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Tag: IPOB

  • No hiding place for IPOB members in Anambra – Obiano

    The Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, on Sunday said his government had aligned itself completely with the decisions of the Southeast governors in the proscription of the activities of the Indigenous People Biafra.

    The governor who spoke in a statement by his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Tony Nnacheta, said there would be no hiding place for mischief makers and anyone who would wish to distort the prevailing peace in the state.

    Obiano maintained that he would implement the decisions of the southeast governors to the letter in Anambra State.

    He enjoined the people of the state to be vigilant, adding that the security and welfare of the people the area were paramount to his government.

    The governor said maximum security cover would be provided for places of worship of all faiths; for housing settlements of non-indigenes, motor parks and all other public places to guarantee the peace and safety of all.

    The statement read in part,”Sequel to the decision of the South East Governors forum which met on the 15th of September , 2017, at Enugu, where amongst other decisions, was the proscription of the activities of Indigenous People of Biafra, the Government of Anambra State wishes to state as follows: Government aligns itself with the clarion call from the South East Governors advising all persons with grievances and anxiety to transmit their position through prescribed channels of elected representatives to the forum.

    “Government is also firmly in support of the restructuring agenda as announced by the Governors Forum and encourages Ndi Anambra to articulate their thoughts to follow through on this issue.

    “The safety of Ndi Anambra and all residents in Anambra, the security of their lives, properties and environment are cardinal priorities of the Willie Obiano Administration which has ensured that everyone goes about freely within our environment without let or hindrance.”

  • Fayose sponsoring IPOB, other agitation groups to discredit Buhari’s administration – APC

    The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State of funding the Indigenous People of Biafa, IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to discredit President Muhammadu’s Buhari’s administration.

    The Ekiti State chapter of the party, which made the accusation against Fayose said the governor was on a mission to plunge the nation into crisis.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Federal Government had also on Sunday accused the opposition of using the group (IPOB) to destabilize the country.

    The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement on Sunday that the Nigerian Army was performing its constitutional role of preserving the unity of Nigeria and bringing all secessionists and their backers to justice.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Governor Fayose had urged the federal government to embrace dialogue in the resolution of the Biafran agitation after the Nigerian military declared IPOB a terrorist organisation.

    He had earlier accused the government and the military of ethnic cleansing in their handling of the Biafran agitation.

    However, in a swift reaction, Olatunbosun said the governor’s actions and utterances had shown that he was “solidly behind any activity that will bring Nigeria down.”

    “On April 26 and as published by The Nigerian Tribune Newspaper and its online publication on April 27, 2017, Fayose said he was working in conjunction with Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to raise funds for Kanu, stressing that he was taking his support for Kanu beyond showing solidarity in court by raising funds that would be deposited in an account opened in Kanu’s name,” Olatunbosun alleged.

    He quoted Fayose as saying that, “as many lawyers willing to fight the oppression should join the struggle for liberation from the oppression,” alleging that the governor was not new to seditious and treasonable activities to bring Nigeria down.

    “He led a campaign to the Chinese Embassy in Abuja and later to Shanghai, the Chinese capital, to urge the Chinese government not to lend hands in helping Nigeria out of recession,” continued Olatunbosun.

    “Relentlessly, he led hate campaigns against the symbol of the Nigerian authority, President Muhammadu Buhari, wishing him dead, including hounding and haunting the President across the world, including on his sick bed, and threatening to expose the President on a life-support machine, all these in spite of swearing to uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to be loyal to the Nigerian state and her President.

    “He went further as reported in the media on May 25, 2017 that ‘Ekiti State is now part of Biafra’, which drew the ire of several Yoruba groups as reported in the media.

    “Not done, while Nigerians and indeed the country’s leaders were celebrating Nigeria’s exit from recession, Fayose was the only governor across the country who dismissed the celebration as a ruse, maintaining that Nigeria was still in a deep economic mess even though in his state, he is the biggest stumbling block to the survival of Ekiti people by diverting all loans he took to pay workers salary to needless projects contracts awarded to his friends’ companies in which he allegedly has interest.”

    Olatunbosun further alleged that Fayose demonstrated the seriousness of his support for the collapse of Nigeria when he released his telephone number 070300000393 and email: mystory2006@yahoo.com as reported in the media on April 27, 2017, urging all that were interested in the Biafra cause to contact him through the phone number and email address.

