Peoples Restoration Mission (PRM) expresses its dismay over recent violent incidents that occurred in Anambra State with some rising casualties. In a press statement signed by Engr Anthony Aniebue,PRM Leader ,the group condemns several violet attacks on innocent people within the last few months. The statement reads in full ”Few weeks ago, what can be termed politically-motivated attack was directed on Chief Valentine Ozigbo and his sports team in Nnewi during their Health-Walk program.
Shortly after that, the President-General of Omor community in Ayamelum LGA was abducted by unknown assailants, and was later found dead in a nearby bush.
Sporadically, activities of unknown gunmen have been on the increase throughout the state recently.
Just yesterday, another shocking news hit the airwave of the bloody and gruesome attack at Isuofia where Prof Chukwuma Soludo was having interactive session with youths of the Community. It was reported that three policemen were murdered in cold blood by the yet to be identified killers and a serving commissioner was taken away.
These incidents were quite unfortunate and uncalled for, especially at a time when everybody is searching for economic and political solutions to our nation’s multidimensional problems.
We acknowledge that violence is not common in Anambra state, but wherever it occurs, we condemn it completely.
PRM has been preaching for ideological political space and application of level playing ground to all political players. PRM is, equally, calling for respect to all electoral rules and guidelines without fear of favour.
We, therefore, condemn any action or utterance that may likely lead to violence throughout this election period. Election is a sanctimonious part of democracy and all players must endeavour to play by its rules. WE CALL ON THE STATE GOVERNMENT TO RISE UP TO HER PRIMARY ROLE OF SAFEGUARDING THE STATE AND IMPROVE ON THE SECURITY ARRANGEMENT IN THE STATE. ALL SECURITY AGENCIES IN THE STATE ARE FURTHER CALLED TO WAKE UP TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES AND MAKE THE STATE A SAFE PLACE ESPECIALLY DURING THIS FESTIVE SEASON. WE PRAY GOD TO GIVE THE FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED POLICE OFFICERS THE FORTITUDE TO BEAR THEIR LOSSES AS WELL AS SAFE RETURN OF THE ABDUCTED COMMISSIONER” the statement concluded
The Anambra state command has confirmed the arrest of one person in connection to the attack on the former central Bank governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo on Wednesday, 31st March, 2021.
The arrest was confirmed by the Commissioner of Police in the state; CP Monday Bala Kuryas fsi, when he led a crack team of Police Operatives for on-the-spot assessment to the venue of a stakeholders/ community meeting at Isuofia Civic Centre in Aguata LGA, on the night of the incident.
DSP Ikenga Tochukwu Anipr, PPRO, Anambra State Police Command in a terse statement, said: “The assailants were resisted by security Operatives present at the event and in the ensuing gun duel, three (3) Police Operatives sustained severe gunshots injuries and were later confirmed dead in the hospital, while their corpses have been deposited in the mortuary.
“Following the incidence, the attackers abducted one Engr. Emeka Ezenwanne, Commissioner of Public and Utilities. Meanwhile, one (1) person has been arrested in connection with the act.”
The Police Operatives led by the Command CP, also visited the Gubernatorial aspirant under the All Progressives Grand Alliance to reinforce the security in his house and the entire Community.
Soludo in his response, thanked the Commissioner and his team for the quick response.
The police Boss condemned the act and also called on the people to join them in the fight against Crime in the state.
“The CP while condemning the act, commiserate with the family and friends of the Officers who paid the supreme Price, has ordered the immediate launch of a tacit investigation to unravel the mystery behind the incidence as well as bring perpetrators of the barbaric act to book.
“He also call on the good people of Ndi Anambra to join hands in the fight against Crime and Criminality,” the statement concluded.
Prof Soludo ,the Ruling Party ,APGA Gubernatorial Aspirant was attacked at his Isuofia home yesterday.
