The South-East chapter of the All Progressives Congress has urged all pro-Biafra groups in the zone to abandon the struggle for the secession of Biafra.
APC data Centre
The call was contained in a communiqué issued after a meeting by the leaders of the South-East zone of the APC in Enugu.
The meeting resolved that the party’s leaders in the zone would meet with President Muhamadu Buhari over Igbo interests in the APC.
The communiqué, which was signed by the APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu, and the Zonal Secretary, John Mkpuruka, said after extensive deliberations, the party’s leaders in the zone urged all pro-Biafra groups to have a “rethink” and abandon the idea of secession from Nigeria.
“We call on all the groups agitating for separation from united Nigeria, particularly the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra to rethink and abandon the idea and join other ethnic groups in building a formidable united Nigeria, where all Nigerians will be equally treated in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the communiqué read.
The Department of State Services has taken over Umuanyi Forest near Aba in Abia State, where it said unidentified 55 shallow graves were discovered recently.
Biafran Protest over Kanu
Not less than 55 identified persons were said to have been allegedly buried in the graves by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.
The DSS on Saturday accused the members IPOB of engaging in kidnapping and extrajudicial killings.
IPOB is being led by the Director of guerilla Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is being prosecuted by the Federal Government for alleged treasonable felony.
The secret service further accused IPOB members of the kidnapping and killing of five Hausa-Fulani men whose remains it said were buried in the same forest.
But the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, another pro-Biafra group which rose in defence of IPOB, dismissed the allegations by the DSS as lacking merit and evidence.
A statement issued by DSS spokesperson, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, in Abuja on Saturday read, “Service has uncovered the heinous role played by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra in the abduction/kidnap of five Hausa-Fulani residents, namely Mohammed Gainako, Ibrahim Mohammed, Idris Yakubu, and Isa Mohammed Rago at Isuikwuato LGA in Abia State.
“The abducted men were later discovered at the Umuanyi Forest, Abia State, where they were suspected to have been killed by their abductors and buried in shallow graves, amidst 50 other shallow graves of unidentified persons.
“Arrests and investigation conducted so far revealed that elements within the IPOB carried out this dastardly action.”
With this action, Opuiyo said it was pertinent to alert the general public that IPOB was gradually showing its true divisive colour and objectives, while steadily embarking on gruesome actions in a bid to ignite ethnic terrorism and mistrust amongst non-indigenes in the South-East region and other parts of the country.
Following this act, the DSS alerted that tension was currently rife among communal stakeholders in the state, with possibilities of spillover to other parts of country.
The agency warned that it would not hesitate to act decisively within its statutory mandate to ensure that the sponsors and perpetrators of “this action are apprehended and prosecuted for their crime.”
Efforts made by SUNDAY PUNCH to get IPOB to react to the allegation by DSS proved abortive, as the telephone line of the Director of Information of the group, Emma Powerful, which indicated that it was busy as of 8pm, indicated that it was switched off by 8:08pm.
When his alternative line was also called, it was switched off too.
However, the new leader of MASSOB, Uchenna Madu, in his response via a text message to one of our correspondents, stated that MASSOB and IPOB would remain undeterred on their agitation.
He said, “DSS allegation against pro-Biafra agitators lacks merit and evidence because MASSOB and IPOB are non- violent organisations. This is the highest frustration exhibited by Nigerian security agents against pro-Biafra agitators; they want to blackmail us as violent or terrorist group in order to get evidence against Nnamdi Kanu.
“MASSOB and IPOB can never be deterred or get jittery because of frivolous and baseless allegations by frustrated DSS. Why have they not raised eyebrow on several killings and destruction of properties by Fulani herdsmen?
“We advise Igbo governors to immediately summon a meeting of stakeholders on the menace of Fulani fundamentalists.”
A senior operative of the service, who was involved in the operation that led to the discovery of the graves and the forest, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday evening that the forest had become a no-go area for unauthorised people.
The security agent said, “The forest has become a security zone. We have taken over the place. It is an offence to see people who have no business in the area for now.”
The source said the operation was carefully planned and executed by the security outfit.
“A Good Samaritan blew the lid on the killings that happened there and how people were hurriedly buried in the forest,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added.
On how the identity of those buried in the graves would be known, the agent said the service might conduct an autopsy or find alternative ways to identify the corpses.
“I’m sure we would find a way of doing that (identification of corpses). If it requires that (autopsy) may be we would do it,” the operative said.
The source however refused to give the number of arrests that had been made, saying operation and investigation were ongoing.
Meanwhile, the Abia State Government on Saturday denied knowledge of shallow graves in any forest in the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor, Mr. Godwin Adindu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the government would investigate the alleged discovery.
He said, “We don’t have such a report; there is no such report here. The DSS has not given us the report. We don’t have such information. Even within the populace here, nobody has raised such alarm.”
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in prison custody.
Nanmdi Kanu, Radio Biafra’s Director
Justice James Tsoho made the order on Wednesday after Kanu, who has since October 14, 2015 been in the custody of the Department of State Service, was arraigned along with two others on charges of treason and others bordering on his agitation for the secession of the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
Kanu was arraigned along with two others – Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.
The judge in ordering the remand of the accused in prison overruled the request by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Mohammed Diri, for an order further remanding the accused persons in the custody of the DSS.
The ruling of the court ordering Kanu’s remand came as a relief to the defence team, led on Wednesday by Mr. Chuks Mouoma (SAN), who had complained that the accused persons had been denied access to their families and lawyers since their arrest by the DSS on October 14, 2015.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Service since October 14, 2015, the day he was arrested in a Lagos hotel, on the allegation that he was plotting the secession of Rpublic of Biafra from Nigeria.
The accused persons all pleaded not guilty to all the six counts preferred against them
…as group defies police order to protest in Delta, Abia, Enugu states
Judge fails to show up in court over Nnamdi Kanu’s case
Cleric denies appointment as Biafra INEC commissioner
It was a theatre of confusion, yesterday in Aba as eight members of the the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were allegedly shot dead by the military during their peaceful protest over the continued detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, according to the spokesman of IPOB, Emma Powerful .
Biafra Protest
The Director of Radio Biafra, Mr Kanu was supposed to appear at the Federal High Court Abuja, yesterday, but the much awaited case was adjourned due to the absence of the judge.
The adjournment came as a shock to IPOB members, who gathered at the court premises and its environs early yesterday morning waiting to see their leader, but were sadly shocked when it was announced that the case had been postponed indefinitely.
No formal communication was made to the lawyers of the detained Biafran activist and no reason was given as to why the judge was absent from the court.
It would be recalled that the case was assigned to a new judge, Hon. Justice John Tsoho, after many weeks of searching for a judge. It is also not yet clear whether Justice John Tsoho abandoned this case as his colleague, Justice A. Mohammed did sometime in the past.
The case has been adjourned to January 21, amidst speculation that another judge might be appointed for the controversial trial.
The members and sympathizers of the leader of IPOB were gathered eagerly waiting to get a glance of the leader, but were shocked when it was announced that the court date had been adjourned.
The action of the judge appeared to confirm the speculation that no judge would want to get involved in this case as their judgment may not be respected by the Department of State Services,DSS, and the Federal Government.
Protests in Delta, Enugu, Abia
Biafran fear dead
Irked by the development, the IPOB, yesterday, defied directive of the Police on the ban of public protest/procession and staged a peaceful protest in Asaba, the State capital, Enugu and Abia over the continued detention of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by operatives of the DSS.
The protesters in Delta, who marched from Abraka Motor Park through Nnebisi Road to Okpanam Road from about 12 noon to 3:30p.m., caused serious traffic grid along Nnebisi Road as commuters, who were taking their wards from school and other road users were stranded for several hours.
Speaking to Vanguard, the Delta State Coordinator of IPOB, Jonah Chukwuma, called on the Federal Government to immediately release Kanu and grant freedom to the Biafra people.
His words: “We are protesting for the release of our director, our leader, Nnamdi Kanu, that the ‘zoo’ people are still holding. Let them release him now . Secondly, let them grant us our freedom because we cannot be slaves forever.
“We are tired of staying in this country called Nigeria; we want our own country, which is Biafra, that is what we are agitating for. We are peaceful people, we are non-violent. As you can see, our rally is a peaceful one. We are protesting so that the whole world will hear our voice.”
On why they were protesting in Asaba, Chukwuma said: “We are protesting in Asaba because Asaba is part of the Biafra land. We have about 25 states that make up Biafra and as I speak to you now, the protest is going on in these states, including Abuja.”
