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Tag: IPOB

  • Biafra: IPOB Members Disrupt Church Service In Abia Over 2019 (Video)

    Biafra: IPOB Members Disrupt Church Service In Abia Over 2019 (Video)

    Pro-Biafra activists suspected to be members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) disrupted a church service at Christ the King Cathedral, (CKC) in Aba, Abia state, southern Nigeria over a prayer request made by the Reverend Father.

    In a three minutes sixteen seconds video, the separatist activists could be seen hoisting the Biafra flag and also chanting the name of the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

    The narrator in the video said the clergyman had instructed the church members to pray for a peaceful election in Nigeria in 2019 but in reaction, the pro-Biafra activists suspected to be members of the IPOB protested, insisting that there will be no election in “Biafra land” (Southeast Nigeria).

    In a protest, the Biafra loyalists could be heard singing: “Holy Holy Holy Nnamdi Kanu is our saviour,” causing a commotion in the church during the process.

    Watch the video below…

  • Biafra: Group begs Buhari to pardon Kanu, IPOB

    Following reports on Friday claiming that Nnamdi Kanu was sighted in far away Israel, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide led by Mr Okechukwu Isiguzoron has expressed happiness over news of the sighting.
    A statement by the Deputy President General of the group, Comrade Obinna Achionye also urged the Federal Government to grant Kanu pardon to enable him return home.
    “We Urge President Buhari to grant him Presidential pardon and squash all legal proceedings against in the spirit of National reconciliation and forgiveness”, said the group.
    Ohaneze youths noted that if the Federal government can release boko haram detainees in Kano and planning to give Amnesty to Boko Haram, the same gesture should be extended to IPOB and Mr Kanu.
    “They should reverse the tag of IPOB as a terrorist organization and allow peace to reign”
    The group also urged IPOB followers not to go to the street now in the spirit of jubilation in other not to create political tension in the South East and South/south.
    “We Urge the South East Governors to close ranks and rebuild the palace of Nnamdi Kanu’s father, HRH Eze I. Kanu which was destroyed during the Python dance.
    “We also ask the leader , Nnamdi Kanu to change strategy and embrace the hands of genuine Igbo brothers and leaders. We still ask IPOB to have rethink on its decision of proscribing the parent body of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and disruption of Ohanaeze events and gathering”
    The group promised to lead any struggle to ensure self determination is not tagged terrorism, and ensure there is peaceful co-existence between all stakeholders in Southeast.
     

  • [BREAKING] IPOB: Court orders release of protesting women, strikes out case

    A Magistrate Court in Owere, Imo State, has ordered the release of over 100 women detained after a protest demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

    Recall that the women were arrested on August 18 and detained following allegations of alleged treason and unlawful assembly among other offences.

    There have been campaigns and demands for their release, especially on social media. Global rights group, Amnesty International, on Friday also condemned the detention of the women protesters describing it as a violation of their rights.

    In an interview on Friday, the lawyer representing the women, Sam Amadi, confirmed their release, saying they were let off following a directive of the Imo State director of public prosecution.

    “Yes, they have been released. The DPP gave a directive for the case against them to be struck out, earlier today and we took it to the magistrate, along with the detained women. The court ordered the immediate release of the women. All them who came to the court were released from there.

    “Only about 12 of them who were not in this prison are expected to be released from the Okigwe prison where they are held. The case has also been struck out,” Mr Amadi said.

  • Biafra: Probe Obama, Bush and leave Nigeria alone – Nigerians in Diaspora warn US Lawyer over IPOB suit

    Biafra: Probe Obama, Bush and leave Nigeria alone – Nigerians in Diaspora warn US Lawyer over IPOB suit

