… Says Jonathan comment is factually incorrect
By SAM OTTI
Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, has punctured the statement by President Goodluck Jonathan that the military invasion of Odi resulted in the killings of unarmed civilians, instead of taming the activities of militant groups. Jonathan’s claims that the invasion was a failed operation that left many innocent people dead was rebuffed by the former minister, who insisted that the attack stopped the incessant killings of security agents and innocent people by the militants.
“The truth is that the killing of security agents and soldiers with impunity by the Niger Delta militants virtually stopped after the operation in Odi and remained at a bare minimum right up until the time that president Obasanjo left power eight years later in 2007.
I advise those that doubt this to go and check the records,” he said. Fani-Kayode, who served Obasanjo’s administration that ordered the military operation, described Jonathan’s statement as ‘factually incorrect’ and ‘regrettable.’
During a two-hour presidential media chat on Sunday, Jonathan had argued that the deployment of military troops to Odi was an exercise in futility, as it failed to solve the problem of militant insurgency in the region. Rather than stamp out the militants, it aided the growing of restiveness of militants in the area. Jonathan’s comments, however, seemed not to have gone down well with major players in Obasanjo’s administration.
In a statement made available to Daily Sun, Fani-Kayode said those that served the Obasanjo administration needed to clarify the air further to set the records straight for posterity. He said: “I had the privilege of being briefed about all the facts by president Olusegun Obasanjo himself and Col. Kayode Are, the former director general of the SSS, immediately after the presidential media chat and I believe that it is appropriate to share some of the facts with members of the Nigerian public, given the grave assertion and serious charge that President Jonathan has made.” Fani-Kayode said Obasanjo recourse to military operation became imperative, as a result of the failure of the former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamesighya to arrest the growing criminality in the region. He said similar military action was taken against Zaki Biam in Benue State after 19 soldiers were murdered in cold blood.
He argued that with the military precision and efficiency of the attacks, terrorists were killed and those that escaped the soldiers’ bullets fled their operational base. “President Goodluck Jonathan was therefore in error when he said that Odi did not solve the problem of killings in the Niger Delta Area by the Niger Delta militants. Not only did it stop the killings, but it is also an eloquent testimony of how to deal with terrorists, how to handle those that kill our security personnel with impunity and how to deter militants from killing members of our civilian population and thinking that they can get away with it,” he said.
The former minister said Obasanjo’s comments on Boko Haram were misconstrued. According to him, the former president never said that the Odi treatment should be applied to Boko Haram. Instead, he said Obasanjo canvassed for a solution that would heal the festering wound of insecurity in the country.
“There can be no doubt that he was right on this because, according to President Jonathan’s own Chief of Army Staff, no less than 3000 people have been killed by Boko Haram in the last two years alone. That figure represents approximately the same number of people that were killed by the IRA in Northern Ireland and the British mainland in the 100 years that the war between them and the British lasted and before peace was achieved between the two sides,” he explained.
Fani-Kayode said the harvest of deaths from the bloody attacks of the Boko Haram sect was unacceptable and disturbing. He urged the Federal Government to ‘cultivate the courage and the political will to stop the killings by Boko Haram and to find a permanent solution to the problem. When president Obasanjo was in power, he handled such matters decisively, with vigour and with the utmost urgency.’
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Fani Kayode, if u dont know what to say, better shut ur mouth up. If the killing in Odi was successful, why the amnesty by Yaradua. Just bc OBJ gave you appointment where you were able to loot your own money does not mean u should defend him even when he is wrong. I think idleness is ur problem, u have not had any other work since obj left, that is why u seek to be noticed all the time.
Fani thank you so much for setting the record straight. Jonathan should bury his head in shame because he is a lame duck as far as governance is concerned.
You are as bad and as evil as your Femi. Hellfire awaits all blodd suckers
drug addicts talking and speaking for us, naija we hail thee.
Jobless Fani!
Kayode, u are just another vampire
OBJ has abandoned him too long may be he want to come back to eat his vomit.
