Documents by Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has exposed the sources of funding for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The NFIU has also uncovered 27 cells belonging to the IPOB in 22 countries across the globe, including the United State of America and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.
The NFIU said the US and the UK house the largest numbers of these IPOB cells per country, with seven and six operating IPOB cells respectively in both countries.
Details of the development were revealed in a newsletter exposing the funding of terror activities in Nigeria by IPOB, bandits, and other terror groups through global crowdfunding and on sports betting platforms.
Recall that the Federal Government had in 2017 proscribed IPOB and designated the self-determination group a terrorist organisation.
IPOB’s leader, Nnmadi Kanu, is currently being tried on terrorism-related offences by the government.
The NFIU, in the document, titled “Counter Terrorism Financial Newsletter,” linked the running of IPOB to 54 individuals across the globe.
“The NFIU confirmed that the diaspora affiliates of the IPOB group have spread over 22 countries across the globe. Further analysis exposed 27 entities across the globe registered in the name of the group, the US and the UK had the highest number of registrations, having seven and six registered entities, respectively,” the document stated.
“The analysis further indicates that the group has several bank accounts in different countries where funds are being received from various contributors with the narrations ‘Monthly Dues, Services and for ESN’, among others, then later disbursed for various operations.
“It was confirmed that one of the major sources of revenue for the group is crowdfunding by several individuals abroad, mostly Nigerians.
“It was observed that over $160,000 was disbursed to Transmission, Media, and Broadcasting companies in Bulgaria, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
“The analysis profiled the leader of the group, his addresses, and mobile numbers abroad with other 53 individuals associated with the dissident group. The report was forwarded to Law Enforcement for further investigation,” it added.
Val Ozoigbo has released a video clip titled #WakeUpSeries# to Wake up Ndi Anambra on the task of holding those in Government accountable . The full statement reads ”The time has come to critically assess the results of your tax money and the performance of the “Solution” Governor.
After two years, it is time to exercise your duties as a citizen, the duty to assess the state of your roads, the economy, security, human capital development indices and many more, in Anambra State.
It is time to ask Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo if he has kept to the promises made in his manifesto and during his campaign.
Wake up Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, after 2 years of grace, it is time to be held accountable.
Ndi Anambra, embark on this journey with me, as we evaluate the results of the last two years of governance in the #WakeUpSeries.
I will be releasing a series of videos where I’ll critically analyze the state of our home, under the current government. Stay tuned as we pursue integrity, transparency and accountability”’
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says the abducted Kuriga students were rescued through coordinated search and rescue operation conducted by the military in collaboration with local authorities and government agencies.
The primary and secondary school students abducted on March 7, were rescued in the early hour of Sunday.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
He said a total of 137 persons comprising 76 females and 61 male were rescued in Zamfara.
According to him, they would be conveyed and handed over to the Kaduna State Government for further action.
“Relatedly, it would be recalled that on March 21, troops equally rescued 16 pupils (Almajiris) with a woman taken hostage in Gada Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
“These hostages were handed over to the Sokoto State Government.
“These efforts demonstrate the armed forces resolve to finding other innocent hostages and track down the terrorists that perpetrated these crimes.
“These efforts would continue until other hostages are found and the terrorists arrested, tried, and brought to justice by Nigerian law.
“Troops are employing similar effort to track down the culprits responsible for the killing of 18 soldiers in Okuama Community in Delta State.
“Justice await the culprits, as they can not go unpunished,” he said. (NAN)
Troops from the Defence Headquarters currently carrying out a manhunt for one Endurance Okodeh, alias Amangben, the prime suspect, and others involved in the killings of 17 soldiers and some civilians at Okuama, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State will continue to be in the creeks. They will remain there until the recovery of all weapons stolen by the perpetrators of the crime and also the arrest of all those involved.
The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South-South, Operation DELTA STATE, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, disclosed this on Thursday while hosting the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, who paid him a condolence visit at the Division’s Headquarters in Port Harcourt Barracks.
The GOC assured all that the troops conducting operations over the murder of officers and soldiers at Okuama community would “be firm, strong, decisive, and professional in the cause of the operations in the general area.”