The group also, yesterday, lashed out on the Abia State Governor Dr Okezie Ikpeazu and his Rivers State counterpart, Chief Nyesom Wike for their alleged directive to the security agencies in the two states not to allow them carry out their protest.
Abia, Rivers govs are impositions
Addressing newsmen in Nnewi, IPOB Media and Publicity Officer, Mr. Emma Powerful said the two state governors are simply seeking for the political relevance they cannot get from the All Progressives Congress, APC, led government of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that in spite of the police threats and some governors’ directive to prevent them from holding their protests, they held combined protests in Abia, Delta and Enugu states.
He said he is not surprised about the comments of the two governors because they belong to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and are not popular candidates in their states.
“They were imposed on their states and may be planning to defect to APC by making comments that will make them look sympathetic to the APC government so as to retain the seats they are on the verge of losing.
Aba boils over killings
The Aba killings, according to our correspondents, were triggered off when the Uchenna Madu faction of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, clashed with a combined team of soldiers and policemen.
The pro-Biafra groups, who had ordered markets, banks, schools and other business centres to close shop in solidarity with their protest, converged at the National High School, on Port Harcourt Road, Aba, from where they attempted to march and enforce the order, but were quickly dispersed by soldiers and policemen.
The protesters later converged at the Asa Road and the Main Park area where they made bonfires and road blocks on Asa and St. Michael’s roads by Mosque and York streets, which obstructed traffic, leading to another confrontation with the security agents.
Shops including banks which had opened for business hurriedly closed their shops while the roads were deserted.
It was also observed that security was beefed up at the Ariaria Police Division to ensure that the pro-Biafra protesters did not burn the station, while soldiers were stationed at Milverton, Azikiwe/Asa and Port Harcourt by Ngwa Road junctions where they ordered passers-by to raise their hands.
Vanguard gathered that the protesters earlier confronted the soldiers at Port Harcourt Road which led to the death of one of their members. In a similar clash around the St. Michael’s Road area, a bystander, Chidozie Okafor, was also hit by a stray bullet and he died before he could receive medical attention.
Speaking on the situation, MASSOB National Welfare Officer, Jude Chukwu, said the protest was peaceful until soldiers and policemen came and started shooting and using tear gas. He added that over 30 members of pro-Biafra protesters sustained bullet wounds and are being treated in various hospitals.
According to him: “The protest was peaceful until soldiers and policemen started shooting. As I’m talking to you, eight of our members have been shot dead. They should stop killing our members.. We are only protesting for the release of our detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu.”
When contacted, Abia State Police spokesman, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke, who disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Habila Joshak, had been in Aba monitoring the situation, toldVanguard that 23 men and three women were arrested during the protest and urged parents to warn their children against criminal activities.
Onyeke, however, said he was not aware that anybody was shot dead during the protest, adding that security agents even heard gunshots from the protesters.
Delay tactics , a ploy to kill Kanu —Group
However, a human rights group, Campaign for Democracy, CD, South East Zone had again called on the Federal Government to release the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu from detention, based on the four orders of both the Wuse Zone 2 Magistrate court and the Federal High Court 6, Abuja Division.
Chairman of CD in the zone, Uzor Uzor, who spoke to newsmen on phone, yesterday, in reaction to the allegation that court did not sit to deliberate on DSS’ fresh treason charge against Kanu, said the executive arm of the government should not disobey either the legislative or judicial arms of government.
Uzor said it was very dangerous for the executive to disobey the judicial arm by refusing to release Kanu as ordered by the courts, adding that the implication was that the executive is now showing executive lawlessness, which is counter-productive to democracy and the rule of law.
He accused the Federal Government of applying delay tactics in handling Kanu’s matter, probably as a systematic approach towards killing him in detention.
He said that they would not be scared of killings or arrests until Kanu is released and Biafra is restored.
Cleric disowns Uwazurike’s appointment
In a new development, a Catholic priest, Reverend Father Samuel Aniebonam, who was last week, named as the chairman of Biafra Independent Electoral Commission, B-INEC, to conduct and supervise the internal election for offices in his newly -formed Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, had dissociated himself from the appointment, describing it as a spurious publication linking him with the Biafra struggle.
In a statement made available to Vanguard in Awka, Aniebonam said he was surprised that Uwazurike could make such appointment without seeking his approval and urged the general public to disregard it.
Delta Pro Biafra declares support for Uwazuruike led BIM
Corruption propels Nigerian politicians to pretend loving Nigeria —Uwazuruike
Rights group condemns police roadblocks, extortion in S’East
By Festus Ahon, Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Nwabueze Okonkwo & Francis Igata
The Federal Government has filled a fresh six-count charge of treason and managing the affairs of ‘an unlawful society,’ against the embattled leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
Kanu was charged before the Federal High Court, Abuja alongside two others, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.
MASSOB, IPOB accuse Obiano
Meanwhile, Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, which were the arrow-heads of the agitation for the release of their detained leader and Director, Radio Biafra, Nnamadi Kanu, have accused Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State of alleged collusion with security operatives to kill, maim its members, who were last week, jubilating over the bail granted their leader by a Federal High Court, Abuja.
Also, pro-Biafra agitators in Delta State, yesterday, declared support for the leader of the Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, describing him as a non violent messiah.
In the fresh charge, the trio were accused of committing treasonable felony, an offence punishable under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.
Meanwhile, when the matter came up before Justice Mohammed, yesterday, neither the prosecuting counsel nor the accused persons were present in court.
However, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor announced appearance for the defendants, even as he queried the seriousness of the Federal Government to prosecute the matter.
Ejiofor insisted that the fresh charge was nothing but a ploy by the government to ensure the continued detention of the accused persons, especially Kanu, who was earlier granted bail by the same high court.
Nevertheless, Justice Mohammed, explained that though the matter was slated in the court’s cause-list for mention, yesterday, he said it was obvious that the prosecution was not notified.
Nanmdi Kanu, Radio Biafra’s Director
The judge therefore, adjourned the case, saying a date for the arraignment of the accused persons would be communicated to all the parties.
Meanwhile, there was heavy police presence around the court premises yesterday.
Fresh charge
In the fresh charge, FG, alleged that the three accused persons were the ones managing the affairs of “an unlawful society,” the IPOB.
The charge read, “That you, Nnamdi Kanu and other unknown persons, now at large, in London, United Kingdom, between 2014 and September, 2015, with intention to levy war against Nigeria in order to force the President to change his measures of being the President of the Federation, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation as defined in Section 3 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) by doing an act to wit: Broadcast on Radio Biafra your preparations for the states in the South- East geo-political zone, South-South geo-political zone, the Igala Community of Kogi State and the Idoma/Igede Community of Benue State to secede from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and form themselves into a Republic of Biafra, and thereby committed an offence punish- able under Section 41(C) of the Criminal Code Act, CAP C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.”
It will be recalled that Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the same high court had on December 17, ordered the “unconditional” release of the IPOB leader, Kanu, from the custody of the Department of State Service, DSS.
Kanu who is also the Director of Radio Biafra and Television, was on October 17, arrested in Lagos by security operatives, shortly after he arrived Nigeria from his base in the United Kingdom.
Pro-Biafra agitators in Delta State in a communique, meanwhile, at the end of the enlarged meeting of BIM, in Asaba, the state capital, who are from lgbo speaking axis, condemned violent approach to the agitation.
The communiqué by the zonal Leader of the group, Chinedu Amaifeobu, said Uwazuruike’s led BIM shines out among the numerous groups currently processing the crusade for the autonomous state of Biafra.
They frowned at all accusation levelled against Uwazuruike, saying he was the authentic freedom fighter for the agitation.
Also, MASSOB, and IPOB in statement in Enugu yesterday, by MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu said, “We hold Governor Obiano responsible for the killings, arrest, torture, maiming and wounding of non violent, peaceful IPOB,MASSOB members in Ontisha jubilating over the news of Nnamdi Kanu’s court release order.
“Anambra State in Nigeria where members of MASSOB, IPOB demonstrated, protested or jubiliated because of Nnamdi is not the only state in Nigeria. We have not recorded any killings, harassment, massive arrest, clampdown, shootings, torture and unguided statement but only in Anambra State.
“During Obiano’s condolence visit to Hausa residents in Onitsha over the touching of Mosque by sponsored hoodlums, Obiano sympathized with them without mentioning or commiserating with non violence Biafran agitators killed, arrested and tortured by security agents. He tactically supported them to clampdown and disperse non violence MASSOB,IPOB members.
