Jonathan to extend emergency rule in northeast

Mohammed Adoke, the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, will write the national assembly “immediately” to seek clearance for the plan of the federal government to extend the state of emergency in insurgency-ravaged Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

Adoke received the directive from President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday, during the day’s meeting of the National Defence Council presided over by the president.

Speaking with state house correspondents, he said the council took the decision to immediately request an extension from the national assembly after reviewing the state of insecurity in the three states.

Established by Section 135 of the Constitution, the Council advises the president on matters relating to the defence of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It comprises the president, who is the chairman; the vice president, who shall be the deputy chairman; the minister of defence; the chief of defence staff; the chief of army staff; chief of naval staff; chief of air staff; and such other members as the president may appoint.

In attendance on Monday were Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, the chief of defence staff; Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, the chief of army staff; Usman Jibrin,a vice Admiral and the chief of naval staff; Adesola Amosu an air marshal and the chief of air staff; Suleiman Abba, the inspector-general of police and Sambo Dasuki, and Sambo Dasuki, a retired colonel and the national security adviser.

Anyim Pius Anyim, the secretary to the government of the federation, Aliyu Gusau, a general and the minister of defence; and Mr. Aba Moro, the minister of interior.

Jonathan first declared a state of emergency in the three states in May 2013 in a nationwide broadcast, but governors of the states were not stripped of their positions.

In November 2013 and again in May 2014, the emergency rule received six-month extensions, the second of which expires on Thursday.

Despite the emergency rule, Boko Haram has intensified bomb and gun attacks in the three states and a few others (one pictured).

Only last week, a bomb blast at Government Comprehensive Science Secondary School, Potiskum, Yobe state (one of the states under emergency rule) killed 47 people and injured 79.

On Sunday, a similar bomb attack in neighbouring Bauchi state resulted in the death of 12 people.