BIAFRA NEWS : The group faulted IPOB for the ban it placed on Nigeria national anthem across the zone.

 

 

Singing Of Biafra Anthem Put Lives Of Ndigbo At Risk, Detrimental To Igbo Presidency, Ohanaeze Tells IPOB 

 

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has slammed the Indigenous People of Biafra over its call for the singing of Biafra anthem in all schools in the South-East. 

The group faulted IPOB for the ban it placed on Nigeria national anthem across the zone.

SaharaReporters had reported that IPOB in its New Year message prohibited the Nigerian national anthem as well the consumption of non-native cows.

However, in a statement by Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group cautioned that such a directive would create problem for the people of the region.

The statement read, "Such an order will affect the ongoing diplomatic efforts to free Nnamdi Kanu. Instead, the FG might unleash bitterness on the South-East.

“This order is also nonetheless destructive to the campaign for the Igbo presidency in 2023 and will give birth to avoidable military raids on all public schools in South-Eastern Nigeria, with the ongoing ‘Operation Golden Dawn’.

“Reciting of the Biafra anthem in public schools remains prohibited, forbidden and proscribed as the South-East is still an integral part of Nigeria.

“We cannot afford to mislead and misinform our pupils into trending into paths that will attract grave consequences for Ndigbo.

“Ndigbo should flout such despicable orders of absurdity as it will be the rationale for future deployment of military Tucson fighter jets to South-Eastern Nigeria.

“IPOB should join Ohanaeze in the promotion of Igbo language, cultural heritage, and values in all South-East public schools. This is the best way to get our youngsters to remain committed and imbibe the cultural values and heritage of Ndigbo.”

The group, however, threw its weight behind the ban on the consumption of cows from the North and the use of it in Igboland for ceremonies.

“The recent security challenges in South-Eastern Nigeria are created by killer herdsmen masquerading as cattlemen to perpetrate heinous onslaught against our local communities.

“The enforcement of the ban on consumption of Fulani cattle should be a protest against unhealthy and disease-infested cows being sold to Ndigbo,” the statement added.

BIAFRA NEWS : 2023. South-Easterners Understand Nigeria, Can Turn Sambisa Forest To Business Opportunity – Abia Governor

Ikpeazu made this known on Thursday following his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in his office at the State House. 

 

The Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has said that the South-East region has a right to field the next President of Nigeria because the people have a better understanding of Nigeria than any other region.

Ikpeazu made this known on Thursday following his visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in his office at the State House.

 

“I think that the southeasterners have a right to take a shot at the presidency of Nigeria and I dare say that our qualification starts from the fact that we understand and know Nigeria better than the other states of Nigeria.

“I dare say, this is my opinion. We go everywhere, we are everywhere, we invest everywhere, we are Pan-Nigerian people,” Ikpeazu said.

He added, "Today, a lot of people are afraid of Sambisa, but for an Igbo man, Sambisa is a business opportunity."

In a chat with State House correspondents, the governor highlighted some qualities that Nigeria’s next leader must possess and appealed to Nigerians and political parties to be magnanimous and consider the yearnings and aspirations of the southeast geo-political zone.

He said, “The question of Nigeria president of southeast extraction is a national question that required negotiation, discussion and conversation with all parts of this country and I am least qualified to determine what happened in 2023.

“I also want to spend my time supporting the incumbent president to do his time and do his best while we wait for what happens to begin to unfold. So, these are my views about the presidency.

“In first place, anybody who wants to aspire to the highest post of the presidency, it doesn’t matter where you come from, must have what I regard as Pan-Nigerian mentality. He must be somebody who has an understanding of all the contending interests and influences in this country.

"He must understand that we are a country of diversity with the different persuasions, traditional, cultural, religious and all of these must be put at a place where you can understand and respect them.

“That individual must also be somebody who is ready to accommodate the youths of this country because turning it into a slogan the fact that youths are our leaders of our future have bit sever us correctly because we are drifting into an age that youths understand which many people may not understand, those who grew up before this era.

“So, that people must be willing to accommodate the youth without necessarily throwing away very experienced ones, he must be able to find a labyrinth of all the interests.

“He must also reflect an extreme women agenda. Such a must also be in investor-friendly, he must be and individual who understands the nuances of economics and what is the relationship between international politics and economy and the person must be strong enough to face up to the issue on the front burner, which is security.

“He must be able to create jobs, he must be able to not deploy the kinetic device all the time, he must able to also listen and negotiate peace.

“What the political parties need to do. Well, the political parties need to be sensitive to the feelings of the various contending ground because politics should not be a winners take all thing.

“It’s not at all times that you want to use your might, at times you listen even to those whom you think are weak or those whom you think may not be able to find themselves at the centre stage due to circumstances.”

BIAFRA NEWS : IPOB Lambasts Kaduna Governor, El-Rufai For Likening pro-Biafra Group To Terrorists, Says He Suffers From Ignorance

IPOB said it remains a peaceful organisation with global relevance. 

 

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai's likening of the group to terrorists and bandits as provocative and mischievous. 

