What To Do When Stopped By The Nigeria Police.

 What To Do When Stopped By The Nigeria Police.

It could happen to you.

Where are you coming from?
Where are you going to?
Where do you live?
Where do you work?
Do you have an identity card?

These are very simple questions, which can be easily answered by almost everyone. But when a police officer is involved, it can cause a lot of problems both for the officer and YOU. Most of the time, there is a reason for the officer to question you – even if it may not seem so at the time.

The officer may be investigating a complaint in the neighbourhood, or following up on a radio call concerning a crime committed in the area.

For one reason or another, you may be the individual the police suspect. You may have knowledge that will help in the investigation, or the officer may think that you are experiencing some kind of trouble.

Sometimes the manner in which the police question you may seem as if the officer is not respecting YOUR RIGHTS. Sometimes you may overreact to the questions and create a more serious situation. We will attempt to explain your rights. What to remember, and what to expect when an officer starts asking you a lot of questions… it could save you from answering a lot more unnecessary questions.

THE POLICE IN YOUR CAR.

If you are driving a vehicle, the police can ask you to stop at any time. The best thing to do in this situation is to park and follow the directions of the officer. You will probably be asked to produce your driver’s license and particulars of the vehicle. This you must do, if asked. If you are stopped at night, turn on your interior light and show the officer that nothing is wrong. It is best to do nothing, which may give reason to search further. Having your light on and keeping your hand on the steering wheel will usually put the officer’s mind at ease.

Chances are that the officer might ask you to go if you have all your papers. The officer might say that you have violated traffic rules, if your papers are not correct or ask you to come out of your car for a search, if he is on Stop and Search duty. Remember that he or she is operating within the law in all these activities. Of course, you may explain at any point in this encounter, but you should limit your comments. Be careful how to make your points. A simple traffic violation may start costing you a fortune in fines for other violations. If you think that you have not violated any traffic rules, then carry your protest to the Police Public Complaints Bureau nearest to you.

IF YOU ARE STOPPED BY THE POLICE ON THE STREET.

Most of the problems you may encounter with the police can be avoided. Remember, they think they have reason (probable cause) to stop you and ask questions. At this time, you should stop, collect your thoughts and remain calm. Whether or not you are arrested, may just depend on how calm and prepared you are at this time. There are many factors that the police may take into consideration when observing you. Every situation is different and the officer may consider the following factors,

ù When you are running and a crime has been reported in the Area

ù If you are hanging around with people under police investigation

ù You are in an area where crime has just been reported

ù You are in an area which the police believe to be abandoned or unoccupied, or a blackspot.

ù You are acting in a manner, which appears to be suspicious

ù The police believe you are in possession of stolen property.

ù Someone else has identified you to the police.

ù When you use derogatory or offensive language… You may be saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

While these things are taken into consideration when questioning you, the police MUST STILL RESPECT YOUR RIGHTS NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT SOUND ACCUSATORY

ù If the police have stopped you, they believe there is a reason to do so.

ù It is best to be calm and identity yourself

ù In many a situation, you can talk your way into arrest or detention as well as talk yourself out of trouble. By yelling, threatening or swearing at an officer, the BEST you can do is get yourself arrested.

Nigerian Piracy versus Somali Piracy.

Differences between Nigerian and Somali Piracy.

Armed militants have terrorized commercial shipping in the Gulf of Guinea for over a decade. But the 23^rd October 2013 attack on a US-flagged oil industry vessel and the abduction of two Americans [the Americans were released for ransom on 13^th November 2013] has turned international attention from Somalia to Nigeria.

Maritime insecurity in East and West Africa are the consequences of distinct socioeconomic circumstances and has differing geopolitical ramifications. The following are differences between Nigerian and Somali piracy:

1. Nigeria is Not a Failed State.

Decades of political and social dysfunction have left Somalia without a functioning government or economy. Comparatively, Nigeria is not a failed state. It is resource-rich and has a functioning democratic system. Its piracy problem is a product of flourishing organized crime and a shortage of resources to police the 853 miles of coastline and inland littoral Niger Delta region.

 Unlike Somalia, Nigeria has a small, yet capable navy. Since 2004, Nigeria’s naval forces have conducted joint operations with regional and global partners to curb piracy in the south - eastern waterways.

2. Nigerian Piracy Disrupts The Global Energy Market.

Somali pirates operate in waters off the Horn of Africa, disrupting the flow of goods and commodities through one of the world’s most important trade gateways. The expenses of evasive shipping routes, higher insurance premiums and additional security measures cost the global economy billions every year.

