Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab: Ridiculous Sky News

It is ridiculous to suggest, as did your news contributor on Sky news in the morning of 27th December 2009, that international students admissions into UK universities are processed in just seven seconds. That time of seven seconds, by any reasonable thinking is absolutely ridiculous. The authorities responsible for international admission process irrespective of defragmentation are not as sloppy as to fail in their duty of ensuring the suitability of applicants before admission is granted. I would like to believe that your said news contributor failed to cross check her information before her comment concerning the time.Nonetheless, let the critical issue of the subject matter not be derailed by the admission process which rightly check mated this individual, found him not credible in his application thus rightly declined him, but examine how he almost succeeded in slaughtering innocent lives on board North West Airliner.

Who is Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab? He is a 23 years old Nigerian from an affluent background, privately educated. He is from a good and well grounded family from the district of Funtua, Katsina State in Nigeria. His father, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, a prominent banker, was the chairman of one of the foremost banks in Nigeria – First Bank, now retired. He had his secondary education at British school of Lome in Togo, West Africa, a very prestigious school for the children of some of the worlds rich, especially African’s rich and powerful people and then proceeded to do a three years course at the University of London – 2005-2008, where he read mechanical engineering. Until recently, he was studying for MBA in business in Dubai but dropped out, severed relationship with his family. He was in Egypt for some time, visited Yemen twice for short Islamic course, there he converted to al-Qaeda and was equipped to replicate the British shoe bomber Richard Reid, who equally failed in his suicide attempt to blow up Boeing 767 in 2002 . He was an intelligent young man until he became a terrorist and committed the act of attempted homicide of 289 people by arson and that of destroying property (airplane), including further damages that could have possibly followed, since the plane was about landing.

As a person of Nigerian origin, it is beyond belief that such thought, being a terrorist, would even develop in our sub consciousness let alone attempt it. My first reaction was... he is not a Nigerian! Nigerians loves life too much to want to die especially by such cowardly and barbaric act of blowing oneself or an airliner up. One thing is certain, I believe, he is definitely not alone in the venture. All his associate from his early days in London and thereafter should be closely examined, only to the extent of fishing out those suspected of having indoctrinated him.How did he almost succeed in carrying out the act of killing 289 people? That is the question that begs answering? Let’s take it that the Nigerian security lacks such sophisticated security detection equipments, but surely the substance he carried between his legs or any part thereof, should have been detected in Amsterdam. Or could it be that he was assisted unknowingly in Nigeria? I used the word ‘unknowingly’ because no one there would have assisted anyone on such mission knowingly. Instead you will be arrested and God only would anchor your release. No human right law, however well it is advanced the argument, would save you, as the authorities will ignore all those enshrined rights you are entitled to, in an attempt to redeem a possible shattered national image. Or was he assisted in Amsterdam? Otherwise, how could he have evaded the security screening or detection systems there?Outside of the failures by airport security to detect the explosive substance the culprit carried through the aforementioned airports, the intelligence community equally failed in their responsibilities to us, in that, they were fore warned of the extremist views of this individual, additionally that he was talking with extremist and had visited these extremist in Yemen.Why was his father plea for help ignored, when he expressed concern and alerted the intelligence community about his son’s extremist tendencies?It is clear from the accounts of what we know now, that the intelligence community failed in discharging their duties of safe guarding us all. Had they taken the intelligence they had more seriously and circulated that information within the global intelligence community, my guess is that, Umar Farouk Abdulmutaliab would have been arrested in Nigeria the moment he set foot on Nigerian soil before embarking on the KLM flight which took him from Nigeria to Amsterdam, where he subsequently boarded the flight to the United State of America. Neither would he have been able to step on any other Trans Atlantics airline with the aim of carrying out a potential terrorist act, of almost blowing up North West airline 253 with 289 people on board. CIA and Nigerian NSA and other intelligence agencies that failed to activate adequate measures should take responsibility for the lapses that almost resulted in the destruction of lives and properties had Umar Farouk Abdul Mutaliab attempt to commit multiple first degree murder by an act of terrorism not failed.-By Elias Edetanlen-Elliot

Zoning headache: PDP applies middle ground mechanism

Every agitated parties within the power base of the People Democratic Party wins, seems to be the posture adopted by the nation executive council (NEC) of the party. In other not to alienate perhaps, the power base of the party, the PDP NEC adopted everybody wins syndrome, giving in to the pro zoning supporters and those that wants zoning eliminated.