IPOB said it remains a peaceful organisation with global relevance, adding that El-Rufai has displayed utter ignorance by comparing it with blood-sucking criminals. 

he group assured that the governor will soon appear before International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague for allegedly sponsoring Fulani herdsmen to clandestinely kill innocent people in Southern Kaduna.  IPOB said this to react to El-Rufai's statement on Tuesday that IPOB is not different from terrorists and bandits, whom he said deserve to die.

 

This was contained in a statement by the spokesperson, Emma Powerful, which was made available to SaharaReporters on Wednesday. 

It read, "We are the global movement and family of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The pro-Biafra group said El-Rufai’s statement "is not only provocative but a mischievous display of ignorance for El-Rufai to compare freedom seekers with bloodthirsty terrorists."

"El-Rufai should stop playing to the gallery. No amount of cover-ups can exonerate him from the ongoing genocide in Southern Kaduna by Fulani bandits," it added. 

It continued, "He should cover his head in shame for admitting that he is paying the mass murderers in Kaduna State. He should know that he has a date at the ICC.

"We challenge him to mention any act of terror committed by IPOB. Our only crime against El-Rufai and his fellow mass murderers is that we refused to allow Fulani bandits any breeding ground in Biafra land.

"Malam El-Rufai should swear by Allah that he knows nothing about the ongoing ethnic cleansing of non-Fulani communities in Southern Kaduna and re-naming of their towns to Fulani communities.

"It's only in Nigeria that IPOB which maintains a presence in over 100 countries can be tagged a terror organisation. But the world knows we are not terrorists and don't intend to be."

BIAFRA NEWS : Police Officers Assaulted My Wife, Tore My Daughter’s Clothes While Arresting My Son-in-law, Nwosu – Okorocha

Okorocha, who lamented the arrest said there was no arrest warrant or invitation before the policemen stormed the church where Nwosu was arrested on Sunday. 

  former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, on Sunday, said his successor, Governor Hope Uzodinma must have lied against him and his family for the Inspector-General Of Police, Usman Baba to have ordered the police to arrest his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu.   

Okorocha, who lamented the arrest said there was no arrest warrant or invitation before the policemen stormed the church where Nwosu was arrested on Sunday. 

The senator representing Imo West Senatorial District also said the operatives of state police command invaded St Peter’s Anglican Church, Eziama Obieri in the Nkwerre Local Government Area of the state, pushed his wife, Nkechi, to the ground and tore the clothes of his first daughter, Uloma.

 

Okorocha who briefed journalists at his Spilbat mansion in Owerri, the state capital, alleged that the state governor, Uzodinma, deceived the police IG, Baba, into desecrating the church of worship by arresting Nwosu.

WATCH: Gunmen Abduct Former Imo Governorship Candidate Uche Nwosu During Church Service

•Nwosu is also Rochas Okorocha’s Son-in-law pic.twitter.com/ZTzjwy8zEX

— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) December 26, 2021

The former governor claimed the state government wanted to frame Nwosu because of his “non-performance.”

 

Okorocha said Uzodinma had not hidden his bitterness against him and the members of his household.

 

The senator said that he was waiting for the governor to name the sponsors of the insecurity in the state on January 3 or take responsibility for the killings in the state.

 

Okorocha urged the police to free his son-in-law or take him to court within the next 24 hours as enshrined in the constitution.

 

He also said that though the Commissioner of Police in the state, Rabiu Hussaini, had confirmed that Nwosu was being held in police custody, he had yet to establish contact with his son-in-law since he was arrested.

 

He said, “Uche Nwosu, my wife and daughter were at the church for an outing service, when a group of men in police uniform started shooting while the sermon was ongoing. 

 

"In the course of their activities, they pushed down my wife and tore my daughter’s clothes. No warrant of arrest. No invitation. We suspected kidnapping at first. Many people were injured while running. Uche Nwosu was dragged into a bus carrying Imo State Government number plate.

 

“They were identified as policemen from Imo State Government House by their colleagues attached to Uche for the burial (of his mother). I got the CP who said that the IGP approved his arrest.

 

“The shock of such an arrest without a warrant and humiliating members of my family is unfortunate. Most security operatives in Imo know nothing about the arrest. I don’t know what they framed up. 

 

"The IGP could only do this on high-level misinformation from Hope Uzodinma. Over 100 gunshots to arrest Uche Nwosu. What kind of ruthless behaviour on an innocent citizen of Nigeria?

 

“Uzodinma wants to frame me up by all means. Uzodinma has to answer for most of the activities going on. Uzodinma must mention the names of those who are responsible for insecurity in Imo State or he should be held responsible for all the killings in the state. 

 

"Uzodinma has framed up something against Uche Nwosu. Buhari should be informed about what is happening in Imo State. Hundreds of citizens are being killed in this state.”

BIAFRA NEWS : Ex-Imo Governor, Okorocha’s Son-in-law, Uche Nwosu Was Arrested, Not Kidnapped – Police

 

They shot indiscriminately to scare people away before whisking the former governorship candidate away.

