TheNewsGuru

Tag: Biafra

  • Biafra: If I were in your shoes, I will invite, dialogue with Kanu – Obasanjo tells Buhari

    …Condemns military invasion of the the region

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said there was nothing bad if President Muhammadu Buhari invites and dialogue with the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as a way of fighting a long lasting solution to the current unrest in the East.

    The former Nigerian leader said this in an interview with Newsweek magazine published in the United States.

    “I don’t see anything wrong in that [Buhari meeting with Kanu]. I would not object to that; if anything, I would encourage it,” Obasanjo said in response to a question on the agitation for Biafra that has become violent with the military called in to quell the situation.

    “I would want to meet Kanu myself and talk to people like him, people of his age, [and ask:] ‘What are your worries?’ Not only from the southeast but from all parts of Nigeria.”

    Obasanjo said that the response of the army response to the pro-Biafra sentiment is “not the solution,” but adds that the secession craved by IPOB is not the way forward either.

    Obasanjo said Nigeria must avoid allowing the current tensions to escalate into another conflict..

    “Those who fought in the war in Biafra will not want to fight any other war,” he said. “I have fought one war too many in Nigeria; I don’t want to see another.”

  • Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu petitions UN, US, EU others over alleged invasion of his country home

    Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu petitions UN, US, EU others over alleged invasion of his country home

    The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has petitioned the United States of America, USA, European Union, EU, and the United Nations, UN over the alleged invasion of his country home by operatives of Nigerian Army last Sunday.

    In the petition dated September 14 and signed by his counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu accused the Nigerian military of intimidation, torture, arrest, abduction and killing of people of the South East.

    The letter was addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, the European Union High Commission, the Presidents of United States of America, Russia and Israel.

    In the petition, the IPOB leader urged the UN, EU, US and other countries on the invasion of the military in the region.

    Kanu stated that while innocent blood are being wasted in the region, the 1999 Constitution as amended did not allow the deployment of soldiers in the region in a manner presently done by the federal government.

    According to Kanu without the intervention of the comity of nations, the killings and torture would continue.

    The letter reads: “Unarmed civilians largely made up members of the Indigenous People of Biafra are now being tortured and murdered in cold blood on a daily basis.”

    “We have no doubt that the undisclosed reason for deploying troops to south eastern states by the President Buhari-led administration is to attack unarmed and defenseless members of the Indigenous People of Biafra who are merely exercising their constitutional guaranteed rights to self-determination.

    “The situation in the south east of Nigeria is serious and demand your urgent action Sir.

    “The modus operandi of the Operation Python Dance II presently adopted by the military deployed in the south east offends all known rules of professional engagement even in a war zone.”

  • Lagos, Abuja, other cities Igbos dominate, invest in are part of Biafra land – MASSOB

    Lagos, Abuja, other cities Igbos dominate, invest in are part of Biafra land – MASSOB

    The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, on Thursday declared that Lagos; Nigeria’s commercial hub and Abuja; the nation’s capital territory and some other cities where Igbos live, work and have investments in are all part of Biafra.

    Speaking at Awgu, in Enugu, during a rally organised to welcome the leader of another pro-Biafra group, the Biafra National Guard, ‘General’ Innocent Oji, the leader of MASSOB, Comrade Kingsley Madu said Igbos had contributed immensely in the development of the various cities where they live.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Oji was recently released from detention.

    “Pro-Biafra groups have adopted a new ideology which stated that any part of the country where a large population of Igbos is found, and where Igbos contributed towards human and material development, is part of Biafra,” Madu said.

    According to him, ‘Biafrans’ do not want to ‘confine’ themselves to a particular place.

    The Biafra National Guard is said to be the ‘military wing’ of the pro-Biafra groups.

    Addressing the rally, Madu raised the alarm over the alleged sacking of Igbo traders from a portion of land at Trade Fair and FESTAC in Lagos.

    He said the affected traders were evicted by Lagos State Government after they had invested billions of naira in developing the area.

    Igbo would not be forced out in any part of Nigeria, where they invested lots of resources to develop, Madu vowed.

    Stressing that Lagos and Abuja are part of Biafra, he said, “Some years back a portion of land at Trade Fair and FESTAC were conceded to our people for development in Lagos.

    “After spending billions of naira in developing this part of Lagos for the economic growth of Nigerian government, today information reaching us is that the Federal Government, conniving with the Lagos State Government, yesterday retrieved the land, the platform, all the investment and everything from the people of Biafra.