    “All the South-east governors, including the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, have opposed Kanu in his secessionist activities while Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has warned Kanu and IPOB to stay away from Rivers; but Fayose declared Ekiti State as part of Biafra and that has confirmed the report that he is part of Biafra’s financiers as he had publicly declared to the media,” said Olatunbosun.

    “No wonder, just four months after Fayose started mobilising funds for Biafra, thousands of deadly weapons, including military assault rifles, were smuggled into the country but were intercepted by the Nigerian Customs while it was also discovered that uniformed Biafran militants already have military training camps where they are planning deadly assaults against Nigeria after threatening her leaders.

    “We had earlier alerted the security agencies to the presence of armed gangs and stockpiling of arms in the Ekiti State Government House and his present activities in raising funds for Kanu only confirm that he is part of rebellion against the Nigerian state.

    “We have always insisted that Fayose is a threat to the Nigeria’s unity and the economic survival of her people.”

    The APC spokesman urged security agencies and Interpol to investigate Mr. Fayose in his support for funding IPOB with “the latest influx of military assault rifles into the country.”

    “His support for Kanu in funds mobilisation for his treasonable act and the activities of Fayose’s media men in promoting the Biafran cause only point to one agenda to destabilise Nigeria and that has proved us right that Fayose has no agenda than the destabilisation of Nigeria to enable him escape all illegal and criminal activities linked to him in recent past,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Governor Fayose in a reaction through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, described the allegation as baseless, saying his support for the group did not translate into funding of the IPOB.

    Adelusi noted that APC’s allegation against him was an attempt to “cover up the federal government’s torture and killing of the Igbo people.”

    He said the governor had the right to express his support for any group, including the IPOB, arguing that the travails of the Igbo people should be the concern of all Nigerians.

    “The attack by the military on the IPOB should be a concern for all Nigerians,” he said. “The people are expressing their fundamental rights. Their demands are legitimate.”

    He denied raising funds for the group, saying that it was the ploy of the APC and the government at the centre to defend their wrongdoings and silence any opposition.

    “The agitation of the IPOB is as a result of bad governance by the present administration,” Mr. Adelusi said.

    “If there was good governance, there would not have been any need for the agitations; there would not have been calls for restructuring by the Niger Delta agitators, Afenifere and other groups.”

  • CSO backs proscription of IPOB, calls for Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest

    The Centre for Social Justice,Equity and Transparency (CESJET) has backed the proscription of the the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its declaration by the Nigerian Army as a terrorist organisation.

    CESJET also demanded an immediate arrest of Nnamdi Kanu.

    At a press conference in Abuja today, CESJET lauded the Nigerian Military for taking the bold step and doing the needful by declaring IPOB as a terrorist group.

    CESJET also commended the South-East Governors for daring to proscribe IPOB even when they are daily blackmailed politically with threats of being labeled as traitors of their ethnicity.

    CESJET, Executive Secretary, ‎Comrade Ikpa Isaac also called on the National Assembly, the Presidency (Executive) and the Judiciary to adopt a common front in dealing with the menace of IPOB as a terror group by taking all the steps expected of them.

    “No room should be left for these terrorists to maneuver or manipulate the system to continue intimidating and threatening citizens. Since IPOB reportedly enjoyed massive financial, intellectual and political support from highly placed persons from the South-East, we proposed that the Federal Government delivers an amnesty package for those who funded or supported IPOB up until Friday September 15, 2017 to offer them the chance of distancing themselves from the terror group.

    “Anyone subsequently found to be aiding and abetting the group should be treated in accordance with the Terrorism Prevention (Amended) Act 2013”.

    CESJET also said, “We implore the governors to back the proscription order up with actions. They must immediately audit their cabinets to identify IPOB supporters and sympathizers in their folds since such people can sabotage them from inside.

    “We however note that the Governors did not prescribe any punishment for these terrorists for the evil they had brought upon the land in the last few years. There was neither any indication as to what would happen to anyone that continues to carry out activities under the name of IPOB.

    Furthermore, nothing was said of the other franchises that the terrorists use to operate, like the Biafra Zionists Movement. They did not talk about their sponsors and sources of funding.

