead of Saturday's Manchester derby.

The 28-year-old defender has labelled his side "superior" to that of neighbours Manchester United according to the Daily Express.

"It is a great game to watch or play in - I think every player in the world would like to play this game." said Kolarov

"United has a great history but in the last five or six years, I think we have been superior to them.

"It will be a great game to play."

City head into Sunday's derby on the back of a loss against West Ham United and anything but three points against their arch-rivals will be a hammer blow to their chances of retaining their English Premiership title.

The Citizens have gained the upper hand in this fixture in recent time and completed a league "double" over their neighbours last season.

Sunday's derby at the Etihad kicks off at 15:30.

QPR owner Fernandes to stand by Redknapp

London - Loyalty and football are two words that do not often go together, but after watching his side climb off the bottom of the Premier League table with victory over Aston Villa, Queens Park Rangers owner Tony Fernandes is standing by manager Harry Redknapp.

Redknapp has come under pressure after his side won just once in their opening eight games but Charlie Austin's double against Villa on Monday helped lift the spirits at 19th-placed QPR.

Fernandes believes stability is key in QPR's battle against the drop and cited the example of West Ham United manager Sam Allardyce, who looked set to lose his job last season but has now guided a new-look team to fourth in the Premier League table.

"I believe stability is the best way," Fernandes told Sky Sports on Tuesday. "If you look at the clubs who have succeeded, they have had consistency in managers.

"This time last season, everyone wanted Sam Allardyce's head. Now, I think they will put a statue of him at the Olympic Park.

"Harry is my man. It is not in vogue to say that, but I stand by my manager."

According to media reports, talks over a new contract with Redknapp have been shelved but Fernandes hopes the 67-year-old remains at Loftus Road, after guiding them back to the Premier League last season.

"It's up to Harry whether he wants to continue as well," he said. "I hope, if he decides management is not for him next year, or the year after, or whenever, then he still has a role.

"Harry is a man who was tipped to be England manager, and he got us promoted.

"You look at how many clubs have gone down and not come (straight) back up. I think QPR are one of the few clubs to have come up."

