#and i have not recovered from this news. bunie....

[arcadequeerz]

amazing how funie pizza guys can give me so much joy.

[momolady]

The Mad One: Part Three

Part Three of Six

Out on open waters, Mad One is expecting anything. So when underwater pirates attack, she’s ready. But she’s just not ready for what comes next.

Female Main Character x Multiple Male Characters

Between the mainland and the Island of One Thousand Corpses is the Sunken Sea. But it isn’t just any sea, but an underwater island itself. The Island of One Thousand Corpses once belonged to a race of amphibious beings who decided to live underwater, rather than on land, so they named it the City of the Sunken Island. Here they avoided any and all turmoil that was happening on land, especially in the mainland, which left the island to be used as a graveyard, and then a playground for a crazy scientist.

In any case, sometimes people who traveled between the mainland and the island ran afoul of the aquatic folk, who sometimes took to piracy, raiding ships or taking hostages in order to get what they needed. Due to the Neon City’s port, they were often able to evade the pirates, but the Neon Acolytes rarely ever crossed the sea except to take the dead to the island. This should have been a concern for Mad One, as it should be for everyone who travels by the Sunken Island Sea. Instead, Mad One was enjoying her new husband.

Her body sweaty, her breaths ragged, she rode Hades undaunted by the perils that they could face in open waters. She took him so deeply that his turgid length hit all those pleasurable little nooks she loved. Huni Buni watched, enraptured by the sight of his beloved wife in the throes of ecstasy, his visor glitching as he found himself unable to focus on one expression. Of course, Hades was totally focused on his new bride, her strong arms and muscled thighs. He wasn’t thinking about anything else except how warm and wet she was.

Aside from wanting to enjoy her new partner, Mad One was also trying to avoid thinking about Slasher, her mother’s death, and her own grief. She wanted to indulge in something to make her feel better, rather than what her past had besieged her with. Once she reached the island, she would face her fears in one go.

After Hades was spent, Mad One took Huni Buni inside. It was a comfort she had indulged in for years now, savouring Huni Buni rather than chasing the climax. His hands were smooth, with rubbery pads on his palms and fingertips. His body was sleek and glossy, and he was quite small compared to Mad One, but he was equipped with special attachments that could shift and change as he directed the magic debris inside him. While Huni Buni preferred to be referred to as male, he could really be anything, sometimes masculine, sometimes feminine, sometimes both or neither. He enjoyed this about himself, indulging in fashions as well as roleplaying with his wife. Mad One loved him no matter what he felt one day to the next. He was Huni Buni, and that was all that mattered to her.

“I’m coming,” she moaned to him.

“I know. It’s getting hard to move.” His hands dug into her hips, kneading into her firm rear. “I’m vibrating!”

Mad One bit down hard on her bottom lip, stuck on the ‘f’ of the word fuck as Huni Buni’s member began to vibrate harder and harder inside. It was the final match to light her fuse, rocketing her into her orgasm. “-uck!” she finally coughed when she could breathe again.

Hades chuckled from the bed, having been watching while enjoying a cold drink of Rotten Nectar. “Not a bad show.”

Mad One flopped back onto the bed, curling up in the fetal position as she panted. Huni Buni took a second to recover, his visor blinking and glitching a few times. “You tired her out, or else you would have really gotten a show.” He stroked his hands up Mad One’s back, smoothing her out until she was lying flat against the bed, her head resting on Hades’ thigh.

“I’m sure about that.” Hades petted the top of Mad One’s head as she snuggled against his leg, smiling when he saw the smile on her lips. “We will be at sea for a few days, so I’m sure I’ll get to see the full show eventually.”

Mad One rose, stretching out her back, lifting her arms above her head until there was a loud pop. “It’s been a while. For the longest time it was only Huni Buni and I.”

“How many were there before?” Hades asked.

“Seven, including me,” Huni Buni answered as Mad One took Hades’ drink, finishing off what he had in the glass. Her expression was less than pleased. This was not her favorite topic of discussion.

Sitting up and stretching out his wings, Hades placed his hands around Mad One’s hips, where he had left a few fingerprint bruises. “Is that your goal again?”

