Samia Hassan Becomes Tanzania’s First Female President

 

Hi guys! Trust you had a great week. Are you planning a getaway or working through the weekend? Whatever your plan, take a moment to sit back and relax as we bring you the many trends that have been making the rounds across social media.

Vice President Samia Suluhu Hassan was on Friday sworn in as new President of Tanzania. Following her appointment, she becomes Tanzania’s first ever female president and Africa’s third after Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde.

Tanzania President, Samia Suluhu Hassan accompanied by the military guard of honour

Hassan was sworn in as president after former president, John Magufuli died from Covid-19 complications on Wednesday, according to reports. Hassan will serve the remainder of Magufuli’s second five-year term, which runs until 2025.

Congratulatory messages swarmed in for the 61-year-old Head of state on social media.

Congratulations, President @SuluhuSamia, on your inauguration, and to the people of #Tanzania on their first female president. I look forward to working with you to keep people safe from #COVID19, end the pandemic and achieve a healthier

. Together! pic.twitter.com/xvZphb3PBl

 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) March 19, 2021

Samia Suluhu became the first female president in East Africa what can deter me from becoming the first female president in Kenya and second female president in East Africa.
Women let us Rise.
My dreams are VALID!#SamiaSuluhuHassan

banditry will continue in Nigeria, by IPOB

 

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed bewilderment over the increase of banditry in the country, alleging that the trend has become a gold mine for some leaders.

In a statement yesterday by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB stated that banditry has become another oil well for greedy, unpatriotic, and evil-minded leaders and warned those involved in the act to desist. 

“Banditry and kidnapping will remain a lucrative business for as long as Government and self-acclaimed religious clerics keep negotiating with them and anyone advocating amnesty for bandits is their grandmaster. If Nigeria were to be a normal country, all those championing for amnesty for bandits would have been arrested and put on trial”.

They alleged that the shoot on sight order by the President “is only a paper tiger”, and not meant for everybody. “If a serving Governor can boldly come out to defend the carrying of guns by Fulani herdsmen, how do you ever think any of them is going to be arrested?”

“Any day Nigerians demand to know why they have a President who chooses to talk to them through press statements written by media aides instead of talking to them live, 

there will be a change. Any day Nigerians begin to ask why the authorities have not been courageous enough to declare killer herdsmen terrorists but quick to proscribe IPOB that is peacefully agitating for freedom, 

you will begin to see changes. Banditry will stop the day your leaders stop pampering bandits and start treating them as the terrorists they are. Banditry will stop the day the real bandits in places of authority are unmasked.”

NEWS . Gunmen kill two policemen, two prison warders in Anambra

 

The current situation came about 12 hours after three naval men were killed at Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area and three other policemen killed at Neni, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state on Thursday

Two policemen and two prison officials have been killed in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State by unknown gunmen

But an attempt to burn a Police Station at Ekwulobia by the group was repelled by security operatives at 4am, yesterday.

The Prisons vehicle conveying some prisoners to court was however attacked around 11am yesterday in the same Ekwulobia, and two officials were killed, while all the prisoners in the vehicle were set free by the attackers.

An eye witness alleged that the unknown gunmen were members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who according to him had metamorphosed into Eastern Security Network (ESN).

According to the witness, “they came in a commando manner, brought out the prisoners and shot and killed the officials inside the vehicle.

“The prison officials are a man and a lady. The ESN members were shooting sporadically which made everyone to run for safety. It was like a war, “the source said.

Also, confirming the attack on prisons vehicle, the Public Relation’s Officer of the Nigeria Correctional Service in the state, Francis Ekezie, said the command was still trying to get the full report.

He confirmed that their officials conveying crime suspects to court were attacked.

“Yes, there was an attack on our men who were going to the court but the information is still sketchy now. I’ll get back to you”, he said.

Also, one of the security vehicles of the policemen on duty at Neni, Anaocha Local Government Area, was burnt.

The attack on Ekwulobia Police Station yesterday morning was confirmed to The Nation by the Police Public Relation’s officer in Anambra State, Ikenga Tochukwu.