It came as no surprise that NEC had its hands tied behind its back in the matter but by adopting everybody win mechanism. The interest of those for, supporters of IBB, Atiku and others within the Northern caucus and those against, supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan has to be satisfied.

However, by adopting that consensus, is NEC not compromising the future generation of PDP as a result of that adopted posture in the interest of today agitators, a compromise of political ambiguity, political marriage of convenience, and a political game of no losers? It is clear that the current issue of zoning arose due to late President Yar’dua’s death. However, this question bugs the mind, does zoning as being promoted by the “for” campaigners represent core democratic process in its entire corollary?

The idea of zoning seems to atypical to the wider political players and observers of the 21st century. Indeed, it may have been necessary in the days of analogue reasoning, to bring then wisdom to bear for the sake Nigeria’s stability. But to use that same wisdom of the sixties or even before, in today’s fast changing and moving world would be to remain still and that is not possible. Thus, I humbly disagree with a father, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia that some of the wisdom in the days he carried me in his hands as the military governor of then Midwestern State during the commissioning borehole in Ekpoma is out of place in today’s Nigeria phenomenon. Equally, where PDP have adopted and practised the zoning formula should not be abolished for the benefit of the current “against zoning” agitators as it will be unfair to those who have waited in the wings for their turn under current dispensation. That is not to say, am in support!

It was, I believe, with that in mind that the PDP NEC decided to adopt everyone win formula. I acquiesce that, it is a policy that cannot withstand the deluge of time. It is therefore imperative that whilst it is convenient now, to retain zoning, in other to appease the warring parties in the divergent point of zoning divide for 2011, it is not safe for the party in subsequent elections.

The understanding is that President Goodluck Jonathan is entitled to contest amongst others to be the PDP flag bearer in 2011. By reason of his joint tickets with late President Umaru Yar’Adua still subsist. In effect, should President Goodluck Jonathan decide not to contest, PDP candidate for the 2011 presidential election would undoubtedly be from the North irrespective of whether the best person for the job is from another part of Nigeria. To me that sucks!

It is simply on that basis that I advocate the abolition of zoning. At 50, Nigeria should no longer settle for less but the best amongst meritocratic personalities, notwithstanding ethnicity – as long as the individual is a bona fide Nigerian.

UK Election

When the three front political party runners for the office of prime minister has nothing to offer,dogging and docking the main issue - "economy" who do you vote for? Do you just vote for the sake of performing your civic responsibility?

Labour, Gordon Brown is out of steam on fixing the economy, except to continue on engineering all sort of taxation formulas. Conservative, David Cameron does not have the foggest idea of what is talking about most of the time, thus has no incline on how to fix the massive hole in the economy. Liberal Democrat, Nick Clegg is enveloped in amnesty, thinks fixing the economy is hedge fund.

The T.V debate was a farce, yes it was! Why were real audience with real questions about the real issues as it affects daily lives not there? How will you stimulate the economy, stimulate growth? It is the economy not soap opera stupid! Give us a serious breakdown on how you will fill the massive economic hole before the nation.

The current romance with the Liberal Democrat by some voters is born out of the facts that most voters are dissilutioned with the political occupant of 10 Downing Street - Gordon Brown, his Labour party and equally with Cameroun and his Conservative party. These voters are simply tired of those two parties, like Liberal Democrate, they have nothing real sustaintial to offer the people, nontheless, these voters are going to vote Liberal Democrate, just because they want a change from Labour and Conservative. Irrespective of my reservations amongst the three men routing for the office of PM, l believe Gordon Brown is the only credible candidate that has some clue on getting the nation out of the financial mess, certainly not David Cameroun!

Buffett Gets It All Wrong On Banks... Did he?

Why are we having painkillers for a financial system that was designed by those who it benefits (the incompetent government and bankers). I concur with Mr W Buffet, in that there ought not to be government intervention in the name of bailout of most of these banks, like RBS. How dare these banks in receipt of taxpayers’ money for survivor even contemplate bonuses while still deep in the RED?

If the banking brains where as brilliant as claimed by their employers such as RBS, BOS who the hell did fail to recognise that the instruments they were trading in or product designed were flawed? Save us the bullshit, the justification of talent drain is a complete and absolute nonsense. Some of these bank employees get high reward without the corresponding level of risk, yet the government is toothless to take a meaningful bit at the bank, to be seen acting, instead of fiercely and actually acting. One does not need a crystal ball to know that government primary interest to intervene was to save themselves the enormous social and political unrest that may have potentially arouse were the banks allowed to fail.