    There was no mention of justice for the innocent Nigerians killed by these miscreants in the last few days. These are questions still begging for answers”.

    CESJET called on the South-East Governors to be categorical in the terms of reference security agencies will act upon to enforce the proscription of the group.

    According to the group,”We also observed that there was no call for the immediate arrest of Nnamdi Kanu as the leader of IPOB terrorist group or any other person who goes out in the name of the group or its violent agitation. All these people, including the lawyer to Kanu, are accomplices that must be treated as such.

  • Police nab two suspected IPOB members over alleged killing of 4 in Asaba

    The Delta Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two persons in connection with last Friday’s attack at the popular Abraka market in Asaba in which four persons were allegedly killed.

    Delta State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Zanna The command made this known in a statement in Asaba by its spokesperson, DSP Andrew Aniamaka on Saturday.

    “The Delta Police Command has in the early hours of Saturday, 16th September, 2017 arrested two suspects namely: Abraham Ndudi from Kwale, Delta State and Okereke Ifeanyi from Ogbaru in Anambra State.

    “The suspects were nabbed for their alleged involvement in the dastardly shooting and killing of four persons at the popular Abraka market in Asaba on Friday, Sept. 15th, 2017 at about 10:45pm,” the spokesperson said.

    He added that the command has intensified efforts to arrest the third suspect, known simply by his alias, “Last Burial”.

    Aniamaka said the armed suspects, who are suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) or secret cult, had at about 10:45 pm last Friday night fired indiscriminately into the market.

    According to the police spokesperson, Abraka market in the state capital is predominantly inhabited by non-indigenes of the state and that the shooting left four persons dead.

    He gave the names of the victims as: Usman Abdullahi; Ali Sidi;Ibrahim Zubairu and Hauwa (surname unknown), while five others with gunshot injuries are currently recuperating at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba “The Command wishes to assure the public that investigation has commenced on the incident with a view to finding out the motive behind the shooting and the possible involvement of other conspirators in the unwarranted attack.

    “Commissioner of Police, Delta Command, CP. Zanna M. Ibrahim, enjoins the non indigenes and indigenes alike not to panic or even contemplate any reprisal action as the law will surely take its course,” Aniamaka said.

    He assured non indigenes of the state of the commitment of the police and sister security agencies to ensure their safety and that of indigenes at all times. He said that the police would meet with the leadership of non-indigenes and other key actors in the state over the unfortunate incident on Saturday at the Police Officers Mess, Okwe, Asaba.

  • IPOB: Jonathan reacts, tells Buhari to ‘summon Council of State meeting’

    IPOB: Jonathan reacts, tells Buhari to ‘summon Council of State meeting’

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday advised President Muhammadu Buhari to summon Council of State meeting over the recurring crisis in the South East.

    Jonathan, while condemning alleged killings of Biafra agitators by Nigerian soldiers, equally said “the desecration and destruction of religious places of worship or a police station” in protest cannot be justified.

    The former president said in trying to enforce orderliness, the military must be conscious of treating citizens humanly irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.

    He, therefore, called for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.

    Jonathan wrote on his Facebook Page: “The reports I have received about recent developments in the country lead me to appeal to all men of good will to use whatever influence they have to push for peaceful coexistence and restraint on all sides.

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    “Perhaps it is time for the Council of State to intervene and offer its wise counsel.

    “Irrespective of whatever provocation, Nigerians must never turn on each other.

    “Even in the face of difficult circumstances, we must have faith that God in His infinite wisdom will guide us to finding a way out that is fair and just to all concerned. In as much as there may be a need to enforce order, there is a greater need to reinforce our humanity and treat Nigerian citizens humanely whether they be from the North or South.

    “Nothing justifies the desecration and destruction of religious places of worship or a police station. But even more so, nothing justifies the endangering of human life.

    “Let us exchange ideas instead of exchanging insults and threats. Nigeria is going through tough times because God wants us to grow through tough times. We must be resolute as a people even as we know that it is impossible to deny the brotherhood of all Nigerians after over a century of a shared commonwealth,” he wrote.

     

  • We don’t need foreign intervention over IPOB crisis – FG

    We don’t need foreign intervention over IPOB crisis – FG

    The Federal Government has declared that it doesn’t need foreign intervention to curtail any threats posed by the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    This was revealed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama.