However, he said efforts to burn down the rebuilt police station by the hoodlums were repelled by the gallant men at the station

BIAFRA : How ESN’s attack on Orlu market led to orgy of violence

 

IPOB says it formed ESN to protect rural Igbo communities but others accuse the armed group of armed robbery, murder of unarmed civilians, fatal assaults on the police and theft of weapons.

On January 25, 2021, many Hausa traders in a market in Orlu, Imo State, barely had a moment to process what they were seeing as vehicles stopped with a screech, masked gunmen jumped off and started shooting directly at them. The gunmen later set the market on fire.

“We just saw about four vehicles with correct, correct guns, driving wrong-way towards where we were,” said Ahmadu Ali, a leader in the market situated just behind the town’s stadium.

“They just opened fire pa-pa-pa-pa; there was no stop.”

Mr Ali said three people were shot dead and one Salisu Sala was burnt. He said other traders escaped through the stadium road, many of them with gunshot injuries.

He named those killed in the unprovoked attack as Usman Ali, Mohammed Rabiu and Nura Muhammadu.

Except for Nura, who was from Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto State, the other dead victims were from Niger Republic, although of Hausa ethnic stock.

PREMIUM TIMES obtained horrific photographs showing the victims, lifeless and drenched in blood, and their cleaned remains, prepared for burial.

Also, we received still and motion pictures of the razed market. Mr Ali explained that the market was razed as the fire from Mr Sala’s body caught inflammable materials in his shop and quickly spread to other shops in the market.

 

Burnt Hausa community market in Orlu, Imo State.

“They were quite a number,” said Golden Marvin, who said he witnessed the attack. Mr Marvin identified the gunmen as members of a militia group, Eastern Security Network (ESN), because of the “inscriptions on their vehicles” and their clothing.

FREEDOM : IPOB backs Dokubo’s declaration of Biafra

 

Rather, he said the formation of many pro-Biafragroups would make the work of IPOB easier, adding that IPOB would support any group that fights for Biafra freedom. 

Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnmadi Kanu Tursday backed the formation of Biafra Government as canvassed by the former Niger Delta warlord Mujahid Asari Dokubo saying it is not a threat to IPOB.

Dokubo had few days ago declared himself as the Head of Biafra de facto Customary Government (BCG).

Speaking to the Nation, the IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, said the leadership of IPOB has no interest whether Asari Dokubo or any other agitating group forms Biafra government or not.

“IPOB is not interested with the formation of Biafra agitating group. Anybody can form his and her own group but one thing is certain- let them maintain stand to fight for Biafra freedom and independence. IPOB will support any group genuinely formed to fight for Biafra freedom.

“We have said it time without number that anybody can form any group one likes and use it to pursue the Biafra cause. We are not against any group genuinely fighting for Biafra restoration. IPOB and its indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have been in the forefront of this struggle for our freedom, and nobody can controvert that,” he added.

BIAFRA : We Don’t Need Asari Dokubo’s Biafra– PANDEF, Ohanaeze

 

Relatedly, the president-general, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), Chief Goodluck Ibem, described the declaration as a joke and the entertainment of the year, saying Asari Dokubo is seeking for attention which nobody is ready to give to him.

A few days after Mujahid Asari Dokubo of the Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Force proclaimed a Biafra Customary Government and declared himself as its head, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Ohanaeze Ndigbo have said their aspirations cannot be realised through the purported republic.

In its reactions to Asari Dokubo’s proclamation, PANDEF said the so-called Biafra Customary Government was not in tandem with the desires and aspirations of the Niger Delta people at this particular time.

Asari Dokubo, who announced the republic last Sunday, named Uche Mefor as head of information and communication of the customary government.

He also appointed George Onyibe as secretary and Emeka Esiri as head of legal matters of the new government.
On his plans for the new Biafra Republic, the ex-militant said, “We proceed to set up provincial structures of government starting with provincial assemblies and provincial governance and administrators.”

But in an interaction with LEADERSHIP Friday in Port Harcourt, PANDEF spokesman, Ken Robinson, said evident bias under the current administration is a contributory factor to the increasing calls for secession by certain ethnic-based groups.