Bastard son of a idiot parents
Who is Femi Fani Kayode? I hope this is not the way all the Yorubas think: that something only becomes wrong when it concerns them. Is he now justifying that massacre? Shame on you Femi. You are a blood sucker. You justified Biafra, now you are justifying Odi because Yoruba was not involved. I have read ion a paper where you claimed to be a NADECO member, did the rest of Nigeria justify the treatment given Abiola because he was not a member of their tribe? If it is a person from other tribe, especially non-Hausa Fulani, Femi would have said it was justified, after all Abiola declared himself president when there was a sitting president. Sorry Femi you think from a hole in the middle of yourself. Odi is bad no matter what a fool like you think it achieves. And let me force you to learn Femi because your brain is empty since you went for that your Ghana trip few years back. Ask a philosopher near you what is the meaning of principle of proportionality. Review your justification of Odi with that principle before you. Thank God we have a Goodluck as president.
That kayode of a thing is sounding like a man that is seeking political favour..thats how he spoke on Achebes’ memoir talking rubbish..He is seeking for political recognition..Jona shld ignore him.
Boko Haram sect is a religion|politics of some PDP faction that disagreed with Gen. Obansanjo political ideology on his refusal to honour rotation of presidency principle as agreed within the PDP party. Therefore, he obansanjo initiated the boko haram saga and president Jonathan only came to face the problems.The president is strong advice to solve problems political rather using force that cannot put an end to the matter and we continue losing the life of innocent souls in the country.Please mr. President, this is not the best direction.
It seems there is a mindset among most yorubas that the rest of us who are non-yorubas are less Human, whose Life count less.
Mr Kayoda, tell me how many security men and civilians did armed OPC killed during OBJ regime?. why were Soldiers and Tanks, Mortar and artillerie not deployed to flaten yoruba communities to uproot OPC or atleast to deter the yorubas from supporting them?.
because it was Ijaws that were massacred so it is justifiable, but if it were to be the yorubas, kayode and his tribes will sing a different tun… what manner of people is this?
na waoo!!
Femi tell them d truth n the leave d rest 4 them to take decision obj don talk n we laugh ooooo
Femi Fani Kayode, your an embarrassment to your self, family, community and tribe. What solution did Odi massacre brought to d militancy uprising in Niger Delta? Today, there is peace in Niger Delta, how was it achieved? It was achieved through dialogue and settlement and not on innocent children and women’s blood. You think President Jonathan is a blood vampire like you and Obasanjo. God and Generations will hold you and Obasanjo to account for the blood of d innocent people you murdered one day. Boko Haram will become history soon but not through bombing of Gombe or Bornu communities but through d channels the FGN is employing today, it may be slow but time will tell. So, swallow your comments.
Some times silence is golden. In civilised societies, both Odi and Zaki-biam would be classified as genocide against humanity, which is actually what it was! You can not send troops to wipe-off an entire village just because of few criminals. Germany harbours its own version of terrorism -the neo-Nazists, but the government has deplored troops to massacred innocent old men, women and children, just to prove tough. Nor has the British government wiped off Ireland. Such brazen displace of power, is brutish, nasty and barbaric. If Obasanjo claims he solved the militant problem, then, he is either delirious or out of touch with reality. Neither Odi nor Zaki-biam achieved any meaningful result. On contrary, it placed Obasanjo regime on the same platform with the militant. As elderly man, Obasanjo should learn to keep silent on certain national issues – he cannot claim to know it all and have solution to all problems. Having ruled the country more and longer time than any existing human beings – he should look back and ask himself whether he is a success or failure? In either case, History and prosperity would judge at the appropriate time. For the “eleshinoba,” they too should realise that Nigerians are no fools. You cannot come-up with any trash – claiming to have privilege of information and think every one believes you. Fani-Kayode would do better by washing himself clean all allegation of frauds and looting of public treasury before saving others.
Fani kayode ,one of the notorious obj boys and special assistant on public insults of elders , opposition elements and revered institutions would always make himself available tool for dirty jobs.
Why this stupid femi fani kayode always talking nonsense,this man is mad oh or is he just seeking for political relevance.this man is absolutely no body,that obj my foot gave him chance to loot money does not make him a wise man that can always be talking on
any national issues.how can a sane man tell me that operation that sent thousaNds of innocent civilian souls to early grave is successful while the militant remained and later gave amnesty.bia fani, kpachara anya gi!