VIDOE 

The Imo State Police Command has said a former governorship candidate in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, was arrested and not kidnapped by gunmen as earlier reported.

Nwosu is also the son-in-law of a former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha.

 

The Imo State Police Command has said a former governorship candidate in Imo State, Uche Nwosu, was arrested and not kidnapped by gunmen as earlier reported.

Nwosu is also the son-in-law of a former governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha.

WATCH: Gunmen Abduct Former Imo Governorship Candidate Uche Nwosu During Church Service

•Nwosu is also Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law

The incident occurred during the late Jemamah Nwosu’s Outing Service, which was also attended by the victim’s mother. However, the spokesperson for the state police command, Michael Abattam, told SaharaReporters that Nwosu was arrested and not kidnapped. He, however, did not state the reason for his arrest, saying the police would soon release a press statement on the issue. “Yes, I can confirm to you that he was arrested and not kidnapped. Don’t worry, I will soon release a press statement on it,” he said. SaharaReporters had reported how Nwosu and his family were at St Peter's Anglican Church on Boxing Day for a thanksgiving service when some gunmen in an Armoured Personnel Carrier and vans stormed the area. WATCH: Gunmen Abduct Former Imo Governorship Candidate Uche Nwosu During Church Service •Nwosu is also Rochas Okorocha’s Son-in-law pic.twitter.com/ZTzjwy8zEX They shot indiscriminately to scare people away before whisking the former governorship candidate away. It was learnt that his security operatives could only watch as Nwosu was being whisked away. Some residents had alleged that the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, had a hand in it but the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, has dismissed the allegation. He described the allegation as ridiculous.

BIAFRA NEWS : Nigerian Army Arrests Alleged IPOB/ESN Leader In Enugu After Shootout In Forest

 

 It said its troops of 82 Division in conjunction with other security agencies made the arrest while conducting Exercise Golden Dawn. 

 

The Nigerian Army has said it arrested one Godwin Nnamdi, an alleged leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the Nkanu East Local Government Area.

It said its troops of 82 Division in conjunction with other security agencies made the arrest while conducting Exercise Golden Dawn.

 

 

According to the army in a release on Sunday obtained by SaharaReporters, the IPOB leader was arrested during a joint clearance operation at a camp suspected to be the fortress of IPOB/ESN elements located at Akpowfu Forest in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Saturday.  

During the clearance operation, troops engaged the ESN gunmen in a gunfight, compelling them to take to their heels and leading to the arrest of their leader.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, said, "Troops of 82 Division Nigerian Army (NA) in conjunction with other security agencies while conducting Exercise GOLDEN DAWN have arrested one Godwin Nnamdi, a  notorious leader of the proscribed  Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Nkanu East Local Government Area.

"The IPOB leader was arrested during joint clearance operations at a camp suspected to be the fortress of IPOB/ESN elements located at Akpowfu Forest in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, on Saturday, December 25, 2021. 

"During the clearance operation, troops engaged the dissidents in a fire fight compelling them to take to their heels, leading to the arrest of their leader.

"Troops recovered various items including one AK 47 rifle, one magazine containing 21 rounds of 7. 62 mm Special, one handset amongst others.

 "The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya, while commending troops for the successes recorded thus far, charged them to comb and clear all suspected hideouts of criminal elements in their Area of Responsibility."

BIAFRA NEWS : We'll Sign Electoral Act Into Law, Speaker Of House Of Representatives, Gbajabiamila, Says

 

Gbajabiamila said that federal lawmakers will assent to the bill despite President Muhammadu Buhari failing to do so. 

 Gbajabiamila said that federal lawmakers will assent to the bill despite President Muhammadu Buhari failing to do so. 

 

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Gbajabiamila gave the assurance while speaking with journalists after a meeting with President Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

 

The Speaker, who met the President alongside Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, said, “We will do what is right for the Nigerian people. And I made it very clear that we’re not going to throw away the baby with the bathwater.

 

“Nigerians want it and Nigerians will get it. We may have tarried a little while.

 

“But by the time we come back, at least as far as the House, and I’m sure the Senate as well, will be the first thing on our agenda. The very week we come back from recess.’’

 

He, however, dismissed reports that members of the two chambers of the National Assembly had commenced collection of signatures to counter President Buhari’s refusal to assent to the electoral amendment bill.

 

He said, “I’m not aware of any such as at least not in my chambers. We’re on a break right now, a collection of signatures is not something that is done when we’re on break, when everybody’s scattered!

 

“What I said very clearly, I made it abundantly clear at our last sitting, that we will look at the President’s veto and his reasons. And when we come back, it’s not something we’re going to do on a knee jerk.

 

“When we come back from our recess, there’s still ample time, we will decide one way or the other. Which way to go, the options are there."

 

Lawan, who also addressed journalists, revealed that the recently passed 2022 appropriation bill of N17.13trillion would be transmitted to the President by next week for signing.

 

He said, “We’re very optimistic. In fact, we’re very sure that Mr President will sign the bill into an act of the National Assembly next week by the grace of God. And this is the way we should always work together."