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Ohanaeze Condemns Killing Of Radio Biafra & MASSOB IPOB’s

The Apex social-political organisation in Igbo land, Ohanaeze has condemned the killing  and  maltreatment  of  members  of   the Radio Biafra faction of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualization of  the  Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)  by  Federal Government agencies.

The group also   called  for  a  true  fiscal federalism, saying  it  is  the only way to  solve  Nigeria’s political problems.

Briefing  newsmen in Port  Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, the President-General of  Ohanaeze, Chief  John  Nwodo  recalled  how  members of  the two agitating  groups  were killed  in  Anambra, Asaba, Aba and Port Harcourt, among others, and   some of  the victims  thrown  into the river.

According to him,   security  agencies  have  refused  to  release bodies of  killed Radio Biafra IPOB and MASSOB  members  to  their respective  families.

Nwodo wondered why  members of Radio Biafra IPOB and MASSOB  are  maltreated by security agencies, unlike members of  Boko  Haram, Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) and  Avengers, among others.

He said Federal Government’s  continuous   maltreatment  of  IPOB and MASSOB m embers  would   only  end up making  Biafra inevitable.

Nwodo  was  in Port  Harcourt   to  meet  with   the Igbo living  in the state  and   to pay  a  courtesy  visit  to Governor Nyesom Wike. He  said anything short of true federalism, where federating units are given a level of independence to  develop at  their own pace and contribute their quota to the centre would make the political crisis in Nigeria to linger.

He lamented  the   marginalisation of   South East and South-South in the areas of  political appointments, as well as  occupying  key positions in   the  security agencies. According to the President-General, the federal character principle has been grossly violated   in  favor  of  a section of the  country, noting that the Igbo   are  also qualified  to occupy key and sensitive positions  in the country.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo boss insisted that Nigerians should write their own constitution, as against   the current  one  written by the  military.

 “Today, under this makeshift federation, people are grumbling. We call for fiscal freedom in Nigeria for things to move forward,” Nwodo said.

He, however,  urged the Igbo to bring back their wealth and invest at home, to give the youths hope and sense of belonging. He also  lauded IPOB and MASSOB for going  about their  agitation peacefully.

,  pointing  out that despite the high level of insurgency in the North, no insurgent has been charged of treason or detained.

“What the Federal Government is doing is unfair, unfriendly and unusual. I, therefore, call on the northern elite to speak up against this unfair treatment meted out against the South. Time has come for the negotiation of the Nigerian federation and there is no going back.

“Some have declared war on the Nigerian state tearing our national flag to shreds and planting their own while embarking on mass killing of  our nationals and they are not arrested or detained. Others from the Niger Delta break pipelines and kill people and are rather called for negotiation and dialogue but for the  Biafran agitators, they are killed even when they are holding lawful meetings,” he  said.

 The organisation,  whose  new Executive  was elected on January  10, 2017 and  led by Chief John Nnia Nwodo,  had earlier visited Lagos and Abuja,  two cities that have largest Igbo  population outside the seven Igbo dominated states. The states include,  Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu , Imo and Rivers.

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has insisted that it wants Biafra restoration and not Igbo presidency as agitated in some quarters.

The group noted that any Igbo man or woman that presents him or herself as a presidential candidate of any party will become an object of public ridicule. It added that it no longer talks about the Igbo alone, but Biafrans beyond the Igbo speaking parts of the South East and South South.

The Head of Directorate of State (DOS) of IPOB, Mr. Uchenna Asiegbu, in a statement yesterday, warned Igbo politicians who were going round seeking support for either 2019 or 2023 presidency to desist from it or be ready to face the music.

“We are aware that some Igbo politicians are working tirelessly to impose their master in Abuja on our people, by defending Muhammadu Buhari. They say his administration loves and favours our people, we are not worried because they are defending their office and the little crumbs they are getting from Abuja.

“Therefore, we warn those calling for a president from Igbo extraction to beware because Biafra is at the corner and we are not interested. The Igbo elite have disappointed the entire race since after the civil war.

