TheNewsGuru

Tag: Biafra

  • Kanu ready to end agitation if Nigeria is restructured – Nwabueze

    Kanu ready to end agitation if Nigeria is restructured – Nwabueze

    Eminent lawyer and elder statesmen, Prof. Ben Nwabueze said that the leader of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has mandated him to declare to Nigeria that he is ready to call off the struggle for Biafra if there is progress made in restructuring Nigeria.

    Nwabueze said this on yesterday during a press conference by Southern Leaders of Thought at Chief Rotimi Williams Chambers, Ilupeju Lagos.

    Nwabueze who is the leader of the group warned that “President Buhari will be looking for trouble if he tries to usurp the constitutional powers of the people to ask for a better Nigeria through a change in structure.

    “The power to restructure belongs to the people, not the National Assembly, and the government must not toy with this for the peace of the nation.

    “Kanu has mandated me to declare to Nigeria that he is ready to call off the struggle for Biafra if progress is made in restructuring Nigeria.”

    However, Nwabueze’s assertion was quickly denied by Kanu, who, speaking in Umuahia, Abia State, said he could not have given that promise when there were no indications that the reported injustices against his people could ever be addressed by restructuring.

    Kanu, who made the denial in Umuahia, Abia State said he couldn’t have made such a pronouncement when there were no indications that the endemic injustices against his people could ever be addressed through restructuring.

    Urging Biafra activists and members of the public to disregard the speculation, Kanu said those who believe Nigeria could ever be restructured were living in self-illusion because “those benefiting from the current lopsidedness will stop at nothing in resisting any move towards restructuring.”

    According to him, it is too late to restructure Nigeria “because those who think Nigeria is their estate have made restructuring impossible.” Kanu further said the advocates of restructuring would one day come to terms with realities but regretted that such realisation might be too late.

    He said the restoration of Biafra Republic is not negotiable, adding that no amount of blackmail or intimidation will make him give up the struggle. Kanu said he was born to restore Biafra and could not afford to fail God and his people who are yearning for emancipation.

    According to him, it is too late to restructure Nigeria “because those who think Nigeria is their estate have made restructuring impossible.” Kanu further said the advocates of restructuring would one day come to terms with realities but regretted that such realisation might be too late.

    He said the restoration of Biafra Republic is not negotiable, adding that no amount of blackmail or intimidation will make him give up the struggle. Kanu said he was born to restore Biafra and could not afford to fail God and his people who are yearning for emancipation.

    Kanu further said the advocates of restructuring would one day come to terms with realities but regretted that such realisation might be too late. He said the restoration of Biafra Republic is not negotiable, adding that no amount of blackmail or intimidation will make him give up the struggle. Kanu said he was born to restore Biafra and could not afford to fail God and his people who are yearning for emancipation.

    He said the restoration of Biafra Republic is not negotiable, adding that no amount of blackmail or intimidation will make him give up the struggle. Kanu said he was born to restore Biafra and could not afford to fail God and his people who are yearning for emancipation.

  • Police declare Biafra Security Service illegal

    Police declare Biafra Security Service illegal

    The Commissioner of Police Abia, State Command, CP Adeleye Oyebade has declared the recently formed Biafra Security Service of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as illegal.

    Oyebade in a press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Umuahia, the state capital warned those behind the formation of the security network he described as “unlawful and illegal” to retrace their steps.

    He stressed that the Nigerian constitution recognizes only the Nigerian Police, Nigerians Army and the Department of States service, adding that any other group claiming to be providing security without an approval from constitution was illegal.

    The state police boss further stated that the full weight of the law would be brought upon the organizers of the said BSS who he noted were displaying videos of the “outlawed” security service on their social media network.

    Oyebade who stated that the police and other security operatives in the state would never fold their hands and watch unscrupulous elements to disrupt the relative peace in the state reiterated that the police in synergy with other sister agencies to make the state safe for business and economic activities to thrive.

    He also used the opportunity to parade suspected armed robbers, kidnappers, cultists amongst others who he said were still being investigated and would soon be arraigned in court for trial for commencement of prosecution.

    Amongst the paraded suspects was a car snatcher identified as Onyekachi Nwaogu of No. 7 Nwankwo Street off Obohia, Aba South Local Government Area of the state.

    Oyebade also disclosed that detectives attached to the D7 SCIID, Umuahia, but operating in Aba also recovered a Red coloured Toyota Camry with reg number SSM 521 TP with engine number 5X3249568 and chasis no. 4018G12K4TU74221 suspected to have been stolen from its owner.