    Onyeama, at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday evening, said the threat from the self-agitation group would be handled.

    “IPOB is as of now an internal threat and Nigeria does not need international assistance to resolve it,” the minister said.

    According to him, IPOB is different from the Boko Harm terrorists which main aim was to capture territory and to kill innocent people.

    “The President is prepared to tell world leaders that the ingredients for a happy, peaceful country are good governance and a strong economy.

    “If we can get the economy right and we can get the good governance to our people, we believe that most of our problems would be taken care of.

    “We are a country of young people; the majority of our population is under the age of 35 and a lot of them are restless.

    “They are restless because of economic opportunities and that is why we have the migration issue.

    “A lot of the youths are the product of very bad governance over the years and that has deprived the young people of educational opportunities and job opportunities.

    “So Mr president is trying to restructure the country to put in place the bases for good governance.

    “Because once you have good governance and your resources are being channeled to where they are supposed to be, which is on development, then you begin to address a lot of issues.”

    He said unlike IPOB, Boko Haram was not an internal threat but international, pointing out its allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

    The foreign affairs minister said the position of President Muhammadu Buhari was that the Constitution of the country should be respected.

    He cautioned that the country’s democracy was still growing and needed to mature and become stronger to handle some of the democratic challenges.

    “The important thing we should be focusing on is nation-building using the existing democratic structures,” the minister said.

    According to him, the Buhari’s administration of has an agenda for the country and does not want to be distracted from achieving that agenda.

    “I think that Mr President came and had an agenda for the country and you really just don’t want to be distracted from that agenda.

    “The economy was in a terrible state when this government came in, we went into recession for the first time in decades and we’re just coming out of that recession.

    “We want to keep on that path and we believe that a lot of these issues and challenges in the country have their bases in the economics.

    “If we can provide a good living standard and quality of life for our people, all these issues (Biafra agitation) will fall by the way side.

    “That is why we must not be distracted from transforming the economy of our country. What I’m saying is that we want to focus on the economy.

    “We believe if we can get the economy right, a lot of the young people who feel that Nigeria as presently constituted is not addressing their problems, is not giving them the hope, will change their perspective.”

    He said government would continue to respect free speech, human right and the Rule of Law.

    Onyeama said that the Nigerian military respect the ‘rule of engagement’ in carrying out its duties.

    He said one of the priorities for the Nigerian delegation at UNGA 72 included strengthening human rights institutions and the rule of law.

    He explained that Nigeria was on the Board of the UN Human Rights Council and as such was doing everything necessary to promote human rights.

    According to him, the country is also committed to addressing all issues relating to human rights violations in any forms.

  • Army/IPOB clash: IGP orders deployment of 500 mobile police officers to Aba

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris on Friday approved the deployment of over 500 mobile police officers to Aba to restore peace in the troubled city.

    The Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Operations, Taiwo Lakanu, disclosed this on Friday during a duty tour to Aba, at the Aba Police Area Command.

    He said that Mr. Idris directed that peace should be restored to Abia, hence the deployment of the mobile police officers who had assumed duty in Aba.

    “You can see that we have emplaced security and that the whole place is quite and our men are on patrol,” he said.

    “For now we are still monitoring. So, for now there is no problem. We are on top of the situation. We are working in tandem with other agencies and they are cooperating with us.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that peace is gradually returning to the commercial city which was embroiled in a clash between soldiers and IPOB members in Aba.

    Some roadside shops along Aba-Owerri road, St Michael’s road and other streets, and those at Ariaria International Market and New Market opened on Friday.

  • We are non-violent, law abiding organisation, not terrorists – IPOB counters Military

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Friday condemned the Defence Headquarters for declaring it a terrorist organisation.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that following a continuous onslaught with its operatives, the Defense Headquarters on Friday outlawed group warning the public against associating with them.

    Speaking in a telephone conversation with Channels Television on Friday, the group reiterated that is a non-violent movement and that it has never carried arms or killed anyone.

    “It is very, very laughable that that is coming from a military intelligence officer,” Prince Kanu, younger brother of the embattled leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, said.

    “One, IPOB is a non-violent movement. We do not carry arms. We’ve never asked anyone to kill for us, neither have we killed anyone.