    The United States Chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) has reacted to the emerging report that Fein & DelValle PLLC, an American law firm is gathering evidence to charge President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for curbing, the activities of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB).
    The group asked the firm to channel its energy and investigate United States president, George Bush and Barack Obama and leave Nigeria alone.
    Pasca Ogwola, Coordinator, USA/Canada, NDMG said it is disheartening that some people were unhappy over the proscription of IPOB and its activities.
    Ogwola said the lawyer was exploring how to make money out of the defunct Biafra republic and has no cares in world how this affect the local population who he has apparently dismissed as collateral damage in his quest to get rich.
    His statement reads in full.
    The United States Chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) has learnt with disappointment that some Nigerians are being misled by news that Fein & DelValle PLLC, an American law firm, is gathering evidence to charge President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for successfully containing the terrorist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB).
    The claims made by one of the lawyers for the firm, Bruce E. Fein, are ordinarily laughable but for the fact that they have all the makings of a scheme meant to con the unwary ones among our brothers of Igbo extraction out of their hard earned money while setting up our younger ones up for life threatening confrontations with law enforcement agencies. The lawyer is exploring how to make money out of the defunct Biafra republic and has no cares in world how this affect the local population who he has apparently dismissed as collateral damage in his quest to get rich.
    Fein apparently lied to the inconspicuous audience he addressed at Chicago State University, USA earlier this month by creating the impression that there is a case against the Nigerian government and military before the ICC. It was a classical American Lawyer trick to con money out of unsuspecting people and this was adequately exposed when he said “litigation moves slowly. Patience, unity, and FINANCIAL support are indispensable to success.”
    Fein’s fund raising strategy is worryingly similar to the one adopted by the leader of the terrorist group, Nnamdi Kanu, who solicited for funds to buy weapons at the 2015 World Igbo Congress in the United States. In both instances, diasporas of Igbo extraction were targeted to part with their money for private causes packaged to appear like geo-ethnic interests.
    The Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) condemns Bruce E. Fein and Fein & DelValle PLLC in very strong terms for this attempt to promote disaffection in Nigeria while scheming to defraud diaspora citizens. We advise anyone that has given money to Fein to immediately approach the United States Financial Fraud Enforcement Taskforce to report that they have been scammed.
    We urge Bruce E. Fein to seek professional help to manage what ails him so that he can stop putting others at risk with his warped thinking. Where he insists he does not need professional intervention, we advise him to focus his efforts at helping victims that abound in the US where ethnic minorities and persons of colour are at risk of being killed by policemen for the least infractions conceivable.
    Fein could also better use his time documenting and collecting evidence of the thousands of renditions, torture and extra-judicial executions authorized by the Obama administration, George Bush before him and even the Trump administration under the guise of going after international terrorists. These are the cases he can successfully take to the ICC and not Nigeria that had to battle the odds to contain the terrorist threats posed by IPoB.
    If at any point in time Fein decides to feed his fantasy about Nigeria, he is welcome to go after IPoB members, who murdered and buried people in shallow graves. They will make good candidates for his planned excursion to the ICC.
    The Nigerian judiciary recognizes the risk posed by this group and appropriately designated IPoB as a terrorist organization, which would make the work of ICC easier as it will not be difficult to recognize that Fein and his co-traveller are out to waste the its time.
    We note that President Buhari and General Buratai, are on the other hand dutifully serving and protecting the citizens of Nigeria from the brand of terrorism that IPoB brought into the country.
    We appeal that this commitment to protect citizens must be sustained especially at this time of the year when the military usually stage Operation Python Dance in the south-east of the country. This year’s edition should include in its objective the flushing out of any terrorists that might have infiltrated the space since the last exercise.
  • Biafra: IPOB women protest, demand Nnamdi Kanu’s release

    Biafra: IPOB women protest, demand Nnamdi Kanu’s release

    The police in Imo on Friday arrested some women protesting over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for allegedly conducting an unlawful assembly.

    Some of the women, mostly of middle age and from the Southeast states, were half nude, while others dressed in black and marched through the streets of Owerri.

    They disrupted vehicular movement and other activities in some parts of the town.

    The protesters chanted war songs and displayed different placards with inscriptions asking the federal government to release Mr Kanu.

    The women claimed that the security agencies knew the whereabouts of Mr Kanu who has been out of public view since he had an encounter with the military in Umuahia about one year ago.

    They asked Governor Rochas Okorocha to help them actualise their dream of a getting Biafra.

    The women later barricaded the popular Government House Roundabout and created a chaotic atmosphere around the area.

    One of their leaders, Ann Ibe said they came out in full force to fight for the actualisation of their dream.

    She said they were ready to die for the cause.

    When a special team of police officers sent by the Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, arrived at the scene, the protesters broke into a dance.

    Some of them pulled off their clothes and danced naked, while others lay on the ground and dared the police.

    The police succeeded in arresting some of the protesters in spite of their offering serious resistance.

    Commenting on the development, the Police Public Relations Officer, Andrew Enwerem, said the women were arrested for conducting an illegal assembly and holding an unlawful protest.

