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Tag: Biafra

  • Nnamdi Kanu receives heroic welcome in Rivers

    Nnamdi Kanu receives heroic welcome in Rivers

    Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu attracted a mammoth crowd when he visited the Ijaw Elders’Council in Port-Harcourt, Rivers state yesterday.

    Contrary to his bail conditions, Kanu was welcomed by his supporters who gathered on the road to praise him.

    Recall that on the 25th of April, 2017, a Federal High Court, in Abuja, admitted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to bail on health grounds.

    The ruling gave 12 conditions which Mr. Kanu must fulfil to be released on bail, but he has overtime continuously violated some the orders.

    Some of the conditions…

    — Mr. Kanu must not hold rallies.

    — He must not grant interviews.

    — He must not be in a crowd of more than 10 people.. See others

  • Nnamdi Kanu’s utterances steadily reducing his influence – Jonathan’s aide

    A former aide to ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has cautioned Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) over his utterances.

    The former Presidential aide faulted the IPOB leader over his alleged statement on the competency of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Omokri said: “In my widely published article advising Ndi’Igbo, I noted that the Igbo often mistake discretion for weakness.

    Nnamdi Kanu proves my point! Calling Dr Goodluck Jonathan weak and incompetent is just a manifestation of what I wrote about.

    “Nnamdi Kanu needs to understand something about leadership. Leadership is a platform that gives you the opportunity to increase your influence or reduce it until it is eliminated. Upon his release, public sympathy for him increased his influence.

    “The successful sit at home further increased it. However, his utterances since then have been steadily reducing his influence. I know Chief Femi Fani-Kayode very well. He will soon hear the things Nnamdi Kanu said about the Yorubas. He has already heard about the things Nnamdi Kanu said about Jonathan.

    “It will not be very long before Nnamdi Kanu loses one of his most valiant non-Igbo supporters. Apparently, what the Nigerian government couldn’t do to Nnamdi Kanu, Nnamdi Kanu is using his own mouth to do to himself!

  • Biafra: Governorship election won’t hold in Anambra in November – Nnamdi Kanu

    Biafra: Governorship election won’t hold in Anambra in November – Nnamdi Kanu

    …Says FG should build more prisons to jail ‘biafrans’

    The embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday warned that the governorship election in Anambra scheduled for November this year may not hold if the Federal Government fails to recognise the Republic of Biafra.

    Kanu, who spoke at his father’s palace in Afara Ukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, added that people of South East and other under the old Eastern Region would not participate in the 2019 general election if the government ignores the demand for referendum.

    He also faulted his exclusion from the ongoing stakeholders meeting in Aso Rock, saying he would not relent in his agitation for Biafra.

    The IPOB leader said: “Nigerian government should build as many prisons as possible to jail all Biafrans because there is no going back and we are ready to go there (prisons) unless the Federal Government gives us Biafra.

    “We are starting with Anambra come November this year. There will be no governorship election in Anambra State. In 2019, the whole of Biafra land will not vote for any president. There will be no senator, there will be no House of Reps, there will be no House of Assembly and there will be no councillorship elections in Biafra land if they (Federal Government) fail to call for a referendum.”

    He urged his members to remain steadfast and calm as Biafra remains their only hope.

    “We are not like any other people. People like us don’t come twice. That’s why I know that with the last breath in this very body that Biafra will be restored. There’s nothing anybody can do about it. Tell them that’s what I said. Nobody on this earth can stop Biafra,” he added.

     

  • No law empowers Osinbajo to jail us for seeking self-determination – IPOB

    Indigenous People of Biafra on Tuesday tackled the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, over his comment to deal with Biafra agitators and hate mongers, saying that the group won’t be intimidated by such utterances.

    Osinbajo had on Sunday warned that persons agitating for secession and the northern groups that issued the ultimatum to Igbo risked jail terms as they violated Nigeria’s laws.

    He gave the warning at a consultative meeting with traditional rulers from the South-East at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja. In a statement made available to newsmen in Awka, Anambra State by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, the group said there was no law empowering Osinbajo to jail any group in the country who would seek self-determination.

    It said the group was empowered by charters and conventions under international law to seek self-determination as an indigenous people.

    It accused the acting President of standing the law on its head, adding that domesticated charters and conventions were binding on member countries.