Abdussalam, while appreciating the NDDC Managing Director and his team for the visit, reiterated that “no amount of propaganda, arm-twisting, blackmailing, intimidation and false narratives would distract troops from staying on course to achieve their objectives”.
He said, “The mission handed to troops by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, is basically to recover the weapons carted away by the perpetrators of this heinous crime and ensure that all those involved are arrested.
“Troops will continue to be in the creeks until these objectives are achieved.”
The GOC however assured all that “the operations would be conducted in the most professional manner in line with the global best practice of adherence to rules of engagement and respect for the fundamental human rights of the citizenry”.
He appealed to people and communities to assist troops regarding the location of the fleeing suspects and the stolen weapons. He urged the public to avail the Nigeria Army credible intelligence on where to get the criminals and ensure they answer for their crimes.
While calling on people of the Niger Delta region to go about their normal activities, Abdussalam maintained that “troops will not rest until all those involved are tracked down to account for their deeds.”
Policemen attached to the Isokoko Division of the Lagos State Police Command have raided a house in Agege where fake drinks are being produced. The command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a video shared on his X handle on Thursday.
According to Hundeyin, during the raid, four persons believed to be the masterminds behind the illegal distillery were arrested, and fake drinks were recovered among others. His caption read, “Officers of Isokoko Division, acting on credible information, raided a house in Agege where fake alcoholic drinks were being produced.
The police arrested four people behind the illegal distillery and recovered fake drinks, empty bottles, and labels of different brands. Investigation is ongoing.”
PUNCH had reported in December 2023, that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control intercepted counterfeiters involved in the production of a variety of fake beverages including wine, soft drinks, and other products estimated at over N750,000,000 in the Eziukwu market in Aba, Abia state.
Same month, officers attached to the Ojo Division of the Lagos State Police Command arrested two suspects, Magnus Nwonka, 42, and Imo Lawrence, 35, for being in possession of fake drinks.
The suspects were reported to have led the detectives to a multi-room factory in a filthy environment where the fake drinks were produced.
A groundbreaking medical procedure took place in Boston, where surgeons successfully transplanted a kidney from a genetically engineered pig into a 62-year-old man who needed a transplant, the New York Times reports.
If the breakthrough is successful, it could bring hope to people who are suffering from kidney failure. According to the New York Times report, the indications are encouraging so far. Physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital, known as Mass General, have reported that the patient’s condition is steadily improving since the surgery last weekend.
The patient, Mr. Richard ‘Rick’ Slayman of Weymouth, Mass., is recovering well at MGH and is expected to be discharged soon, as stated on the hospital’s website on Thursday.
“The real hero today is the patient, Mr Slayman, as the success of this pioneering surgery, once deemed unimaginable, would not have been possible without his courage and willingness to embark on a journey into uncharted medical territory. As the global medical community celebrates this monumental achievement, Mr. Slayman becomes a beacon of hope for countless individuals suffering from end-stage renal disease and opens a new frontier in organ transplantation,” said Joren C. Madsen, MD, DPhil, Director of the MGH Transplant Center.
The new kidney has already started producing urine, which is an encouraging sign of progress. Slayman is currently moving around the hospital and could be released shortly.
According to Dr Winfred Williams, an associate chief of the nephrology division at Mass General and the patient’s primary kidney doctor, a new source of kidneys “could solve an intractable problem in the field — the inadequate access of minority patients to kidney transplants.”
A medical director for kidney transplantation at Mass General, Dr. Leonardo V. Riella, said the widespread use of genetically modified animal kidneys for transplantation could render dialysis unnecessary. The transplant programme was developed by Mass General Brigham, the hospital’s parent organization.
More than 800,000 individuals in the United States suffer from kidney failure, necessitating dialysis as a crucial procedure to eliminate toxins from their bloodstream. There is a significant demand for transplanted kidneys, with over 100,000 individuals currently waiting to receive one from a living or deceased donor.
In addition, tens of millions of Americans have chronic kidney disease, which can lead to organ failure.
Although dialysis is crucial for sustaining life, the most effective treatment is an organ transplant.