“Very soon, those saddled with the attitude of a governor and a minister will no longer be considered serious players or relevant in the scheme of unfolding events that actually matter in the lives of our people.

“There will be no election in Biafraland, not just in Igbo speaking territories but all across Biafraland in 2019 because enough of the same old, discredited, washed out and corrupt individuals recycling themselves in political office year after year with nothing to show for it.

“Biafra is on the verge of being restored and we won’t trade it for anything in the world, not even an Igbo presidency of the United States of America. Very soon, the world will understand how serious we are about Biafra. People should relax and watch events as they unfold,” Asiegbu declared.

Meanwhile, a faction of the pro-Biafran group known as  Customary Government of the Indigenous People of Biafra (CG-IPOB)  has disassociated itself from the statement credited to Emma Powerful that IPOB would never be part of Nigeria politics and cannot support Anambra State election. 

The group, in a statement signed by its Director of Information,  Ndubuisi Anaenugwu in Onitsha yesterday said  it has increasingly become necessary to reiterate that IPOB stands for ‘Indigenous People of Biafra, and there are about 70,000,000 of these indigenous Biafrans living everywhere across the globe.

 “All of these people are referred to as indigenous persons of Biafra. The public should, however, note that the IPOB being referred to by Emma Powerful are people who pay allegiance to a company called IPOB Limited, registered in the UK.

 The Customary Government of IPOB being administered by Anthony Aniebue under the leadership of Retd Justice Eze Ozobu and Dr Ikedife has been in the Federal High Court, Owerri with the government since 2012 and the case is still progressing with positive results.

 “But the whole world will understand how massive IPOB is and the yearning of ordinary people for freedom before 2019”.

“These Igbo political contractors parading themselves as some sort of an elite, are endlessly strategising on new supposedly beneficial political permutations to no avail”.

“Every one of these politicians always have one spectacular move or strategic maneuver that will turn the Igbo fortune around but in the end nothing ever materialises. Same old Abuja slaves, same old story, so there is nothing new for us to reckoned with”

“As the British would say, “no brainer”. Thereby warn Biafrans choosing president  of Nigeria from Igbo extraction is like taking purgatory than heaven, darkness than light, hope than despair. We are IPOB, we exist solely for Biafra restoration, nothing more nothing less. Igbo presidency would not solve anything, instead it would make matters worse”.

“Even the Goodluck Jonathan administration was considered more beneficial to the North than any part of Biafraland. Jonathan did not complete one major landmark infrastructural project anywhere in Biafraland but he built a modern railway line between Kaduna and Abuja in the hope that the North will love him, which never happened. That is how Biafran politicians behave” Asiegbu stated.

“The neglect of Biafraland by Goodluck Jonathan tells you even Igbo man enter there as president of Nigeria the person will stand with the north, you need to know about these politicians and their mindset. Our people believes in charity always begin in the North and that is why they are in the fine mess they find themselves in today’s Nigeria politics” he stated 

“Biafra is on the verge of being restored and we won’t trade it for anything in the world, not even an Igbo presidency of the United States of America. Very soon the world will understand how serious we are about Biafra. People should relax and watch events as they unfold,” Asiegbu declared.

We’ll Meet At ICC, Radio Biafra IPOB Replies Army.

ENUGU—Following the Nigerian Army denial that it did not kill 11 members the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, during the group’s rally in support of US President, Donald Trump, on January  20, 2017, IPOB has asked the army to wait for them at the International Criminal Court,  ICC, in The Hague.

IPOB also accused the army of alternating between calling its outing in Port Harcourt a “protest” and a “rally” at the same time. The group, therefore, said it was only a liar that could describe a rally as a protest, saying that “the  Nigerian Army has been caught in another web of lies.” Deputy Director of Army Public Relations of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, had in a statement denied killing of IPOB members and labeled the group as a “criminal gang.”