 But unlike the Horn of Africa, West Africa is home to a major global energy market. 5.4 million barrels of oil flow through the Gulf of Guinea every day, making up 30% of the US oil market and 40% of Europe’s.

Somalis may disrupt the free flow of commerce through some of the world’s most important trade routes, but the Nigerian problem directly degrades global oil supplies and undermines a critical piece of the world’s energy market.

3. Nigerian Piracy is An Extension of Niger Delta’s Onshore Criminal Enterprise.

Like Somalia’s pirates, Nigeria’s raiders are from regions where legitimate means of employment are absent, impoverished men whose opportunities are scarce and outlooks are bleak, take to the sea looking to get rich quick.

 But unlike Somalis, the Niger Delta’s disillusioned citizens are explicit in their grievances against both oil companies and the government. Poverty, oil pollution, perceived discriminatory employment practices, and socioeconomic and political marginalization have driven thousands of Niger Delta rebels to organize, arm and extend their political agendas offshore.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is the region’s most organized and heavily armed rebel faction. Motivated by greed and grievance, the MEND criminal enterprise disrupts Nigeria’s on and offshore commercial environments. The group has been the most active in maritime crime since its inception in 2006, but the group also runs an extensive organized crime network in the Delta, to include large-scale oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal refining operations.

4. MEND’s Influence Has Gone International.

Somali pirates have an impressive range of operations, attacking ships at distances of up to 1,000 NM offshore in the Indian Ocean. But Somalia’s onshore contingent is limited to the pirate villages and command and control sites within its borders.

Comparatively, Nigeria’s onshore contingent has gone international. MEND operations have spread to Cameroon and the Bakassi Peninsula, networks have taken root in Benin and Equatorial Guinea, and resource conflicts have spread to Angola’s Cabinda region. Meanwhile, the group has expanded offshore operations to neighboring territorial waters in search of easy and lucrative targets.

Compared to Somalis, Nigerian pirates do not have to go far to find targets like oil tankers or support ships. But in response to improved force protection measures, Nigerian pirates are extending operating ranges by hijacking fishing vessels in Nigerian waters, and then using the vessels to launch attacks off the coast of neighboring Cameroon and Benin.

5. Nigerians Are Fishermen. Somalis Are Not.

The narrative that overfishing and commercial poaching have driven Somalis to piracy is a storyline that has won sympathy from the international community. But Somalis disdain fish and fishing. Well-to-do Somalis eat camel. Others eat goat, sheep and cattle. The poor eat chicken and vegetables. Fish is a last resort. There has never been a significant fishing industry in country because there is no demand for fish.

This is not the case for Nigerians. Fishing is the second-largest industry in Nigeria next to oil. Over the last decade, the aggregation of environmental damage from oil spills and maritime piracy has decimated the country’s fishing economy. If spills from vandalized pipelines and rotting infrastructure weren’t enough to keep fishermen in port, the frequency of attacks on fishing vessels has caused many trawlers to sit idle. Seafood prices in Nigeria have skyrocketed because of the scarcity of fish, putting an important protein source out of reach for many ordinary Nigerians. The billions of dollars lost by the fishing industry has put tens of thousands of Nigerians out of work, adding strain to an already bleak employment picture where alternative livelihoods are very much absent.

6. Nigerian pirates don’t have to go far to stay in business.

Somali pirates terrorize shipping as far east as India and as far south as Mozambique. Nigerian pirates do not stray hundreds of miles into the Gulf of Guinea because they don’t need to. With slow moving tankers, offshore oil infrastructure and a heavy logistics footprint, Nigeria’s oil industry provides fertile hunting grounds close to shore. The most pirate-infested waters are in the vicinity of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital, and the oil-rich waters of the southern Niger Delta near Port Harcourt. Furthermore, Nigeria’s pirates do not limit themselves to floating targets. Attacks on coastal villages and along inland creeks are convenient and low-risk endeavors for groups like MEND, whose proximate safe havens in the Delta allow for easy access to coastal infrastructure.

7. Motive and Money Trail.

Somali piracy is a crime of opportunity where other opportunities are unavailable. Players at various socioeconomic levels have a stake in upholding the piracy system. Many operations are start-ups initiated by gangs or criminal outfits. They begin by hiring a logistics person, drawing a business plan, raising cash through investors and hiring a labor force. Societal buy-ins on operations are commonplace, where locals become shareholders in the enterprise. Some Somalis only invest a few hundred dollars and look to collect dividends on ransom payments. Other investors, like wealthy members of the Somali diaspora, have been known to shell out hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund operations. These diaspora shareholders are the big winners in instances of large ransom payouts.

