 "The situation in Plateau State, to say the least, constitutes a challenge to our democracy, negates the norms of rational human interaction, contradicts the tenets of civil society, and devalues opportunities for peace, stability, coexistence and social justice. It constitutes a grave threat to law and order and a great danger to security in Plateau State and the neighbouring States of Bauchi, Nasarawa, Taraba and Benue. It is therefore clearly a great threat to the security and unity of Nigeria. Even if active conflict and killings seemingly subside for now, it is a facade that will erupt again if fundamental actions are not taken now as it had subsided and erupted on and off since September 200".
- Obasanjo
.THE BIOGRAPHY OF PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO Born 5th of March 1937, in Abeokuta, Ogun State in the South West of Nigeria to a middle class Baptist family. He is Yoruba, one of the four main ethnic groups out of more than 250 in Nigeria. Went to Baptist Boys High School in Nigeria for his Secondary School Education and later went to military schools in England and India. Was a teacher briefly before joining the army in 1958 and went on to lead an army commando division in the 1967-70 Biafran civil war. Became Military Ruler in 1976, voluntarily handed Power to Civilian Rule in 1979 and subsequently retired from politics. Jailed By General Sanni Abacha in 1995, Released by Abubakar AbdulSalam in 1998 and elected President in 1999.
1958: Joined the army and received training in Nigeria and abroad. A 21-year military career included serving in the UN peacekeeping mission in the former Zaire and commanding the 3rd Marine Commando Division during Nigeria's 30-month Biafran civil war (1967-70). 1975: Appointed works and housing minister, later becoming chief of staff, supreme headquarters. 1976-79: Became Nigeria's military ruler following the assassination of General Murtala Muhammad. 1979: Presided over democratic elections, won by civilian northern politician Shehu Shagari. In doing so, Obasanjo became Nigeria's first military ruler to hand over power to a democratically elected civilian government. 1983: Shagari ousted from power, Obasanjo critical of subsequent military regimes. 1988: Founded the African Leadership Forum, based at his Otta farm. 1991: Failed in bid to become UN Secretary-General 1995: Tried for plotting coup against military leader General Sani Abacha and sentenced to life in prison. This was later commuted to 15 years after pressure from friends abroad, including South Africa's Nelson Mandela, former US President Jimmy Carter and former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. 1998: Released from prison after Abacha's death and returns to politics. Opinions differ on why Obasanjo decided to run for president so soon after coming out of jail. His critics saw him as a pawn of the military elite - previous military rulers visited Obasanjo as he was considering running, and supported his campaign. His supporters consider him to be independent-minded. Obasanjo himself claimed to have "found God" while in prison, which gave him the strength to run for the country again. He was reported to have said that his mission was to restore Nigeria and defeat separatism. 1999: Obasanjo won presidential elections on 27 February with 62 percent of the valid votes cast. His Party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP), won about the same majority in the two houses of the National Assembly, state houses and the state legislature. Obasanjo's rival, Olu Falae of the combined Alliance for Democracy / All People's Party (AD/APP), challenged the result in court claiming that the PDP had bought votes, but lost. MILITARY AND POLITICAL CAREER IN NIGERIA In 1958, after High School, General Obasanjo enlisted into the Nigerian Army and got trained at the Mons Officers Cadet School, Aldershot, England. He also underwent military training in the following institutions: - Royal College of Defence Studies, London;
- Indian Army School of Engineering;
- Indian Defence Staff College;
- School of Survey, Newbury, England;
- Royal College of Engineering;
- Regular Officers Special Training School, Teshie, Ghana.
He was Commissioned into the Nigerian Army, 1959; He served with the United Nations Peace-Keeping Force in the Congo, 1960-1961; Commander, Engineering Corps, 1963;General Officer Commanding, Third Marine Commando Division during the Nigerian Civil War; led the Division to end the war and accepted surrender of Biafran forces in January 1970; Commander, Nigerian Army Engineering Corps, 1970-1975; Federal Commissioner for Works; Served with the United Nations Peacekeeping and Housing, 1975; Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, 1975-1976; Member, Supreme Military Council, 1975-1979; Lieutenant-General, 1976 and General, 1979; Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria and Commander-inChief of the Armed Forces, 1976-1979; he presided over the voluntary transition to civil democratic rule in 1979 INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES
Member, Independent Commission on Disarmament and Security Issues (Palme Commission), 1983-1989; Member, UNESCO Commission for Peace in the Minds of Men, 1981-1987; Member, WHO Commission of Experts on the Effects of Nuclear Weapons, 1993; Co-Chairman, Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group on South Africa, 1985-1986; Member, United Nations Panel of Eminent Persons on the Relationship between Disarmament and Development, 1986; Chairman, I learing on Namibia of the World Council of Churches, Washington, DC, May, 1988; Member of the Inter Action Council of Former Heads of Government, 1983-present; in that context: Chairman of High Level Expert Group on Military Expenditures by Developing Countries, 1985; Director, Better World Society, Washington, DC, 1987-1993; Member, Board of Directors, University for Peace, Costa Rica; Member, Board of Trustees, Ford Foundation, 1988- 1999; Founder and Chairman of Africa Leadership Forum and Chairman, Board of Directors, Africa Leadership Foundation, Inc., New York till 1999; Publisher, Africa Forum (quarterly), 1991-1993; Member, Independent Group on Financial Development Countries (SchmidtCommission Member, Independent Group on Financial Development Countries (SchmidtCommission Publisher, Africa Forum (quarterly), 1991-1993; Member, Independent Group on Financial Development Countries (SchmidtCommission Special Advisor to the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, lbadan
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