Fresh Crisis Erupts In Kaduna As Youths Gun Down Police Helicopter

Shooting continued in parts of Kaduna despite the 24-hour curfew earlier imposed by the state government.
The violence continued in Nassarawa community throughout Sunday night up to Monday morning.
The crisis led to the killing of five people, despite the 24-hour curfew in place and the high presence of the security agents.
A source told LEADERSHIP that the fresh crisis happened in Gonin-Gora, Sabon-Tash, Kakuri, Barnawa, Nasarawa and other parts of the state.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the situation was later brought under control following the reinforcement of security in the area.
There was trouble also at the Barnawa Central Market, near Holy Family Catholic Church.
Nuhu Bityong, a resident of the area told our correspondent, that “as many people went to shop, coupled with the tension that resulted from the bomb blast, some youths regrouped themselves and started throwing stones at each other close to the Holy Family Catholic Church, Barnawa. The security men acted promptly and no one was killed.”
Another eyewitness told LEADERSHIP that the attack started when the corpse of a man was found in the bush and brought to Barnawa.

The corpse, according to the eyewitness who spoke on condition of anonymity, “was dumped on the road by some youths who started to react spontaneously, attacking people. Some of those who fell victims were in the market to purchase food items.”
Also attacked were vehicles coming from town whose windscreens were shattered. A number of people were injured but no casualty was recorded.
Kaduna State police command spokesman Aminu Lawan said that security men on patrol acted promptly and dispersed them.
“When they started regrouping shortly after the relaxation of the curfew, our men on patrol disperse them. But, for now, the situation is under control,” Lawan said.
In the meantime, well armed security men cordoned off the area.
In a related development, some armed youths were reported to have gunned down a police helicopter during the fresh crisis in Kaduna.
But  the Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State Command, Mr. Mohammed Jinjiri denied the claim, and said that nothing of such occured within his command.
IG orders 24-hour patrol
The inspector-general of police, Mohammed Abubakar, yesterday ordered a 24-hour strategic surveillance patrol of Kaduna and neighbouring states of Katsina, Kano, Plateau, Nasarawa and Niger following intelligence reports that the violence that erupted in Kaduna State on Sunday, as a result of the bombing of three churches in Zaria and Kaduna  towns, may spread to the neighbouring states.
The deputy force public relations officer, CSP Frank Mba, said the 24-hour patrol directive by the IGP was to prevent further spread of the crisis.
He said: “While the patrols in Kaduna will be to consolidate on the calm and peace that has returned to the state, it is also designed to ensure that the gains made so far are not lost and the patrols of other states are to ensure no spillover or breach of security of any kind.”
On the operational order, Mba said: “The order spells out the standard operational procedure that officers should adopt in ensuring prevention and management of crisis situations.”

Jonathan Leaves for Brazil as Crisis in Kaduna, Yobe intensifies; death toll rises to 74

Even as violence continues to breed its ugly head in Kaduna State and fresh attack in Yobe, the Damaturu state capital, Jonathan is set for yet another oversea trip to Brazil city of Rio de Janeiro to take part in the United Nations Earth summit, an annual event.
Jonathan will be at the Rio Centro Convention Center on Wednesday and Thursday to participate in the   the summit’s four plenary sessions.  Thereafter, he will also be meeting with the Brazilian President who will be hosting the Heads of Government at the summit.
The President will be making the trip with his wife, Patience; Governors Ibrahim Shema and Seriake Dickson of Katsina and Bayelsa states respectively.
Other people who may be joining  the President’s entourage are the Ministers of Environment, Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafiya; Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ohekpe; Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; and Senator Benedict Ayade.
However, while the President will be away in Brazil, security forces will be working tirelessly to ensure that peace returns to the troubled Northern region, especially in Kaduna where it was confirmed that death toll as a result of the reprisal attacks has risen to 74 .
Officials of the Red Cross said that over 140 victims of the attacks had been taken to hospitals for medical attention.
Meanwhile, soldiers and other security men were seen in Kaduna patrolling along the streets, while trying to quail further outbreak of violence.   Also in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, it was reported explosions and gunshots rocked the city on Monday.
It was reported that gunshots and bombing started at the Sabon Pegi area of the city in the evening when some Boko Haram militants struck to take over the government house and Potiskum prison in order to release some inmates.
An unconfirmed report says that the gunmen attempted to take over the government house, and the Potiskum Prison.
Channels TV reports that the Joint Task Force Commander in the state, Col. Dahiru Abdulsalam, said his men had moved into the town and the situation had been brought under control.
Our correspondent on Monday reported that hundreds of Kaduna residents besieged various hospitals in the state in search of their relatives caught in the attacks.
Medical personnel and workers at the St. Gerard Catholic Hospital and the Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital, reports say had hectic time treating scores of people that sustained various degrees of injuries even as they coped with worried relatives in search of their loved ones.
Spokesman for the St.Gerard Catholic Hospital, Mr. John Ali, said that the number of victims who died in the hospital had risen to 39 while those who sustained injuries and were being treated in the hospital were 72.
Ali said the corpses had been evacuated by the state government.
A source who did not want his name mentioned told our correspondent at the  Barau Dikko Specialist  Hospital  that  12 deaths were recorded while two  others were receiving treatment in the hospital.
At ABUTH, a worker who did not want his name in print said the number of dead victims at the hospital was 32.
Suleiman Mani, a 20-year-old wood cutter,  said he was cutting firewood when  a resident of the area told him to  leave the work and go away because the town was not safe.
Narrating how he was attacked, Mani said, “They hit me again and I fell down. The wanted to cut my head but the machete landed on my hand as I tried to protect myself. They carried a big stone and wanted to drop it on my head, but one woman who is also my customer came to intervene as I lay on the ground.
“They wanted to beat her but one man came and intervened and they took me on a bike to this hospital.”
Another victim, Aliyu Musa, 27, who is a commercial motorcyclist, said he was attacked at the Sabon Tasha area of the state.
“I just dropped a passenger and I was going back when I saw some people stopping motorbikes. They stopped many of us and asked us to lie down and started beating us and smashing blocks on us.
“They said that they will kill us because Boko Haram is killing Christians. They beat me so much that I became unconscious. I don’t even know how I got here,” he said
A photo journalist with Daily Independent Newspaper, Mr. Nathaniel Jibrin, said, “My colleague from Thisday newspaper called me that there was bomb blast in Trikania, and that he was going there to take pictures.  It was not long I closed from the Church, so immediately I picked a commercial motorcycle and headed for the place, but somewhere within the area, some people stopped us.
“I cannot remember what they were saying, all of a sudden I found myself on the ground, with blood flowing all over my body. It was two good Samaritans that brought me to this hospital. Thank God I am getting better.”
Meanwhile, tension rose in the Kaduna metropolis on Monday as the state government relaxed the 24 hours curfew imposed on the state following the outbreak of violence on Sunday.
“I am rushing home right now. The Hausa people seem to have mobilised for a fight. Please I have to rush home before they start burning and killing,” a resident said.