    The group’s statement read in part “acting President Yemi Osinbajo has warned that persons agitating for secession and the northern groups that issued ultimatum to Igbo risked jail terms as they violated Nigeria’s laws.

    “For such a statement to escape the lips of a learned fellow like Prof. Osinbajo confirms the widely held view that African leaders lack the mental capacity and discipline to operate a constitutional democracy in a modern world.

    “If the corrupt ruling class in Nigeria cannot distinguish between those rights that are sacrosanct, such as freedom of association and freedom of expression under which IPOB operates, then the entire political edifice in Nigeria is a monumental mess.

    “It is very shameful that a professor of law cannot situate the Nigeria constitution within the context and meaning of the right to self-determination as recognised in international law.

    “Somebody should please draw the attention of Professor Yemi Osibanjo to the provisions of the Africa Charter on Human and Peoples Rights which Nigeria ratified and went ahead to domesticate into her local laws.

    “How can a professor of law threaten jail term for those exercising their right to self-determination under laws adopted and ratified by Nigeria? This confirms again the widely held view that legal practice in Nigeria is one almighty joke.

    “We are challenging Prof. Osinbajo to show the whole world how, where and when IPOB committed this offence he alluded to since the inception of the current phase of the agitation.

    “Nigeria must understand how ready we are to go to prison. They should build more illegal detention facilities because we cannot stop agitating for our right to self-determination until the Nigerian government accepts the need for a date for referendum on the question of Biafra.

    “Professor Yemi Osibanjo should have consulted superior legal minds to advise him before coming on air to make such misleading comments. The Nigerian Constitution and its provisions cannot supersede international charters and treaties freely entered into by the Nigerian state where such treaties appear to render null and void the obnoxious provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

    “United Nations charter on the rights of indigenous people and African charter which was ratified and signed by Nigeria is still in place till today and overrides the Nigerian Constitution on the rights of the indigenous people to the self-determination.

    “We are warning the vocal few rented saboteurs and uneducated public commentators in Nigeria to stop the perverse insinuation that Biafra agitation is all about war. IPOB is not asking for war, rather what we are asking for is self-determination and the only way to achieve that is through the internationally recognised instrument of referendum or plebiscite.”

  • Political elites responsible for Biafra, N’Delta, Arewa agitations – Osinbajo

    Political elites responsible for Biafra, N’Delta, Arewa agitations – Osinbajo

    The Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday attributed the current ethnic and regional tensions in the country to the handiwork of some political elites.

    Osinbajo made this known at a meeting of regional youth leaders organised by the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Student Affairs at the NICON Transcorp, Abuja.

    The acting President, who was represented by Babafemi Ojudu, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, urged the youth to shun such questionable personalities in the interest of peace and progress of the country.

    He noted with concern that the elites were only using the youth to score cheap political goals.

    He, therefore, advised the young people to shun any act capable of polarising the country along ethnic, sectional and religious lines.

    “It will be worst for us if we allow some selfish people to push us to unnecessary war. Nigeria holds a lot of promises for all of us.

    “I know and we all know that a lot of you have been excluded from the good things of this country and of course we can trace that to poor and bad governance over the years.

    “But again, what we should be clamouring for is good governance, not separatism, not secession.

    “This is all about elite competition. The youth are only being used as tools to promote socio-political disorder.

    “Only God knows how much some elites, who hid behind the curtains, paid those, who made that declaration in Kaduna.

    “Okay, if I don’t want to be importing things from Singapore, I can use this idea of Biafra to make money and some people are making huge money from it.

    “Those, who were agitating and calling for Biafra before, are now singing another tune after building their palaces,” he said.

    He frowned at the hate speeches and divisive comments resonating across the country, stressing that the situation required urgent attention from all concerned, especially the youth groups in the country.

    He, therefore, urged them to raise their voices against such speeches, saying no country could develop under an atmosphere of social discontent.

    He also called on the youth to come up with “better ideas, better organization’’ rather than engaging in unnecessary antagonism or spreading fake news through the social media.

    In his remark, the Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, reassured that the National Assembly would continue to provide an atmosphere conducive for the youth to thrive in the country.

    According to him, the youth have strong contributions to make in making Nigeria better.

