ON January 1, 1914, the British government, in a deft political manoeuvre, proclaimed the amalgamation of the then Northern and Southern Protectorates and changed the political destiny of the geographical entity known today as Nigeria.

GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan is not a stranger to criminals and their devices, especially kidnappers. In fact, some years ago, as Secretary to the Delta State Government, he was a member of the Federal Government team, headed by the current president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who was then the vice president, which was established to end kidnapping in the region.

DELTA State commissioner of police, Mr. Mamman Tsafe, says he will not dispute the fact that kidnappers have increased their operations in the state, but he was emphatic that the police and other security agencies have risen up to the occasion, and that very soon, the number would be drastically reduced. He spoke in his office in Asaba.

This report is without prejudice to the shining tails of spectacular performances of former ministers (see accompanying piece) who went through the Senate’s confirmation session last week; but seeks to unveil what went down behind-the-scenes in the build-up to the nomination and eventual security clearance given the 34 ministerial- nominees sent to the Senate. President Goodluck Jonathan has promised Nigerians transformation. He would need a good, very good, team to help him achieve that. This report asks: Will the team being put together deliver?

The bombing in some parts of the country is condemnable and it stands condemned. I want believe they are not Muslims. A true Muslim cannot do that, it is un-Islamic and it stands condemned. Again, according to reports, they are foreigners, government should endeavour to unmask them.

THEY prevented other Mujahidden groups who attempted to attack and loot the convoy. The Taliban was formed by Mullah Mohammed Umar, a one-eyed puritanical cleric who was described as one of the most improbable characters in Afghanistan’s tortuous history. He recruited students from Qur’anic schools and this resulted in the Taliban being referred to in its early days as a student movement.

THE Northern Nigeria of today comprises 19 states, and to a very large extent, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Despite the heterogeneous ethnic composition of the North, the Hausa-Fulani ethnic group still predominates, with over 70 percent of its people belonging to the Hausa-Fulani ethnic stock. By extension, the historical evolution of the Hausa group is closely linked with other ethnic groups that can be found in the region.

AFGHANISTAN! That was what it called its base in Kanamma, Yobe State. It uses guerrilla tactics as a means of doing devilish things, yet it professes Godliness.

Eight years after it was set up, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, may have recovered $11 billion and achieved over 600 prosecutions. However, the perception in some quarters is that the commission could have done more were the imbecility of politics not a factor in its activities. Whereas there appears to have been a shift from the corruption-laden environment which predated the establishment of EFCC, this report brings into sharp focus the challenges of anti-corruption in a socio-political environment with clashing interests.

Many may not know that last Thursday’s bomb blast was the second attempt on the life of Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Abubakar Ringim. The first was last month – by a police officer who had attempted to either use voodoo or bombs. We’ll get to that later.

THERE is no way you would visit the Delta Steel Company, DSC, Ovwian-Aladja, Delta State, the foremost integrated steel plant in Nigeria and south of the Sahara, formerly owned by the Federal Government, but now sold to an Indian company, Global Steel Holdings Limited, GSHL, headed by Mr. Pramod Mitel, without weeping for Nigeria. No matter how you look at it, it is clear that all is not well with the company, presently owned 80 per cent by a foreigner and 20 per cent by Nigeria.

The recent story of a woman , Mrs Precious Donatus Ogbonna who delivered seven babies within 11 months has continued to elicit reactions from people. However, the woman at the centre of the controversy insists that the children are her babies and doubting Thomases are free to conduct DNA test to ascertain the veracity of her claim.” I am ready to subject my kids to DNA tests. I would have done it since but for lack of funds”

At first, Prof. Oladapo Ashiru, an experienced endocrinologist and joint pioneer of In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Research in Nigeria and the entire West African region, couldn’t comprehend the statement.

On June 12 1993, millions of Nigerians voted in the election adjudged to be the best ever conducted in the history of Nigeria.

Last week’s defeat of President Goodluck Jonathan’s choice of zone from where the Speaker for the House of Representatives should emerge is just one in a long list of confrontations from the North that he had had to contend with (see the list at the end of the story) But there is a planned response from the President. This is an exclusive report of the untold history of confrontations between the North as we knew it and Jonathan.