“This executive order prompted and motivated the Army to kill, maim, arrest our members in Ontisha, including those killed on the day of jubilation.”
Meanwhile, leader of BIM, Uwazuruike, yesterday, attributed corruption as a major factor propelling politicians to pretend that all was well in Nigeria, even when the country was in a state of despair.
He decried the level of corruption in high places in government in the country and regretted that Nigeria was the only country in the world where leadership offered political leaders the best opportunity to steal public funds and go scot-free.
Corruption propels Nigerians
In his goodwill message during the end of 2015 BIM security meeting at Mgbago, Umueri in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, Uwazuruike stated that some politicians were ready to die for one Nigeria only because of the opportunity the country offers them for horrendous stealing, not because Nigeria holds any bright future for their children and children’s children.
Uwazuruike whose message was delivered by BIM’s Deputy National Director for Information, Chris Mocha, expressed concern that Nigeria would continue to have problems because of persistent failure of her leaders to tell masses the truth, stressing that nobody sees himself as a Nigerian.
According to the Biafran leader, “Nigerians see themselves as Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Kataf, Tivs, Ijaws, among others, and that is why the Yoruba sentiment will always protect their own sons who looted Nigerian treasury, that is also why the Arewa sentiment will do the same for any Hausa/Fulani leader who stashed away public money and that is why the Igbo sentiment viewed a call to probe any of their own kinsmen who stole Nigerian money as a witch-hunt.”
He lashed at the leaders for pretending that all was well with Nigeria when indeed the country was burning and emphasized that in Biafra land there will be no room for corruption.
Rights group condemns police road blocks, extortion
Meanwhile, a civil society group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety, yesterday raised alarm over what it identified as re-emergence of police roadblocks and high level of extortion from motorists in the South East geo-political zone of the country, accusing the extortionists of using pro-Biafran peaceful protests as a cover.
Intersociety said the return of police roadblock extortion points in June 2015 in Nigeria, as ordered by Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, particularly in the Southeast zone, which reached its peak in October 2015, had further made mockery of the doubtful anti-corruption policy of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In a statement, yesterday in Onitsha, Anambra State, the group said findings from its recent zonal investigation in the South East, factually disclosed that there were at least 750 police roadblock/ extortion points mounted and maintained by IG led police on federal, state and intercity roads in the zone.
“Of the minimum of 750 police roadblocks/extortion points currently stationed on Southeast soads; there are 200 in Anambra State, followed by Abia State with 200, Imo State with 150 and Enugu and Ebonyi States with 100 each. Of these five states, Anambra and Abia are most illicitly lucrative; owing to their commercial environmental nature. They are followed by Imo, owing to its strategic link between the two states. Enugu and Ebonyi States are lesser owing to their white-collar or civil service environmental nature.”
The statement by its Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, said “Most of the police roadblock/extortion proceeds from Enugu and Ebonyi States come from highway and inter state road users, particularly users of Enugu-Port Harcourt, Enugu-Onitsha, Enugu-Nsukka-Oturkpa, Enugu-Abakiliki, Abakiliki-Okigwe and Abakiliki-Ogoja Roads as well as inter-State Roads within the two states.”
We won’t be part of negotiations to strengthen Nigeria’s unity – BIM
•Kanu must not die in detention like Yusuf – Rights groups
By Francis Igata, Nwabueze Okonkwo & Chimaobi Nwaiwu
ENUGU—The ceasefire declared by the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, to give room for a dialogue with the Federal Government appears headed for the rocks.
Biafran Protest over Kanu
The groups are peeved by reports that former governor of Akwa-Ibom State, Senator Goodswill Akpabio led a delegation accompanied by some northern elites on behalf of MASSOB to Federal Government to broker a truce.
Consequently, they said they the only way they would be part of the dialogue is if detained IPOB leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu is part of it.
This came as the Chief Ralph Uwazuruike-led Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, dissociated self from any negotiation to strength the unity of Nigeria and vowed to actualize the Republic of Biafra
Meanwhile, a coalition of human rights groups in the South-East zone cautioned the Federal Government against allowing Nnamdi Kanu to be murdered in the captivity of the Department of State Service, DSS, the way deceased leader of Boko Haram sect, Yusuf Mohammed was killed in Police custody.
Also, residents of Onitsha and its environs had appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Nigerian Armed Forces to dismantle the road blocks in Anambra State, which were mounted after the killing of nine people in the state over MASSOB and IPOB protests, citing increasing inhuman treatments meted out to innocent citizens by the military men.
Any dialogue without Nnamdi won’t yield fruits
Speaking on the proposed dialogue, in Enugu, yesteday, MASSOB Director of Information, Edson Samuel, said: “We are shocked that Akpabio, who disowned MASSOB at the inception of this demonstration, led some northern leaders to broker truce on our behalf. We do not know them, neither can we identify with them because any person moving to dialogue between us and Federal Government must first meet with us and know our demands.
“This demonstration is strictly anchored by MASSOB, IPOB and Akpabio, working with his cohort, Dozie Ikedife, have shown hatred for Nnamdi Kanu. We make haste to disown them.
“Ikedife has his own agenda and belief in the constitution of Nigeria, which we do not believe in. MASSOB and Biafra do not have faith in Nigerian constitution. The Nigerian constitution is a complete fraud, that is why we are protesting to opt out. The framers of the constitution never consulted Ndigbo when it was crafted.
On Biafra we stand —BIM
The BIM, a former faction of MASSOB, yesterday, gave reasons it would not be part of any negotiation intended to strengthen Nigeria’s national unity and stability, but rather the one that will ensure the actualization of Biafra.
BIM said it had equally distanced self from the outcome of an emergency meeting in Asaba, Delta State and the one earlier held by the Supreme Elders Council of IPOB at Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja, Wednesday, December 9, 2015, where they agreed that the recent demonstrations in the Southeast and parts of South-South were agitations for the right to “call ourselves Biafrans within the Nigerian equation.”
In a press statement issued in Onitsha, Anambra State, BIM’s Deputy Director for Information, Mazi Chris Anierobi Mocha, said such discussions ‘’with our oppressors have a sinister motive behind it,’’ adding, “our position is to achieve a separate country with the name and tittle: ‘Republic of Biafra, no more no less.’
Don’t kill Kanu in detention like Yusuf, rights groups tell FG
Cautioning the the government to ensure the safety of Nnamdi Kanu in detention, a coalition of human rights groups based in the South-East zone given the provisions of Section 1 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, Section 27 (1) of the Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011 as amended, Kanu’s detention and investigation by DSS over involvement in terrorism and terrorism financing are illegal.
In a press statement entitled: ‘Before Nnamdi Kanu Is Murdered In DSS Captivity & Goes The Way of Yusuf Mohammed,’ the coalition further noted that by Section 35 (4) (a) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (right to personal liberty); the same Section 27 (1) of Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011 as amended (detention of accused citizen for 90 days and above or perpetual pre-trial detention), is also null and void.
Signed by its senior activist, Emeka Umeagbalasi, the coalition in the statement noted that the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s landmark verdict in: Abacha and Others vs Fawehinmi (2001) AHRLR 172 (NgSC 2000); on the supremacy of the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights, ACHPR, over ordinary legislations in Nigeria, Section 27 (1) of Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011 as amended; is expressly ultra vires, illegal and illegitimate.
The coalition comprises the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety), Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, Centre for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy, CHRPA, Human Rights Club, HRC, (a project of LRRDC), Southeast Good Governance Forum, SGGF, Forum for Equity, Justice & Defence of Human Rights, FEJDHR, Society Advocacy Watch Project, SPAW, Anambra Human Rights Forum, AHRF, International Solidarity, INTERSOLIDARITY, for Peace & Human Rights Initiative, Street Law Africa, LawAfrica, and Igbo Ekunie Initiative, IEI, (a pan-Igbo rights campaigner).
Inhuman treatment: Onitsha residents, CD seek dismanantleing of military points in Anambra
Residents of Onitsha and its environs have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Nigerian Armed Forces to dismantle military road blocks in Anambra State erected on account of the pro-Biafra protests
Speaking with Vanguard, Mr. Chinonso Ukaegbu, a trader said that normalcy had returned to the commercial city of Onitsha and its environs and there was no need for the joint military task force operations in the state.
“The IPOB and MASSOB activists are no more protesting in the state. They have also announced the suspension of their protests, and Onitsha is back to normalcy.Why should the people be subjected to dehumanizing act of raising our hands or running past the check points irrespective of age and status?” he said.