But Radio  Biafra IPOB  spokesmen, Mr Emma Nmezu, and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya, in their reply to the Army, said it has become customary for the army to kill IPOB members and deny it. “This is not the first, neither is it going to be the last time that the Nigerian Army will kill our members and shamelessly come out to deny it.” IPOB gave a list of its  members killed  by the Army to include IPOB massacres in Onitsha, Aba, Port Harcourt, Nkpor, Asaba; Shiite massacres in Kaduna and Kano, among others. Part of the Radio Biafra IPOB statement read: “International human rights groups have consistently labeled the Nigerian Army as perennial liars incapable of ever telling the truth when it comes to their culpability in the mass execution of unarmed civilians. “IPOB and those who read the haphazardly written statements from Col. Aminu Iliyasu are left wondering how on the one hand he stated that Radio Biafra  IPOB conducted a rally in support of President Trump while on the other hand, he called it a protest.

“IPOB will like to remind this quota-system Colonel that the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-written Nigerian Constitution which he referred to is very explicit on the responsibilities of the Nigerian Armed Forces (not just the Army alone), especially in Section-217(2) and this does not in any way stipulate using live ammunition on peaceful and unarmed civilians. “We will also like to remind Iliyasu that security agencies, media organizations, foreign embassies, and specifically, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State were all informed ahead of time of the pro-Trump rally, through an official letter signed by the leadership of Radio Biafra IPOB.

“This Colonel must understand that a rally or even a protest is not an armed rebellion that will warrant deployment of troops of 29 Battalion of Nigerian Army with a mandate to fire live bullets at peaceful and unarmed civilians. “May we ask why the same deployment of troops  was not carried out on those who protested against President Trump in Abuja on the same date? “How come troops were not deployed to shoot and kill civilians during the recent “anti-Buhari” protest that was led by the likes of Charles Oputa a.k.a. Charlie Boy? Why must the Hausa-Fulani dominated Nigerian Army and Police regard every IPOB assembly or rally as an opportunity to embark upon some kind of mini Jihad designed to kill as many non-Muslims as possible? “IPOB is extremely pleased that what transpired that day was captured on pictures and videos as most of the unspeakable atrocities of the Nigerian Army and police are.

“On his insinuation, borne out of panic, that Radio Biafra  IPOB will post old videos and pictures from our archives in social media, we advise the Colonel not to worry but to leave the authentication of the evidence we have to the civilized panel of judges at the International Criminal Court, ICC.” “It is reassuring to observe that at least the lying Nigerian Army is aware that all their murderous outrage on January 20, 2017 were captured on video.”

Buhari’s Lawyer Gave Justice Ademola N.5m During Certificate Saga – Witness

……we’ve no case to answer, defendants insist

ABUJA – A lead investigator with the Department of State Service, DSS, Mr. Babatunde Adepoju, on Tuesday, revealed before an Abuja High Court at Maitama, that a lawyer that represented President Muhammadu Buhari during his certificate saga, offered N500, 000 to Justice Adeniyi Ademola who is facing corruption charges.

Adepoju testified as the sixteenth prosecution witness, PW- 16, in the ongoing trial of Justice Ademola, his wife, Olabowale, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi.

The defendants are answering to an18-count corruption charge the Federal Government preferred against them. The embattled Judge who hitherto served at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court before he was asked to temporarily step down from the bench by the National Judicial Council, NJC, was among other allegations, accused of receiving gratifications from Agi to the tune of N38.5m, including a BMW Saloon 320i car gift valued at N8.5million. The Judge allegedly received the car which was purchased from Coscharis Motors Ltd on January 5, 2015, through his son, Ademide. At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, the PW-16, told the trial court that investigation by the DSS showed that the N8.5m car was not the only gift the first defendant received from persons whose cases were pending before his court. While being cross-examined by Agi’s lawyer, Mr. Jeph Njikonye, the witness, told the court that the security agency uncovered that President Buhari’s lawyer, Mr. Kola Awodehin, SAN, also gave the accused Judge N500, 000 as gift. He told the court that the monetary gift was handed to Ademola during the wedding of his daughter.