Mad One left the bed to pour the glass full again. “I don’t have a goal for that. I just don’t want partners who will leave me again, even if I become powerless.”

“Don’t drink so much,” Huni Buni warned.

Mad One lifted the glass from her lips, turning to look back at her husbands in bed. She was illuminated from behind by the window, and her skin glowed warmly, with shadows finding the curves and crevices of her body. From their point of view, she looked like a goddess. But inside, Mad One felt little more than a blade of grass in dung. “It’s beautiful out. We need some fresh air.” Mad One went to the window and opened it, letting in the cold sea breeze. As she turned away, something flew through the window and struck her in the back of the head. “Fucking hell!” she cried out.

Hades jumped from the bed, going to the window while Huni Buni picked up the object that was thrown. It was a bottle with a message in it. “Throw it back!” Mad One snapped in her anger, still rubbing the back of her head.

Huni Buni turned the bottle this way and that. A small object rattled around inside. “There’s a note inside. Maybe we should read it?”

“It could be the Sunken pirates,” Hades suggested, closing the window pack. “It could be a warning, or a threat.”

Mad One angrily snatched the bottle back from Huni Buni and uncorked it, shaking it until the note began to play it’s recorded message. “Open waters can be an endless horizon or a watery grave. I suggest you follow along if you wish to see beyond the horizon again. I am Captain Lowe, and your ship has been marked as my next target. Surrender your valuables, put them all on the deck, and have everyone move belowdecks. Once that is complete, toss this bottle back over the side and we will take everything. But we will kill all who remain topside.”

Hades brow creases. “They just want our supplies?”

Mad One sneered down at the bottle. “Captain Lowe, is it?” She set the bottle aside as it continued to play its message. She dressed, pulling on whatever clothes she found - Hades’ jacket, Huni Buni’s crop top, and her own pants. She went up on deck, looking over the side of the boat in the direction the letter came from. A dark shape was moving just below the surface, going under the boat and then vanishing. Mad One frowned in her annoyance. But perhaps if she was able to talk to the pirate, maybe even come into his favor, she would know more about the Sunken Sea and those who traversed it, maybe even Slasher and her whereabouts on the island. It was a risky ploy, but she wasn’t making this journey to play safe.

Mad One had everyone go belowdecks while she remained above. Tossing the bottle over the side, she stood back and waited. She didn’t know what to expect - dozens, maybe hundreds of pirates coming above the waters to loot the ship of everything. She was prepared though, having fought with multiple combatants. She would either die fighting, or gain a new ally.

A hand rose over the edge, gripping the side before someone pulled themselves up. It was a single figure who stared at Mad One with shock, then with disdain. “I told you to go belowdecks if you wanted to live.”

Mad One tilted her head. This pirate, with all his scales and ridges and gills, was a watermelon shade of pink. Instantly, Mad One was attracted. She swallowed her throbbing heartbeat and reminded herself to remain professional, and not to give in just because this pirate was her favorite color. “I want to live, but if you’re going to be the only one onboard I think I can handle you.” Her eyes glowed red as she readied herself for a fight. “But first, I wouldn’t mind talking to you.”

Captain Lowe’s eyes looked over the edge again and then back at Mad One. He looked frustrated, even exhausted. The bags under his eyes were a dark shade of magenta, and his mouth was gritted with tension, showing off the sharp points of his teeth. “Why do you want to talk?” he asked with a hiss.

“Because I fight much better than I talk,” Mad One said with a smirk. “And if you’re up here alone, then you really don’t want to see what I can do.”

Captain Lowe sniffed, slipping over the edge and standing there. He was quite lithe and thin, his body and limbs long, but he stood a head shorter than Mad One. He wore a long water-resistant coat that covered most of his body, probably hiding weapons. He had a row of ridges and fins along the top of his head resembling a crown, ranging in color from deep strawberry to baby pink stripes. His eyes were wide and midnight-blue, and blinked nictitating membranes. He stared at Mad One, his eyes both exhausted and alert as he took her in. “Red eyes. Must be a child of Red Witch,” he sniffed.

“You know my family,” Mad One said with a chuckle.

Captain Lowe tilted his head to the side. “What is it you want?”

