BIAFRA NATION:Deal with herdsmen same way you treated IPOB – Anglican Bishop, Nwokolo tells Buhari

 
 BIAFRA NATION

The Bishop of the Diocese, Rt Rev. Owen Nwokolo said such step would project the government as being serious about providing Nigerians with adequate, unbiased and nepotism-free security.   The Diocese on the Niger, Anglican Communion, has challenged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to deal with killer herdsmen the same way it treated the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
He said this while addressing newsmen yesterday in Nnewi, Anambra State.
Nwokolo said: “The killings and murderous activities of herdsmen in Nigeria are enough for the Federal Government to treat them as a more dangerous group than the IPOB and any treatment short of what has been given to IPOB amounts to support of what the herdsmen are doing to Nigerians.
“If the Federal Government fails to sit up and show genuine commitment and readiness in addressing the menace of herdsmen squarely, I urge Nigerians not to trivialize or ignore the call by the former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma for them to defend themselves.
“Nigerians should therefore, look at the activities of the herdsmen and the reaction of the armed forces from what retired Lt. Gen. Danjuma said. We have waited for so long for him to say something about the security of the country and the activities of herdsmen.
“Having been the Chief of Army Staff and the Defence Minister and having fought for independence of Nigeria, fought for Nigerian unity during the civil war and always stood for the unity and peace in the country, calling for people to defend themselves means something bad is seriously happening that he could no more ignore and contain.
“Coming up to say Nigerians please defend yourselves, is an indication that there is no more security for the people and we do not expect the government to bring sentiment and politics into it. They should not pretend that all is well or play politics with the statement when they should sit up and address the situation that made a man like Danjuma to make that call and accuse his constituency, the military of taking sides and not doing enough.
“We have seen the way the issue of herdsmen are being handled. It appears the Federal Government is turning deaf ear to the pleas of the people. They feel unconcerned about the killings in different states of the federation, behaving as if nothing will happen because they have the power.
“Nigerians are tired and there is nothing else we can do. We have appealed to the Federal Government to defend the citizens. It appears nothing substantial is happening. It’s not as if the Armed Forces are not making any effort but they have not applied drastic measures that will curb the activities of herdsmen. 
“When the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was reigning and engaging in their protests and rallies, we saw how the government sent different ‘dancers’: the Python dancers, and the Crocodile dancers and what have you. They dealt with the problem but nothing substantial has been done about this one.
“We do not know what else to say other than to ask people to defend themselves but we still appeal to the Federal Government to tackle the matter headlong, because that is the only solution.
“We do not want to believe that the recent directive by the Inspector General of Police to withdraw arms and ammunition from even those who registered with the government whether you call them community vigilante or any name is to make way for more killings by the herdsmen.”

IPOB:Produce Nnamdi Kanu or go to prison – Court warns Senator Abaribe, two others

 
 BIAFRA NATION

The Federal High Court in Abuja has asked the three sureties in the trial of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, to produce the defendant or risk going to prison.
Kanu, who is currently facing trial for alleged treason, was required to be produced in court by his sureties. 
Kanu’s sureties were Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, a Jewish priest, Immanuu-El Shalom, and an accountant resident in Abuja, Tochukwu Uchendu.
However, the IPOB leader has not been seen after since September 2017.
Justice Binta Nyako had asked the sureties to produce the defendant.
At the resumption of the matter, however, a counsel for the sureties, Chukwuma Machukwu Umeh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said his client had not been served with court papers relating to the order made by the judge.
He therefore made a fresh application for an order of court demanding that the prosecution serves the sureties with copies of the order, as made by the court.
In his response, the prosecution counsel, Shaibu Labaran, urged the court to resist sacrificing the demand for justice on the altar of technicalities.
Labaran countered the submission of the defence that an enrolled order was necessary to ensure compliance to the instructions made in court.
He described the fresh application as a “conspiracy” to set back the matter before the court and demanded its dismissal.
The presiding judge, Justice Nyako granted the request by the defense, but noted that the application was an evidence of their lack of readiness to proceed with the matter.
“What is clear is that you are not ready,” said Mrs. Nyako.
“The sureties are to be served with the order of this court: to show why they should not forfeit their bond or to produce the defendant in the next adjourned date, with the alternative to go to prison,” she added.

IPOB:Nnamdi Kanu remains our leader, director of Radio Biafra – IPOB

 
 BIAFRA NATION

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has faulted media reports that its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been dismissed as director of Radio Biafra.
It dismissed the report as ”a cheap diversionary tactics designed to test our dedication and resolve in the run up to the much anticipated boycott of Anambra elections on Saturday November 18th, 2017.” 
IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, in a statement said no amount of false stories would dent the group’s resolve to restore Biafra through Kanu’s leadership.
”The preposterous and laughable idea that he has been sacked from Radio Biafra he personally established in London and IPOB he founded is tantamount to saying that the Sun is no longer part of the solar system. It is not only unthinkable, it will be foolish of anyone to contemplate it,” he said.

IPOB:ICC To Investigate Killings During Operation Python Dance

Reports of extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian Army during a military show of force tagged Operation Python Dance 2, is set to be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague.
Soldiers were said to have in 2017, unlawfully invaded the Afara Ukwu community in Umuahia, Abia State, country home of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in a bid to arrest the IPOB leader during the Operation Python Dance.
The petition also listed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai as part of those to be
 investigated for their roles in the military invasion. 