    “If you look at our records, our records are clean and straight

    “From inception, Nnamdi Kanu made it clear to the whole world that we are non-violent freedom fighters, and that is the way it has been.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the South East Governors also at an emergency session in Enugu with the GOC, 82 Division proscribed the activities of IPOB in the region while appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw troops from Umuahia, Abia State.

  • JUST IN: South East governors proscribe IPOB

    The South East Governors’ Forum has announced the proscription of activities of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

    Arising from its emergency meeting on Friday in Enugu, Chairman of the forum, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi requested the group and other of such groups to articulate their grievances and send to the forum.

    Umahi appealed to all governors in the zone to ensure compliance with the directive in their various states and for the Federal Government to withdraw the troops in the zone.

    Umahi said: “All activities of IPOB are, hereby, proscribed. IPOB and all other aggrieved groups are advised to articulate their position on all national issues.

    “Such should be submitted to the committee of governors, Ohaneze Ndi Igbo and National Assembly members from the South East zone through the chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum,” he said.

    The Ebonyi governor said that the forum believed in the unity and indivisibility of the country and reinforced their desire for the restructuring of the country.

    “We reinforce our desire for the restructuring of Nigeria where all national issues will be discussed and amicably settled to achieve justice and fairness to every Nigerian.

    “Accordingly, we appeal to President Muhammad Buhari to, please, withdraw the military in the South East zone, while police perform their traditional role of maintaining law and order,” he said.

    Umahi said that the forum was in touch with their northern counterparts “who have assured us of the safety of our people living in the north and we have also planned for exchange of visits to reinforce confidence.

    “We wish to assure Nigerians that full investigation is ongoing on all allegations of killings, maiming and other unlawful conduct in the zone within this period,” he said.

    He said that appropriate actions would be taken against those found culpable.

    Umahi said that governors in the zone had taken adequate measures to protect the lives and property of indigenes and non-indigenes and urged northern governors to do same in their respective states.

    “We advise all residents of the zone to go about their normal businesses as governments of each state is committed to protecting everybody,“ he said.

    The governor said that all those invited for the meeting were present except the leadership of IPOB that sent in their apologies.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that at the meeting were governors of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu while Imo was represented by the deputy governor.

    Other notable personalities that attended the meeting were the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar and the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo.

  • We will remain united despite IPOB’s agitations – FG

    The Federal Government has said the Nation will remain united despite ongoing secession agitation by various ethnic groups in the country especially the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahaman Dambazau on Friday

    The minister made the appeal at Government House, Jos, while speaking with journalists shortly after he met with the governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, and heads of security agencies in the state.

    The closed-door meeting followed an ethnic clash in Jos in which two persons were confirmed dead on Thursday.

    “Nigeria will remain one in spite of the uprising by the IPOB. I can assure you that government is in total control,” Dambazau said.

    Asked to comment on the agitation by residents of Abia State for the withdrawal of soldiers who are undertaking a military exercise in the state, Mr. Danbazau said the Minister of Defence was in a better position to speak on the issue.

    He, however, reiterated that the presence of soldiers anywhere in the country was for the safety of citizens, urging citizens to cooperate with security agents to curtail violence.

    Meanwhile the Chairman of Plateau State Youth Council, Fabong Jemchang, has demanded that the leaders of the warring parties in Thursday Jos riot should be made to produce those behind the violence for prosecution.

    Jemchang insisted that perpetrators of the riot must be brought to justice.

    “We are calling on members of both the Igbo and Hausa communities in Jos and Bukuru metropolis to help the State Government to fish out the perpetrators of these acts and criminal elements in their midst,” he said.

    Jemchang, who cautioned youth to shun violence, called on governors of the south-east states to ensure protection of lives and property of all residents of their states.

    He said, “We are appealing to governors in the south-east to ensure the safety of all ethnic groups within their state and support the federal government in restoring law and order in the region.”

    He reiterated Plateau youth’s support for government at all levels towards restoring peace and harmony in Nigeria.

    “We are in support of the federal government’s resolve to ensure Nigeria is one and also, we stand with all security agencies in working to ensure that law and order are maintained while encouraging them to shun any blackmail in the course of their work,” Jemchang said.