Mad One took a step towards him, placing her hands on her hips. “What would it take for me to earn you as an ally? As heir to the City of Red Tide, I prove to be a profitable alliance for you.”

“Why offer such a thing now?” Captain Lowe asked quietly. “Why not ages ago, when the Sunken City first offered? Red Witch was just coming into power then, back before the city was sunken. Why did she not take their offer then?”

Mad One was still trying to remain professional. Captain Lowe was handsome, but she couldn’t let a pretty face sway her even an inch. “I wasn’t even born when the city sank. I always thought the city sunk itself to escape the fights and politics of the mainland.”

Captain Lowe sniffed, curling his upper lip so Mad One could see how vicious his teeth were. “Which is exactly why I am hesitant to accept this supposed olive branch.”

“Then why not educate me?”

“Because there is no time for that,” Captain Lowe reaches into his jacket. “Surrender your supplies now, or...”

Mad One was able to strike first, blowing out a cloud of red debris that forced Captain Lowe over the edge. She rushed to follow, but when she looked down Lowe was clinging to the side of the boat, and below him was a raft with several small children on board. Her eyes returned to normal, and Mad One looked into Captain Lowe’s eyes. “What sort of operation is this? These are children.”

“I know what they are!” Lowe climbed down enough to land safely upon the raft, and the children pressed closer around him. “You want to ally with the Sunken? You’re looking at them.”

She looked between the faces of the small children. None of them could have been more than thirteen years old. “What happened?”

Captain Lowe sneered up at her. “If you want to talk, then come down to my level.”

“Fine.” Mad One took a rope to climb down, landing on the raft with Captain Lowe and the children. They cowered around Lowe, looking terrified. She raised her hands above her head. “Why are you using children for your pirate crew?”

Captain Lowe stepped towards Mad One, glaring into her eyes. “Because we are dying. We have been, ever since our city sank. The mainland turned us away when we asked for help.” Mad One opened her mouth to argue, but Captain Lowe silenced her with an angry glare. “They didn’t want to get their hands dirty. They saw us as a weakness, and decided to turn their backs and wait for us all to die.”

“No.” Mad One shook her head. “My mother would never...”

“She did,” Lowe hissed. “I should kill you for what they all did. But all I want is your supplies so I can keep my children fed.”

“You could have just asked,” Mad One murmured. “Had I known it was for kids, I wouldn’t have bothered trying to talk to you. How many do you have?”

“Why do you care?” Lowe sneered.

“Do I need a reason?” Mad One slowly lowered her arms. “Let me make up for the past. Please. My husband is prince of the Neon City, and their port would give you easy access to the land. I would accept you into the City of Red Tide where you could live, grow, and never worry about having to hunt for supplies. We even have a beach.”

Captain Lowe snarled at Mad One before looking back to the kids. “There are six colonies of survivors, some with few adults. Would you have room for such numbers?”

Mad One nodded. “I would see to their resettlement myself. But first, I want to ask for your knowledge about the Island of One Thousand Corpses.”

“A catch, is it? What do you want to know about this island?”

Mad One took a breath before speaking. Every time Lowe showed his teeth, she grew a little excited. “There is someone hiding there who killed my mother and almost killed me. I want to bring them to justice before I take my place as heir of Red Tide. Perhaps we should talk on board? We can prepare a meal for your children, and talk in private.”

Captain Lowe narrowed his eyes. “Forgive me if I have a hard time trusting your motives, little princess, but Red Tide threw us over once before. I won’t allow it to happen again. Before I accept anything that appears to be kindness from you, you’re going to have to do something to prove you’re even willing to offer your hand to us.”

“I am offering my ship and my supplies to feed you, and my kingdom to shelter you. What else can I do for you, Captain Lowe? Tell me and I will try to do it.”

Lowe smirked. “You really want to kill this person, don’t you?”

Mad One looked away.

“What’s this look of doubt I see? You do want to kill this person, don’t you? After killing your mother, I’m sure you’d like to see them dead. Perhaps that is something we could both understand.”

Mad One looked back into his eyes. “I can’t explain it here.” Her voice trembled. “But if you need something else, something only I can give, what if I propose to you?”

The look of shock and disbelief that came to Lowe’s face explained just how he saw Mad One. She was either stupid or brilliant. “Huh?”