Reports of extra-judicial killings by the Nigerian Army during a military show of force tagged Operation Python Dance 2, is set to be investigated by the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague.
Soldiers were said to have in 2017, unlawfully invaded the Afara Ukwu community in Umuahia, Abia State, country home of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in a bid to arrest the IPOB leader during the Operation Python Dance. The petition also listed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai as part of those to be investigated for their roles in the military invasion.
BIAFRA NATION  that the Office of the Prosecutor, ICC, stated this in response to a petition filed to the court by a Nigerian journalist, Ahaoma Kanu, which allegedly led to the killing of several unarmed members of the group.
In a letter with reference number OTP-CR-413/17, dated March 20, 2018, which is said to be the second response by the court to the petitioner, confirmed that the military invasion and deaths recorded were already under preliminary examination by the Office of the Prosecutor.

THE ZOO:Obasanjo attacks Buhari again

 

The former President, however, expressed hope that the President will change his mind before it is too late. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has again slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for failing to sign the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement.  
Obasanjo spoke his mind on the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, during a presidential panel, titled: ‘When Leaders Make History’ at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on Tuesday.
The former Head of State was joined by the President of Zimbabwe, Emerson Mnangagwa.
Obasanjo said, “That President Buhari didn’t sign the free trade agreement in Kigali is disappointing; I hope he signs it before it is too late.
“Egypt started the discussion on the formation of the Organisation of African Unity but didn’t conclude it and Nigeria took over.

“Nigeria was also central to the discussion of the free trade agreement, but I am surprised that the country withdrew from signing.”
The AfCFTA treaty is one of the flagship projects of the African Union Agenda 2063.
It is targeted at creating a single continental market for goods and services, with free movement of business persons, investments and a single currency.
Also, the agreement commits countries to removing tariffs on 90 per cent of goods and to liberalise services.

Also items identified as sensitive, which make up the balance 10 per cent, will also be phased out later as tariff-free

BIAFRA NATION:Niger Delta youths speak on Buhari’s offer of amnesty to repentant Boko Haram terrorists

 
 BIAFRA NATION

Part of the statement reads, “Niger Delta agitators who were given the Presidential prerogative had a genuine cause that was appreciated by the world over. The Boko Haram sects whose struggle is to disband the spread of Western civilisation should not pampered with Royal honour.
“Some of these so-called repentant Boko Haram members who were released by the Government have returned to the trenches. They were seen in a video clip sent by the sects. It is a faux pas to give such persons amnesty.”
The umbrella body for Ijaw youths, while also reacting to recent allegation by former Defence minister, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, that the military is not neutral in killings across the country, said the allegation is too weighty to be dismissed with a wave of hand by the government.
The statement read, “We are not comfortable with the response of the Presidency and the defence headquarters. If Buhari is really concerned about the security of Nigerians then he should probe the comment. The security situation in the Niger Delta region is very porous. The herdsmen are everywhere in the region terrorising the people.

“Only recently in December last year, Dr. Chris Ekiyor, former President of IYC narrowly escaped death from the claws of the murderous herdsmen. The laxity of security agencies to the menace Nigerians are facing may attract self-defence.
“Niger Delta people will defend themselves if the Government refuse to take proactive steps to nip the situation in the bud. Virtually, Nigerians in the middle belt and the southern part of the Country are under siege of herdsmen’s invasions. We can’t fold our arms and be killed by these dangerous human species.”   
Niger Delta youths under the auspices of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC Worldwide, has stated that the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to grant amnesty to repentant members of Boko Haram would be the “worst setback” to the battle against terrorism.
In a statement signed by its President, Pereotubo Oweilaemi, Esq., the group stressed that Buhari should not be thinking of offering amnesty to the Boko Haram sect members as it should only be given to people who have a genuine cause.

BIAFRA:2019 Wike speaks on alleged plot by Buhari to rig elections

BIAFRA NATION

Wike also said “Nigerians must take up the responsibility to sack the All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2019.”  Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State, on Tuesday alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was plotting to rig the 2019 elections.   
He made the call in Port Harcourt, the state capital, while receiving former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, who was in the state to flag off his presidential campaign, ahead of 2019.
Wike insisted that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government had failed Nigerians.
The governor also appealed to all members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, irrespective of their status to ensure that the party’s march to the Presidential Villa is not truncated by disunity.
Wike urged all PDP presidential aspirants to contest within acceptable limits as the race is not a do-or-die affair, but a movement to sack ‘the failed’ APC-led Federal Government.

According to Wike, “Every Presidential Aspirant must see himself as a member of the larger PDP family. We must do everything to ensure that PDP returns to the Presidential Villa in 2019.
“Only one aspirant will become a candidate. We will do everything to ensure that the party comes out with a candidate that has a track record to upstage the APC.
“God will make sure that the right candidate emerges. When the right candidate emerges, we will team up and remove this bad government.
“There is no benefit that Rivers State has gotten from this APC Federal Government. All the APC Federal Government is doing is plotting to rig the 2019 elections.”