Robinson said, “We do not think Asari Dokubo’s declaration of a supposed Biafra Customary Government is in tandem with the desires and aspirations of the Niger Delta people at this time.

“Though the evident bias under the current administration is a contributory factor to the increasing calls for secession by certain ethnic-based groups; that is not our focus. We are not aware of any ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta region that has communicated support for any of these groups. We have seen some maps of the so-called republics, where some parts of the Niger Delta are crafted into the Oduduwa Republic,” he said.

Also, Ohanaeze Ndigbo president in Cross River State branch, Barr. Ugorji Nwabueze, said Asari Dokubo’s declaring himself as Biafran leader was “ridiculous and a mere imposition of himself on the people.”

The spokesman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Alex Ogbonnia, said the body was not opposed to agitations or freedom of associations.
According to him, people have the right to form any association they like, adding that the constitution pledged freedom of association for all citizens.

He said Asari Dokubo’s declaration of Biafara Customary Government was not the first time the apex Igbo social-cultural organisation was hearing that kind of group.

Similarly, the leader of the Movement for the Survival of Ijaw Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND), Kennedy Tonjo West, described Asari Dokubo’s action as “disrespectful and an affront to the ancestral integrity of those ancient towns he made mentioned off.”

West said: “We respect Asari Dokubo’s views on so many issues; he has contributed immensely to the advancement of the Izon cum Niger Delta agitations. His Biafra Customary Government adventure has a narrow perspective. It lacks acceptance, it is disrespectful and an affront to the ancestral integrity of those ancient towns he made mentioned off. It is disturbing, misleading and undermining.

“There was no proper consultation with leaders and actors in the struggle. As a people if we keep quiet and ignore Asari because he is perceived to be a controversial fellow, it might boomerang someday. So for the records, MOSIEND is stating that the communities claimed to be Biafra province is untrue.”

To Nwabueze, Asari Dokubo declaring himself as Biafran leader is “somehow ridiculous and a mere imposition of himself on the people. Declaring himself as head of Customary Government is like you were there, when they started cooking the food, as at the time of dropping the food, somebody claimed to have cook the food,” he said.

Nwabueze said the important thing is that the federal government has declared “IPOB as an illegal group. I wouldn’t want to disown him like Egbesu and other Ijaw leaders disowned him and declared him as a lone ranger and somebody who has been speaking for himself. The important thing is that the federal government has declared IPOB as an illegal group.

On how the federal government should handle the issue, Nwabueze said that as a father who is in the house, where there is an uprising, the government must be very determined and diligently handle it.

The national president of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Comrade Igboayaka, said Asari Dokubo was alone in the declaration of Biafra Customary Government.

He said, “Nobody was consulted by the ex-militant, the traditional rulers, prominent citizens of the zone, politicians were not consulted. The exercise looks like a child play.”

According to him, “This has exposed Asari Dokubo as a joker of the century. Nigerians have a lot of important things to do and not to discuss or watch a man who wants to distract them from focusing on pertinent matters confronting them.”

PDP endorses Senator Adeleke as flag bearer

 

 recalls that the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure had returned Sunday Bisi to the Chairmanship position of the PDP in Osun State.

The Peoples Democratic has unanimously agreed that Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke will be the Governorship candidate of the party (PDP) in the 2022 gubernatorial election in Osun State.

The recommendation was part of the highlight of resolutions arrived at a reconciliatory meeting of the Osun PDP, mediated by the national reconciliation team, headed by its chairman and a former Senate President and two-term governor of Kwara State, Dr. Olubukola Saraki.

In the meeting attended by both interest groups from the Osun State Chapter of the PDP, it was also agreed that Sunday Bisi will be the validly recognised chairman of the party in the state.

The meeting was called pursuant to a national reconciliation committee set up by the PDP National Working Committee led by Prince Uche Secondus.

As part of the reconciliation process in the Osun PDP, Saraki assured that the party has noted the concerns raised by Olasoji Adagunodo and that necessary steps will be taken to clear his name over allegations leveled against him as a former state chairman.

While noting that such is not unusual in politics, he advised that Adagunodo be accorded his due respect as a former chairman of the party in the state and that he be carried along in party activities going forward.