BVI Channel 1 Online Reporter gathered that Prof Soludo was attacked at Isuofia Civic center where he was holding meeting with the Youths of the Community. The Gunmen stormed the venue of the meeting and opened fire that left three policemen attached to Prof Soludo dead and their weapons carted away.
Also, the Commissioner for Utilities was also kidnapped by the unknown Gunmen .As at the time of filing this report, the serving Commissioner with Anambra State Government whereabouts was still unknown while Prof Soludo ran to safety.
Governor David Nweze Umahi has condemned the senseless attack on the people of Egedegede in Ishielu Local Government Area of the State by suspected herdsmen.
A statement by Special Assistant on Media and Publicity said the Governor made the condemnation when he personally visited the Communities on receiving the security information on the matter to ascertain the level of carnages.
The attack which allegedly occured on Monday night led to death of at least 15 residents affecting Nkalaha, Obegu, Amazu, Nkalagu and Umuhuali autonomous Communities.
Governor Umahi experessed sadness over the gruesome murder of defenseless natives by the marauding herders and charged Security Agencies to unravel the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to justice.
“I got a very shocking news this afternoon about the attack on about four communities of Nkalaha, Obegu, Amaezu and Umuhuali in Ishielu local government area of the state by AK-47 wilding herdsmen that came yesterday and killed 15 of members of these communities.
“I remembered that about a year ago, we had incident of killing of two herdsmen within this same location and immediately the security agencies, the local government Chairman and the community leaders all came together to condemn the attack and the killing and we immediately asked the security agencies to fish out the people that did that and they did fish them out and as we talk, they are standing trial in Ebonyi state and the community and security agencies made peace with them.
“And so, it is very shocking that overnight, all the herdsmen in Ishielu local government vaccated the council area which means that the local herdsmen in Ishielu are part of the conspiracy in killing of our people. They vacated despite all efforts my government, the governors of south east and security agencies have been making to protect them.
“We feel so sad that this kind of thing should happen in Ebonyi state, we feel so worried for our country Nigeria and we are short of words.
“Good enough, we have some traces of the sponsors, we have the traces of those who came here. I will not disclose it but I am going to escalate the identities of the people to the highest authorities and we wait to see what they will do but we condemn this attack, it is not only happening in Ebonyi state. If it is allowed to go this way, it is capable of generating very serious civil war among the nation of Nigeria.”
Governor Umahi also appealled to the natives to remain calm and shun reprisal attacks while security agencies swing into action to apprehend the culprits.
“I want to demand from the Security Chiefs to fish out this people because they are well known, they should fish them out let them face the wrath of the law. It has happened in so many places and they were not fished out and that’s why this kind of thing is happening.
“I want to appeal to these communities to be assured that we will get them. We have their identities, we have their connections, we have the contact. Please stay calm, don’t take laws into your hands, two wrong can never make a right so that you give us the opportunity to fish them out.”
The chairman implementation committee, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo (Ediabali 1 of Kalabari ) has stated that the newly declared De Facto Customary government of Biafra shall bring the leadership of Bim-Massob on board especially on foreign Mission.
Asari Dokubo stated this through the Deputy Chairperson to Biafra De Facto Customary Government implementation committee, Nwada Eberechukwu Anigbogu(Ada Biafra) who came along with the De Biafra Mobilizers Initiative at Biafra seat of power, Auditorium of Ojukwu Memorial Library complex, Owerri on their solidarity visit to Biafra internal government runs by Bim-Massob in order to officially pay homage to father of Biafra nation, chief (Dr.) Ralph Uwazuruike as our father in the struggle.
“We are here today to pay homage to the seat of Biafra Government. There cannot be any mention of Biafra without recognizing Ojukwu immediate successor, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike for his blessings and support, Rita Anigbogu expressed.
She added that there is no doubt that the structures, experiences and contact created and preserved by chief Uwazuruike in the past two decades would be essential to the success of the new De Facto Customary Government of Biafra’s peoples.