    He appealed to Abians to always provide necessary information about the activities of hoodlums in their areas to the police and other security agencies in the state who he stated were ready to make the state unsafe for criminals to thrive.

  • Biafra: Return Nnamdi Kanu to prison now – FG tells court

    Biafra: Return Nnamdi Kanu to prison now – FG tells court

    Sequel to his alleged breach of conditions attached to his bail, the Federal Government has demanded that the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu be returned to prison.

    The Government urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to revoke the bail it granted Kanu.

    The Federal Government argued that the IPOB leader had not only breached the conditions attached to his bail but had conducted himself in manners that threaten public peace.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Justice Binta Nyako had given stringent conditions that the embattled leader must abide by before and after leaving the prison premises. She particularly barred him (Kanu) from granting interviews, and being in gatherings of more than 10 persons, when she granted the IPOB leader bail.

    Kanu was granted bail on April 25, 2017 on health ground.

    It cited Kanu’s alleged threat that elections would not hold in South East states until the Fed Government conducts referendum on whether or not Biafra should secede and instances where the IPOB leader addressed crowd exceeding 10 and threatened civil disobedience, as against the court’s directive that he must not be seen in a crowd of over 10 people.

    This was part of a counter-motion, filed by Magaji Labaran of the Federal Ministry of Justice, urging the court to dismiss an application by Kanu, seeking a review of the bail conditions.

    The Federal Government said, “The offence for which he (Kanu) is standing trial is not ordinarily bailable; the court, not withstanding, granted bail to the 1st defendant/applicant (Kanu) on health grounds on 25th April 2017.

    “Among other conditions for the bail of the 1st defendant is that he should not be seen in a crowd exceeding 10 people; that he should not grant any interviews, hold or attend any rallies; that he should file, in court, medical updates of his health status every month. The bail conditions were perfected by the 1stdefendant/applicant, which he is currently enjoying.

    “Rather than observing all the conditions listed above, the 1st defendant, in fragrant disobedience to the court order, flouted all conditions given by the court.

    “The 1st defendant equally incited his members to disrupt, disallow and boycott elections in South East states, starting with Anambra State gubernatorial election scheduled for November 18 if the Federal Government failed to hold referendum for the realisation of the state of Biafra.

    “The 1st defendant has already declared the bail conditions given by the court unconstitutional before approaching this court with the application for variation. Rather than showing remorse for his actions, the 1st defendant approached this court with an application for a review of the same conditions for the bail which he grossly flouted.

    “Considering the above, that the 1st applicant has violated the conditions on which the terms of his bail were premised, we urged this court to commit the defendant to prison by invoking the provision of Section 173(2)(B) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

    “We categorically state that justice would have been denied the state by this court, if the state is not protected from the offences being perpetrated by the 1stdefendant/applicant, who is currently on bail.”

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Nnamdi Kanu and four others are being tried before the Federal High Court, Abuja on offences relating to conspiracy and treasonable felony.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Kanu during a rally in Enugu recently said he cannot be re-arrested because he has not flouted the bail conditions guiding his release from prison.

  • My Igbos brothers,sisters are not happy with me- Charly Boy

    My Igbos brothers,sisters are not happy with me- Charly Boy

    Nigerian entertainer and activist, Charly Boy in a new letter tagged Letter to my people has declared that his Igbo brothers and sisters are not happy with him.

    He added that those who truly know and have followed him, will easily deduce that he follows the path least traveled.

     

    Read his letter below

     

    Fellow Biafrans,

     

    I know some of my Igbo brothers and sisters are not happy with me simply because I have not used My Brand as Charly Boy to advocate for the clamor of The Biafran state.

     

    However, like I always say, there is more than one way to achieve a purpose. Though I may disagree with my Igbo brothers and sisters on the choice of rhetorics and methodology, our objectives are to a large extent identical because we all want to bring an end to the marginalisation of the common peoples, by the evil cabals who are holding Nigeria to a ransom and getting away with their obnoxious impunity and criminality.

     

    Those who truly know and have followed me know that I am not a Group soul and I have always dared to follow the path least traveled in the continuous struggle to add value to my environment.

     

    It is indeed laughable that despite being a native chicken, Nwa afo, son of Biafran soil with a full-blown Igbotic blood, I have been persistently labeled a wannabe Yoruba, Hausa, Tiv and an Ijaw man simply because I have consistently maintained that I believe in the unity of Nigeria.