Most of us lost millions of pounds/dollars as a result of extreme challenges borne out failures from the misguided and incompetent bankers. After receipt of bailout money, they had the nerve to award themselves bonuses. They are being rewarded for incompetence and the labour government (not that conservative would have done any better) are toothless to use its power as custodian of taxpayers’ money to freeze even an ounce of bonus until the monies advanced to cushion the banks are completely paid back with interest to the treasury.
Trust me when I say, there are the likes of Warren Buffet and solvent banks out there, like panthers, waiting to pounce on failed banks, acquire them on the cheap (still works out cheaper than government bailout) and will staff the bank with less paid talented individuals that would deliver better performance and returns for their investments. I do not have to be a banker, to know that that some executives are only interested in their selfish interest on the pretext of talented brain drain, what brain drain? Get out of town, complete and utter nonsense!

THANK YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA - NOW REMOVE NIGERIA FROM THE TERROR WATCH LIST.

President of United States, Barack Obama officially acknowledged the failings of his intelligence machinery when he said this, “The bottom line is this - the US Government had sufficient information to have uncovered this plot and potentially disrupt the Christmas Day attack, but our intelligence community failed to connect those dots.”

This was indeed not a failure by the American intelligence machinery not to collect intelligence, but a failure to comprehend the intelligence reports at their disposal. That failure, as mentioned in my previous article in my blog, potentially would have caused several losses of lives. Not to mention the lives of families and friends that would have been devastated by the loss of dear loved ones. Yes, President Obama, you were damn right, not to mess words, "a screw up that could have been disastrous", the failure is definitely “not acceptable”.

Mr. President, we indeed narrowly dogged a bullet, not by failure of the Nigerian intelligence community, but by your well financed and equipped intelligence agencies, who failed to integrate and fully comprehend the intelligence before them. Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab would not have been able to transit in Nigeria without being arrested had your intelligence agencies, namely the CIA shared what they knew with their Nigerian counterpart. To now label Nigeria as a country of interest on US terrorist watch list, thereby criminalising and subjecting a 150 million peace loving Nigerians to degrading search, due to a singular act of an individual, Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab who from his teenage years have been a product of foreign influence – obtained his education abroad, influenced and indoctrinated abroad, from UK, UAE, Egypt and then Yemen, is unfair, unjust and against natural or equitable justice. Outside of what we knew, you held your hand up, your head upright, looked at me and millions of other people in the world and admitted the failings of your intelligence community. In view of that fact, it is my submission that it will be honourable of you to now remove Nigeria from your terrorist watch list. Over forty nine years of Nigerian’s history, there has never been an act of terrorism against the outside world, except for this once by Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab and if not, but for, the failures of your intelligence community, the said individual would have been on a ‘no-fly’ list and Nigeria would have continued to maintain her good name in the international community.

NIGERIA IS NOT A TERRORIST COUNTRY

On what rational basis can America justify the inclusion of Nigeria on America terrorist watch list? The argument that a 23 years old Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to detonate a device on an airline on 2009 Christmas day is insufficient in the circumstance. Why? The culprit’s father, Alhaji Mutallab, a formal chairman of one of Nigeria’s foremost and largest banks, informed the American embassy in Nigeria of his son, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, extremist tendencies, coupled with intelligence already at the tables of American intelligence operatives. What did CIA do? They sat on it, did nothing, failed to share the intelligence reports with her counterparts and at the time with Nigerian security operatives. 289 people, inclusive of properties, potentially would have lost their lives because of that negligence. As a result of those failings, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab transited in Nigeria where he boarded a KLM flight to Amsterdam and onwards to America to commit the heinous crime of terrorism. Thank God he failed to succeed!

Nigerians are not terrorist, and certainly do not deserve to be subjected to a degrading search in the name of counter terrorism measures, because such or any terrorist act is absolutely alien to Nigerians. Send Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to Nigeria today and see what Nigerians would make of him! He will be lynched to death especially by the youths of Nigeria who believe, and rightly so, that by his act, he has brought shame to the nation, Nigeria.

American intelligence operatives - the CIA, failed the American people, equally failed Nigerians and us as a people. Had they acted on intelligence before them, instead of seating on it, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab would have been arrested in Nigeria. Thus, he would not have had the opportunity to almost kill 289 people. It is therefore, unfair, unjust for America to now label Nigeria as a terrorist country, or a transit spot for terrorist. However, it is labelled; it is still a bad name. Nigeria should be removed from that list, Nigerians are good people not terrorist, CIA failed Nigeria and should take the rap for it, not innocent Nigerians.