“Marry me, and that will assure your people, your children, will be well taken care of. Their needs will be met, and you will be there to assure it. As my husband, you’d be able to take back some of the power my mother stole away.” Mad One gave him a wink and a smile. “What do you say?”

Lowe continued to stare at her like she was an idiot. “You gain nothing from this.”

“I gain a husband.” She glanced at the kids. “And a big family. from the look of things.” She offered her hand to him. “This is a chance to rebuild and a chance to apologize.”

Captain Lowe looked her up and down before he met her eyes. “We should discuss this.” He turns back around to the children. “Go gather the others, and we’ll all board the ship,” he told them.

“I’ll go up and have them start preparing food to serve,” Mad One said. “Thank you for being willing to hear me out, Lowe.”

Lowe turned back to her, frowning as his tired eyes glared. “I haven’t accepted yet. I want my children fed.”

Mad One nodded. “It’s the least I can do.” Once she climbed back onboard she asked that a meal be prepared and for everyone to keep their distance to allow the children comfort while eating. Then she explained the situation to Huni Buni and Hades before Lowe and the children arrived onboard.

“Are you sure about this?” Huni Buni asked.

Mad One nodded. “I know this brings little to the table, but I feel I must rectify a wrong that has been done. If I have power to help, why wouldn't I use it?”

“He could hurt you by using you,” Huni Buni huffed. “Don’t let him be like the others! You have to be certain.”

Mad One looked into his face. “And I will. Just let us talk.”

“Be careful,” Hades murmured. “You don’t know what he is capable of.”

Mad One smiled and gave them both kisses. “I will be. Don’t worry, I know how to handle myself.”

Once the children were served food, Mad One and Lowe went into the wheelhouse, which was private but still offered Lowe closeness to the children onboard. They sat across from each other, with nothing between them. Lowe removed his coat and put it aside to show he was unarmed, so Mad One did the same, stripping off her clothes to show him she carried nothing. “No powers, no debris. I take it you’re as powerful a Thaumaturgist as your mother?” he asked.

“Even more so,” Mad one smirked. “But don’t worry. I won’t pull anything out unless you do.”

He chuckled. “Imagine my surprise when you offered marriage. It’s been a long time since I had such an offer.”

“Oh my, am I speaking to another prince?” Mad One asked. “Your story is getting more and more tragic by the minute.”

“That is why I fight so hard. I am the last ruler of the Sunken City. These are my people, and they look to me for guidance and protection. The least I can do is give it.”

“So you turned to piracy to survive?”

Lowe growled and shook his head. “The waters used to be filled with fish and life, but the same disease that ravaged us took hold of the waters. We had little choice.”

“But what about the island? Could you not go back?”

“The Island of One Thousand Corpses? Are you mad? That place has become infested ever since that fucking lunatic took it over.”

The hairs on the back of Mad One’s neck bristled as she leaned forward in anticipation. “Is the invader called Slasher?”

Lowe’s eyes narrowed. “No. The Scientist.” He rubbed at his chin. “Is that who you’re looking for?”

Mad One sighed. “They were my sister, but now they’re just Slasher.”

Lowe’s eyes wandered, running down Mad One’s body before focusing upon her eyes again. “I may know something about them. I’ve heard the name whispered, but I have never seen them on the sea.”

“That’s impossible,” Mad One huffed. “Slasher has been back and forth between the island and mainland several times! How can you not have seen them?”

“I’m not sure,” Lowe shrugged. “Perhaps they do something that allows them to bypass the sea. Perhaps that’s how they have eluded you before as well.”

Mad One clenched her jaw at the thought. “So you have no clue where they were hiding on the island?”

“I can tell you where the Scientist is, and they might know the whereabouts of this Slasher. But there are things I need to know first.” He rose in his chair, sitting high and proud. “You proposed to me. So tell me why I should accept.”

“I already told you it would offer you a chance to recover. Your children would be safe, and you wouldn’t have to fight so hard for the things you need.”

“Aside from that,” Lowe scoffed. “What sort of wife would you be?” He opens his eyes wide, revealing a ring of baby blue around the darkness. “Would I just be a trophy to you? Something to show off and feel proud of yourself?”