The Campaign for Democracy also made similar call, saying that there was no war or tension in Anambra State and therefore, people should not be subjected to dehumanizing situations where they had to raise their hands from three poles to the check points mounted by the Army and the Police.
ONITSHA – The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB has described as political of compensation, the kite being flown by some Northern elders to the effect that Ndigbo would be allowed to clinch the presidential seat in 2019.
Biafran Protest over Kanu
Spokesman of the IPOB, Emma Powerful who spoke to newsmen Wednesday on the issue, said they are not interested in Nigeria’s affairs any longer, adding that those flying the kite of Igbo presidency in 2019 is merely a distraction.
Powerful said what IPOB wants is to release their leader, Nnamdi Kanu from the detention and to allow Biafrans to go and not to play politics of compensation by telling Ndigbo that they will become the president in 2019, apparently to douse tension.
He recalled that politics of compensation was played during the June 12, 1993 saga when the Yorubas were compensated with Obasanjo presidency in place of M.K.O. Abiola’s annulled election, just as President Buhari was compensated because of Boko Haram insurgency.
According to him, “If politics of compensation was used to favour Obasanjo in place of June 12 annulment and was also used to favour Buhari in place insurgency, that is their own cup of tea. But for us in IPOB, we are not interested in that politics of compensation whereby we are being told that an Igboman will become Nigeria’s president in 2019 and we will begin to listen to them”.
“All we want or are interested in is to release our leader, Kanu and then allow Biafra to be and not Igbo presidency”, he stated.
Protesters threaten national security — Defence Headquarters
By KINGSLEY OMONOBI, Chidi Nwokpara Vincent Ujumadu, Peter Okutu & Francis Igata
THE business community of Onitsha, Anambra State has started recovering from the effect of last week’s pro-Biafra violent protests that left nine people dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed. After the Wednesday’s mayhem in the city and the subsequent dismantling of the barricade used by the protesters to block the Bridge Head and other entry points in Onitsha,indication emerged that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were regrouping on Thursday to begin another round of violent demonstration.
Biafra Protest
This was, however, aborted following the beefing up of security in the area. For instance, several truck loads of soldiers, from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, were seen heading to Onitsha on Thursday and this, perhaps, scared the organizers of the protests. Hundreds of the IPOB agitators, who gathered at one location in Onitsha, had to hurriedly disperse for fear of arrests.
The suspension of the protest, however, does not mean the agitation is over.
For now, the agitators have resorted to the use of the social media to whip up sentiments and gather more support for what they described as impending referendum on Biafra. One of the messages that have hit the media is entitled, ‘The Biafra question: A case for self-determination referendum.’
Many traders in Onitsha were, at the weekend, still counting their losses since the protests began following the arrest and detention of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra, by security operatives. Mr. Maximus Okafor, a trader at the popular Bridge Head drug market, Onitsha, said his customers, who were coming to make purchases that Wednesday, could not enter Onitsha because of the activities of the pro-Biafra group. Okafor, who resides in Asaba, Delta State, and has had to cross the River Niger everyday to reach his shop, said he too could not enter Onitsha on the said day.
According to him, though people were trekking to Onitsha from Asaba, he saw no need to do so since the markets were closed. He added that his customer, who had already transferred money to his account, had to stay in a hotel outside Onitsha until the following day.
Travellers to other parts of the country could not make their journey and were trapped between Upper Iweka Road and the Bridge Head as the IPOB activists controlled the highway for the better part of the day. Most of the boys that organized the protest came from Aba, Abia State after embarking on a similar protest in Enyimba the previous day. They were joined by their colleagues in Onitsha who provided logistics. Some of the protesters said they were looking forward to when their leaders would lead them to march on the streets of Abuja to make “the impact concerning Biafra Republic”. One of them, who gave his name as Uche and who claimed to be 26 years old, said he became interested in the Biafra project after listening to Radio Biafra for several months.
“Listening to Radio Biafra opened one’s eyes to what Igbo people are passing through in Nigeria and the best thing that can happen to us is to have our own country. If it happened in Southern Sudan, why can’t it happen here?”, Uche said. Incidentally, there appears to be no peace among some of the agitators as the various groups, which claim to be working towards the actualization of the Biafra Republic, are trading blames over the outcome of the happenings in Onitsha. Even Igbo groups and many highly- placed individuals have dissociated themselves from the activities of the groups. For instance, two factions of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, are accusing each other of being responsible for the loss of lives and destruction of property as a result of the violent nature of the agitation. MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, is accusing
IPOB and the Uchenna Madu-led faction of MASSOB of being responsible for the violent protests. He recalled that Kanu, the detained Director of Radio Biafra, who is the leader of IPOB, and Madu, the leader of the break away MASSOB, had earlier been expelled from MASSOB because of their alleged disposition to violence, which, according to him, is against the non-violence posture of MASSOB. To him, Kanu and Madu were being sponsored by politicians to destabilise MASSOB and so they had to be expelled. But Madu countered, saying Uwazurike had lost the confidence of Ndigbo who once believed in him.
“Uwazurike should cover his face in shame because no Igbo man wants to hear his voice on issues concerning Biafra any longer as he and his followers have been tagged Biafra saboteurs”, the MASSOB factional leader stated. “In this current agitation for Biafra, which has drawn international attention, Uwazurike is completely lost as he is no longer agitating for Biafra actualization, but pursuing personal interests. Biafrans know who their leaders are and Uwazurike is not among them.”
The question remains, what would be the next move of the Biafra agitators in the face of the criticisms trailing their actions, and the clampdown by security operatives? Unfortunately, most of the agitators protesting on the streets do not know the detailed programme of their leaders, except that they have been told that by constantly protesting on the streets, the international community would one day tell Nigerian leaders to allow the Biafra Republic to be carved out of Nigeria. After the Onitsha protest, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State appealed to the people to give peace a chance.
The governor said:”The government of Anambra State has been monitoring developments and is greatly concerned about the security of lives and property of residents and visitors to the state. As your governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I am compelled to act to avert any likely breakdown of law and order. In all situations, the preservation of human life comes first and I am determined to enforce that. “I therefore, sincerely appeal to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), MASSOB and other aggrieved groups and individuals to maintain peace and resist any attempt by hoodlums to take advantage of the situation and destabilize any part of Anambra State.“
I am in constant touch with all the security agencies in the state to ensure that what has otherwise been a peaceful protest is not hijacked by trouble makers. All mischief makers are hereby warned to keep off as we will not tolerate any breach of peace under any guise or pretext. You are seriously warned!” The apex Igbo socio–cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which is also worried by the activities of the Biafra agitators, said no reasonable Igbo would associate with the demand of the youths. Chairman, Forum of State Presidents of Ohaneze in the seven Igbo–speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, said that no right thinking person would support what he called the madness by some youths, who were being deceived to engage in something they cannot finish. He, however, identified the perceived marginalization of Igbo as the main cause of the Biafra agitation,urging President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue.
Imo: Shock, grief, anger trail killings
Reports from Imo State said grief, anger and shock trailed the Wednesday’s killing of the MASSOB and IPOB activists by security agencies in Onitsha, Anambra State.
Many residents recounted what they called “the excesses of the Buhari administration to include the abandonment of the South-East and the assault on defenceless and unarmed protesters”.
They were of the view that some of the recent appointments made by President Buhari showed the disdain his administration has for Ndigbo.
The people recalled with grief, anger and defiance that only the South-East has five states, while others have six and above, with multiple local government areas that equally attract high revenue from the Federation Account.
During a recent pastoral outing, the Bishop of Egbu Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Okorafor, had called for understanding and dialogue.
He predicted that if the growing agitation was not properly handled, it could lead to loss of lives. Today, he is vindicated!
One of the loyalists of IPOB, who simply identified himself as Geoffrey, appealed to the Federal Government to stop deceiving the country that it is running a democracy.
“In a democracy, people are free to express their misgivings openly. In a democracy, people are free to seek self-determination. If the country is united, our soldiers would find it difficult to direct the nozzles of their guns at unarmed members of MASSOB and IPOB, instead of members of Boko Haram that have been killing hundreds of innocent people for years”, he said.
Speaking also, a female member of IPOB, Mercy Chikodi Agams, said “the Indigenous People of Biafra have been going about their agitation peacefully and will continue to remain peaceful, despite provocations from security agencies.”