The Nigerian Senate, last Thursday, urged the Federal Government to broaden the scope of the National Health Insurance Scheme to include individuals suffering from chronic kidney disease.
The Senate’s resolutions came about after Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua (APC, Katsina Central) sponsored a motion during Tuesday’s plenary.
According to Yar’Adua’s presentation, 25 million Nigerians suffer from renal illnesses, according to new data from the Nigerian Association of Nephrology.
Surgeons at the University of Maryland had successfully performed heart transplants on two patients with heart disease, using hearts from genetically modified pigs.
Despite the organs functioning well and showing no signs of rejection, both patients, who were suffering from advanced disease, passed away shortly after.
The naira rebounded against the United States dollar on Wednesday at the official and parallel markets, with the local currency recording a significant gain against the greenback at the black market.
This came as the Central Bank of Nigeria announced the final settlements of all valid foreign exchange backlogs, fulfilling a key pledge of the apex bank governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, to process an inherited backlog of $7bn in claims. The Acting CBN Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, who disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, recalled the central bank had recently cleared $1.5bn from the backlogs.
On Wednesday, the naira closed trading at 1,410/dollar at the parallel market and N1,492 at the official Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, according to data compiled from the FMDQ Securities Exchange.
The gain recorded by the naira at the official market represents an appreciation of N68 or 4.5 per cent, from the N1,560/$1 recorded on Tuesday at NAFEM, and a gain of 13.5 per cent or N190 at the parallel market.
According to findings by The PUNCH, the exchange rate has been gaining lately as speculators begin to dump their dollar stocks, following waning demand by prospective buyers amid CBN clampdowns. A string of circulars by the Central Bank of Nigeria in recent weeks and months have helped to plug leakages and blocked loopholes previously explored by currency speculators and racketeers.
Also, the recent clampdowns on the activities of illegal BDC operators in Lagos, Abuja and Kano by the operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have helped to reduce the volatility of the naira.
A Bureau De Change Operator at Wuse 2, Abuja, Ibrahim Yahu, said on Wednesday that the greenback was bought at the rate of N1400/$1 and sold at N1500/$, allowing operators to make a spread of N100/$1.
He said, “The highest I can buy from you is N1400/$ but we are selling at N1500/$.
He noted that some persons bought at the rate N1,300/$ during the daily trading activity.
Another currency trader, Malam Musa Yahyah, at the Central Business District in the FCT, expressed mixed feelings about the new rate, stating that some traders were forced to sell at loss due to a waning demand for the greenback.
In Lagos, a currency trader at Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Mustafa Ibrahim, said the waning demand for the dollar, partly driven by the commencement of dollar sale to BDC operators at the rate of 1,300/dollar, had further weakened demand for the greenback.
He said most traders bought and sold the dollar at N1350 and N1450 on Wednesday. According to Ibrahim, the local currency may reach a new high of 1,200/dollar in weeks if the trend continues.
Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Dr. Adaora Umeoji, as its Group Managing Director/Chief Executive with effect from June 1, 2024.
The appointment is however subject to approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). She takes over from Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, whose five-year term expires on May 31, 2024, after a very successful tenure.
According to a statement, Umeoji is the first female GMD/CEO since the inception of the bank, and her “appointment is consistent with the bank’s executive transition tradition, succession plan, and strategy of grooming leaders from within.”
Prior to the appointment, Umeoji had been the Deputy Managing Director of the bank since October 28, 2016 and has close to 30 years cognate banking experience of which 26 years has been with Zenith Bank.
She is an alumnus of the prestigious Harvard Business School where she attended the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and an alumnus of Columbia Business School with a Certificate in the Global Banking Program. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Jos, a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and a first-class honors in Law from Baze University, Abuja.
She holds a Master of Laws from the University of Salford, United Kingdom, a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Calabar, and also has a doctorate in business administration from Apollos University, USA.
She holds a Certificate in Economics for Business from the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management, USA, and has attended various management programmes in renowned Universities around the world including the strategic thinking and Management programme at Wharton Business School, USA. She also attended the executive program in Strategic Management, and has a Certificate in Leading Global Business all from Harvard Business School, USA.
