In a bleak New Year message to Nigerians, Vice President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday offered an unreserved apology citizens over government's failure to deliver 6,000 megawatts of electricity as earlier promised.

President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, who has been on foreign treatment for several weeks had told frustrated Nigerians that the regime would generate and distribute 6,000 megawatts before the end of 2009.

The government, however, succeeded in producing about 5,300 megawatts of the promised figure.

“Our target, which was modest, was set at generating 6,000 megawatts of electricity by year end.

“While I am happy today to report that we have achieved some substantial measure of success, I regret to mention that for a number of unforeseen and unavoidable reasons, this target could not be met.

“Millions of Nigerians are, therefore, still without power. For this, I render on behalf of government very sincere regrets,'' he said.

Jonathan frowned at the long queues at fuel stations since November as a result of government contemplation to remove subsidy on petroleum products, thereby increasing their pump price.

He assured citizens that measures were being taken by the government to make “this unfortunate trend a thing of the past''.

He also expressed the readiness of the administration to enthrone peaceful and credible elections in the country.

“Our elections must enjoy the indelible mark of credibility and acceptability, both nationally and internationally.

“Towards this end, we remain focused in the actualisation of the promise of working closely with the National Assembly to implement far-reaching electoral reforms to ensure that future electoral politics in Nigeria will witness a new lease of life,” he said.

“Let us use this 50th year of our statehood as a fulcrum for our national renewal and repositioning for a more productive engagement in the comity of nations.

The Vice President who praised Nigerians for their prayers for the fast recovery of Yar'Adua, said the government was all out to confront poverty in the New Year.

"True progress and development of the country can only begin when all our citizens, without exception, move out of a marginal existence.

"We must, therefore, redouble all efforts to collectively work toward the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which set the appropriate benchmarks and milestones for bringing our entire population to acceptable levels of social and economic wellbeing,'' he said.

In achieveing this, Jonathan said, the Federal Government would double its efforts in the areas of fiscal discipline, commitment to budgetary implementation, projects completion and cutting down on waste.

He also emphasised government's commitment to relentlessly pursue the national effort to combat corruption.

"This is a battle that must be won. To this effect, let me stress that in the New Year and beyond, greater demand on accountability, transparency and performance would be placed on all public officers,'' he said.

He said government would go beyond policy pronouncement and priotise attention on training and retraining in the areas of entrepreneural development, skills acquisition and financial incentives to position youth to managee their own businesses.

He added that government would build on the peace achieved in the Niger Delta region through the amnesty programme, by implementing programmes relating to youth empowerment, social and economic development of the region.

He regretted the unpleasant experiences of religious intolerance and violence resulting in the loss of lives and property in some parts of the country.

He condemned the recent foiled terror attack on a US plane by a Nigerian which, he said, inflicted deep wounds on the psyche of the nation.

"Followwing the unfortunate incidence, our security services will be more vigilant and also work concertedly to guarantee the security of lives and property throughout the country, especially at our ports of entry and exit,'' he said.

Normalcy gradually returned to Bauchi on Tuesday after Mondaysclash between security forces and members of an Islamic sect.  The State Police Command confirmed that 35 members of the Islamic religious sect including its leader, Mallam Badamasi were killed in the shoot-out with security operatives while two residents and a security  personnel lost their lives bringing the death toll to 38.

The confirmation was given by the State Police Commissioner, Atiku Yusuf Kafur who also said that 20 suspects made up of nine adults and eleven minors have been arrested in connection with the incident. Eighteen injured persons are currently receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi and 16 persons were rescued from the rampaging Islamic militants.
Explaining the  genesis of the riot, the Bauchi Police Boss said that “it all began when the DPO of Dutsen-Tanshi Police Station got a report that the leader of the sect, one Mallam Badamasi preached a message that was considered heretic by his neighbours”

Yusuf Kafur added that from the report reaching him, it was later discovered that Badamasi who is an indigene of Alkaleri LGA in Bauchi State preached out of frustration due to a strange illness he was suffering from and could not get immediate cure for.

He said, “He (Badamasi) was advised to consult the wife of one of his followers to get a cure for his illness which he did and the woman told him that his affliction was caused by some of his followers who were plotting  to kill him and so for him to get cured he must get rid of them”.

According to the Police boss, this development caused a division in the sect .Some members left and  others stayed back with the sect leader. He explained further that g that the inciting message Badamasi preached that fateful day was an attack on his enemies which led some of the residents to report the sect leader to men of the Operation Flush, a military outfit which drafted six soldiers to the scene and tried to stop the preaching, Kafur added.

Unfortunately, according to the Police Boss, the rampaging militants killed one soldier on the spot and took his ak47 rifle loaded with ammunition after which the group then retreated and started fighting each other a development which later extended to other members of the society.

“The DPO reported to me and we drafted Policemen to the area while the Brigade Commander sent his men for reinforcement pointing out however that the Police restrained themselves from using maximum force in order to minimize casualties saying, “as my men advanced, we used canisters aimed at minimizing causalities ad the militants soon came out of hiding while some were arrested”

The Police Boss said on entering their enclave, his men discovered dead bodies with severedl

Meanwhile, the State Government has described as the crisis as very unfortunate
In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Ibrahim Ahmed Dandija and made available to news men, the government reassured the people of its commitment to the provision of adequate security for lives and properties of all the residents of the state
It called  on the people to go about their normal duties without any fear declaring that no curfew will be imposed on the town as security operatives are battle ready to deal with any situation.