The DSS operative said the issue came to the limelight during interrogation of the 3rd defendant, Agi, SAN, which took place on two separate dates, December 13 and 23, 2016. He said Agi maintained that N30m gift, which was paid into Mrs. Ademola’s account in three tranches of N10m, was based on instruction of his clients, adding that it was not the only wedding gift the judge received. The witness said that Agi told him that as at the time Awodehin, SAN, gave the gift to Justice Ademola, the suit seeking to sack President Buhari from office over his alleged none possession of requisite educational qualifications, was still pending before the judge. Adepoju said the DSS did not investigate Agi’s claim. Nevertheless, Agi’s lawyer, Mr. Njikonye, tendered the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the record of proceedings in the certificate saga suit between Chukwu Okafor vs General Muhammad Buhari. Trial Justice Jude Okeke admitted the document into evidence and marked it as Exhibit FFF. Going through the exhibit, the witness confirmed that the third counsel for Buhari in the suit was Mr. Awodehin, SAN, as well as the fact that it was handled by Justice Ademola.

Asked if President Buhari was bribing the judge to win the case against him by presenting a wedding gift to the judge incharge of the case, Adepoju said: “No my lord. In my opinion, it would be speculative to say the gift by President Buhari’s lawyer was a bribe to Justice Ademola. It is not a bribe.” He further dismissed as speculative, any insinuation that gifts Justice Ademola got from friends through Mr. Agi, during the wedding, amounted to bribery. It will be recalled that over 10 different suits querying the educational qualification of President Buhari suffered natural deaths shortly after the All Progressives Congress, APC, took over power in May 29, 2015, including the one filed by Okafor. Justice Ademola had on June 30, 2016, struck out a similar suit by Mr. Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe after the defendant, without adducing any reason, filed a withdrawal notice. All the plaintiffs had applied for an order invalidating the Certificate of Return issued to President Buhari by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe specifically sought for “an order directing INEC to issue a new Certificate of Return to the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, being the candidate who came second in the 2015 Presidential Elections”.

President Buhari had engaged a consortium of lawyers, comprising of 13 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANS, to defend him. Buhari equally went before the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge a ruling Justice Ademola delivered on May 26, 2016, wherein he held that the suit was properly served on the defendant by the plaintiff. Meanwhile, FG, on Tuesday, closed its case against the defendants after it called a total of 19 witnesses. The defendants, through their respective lawyers, told the court that they are ready to make a no-case-to-answer-submission, regarding all the allegations against them. They are contending that FG failed to establish a prima-facie criminal case capable of warranting them to enter their defence to the 18-count charge. Justice Okeke adjourned the case till March 15 for adoption of written addresses on their no-case-submission. In the charge, FG alleged that Ademola had in the course of his official duty, collected bribe from the senior lawyer through a Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, account number 201/110160/1/1/0, operated by his wife who as at then was the Head of Service in Lagos State. Trial Justice Jude Okeke had earlier admitted into evidence, bags of cash, both foreign and local currencies which were allegedly recovered from the official residence of the Judge. FG brought the cash totalling about N39.5m in three Ghana-Must-Go bags and tendered it in evidence through an exhibit keeper at the DSS, Mr. Umar Ahmed, who testified as the 11th prosecution witness.
Source: Vanguard Newspaper.

GOOD MORNING BIAFRA: Let Your Work Speak For You.

Today 22/02/217.

Everybody must not agree with us. Our message is simple:Follow your ideology and let your work speak for you where ever you found yourself. No country has ever fought for freedom with one voice or one group. It is not right to attack me because I am not following your Leader.

For several years, our people have followed blindly without asking necessary questions. They have followed foolishly. I want to present those questions here:

1. How exactly do you want to separate our people from Nigeria?

2. If we reject Nigeria, why do we still use her naira and Nigeria passport?

3. What is Biafra ideology and how do we think we can make Biafra better than Nigeria?

4. To what extent do we trust the few people leading pro Biafra groups? Are they humble or arrogant? How do they treat the people they are leading?

5.What would Biafra constitution look like? What of the political and economic structures of the proposed nation? What of education and health system?

6.How do we recruit Biafra politicians? What of civil and public servants?