    “But we also believe that we must enable them, we must provide them the opportunity to realize their dreams and aspirations.

    “This situation that we have found ourselves in, where youth from different parts of the country make hate speeches, is not helpful for the country and is not helpful to the youth.

    “You need to come together and you will find us as good, useful partners.

    “I want to promise that we will not be found wanting in the discharge of our responsibilities.

    “Once your requests are brought to us for legislation we will not hesitate to support them so as to make you better citizens,’’ he said.

    Nasiru Adhama, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Student Affairs, explained that the meeting was part of ongoing consultations with youth leaders with a view to finding lasting solutions to youth agitations in the country.

    He stated that the meeting is also meant to address the problems of hate speeches and ethnic tensions emanating from some quarters.

    Adhama revealed that a more expanded meeting of youths from all states of the federation would soon be convened by his office to address the challenges facing the youth in the country.

    (NAN)

     

  • We don’t see Kanu as a leader in South East – Presidency

    We don’t see Kanu as a leader in South East – Presidency

    The Presidency has said the government does not see Nnamdi Kanu, of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) as a leader of thought in the south-east region.

    Special Adviser to the President on Political matters, Babafemi Ojodu said this while explaining the reason Kanu was left out of the meeting Acting President Yemi Osinbajo held with leaders of the south-east.

    IPOB had described the meeting as a waste because its leader was not invited.

    But Ojodu said yesterday, “Well, the thing is that we were looking for leaders of the people, leaders of thought and we do not see Kanu as a leader of thought in the east. May be opportunity will come at one time or the other for him to be engaged.

    “But so far, what we have done is to look at people who have influence in the communities, whether it is religious, whether it is traditional, whether it is political, social or governance. These are the people we brought in for discussion.”

    He added that calls for secession and a referendum were not discussed in the meeting.

    “Nobody has tabled that in all the discussions we have had. Nobody, I can tell you. Ohanaeze came with a prepared document. They never talked about referendum. They never. They never even talked about secession,” he said.

    “They made complaints about police harassment at road blocks. They made complaints about losing some key positions, not being appointed into security positions and all those kinds of things.

    “And these are things that can easily be addressed. Nobody canvassed secession at those meetings, nobody canvassed referendum.”

    The presidential aide further noted that the south-east leaders were in agreement with the federal government that Nigeria should remain as one.

    “So, for us, and that was the conclusion that everybody came to in the consultations we have had that we should all agree that we can live together peacefully.

    “We should address injustice where we find it and the government should be equitable in the distribution of resources across the country snd then, find solution to youth unemployment and the frustration that is confronting most of the young people across this country.”

     

  • Secession agitation: Jonathan’s defeat bigger threat than Biafra – Amaechi

    …Says Nigeria can never break up

    The Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi on Tuesday said the defeat of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 Presidential elections by President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was “a bigger threat than Biafra”.

    Amaechi said Nigeria would have plunged into another civil war in 2015, had the election results been tampered with.

    The former Governor of Rivers State made these statements at the maiden edition of the CKN News annual lecture in Lagos.

    He argued that the country cannot break up.

    “The removal of President Jonathan was a bigger threat than Biafra. Nigeria was inching towards the civil war. So, forget the talk about secession; Nigeria cannot breakup,” Amaechi said.

    Speaking on the topic: “The Role of The Social Media in the Socio-economic and Political Development of Nigeria”, he noted that whilst the social media was generating huge funds on the one hand, it was also misinforming members of the public.

    Amaechi added: “They misinform the public. They have no rules except for the few that are credible and it is because those ones rose from the traditional media. Social media can destroy this country. It is good for society and its polity and it is also very bad.”

  • Northern youth should be charged with treason like Nnamdi Kanu – Ohanaeze

    Northern youth should be charged with treason like Nnamdi Kanu – Ohanaeze

    The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said Northern youths have committed a more greivous crime than IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    The youths had asked all Igbos in the North to leave while urging Northerners in the Southeast to return home.

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Chuks Ibegbu in an interview with Punch said the actions of the youths showed the North was planning to secede from Nigeria.