It is a pitty, even Mr Jonathan chose politics to misinterpret the message of Mr Obasanjo. Mr Obasanjo is about strong leadership and leaders who take decisions and are not afraid to take very difficult decisions. But for political reasons Jonathan went atray to misinterpret what mr Obasanjo said. There are more violence and more people killed in Mr Jonathan presidency than all the previvous adminstration. Mr Jonathan further made the mistake of his life by refering to Yar’Adua’s amnesty programme. The implication of such reckless referral to amnesty programme is that Boko Haram will not end until amnesty programme is offered. Then the vicious cycle will continue Any agrieved group of people can take up arms expecting to be appeased for killing and formenting trouble. If Boko Haram is given amnesty expect the MASSOP to rise tomorrow. The kidnappers also will expect amnesty so also are the OPC and before you know it the arm robbers and car snatchers. Mr Jonathan should not have replied. But he let his head ruled his heart and listened to advise of people like Abatti just like Solomon’s son abandoned the advise of the elders to take the risky advice of his peers leading to division of Istrael. mr Obasanjo will not stop making comments and what you make of the comments is something else.
J Jeol i guess obj paid u 2 defend him or u r just pulling off ur yoruba idiosyncrasy/sentiments d issue here is ordering d killing of innocent pple who were not yorubas just bc militants were living with them remember dt both obj and femi acted on information given them wich may b wrong or right (even cia and mi6) get faulty intels at times base on d info obj ordered d anihiliation of odi pple however Gej was in d state and d deputy govn. Had an eye witness account of wot d army did how dey wipe out women and children and u wouldnt want us to believe him calling him factually incorrect wot all of u r doing is actully to bring ds case to d lime light soon as Ibori was tried by a foreign court so will femi and co be tried mind u Abitti or wot is he called will defend his boss by tomorow ie today and more facts will b out stay turned to our nxt episold
Nasty idiot
Old despot at his wits end..
Old despot at his wits end.. However mr president did not fare better in his analysis of boko haram issue.
I just come to realize that Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode is just a careless talker. Anytime he talks I no longer pick offence because that is just his level. He is justifying the killing of innocent citizens which attracted international outcry. One thing he should bear in mind is that Obasanjo is a bloody soldier while Jonathan is a pure democrat.
Femi is now in the street, trying his best to make way back to Aso rock, but behold no more time for him, well Im sorry OBJ tenure is over , the other day I visited my friend i was surprise that he called my attention of his chat with Femi on facebook what a pity forner minister talking of sort of rubbish of facebook,
he has lost his respect and a die hard tribalist
The question is what is he doing now sorry
I think Fani Kayode is out of job, last time was on Achebe’s memoir, today is justifying the genocide in Odi. I’m not surprised. Very soon his children will be fatherless so that they will know how it feels. Spineless vampire. It shows ur mindset towards other tribes. Thief. EFCC, please hurry up & finish is stealing case so that he will enter the cage were belongs
Why cry? it is yet morning and early to cry.The evil that men do will continually to live before and after them. Many of you supported the injustice, tribalism and all manners of discrimination melted to the Igbos since after the civil war which was discibed as NO VICTOR, NO VANQUISH , THEREFORE WE ARE ONE NIGERIA, but that is only on the lips of mouth and not in the heart. Even our so called RELIGION LEADERS CAN NOT USE THEIR POSITIONS AS THE SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH TO TELL THE OCCULTIC MEN IN THE LEADERSHIP THE TRUTH THAT THEIR HATRED TO THE IGBOS IS NOT IN ANY WAY REFLECTING TO THEIR PREACHING, RATHER PEOPLE LIKE PRO.WALE SOYONKA AND GANI FANWUNMI OF THE BLESSED MEMORY DID.Even the neighbour brothers of the Igbos are not helping the matters, believing Obasanjo that their IGBO brothers are their enemies, can that be true? That was how they decieved our south south brothers so as there will be no BIAFRA in other to enjoy the OIL WEALTH from the zone to build ABUJA AND LAGOS,but unfortunately our brothers did not forsaw it, simply because of short sightedness.Today who is suffering it most? Since after the WAR, what are the special Federal Govt presence in all the OLD EASTERN REGION STATES? How can somebody in his normal senses justisfy the killing of ordinary civilians men and women and children during the CIVIL WAR (WAR BETWEEN BROTHERS) and after the war and feel happy? I am not biased over issues like this but the truth must be told in other to make an amendment and repentance for God’s forgiveness. UNLESS we cultivate the habit of telling ourselves the truth by condemning evil of any sorts, many of us in NIGERIA will end up dying with our sins unrepented and thereby misled our unborn generation.THE LEADERS SHOULD TAKE CLUE FROM THE LESSON OF THE ISREALITES AND PHAROAH OF EGYPT.WHEN GOD OF THE IGBOS IN THIS COUNTRY WILL RISE IN ANGER, THE PHAROAHS THAT BURIED THE PEACE OF THIS LAND WILL MISS TO NON DISCLOSED DESTINATION. GIVE A CHILD WHAT BELONGS TO HIM AND HAVE A PEACE OF MIND. THE BALL IS RINGING HARD.