7. What of foreign policy and defence?

Customary Government of IPOB has always been guided by the above questions. Several Biafra institutions have been set up to start responding to the above questions even as we are still in Nigeria. We have since addressed the first question. From the beginning, we announced that we shall restore Biafra without breaking Nigeria laws or wasting innocent blood. Consequently, legal, diplomatic and political processes were adopted. We have just announced the activation of political strategy through the Customary Govt political arm – MOBIN. MOBIN has gone into alliance with UPP, a registered political party in Nigeria.

We have also, notified the public that Biafra stands for equity, fairness and justice. Biafra will be led by humble and visionary Leaders with fear of God. Nigeria has never offered us a level playing ground, hence, the justification to embark on this sacred mission to restore our ancient Nation- Biafra. We are being open and straightforward .We are ready to debate anybody anywhere.

Good morning.

Ndubuisi Anaenugwu
Director – Directorate of Information, CG-IPOB
22/02/2017
07087187189

Radio Biafra Now APC Propaganda Machine Against Biafra Political Movement.

It has come to the attention of the Customary Government of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) that some Nigerian Politicians are jittery over the recent activation of the last strategy to restore Biafra Political Strategy. These Politicians have money, power, media coverage, security and unlimited access to our enemies.
A principal officer of IPOB Customary Government, Mr Ndubuisi Anaenugwu Director – Directorate of Information spoke to BVI Channel 1, saying
“We have none except God and millions of innocent lives wasted during the civil war including the poor masses scattered everywhere in Nigeria and world over. The general public is hereby put on red alert on the activities of the agents of power drunk politicians.
Their strategy is to hire thousands of unemployed youths to engage us on social media freedom fighting. Their operational modus is to use foul languages and threat including throwing stones to silence genuine and responsible Biafrans. From the evidence clearly showing on line revealed that 90% of such attacks are coming from Radio Biafra handlers and their followers.”
He went further to say that the Customary Government of IPOB wishes to inform the general public that the quest to restore Biafra is a divine mandate. No human force can stop or kill an ideological drive devoid of materialism. The public is advised not to be confused by the activities of social media freedom fighters who lack the knowledge and wisdom to appreciate the meaning of freedom fighting.
For emphasis, the last phase of freedom fighting ends with political process. The Customary Government of IPOB has gotten to that stage. This is the time to test our popularity before the people we want to liberate. If we fail, we shall go back to the drawing board. If we win, Biafra wins.
Let nobody deceive you that our quest is personal. The enemies are scared of our intellectual might. Biafrans should count themselves lucky that men of proven integrity, men of greatest wisdom and unparalleled knowledge have come out to restore our indigenous identity.
As a civilized Team, the Customary Government of IPOB has thrown up an open challenge to engage any person, group, organization, Nations etc on an open debate in any platform as per our sacred mission to achieve Biafra.

Putin Orders Russian Media To Bash US President Donald Trump.

Russia’s love affair with President Donald Trump might be over before it started. Russian coverage of the new White House administration has waned over the past two weeks in a sign that the Kremlin does not expect to have better relations with Trump than it did with his predecessor, former President Barack Obama.

The findings are based on a study from the RBC news agency that monitored coverage from major Russian networks, which tend to be controlled by the Kremlin. The study looked at Pervyi Kanal, Rossiya 1, Rossiya 24, TV Tsentr, Pyatyi Kanal, NTV, RBC TV, Life and Zvezda over three Sundays in February and counted all mentions of the president’s name. Russian TV, for example, said the name Trump roughly 153 times on Feb. 5. A week later, that fell to about 116 mentions. By the third week of the review, Trump only came up about 38 times.

When Trump is mentioned, the conversation tends to be less than glowing, RBC found. He was increasingly being compared to Obama and questions about his ability to repair relations between Washington and Moscow had also become routine.

Russian journalist Konstantin Eggert wrote last week in an op-ed published in Deutsche Welle that the Russian media had received orders from the Kremlin to only show Trump in a negative light. The shift appears to mark a sudden turnaround for Russia.

