BIAFRA NEWS : I Declared Because Nigerians Were Talking Too Much – Buhari

Buhari while playing host to the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace Justin Welby in London on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, said, “I declared before leaving home because Nigerians were talking too much about whether I would run or not. President Muhammadu Buhari in faraway United Kingdom gave reasons why he declared his intention to seek re-election in 2019, saying he joined the race to silence naysayers.
“So, I felt I should break the ice. We have many things to focus on, like security, agriculture, economy, anti-corruption, and many others. We needed to concentrate on them, and politics should not be a distraction. The majority of Nigerians appreciate what we are doing, and that is why I am re-contesting”, the president said.
It would be recalled that ex-Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida had at various times championed opposition against the second term ambition of Muhammadu Buhari, citing gross failures and ineptitude in his style of administering the country since 2015 when the government came on board.
They had also played up the age factor, insisting that the president was too old to govern the country effectively, hence should take a deserved rest.
Buhari had taken stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by surprise during their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Monday at the party’s secretariat to declare his intention to seek office for a second term.
Shortly after he let the cat out of the bag, he jetted out of the country to the United Kingdom where he is to meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May, prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings scheduled for April 18 to 20, 2018.
According to a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, the president’s success stories cuts across various sectors of the economy, with agriculture being the most significant.
“We have cut the importation of rice by about 90%, saving billions of dollars in the process. People who rushed into petrol money have now gone back to agriculture. Even professionals have gone back to the land. Nigeria should be able to feed itself comfortably soon. I am so pleased,” the statement quoted Buhari as saying.
On war against insurgency, Buhari told his guest that the crisis that consumed former Libyan leader, Muammar Gadhafi, cannot be extricated from the current farmers-herders crisis, as arms found their way into the wrong set of people, a development that culminated in the Boko Haram issue as well.
He noted that there was a need for continuous education of the people “so that they can be free from religious manipulation,” adding that no true religion advocates the hurting or killing of the innocent.
Responding to his guest’s comment on the clashes between herdsmen and farmers in different parts of Nigeria, the president submitted, “The problem is even older than us. It has always been there, but now made worse by the influx of armed gunmen from the Sahel region into different parts of the West African sub-region. These gunmen were trained and armed by Muammar Gadhafi of Libya. When he was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms. We encountered some of them fighting with Boko Haram. Herdsmen that we used to know carried only sticks and maybe a cutlass to clear the way, but these ones now carry sophisticated weapons. The problem is not religious, but sociological and economic. But we are working on solutions.”
He lamented that “irresponsible politics” has been brought into the farmers-herders’ crisis, but assured that enduring solutions would be found, and justice done to all concerned.
On Leah Sharibu, the schoolgirl from Dapchi still being held by insurgents, reportedly because she refused to renounce her Christian faith, the president said, “We are managing the matter quietly. Making noise would not help. We are collecting as much intelligence as possible, working with the Red Cross and other international organisations. There are too many fraudulent people around, who claim they can do this and that. We won’t deal with them. That was how we got the Dapchi girls back, and the Chibok girls.” 
In his response, Archbishop Welby said it was always a delight to see President Buhari, whom he has a tremendous respect for, adding: “You have my best wishes on your recent decision. I read your declaration speech. We are neutral as a church, but we will pray for you. Great statesmen are those who run for the good of their country. We will be praying for you.”
The Archbishop presented President Buhari with a copy of his recent book, ‘Re-imagining Britain. Foundations for Hope.’
Meanwhile, moves to curb the excesses of terrorism in the country has seen the Federal Government approving the establishment of Nigerian Army University in Biu, Borno State.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this on Wednesday, shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting, presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
Recall that Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, had, last June, said the army had already reached out to the National Universities Commission (NUC) to secure approval for the university.
Buratai had then explained that the university was being designed as a unique and specialised institution that would serve as solutions centre, especially to specific challenges facing the military and North East.