     

    To start with, I go like tell una sey you may not be totally wrong if you call me the man from all tribes in Nigeria. This is because I believe in the oneness of all Nigerian peoples. I believe that we have gotten to a point in our national history where a Yoruba man cannot live in isolation of an Igbo man. Likewise, an Ijaw man cannot live in isolation of a Hausa/Fulani man. All tribes in Nigeria today have become a mat of interwoven fibers that cannot be segregated.

     

    There have so far been inter-tribal marriages, intertribal business ownership, and intertribal partnership; and countless other inter-tribal collaborations and relationships in Nigeria. For this reason, my question to those agitating for secession would be that if each tribe decide to secede from Nigeria today, what then will happen? Who will lead the new nations? Will the people be happy? Will injustice be defeated in the new societies? Will criminality end in leadership positions? Will there be happiness in the new nations? Will the people finally have a country to call their own? These are important questions we must ask ourselves and provide answers to before we even start to beat the drums of secession.

     

    Having said that, I must state that whereas I am a Biafran at heart, what should engage our minds is not a sectional Biafra but a national Biafra. The fight for nationalists who will drive the discourse and the engagement necessary in answering the Nigeria national questions must not be bogged down by petty sentiments, tribal colorations and religious propaganda. The failure of the Igbo nation and all Nigerian tribes and peoples is the fault of influence peddlers and directionless decision makers.

     

    The crux of the Biafran agitation is that my people are tired of a system that has perpetually failed them. My Igbo kinsmen are tired of a system that enriches the rich and impoverishes the poor. My people are tired of a system that glorifies impunity and criminality. My people are tired of decades of oppression and marginalization. However, the deeply rooted disgruntlement in Biafra land is not peculiar to my Igbo brothers and sisters only; all the common peoples in the 500 tribes in Nigeria are victims of a failed system and persistent oppression. And this is essentially where I disagree with my brother Nnamdi Kanu that though Biafra is right, it should be a national cause and not a sectional one.

     

  • Gana, Maku, Utomi reject Biafra ministerial nominations

    Gana, Maku, Utomi reject Biafra ministerial nominations

    Concerned about the controversies raised by their announcement as cabinet members in an interim government for the Republic of Biafra, some of the listed nominees have publicly rejected the offer.

    Among the Biafra appointees who have reacted so far are, former ministers, Professor Jerry Gana; information, Labaran Maku and Prof Pat Utomi.

    Speaking on his appointment Professor Jerry Gana, said he is in no way interested in the agitation for secession and was dismayed to hear he had been named as a member of the interim government by the secessionist group.

    For Labaran Maku, who vehemently denied knowing the pro-Biafran group, Biafra Zionist Federation, said called for equal opportunities for all Nigerian citizens and noted that there is too much desperation among youths in the country

    Similarly, political economist, Prof. Paw Utomi while speaking with Punch, said he has never heard about them or met the group before.

    He said, “I have never heard of those people before. I have never met them. Nnamdi Kanu was created by people who arrested him and we’re still making the same mistake all over again.

    “When you people (media) give credence to those kinds of people and begin to discuss them, tomorrow, they get taken seriously. So, I think the best thing to do is to ignore those kinds of things.”

    The Department of State Services (DSS) had placed Utomi and others mentioned by the group under watch.

    Utomi, was named the foreign minister while a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, was appointed as the Governor of the Central Bank of Biafra.

  • Nigeria procurred US Super Tucano to wipe out entire Biafra – IPOB

    The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has appealed to the Congress of the United States of America not to approve the sale of the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (also called A-29) attack aircraft to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The group said the Nigerian government would deploy the plane to attack innocent Nigerians through aerial bombardment if it was sold to them.

    The US State Department had earlier approved the sale of the plane, while the Department notified that the US Congress has 30 days to approve the sale, which comes with other packages as weapons, training, spare parts and facilities to support the program.

    But IPOB in a press release signed by its spokespersons; Barrister Emma Nmezuand Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya said: “the aircraft will be used for aerial bombardment and mass-murder of Biafrans.

    “Apart from the genocidal intents of the Nigerian government as the overarching reason for the procurement of the attack aircraft, the IPOB is appealing to the US Congress to deny approval of the sale of these attack aircraft because of three reasons, namely; Mis-use of Technical capabilities, Legal (violation of Leahy Law), and Commercial (procurement fraud).”

    The group said the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (A-29) is a turboprop light attack aircraft which is designed to operate in extremely rugged terrain with aerial reconnaissance missions capability especially in low-threat environments.

    It further stated that within three weeks of becoming the president of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari bombed Biafraland using a low-precision and less sophisticated attack aircraft with bombs that have Napalm as the warheads.