England - Ukraine Preview: Three Lions can secure quarter-final berth with a draw

Oleg Blokhin's team must win in order to progress to the knockout stage of Euro 2012 but the fitness of star man Andriy Shevchenko will be touch and go after he missed training

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

ENGLAND HartJohnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole Gerrard, Parker Walcott, Rooney, Young Welbeck

UKRAINE Pyatov Husyev, Mikhalik, Khacheridi, SelinTymoshchuk Yarmolenko, Nazarenko, KonoplyankaVoronin, Shevchenko

Wayne Rooney will return to the England team having completed his two-match suspension. He is likely to partner Manchester United team-mate Danny Welbeck, although Andy Carroll is also in contention after his goal against Sweden.

Theo Walcott, despite leaving training on Sunday with a minor hamstring complaint, could also be handed a start after his match-winning cameo against Erik Hamren's team. The Arsenal winger, if selected, is likely to replace James Milner, with England adopting more of a 4-2-3-1 formation, but Milner could switch to the left flank with the so far unimpressive Ashley Young dropping to the bench.

Andriy Shevchenko is a serious doubt with a knee injury but is likely to be given every chance to prove his fitness given that Ukraine must win to progress to the quarter-final. If he is unavailable, Oleg Blokhin is likely to turn to Artem Milevskiy or Marko Devic to partner Andriy Voronin.

Blokhin has fielded the same defence and midfield in both games so far, with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk shielding the back four and Serhiy Nazarenko, Yevhen Konoplyanka and Andriy Yarmolenko supporting the strikers.

Sweden - France Preview: Les Bleus need just a point to progress against already-eliminated Swedes

The French can still be knocked out if they lose and Ukraine beat England but would take an unlikely goal-difference swing, as Yann M'Vila should play his first game of Euro 2012

 

PROBABLE LINEUPS

SWEDEN IsakssonGranqvist, Mellberg, J.Olsson, M.Olsson Larsson, Kallstrom, Svensson, Elm Ibrahimovic Elmander

FRANCE LlorisDebuchy, Koscielny, Mexes, Clichy M'Vila, Diarra Ribery, Nasri, MenezBenzema

Erik Hamren has no fresh fitness doubts heading into the last game of Group D with France. However, Mikael Lustig, who missed large amounts of his domestic season with injury, will probably remain sidelined with the hip problem that forced him out of the loss to England.

Jonas Olsson is expected to play at centre-back once more, with Andreas Granqvist continuing at full-back. Further up the pitch, Johan Elmander came back into the XI against Roy Hodgson's side after being ruled out of the game with the co-hosts, but faces competiton from Markus Rosenberg up front, while Ola Toivonen could come back in for Anders Svensson if the boss wanted to opt for a more attacking approach.

Yohan Cabaye has been nursing a slight knock on the leg, which forced him to train separately from the rest of the team during the week. He could therefore be replaced by Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila, who revealed that he was fit enough to play in the 2-0 win over Ukraine after he missed the opening-day draw with England with injury.

In defence, Gael Clichy is expected to continue at left-back after coming in for Patrice Evra in the victory over Oleg Blokhin's troops, but Laurent Koscielny could be in line to make his competitive debut with Adil Rami not having the best of games last time out.

Elsewhere, Karim Benzema will have to hold off competition from Olivier Giroud up front from following the Real Madrid striker's failure to find the net at Euro 2012 so far, while Jeremy Menez should keep his place in the side after scoring against Ukraine.