Senate suspends lawmaker who challenged adoption of electoral act amendment

 
Mr Omo-Agege in February accused his colleagues of working against Mr Buhari by adopting the amendment to section 25 of electoral act outlining a change in the sequence of elections. The Senate on Tuesday suspended a senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, for accusing his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election plans in 2019.  
Mr. Omo-Agege had said: “For some of you who are familiar with what transpired in the House of Reps, only 36 members were on the floor when this so-called amendment to section 25 of the Electoral Act was introduced. The position we took is that 36 people cannot determine the destiny of 360 people in the House (of Reps), which is now being carried over to 109 in the Senate. The least we are owed is for this so-called amendment to be deliberated upon and our rule is clear.
“We have 59 senators who are opposed to the inclusion of section 25 of the Electoral Act. If that division was allowed today, 59 senators would have voted to delete that purported amendment to section 25.
“You don’t make a law targeted at one person. The perception out there is that this Section 25 was included to target Mr. President.”
A week after, Dino Melaye, (Kogi-APC), drew the attention of the Senate specifically to the comments made by Mr. Omo-Agege on the election sequence.
The matter was referred to the committee on ethics and privileges to investigate.
Presenting the report on Thursday, the chairman of the committee, Sam Anyanwu, recommended 180 days of suspension.
He said the punishment was imperative because the senator took the issue to court after it was referred to the committee.
The days of suspension was however reduced to 90 on pleas by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

BIAFRA Buhari condoles President Bouteflika, Algerians over military plane crash

 
The President, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, also extended deepest condolences to the families and friends of bereaved Algerians and other nationals, who are in sorrow because of the tragedy. President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and the people of Algeria over Wednesday’s military plane crash near the Boufarik military airport in Algiers which claimed many lives.
He assured President Bouteflika and those who lost their loved ones of the sympathy of all Nigerians in their moment of grief.
Buhari affirmed that the thoughts and prayers of all Nigerians are with all who mourn, even as he prayed that God Almighty will comfort the bereaved, the nation of Algeria and grant eternal rest to the souls of those who died in the crash.

BIAFRA 2019: How Buhari’s second term will help Igbos – Okorocha’s son-in-law, Nwosu

Nwosu, a governorship aspirant under the All Progressives Congress, APC, said Buhari’s declaration for second term will help Igbos actualise their dreams of Presidency by 2023. The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, has revealed why people of the South East must support President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid.
Speaking with newsmen in Owerri, the state capital, Nwosu also said the zoning of the Vice President’s slot to the South East by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, or any party was wasteful.
Nwosu said, “Vice Presidential slot to South East zone in any party, including the PDP is a complete waste because what a president can achieve in one day, a vice president cannot achieve in eight years.
“Aside from the Igbo presidency which Buhari’s second term will secure for the Igbo, he has also done very well for the Southeast.
“With Buhari’s declaration for a second term, the Igbo will only have to wait for four years before producing the next president. So, there is need for every Igbo man irrespective of political party affiliation to support Buhari’s re-election bid.  “Today, we have a Cargo Airport in Owerri and President Buhari did it and today, Anambra State has been enlisted among the oil producing states. All these and many more were done by President Buhari. President Goodluck didn’t do them for us.”

BIAFRA:Re-Electing Buhari Will Perpetuate Evil In Nigeria – Reverend Emmanuel Chukwuma

 
He, therefore, called on those fanning the embers of continuity to rethink their decision in the interest of the country and Buhari. The Archbishop, Enugu Ecclesiastical Province (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, has said that re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 would perpetuate suffering and evil in the country.
Chukwuma, who reiterated his earlier call on Buhari to quit at the expiration of his tenure in 2019, stated that accepting to re-contest the position might lead to his “disastrous end”, as according to him, “he has brought more tears and weeping on the people.”
Speaking with reporters yesterday in Enugu shortly after a service of songs in honour of the late Rev. Canon Chris Nwezi, held at St. John’s Anglican Church, Idaw River, Chukwuma expressed shock that President Buhari could contemplate to re-contest, saying such decision was a mockery on Nigeria.
He said: “I want to let you know that President Buhari declaring or not declaring is not anything to be feared. It is not anything that is new. Rather, he should know that it will lead to his disastrous end should he dare to re-contest. I have told him, he should go and rest. “He has expired. All those yearning for him to continue are the people benefiting from him. He has not done anything to warrant his coming back to office. The way things are, we need a new wine in a new wine skin. I am against people who are coming out to perpetuate sufferings of the people and Buhari has shown that he cannot solve our problems. We need good governance. It does not matter the party you belong. All the people yearning to become president have all expired. They have no new thing to offer and we cannot continue to perpetuate failure and evil.” Chukwuma urged Nigerians to intensify in prayers for God to intervene in the leadership of the country by removing all those who have continued to cause hardship and crisis, adding that it was not enough to release looters’ list but to prosecute those involved if the government was sure they were corrupt.