“Chief Uwazuruike’s contributions to this modern Biafra agitation is immense and highly commendable. We not only recognise and appreciate this but the global community also recognises and respects him.
“His address in defence of Biafra sovereignty before the global body of the UNPO( Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization) on August 31st 2020 is still fresh in our memory. We watched him live and he made us proud, Ada Biafra added.
On listing the achievements of Bim-Massob that gave Biafra a foothold even at the international level by the Biafra De Facto Customary Government which include setting up of Biafra internal government here at home, construction of impossible edifice… Ojukwu Memorial Library Complex, construction of Secretariat complex at different zones in Biafra land, ongoing construction of world class Homeland University at Okigwe, ongoing construction of world class Homeland University Teaching Hospital, ongoing construction of Homeland international stadium, provision of security to our people, setting up of FM radio station, pursing our independence Quest through nonviolence method and rule of law and solidarity visitations of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria last year that further made it clear that no ethnic group in Nigeria is still interested in the entity called Nigeria.
They also acknowledged the worthy foreign representatives of Bim-Massob in the person of Ikenna Obibi Egeonu and Uduogu Nwanyinya for their tremendous role in the reconciliation and unity of almost all the pro-Biafra groups which gave birth to Biafra De Facto Customary Government.
At the same time, they pledged to seek advice from Chief Ralph Uwazuruike’s wealth of wisdom and experience. We shall always adopt his non-violence philosophy. They also thank Uwazuruike for seeing the qualities in Asari Dokubo in nominating him as Chairman of the Biafra De Facto Customary Government because Bim-Massob is a force that cannot be ignored rather it’s a force to reckon with, indeed the first among equals.
On the final note, Uwazuruike throws his support 100% to Biafra De Facto Customary government as they made their stand that Biafra freedom is not negotiable. No retreat, no surrender. For us, there is no going back it is forward ever, backward never.
The Christian Association of Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter, has said no fewer than 100 residents of the state are in different kidnap camps.
The state CAN Chairman, Rev. Joseph Hayab said, aside from the 39 students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka and the eight members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, whose kidnaps were public knowledge, many abductees were still with their abductors in the state.
Hayab also said other residents of the state were living in constant fear of being kidnapped.
As the CAN chairman expressed concern about insecurity in the state, bandits again struck on Tuesday and abducted a Catholic priest and four other persons in the Kagarko Local Government Area.
In Oyo State, a man and a couple were abducted at different times on their farms near Alabameji Village, Sanyo and Soka areas of Ibadan.
In Niger State, a businessman, Salau Taiwo Hussein, was said to have been whisked away by unknown gunmen at his resident around Brighter Road in Minna.As the gale of kidnappings continued to sweep across the country, the National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (retd.), told State House correspondents on Tuesday that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had ordered security chiefs to fish out masterminds of banditry in the country.He also said the military should take the sponsors of banditry out.
Earlier, Hayab, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said the kidnappings of the students and the RCCG members became public knowledge because of the people involved.
According to him, five worshippers, including a pastor and church secretary, were recently abducted in the Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Kaduna State CAN chairman faulted the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over the handling of kidnappings and other forms of insecurity in the state.
Hayab stated, “We want him (El-Rufai) to act decisively and take the right action. But as he is talking, nothing is being done and they (bandits) are negotiating with people.
“It is not just the RCCG members and the 39 students that are still there (with bandits). If we want to take statistics of the number of people in different kidnap camps in Kaduna, they are over 100. But the ones people know are the students and the RCCG members.
Even that day, it was not only the RCCG members that were kidnapped. The attack also involved other people. The church could tell us the number of people travelling and that was why we knew they were eight. But how many were in the other vehicle, nobody knows.
“I still have reports of other families whose members were taken. In one of our churches in the Giwa Local Government Area, which is after Zaria, on Sunday, March 21, around 1am, the bandits picked five people. They later released three, but the pastor and his secretary are still with them. But out there in the public, you’ll hear, ‘We are working.’ That is why the new style of government is issuing media statements to show they are working, while people are being killed and taken away from their homes.”