She is a fellow of notable professional bodies including the Chartered Banker Institute, UK; Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Nigerian Institute of Management; Institute of Credit Administration; Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Nigeria; Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria among others.
In 2022, the Federal Government of Nigeria honored Umeoji with Officer of the Order of the Niger, as a recognition of her contributions to nation building. She is a Peace Advocate of the United Nations (UN-POLAC).
“She has impacted many lives through her philanthropic and humanitarian activities through her NGOs; Pink Breath Cancer Foundation and the Adorable Foundation that educates, caters for Cancer patients and indigent children education especially the Girl-Child.
“Her contribution to humanity was recognized by the Sun Newspaper which recently bestowed on her the Humanitarian Service Icon Award for 2023.
“As a result of her passion for promoting professionalism in the banking industry and improving the well-being of the less privileged, Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON founded the Catholic Bankers Association of Nigeria (CBAN), a platform she uses to promote ethical banking and service to humanity.
“She is a Lady of the Order of Knights of St. John International (KSJI), and was awarded a Papal Knight of the Order of St. Sylvester by His Holiness Pope Francis,” the statement added.
Anambra State Government has commissioned a tuberculosis situation room built by the United States Agency for International Development, (USAID’s) Tuberculosis Data Impact Assessment and Communication Hub (DIAH).
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike while commissioning the TB situation room commended USAID’s, other partners for their commitment in partnering with the state.
Dr. Obidike said that the State has done well in TB management and surveillance, and thanked Gov. Charles Soludo for his support in the healthcare sector of the state.
He noted that Anambra Tuberculosis Centre won four different awards last year, making it clear that Gov. Soludo’s administration works with data.
According to him the situation room will help to enhance the work of TB managers in the State, and assured that the facility will be adequately maintained.
The Permanent Secretary, Anambra State Ministry of Health, Mrs. Carol Njaka, noted that the situation room will help the state to scale up monitoring and detection of the disease, as well as compete favourably in TB management in Nigeria and thanked the USAID for the support.
In a remark, the Anambra state TB Project Manager, Dr. Ugochukwu Chukwulobelu who gave an overview of the situation room, explained that TB still remains a persistent global health challenge in low and middle class income countries.
Dr. Chukwulobelu explained that the facility will provide them access to data from different places at once, as well as use it to achieve national strategic planning.
Goodwill messages were given by the World Health Organization, USAID, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital.
Okuoma community is an Urhobo community in Ughelli south L.G.A located along the Forcados River.
It shares boundaries with Akugbene and Okoloba communities, and both are Izon (Ijaw) speaking communities, located in Bomadi L.G.A of Delta State.
Both communities have lived together peacefully for over 3 centuries now.
Okuoma community is in Ewu-urphie clan of the Urhobo tribe of Delta State.
Their major occupation is farming and fishing.
There are other Urhobo communities along the Forcados River who all share boundary with the Izon speaking communities.
They are also follows: Gbaregolor, Okuoma, Olota, Alagbabiri communities e.tc., all these communities are in Ughelli South L.G.A and they all share boundaries with the Izon speaking communities.
These communities have lived with the Izon speaking communities for several centuries.
They have had intermarriages, inter trades, among themselves for some centuries.
We have several families who are from both tribes (Urhobo and Ijaw).
In the olden days, for you to be crowned a king in Izon land, you must have your maternal root from the Urhobos.
I don’t know if that tradition is still in practice.
I know some few Kings whose that maternal roots are from the Urhobo tribe, e.g. HRM Oporomor Godspower of Bomadi town (Ijaw community) in Bomadi L.G.A.
He had his maternal root from Gbaregolor community (Urhobo community) which is located along the Forcados River.
His Royal Highness, king of Akugbene community (Ijaw town) has his maternal root from Okuoma community (Urhobo town).
The king of Akugbene community influenced some developments in Okuoma, like construction of jetty at the waterfront of Okuoma, e.t.c.
These people (Urhobos and Ijaws) are one people because they are related by blood or marriage in one way or another.