Continuing, Agams said “the group is not only resolute in our quest for freedom, but is also aware that in this legitimate struggle, many lives would be lost, not because we want to lose them, but because the Buhari government detests freedom of the oppressed people of Biafra”.
She added “The world is watching the terror unleashed on innocent people legitimately agitating for their right to independence”.
Agams was of the view that what increased the tempo of the agitation was the arrest, detention and prosecution of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is now branded a terror suspect by the Federal Government.
“This young Biafran, Kanu, lives in the United Kingdom. If he was the terrorist, which the Federal Government now brands him, the British police would not have allowed him to walk the streets of London unhindered”, the activist said.
To Kemdi Uzor, government has failed to critically ascertain the reasons behind the current agitation, with a view to coming out with the appropriate solution.
“If not that the Ndigbo are industrious, we would have been sentenced to untold hardship and penury. I recall with grief that only paltry 20 pounds was given to all bank depositors at the end of the 30-month old war, irrespective of the amount you left in the account”, Uzor said.
He recalled that the Federal Government took that decision because owners of such accounts either made withdrawals or deposits, while the war lasted.
“So, you can see that the Federal Government expected that the hungry and disease-infested people that were living in land-locked Biafra, should not have operated their accounts for 30 whole months”, Uzor stated.
Some business men in Owerri were, at the weekend, counting their losses, following the closure of markets in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State.
“Our livelihood and the sustenance of members of our families are dependent on our ability to record reasonable turnover at the end of the day, but the events in Onitsha have definitely slowed things down.
“It is not in doubt that Onitsha and Aba are the major commercial nerve centres in the South-East. These are also the major operational zones of MASSOB and IPOB. The economic environment sadly shrinks each time the groups order their loyalists to the streets”.
Apart from traders, another group of business men that have suffered huge losses, since the uprising started, are commercial vehicle operators.
Sunday Vanguard gathered that some of the commercial drivers heading to Benin, Lagos and the other western states, made use of the Owerri-Elele-Efurun-Warri-Benin axis, while those heading to the North, used the Enugu route and avoided Onitsha.
A driver, who simply identified himself as Uko, complained that the stress occasioned by the diversion, was great and the man hours spent on the trip, longer.
Enugu: MASSOB factional leader to Igbo leaders: Don’t meet FG
Meanwhile, factional MASSOB leader, Madu, says any Igbo leader who represents the group in any meeting with the Federal Government without its consent will be disgraced. The factional leader, who spoke in Enugu State, said: “Every struggle has its methodology to achieve its desired goal and aspiration for the people. The two-days blockage of River Niger is part of the ongoing peaceful,non-violent demonstration against the continued detention of our Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigeria government. Civil disobedience, non-cooperation and peaceful demonstrations are tools of non-violent agitation worldwide. Our actions so far portray IPOB,MASSOB, led by me, as well organized, focused, determined uncompromising, dedicated, fearless and unsabotage organizations bent on Biafra actualization.
“Today,Nigeria is jittery,shaken and disorganised because of one month peaceful demonstration and protests of genuine Biafra agitators. There are tens of other programmes and actions we can unleash under our clothes of non-violence which will ultimately uproot Nigeria from her already dislocated foundation, but we are watching the Nigeria government to ascertain,verify their seriousness on the much published dialogue,meeting of Ndigbo and the Federal Government over our demands.
“We still maintain that any Igbo representatives on the dialogue or meeting with Federal Government without our consent shall be disgraced. We shall never relent or retire until our Biafra is actualized. Non-violence shall also remain our cardinal point and motivational force.”
In a related development, a leading transport company, Peace Mass Transit, PMT, told Sunday Vanguard that the blockage of the Niger Bridge by the Onitsha protesters had increased the man hours spent on the route even as it occasioned increased fuel consumption as the drivers made a detour to avoid the Head Bridge.
The PMT Managing Director, Mr. Amaechi Ezegwu, said: “Most of our drivers had to sleep on that route. They spent over 12 hours on the 2nd Niger Bridge as a result of the blockage. Manhours were spent and most of the drivers made a detour to avoid the bridge. Fuel will be consumed in the process. We might be forced to increase fares if the situation persists.”
Ebonyi: Police arrest four
In Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, four members of MASSOB were in the early hours of Friday arrested by policemen.
The members, who engaged in a peaceful protest along some streets in Abakaliki, were seen carrying placards, the flag of the pro-Biafra group and chanting songs of solidarity.
This development caused pandemonium as tricycle operators and motorists made a detour to avoid troubled areas.
Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP George Okafor, who confirmed the arrest of the MASSOB members, threatened that the police would not allow MASSOB to gain grounds in the state as the command was prepared for any showdown with the activists. Peace has since returned to the state capital as security operatives have been positioned at strategic points to stop the pro-Biafra agitators.
Activists threaten national security— DHQ
Separately, military authorities, at the weekend, explained that security agencies intervened in the MASSOB and IPOB protests because the protesters turned violent and attacked innocent citizens and property. Consequently, the authorities warned that the military will not sit and watch molestation and violent destruction of property or harassment of innocent citizens in the guise of agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra, noting that ‘everybody’s right must be respected’.
Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, told Sunday Vanguard, in a telephone interview, that government and security agencies had to come in especially when the protesters began to carry dangerous weapons and taking the law into their hands. Disclosing that the police, as the lead agency in internal security issues, were doing very well tackling the challenges brought about by the protests in the South-East, the DDI said the military could only be called in if the situation got out of hand.
Ever since the recently renewed struggle for the realization of the sovereign state of Biafra began, a lot of misleading and silly remarks and misinformation have flooded and continued to be peddled around the Nigerian political space about (Biafra) the upcoming newest country to join the league of sovereign states in the global map.
Expectedly, part of the reasons for the propagation of all these stupid and misleading comments about Biafra is, arguably, not unconnected with the obvious and desperate desire of the propagators of these canards to not only discourage the growing population of the teaming protagonists and supporters of the emerging sovereign state of Biafra, but also to create and instil fear in the minds of the agitators.
Biafran Protest over Kanu
However, what these propagators of lies and antagonists of Biafra seem not to realize yet is that, gone are the days of employing fear, threat, naked use of force and even blandishments, where inevitable, with an intent to intimidate, confuse, coerce or cow Ndigbo, and their youths in particular, into a sort of slave submission. Perhaps this archaic mentality goes to explain why these political slave masters are apparently loath to ask themselves the fundamental question as relates to how (all of a sudden) the Igbo known hitherto for their seeming aversion to street protests and, rather, for putting premium on time and the pursuit of their businesses than anything else, are today willingly thronging the streets across their homeland and beyond in strong demands for the unconditional release of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu (who is unjustly languishing in Muhammadu Buhari’s dungeon) and for the creation of the sovereign state of Biafra out of the Nigerian state.
Funny enough, whereas these legitimate demands being peacefully and lawfully ventilated through protests (by the pro-Biafra activists) are viewed to be mere activities of miscreants by no less a miscreant than former President Olusegun Obasnajo, they (the agitations) are regarded more or less as nothing in the predictable opinion of General Yakubu Gowon, who amusingly believes that “with Biafra it is finished”. Incidentally, these are old men and so-called civil war veterans who, behind their tough-talking and seemingly unperturbed facade, are deeply troubled in their innermost hearts over the surprisingly generational transfer of the same Biafra struggle which they had hitherto, erroneously and naively thought to be no more attractive, if not dead. It is perhaps within this context that one could of course appreciate the seeming honesty behind the claim by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ ad Abubakar 111, of being increasingly worried over the raging pro-Biafra protests.
But however honest the Sultan is or may be on this matter, it is imperative for him to know that his assertion to the effect that the Igbo living in his part of the North “keep telling us (them) that they have nowhere else to live than where they are presently living” cannot but be best considered as his subjective or personal opinion. Of course it is not unexpected that the Sultan ought to know better what would naturally be the predictably responses of these foregoing Igbo folks so reportedly interacted with on this raging issue of Biafra agitations, bearing in mind the straitjacket of feelings of insecurity to their business interests, lives and properties that are bound to limit their frankness in the course of the said interaction. In other words, the Sultan should ordinarily have no illusions about the predictable responses of these Igbo business men and women living in his domain on the subject of their desirability of the sovereign state of Biafra or otherwise in the absence of an organised, official or, better still, a United Nations backed referendum. It is therefore laughable that the Sultan of Sokoto or anyone else could be deluding him/herself thinking and asserting that the Igbo traders and residents in the North are ever disposed to continue to live in darkness, instead of light which the sovereign state of Biafra symbolizes in all facets, should there be referendum today.