    He said, “This is a similar offence. In fact, these northern youths have committed a worse offence. They accused Nnamdi Kanu of calling for secession. These northern groups are also calling for secession. They want the North to secede

    They have asked the Igbo in the North to leave, and they are asking northerners in the South-East to leave. They are simply plotting the disintegration of the country. Nnamdi Kanu never asked northerners in the East to leave.

    He was only talking about self-determination, which he has the right to aspire to under international laws. The question every Nigerian should ask the Federal Government is, how come you clamped Nnamdi Kanu in detention for calling for self-determination, but you have not arrested these northern youths who are promoting secession?”

    He also charged the Federal Government to arrest and charge them with treason.

    “Of course! That is the only way the government can convince Nigerians that there is justice, equity and fair play in this country. The authorities know that these northern youths are calling for secession. The Federal Government should arrest them and also charge them with treason. That is what we expect the Federal Government to do,” he said.

  • Disregard threat by Northern youth – FG

    The Federal Government has, on Wednesday, asked Nigerians to remain calm and disregard the threat issued to Igbos by the Northern youth.

    A coalition of Northern youth, including the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, had in a press conference asked that Igbos vacate the North and the Hausas in the South to return home.

    Speaking to newsmen after the FEC meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, said security measures have been taken already.

    “The issue of one or two groups issuing statements that are capable of destabilizing the polity did not just start today or did not start yesterday.

    “What I want to assure you is that security organizations are very very much on top of this matter.”

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com reported yesterday that prominent Northern youth associations on Tuesday after a joint meeting tagged ‘Kaduna Declaration’ issued a serious threat to Igbos residing in the region to vacate on or before October 1 (Nigeria’s Independence Day) 2017 or face physical attacks.

    Their declaration was premised on the shut-down of major towns in south eastern part of the country on May 30, by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and their sponsors.

    The Northern youth organisations, which had their arrowheads in attendance, include Arewa Citizens Action for Change, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Arewa Youth Development Foundation, Arewa Students Forum and Northern Emancipation Network on The Igbo Persistence for Recession among others, stated categorically that, never again will they fold their hands and a time has come to take their destiny into their hands.

  • Urhobos are not Biafrians, we are Nigerians – Senator Omo-Agege

    Ovie Omo-Agege, the senator representing Delta Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly has come out smoking, declaring that the Urhobos who form the majority ethnic group in Delta state are not Biafrans, but Nigerians.

    In his words, “the Urhobo Nation has never been, is not and does not wish to be part of Biafra.”

    Senator Omo-Agege made this known today a release, he issued, to douse the rising anger in Urhobo land over the claim by IPOB that Urhobos are part of their dreamed Biafra republic.

    Senator Omo-Agege in the release said: “With the deluge of concerns being raised by my people, it has become necessary to state with absolute clarity as the Senator for the Urhobo Nation in the 8th Senate of our Federal Republic of Nigeria that the Urhobo Nation has never been, is not and does not wish to be part of Biafra.

    “Whereas Article 1 (2) of the United Nations Charter recognizes the “principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples”, this, obviously, does not grant any group the right to arbitrarily usurp the self-determination right of others. MASSOB, IPOB or whatever ethnic-leaning group may have the right to agitate for self-determination for the people they represent.

    “But that right would be encroaching and trampling severely and irresponsibly on the rights of other ethnic groups if, without consultations or any consensus whatsoever, they (MASSOB, IPOB or whatever ethnic-leaning group) decide to forcefully include others in their self-determination agenda.

    “The Urhobo Nation totally rejects such unforgivable disrespect that touches on our very existence. Indeed, the unilateral inclusion of the Urhobo Nation in the flag or map of Biafra is an abhorrent, and condemnable threat to our people. It is an unacceptable attempt to suppress our own right to self-determination. We will never tolerate it and it must stop forthwith.

    “We are cautioning against this trend of arbitrariness and disregard for the rights of others because we know that such a ‘conquest mentality’ has never promoted sustainable peace in human history.

    “The Urhobo Nation believes in the unity of the Nigeria Federation. Our preference, as a major strategic partner in our Federation, is to work hard to correct its imperfections, not to break it up into bits and pieces. I will continue to work with my great and highly respected colleagues of Ndigbo extraction and other parts of our country in the National Assembly to perfect our Union, not break it.

    “In all, this is our simple and firm position: We are Urhobos and Nigerians, not Biafrans” he concluded