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Tag: Igbo

  • Nigerian Army denies ‘mass killing of Igbo youths’ allegation

    The Nigerian Army has refuted the ‘mass killing of Igbo youths’ allegation by the Campaign for Democracy (CD), an online publication recently.

    Col. Sagir Musa, the Deputy Director Army Public Relations of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, in a statement in Awka on Sunday, described it as “an “unjustified, invidious and over flogged accusation’’.

    He said the CD claimed that “no fewer than 2000 Igbo youths had been killed by the Nigerian Army under the guise of Rules of Engagement’’.

    He said that other publication allegations including “Military Killed 150 Pro-Biafra Protesters’’ had also been severally thoroughly refuted in many media platforms by the Nigerian Army.

    “It is the same position that this rejoinder has soundly adopted.

    “For emphasis and clarity, the Nigerian Army as an accountable, morally and professionally sound organisation had variously through its Human Rights Desk at the Army Headquarters, painstakingly investigated allegations of rights violations.

    “The results indicated specifically that this claim is false, malicious and should therefore be ignored for the sake of Nigeria.

    “Instructively, the Nigerian Army under its constitutional authorization to aid Civil Authority and Military Aid to Civil Power must continue to act in the best interest of the nation (in collaboration with other security agencies).

    “This included, de-escalating violence and checkmating security threats across the nation.

    “This task must be done, in spite of the sordid propaganda and possible politicization of the issue by ill meaning Nigerians,’’ Musa said.

    According to him, the relevant authorities in the South East are at liberty to set up an inquiry into the accusation to get to the roots and end of the obnoxious and unfounded claim.

    “Looking at the recurrent posture of this allegation, the 82 Division Nigerian Army wishes to state that relevant authorities in the South East are at liberty to set up an inquiry into this accusation.

    “This is with the view to getting to the roots and end of this obnoxious and unfounded claim,’’ he said.

  • In Northern Nigeria, Igbos are attacked because they are industrious – Sultan

    In Northern Nigeria, Igbos are attacked because they are industrious – Sultan

    Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has disclosed that Igbos are subject to attacks in crisis periods because they are visible entrepreneurs located in all nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

    He spoke on Tuesday in Nsukka, during a civic reception organised in his honour by the Nsukka Socio-Cultural zone.

    Abubakar regretted that contemporary Nigerians had failed to build on the foundation laid by the country’s founding fathers.

    He said that there were more cohesion and integration between preceding generations than the new generation.

    The sultan attributed the seeming mistrust among Nigerians to misinformation and ignorance.

    “We have refused to come together as a nation due to ignorance and suspicion. “Our visit here is to strengthen relationships, having started my youthful life in Nsukka 39 years ago.

    “My coming here is at the right time, considering the loss of lives due to insecurity in parts of the country,” he said.

    Abubakar said that no Nigerian would aim at killing an Igbo man in any part of the country for whatever reason, adding that they were only targetted because of their hard work.
    “Nobody in the Northern part of the country has been aiming at an Igbo man to kill.

    “Miscreants target them because they are the most industrious and the people that move the economy.

    “That is why their shops and other businesses are mostly the target during unrests because the hoodlums are sure to find valuables in the shops,” he said.

    The Sultan said that he was overwhelmed at the love shown him by Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and residents of the state.

    “As Nigerians we can be the best of families if we want to,” he said.

    Abubakar challenged governments at all levels to investigate how suspected herdsmen and other Nigerians acquire AK 47 and other arms and ammunitions.

    “They have always asked us how the herdsmen acquired these ammunitions, but I throw the question back to the politicians; find out how people acquire the guns.

    “Find out how the herdsmen that move with AK47 riffles acquire them,” he said.
    Abubakar said that Nigerians had the option to live as one united family, adding that such visits would continue to strengthen the ties between the peoples of the country.

    The Sultan, who is on a three day visit to Enugu State inaugurated road projects executed by the state government in Enugu and Nsukka.

  • We will actualise Biafra without bloodshed – IPOB

    We will actualise Biafra without bloodshed – IPOB

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has declared that Biafra would be actualized without warfare or bloodshed.

    IPOB’s declaration was contained in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful.

    The statement also urged those sympathetic to the Biafra course not to panic, stressing that there will be no repetition of the civil war.

    According to the statement, “We are aware that some individuals fear that the Biafra actualization project will turn bloody like done in the 1967 and 1970, but we want to assure them that it will not be so because the international law gives room for the restoration of Biafra through the stipulated lay down processes that will be applied without shedding blood.

    “Biafran by nature have respect for human life. We are not war-mongers like as known by the world unlike the people who are persecuting us who have no respect for human life.

    “Biafrans do not like to shed blood, and the actualization of Biafra will not change us. What happened in the past was the extreme pushing of the Biafran to the wall, but times have changed, we must achieve Biafra without shooting a gun.

    “We therefore want to take this opportunity to let Biafrans, Nigerians and the entire world know that Biafra’s restoration is not by war, the United Nations law permits the rights for the self determination of the indigenous people around the world, and ours will never be an exception.
    “The United Nations and the international community have made self determination possible for other countries around the world and it must be possible for Biafra. There is nothing stopping up, not even the mass killing by the Nigerian military will stop us; not even the directionless All Progressives Congress, APC government will stop us.

    “The continued incarceration of our God-sent leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who has shown that he is unruffled, that he is committed and ready to give his life and comfort for the actualization of Biafra, will stop us from achieving Biafra Independence.”