Meanwhile, regarding the remark that the Igbo will simply lose their perceived tight grip or dominance in the control of the vast majority of markets and commercial activities spread across all nooks and crannies in Nigeria should they opt for the sovereign state of Biafra in due course, there is no gainsaying that this is somewhat misleading. In the very first instance, it is crystal clear that the Igbo inclination for active and competitive participation in business and/or their ubiquitous involvement in commercial activities is a well known global reality which transcends borders and to a large extent defies human comprehension. To this end, therefore, if it is the calculation of certain Nigerian people that Ndigbo will be at a great risk of losing their perceived tight control or dominance in the area of commerce in Nigeria in the event they ultimately embrace the sovereign state of Biafra, then these Lugardian elements need to be reminded or told in plain words that when one door closes another one opens; that the Igbo participation in commercial activities goesbeyond trading in the Nigeria markets; and, more importantly, that the Igbo can afford to survive discretely or without dependence on the Nigerian markets. In essence, it is no Nigerian citizen’s business or task crying for the Igbo people over the so-called possible loss of their control of markets in Nigeria should they opt for the sovereign state of Biafra. Surely it is easy to project that the Igbo will be losing their perceived tight control of the Nigerian markets should they ultimately embrace the option of an independent state of Biafra, yet this is relatively too small a price to pay for the sake of achieving a consolidated and prosperous living as well as a meaningful future both for themselves and their posterity – prospects that can rarely be accomplished under the auspices of the Nigerian state.
What is more, the attempts by unscrupulous Igbo and non-Igbo elements to correlate the renewed struggle for the independent state of Biafra with the anticipated notion of Igbo Presidency by 2023 (or 2019, according to General Ibrahim Babangida’s obsession) is not just mischievous but also an instance of crass stupidity of highest order. As a matter of fact, the enduring merits of actualising and living in the land of the independent state of Biafra far outweigh the fleeting gains associated with the time-bound Igbo “occupation” of the Presidency of the Nigerian state. For this reason, it is neither here or there for the political slave masters and all those who think that the idea of a sovereign state of Biafra is something that can be traded off with the lure of Igbo Presidency in Nigeria.
Strangely, virtually all Nigerians are quick to come to an agreement that no nationality and people in Nigeria are more nationalistic, patriotic, cosmopolitan and diligent in terms of effecting national spread in the development of Nigeria than the Igbo have done, yet the same Igbo are despised, maltreated and viewed as being deficient of all these same virtues whenever it comes to matters pertaining to their legitimate aspirations and entitlement to occupy the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Yet, these “lying liars” believe that the Igbo must be perpetually subjugated to the captivity of one indivisible Nigeria (?).
Worse still, these hypocrites are wont to caution that the Igbo might unknowingly be hurting themselves and their group interest vis-a-vis their prospect for producing a President of Igbo stock for Nigeria owing to the ongoing agitation for Biafra. Unfortunate as this line of thought is, it seems to elude the short memories of the elements behind this mischief that even if the ongoing Biafra agitations were to be aptly perceived as Igbo people’s strategic precursor to securing the Presidency of Nigeria sooner than later, that such is not a novelty and as such has no basis for hurting the Igbo interest vis-a-vis other contending interests in the Nigerian project. Or, have we now forgotten that it was the extreme propensities of the Yoruba nation to “spoil show” for the unity of Nigeria (in the wake of the sudden demise of Chief M.K.O Abiola) that necessitated the emergence of President Olusegun Obasanjo? Or, in the same vein, that safe for the same proclivities of the Niger-Delta Militants to rend the country apart in 2011, the seeming national consensus to elect President Goodluck Jonathan would not have been reached? Or, could the narrative be different from the Boko Haram menace which provided the people of the Northern region the catalytic platform for the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari? And based on the foregoing, why then do the spokesman of the All Progressive Congress in the South-East and his counterpart in President Muhammadu Buhari’s media team want us to believe that the Igbo demand for a sovereign state of Biafra will hurt or stop the quest for Igbo Presidency in Nigeria?
But, on the other hand, assuming the ongoing agitations for Biafra belie a political undertone – which even though unlikely, cannot be ruled out –what then can anybody say is wrong with it given the fact that since the annulment of June 12, 1993 Presidential election and the eventual demise of Chief M.K.O Abiola (the custodian of the mandate of that annulled election) in 1998, threat of secession or the outright unleashing of violence on the citizenry and the polity at large has thenceforth become a new pattern of negotiating for and securing Presidential power in Nigeria?
Anyway, what is paramount now in the face of the increasing issues arising from the ongoing agitations for Biafra is for the international community, and all sane minds, to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to unconditionally release Mr. Nnamdi Kanu (the Director of Radio Biafra) and to organise a referendum with a view to nipping in the bud the impending conflagration that could erupt in Nigeria as corollary of the prevailing and premeditated inaction. Needless to say this will in turn go a long way clearing the air on the diverse misleading remarks and misinformation about the ongoing agitations for the sovereign state of Biafra.
Paschal Chiduluemije Onyiorah writes fromAbuja viaduluemije4justice@yahoo.com(07012130204). Please join me on facebook or follow me on twitter @onyiorahpaschal.
Soldiers, mobile policemen take over streets, conduct stop-and-search on motorists
MASSOB dissociates self, factions trade blames
By Anayo Okoli, Vincent Ujumadu, Festus Ahon, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Ugochukwu Alaribe, Chimaobi Nwaiwu & Omeiza Ajayi
ONITSHA—Following the three-week long protests embarked upon by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over continued incarceration of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu which led to the alleged killing of its members by members of Joint Military Task Force, markets, banks and schools in Onitsha and its environs remained closed, yesterday, in apparent solidarity with the protesters.
Biafra Protest
The Building Materials International Market at Ogidi, near Onitsha, New Auto Spare Parts market at Nkpor and other major markets remained closed, just as banks and schools remained under lock and key.
A detachment of stern-looking soldiers and mobile policemen were seen in their numbers standing on the roads and stopping all vehicles, a situation which led to a traffic gridlock from the former toll gate at Ogbunike to Bridge-head end of the Enugu/Awka/Onitsha express way.
Meanwhile, a coalition of civil society groups had called for immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase for his alleged shoot-at-sight order and roles in the Onitsha killings of protesting IPOB members.
Extra judicial killings
In a press statement released, yesterday, and signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, the coordinating principal of the coalition said it was equally important to inform that the Nigeria Police Force under Arase was already under the jurisdictional watch of the International Criminal Court as compilation and computation of cases of all police and military related extra judicial killings in the country were steadily in progress, adding, “for failing to heed our warning of 13th November 2015, we will be glad to ensure that IGP Arase and his named sub-commanders are handcuffed and flown to The Hague for the purpose of making them face international trial for crimes against humanity.”
According to the coalition: “We call on the IPOB and its teeming followers to remain peaceful, non- violent and law-abiding at all times, not minding the violence recently visited and unleashed on them.
“They must also watch their back and be extremely vigilant so as to ward off sustained efforts of some commissioned elements within the Federal Government, particularly its security establishments and stooges within the South East Governors Forum to implant elements of violence into their fold so as to destroy their globally -approved method of non- violence and peaceful means of agitation.
IPOB blames APC
Still wallowing in the confusion that followed the killing of nine of its members, Wednesday, in Onitsha, the IPOB, also yesterday alleged that the All Progressives Congress, APC, was behind the crisis that led to shooting to death of nine people and injuring of over 18 people that sustained various degrees of injuries at the Niger Bridge Head Onitsha and other parts of Onitsha and its environs.
Spokesman of IPOB in Anambra State, Mr. Emma Powerful disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Onitsha, saying that it was a calculated plan by the APC government in the country which became unsettled with their peaceful and non- violent protests in South East, and had been looking for a way to provoke violence in their protests to justify the continued detention and incarceration of their leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
The victims
The IPOB spokesman gave the names of some of the IPOB members that were shot dead, Wednesday, morning as Chima Onoh, from Enugu state, Kenneth Ogadinma from Abia State, Angus Chikwado and Felicia Egwuatu from Anambra State, including another, he said they got information was killed in Idemili side of Anambra State late Wednesday evening.
He also said that the JTF killed a young lady that was later identified as Nkiruka and tried to take her corpse away.
An eye witness, who took some photographs told Vanguard that he was in his office watching as JTF men were shooting sporadically at Obodoukwu Road by Nigerian Customs Service Onitsha.