Hayab said the N50m ransom being demanded for the release of the RCCG members was unrealistic, adding that the church would never pay the money.The cleric said paying bandits would only encourage them to kidnap more people and the church might be digging its own grave if it paid ransoms.
He lamented that most of the people kidnapped were locals who had lost a sense of purpose due to the insecurity in the state.
The CAN chairman urged security agencies to rise to their responsibilities, rescue the victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Since this whole madness continued these past four, five, six years, people are no longer productive. Farmers are no longer going to their farms, even at home, you cannot think straight because you don’t know what will happen. If you travel, your mind is not at rest. Your heart is in your hand because you are thinking you may be kidnapped before you arrive at your destination. This is why our government must do what is right. We must not allow these people to continue to torment and trouble Nigerians,” he added.
Efforts to get the state Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, to react to the CAN chairman’s statement did not succeed as he had yet to respond to a WhatsApp message sent to his telephone as of the time of sending this report.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Kaduna, Alao Joseph, said he believed the church members would soon be released.
He said efforts were being made to ensure their safe return.
IN THE MATTER OF CUSTOMARY LAW: SUIT No FHC/EN/CS/103/2019: CUSTOMARY GOVERNMENT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA v FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA & ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION:
NOTICE OF DISCLAIMER AGAINST BIAFRA DE FACTO CUSTOMARY GOVERNMENT IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE
1. The Defendants in the above-named case now in the Court of Appeal and the general public are hereby put on notice that Customary Government of Indigenous People of Biafra (with all its structures including MOBIN and Bilie Human Rights Initiative) as the Plaintiff in the on-going case is not part of the recent body announced by Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo as Biafra De Facto Customary Government Implementation Committee. We have posed 5 questions to the group concerning the said Implementation Committee but received no answers. We therefore dissociate ourselves from the “Biafra De Facto Customary Government Implementation Committee” as we do not know what the Implementation Committee is going to implement.
2. The Plaintiff and its subjects believe in the rule of law and political diplomacy in their quest for self-determination. To this end, we have engaged with the Nigerian Government in law and politics to resolve the issue of self-determination. We consulted widely at both national and international levels before we opted for the use of law and political diplomacy for self-determination. The general consensus at the moment as agreed by the Governments of various countries that have investments in Nigeria which we have consulted is the Restructuring of Nigeria to Regional Autonomy to bring peace to the country.
3. Consequently, we have submitted the Biafran Memorandum to the Senate Committee of the National Assembly to restructure Nigeria by Devolution of Power to the 6 geopolitical Regions in Nigeria so that every Region would govern itself and develop at its own pace just as it is practised in the United Kingdom where there are 4 nations in one, namely: Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales. The Laws of Scotland are different from the Laws of England and Wales. If this political arrangement could make Britain to become the stable and prosperous Great Britain we know today, we believe that the same model can make Nigeria to become a stable and prosperous Great Nigeria.
4. The demand for Devolution of Power otherwise known as Power Sharing between the Federation and the Regions by way of Political Restructuring of the country is captured in Section 4 of the Communiqué issued by Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders Council on Saturday 27 March 2021 at Owerri signed by Igbo Leaders and Igbo Elders. We are working in line with this vision and master plan drawn by the Igbo Nation in 1994 which resulted in the creation of the 6 geopolitical regions in Nigeria. Regional Autonomy is the Phase 2 of the Self-determination Project. We describe it as Freedom within Nigeria. In future, any Region that wants Freedom outside Nigeria shall pass the Bill of Referendum in the Regional Parliament for the people to vote either Yes or No just as the Scottish people are doing today. We believe in Due Process of self-determination and not in arbitrary declaration and unilateral proclamation.