    “In that genocidal act which occurred from June 17 to June 19, 2015, scores of Biafrans were roasted while others had their bodies mangled by the torrents of these bombs with Napalm warheads.

    “With the A-29, there is no doubt that this government will wipe out the entire people of Biafra with ease in a matter of a few sorties. We wish to remind the US Congress that Nigeria is not among the “Fast Track” countries but a country indicted continually on human rights abuses,” the group said.

  • ‘If you’re Nigerian you’re evil’ IPOB leader, Kanu tells Igbos

    ‘If you’re Nigerian you’re evil’ IPOB leader, Kanu tells Igbos

    The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has alleged that Hausa/Fulani are the ones behind the misfortune of the Igbos.

    Addressing members of IPOB at his home town in Isiama Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, Kanu alleged that Hausa/Fulani’s are terrorising people everywhere they go.

    Kanu asked why nobody from the South East has been arrested for declaring Oduduwa Republic but law enforcement agents have been coming hard at those clamouring for the restoration of Biafra.

    He said, “I will not belong to one Nigeria and can never want it, did the Yorubas not announced Oduduwa Republic? Has anyone been arrested?

    “Why Is it that we declare Biafra and they are arresting and shooting at us and Ohanaeze has said nothing.

    “Ohanaeze has been terrorized into a state of silence and stupor by Hausa Fulani, who are using their political terrorism to terrorize people everywhere they go. Hausa Fulani uses their terrorism to sack one of our sisters in the Pensions Board.

    “There are law enforcement agents to enforce the law and the law says if you remove somebody from the Pensions Board from a particular geo-political zone and when you are looking for a replacement you go back to the ethnic group and pick a replacement but Nigerians are lawless animals.

    “They removed an Igbo woman from the South East and replaced her with a Yoruba woman from the South West.

    “I want to stress that if you are a Nigerian you are evil and a child of Satan.

    “All heads of security operatives and everybody carrying AK-47 are Hausa Fulani

    “We are tired, don’t want to stay in a country where you wake up in the morning and they sack you. The other day they sacked from military officers from the South East and nobody is talking.

    “Only Buhari’s family members occupy DSS, it’s a family affair now, that means if you touch any Hausa Fulani especially from Katsina, you are in trouble, DSS will kidnap you in the night.

    “I insist, to stay in Nigeria is evil in every way and moreover, the name Nigeria is not proper even Charly boy knows it.

    “All those idiots with Biafran names that say they want to be Nigerians are pigs.”

  • Biafra: Kalu meets Arewa Youths, says ‘I’ll speak with Nnamdi Kanu to drop secession plans’

    Biafra: Kalu meets Arewa Youths, says ‘I’ll speak with Nnamdi Kanu to drop secession plans’

    …says agitations affecting Southeast’s economy

    Former Governor of Orji Kalu Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu on Tuesday said that he will dialogue with leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu to drop their secession agitations as that was beginning to adversely affect Southeast’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

    Kalu spoke in Abuja at a joint news conference with members of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) after a meeting.

    He said he opened up consultations with the group following issuing of threats and counter-threats in the country.

    Kalu said the diversity and demography of Nigeria was its strength.

    According to him, every part of the country has something to offer for its development, anybody who thinks otherwise is making mistake.

    The former governor urged the group to support the call for restructuring since it did not mean breaking up the country.

    “Nigeria needs to restructure economically and other wise. Many states cannot pay salaries.

    “We need to put more money on capital projects; I recommend 25 per cent for recurrent and 75 per cent for capital.

    “If the federal and state governments had invested in agriculture, the North should be making about 150 billion dollars from agriculture yearly.

    “This is the only country that traverses from Atlantic Ocean to Sahara desert; some people are asking God to give them just one; we have to keep the country united,’’ he said.

    He thanked the Chairman of CNG Shettima Yerima, for coming for the meeting, adding that there would be further consultations to reach a common ground.

    Kalu assured southerners living in the North that they were safe and Nigeria was also safe.

    Yerima said he had been engaging with Kalu via telephone since the quit notice issue came up.

    Yerima, who is also the Chairman of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, said Kalu had shown a lot of concern and was worried that the unity of Nigeria was being threatened.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that AYCF, few months ago, issued the threat following the agitations for the State of Biafra by the IPOB.

    According to Yerima, since the threat was issued lot of things have changed.

    He said many prominent traditional and religious rulers, governors and well-meaning Nigerians have spoken to the groups.