This guy Femi fani have talent for insults. God have mercy.
Obasanjo with his men on work, becareful they are everywhere
OBASANJO SEEMS TO BE AN IDIOT. DID YOU READ WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE PRESIDENT CONCERNING BOKO HARAM? WAS OBASANJO BETTER DURING HIS CORRUPT REGIME? EX PRESIDENT SEVERLY CRITICISING THE CURRENT PRESIDEN. VERY FUNNY INDEED. OBASANJO KILLED MANY PEOPLE IN ODI AND IN ZAKIBIAM AND HE DID NOT ACHIEVE HIS OBJECTIVE. WHAT GEJ IS WITNESSING NOW WAS CREATED DURING OBASANJO’S REGIME. HE HAS NO MORAL RIGHT TO CRITICSE THE PRSIDENT NOW. IF GEJ HAD MADE A MISTAKE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER FOR HIM TO TELL GEJ HIS MISTAKES IN PRIVATE RATHER THAN OPEN HIS WIDE MOUTH TO OOZE OUT HIS DIRTY ROT.. WE ARE SICK OF HIS TACTICE,. AS FOR THE IDIOT CALLED KAYODE. THE NAT IS SEEKING FOR ATTENTION JUST AS HIS FATHER DID. THAT SHOULD BE CAREFUL NOT TO MAKE PEOPLE LOOK AT HIM. HIS FATHER WAS NOT ASB GOOD AS HE WANTS THE NEW GENERATION TO BELIEVE. HE WROTE RUBBISH ABOUT ODI AND ZAKIBIAM AND AOUT PROF. C. ACHEBE. THAT NAT WAS NOBODY DURING THE CIVIL WAR AND HE TALKS AS IF HE KNEW WHAT TOOK PLACE. LET US KEEP AN EYE ON HIM. HE THINKS HE CAN MAKE YORUBAS TO LIKE HIM BY WRITING THE TYPE OF RUBBISH HE PUBLISHED IN SOME OF THE NEWS PAPERS. HE IS MERELY SEEKING FOR ATTENTION. THE FOOL SHOULD BE IGNORED FOR HE IS NOTHING BUT A MIGHTY FOOL.ALL THOSE WHO KILLED BIAFRAN WOMEN AND CHILDREN ARE GOING ONE AFTER THE OTHER..
this femi or what is a real bastard
IF WE SHOULD GO BY THE JUSTIFICATION OF MR KAYODE, PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHN SHOULD ORDER FOR DESERTING OF MAIDUGURI AND EVERY OTHER TOWN THAT BOKO HARAM IS TERRORIZING; WHICH WILL DEFINITELY LEAD TO ANOTHER CIVIL WAR WHICH NIGERIA COULD NOT AFFORD RIGHT NOW. MY ADVICE TO MR PRESIDENT IS ‘ PLEASE MY PRESIDENT, DO THINGS YOUR OWN WAY AND NOT THE OBASANJO WAY. WE ARE TIRED OF OBASANJO WAY OF THINGS THAT IS WHY WE ELECTED YOU FOR YOU TO DO IT GOODLUCK WAY’
After openly calling Obama an Anti-christ, this man don come again
I have read so many STUPID comments by some non-Yoruba Nigerians. Why should the statement of a Yoruba politician be taken as the mindset of all Yorubas?