Mr. Barrister Smooth, a famous Ijaw singer once said in his song “When you come to my house you can’t separate Ijaw man from Urhobo man because they all live together as one.” We are one people.
Back to the main issue;
Okuoma community had land dispute with their neighboring community Okoloba over common boundary.
The land dispute has been lingering for quite a long time now.
At the boundary side of Okoloba community there is a white mansion, this mansion belongs to a warlord, a man known to be a right-hand man to Mr. Government Tompolo.
Okoloba community have always claimed ownership of the land on which the Okuoma community is located, they always say the “Okuoma inhabitants are their tenants”.
If you recall, I earlier said there is a mansion at boundary of both communities, this mansion is owned by a warlord from Okoloba (Ijaw community) this man is so influential and he owns a shrine in this mansion where he practices human sacrifices as rituals in worshipping his war god; Egbesu.
Last month February, this man armed his boys and attacked a commercial boat conveying some Okuoma community boys namely Igho and co.
These boys were all murdered by this warlord and he labeled them criminals.
He wrote to JTF (Joint Task Force) that they were criminals. Remember, I told you that he is Tompolo’s right-hand man He is so influential and connected that whatsoever he tells the JTF is what they accept, because his boss Tompolo owns Tantita Security Forces and they control the creeks.
This act alone triggered the grievance of the Okuoma community.
When this warlord’s gang want to carry these crimes, they put on army camouflage so it’s difficult to differentiate genuine Army personnel from these hoodlums.
Last week, a man named Anthony Aboh from Okoloba community went missing, his relation from Okoloba community, an Honorable member, believed that It was the Okuoma community that kidnapped him to retaliate for the attack which was carried out on the Okuoma community boys, so they reported the issue to the Bomadi JTF.
Just before he reported, the body of the alleged kidnapped man was discovered floating on River Forcados at Ayakoromor community. His hands were tied and he had been beheaded (that was the picture displayed on Social Media with the fallen soldiers body).
This annoyed the Okoloba community so much, the Honorable and some delegates from the Okoloba reported to JTF, which then proceeded to Okuoma community on March 14th, 2024 with some soldiers in company of the Honorable.
On reaching there, they met with the chairman and elders of the community in their town hall and they brought up the case of the kidnapped beheaded man with the community leaders.
The chairman and elders all denied saying they know nothing of such case, which made the soldiers ask the elders and community leaders to lie on the floor.
The Army then insisted on arresting the community leaders and that was where the crises erupted from.
The information got to the youths that fake soldiers have come to terrorize the community again, and when they turned up there was argument between the Army and community youths.
The Army released some gun shots, leading to a full blown war between the youths and the Army because they believed they were fake soldiers.
They were killed in error, it is a case of mistaken identity.
The people of Okuoma where soldiers were killed were attacked by Ijaws (Okoloba warlord) and they suffered casualties, mind you when this warlord carried out the dastardly act they wore Army camouflage.
Within the same week, on sighting men in uniform again in the Okuoma community they believed they were the same set of Ijaws warriors from Okoloba again and retaliated, killing all of them not knowing that they were real soldiers……
*My fellow Nigerians this is the real cause of the crises*
March 15th, Okuoma was raided and razed down by Nigeria Army because of the death about 16 fallen soldiers, women, children, and aged men weren’t spared, but funny enough the actual perpetrators have since fled the community leaving those who are either too old, too weak, too sick, too young, or too innocent to flee.
Till now, there’s still crying, gnashing of teeth, and blood flow around the Forcados River axis.
On March 17th yesterday the Army stormed the white mansion at the border after gathering intelligence, on reaching there, they were amazed at what they discovered in the shrine at the white mansion.
This mansion is situated at the River bank; they discovered fresh and dried human skulls of innocent people who were used by this warlord as sacrifices for his god (Egbesu).
Angered, the Nigerian Army burned down the mansion.
Some fake soldiers were also arrested in the mansion.
This is the true story of what happened that has claimed so many lives including the lives of a Lt. Colonel, 2 Majors, a Captain, and 12 soldiers, all men of the Nigeria Armed Forces….