Mad One shook her head. “It used to be that way for me. But now I realize that if I am to marry, I want partners around me who will be my friends and share my joys and sorrows with me. My last partners abandoned me when Slasher first defeated me. All of them but one left my side, and through that I learned what I needed.”

Lowe uncrossed his legs. “You still have one partner?”

“Two. Huni Buni, a LA-Pin Unit, and Hades, son of Queen Mazza of the Neon City.” She smiled at him. “I would like three, if you’re willing to join us.”

Lowe smirked. “I have only ever had husbands. I refused to marry women in my youth because I did not want to relinquish my power. You would be my first wife if I accepted.”

“Do you prefer men?” Mad One asked. “I wouldn’t want you to marry me if you had no taste for me.”

Lowe shook his head. “I like anyone and everyone equally. The Sunken have no gender aside from what they assign themselves personally. I chose male, but I can be anything.”

Mad One smiled understandingly. “My Huni Buni is similar in that regard.”

“I have one request before I accept your proposal, then.” Lowe leaned back in his seat, spreading his legs slightly. “I like to make sure the chemistry between myself and my prospective mates is mutual. If you are willing, I would like to test ours.”

“Are you suggesting what I think you are?” Mad One stood up from her chair.

“A marriage is a union, but so is the act of making love.” Lowe reached down, touching a slit between his thighs that bloomed with pink petals to reveal an opening, and a tendril that began to slip out.

Mad One knelt before him, kissing his thighs and finding the scales silky. “You should know by now I have an affinity for pink.”

Lowe’s eyes widened.

“Both my husbands are pink already.” She kissed again, placing her tongue on the slit and licking up to the tendril.

“You have a type?” Lowe began to moan.

“I do,” Mad One giggled. She noticed the tendril thickened and flared at the base. She cupped her mouth around it, slipping her fingers inside.

Lowe grabbed the top of her head, pulling her hair so she was forced to look up at him. With just a look, she understood. She stood up and sat on his lap, kissing him softly until his teeth began to nip at her lip and tongue. His hands gripped her hips, digging into her firm ass. “You should know I like my mates bigger than me,” he chuckled into her ear.

“I’m a big girl,” Mad One teased. She reached down, guiding his tendril towards her entrance, letting him slip inside.

“Fuck! It’s hot!” Lowe threw his head back, moaning loudly as Mad One took the lead. She bounced on his lap, squeezing around him to feel how strange yet pleasant he felt.

“Not used to this?” Mad One chuckled.

Lowe’s fingers sunk deeper into her flesh and he growled, rolling his hips so he could thrust them upwards into her. “No,” he chuckled. “How could I ever be?”

Mad One kissed him, letting his mouth move down her jaw and bite her neck. She whimpered, moving harder, slapping her rear against his thighs. The two moved from the chair and onto the floor with Mad One riding on top of Lowe. She panted and moaned, gasping for breath as Lowe ran his hands all over her body. He threw her down, pressing her into the floor, biting her thighs as he licked inside her with his long tongue. They took turns like this, letting one or the other take the lead. Eventually, they both succumbed and fell to the floor.

Lying beside Lowe, his body felt cool compared to Mad One’s hot skin. She chuckled to herself, fanning her face. “So, what do you think?”

Lowe huffed. “Fine. I’ll marry you.”

Mad One sat up and kissed him. “Then your children are mine, and I will take care of all of you. I will love you all always.”

He melted, relaxing into the floor. He covered his eyes and began to cry. “What is it?” Mad One asked.

Lowe sat up, keeping his face covered. “All these years,” he whispered. “Watching everyone die, watching my home fall apart. I held on so long. I’m so tired.”

Mad One wrapped her arms around him, letting him rest his head upon her. “It’s okay now. Get some rest. I’ll take care of you.”

[iamsancho]

Elements Tag Game

Tagged by @buni-senpai

Rules: bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, then tag people that you’d like to get to know better!