Conflict and crime in the Niger Delta has one common denominator: oil. The economics of Nigerian piracy are inseparable from the lucrative and fiercely sought-after global commodity. There are perhaps isolated incidents of societal buy-ins, dividend payments and diaspora investors, but Nigerian piracy is not a social welfare arrangement backed by a large community of local stakeholders. Preying on oil industry personnel and assets is instead a nefarious demonstration of the Nigerian entrepreneurial spirit. Offshore thefts and kidnappings are attempts by factions to acquire what they consider their rightful share of the Delta’s oil wealth.

Is Nigerian piracy an entirely criminal enterprise? Is it fueled by inequality and social injustice? Or is it part of a corruption scheme to extort money from oil companies? The answer is probably a little of all three. However, the lack of transparency in the financial system means an inability to track the pirate money trail. Without knowing exactly who is involved or how money moves, the answer to the crime, social justice or corruption question is left to speculation.

8. Piracy is still legal in Nigeria… Or at least not yet illegal.

In response to the Somali piracy problem, the international community has mounted a 29-nation naval task force to shut down piracy operations. In the absence of a Somali judicial system, a coalition of countries has stepped in to resolve the problem of where to try suspected pirates, and where to incarcerate those convicted. With monetary assistance from the West, the Seychelles has constructed a small prison and Kenyan courts have been willing to both try and imprison Somali pirates. In contrast to the multinational response to the lawlessness onshore in Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden, there is no space for coalition intervention in the Nigerian justice system. Despite having a sizeable navy and functioning judicial system, Nigeria has failed to incorporate the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) or to implement piracy laws of its own. Though there are calls to domesticate international conventions on piracy, the complete absence of laws governing the safety of marine navigation explains the nonexistent prosecution rate in Nigeria. Until there are legal consequences to pilfering ships and abducting crews, the risk-to-reward ratio will remain favorable for Nigeria’s pirates.

Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta [MEND]'s Statement.

'Hurricane Exodus' Update.

From: Jomo Gbomo

Sent: 16 November 2013 18:48

To: chiefoyibo@oyibosonline.com;

Subject: 'Hurricane Exodus' Update (Oct 27 - Nov 16, 2013)

Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)

Some respite came to the Oil Companies operating in the Niger Delta region from October 27 – November 01, 2013 when ‘Hurricane Exodus’ was downgraded to a gentle breeze as a mark of respect to the late Vice Admiral Mike O. Akhigbe (Rtd) whose flagship finally sunk after a valiant and protracted battle with cancer. The late Vice Admiral Akhigbe (Rtd) was the leader of the disbanded MEND Aaron Team selected and mandated by the group to dialogue on its behalf with the government of the late President Musa Yar’Adua on issues that led to our insurgency before any amnesty could be considered. But they were never given that opportunity after President Goodluck Jonathan became president following the death of President Yar’Adua.

It was unfortunate that President Goodluck Jonathan would throw away an opportunity for long lasting peace through dialogue for a short term retrieve through threats, bribery and force which has only succeeded in buying him some time.

‘Hurricane Exodus’ gathered strength shortly after when it swept through the Okpoloma Gas Plant in Afam, Rivers State, Nigeria on Saturday November 02, 2013, by sabotaging gas supply to the Shell Afam Station whereby disrupting 400MW of electricity supply to the National Grid.

The hostage anxiety involving the kidnap for ransom of two (2) American sailors from the C-Retrieval Oil Supply Vessel, off the coast of Brass, Bayelsa State ended on a happy note with the safe and accelerated release of the hostages as guaranteed by MEND. We urge the governments of South Africa and Nigeria at this time to allow the bud of peace and Security a chance to spout by releasing the Okah brothers and other political hostages being incarcerated with trumped-up charges.

We first broke the news of the hostage release exclusively to Ms Debora Patta, of CBS news who was hesitant to use the information days before it was made public by a US State Department’s Spokeswoman. Following the due process, a ransom of 2Million US Dollars in cash was paid, with a larger percentage of it coming from an embarrassed Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration Agency (NIMASA).

On Wednesday, November 13, 2013, soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF), and a policeman, were killed around the Agip jetty in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, after trying to intercept MEND fighters on a reconnaissance mission. Contrary to speculations, they were not attempting to carry out a kidnap operation.

Jomo Gbomo.

A Press Release by US State Department on Boko Haram.

Countering the Threat Posed by Boko Haram - A Press Release by US State Department.