IPOB Family demands Nnamdi Kanu’s corpse for burial

 
 BIAFRA NATION

The family said it believed that Kanu was killed by the Nigerian military, in an attempt to quell the agitation for Biafra. Family of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has asked the Federal Government to release the corpse of their son for burial.
The family spokesman, Emma Kanu, told Daily Sun that the federal government should release Nnamdi’s corpse to them so as to give him a befitting burial.
Emma said ever since the IPOB leader disappeared last year, when his home was raided by the military, the family had always feared for his life.
“Now that it has been reported that he is dead, the federal government should, without hesitation release his corpse to his family, so that we and the entire Igbo nation can give him the befitting burial he deserves because he is a true Igbo son,” he said.
The younger Kanu said even if the IPOB leader was out of Biafra struggle, it would not vitiate the resolve of IPOB and indeed the whole of Igbo to actualise Biafra.
On the call by Gen T.Y Danjuma for Nigerians to protect themselves since those saddled with the responsibility had failed them, Kanu said although the call was belated, however, it was a clarion call which IPOB would not take lightly.
“The call by Danjuma for people in the country to defend themselves means that the elder statesman has just started seeing what the IPOB leader, Kanu saw years back.
“All the same, it is a clarion call which IPOB will adhere to, no matter the circumstance,” he stated.

TODAY NEWS:Police recover 2,753 illegal firearms from 13 states

 

THE Force Headquarters’ Joint Task Team, led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Joshak Habilla, has recovered 2,753 illegal firearms from 13 states.
Following what was described as an impressive turnout of the exercise, Inspector General (IG) Ibrahim Idris has extended the ultimatum for recover of illegal arms to April 30.
The IG initially gave a 21-day ultimatum, which began on February 22 and will elapse on March 14, for members of the public to surrender illegal firearms in their possession.
Force spokesman ACP Jimoh Moshood, while parading the firearms at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, said the Joint Task Team was still collating the firearms from the states.
He said 425 illegal firearms arms were recovered by the team in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during raids, stop and search operations carried out by the team’s personnel.
Items recovered, according to him, are: two General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), 114 AK47 rifles, eight SMG rifles and 301 other assorted guns.
He added that Abia recorded 1,380 recovered firearms so far followed by Lagos with 200 and Katsina with 198.
Moshood said: “So far, 1,380 firearms have been recovered from Abia State and that happens to be the highest recovery made. We recovered 200 from Lagos, 198 from Katsina State.
“Forty-six firearms were recovered from Benue, 32 from Borno, 70 from Kaduna, 35 from Nasarawa, 78 recovered by the FCT Command, 56 from Taraba, 140 assorted firearms from Rivers and 67 from Kogi.”
Moshood added that 14 firearms were recovered from Adamawa and 12 from Delta.
He also said the arms recovered would be investigated by the Force Armament Unit to ensure that the arms were not used for criminal purposes in the past.
Moshood said: “The Police Joint Task Enforcement Team, in compliance with IGP’s directives and working on actionable intelligence, swung into actions and embarked on mop-up, seizure and recovery of all illegal and prohibited firearms and ammunition from wrong hands, suspected militias, militants, criminal/unlawful gangs through search, raid and seizure from identified premises, hideouts, dwelling houses, buildings and sites where these illegal/prohibited firearms were kept based on reasonable suspicion and intelligence…
“This operation, which is still ongoing among other purposes, is aimed at the full enforcement of the Firearms Act, mopping-up and recovery of all prohibited firearms and illegally acquired weapons, will enable the Nigeria Police Force deal decisively with herders and farmers clashes, kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, militancy and terrorism.”
The Force spokesman, while noting that the operation would continue, urged the public to report to the police anyone suspicious of bearing the prohibited firearms across the country through the following lines; DIG, Department of Operations: 08037025670, O/C IGP Monitoring Unit: 08032451594, O/C IGP Special Tactical Squad: 08036783383 and O/C IGP Intelligence Response Team: 09098049333.
Moshood added: “They can also report such violations directly to the Commissioners of Police in various commands across the country through their phone contacts, attached hereunder.”
On the extension of the ultimatum, he said: “The IGP has graciously extended the ultimatum for another 21 days with effect from Monday, April 9, 2018 -April 30, 2018.
“This is as a result of impressive compliance by Nigerians across commands in the country and also to grant public request for an extension as recorded in some states of the federation.” He allayed fears that the police would arrest anybody who willingly surrenders the weapons during the extended grace period.