During the 2016 presidential election, Trump vowed to maintain a “very, very good relationship” with Russia, and many Russians interviewed at the time by ABC News said they preferred the New York real estate magnate over Hillary Clinton, his Democratic rival. A YouGov agency in April similarly found Russia was the only major nation to back Trump over Clinton. At the same time, the Obama administration said Russian hackers were leaking emails from Democratic officials to help fuel Trump’s campaign. Clinton later won the popular vote in November, while Trump became president after securing the Electoral College Vote.

Source: IBTimes News.

 

CBN: Naira Depreciates Further Now N520/$1.00

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has rolled out a new foreign exchange window to stem the tide of demand pressures which had battered the Naira in the unofficial foreign exchange market. But the new measures, which increased supply of foreign exchange resources to the market, came on stream, yesterday, just as the fortunes of Naira nose-dived further in the parallel market, closing N520/ USD1.

This was also coming against the backdrop of a surge being recorded in foreign reserves. Nigeria’s foreign reserves climbed more than one year high to cross over $29 billion with strong indication of hitting $30 billion before end of first quarter 2017, barring any negative development in the external sector. But currency dealers have continued to witness excess demand which broke the N500/$1 mark two weeks ago and has since pressured upwards, with dealers yesterday speculating that the trend would continue through this week.

Transactions at the CBN’s new forex window meant to meet the needs of Nigerians for personal and business travel, medical needs, and school fees, are to be settled at a rate not exceeding 20 percent above the interbank market rate. In a statement, titled ‘New Policy Actions in the Foreign Exchange Market, signed by its Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mr Isaac Okoroafor, the apex bank said all banks would receive amounts commensurate with their demand per week, which would be sold to customers who meet usual basic documentary requirements. The apex bank stated: “The CBN would meet the needs of parents, guardians and sponsors who are seeking to make payments of school and educational fees for their children and wards. Such payments must be made by commercial banks directly to the institution specified by the customer. “This would also apply to customers seeking to make payments, or purchase foreign exchange, for medical bills and paid directly to hospitals. The supply of FX to retail end-users (PTA, BTA, school fees, medical bills, etc) would be sustained by the CBN.”
Source: Vanguard Newspaper.

Biafra Agitation: 177 Radio Biafra Followers Killed By Nigeria Army – Amnesty

Military clampdown on Radio Biafra faction of agitators for Biafra resulted in 177 deaths in the South-east last year.On the military’s action against  the  Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the report said  the group lost over 177 members between January and February 2016.

Amnesty reported: “The military was deployed in 30 out of Nigeria’s 36 states and in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja where they performed routine policing functions, including responding to non-violent demonstrations. The military deployment to police public gatherings contributed to the number of extra-judicial executions and unlawful killings.

“Since January, in response to the continued agitation by pro-Biafra campaigners, security forces arbitrarily arrested and killed, at least, 100 members and supporters of the group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Some of those arrested were subjected to enforced disappearance.

“On February 9, soldiers and police officers shot at about 200 IPOB under Radio Biafra, who had gathered for a prayer meeting at the National High School in Aba, Abia State. Video footage showed soldiers shooting at peaceful and unarmed IPOB members; at least, 17 people were killed and scores injured.”

The group also said no fewer than 60 people were killed in a joint security operation carried out by the Army, Police, Department of State Security (DSS) and Navy. “Pro-Biafra campaigners had gathered to celebrate Biafra Remembrance Day, in Onitsha (Anambra State). No investigation into these killings had been initiated by the end of the year.”

29 children, 211 others die in military cells in Nigeria. Amnesty International (AI) has reported that a total of 240 people, including children and babies, died in military cells in Maiduguri, Borno State in 2016.

Also contained in the report  “Bodies were secretly buried in Maiduguri’s cemetery by the Borno State Environmental Protection Agency staff. Among the dead were, at least, 29 children and babies, aged between newborn and five years.”

“Thousands of people have died in these camps due to severe malnutrition. In June, in a guarded camp in Bama, Borno State, the NGO Médecins Sans Frontières reported over 1, 200 bodies had been buried within the past year.”