That apart, let someone tell me what President Jonathan has done in the last two years to STOP the Boko Haram from destroying lives and property?
Let us stop deceiving ourselves, a drastic situation needs a drastic solution.
May God HELP Nigeria and provide us with God-fearing and courageous LEADERS in Jesus name.
Love him or loathe him,Fani is probobly right.OBJ neva treated the Odi guys with kid gloves.Guilty and innocent might have died but not doing so will have increase the number of deaths of the latter.But ah pity PEJ,he just cant do no nothing,first no militery knowlege secondly boko is in the north.we all know how our friends over there will misinterpret it were PEJ to send the khaki boys there.ah dare say OBJ wont give a damn and boko in his reign will be his story*history.
Femi will die like his father. It was useless talk that killed his father. Ask awoists of the ’60s.
Femi will die like his father. It was useless talks that killed his father. Ask awoists of the ’60s.
FANI AND OBJ CAN NEVER BE RIGHT. ANYBODY WHO SOPPORT FANI AND OBJ STATEMENT IS A BORN FOOL! GEJ DO YOUR THINGS IN YOUR OWN WAY!
our so called leaders are the actors, we are only watching them but i wonder who is directing
This issue of Odi has nothing to do with tribe. The action taken on Odi by FGN was right and timely. The Policemen that were killed at Odi are also human being and Nigerians. We need to feel for them. It is the duty of FGN to protect and provide security for all including Military and Police. When Police men including and Assistant Commissioner of Police were killed in Odi without any justification, Military was invited. How can someone esp GEJ who is the Head of FGN now turn round to speak against action taken by his predecessor in good faith. We are all witness not that we are told, the action then was correct and actually achieve its aim of stopping attack on State actors until Chief OBJ left office in 2007. However, when a weaker govt was in place terrorism wax stronger and became the order of the day. President Jonathan should deal with the security situation in the country now instead of blaming the past Govt. By making this speech last Sunday, it portrays President GEJ as giving excuse for failure and that he is a weak leader. In yr 2008, Ribadu and 134 others (including PA that was recommended for promotion by GEJ when he was Gov of BYS) in the NPF were demoted by the Chairman PSC. These officers did not commit any offence, they were promoted on merit and excellent performance, as at the time of the promotion, there was no sitting Chairman of PSC, the officers were wearing the rank for more that one year. There was no query against any of the officers. Ribadu’s rank was restored after a lot of hurdle including threat to his life and exile. President GEJ could not even protect the weak under his roof to talk less of others in this country. The issue of our President should not be treated as tribal affairs we should join in praying for Almighty God to grant him the courage to deal decisively with BH, PHCN and other national matters.
OBASANJO OR WHAT HE CALL HIMSELF IS A PIG,LOOK AT HIS FACE,YORUBA GOAT THAT KILLED ALL MY FAMILY AND STILL STAND AND TALK BULLSHIT,IS HE ABOVE ARREST?IDIOT THAT MADE LOVE WITH HIS SONS WIFE AND A COW FOR BURIAL
I would choose an erand boy with better credibility for that job had I been OBJ (even though I wouldn’t want to be him). He ruined the fun by employing a robotic attack-dog and cantankerous chatterbox. Femi’s pedantic grammar has become so boring. It will always begin with “……as a historian….as a student of history…….then,…. having said that………., then .bla-bla-bla,…..yada-yada-yada ramble. He fails to realize how irritating he gets. The audience adjust sitting positions seat, wishing that he shuts the hell up.
The point here is that you can always predict what gushes out the moment he commences his jaw-flapping. It is as though this his “history” he flaunts around is such big deal, or rocket science of some sort.
