Nigeria: The Good Versus The Greedy

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April 27, 2010: The head of the ruling party (Peoples Democratic Party) has been indicted for corruption (stealing over a million dollars in 2001). Acting president Goodluck Jonathan is making himself very unpopular with the political elite by backing more aggressive prosecution of the more blatant cases of corruption (usually including stealing public funds and trying to hide the money overseas.) Corruption is a root cause of much of the civil disorder in Nigeria, but increasingly vigorous attempts to reduce the stealing have been foiled by the wealthy, desperate and well connected thieves.

In the central Nigerian city of Jos, several hundred more people are fleeing their homes after weekend violence. In the last few months, there have been over 500 deaths (40 percent Christian, 60 percent Moslem) in the area.

April 26, 2010: Over the weekend, three journalists were killed while trying to cover ethnic and religious violence in central Nigeria (in and around the city of Jos). At least five others died in that violence, and dozens were injured, as mobs of Moslems attacked Christians. The Moslems were seeking revenge for a dead Moslem teenager who was found dead. Christians were blamed. Police and soldiers intervened to prevent even more violence.

April 22, 2010: The ruling Peoples Democratic Party has expelled 19 prominent (former government officials) members for their reform efforts. The expelled members of the PDP Reform Forum were being punished for openly criticizing senior policy officials on how the party was (or, rather was not) dealing with corruption.

April 21, 2010: In central Nigeria, nine more died from ethnic and religious violence in the last few days. Theses killings occurred out in the countryside.

April 20, 2010: Former Delta state governor James Ibori is accused of corruption, but avoided arrest by having a mob of his supporters confront the police. Ibori is accused of stealing nearly $300 million while governor of the oil rich Delta state. He was a major supporter of disabled president Umaru Yar'Adua (who has not been heard from in five months) and the Peoples Democratic Party. There have already been arrests of men who used to work for Ibori, who are charged with helping him steal all that money.

April 19, 2010: Soldiers in central Nigeria detected and halted an attack, by a Moslem mob, on a Christian village.  

April 16, 2010: In central Nigeria, Christians are enraged over the kidnapping and murder of a Christian clergyman and his wife by Moslems. More police and soldiers are being deployed to prevent revenge attacks.

 

 

 

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