He said Nkiruka is from Adazi Nnukwu in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, a 200 level student of Federal College of Education Technical, Umunze and the only daughter of the family.
“Nkiruka was coming from Nigerian Customs Service by Asaba Onitsha Enugu expressway towards Obodoukwu Road and on hearing gun-shots, she ran into a restaurant and one of the JTF members shot her dead and was about taking her corpse away when her family came with an ambulance and spoke with the JTF men who later released the corpse to them.”
However, the police from Anambra State had denied any killing by the JTF through the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ali Okechukwu.
MASSOB disassociates self
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, dissociated itself from the violence being perpetrated by IPOB, which had resulted in the killings and destruction of property.
Speaking to newsmen in Asaba, zonal leader of MASSOB in Delta North, Mr. Chinedu Amaifeobu, said MASSOB was not a violent group and condemned the acts of violence being perpetrated by the IPOB.
Amaifeobu said: “MASSOB is not in support of the killings and destruction of property. We are not against any group in Igbo land but would not support killing of innocent people and destruction of property. “
Disclosing that there was no faction in MASSOB as allegedly being speculated by one Uchenna Madu, he said Mr. Raph Uwazuruike remained the founder and leader of the group worldwide, alleging that the said Uchenna Madu was sacked from MASSOB since last year for misconduct and his group was the one terrorizing Onitsha.
Amaifeobu expressed confidence that they would actualize Biafra without violence and urged the media to reach out to them in any of their offices for verification of information concerning MASSOB before going to press.
Insisting the group had offices in all parts of the Biafra zone, he held that MASSOB under the leadership of Uwazuruike was committed to the Biafra struggle.
Meeting of North, S/E monarchs
However, at the IPOB’s media briefing, Mr. Powerful dismissed the meeting said to have been held on the directive of the Sultan of Sokoto with Governor Rochas Okorocha as host and some South East traditional rulers in attendance as meeting of APC members, adding that some South East traditional rulers must have been disappointed with the outcome of the meeting.
“How can anybody be holding a meeting concerning IPOB, MASSOB and issue of Biafra in Imo State instead of Enugu State or Anambra State, the home of our spiritual leader Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu without any IPOB and MASSOB member, even one person from the groups being present.
“We therefore maintain that it was an APC meeting and its outcome does not have any binding on IPOB or MASSOB,” he said.
Call for dialogue
Speaking further, the IPOB spokesman berated the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, for reading a riot act to armless, defenseless and non-violent IPOB and MASSOB members when he should be apologizing and sympathizing with the families of the people his men and their JTF counterpart killed during their indiscriminate shooting of protesting people.
“We are demanding that IGP Arase should resign voluntarily or be removed by Buhari if he is not using him to do a hatchet job. He is not a competent and intelligent police officer, let alone being IGP, or he should have consoled the bereaved families whether it was his men that did it or not.
“Every killing that happened, Wednesday, constitutionally falls on the Police, because they invited the Army and the Navy to help them because of their incompetence.“
The APC government through their youths had been looking for a way to destroy our peaceful protests, but they could not see. They bribed market leaders to accuse us of shutting the markets and breaking into stores and shops and that did not work. They now decided to send their youths to start making bonfire on the roads in Onitsha and other parts of the state to disrupt economic, social and commercial activities in the state and give an impression that we are violent.
“This was after they had ordered the Joint Military Task Force to shoot five of our members, who were observing our three days ‘Sit at the Niger Head Bridge’ protest as directed by our leaders to press home our demand for the release of Mr. Kanu. Yet, we did not react.
“We are demanding for the release of our leader and the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra. We are determined to have Biafra and detention of Mr. Kanu and other members of IPOB and MASSOB will not deter us. Since the end of the civil war, we have not been treated as part of Nigeria and now, we want to go and nobody will stop us because we have exhausted our patience in Nigeria,” he said.
Appeal for peace
Calling for calm, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, the Ogirishi Igbo has appealed to IPOB and MASSOB to maintain the peace that they had been known for even in the face of the killing of their members and the attack by the APC-sponsored youths in the state.
Ezeonwuka urged the youths to keep calm as their anger had been established.
“ I want them to know that IPOB, known for peaceful protest is being infiltrated by criminals sponsored by politicians from inside and outside the state to involve in violent activities to destroy their name.”
ABUJA—THE three-week-long pro-Biafra protests turned bloody, yesterday, as the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) killed nine of the protesters and injured 18 in Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State.
Biafran fear dead
Irked by the stubborn disposition of the pro- Biafra agitators, who blocked the Niger Bridge Head and refused to give way to motorists, the JTF comprising Army, Navy, Police and Civil Defence troops, yesterday afternoon, opened fire at protesting members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, killing nine people and injuring 18. Five people were killed at Niger Bridge Head while three were killed at Obodoukwu Road. A suya(barbecue meat) seller said to have been hit by a stray bullet died instantly. The protesters were having a peaceful procession across South East states and had vowed to continue their blockage of the bridge for three days until detained Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu is released.
Miscreants, on hearing that some people had been shot dead by the JTF, started another protest, marched to the Central mosque near Onitsha Main Market and set it ablaze. A Hilux pick-up van with Federal Government number plate was also burnt when the JTF held motorists and commuters hostage at Upper Iweka with sporadic shootings that had never been witnessed before in Onitsha.
Despite losing two men, we didn’t attack protesters – Police
The Anambra Police Command said, yesterday, that despite losing two of its men during the pro-Biafra protests in Onitsha, the command never retaliated.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, in an interview, faulted the allegation that Police fired at the protesters, adding that one of the policemen, a sergeant, was killed at Obodo Ukwu, while the other was killed at Eze Iweka road.
He said that following the problem in Onitsha, police kept vigil to ensure that peace was maintained and totally denied police involvement in the bloody riot that led to the death of about nine people.
“We did not fire a shot at anybody and even when our men were felled, we still did not retaliate,” he said.
It was gathered that what led to yesterday’s violence was an attempt by the JTF to reopen the blocked roads at the Bridge Head and at Upper Iweka road in the wee hours of Wednesday.
When the security operatives tried to open the roads, it was learned, they met resistance from the protesters, who grounded Onitsha on Tuesday and ensured that no vehicle entered or left the commercial city.
How protests turned bloody
Biafran Protest over Kanu
The protesting IPOB members had blocked the Niger Bridge early Tuesday morning, thereby grounding vehicular movements in and out of Onitsha. From Asaba, Delta State, many boarded speed boats provided by the Marine Police to get in and out of Onitsha.
The protest was, however, aggravated by shooting to death of five IPOB members who were observing their peaceful procession at the Niger Bridge Head against the continued detention of their leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu at about 1.30 am
All the markets in Onitsha were shut around 12.30 pm, as thousands of traders in the markets and environs were seen scampering for safety as sporadic gunshots continued in many parts of the city.
The JTF, who could not disperse the protesters on Tuesday invaded the Niger Bridge at about 1.30 am, yesterday, and opened fire on the IPOB members who refused to leave the Niger Bridge, the gateway to the South East, killing six people including the suya seller said to have been hit by a stray bullet.
The killing of the protesters sparked off another protest by IPOB members who were joined by MASSOB members. They made bonfires along Onitsha-Owerri Road and Onitsha-Enugu Express way, forcing motorists coming in and out of Onitsha from Enugu, Asaba and Owerri to be trapped.
A Vanguard reporter who went to Oba for an assignment was trapped at Oba junction, where he had to pay N3,000 from Oba Junction to Tarzan Junction, Onitsha, as over 2,000 vehicles coming into Onitsha were seen parked at the Oba Junction and refused entrance into Onitsha.
Commercial motorcyclists banned on the express roads by the state government made brisk business and had a field day as it was the only means of coming into and out of Onitsha.
Military should not push us into violence — IPOB
Speaking with newsmen, National coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe, alleged that five of their members were killed while 18 people sustained injuries, adding that he learned that more people were killed in the sporadic shooting by the JTF at Upper Iweka.
“The Joint Military Task Force could not disperse the protesters on Tuesday, and they went to regroup and invaded our members who were observing our three-day peaceful protest at the Niger Bridge at about 1.30 am Wednesday morning. We warned that they should not push us to be violent because we have people that can match them violence for violence,” he said.
Vanguard gathered that Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, the Ogirisi Igbo, a respected Igbo leader, who has the loyalty of both MASSOB and IPOB youths was attacked at about 1.35 am when he went to talk to the protesting youths at the Niger Bridge Head, after some Igbo leaders had pleaded with him to speak with the protesters.