Barely weeks ago, Babangida hired him for jaw-flapping at a birthday anniversary. Today it is OBJ. Tomorrow, he will line up behind those to extol Buhari. Don’t be surprised to hear him to-nite in a u-turn gaff under the patronage of the opposite Jonathan camp. It is beginning to look like a form of prostitution. On a serious note, his avidity for publicity hunt has been identified and the guy seeks every opportunity to be seen flapping those jaws. The sad part is the more he does it, the less sense he makes, and the more he makes ridiculous court jester for the ex-these and ex-those. Behold a rare-breed historian turned professional ! We wish him luck.
i read coments and like Victor AWA saidSILENCE is GOLDEN what happened in ODI and Benue in 1999-2001 under OBJ is happening in Maiduguri under JONATHAN,whats the difference. First FG should not throw Stones in its glass House, secondly FANI KAYODE should keep quite he is not OBJ’s spokesman .Fani Should go and solve his EFCC isues he was a disappiontment in Govt. Nigerians PLEASE LETS PRAY alot is happening too fast for us to Comprehend.
Kayode is an eloquent liar. Can he provide any record of the so-called soldiers killed in zaki-biam? Those killed in zaki-biam were thugs in army uniform. A grand plot by general T.Y. Danjuma then, the miniter of defence. Danjuma’s plan was to use federal might against the Tivs who were at war with his kinsmen in Wukari. Bastards, sons of a bitch. (KAYODE, OBJ & T.Y DANJUMA).
All of you should stop blaming obasanjo or kayode.when Achebe brought to remembrance the murder of 2million igbos some people blamed him and supported the atrocities of the Hausa Fulani-kanuris,Gowon,ago and their southern collaborators and in their right senses supported that evil war.how can you kill 2million people of a future generation of a particular tribe just because they want to rule themselves.there can never be any justification for that evil wars.more worrisome is the politicians of intimidation against the same tribe even after the war uptill now.my conclusion is this.at one point every tribe in Nigeria that supported that evil genocide against these tribe will one day have their sons,husbands and wife’s massacred by Nigerian army whether anyone likes it or not.when all tribes in Nigeria have received the same death sentence on the igbos then peace will come,but until then one day millions of other tribes will be killed by the might of the federal government of Nigeria whether they like it or not.nigerians are selfish people.only cry when it affect their tribes.in one Nigeria we remain until millions of all tribes experience same death and politics of intimidation against the igbos.the truth is that I’m not an Igbo and not related to the igbos in any way but on truth I stand always.when you do one evil against your fellow being GOD allows you to continue not because he did not see you or likes your action but because he knows that in this world it is what you cabbage in you get.among all African countries Nigeria is a big shame among committe of countries.just mention Nigeria and people will hate you.even the fulanis,kanuris,benue and those that supported that evil war will have millions of their people massacred one day.
From the comments I have read I see that we are not speaking as one nigeria. If we really want to salvage this country; we should forget this tribal attachment. Look at everybody as an entity and as a nigerian. now to the issue on ground. HISTORY MAKES US WHOM WE ARE, BUT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE IT OUR BURDEN. This is not time to aportion blames. The government of the day should not critisize his predecessor but initiate his own peace initiative. BOKO is eating deep into the FABRIC of this country, times are hard education and health care facilities is depreciating as years roll by. so oga JONA should do something that will stop the killings and this harvest of death, and to improve this economy for the living to enjoy.
l will appeal to all Nigerians that we should be civil when commenting on our leaders.Using dirty language to describe them will not take us anywhere.Enough of all these please.
Femi Fani Kayode has a habit of manufacturing “facts”. He could have at least given a fact table to buttress his arguments. The truth (even acknowledged at the time by OBJ and his team) was that the killers had left Odi days before the military struck. They still went ahead and mowed down innocent civilians. When OBJ issued a shoot – at – sight order on the OPC who killed a police officer as well many civilians(many from the North), how many OPC members were killed. How many villages were razed. Did the OPC vanish into thin air? Tell that to the marines.
Femi F Kayode is working hard to re-enter the Yoruba domonion after he was snubbed as a result of his rude utterances to Yoruba elders while serving OBJ. He is presently being prosecuted by EFCC for STEALING our money. It is easy to understand his current “ODUDUWA STAND”