    Stressing that they believed in one united Nigeria, he said more consultations are ongoing after which they will carry out a review and give the final position on the threat.

    According to him, the youths were not in a hurry to withdraw the threat.

    Shettima said: “The public might think probably this is the first time we are meeting; certainly no. We’ve been talking on phone ever since this issue of ultimatum came. He (Kalu) has been engaging us in talking until today that we agreed to honour his invitation and to also speak to the public.

    “His worries and concern was basically on the issue of how do we maintain the unity of this country in line with the present situation of things in the country. It is only those who are blind or ignorant that will say the unity of this country is not being threatened.

    “It has been threatened, but you have prominent Nigerians, people like him who have shown a lot of concern and worried over the situation.”

     

  • Biafra: Order arrest of Nnamdi Kanu now, Northern group tells Osinbajo

    Biafra: Order arrest of Nnamdi Kanu now, Northern group tells Osinbajo

    The Arewa Youth Assembly, AYA, a northern group, has called on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to order the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

    The group said Kanu has been violating his bail conditions and this could affect the peaceful coexistence of Nigeria.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that Justice Binta Nyako had given stringent conditions that the embattled leader must abide by before and after leaving the prison premises. She particularly barred him (Kanu) from granting interviews, and being in gatherings of more than 10 persons, when she granted the IPOB leader bail.

    In a statement signed on Friday by its speaker, Mohammed Salihu and clerk, Desmond Minakaro, the group gave Mr. Osinbajo 10 days to order the arrest of the IPOB leader.

    The group threatened to shut down federal government activities in the Federal Capital Territory if the acting president fails to meet its demands.

    “The leadership of Arewa Youth Assembly has observed with keen interest the high level of lawlessness in the country and the silence of government on issues that are capable of disintegrating the country.

    “The level of insecurity and youth agitations call for concern by all well-meaning Nigerians. These threats have turned our country into a place of uncertainty and now a laughing stock within the international communities. Nigerians now live in a state of fear and trauma,” the group noted.

    The group said the government’s silence on Kanu’s activities was no longer golden.

    “The most surprising and amazing of these is that the federal government is watching while Nnamdi Kanu is creating a state within a state, threatening to stop Anambra state gubernatorial election, holding rallies in South-South and South-East and using provocative and inciting words, granting interviews to the press, which pose a threat to national unity and security.” the statement added.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Kanu during a rally in Enugu on Monday said he cannot be re-arrested because he has not flouted the bail conditions guiding his release from prison.

    Kanu noted that if anyone was not respecting court pronouncements, it was President Muhammadu Buhari and the Director General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura.

     

  • Biafra is a waste of time- Charly Boy declares

    Biafra is a waste of time- Charly Boy declares

    Outspoken entertainer and media personality, Charly Boy has told the people of the South-East to abandon the struggle for Biafra, calling it a waste of time.The social rights activists made this known in a recent interview.

    According to him: “Unfortunately, the dreams of nationhood is lost on the altar of deception, and my Igbo brothers must be circumspect on the fact and history, and not be hoodwinked into some insane propaganda that will only lead to more wahala.

    “So, instead of Biafra, we should channel our energies and abilities towards developing the South-east to become the economic hub of Nigeria. Igbo nation and my people are great but for us to move forward we must kill our individualistic tendencies and come together to do great things.

    “The fall of Biafra after the genocide, starvation, and immense suffering of my people should teach us something. I believe the failure of the Igbo nation is the fault of the people, her so-called elites and decision-makers.

    “Why have we not poured our energy, capacity and ability into making the South-east the Dubai of the nation as well as the engine room of the Nigerian economy? Who would be our leaders when the South-east is infested with political power-grabbers, 419ers, mindless criminals and looters of our commonwealth and resources? Need I mention names?

    “Our problem is the lack of men of integrity and a progressive mindset. We lack the right kind of leadership that will fight for the interest of the people. Let it be clear to all that the sufferings and poverty of the people of the South-east are also the sufferings and poverty of the peoples of the other geopolitical zones in Nigeria, including my northern brothers.

    “Even the nascent anti-corruption fight in the country has seen all tribe accordingly represented. It is therefore retrospectively insane to begin to think that a people with a problem would suddenly be relieved when they are attached with a tag#BIAFRA; Abegi.

    “Therefore, I insist that our mumu don do because the failure of leadership is evident in our agitation for fairness, justice and equality for every Nigerian not just for every Igbo man. And so the mind of the typical Igbo leader needs a revolution so that it can be realigned for the interest of the people rather than the interest of a few” he told The Sun.