Amnesty said the International Criminal Court (ICC) was considering eight human rights cases in Nigeria, with the view to determining whether they would be investigated.

Source: Sun Newspaper.

Fulani Herdsmen kill 21 In Fresh Southern Kaduna Attacks

No fewer than 21 persons have been reported killed in villages of Kaura and Jema’a Local Government Areas in southern Kaduna State.
The state government yesterday confirmed the renewed attacks as the Garrison Commander of the  Army’s 1 Division and the Commissioner of Police relocated to the area.
It was learnt that gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, despite the presence of security agents, launched attacks on four communities, killing 21 people.
Many houses were reportedly set ablaze during the Sunday and Monday attacks on Ashim, Nissi and Zilan in Atakad District, Kaura Local Government and Bakin Kogi in Goska District of Jama’a Local Government.
The attacks in Ashim, Nisi and Zilan, according to eye witnesses took place yesterday at about 6:00pm, claiming 15 lives; over 50 houses were burnt. Those at Bakin Kogi occurred on Sunday at about 5:00pm, claiming seven lives; many houses were set ablaze.
The President of Atakad Community Development Association, Mr. Enock Andong, who confirmed the attack on the three villages, said the herdsmen were heavily armed and that in spite of the security presence, they launched the attacks.
He noted that one of the attackers was killed by soldiers.
Enock Barau, a resident of Bakin Kogi, told of how the gun bearing herdsmen invaded his village, saying they wore black dresses. They started shooting sporadically on arrival in the village, he said.
He said the attack lasted for about four hours. His community, with the support of soldiers, tried to repel the attackers.
Said Barau: “Yesterday (Sunday) around 5pm, we heard gunshots within our surrounding. When I heard the gun shots three times, I came out of my house. The gunshots continued rapidly. Before I could realise what was happening, they had surrounded part of the community. I saw many people coming down from the hill side, shooting and running. They were in a complete black and black from head to toe.
“As they were shooting, we managed to evacuate women out to a safe zone while the men stayed for defence. The shooting started  around 5 pm to 9pm before they eventually stopped. As they were shooting, they were burning our houses. Over 100 houses were set ablaze. Seven people were killed and one person is still missing.
“We have soldiers and policemen stationed in the community, but, unfortunately, the soldiers were just coming from the river where they went to have their bath. So they were caught unawares. The herdsmen took control of their camp and the soldiers had to run back to strategies to take over their camp. “We are very impressed with the  soldiers because they did their best.
“After taking over their camp from the herdsmen, some of the soldiers moved into the community to help us. But the mobile police whose Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) was stationed directly opposite my house didn’t do much; they were just driving up and down without firing a single shot at the gunmen. The police only started responding to the attack when a senior officer arrived. By the time a reinforcement arrived, the attackers had left”.

Source: Nation Newspaper.

 

Pro-Biafrans Adopt UPP As National Party

Leaders of pro-Biaf­ran organizations across the world met over the weekend to adopt the United Progressive Party (UPP) as Biafra’s national party.
The groups in its meeting in Enugu, where they were hosted by the leadership of UPP, led by its National Chairman, Chief Che­kwas Okorie, vowed to take over the leadership of the old Biafran region, starting with Anambra.
It also announced the formation of Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), saying, “Since Nigeria has resolved to deny us the right to self-determination, we have also resolved that they can no more continue to decide who runs our ancestral nation of Biafra. Today, we resolve to take over our territory through political means. We are calling on pro-Biafrans today to join us and run for political positions. It’s our home and we shall win.
“Never again shall security forces kill our children in our homes because a stooge of the Nigerian state is the governor. Never again shall our people be subject to underdevelopment and lack of jobs and remain helpless. We shall vote in our own politicians and hold them responsible for quality governance in our land”, said Rita Anigboogu, the Coordinator-General of MOBIN in an interview with the BVI Channel 1”
Also, speaking on the matter, Engr Anthony Aniebue, Administrator of the Customary Government of IPOB told BVI Channel 1, “We cemented our relationship of working together with the UPP in making sure that we enthrone Biafranism in all Biafra land.

Photos:

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