AIR 💨

i have small hands / i love the nights sky / i watch small animals and birds when i pass them by / i drink herbal tea / i wake to see dawn / the smell of dust is comforting / i’m valued for being wise / i prefer books to music / i meditate / i find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE 🔥

i don’t have straight hair / i like to wear ripped jeans and overalls / i play an organized sport / i love dogs / i am not afraid of adventure / i love to talk to strangers / i always try new foods / i enjoy road trips / summer is my favorite season / my radio is always playing

WATER 💦

i wear bracelets on my wrist / i love the bustle of the city / i have more than one set of piercings / i read poetry / i love the sound of a thunderstorm / i want to travel the world / i sleep til midday most days / i love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs / i rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia / i see emotions in colors not words

EARTH 🪨

i wear glasses or contacts / i enjoy doing the laundry / i am a vegetarian or vegan / i have an excellent sense of time / my humor is very cheerful / i am a valued advisor to my friends / i believe in true love / i love the chill of mountain air / i’m always listening to music / i am highly trusted by the people in my life

WEATHER

i go without makeup in my daily life / i make my own artwork / i keep on track of my tasks and finish them on time / i always know true north / i see beauty in everything / i can always smell flowers / i smile at everyone i pass / i always fear history repeating itself / i have recovered from a mental disorder / i can love unconditionally

Now I tag …. the same people I tagged in the last thing I tagged people in haha

@s3xwithdemons, @perf-me , @bubastiss, @mzmew, @amanderzpartypoison, @beer-n-loathing, @ibalance, @its-hellbaby, @noirapocalypto, @kamasitra and I’ll add some extras for fun @enlichment, @celebi0630, @xd4ylilyx, @superchickennugget666 and @adolf-cottonmouth

[thisdaynews]

Breaking:US Military Contractor reveals disturbing secrets on Boko Haram Terrorists and Nigeria Government

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/breakingus-military-contractor-reveals-disturbing-secrets-on-boko-haram-terrorists-and-nigeria-government/

Breaking:US Military Contractor reveals disturbing secrets on Boko Haram Terrorists and Nigeria Government

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A private military contractor, Eeben Barlow, has provided a fresh insight as to why the war against Boko Haram still persists almost five years after President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.SPONSORED

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He said the Boko Haram terrorists are still on the prowl and launching deadly attacks on innocent civilians and towns in the North East because of foreign interests.

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Barlow also asserted that the US actually sponsored Buhari’s campaign, noting that the 2015 campaign manager for PMB is from US.

He added that Buhari stopped President Goodluck Jonathan’s counter-insurgency operation, which involved foreign military contractors, because that was what the US wanted.

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The South African military consultant said these during an interview with Aljazeera.

Barlow, who is the Chairman of Specialized Tasks Training Equipment and Protection International, a foreign private Army, said their security outfit had successfully liberated and recaptured back several towns in Borno State from insurgents, prior to the inauguration of Buhari as President.

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Under Jonathan, Nigerian troops with foreign technical assistance recovered towns and villages from Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States.

The included; Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama, Bara, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala, Goniri, Gujba, Gulag, Gulani, Gwoza, Hong, Kala Balge, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte, Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, and Vimtim, among others.

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The special operation also recorded a massive invasion of Sambisa Forest where 234 abductees, including women and children, were rescued on April 30, 2015.

According to Barlow, the first thing Buhari did was to terminate their military contract in a bid to gratify the United States of America.

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“The administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan saw the war against insurgency, and especially the contract with our private Army has a veritable tool to regain popularity among the masses.

“But the then incoming president, Muhammadu Buhari, was heavily supported by the US, and one of his first mission as President after May 2015, was to terminate their contract,” he said.

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Asked why he thinks the US will intervene to abort their operation which was yielding success, Barlow, who is the author of “Composite Warfare: The Conduct of Successful Ground Force Operations in Africa”, explained: “I am not saying the US is a bad country. I also understand their foreign interests.

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“But one would have thought that with the threat Boko Haram posed to Nigeria’s territorial integrity, they should be a priority for any country desirous of helping Nigeria eliminate them.”

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He maintained that foreign forces have only prolonged, rather than end violent conflicts in most African States.