  • Biafra: Ohanaeze blasts IPOB for outlining ‘conditions for peace’

    The apex Igbo cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has described as spurious, mendacious and the height of blackmail for the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), to outline what it called the preconditions for peace between it and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    In a press release, the Special Adviser to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Media and Publicity, Chief Emeka Attamah, regretted that after all Ohanaeze was doing to advance the interest of Ndigbo, IPOB was still recalcitrant and refused to allow peace which is a sine qua non for progress and the achievement of self-determination for Ndigbo.

    The release said that the press hype IPOB was engaging in as preconditions for reaching a peaceful coexistence with Ohanaeze Ndigbo was most unfortunate, especially after the efforts done by the President General to challenge the Federal Government on all wrongs done to IPOB.

    Attamah recalled that at his inauguration on the 11th of January 2017, Chief Nwodo had, in defiance of the obvious hatred and animosity of the federal government towards IPOB, stated that both IPOB and MASSOB were his children and that he would not abandon them because their cause was his cause.

    The President General was explicit then that there are two approaches to any struggle: violence or dialogue and that he preferred dialogue.

    The release further said that at all the peace meetings Ohanaeze had held with IPOB, Chief Nwodo had always explained that the apex body had nothing to do with the proscription of IPOB by the federal government.

    “On the contrary, Chief Nwodo had confronted the GOC of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu to carry out investigation and trial of soldiers who went outside the rules of engagement in the killing of members of IPOB during the Operation Python Dance.”

    The release said that when IPOB was proscribed, Ohanaeze again challenged the Attorney General of the federation to show cause why IPOB, a harmless and an unarmed pressure group, could be proscribed while Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body of the killer Fulani herdsmen was being romanced by the same federal government.

    Attamah stated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had restrained itself from engaging in a press war with IPOB because as Chief Nwodo always says, a father should not quarrel with his children in the public, but that the truth is palpably in the public domain.

    He said that this is why all the vituperation being poured on Chief Nwodo by IPOB both on the pages of newspapers and through text messages to his phones had not elicited any challenge from Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

    The release advised IPOB to see the two demands by IPOB for a referendum or State of Biafra and that of restructuring by Ohanaeze as efforts towards achieving the same objective of self-determination, but that under the present situation, restructuring was preferable as it precludes bloodshed.

    Attamah regretted that now that Chief Nwodo has been able to galvanize Ndigbo and, indeed, the South-South, South-West, Middle-Belt and some parts of the North to embrace restructuring to ensure equity and fairness for all the federating units in the country, IPOB is rather distracting Ohanaeze from giving Ndigbo a better place of pride.

    Ohanaeze, therefore, enjoined all well-meaning Igbo sons and daughters to call on IPOB to embrace peace and form a synergy with Ohanaeze to enable Ndigbo achieve a better political and economic space for themselves in the country.

     

     

  • Delta peaceful despite IPOB’s stay-at-home order – Police

    The Police Command in Delta says there is no cause for alarm over the stay-at-home order issued by the terrorist group, IPOB, to reinforce their demand for a sovereign state.

    The command Spokesman, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, told newsmen on Wednesday in Asaba, that the police had been able to neutralise any attempt to breach public peace in the state capital.

    “Let me say generally here that in Delta, there is utmost peace and the residents are enjoying it. Regarding the threat or order by the IPOB, the police have taken care of that.

    “We have officers and men on ground who are carrying out surveillance and are also to deal with any attempt to breach the public peace. We don’t have any issue concerning IPOB threat or order here.

    “They (IPOB) decided to jettison the idea of their usual protest and come up with the idea of sit at home. If they decided to sit at home, better for them and the society if you ask me,” Aniamaka said.

    On security situation in Asaba, Aniamaka said the state capital was calm and residents went about their businesses without any cause for alarm.

    He said the command had its men on the streets and patrols to forestall any attempt by any group or persons to cause public disorder.

    The spokesman also disclosed that the command recently arrested some members of the outlawed IPOB in the state capital and put them on trial for unlawful activities.

    “Recently, the police arrested some members of the IPOB and they are currently on trial in the law court, charged with belonging to unlawful society because the group has been proscribed,” Aniamaka said.

    NAN reports that Asaba, the Delta capital, was relatively calm on Wednesday, as residents moved about freely and businesses were opened to customers, in contrast to the sit-at-home- order.

  • Anambra Govt vows to sack workers who obey IPOB’s ‘sit-at-home’ order

    The government of Anambra state says it will sanction staff of the civil service who comply with IPOB sit at home order on May 30.

    The directive for workers to return to work after may 29 Democracy Day celebration was given in a circular from the office of Harry Uduh, Head of Service in the state.