    “This is part of the reason for Biafra agitation.

    “And we are warning because we now believe that everywhere an Igbo man is is part of Biafra.

    “That is the latest ideology we have.

    “We don’t want to confine ourselves to a particular place; we now believe that wherever our foot touches is our land that is Biafra.

    “Lagos is also Biafra, Abuja is also Biafra.

    “Anywhere our people are that place is Biafra.

    “So what we are saying now is that that part of Lagos that our people developed with their money is also part of Biafra and we cannot leave.”

    The MASSOB leader, however, advised Igbos to locate their investments in the ‘Biafra mainland’, South-East and South-South, where they are guaranteed safety and protection.

    He welcomed Oji back home after several years in detention.

    Earlier, Oji, leader of Biafra National Guard, commended Madu for carrying on with the struggle while he was incarcerated.

    Oji declared that Biafra will be achieved in less than one year.

    The Biafra military wing leader warned that any attempt by the Federal Government to arrest the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, who he described as ‘Supreme Leader’, would be met with stiff resistance.

    “By the grace of God, this struggle will not last beyond one year from now because we have our strategy.

    “But if the Federal Government feels we cannot do anything let them go and arrest our supreme leader, Nnamdi Kanu, for them to see what we can do,” he said.

    Oji also warned the British Government, which he said was responsible for the perceived oppression of Igbos.

    He said, “Have it in your mind today that Britain is aware of what is happening in Nigeria, all these things they are doing to us is caused by Britain.

    “I am using this opportunity to warn Britain and their government, if they say they are not behind what Fulani herdsmen are doing to our people, killing our people and raping our women and other things, they should come out openly and deny it and ask Nigeria to let us go, otherwise when it will happen nobody should be talking about genocide, Britain should be held responsible.”

  • Nnamdi Kanu’s agitations for Biafra is nonsense – Edwin Clark

    …condemns Arewa quit notice on Igbos

    Elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark on Tuesday condemned the agitations for Biafra nation led by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

    Clark spoke on the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debt, Senator Shehu Sani, visited him in Abuja.

    He also condemned the quit notice by the Arewa Group to the Igbo living in the North, saying it was worrisome.

    He warned that secession or agitation was not the way to go on restructuring the country, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He said: “When Kanu talks about Biafra, he is talking nonsense. We do not want a second war.

    “America fought their civil war for a long time and they are not thinking of a second one. Kanu should drop the agitation.

    “At the same time, it is arrogant and foolish on the part of some Northern youths to issue quit notice. You do not own the North. It is part of Nigeria and anybody can live there.

    “The Igbo have been living in the North for over 100 years.”

    The elder statesman emphasised the need for restructuring for equity and balance in the country.

    He explained that though the call for restructuring had been loud in recent times, the country had been undergoing restructuring.

    “We have been living together since 1914 and from time to time, we have been changing the way of our lives.

    “In 1947, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe said the Richard Constitution was obnoxious; that it was anti-people. In 1950, we had the Macpherson Constitution, which created the three regions and in 1963, we had another constitution.

    “During all these constitutions, the issue of the fiscal federation was very prominent. So, we have been restructuring this country and nobody talked about breaking up the country.

    “The war between 1967 and 1970 was an unfortunate one.”

    Clark said making necessary changes to allow for social justice was the way to go and urged the National Assembly to re-visit the issue of devolution of power upon resumption from recess, saying it was one of the ways to properly restructure the country.

    According to him, the vote against devolution of power by the national assembly was borne out of the fear that it would whittle down the powers of legislators.

    “We have reached a stage where states are not paying salaries and something has to be done to gear their minds to see what they can do in their own area to generate money.

    “I am happy you believe in restructuring, which can be achieved within a short time but it may take up to 20 years if we do not agree among ourselves.

    “So, once more I want to say that when you resume, the issue of devolution of power should be re-visited so that Federal Government will deal with foreign affairs, prisons, customs and a few other things.

    On call to return to regionalism, Clark said “you cannot abolish the states now and say you want six regions. It is not going to be easy or possible now.

    “I feel we should use the same states as federating units and the local governments should remain with the states.”

    He called for the establishment of Revenue Mobilisation Commission to deal with funds that move between states and local governments to sustain them.

    Clark promised to convene a meeting of elder statesmen across the country to find a lasting solution to the problem of restructuring.

    Reacting, Sani said one of the reasons the devolution of power did not scale through in the National Assembly was the fear that state governments might abuse their powers.