5. Our Customary Government was established in Nigeria by a Legal Instrument known as Deed Poll of Customary Governance duly registered under the Nigerian law. We are Biafrans living in Nigeria. We are the remnants of the Biafrans that were not consumed in the war. We are Biafrans by indigenous identity but Nigerians by citizenship until we gain independence from Nigeria. At the moment, we are a nation within a nation, a non-sovereign nation within a sovereign nation-state called Nigeria. We are permitted under Customary International Law to live and organise ourselves as a people or a community of people. Consequently, we have appointed our Customary Government Envoys to various countries of the world and introduced them to the Governments of those countries where they partner with the Governments in managing the internal affairs of the Biafrans living in those countries.
6. We must be obedient to the Laws of Nigeria and the Laws of the various countries where we live. We are aware of the defects and injustices created by the current Nigerian Constitution which some groups are seeking to pull down. We agree that the Nigerian Constitution does not reflect the Will of the People and must be repealed, set aside and replaced by the Peoples’ Constitution by due process. However, we believe the rule of law that every law remains valid until set aside or repealed. For this reason, we have made a very strong submission to the National Assembly in our Memorandum for Devolution of Power which reflects the Will of the majority of the people of Nigeria. It is our opinion that the answers proffered by us in the Memorandum are the panacea for the seemingly intractable problems of Nigeria.
7. We have enquired from the Senate Committee of the National Assembly and were informed that the Senate would soon announce the dates for the Public Hearing of the Memoranda submitted by various organisations for the amendment of the Constitution to reflect the Will of the people of Nigeria. We therefore call upon all the Biafrans under our administration to continue with their activities and remain patient and law-abiding until the whole process is completed.
Signed:
Emeka Emekesiri, Esq
Chairman of the Governing Council,
Customary Government of Indigenous People of Biafra
www.ipobgovernment.org
As the country’s insecurity challenges deepen, a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ozo Celestine Okoye, yesterday raised fresh alarm over the presence of heavily armed Fulani herdsmen with AK- 47 rifles, occupying a total of 332 Fulani settlements across the five states in the South Eastern zone with the intention of attacking the region in the foreseeable future.
According to Okoye, in an exclusively interview with Saturday Telegraph, the Fulani herdsmen in the South East are more located in Ebony, Anambra, Enugu and Abia states while trying to make inroad into Imo State. “I wonder what our governors are doing about the heavy presence of heavily armed Fulani herdsmen in Igboland and I am worried because I am an Igbo man from Awka, Anambra State. “Why are they pretending about it even when they know? In Imo State they have taken over Okigwe town and some parts of Abia State close to Imo State and they are heavily armed.
“Ebony State has the largest number of Fulani settlements in the South East and their presence is dangerous to the people of the area. “If you go to Amansea border towns of Anambra State and Isiagu town in Anambra State they are building permanent settlements that, is houses, claiming that they bought the land from the owners and one wonders what would happen when they launch the planned attack.’’ Okoye further said that the Fulani settlements are at the border towns of the five South East states, an indica-tion that Igbo land is under siege by the strangers. “As a security operative when such elements are setting at the border towns, it means that the owners of the land are not safe and that means that when they launch their attacks you have nowhere to run to because you are under siege and there is nothing you can do about it,’’ he stated. He further said that the governors of the South East should be proactive in the area of security, adding that with such a development, Ndigbo is as good as conquered by the Fulani herdsmen.
“No matter how we see it we have an impending crisis in our hands capable of making the South East ungovernable and it is high time our governors woke up to the looming security crisis in the South East and nip it in the bud,’’ warned the former DIG. Okoye contended that the claims by security operatives that they are on top of the situation is merely lips service aimed at calming down the panic even as he insisted that if nothing is done, Ndigbo would be found wanting. ‘‘Our vigilante groups and traditional rulers should be vigilant and ready for any eventuality and our governors should assist them before we would be caught napping with nowhere to run to and nothing to do to save our people,’’ he said. When contacted, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed to our reporter that the command is on top of any attempt to disturb the peace in the area, adding that rumours mongers are out to create unnecessary tension in the state.