    Permanent secretaries and heads of departments and agencies have been asked by the government to monitor the situation and report accordingly.

    “Governor of Anambra has directed that work resumes on Wednesday, 30th May after the Public Holiday on 29th May,” a memo read.

    “All Public Servants must therefore report to their duty posts on Wednesday and the rest of the week.

    “Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Ministries, Department and Agencies should monitor and report compliance unfailingly.

    ”Pls circulate to all your staff,” it said.

  • Tension as IPOB, MASSOB, 11 others vow to celebrate Biafra’s anniversary

    The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other pro-Biafra groups have vowed to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Republic of Biafra on May 30 notwithstanding the presence of security operatives in the South-East.

    A statement issued on Monday by Uchenna Madu, MASSOB leader; Felix Anochirimonye; leader of Eastern People’s Congress; Rita Anibuogu for Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria and Innocent Amadi, for Bilie Human Rights Initiative, said the group was not shaken by the heavy presence of security operatives and that the festivity would begin on May 29 with a candlelight parade.

    Also part of the group are the Igbo Youth Cultural and Restoration Initiative (IYCRI), Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), Biafran National Liberation Council (BNLC), Biafran Revolutionary Organisation (BRO), Biafran Liberation Crusade (BLC), Joint Revolutionary Council of Biafra (JRCB), Biafra Revolutionary Force (BRF) and Customary Government of Biafra (CGB),

    “A coalition of pro-Biafran groups, which agreed to speak with one voice in one accord with unity of purpose, met and insisted on the earlier resolutions on 18th of April after our fifth monthly meeting that the annual May 30th celebration of the Biafran people will hold this year in a unique formula,” read the statement.

    The Biafran Central Council (BCC) and the Biafran United Liberation Council (BULCO) insisted on an anniversary where the members and people of Biafra will interface and reflect soberly on the real issues concerning Biafra emancipation.

    “This year’s anniversary will be celebrated by the people of Biafra, not as a pro-Biafra group but as a mark of respect and honour to our fatherland,” they said.

    “It is also a reminder to the visions and commandments of our great ancestors that we are not Nigerians but Biafrans.

    “We enjoin our people to get ready for the celebration of this great anniversary, which we will hold to remind ourselves to continue the self-determination movement for Biafra actualization and restoration.”

    Calls for the recognition of Biafra as a sovereign state by the Nigerian government appeared to be regaining momentum last year — until an Army crackdown on the South-East that led to the sudden disappearance of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

  • Biafra: Police, Army, others storm Abia over IPOB’s sit-at-home order

    The Police Command in Abia on Monday led detachments of the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a show of strength in Umuahia, ahead of the IPOB sit-at-home order for Wednesday, May 30.

    The exercise took off from the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, at about 9 a.m. and moved round the major streets up to Ubakala and Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area back to CPS, via Bende Road.

    The convoy included one Armoured Personnel Carrier and about 15 patrol vans, loaded with heavily armed men.

    Speaking with newsmen at the end of the show, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Anthony Ogbizi, said the joint exercise was designed to reassure residents of the readiness of the security agencies to continue to protect their lives and property.

    “The show of strength included men of the Police Command, the army and Civil Defence and the essence is to demonstrate our resolve to ensure that Abia residents continue to enjoy uninterrupted peace.

    “We are poised to continue to sustain the prevailing peace and wish to send a signal to trouble makers, especially members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has been proscribed as a terrorist group.

    “We want them to know that the law will not spare them should they go ahead to disrupt the prevailing peace, which residents of the state are presently enjoying.

    “So we used this opportunity to instil confidence in the people that security agencies are alive to their primary duties of protecting their lives and property.”

    The Police boss, therefore, urged the people to ignore the sit-at-home order and go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation.

    “Sitting at home for fear of any possible attack by IPOB members will give them a sense of victory.”

    Ogbizi further charged security operatives “to be alert and vigilant” to be able to checkmate the activities of IPOB.

    He alleged that the group now indulged in producing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

    “If we do not respond now to nip the activities of the group in the bud, especially in producing IED, then we may be heading for doom.

    He said that some policemen were recently attacked in Aba with IED, allegedly made by IPOB, adding that the incident was currently being investigated.

    “Let us have it at the back of our minds that IPOB is a violent group. We should not treat them with kid gloves.

    “We should work to protect ourselves. Your lives are as important as those that you protect.”

    The police commissioner underscored the need for security agencies to sustain the existing synergy for mutual benefits.