    He said: “The problem we have with the devolution of power is how to tackle some of the problems that come with it.

    “For example, the present crop of governors might not be able to handle state police in a manner that people who disagree with them can be safe.

    “Secondly, the manner in which elections are conducted by state independent electoral commissions where the ruling party in the state wins all positions is worrisome.

    “So, if we devolve the police, we have to allay the fears of people on the implications. Those who are championing some of these issues need to make clarifications.”

    On derivation and resource control, the lawmaker said it was in the best interest of the country to stop thinking about oil because it was becoming non-attractive globally.

    Sani described the quit notice as “embarrassing”.

  • FG using Nnamdi Kanu to destroy Biafra – MASSOB founder, Uwazuruike

    The founder of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has said the Federal Government is using the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to destroy Biafra.

    In an interview in the current edition of The Interview, Uwazuruike accused Kanu of working hand-in-glove with the security services to destabilise the struggle for Biafra, starting with the forthcoming November 18 governorship election in Anambra State.

    “Nnamdi is fighting against Biafra,” Uwazuruike said. “The security agencies have seen Nnamdi as somebody with a high value that they can use. They heard him shouting on radio and they approached him and he accepted to work with them.”

    He continued, “No election in Anambra State is aimed at favouring the All Progressives Congress (APC) to edge out Governor Obiano through destabilisation; that’s the only thing and it’s being arranged by the security agencies, using Kanu.”

    The MASSOB founder said it was regrettable that his efforts to achieve Biafra by peaceful means were being sabotaged by Kanu who has been hijacked by security agencies and some pay masters he refused to name.

    In the interview, Uwazuruike said, “I know the mansions that Nnamdi Kanu and people like him have abroad…let Kanu keep disgracing himself like he’s doing now, because I know he’s being funded and I know those funding him.”

    He described Kanu’s arrest and bail conditions as a set up, wondering why a man who was released on health grounds has not visited any hospital since his release from detention.

    He criticised the Muhammadu Buhari administration for lacking the capacity to govern, saying, “APC won an election but didn’t have a plan to govern.”

    Uwazuruike said former Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, rigged President Goodluck Jonathan out of office, adding that, “If Jonathan had remained the president of Nigeria till today, the US dollar would not have exchanged for more than N50. Nigeria will still beg Jonathan to come back.”

  • Police deploy more personnel to Sout East, S/South over Biafra’s threats

    Police deploy more personnel to Sout East, S/South over Biafra’s threats

    The Police have deployed more personnel to the South-East and South-South regions to forestall any breach of peace, Punch reports.

    This may be connected to the continued call of Biafra agitators that election will not hold in Anambra State this year.

    The Force told Punch that the Counter-Terrorism unit, the Intelligence unit and other conventional policemen, have been deployed to the region.

    According to the newspaper, sources also revealed that leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu has been placed under surveillance to prevent him from fleeing, should the court revoke his bail.

    The Federal Government had asked the court to lock up Kanu again for flouting his bail conditions.

    Police Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood confirmed that the police had deployed more riot policemen in the South-East and South-South regions.

    Moshood said, “We have made additional deployments, particularly in Anambra State, because of the upcoming governorship election and also to other South-East and South-South states to ensure that IPOB did not actualise its threat of stopping the election.

    “So also, any pronouncement from the court would be strictly enforced, irrespective of the persons involved. Nobody is above the law, so any court pronouncement would be enforced by the police.”

    He said the police was strictly monitoring the South-East, stating that any pronouncement of the court on Kanu and other IPOBs will be strictly enforced.

    “We are strictly monitoring the situation for any eventuality from the court, since there is an ongoing judicial process.

    “We are not leaving anything to chance; we are to ensure there is law and order and any pronouncement from the court would be strictly enforced. We are watching the situation closely. We have made enough deployments and we are going to act appropriately,” he added.

  • Nnamdi Kanu rejects Southeast Governors’ plea, insists on actualization of Biafra

    The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu on Wednesday rejected the plea of the governors of the Southeast zone of Nigeria during a meeting between the pro-Biafra group and the politicians.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the governors had invited Kanu to drop his secession agitation, embrace a ‘One Nigeria’ agenda and also participate fully in the coming Anambra governorship polls and subsequent elections in the country.

    Other issues that pushed for the meeting with Kanu by the governors include; alleged violation of his bail conditions for which the Federal Government had asked an Abuja High court to issue an order to re-arrest him and the Biafra Secret Service (BSS), which Kanu reportedly inaugurated at Umuahia, Abia state, an act the police described as unlawful.