[upshotre]

Why APC will rule beyond 2023 —Oshiomhole

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has said that the ruling party will govern Nigeria beyond 2023. He says this is because the ruling party has “demonstrated purposeful leadership to win the hearts of Nigerians.” Oshiomhole said this in Abuja on Friday at the meeting of National Working Committee with governors elected on the platform of the party. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the Governors Forum Chairman, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, led the APC governors’ delegation. On the delegation were governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano) Abdulrazaq Abdurrahman (Kwara) Idi Gubana (Deputy Governor of Yobe) who represented Governor Mai Mala Buni, and Ahmed Mohammed (Deputy Governor Niger), who represented Governor Abubakar Bello. Oshiomhole, who expressed confidence that the party would rule Nigeria beyond 2023 based on merit, stressed the importance of cooperation between the NWC and the governors. “We believe our party has made a lot of progress in the three key areas that were reflected in our manifesto but there is a lot to be done. “I am sure working together at both the executive, state and federal levels by the special grace of God, we will do better in this second term. “As to merit, our party will continue to govern the country post-2023,” he said. Oshiomhole, who said the task of leading the party had been challenging, said the party had gained grounds and would achieve better in the second term of President Buhari. “It is quite a challenging experience for me. I try to compare myself as a governor and now as chairman of a party. And coming in at the eve of primaries and dealing with fall out of the previous congresses. “And then proceeding to conduct elections. Then conduct primaries and campaigns across the 36 states and the FCT. And working hard to ensure that we secure as many votes as we can for our president. “As well as support our states, particularly where we didn’t have state governors to ensure that we are able to lend a helping hand. I am happy to say that at the end of the day even though we lost some states we also gained some states. ”We gained Kwara, which for us is extremely important. And, we also gained Gombe state which is also very strategic among others. “Of course, we have a clear majority in the National Assembly. We have more Senators elected on our platform, we also have more House of Representatives members elected on our platform,” he said. Oshiomhole expressed confidence that the party would win its cases in court. “Because we believe that a lot of our cases in court have merit. We hope that there will be justice and they would be resolved in our favour,’ he said. Responding, Bagudu said the governors appreciate the vibrant relationship among different organs of the party. “We are happy to cooperate and participate in whatever way we can to strengthen our party. “Mr President led Nigeria to recover from recession at the quickest time. He funded states to pay salary deficits, he paid retirees and established different social reinvestment programme. This is despite the drop in income. ”We also want to congratulate you for having been reelected. Sometimes it is easier to be elected the first time. But, to be reelected implies a huge vote of confidence by the people of your respective states. “Looking at things from here I know a lot went into trying to seize the deliberate attempt by opposition to discredit the good ones,” Bagudu said. He added that budget performance under President Buhari had reached 80 per cent compared with 20 per cent in 2013 under former President Goodluck Jonathan. According to him, this is a great credit to visionary leadership of the president.

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This is the question nagging the minds of many in the north-eastern parts of the country. Readers may recall that there were sighs of relief all round in 2017 when the nation was told by the Security Chiefs that Boko Haram had been defeated. We had celebrated and applauded our gallant Nigerian Armed Forces for that feat. It was an event worthy of celebration because the whole nation, not only the north-east, had lived under the yoke of the fear of bombs for a number of years thence. Even in the epicentre of the crisis, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, who had borne most of the calamities caused by these rampaging and misguided terrorists, life was gradually returning to normal. I recall driving from Abuja to Maiduguri in July last year and posting my impressions on this page about Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State, where I was pleasantly surprised to find that those military check-points that used to intimidate and waste valuable travelling time have all disappeared. I found a town at peace with itself wallowing in the pleasure of its new found freedom, the people confidently going about their businesses in the markets and offices as if the years of Boko Haram onslaught were  just another bad dream. After the armed forces had completed their operations, the Governor, Ibrahim Geidam, I could see, had worked hard to bring quick normality to the state. Damaturu had been emptied of the presence of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) and evidence of public constructions works were everywhere mostly to recover from the destruction caused by the Boko Haram rampages. There were plenty of construction works completed and ongoing, from housing estates to roads, schools and clinics. I even stopped to inspect the new University Teaching Housing Hospital the State Government had built and equipped for the Yobe State University, a feat only a few states had accomplished.