Jonathan Brushes Off Scandal

Abuja - Not many presidents could survive three
multi-billion dollar government oil corruption
scandals and a wave of cold-blooded killings and
kidnappings of civilians bymilitants still holding
hundreds of schoolgirls after six months.
President Goodluck Jonathan has not only
survived, he will seek re-election in February
stronger than ever, after five years in a job no one
expected him to get.
Jonathan's support base within the ruling party is
now unchallenged, a rare feat for the often
fractious People's Democratic Party (PDP), while
the main opposition APC coalition is split
between two contestants for the presidency.
The government announced a ceasefire with Boko
Haram rebels 10 days ago, ahead of talks in
neighbouring Chad to secure the release of more
than 200 girls seized from Chibok village in April
in an abduction that shocked the world.
If the talks are successful it would help the
president's image. But nothing has come of it yet
and violence has since surged, with dozens more
children kidnapped.
Jonathan has defended his overstretched
military's efforts against a Boko Haram
insurgency that has killed thousands. In the case
of the failure to free the schoolgirls, he has said
any rescue attempt would endanger their lives.
Also Read: Every day Jonathan ceases to fire
Meanwhile, apart from the security challenges, his
government also has been best by corruption
allegations.
A parliamentary report detailed a $6.8bn fuel
subsidy fraud. A government investigation
revealed corrupt cut price crude sales to oil
majors that cost the treasury billions. And a
former central banker has reported that between
$10 an $20bn had been diverted by the state oil
firm over 18 months between 2012 and last year.
The government pledged to investigate the first
two cases and denied the third.
Patronage
Last month, South Africa froze two payments
from the Jonathan administration totalling $15m
that it suspected were for illegal arms deals.
Nigeria said the deals were legal.
Yet it is a testament to Nigeria's complex mix of
ethnic rivalry, patronage and intense competition
for centralised oil wealth in Africa's top producer
that Jonathan can brush off these various
scandals and attract a high level of support.
Jonathan, a Christian southerner, was an
accidental president, taking over in 2009 after
President Umaru Yar'adua, a Muslim from the
north, died from illness.
When Jonathan was elected to his own term in
2011, many in the north resented his decision to
run, believing he had torn up an unwritten rule
that power should rotate between mainly Muslim
north and mainly Christian south every two terms.
Former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, who
lost to Jonathan in 2011, and defected PDP ex-
vice president Atiku Abubakar are vying for the
opposition APC ticket. Both launched bids in the
past month, focusing on security and graft.
Roddy Barclay, senior Africa analyst at Control
Risks, a political risk consultancy, sees two
"principle factors for Jonathan's robust position in
spite of the scandals and failings which have
rocked his government".
"Firstly, the primacy of money and patronage in
determining electoral outcomes in Nigeria," means
an incumbent gets a huge advantage, and second,
"the opposition lacks steadfast unity".
That marks a big change from less than a year
ago. In December it was the PDP that was in
crisis. Thirty seven lawmakers defected to the
APC that month, demolishing the PDP's lower
house majority. Rotimi Amaechi, powerful
governor of the oil hub state of Rivers, also
defected.
The same month, Jonathan's mentor and PDP
Godfather, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, wrote
a scathing letter saying it would be "fatally
morally flawed" for Jonathan to seek re-election
in 2015 because of corruption under his rule.
Jonathan called the intervention "unjustifiable and
indecorous".
Nigerian party politics
Ten months on and the APC has failed to
capitalise. It has not agreed on a presidential
candidate and several disillusioned APC figures
have flipped to the PDP, underscoring the fluid
nature of Nigerian party politics.
They include popular two-term ex-governor of
Kano state Ibrahim Shakarau, a Buhari rival, and
former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu, denying
the APC a strong anti-graft platform, although
Buhari still has strong anti-corruption credentials.
In June, the APC then lost a governorship election
in southwestern Ekiti state to the ruling party.
"The opposition is cannabalising itself. Its top
elites are vying against one another. That's a
glide path for President Jonathan," said Eurasia
Group's Philippe de Pontet.
"Had the APC sustained its momentum from 5-6
months ago ... we'd be in a different world."
On 2 December, the dynamic could shift when the
party picks its candidate. Buhari earned a
reputation for cracking down on corruption during
his time in power in 1983-85, and most Nigerians
agree he did not use the post to enrich himself,
but it is not clear whether he would win votes
from APC supporters in the south.
The emotional conflict felt by Barrister Isaac
Matthew illustrates Jonathan's staying power.
Driven by the plight of the schoolgirls to leave a
court case he was defending to join protesters
demanding more action to rescue them, he says
Jonathan bears ultimate responsibility since
"leaders are supposed to protect their people".
"I'm still probably going to vote for him," he said,
citing Jonathan's concentration of power and
some works Matthew said had greatly improved
the road network.
"The opposition has no credible candidate to
stand against him. Not Atiku [Abubakar] and not
Buhari."
The power sector is also under improvement, but
that may not draw votes since the supply in one
of the world's most electricity-starved countries
has fallen in the short term.
Expectations moderate
Many voters are likely to see the Boko Haram
insurgency, which only affects the remote
northeast apart from occasional bomb attacks in
the capital or other cities, as just one problem in
their large, diverse country.
"Expectations in the electorate are fairly modest
and they are hugely disenfranchised, despite ...
years of civilian rule," said Antony Goldman, head
of Nigeria-focused PM Consulting.
"You don't need to be popular or successful in
conventional terms to win an election in Nigeria,"
he said, although he added that no president had
managed to stay popular after four years in office,
and the APC had yet to present a clear
alternative.
One issue that has not yet played an important
role is Ebola, rampant in some other West African
states. A mixture of luck and impressively
decisive action has meant Africa's most populous
country was able to avoid a potentially
devastating epidemic after a Liberian brought it to
the megacity of Lagos, but the virus could still
come back to plague Nigeria, with unpredictable
political consequences.
Jonathan's assumed decision to run has widened
a divide between elites in Nigeria's south and
north because of a feeling in the north that it is
still their "turn" to rule.
That makes violence likely, especially if the poll is
close. In 2011, more than 800 were killed and 65
000 displaced in three days of violence after
Jonathan beat Buhari in the poll.
If Buhari, now 71, gets the ticket but loses the
election again, his supporters may have less
reason to end the mayhem so quickly if they
sense he has missed his last chance.