    However, according to information from an insider source, the governors were unable to convince the IPOB leader despite the long hours of engaging him and other leaders of the group.

    Also, the meeting failed to stop his threat against the November 18 governorship election in Anambra state.

    During the meeting which was attended by constitutional lawyer, Prof Ben Nwabueze and Deputy Secretary General, Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), Evangelist Elliot Uko, Kanu was said to have remained adamant on restoration of Biafra.

    “They begged him to drop Biafra agitation but he shook his head. That’s why they decided to have further discussions with him and his group,” the insider said.

    The meeting, according to the Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, Governor David Umahi, who briefed journalists alongside Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke, “deliberated on the demands of IPOB and noted their concerns accordingly”.

    “However, the meeting agreed that these demands by IPOB should not be absolute, rather the South East Governors shall immediately engage the leader of IPOB, Prince Nnamdi Kanu and the entire leadership of IPOB to further meetings and dialogue with a view to quickening the resolutions of all issues amicably”, the governor said.

     

    At the meeting were Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and Deputy Governor of Anambra state, Dr Nkem Okeke. Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) were said to be out of the country.

  • Nnamdi Kanu dares Buhari, says ‘come arrest me in Biafra land’

    …Insists on boycotting Anambra and 2019 general elections

    The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has said anyone who makes attempt to arrest him again in ‘Biafra land will be crushed to pieces.’

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Kanu was reacting to recent moves by the Federal Government to effect his rearrest after he was granted conditional bail n April.

    Kanu stated this on Sunday at Boys Technical College (BTC) located along Faulks road in Aba North Local Government of Abia State where members of IPOB Faulks road Zone I and over 20, 000 supporters of the group received him.

    The IPOB leader who described Aba as the “Spiritual Land of Biafra”, said that he was not going to go on exile, urging his supporters and those who believed in the Biafra course to be strong and resolute.

    He also used the opportunity to reiterate that there won’t be election in Anambra in November or any part of “Biafra Land” even in 2019 unless there was a date for referendum which the group has been clamouring for.

    Kanu who paid tribute to those reportedly killed at National High School Aba by security agencies in his words said “Here we are, is Biafra Land. Aba is the spiritual capital of Biafra land. We started in Aba in 2015 at CKC (Christ the King Catholic Cathedral). That day, heaven authenticated our move that IPOB will restore Biafra and that’s what we’ve come to do. We died in Aba; At National High School.

    “They shot and killed us in other places in Biafra land when they were protesting for my release. As our people rest in the grave, we’ll never rest until Biafra is restored. I don’t care what they say in Abuja. I don’t give a damn what they say in Lagos.

    “I’m a Biafran and we are going to crumble the zoo. Some idiots who are not educated said that they’ll arrest me, and I ask them to come. I’m in Biafra land. If any of them leaves Biafra land alive know that this is not IPOB. Tell them that’s what I said.

    “Tell Buhari that I’m in Aba and any person who comes to arrest Nnamdi Kanu in Biafra land will die here. I’ll never go on exile I assure you.

    “Some people talk about restructuring, are we doing restructuring of Nigeria now? Are we doing fiscal federalism? Are we doing devolution? What we want is Biafra!

    “Forget all the nonsense they write about us. We are not slowing down and no man born of a woman can stop us. They thought we are joking and God gave us a simple message that no one can stop us. The movement to restore Biafra is unstoppable.

    “God sent me to you, Aba people and I am giving you His message. Our veterans here, your own message is that you’ll see Biafra alive not in death.

    “The message of heaven is what I bring to you. Don’t be afraid. The plans of our enemies are not going to be actualized. The enemies are planning, but we are formidable.

    “We are going to boycott Anambra State election. After Anambra 2017, in 2019, there’ll be no elections in Biafra land. Signed and sealed. My message is that there ‘ll not be election in Biafra land ever again until they give us date for referendum.”

    Some of IPOB members who spoke to reporters at the venue said that they defied going to church to come and listen to their leader and a man that God has destined to use to liberate the people of the southeast and old eastern region from the hands of corrupt and insensitive leaders who have over the years decided to impoverish than make life meaningful for their subjects.

    They however vowed to join hands with Kanu to ensure that Biafra was realized no matter how long it would take.