Then suicide bombings started in the outskirts of Maiduguri principally at Muna garage, the outlet to Dikwa and the border town of Gamboru Ngala, then at Dalori the vicinity of Maiduguri University, and the outlet to Bama, a spot where the largest number of IDPs are camped. The other outlet from Maiduguri leading to Damboa and Biu was not spared either. Suicide bombers had targeted mosques and other soft targets around the Molai settlement and the Bakassi IDPs camp. As the incidences of bombings continued and became worrisome, the narrative changed. Defeat became degradation. We were then told that: ‘Boko Haram has been degraded. They hold no territory. 'Yet throughout last year the marauding terrorists have continued to inflict mayhem and fear – particularly fear – on a significant swathe of the country. But many have seen this resurgence of Boko Haram insurgency coming. Having no territory meant the fighters would easily retreat and fade into the vast terrain of this region and come out to cause mayhem whenever it pleased them. And they would have no compunctions to inflict the maximum damage whenever they find the opportunity. They share the same needs with all bandits of their ilk – money, food and women – and they will come for them whenever we blink on our guards, as they are ever watchful. The stealthy and lightning recent attack on the girls’ school in Dapchi is a pointer to the capacity of how these ragtag terrorists can inflict heinous damage on towns and villages that are so far-flung that protecting them is a major nightmare for the authorities. When the terrorists recently attacked an Army post at Mainok, about 70 kms on the Damaturu- Maiduguri highway, it seemed that they were only testing their capacity to hit at targets away from their Sambisa and northern Borno battlegrounds. Dapchi, known to be a junction town, from where at a major intersection roads forked out to Geidam and Yunusari local governments, and the other led to Gashua and Nguru. The peace in Dapchi was rudely disturbed that Monday just before the evening Maghrib prayers when the terrorists descended on the town in an openly brazen manner driving through the town in a convoy of vehicles. Reports after the event said that the terrorists were unchallenged whence they operated in the town for hours carting away food and other commodities. Perhaps what drew the most media attention was the abduction of over 100 girls from the Government Girls Science Technical College, Dapchi, in a manner that was reminiscent of the Chibok school girls’ abduction in 2014, an event that attracted the attention of world leaders. Yobe State itself had suffered massacres of students in Potiskum and Buni Yadi at the height of the Boko Haram murderous campaigns but this abduction of 100 students is probably the tipping point. It is a pity that that the army post that provided some form of security to the town was moved away without a replacement, allowing a vacuum for the terrorists to wreak havoc on the community. The reaction of both the Federal and the Yobe State governments must be commended so far for the prompt empathy shown to the community. Of course the hostile reaction by parents to government officials that came visiting them at Geidam is understandable. The parents were still pained by the loss of their daughters and would not appreciate any entreaties. Be that as it may, we expect the government agencies on the ground, the armed forces and other security agencies to put their heads together find these girls and return them safely to their parents without delay. I would share with readers a few observations that have come out this ongoing saga. It is obvious that there is need to fine tune the level of coordination between the high commands of security forces sent to states for operations and the Governors who are the putative holders of security levers in the state. The brutal fact is that the Governors have no troops even if they are said to be the Chief Security Officers in their States. Yet there is absolute necessity to have them informed when troops are being moved from place to place. One of saddest pieces of information that came to light was that troops at a post in Dapchi were moved away without the knowledge of the State Governor just before the terrorists struck. The other matter has to do with the level of security in the public schools especially in those areas prone to terrorists’ attacks. As a result of the fallout from the Chibok girls abduction a lot initiatives were began to make the endangered schools more secure. Gordon Brown, a former British Prime Minister, and then United Nations Special Envoy for Education came to Nigeria to launch a ‘Safe Schools Initiative’ in response to the growing attacks on the rights to education. Money was raised by international donors to be spent on a pilot scheme targeting at least 500 schools in the Northern States. What I found most uplifting was the focus of the initiative, ‘to build community security groups to promote safe zones for education, consisting of teachers, parents, police, community leaders and young people themselves’. Unfortunately the initiative got stalled at the tail end of the last Federal Government. This government, in its wisdom then decided to subsume the initiative into the larger General Danjuma’s Federal Initiative for the North-East. We probably need to revisit the earlier initiative as a means of getting rid of the menace of these terrorists from our schools? Or what do you think? Let us continue the discussion on this page next week. This article, was first published in Nigeria Daily Trust.