Speaking in an interview at his house in Oba, Chief Ezeonwuka said: “The dangerous game being played by the Federal Government of Nigeria in the continued incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu will end up being an expensive joke and dangerous mistake.
“I am calling on Igbo elite to speak with one voice for immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu before the youths turn their peaceful protest to violent protest. The protest started with free flow of traffic, but today it has advanced to road block,” he said.
The Campaign for Democracy, CD, South East branch, also condemned the killing of the protesters. Chairman of CD, South East branch, Dede Uzor A Uzor, said: “IPOB has been peaceful in their protest and there should not be any reason to open fire on them by security agencies. We are also calling for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB and MASSOB members being incarcerated in various prisons and detention centres in the country, as they have not broken any law for protesting peacefully.”
IG reads riot act, begins prosecution of protesters
However, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, has disclosed that no fewer than 137 protesters have been arrested and currently undergoing prosecution. The police boss spoke yesterday, when he visited the Ministry of Interior.
According to him, the suspects are all members of MASSOB and IPOB.
Arase, who also described Nigerians as lawless, said in as much as government respects the right of citizens to free expression, MASSOB and IPOB activists must stop threatening public peace or face the full wrath of the law.
His words: “What I can assure you is that we will not allow any group to disturb the peace of this country. We will clamp down on them, we will deal with them, we will prosecute them. Already, we have about 137 of them who are undergoing prosecution across the length and breadth of the South East and we will continue to do that.
“The latest manifestation of this threat is the attempt to block the Onitsha end of Niger Bridge on December 1, 2015, an action that caused major hardship to innocent and law abiding motorists and citizens. The act also occasioned serious dislocation of business activities.”
Arase issued a stern warning to MASSOB and IPOB activists to stop threatening public peace or face the full weight of the law.
To maintain law and order, the IG in a statement by Acting ACP Olabisi Kolawole, directed Assistant Inspectors–General of Police Zone 5, (Benin); Zone 6, (Calabar) and Zone 9 (Umuahia) and all Commissioners of Police in the affected states in the South East and neigbouring states “to henceforth maximally exercise their statutory mandate in relation to prevention and disruption of any gathering that threatens public order and national cohesion. Any person or group of persons so arrested in furtherance to the enforcement of this order will be made to face the full wrath of the law”.
The IGP advised parents and guardians to call their children and wards to order as the patience of the Force was being stretched to the limit, adding that “no individual or group interest can override the interest of the nation and that democratic values provide for exploration of rule of law to advance any concern, not the resort to endless and misguided acts of brigandage, unless there is an ulterior motive as the extant instance tends to dictate.”
Monarchs to the rescue
Disturbed by the growing protests, representatives of Northern States Council of Traditional Rulers and their South East counterparts met in Owerri, yesterday, to deliberate on the issue.
The visiting royal fathers from the North were led by the Etsu Nupe, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar.
Other traditional rulers that made the trip included the Coordinating Committee Chairman of Northern States Council of Traditional Rulers and the Emir of Gumi, Justice Lawal Aliyu Gumi; the Emir of Lafia, Alhaji Mustapha Agwai, who is the Chairman of Nasarawa State Council of Traditional Rulers; Emir of Fika, Alhaji Abali Mohammadu, Chairman of Yobe State Council of Traditional Rulers, and Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba Gyang, Chairman of Plateau State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The South-East Traditional Rulers were led to the meeting by the Chairman of the Council, Eze Ebere Dick, who is also the Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers; Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, Chairman of Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers; Eze Agunwa Ohiri, Chairman Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Eze Dr. Agom Eze, Chairman, Ebonyi State Council of Traditional Rulers.
Speaking when the group paid a courtesy call on Governor Rochas Okorocha at the Government House, Owerri, the Etsu Nupe and leader of the delegation, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, explained that they were in the state to meet with the South East Traditional Council, at the instance of His Eminence, Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who is Chairman of the Northern Council of Traditional Rulers.
“We are principally in Imo to discuss the issue of the current and escalating agitation by Pro-Biafra groups in the South-East geo-political zone and to find the reasons for this renewed agitations and how the situation can be arrested”, Alhaji Abubakar said.
He also disclosed that they are in Imo to find out the truth about the rumour that there was crises in the leadership of the South East Council of Traditional Rulers.
While saying that they would go back home to relate their findings to their colleagues, the royal fathers also remarked that protection of the nation’s unity was paramount.
Speaking also, Chairman of the South East Traditional Council, Eze Ebere Dick, promised that they would work together with the South East governors to amicably resolve the MASSOB and IPOB issues.
Responding, Governor Okorocha commended the royal fathers for the meeting, which he described as timely and advised them too to “make such meetings regular in the interest of the nation. There is need for traditional rulers across the nation to be meeting regularly, to help in curbing religious and ethnic crises, mostly caused or sponsored by politicians for political gains. It is also important that our traditional rulers should resist the temptation of entering into the murky waters of Nigerian politics.”
On the pro-Biafra protests and agitations, Governor Okorocha informed that the South-East governors and stakeholders in the region had set up a committee to look into the issue and proffer quick solution.
The governor also appealed to the Northern traditional rulers to, as a matter of urgency, address the issue of the activities of Fulani herdsmen within the South-East because their activities constitute great danger to lives and properties of the people of the area.
Obiano sues for peace
Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, last night, in a broadcast appealed to the protesters to maintain peace and resist attempt by hoodlums to take advantage of the situation to destabilize the state.
The governor’s address read: “My beloved people of Anambra State, I wish to address you on the on-going protest staged in Onitsha by the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra and MASSOB.
“The government of Anambra State has been monitoring developments and is greatly concerned about the security of lives and property of residents and visitors to the state. As your Governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I am compelled to act to avert any likely breakdown of law and order. In all situations, the preservation of human life comes first and I am determined to enforce that.
“Since the inception of my administration, we have made the security of lives and property our priority and we are not going to compromise on that. I, therefore, sincerely appeal to members of the IPOB, MASSOB and other aggrieved groups and individuals to maintain the peace and resist any attempt by hoodlums to take advantage of the situation and destabilize any part of Anambra State.
“I am in constant touch with all the security agencies in the state to ensure that what has otherwise been a peaceful protest is not hijacked by trouble makers. All mischief makers are hereby warned to keep off as we will not tolerate any breach of peace under any guise or pretext. You are seriously warned! I therefore wish to assure Ndi Anambra and all visitors to the state to go about their normal businesses peacefully as the security agencies are on top of the situation to preserve law and order.”
We didn’t set Onitsha Central Mosque ablaze – IPOB, MASSOB
Meanwhile, the agitating groups have disassociated themselves from acts of arson and violence that culminated in the razing down of Onitsha Central Mosque and burning of some vehicles.
MASSOB Acting Leader, Uchenna Madu, in a statement said: “The setting of Ontisha Central Mosque and vehicles ablaze and making of bonfires, which depict violence are not done by the members of IPOB or MASSOB under my leadership.
“This unwarranted acts of violence are perfected by hoodlums sponsored by agents of the Federal Government to create impression that non-violence and peaceful pro-Biafra groups have turned violent in our agitation for Biafra. Our oppressors are no longer comfortable. There is no evidence of terrorism in our protest. How can we resort to violence now that we’re told that the presidency is about negotiating with leaders of pro-Biafra group?
“With today’s killing of our members and injuring many with bullet shots,we are no longer comfortable with the presidency’s move for dialogue. Federal Government’s move for dialogue is hypocritical and deceitful. Any Igbo group, organization and persons negotiating, meeting or dialoguing with the presidency on our behalf without our consent or mandate should stop now.
“MASSOB led by Uchenna Madu and IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu have never mandated any person to negotiate for us. Even in this persecution, arrest, killings, clampdown, suppression against us by Nigeria Government, we shall continue and intensify our non-violence agitation for Biafra. For Nigeria to release their Armed Forces against non-violent, defenceless Biafra agitators shows their wickedness and the devilish mind of President Muhammad Buhari against our people.”
Don’t use force
Following the recent development, Igbo living in Niger State have urged the Federal Government not to use force on the agitators for Biafra but rather should dialogue with them in order not to further compound the insecurity that has already enveloped many parts of the country.
While suggeting dialogue as a means of settling the crisis which is daily building up across the country, the Niger State Chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo said it is not in any way in support of any move that could lead to war in the country.