     

  • Okupe warns Buhari against use of force on Biafra agitators

    Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has warned the Federal Government against the use of force to resolve the various agitations by component parts of the federation.

    Okupe said, President Muhammadu Buhari administration should initiate a process of addressing those grievances in well-coordinated manner.

    He expressed this view in an open letter addressed to President Buhari, which he made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

    The former presidential aide said history had shown that when agitations are real and genuine, it is just a matter of time before they are eventually resolved, either positively or negatively.

    He described the agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra, restructuring and resource control as products of genuine fears corroborated by clinically evident actions and inactions of government that need to be addressed.

    While noting that the recent broadcast of the President upon his return from medical vacation did not help to calm frayed nerves and provide hope for the country, Okupe said if President Buhari must leave an enduring legacy for himself and his administration, he will have to increase and widen the scope of consultations nationally and be prepared to adopt and employ new approaches in this rapidly changing world.

    On the fight against insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country, Okupe suggested a deployment of additional 20,000 troops in the region within 90 days, as well as leasing of fighter jets from friendly nations to boost the fighting power of the military and ensure that the war is not prolonged beyond the lifespan of the Buhari administration.

    He also advised President Buhari to take cognisance of the need to make significant impact within the remaining months of his administration by initiating urgent intervening programmes to complete key projects such as the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the East West Road, the Second Niger Bridge, as well as boosting the generation and distribution capacity of electricity to 10,000 megawatts.

    He said, “This administration has a maximum of 16-18 months of rain-free period for active construction (works). Government must carefully select one or two major road projects that can be completed within the next 18 months in each zone.

    “In the South-West, Lagos-Ibadan expressway is the star project and it can be completed within 18 months.

    “In terms of funding, government may either borrow or revert urgently to the financial model of PPP that existed prior to your administration’s takeover. Similar projects in the three zones in the North can also be identified and executed within this same period.”

    While rejoicing with the President on his recovery and resumption of office, Okupe urged Buhari to use the “rare opportunity offered him by God” to show gratitude and “turn the nation to the Creator” through a deliberate declaration of days of thanksgiving in churches and mosques across the country.

  • IPOB rejects withdrawal of quit notice, asks Igbo to leave North

    Indigenous People of Biafra has rejected the withdrawal of the quit notice issued to Igbo in the Northern part of the country by the Arewa youths.

    The Arewa youths, under the aegis of Coalition of Northern Groups, had ordered all Igbo residing in the North to vacate the region before October 1, 2017.

    Speaking through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB asked the Arewa youths to ‘stick to the quit notice’, if they have any ‘honour’.

    The group equally urged all Igbos and other Southerners resident in the core North to discountenance the withdrawal of the notice and return home.

    IPOB noted that history had shown that the withdrawal of the notice does not mean that Igbo lives and property are no longer endangered in the North.

    “It is inconsequential to IPOB whether the ‘quit notice’ was rescinded or not because it will in no way impact the pace and direction of our effort to restore Biafra.

    “Threats don’t have any effect on us, so our advice to the Arewa North is to please stick to the October 1 deadline or else they have no honour.

    “We urge all southerners in the core North to return home before October 1 as history will most definitely repeat itself.

    “Southerners were massacred in the pogroms of 1966 and 1967 after similar assurances were issued then that people should remain in the North,” the IPOB spokesman said.

    The pro-Biafra group alleged that the ‘quit notice’, which it described as an incitement to genocide, was endorsed by Northern political leaders.

    “The presence of a serving governor and senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria during the supposed press briefing confirms what we have always known that the incitement to genocide, which is what the ‘quit notice’ is all about, has the blessing of the Arewa political class,” Powerful said.

    Just as the Arewa youths have insisted on the re-arrest of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB also urged the Federal Government to arrest leaders of the Northern group.

    “If President Muhammadu Buhari is at all serious about clamping down on hate speech, he should arrest those behind the ‘quit notice’ along with their sponsors,” IPOB said.

    “Trying to drag the name of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, into their unintelligent blood fest will be resisted.

    “If the idea is to cow our leader with calls for his arrest, then those behind the genocidal edict of ‘Igbos must leave the North’ are even dumber than we thought.

    “Nigeria is crumbling today before our eyes due to the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu; those wishing for him to be arrested again are basically signing the death warrant of Nigeria,” the secessionist group added.

    Vowing that IPOB would not relent in its quest to restore Biafra, Powerful stressed that the group was not afraid of what he described as the ‘fabled Fulani hegemonic juggernaut’.