Testimony by: Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittees on Africa, Global Health, Human Rights, and International Organizations and Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade

Washington, DC. November 13, 2013

Chairman Smith, Chairman Poe, Ranking Member Bass, Ranking Member Deutch, and Members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to update you about U.S. policy on Nigeria and specifically our efforts to help Nigeria counter the threat posed by Boko Haram and associated violent extremist groups.

Chairman Smith and Chairman Poe, instability in Nigeria is of direct concern to the United States. Nigeria is one of our most important partners in Africa. It is home to an estimated 170 million people, making it the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the world. Nigeria is the 22nd fastest-growing economy in the world, the 13th largest supplier of oil to the global market, and the second largest destination for U.S. private investment in Africa. Nigeria is also the second largest African contributor to UN peacekeeping operations around the world and we welcome Nigeria’s participation on the UN Security Council beginning in January.

The significant mutual interests we share with Nigeria have led us to build a robust bilateral relationship, which we have deepened and broadened through the U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission. We meet regularly with senior Nigerian officials. President Obama met with President Jonathan on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September. Under Secretary Wendy Sherman led a large interagency U.S. delegation to Abuja in mid-August to discuss civilian security with senior Nigerian civilian and military leaders, including President Jonathan and National Security Advisor Dasuki. Additionally, we have welcomed the travel of Congressional partners like Chairman Smith who visited Nigeria September 21-24 to meet with Nigerians affected by Boko Haram violence. It is through these engagements that we are able to translate our partnership into mutual action to advance opportunities and address threats.

Boko Haram and associated violent extremist groups, such as the faction known as Ansaru, pose a threat to Nigeria’s stability. These groups attack the Nigerian Government, military, and ordinary citizens of all walks of life, including numerous Christians and an even greater number of Muslims. Their actions have increased tensions between ethnic communities, interrupted development, frightened investors, and alarmed Nigeria’s neighbors. Boko Haram and associated groups can strike Nigeria’s neighbors and target foreigners. Their unspeakable violence has killed too many Nigerians, as we saw during September, when attacks in Benisheikh shot more than 160 people and in Yobe, where more than 50 innocent students lost their lives. In August 2011, a suicide bomber from Boko Haram attacked the United Nations headquarters in Nigeria’s capital Abuja. On February 19 of this year, Boko Haram kidnapped 7 French tourists in Cameroon. Although Boko Haram has directed most of its violence and rhetoric at Nigerian targets, reports of linkages between Boko Haram and Al Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, are worrying.

The ongoing violence in northern Nigeria has multiple causes. These include Boko Haram’s ideology, which opposes Western culture and education and seeks to overthrow the Nigerian state and replace it with a regime enforcing strict shari’a law. Boko Haram has exploited religious rhetoric in an attempt to justify its violence, casting the state as hopelessly corrupt and un-Islamic. Regional and socioeconomic disparities have also contributed to the group’s ability to recruit. Northern Nigeria has long lagged behind the south in education and economic development. In 2011, Nigeria’s national unemployment rate was 24 percent, but the unemployment rate in 6 of the 12 far northern states exceeded 30 percent. In 2010, Nigeria’s rate of absolute poverty was 62 percent, but in 8 of the 12 far northern states the figure exceeded 70 percent. Of Nigeria’s estimated 10.5 million children who do not attend school, 92 percent are estimated to be in the north. Boko Haram’s activities call our attention not just to violence, but also to poverty and inequality in Nigeria.

Boko Haram’s violence also comes at a time of uncertainty and tension for Nigeria. Preparations for the country’s 2015 elections have already begun, and political realignments are adding to existing tensions. In the oil-producing Niger Delta region, thieves steal at least 100,000 barrels of oil per day and perhaps much more. This theft reduces government revenues, fuels corruption and international crime, and contributes to environmental degradation. In Nigeria’s ethnically and religiously diverse Middle Belt, communal violence occurs in tragic cycles, overwhelming civilian authorities and stoking regional tensions. Corruption hinders the country’s efforts to enforce the rule of law, generate electricity, attract investment, and expand infrastructure. Despite its tremendous wealth and vast human resources, Nigeria struggles to reduce poverty; despite its oil exports and agricultural riches, the country imports gasoline and rice. Good governance, healthy political competition, and equitable economic growth would go a long way to address all of these challenges. The strategy for countering Boko Haram should be, in other words, holistic. The government needs to not only stop Boko Haram’s attacks, but address longstanding grievances of law-abiding northern Nigerians about government corruption and unfairness that attracts disaffected youth to Boko Haram.

The United States is committed to helping the Nigerian Government and people counter the threat posed by Boko Haram and associated violent extremist groups. In recent years, we have worked to help isolate Boko Haram’s leaders. In June 2012, the State Department designated Boko Haram’s top commanders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. In June 2013, the State Department added Abubakar Shekau, Boko Haram’s official leader, to our Rewards for Justice Program and offered up to $7 million for information leading to his location.

I am pleased to inform you that the United States has recently taken additional steps to counter the threat posed by Boko Haram and Ansaru. Earlier today, the State Department designated both as Foreign Terrorist Organizations under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and as Specially Designated Global Terrorists under section 1(b) of Executive Order 13224. We took this step after careful consideration. We anticipate that this designation will empower U.S. law enforcement and the Treasury Department with additional tools to pursue these violent extremist organizations. We believe this designation is an important and appropriate step, but it is only one tool in what we believe must be a comprehensive approach toward addressing the Boko Haram threat. It is also our sincere hope that the Nigerian Government and people will see this as a gesture of support in their fight against Boko Haram. We are committed to assisting Nigeria in bolstering its law enforcement capabilities and ultimately shifting to an integrated civilian security-focused strategy to counter Boko Haram and Ansaru in a manner that adheres to the rule of law and ensures accountability.

The United States has also sought to enhance the capacity of Nigeria and its neighbors to detect, disrupt, respond to, investigate, and prosecute terrorist incidents. Through the Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership, we build military, law enforcement, and civilian capacity and resilience across the Sahel and Maghreb regions to counter terrorism. We continue to train and equip Nigerian law enforcement units to strengthen leadership, improve crisis management, enhance investigations and forensics, and counter improvised explosive devices. The State Department also funds a Legal Advisor to help the Nigerian Government strengthen its anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regime.

Military and law enforcement efforts are necessary, but they alone are insufficient to counter the threat posed by Boko Haram and associated violent extremist groups. In the long run, reducing Boko Haram’s ability to recruit is just as important as degrading its capabilities. In addition to the imperatives of improving governance and fostering equitable development, Nigeria must protect civilians, guarantee human rights, and ensure accountability in instances where government officials and security forces violate those rights. Nigeria must demonstrate that government can be the sole, trusted arbiter of justice in the country.

The United States recognizes that the Nigerian Government and security forces face a difficult challenge in countering the Boko Haram insurgency. Both ordinary citizens and security forces have suffered. Still, we are concerned by reports that some Nigerian security forces enhance investigations and forensics, and counter improvised explosive devices. The State Department also funds a Legal Adviser to help the Nigerian Government strengthen its anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing regime. Military and law enforcement efforts are necessary, but they alone are insufficient to counter the threat posed by Boko Haram and associated violent extremist groups. In the long run, reducing Boko Haram’s ability to recruit is just as important as degrading its capabilities. In addition to the imperatives of improving governance and fostering equitable development, Nigeria must protect civilians, guarantee human rights, and ensure accountability in instances where government officials and security forces violate those rights. Nigeria must demonstrate that government can be the sole, trusted arbiter of justice in the country. The United States recognizes that the Nigerian Government and security forces face a difficult challenge in countering the Boko Haram insurgency. Both ordinary citizens and security forces have suffered. Still, we are concerned by reports that some Nigerian security forces have committed gross human rights violations in response to Boko Haram. We have raised this concern with the Government of Nigeria at the highest levels. While northern Nigerians, Muslims and Christians alike, largely reject Boko Haram’s vision and violence, Boko Haram has exploited local resentment of these violations and other long-standing grievances against the central government to attract recruits.

The United States is committed to helping Nigeria shift to a strategy that focuses on protecting citizens. Such a strategy would diminish Boko Haram’s appeal and legitimacy. We support civil society-led efforts in Nigeria that counter Boko Haram’s narrative and its violent extremist message. We also seek to increase outreach with youth leaders in northern Nigeria, and to promote better relations between these leaders and Nigerian Government officials. We maintain an American corner in Kano, Nigeria, although its outreach activities have been limited by the security situation.

Nigeria’s prosperity and stability matter to all of Africa. The United States is committed to several Presidential initiatives in partnership with Nigeria, including the Young African Leaders Initiative and Power Africa, as well as significant programs for health and economic growth. Nigeria’s success is important to us. We must continue to help our Nigerian partners develop an effective multifaceted strategy toward Boko Haram. Overcoming the challenges posed by Boko Haram will not be easy, but we believe it is possible with leadership and creativity. We appreciate Congress' interest in this issue and are ready to work with you in the months ahead. I look forward to your questions.