Saturday 30 April 2016

STOP THIS MADNESS! ; Fulani herdsmen, Bishop. Very Rev. Prof. Igwebuike Onah




(A Press Statement following the Massacre of Innocent Citizens in Nimbo, by Suspected Fulani Herdsmen)
«A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly: it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted for her children, because they are no more» (Jer 31: 15).
 

This passage from the Prophet Jeremiah captures the present mood in Nsukka and, especially, in the hitherto quiet and peaceful farming community of Nimbo in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area. When the news broke about the massacre of innocent, unarmed and defenseless citizens of Nimbo in the early hours of Monday 25 April by invading armed militants, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, the first question that popped into my mind was: "Again?" This was because similar stories had been heard from many parts of the country in recent times, including Abbi, another community in our Diocese, also in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area. The news of the attack was soon followed by a flood of human beings fleeing their homes and emptying into the urban centre of Nsukka, many of them scantily clad women clutching only their babies. Wailing filled the air as vans brought in lifeless bodies of persons who were slaughtered like animals for the crime of having been found in their homes or on the way to their farms. Such scenes sent the minds of the older ones back to similar scenes in 1966, when our people had to flee the places they had considered their homes in other parts of the country, as a result of the first ethnic cleansing in modem African history. The big difference now, 50 years after, is that we are being chased out of our homes in our own land, from our own farms, from our Churches, from our schools and from our village markets. As our people say, if a man is pursued from outside, he runs into his house; but when he is pursued from his house, he has no place to run to.
 

The most painful aspect of the Nimbo massacre is that it was announced, expected and executed without inhibition - in broad daylight! The State Government is reported to have made attempts to provide security in the area prior to the incident. But what those who lost their dear ones (especially those little babies now blankly staring into an uncertain future, because their fathers have been senselessly murdered) and all of us want to know is why, as the reports go, the security forces "tactically" withdrew shortly before the attack and why, when they later returned to the scene, there was no attempt to immediately pursue and arrest the perpetrators. 

At present, nobody can say with certainty the number of those killed, given that more of those who were badly wounded are still dying and some bodies are still being recovered from the bush where the people had been killed while taking refuge. Today, Ni.nbo is like a ghost town. It is equally disturbing that whereas the invading militants killed and maimed anybody they could find, the only houses they attacked were Christian religious houses. They burnt the house of one Pastor and from there headed straight to the residence of the Catholic Priest, where they attempted to bum the house but could not, since they did not find any petrol in the car and a motorcycle parked there, in the generator, and in the containers. When their attempt to break into the house also failed, they fired gunshots into the rooms, in an attempt to kill all those whom they suspected were hiding inside. And we are forced to ask: If these men were only herdsmen, why did they particularly single out Churches for their attack?
 

Nsukka people are peace-loving people. Why would anybody single them out for this type of massacre? In the name of God, I appeal to my peace-loving people to please remain law abiding and not to take the law into their hands. But even as I do this, I hear them asking aloud: Are there really any laws in this country guaranteeing the safety of our life and property even in our homes? If there are, is there anybody out there ready to enforce them? Or has this become a lawless country where violent persons can kidnap and kill, rob and rape innocent citizens in their homes, on the road, in their farms, at any time of the day or night, unhindered? How are we supposed to react to these threats to our very survival as a people when the Federal Government, who controls the security agencies, seems unwilling to protect us and the State Government appears incapable of defending us, since it has no control over these agencies? Our young people are asking us why the Police and the Armed Forces of the Federal Government are so swift and sometimes so high-handed in their reaction when unarmed persons march the streets in protest in the South East and so heavy - footed when it comes to stopping the massacre of the South Easterners anywhere in the country, even in their own homes. They are asking whether Boko Haram has actually been weakened or has only been redeployed from the North East to the South East. And we are scratching our heads in vain for the correct answers.

While we wait for these answers, we shout a loud and an absolute "NO!" to any form of violence even in the face of this persistent provocation. Reprisal attacks are not the answer. They are wrong; they are unlawful; they are un-Christian. Besides, we should not give the Police and the Army any excuses for adding to our woes, as they are sure to respond rapidly to any perceived form of aggression on our part.

We appreciate the position taken by President Muhammadu Buhari on this latest war-like attack on a peaceful community and hope that his directives will be carried out promptly. Protection of life and property of citizens is the primary responsibility of government and every other act of governance would lose its meaning if this was not guaranteed. We are consoled by what the President said. But only concrete actions can lead to the return of normalcy in the community. Nimbo and its neighboring communities are among the few remaining farming communities in our area and the herdsmen had earlier chased the people out of their larger farms. The rains have just started and they had begun work in the smaller farms nearer to their homes. And even from there too they have now been chased out. It is sad that in these hard times, when many have been crushed by the harsh economic conditions in the country, in addition to the loss of loved ones, many of our people are now homeless and all of us will also face the problem of acute food shortage in the near future.

We call on the Federal Government not only to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the massacre as well as their sponsors and collaborators, as the President has directed, but also to disarm all those who carry assault rifles publicly when they have no permission to bear arms. Some people predicted that Nigeria would be a failed State by the year 2015. All of us heaved a sigh of relief after the general elections and the smooth hand over last year. But any further delay in dealing with this and similar cases all over the country may lead those who made that prediction to affirm that its realization has only been delayed not avoided. If these incessant attacks and raids going on in many parts of the country are not stopped immediately, it may happen that by the time our President has won the war against corruption, there will no longer be any Nigeria left for him to govern.

We thank Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for the efforts ne made to prevent the tragedy and for his timely interventions after, without which more lives would certainly have been lost. We expect, however, that he will use the tools at his disposal to prevent its reoccurrence in any part of the State and to find out why, despite his efforts and prior information, the security agents failed to protect the lives of innocent citizens. To our Senator Chuka Utazi, we say "Gbagaa!", in ail the meanings of that word, for what he has been and done for his people during this time of crisis. We also thank the Inspector General of Police Solomon Arase, for promptly visiting Nimbo and for promising to bring those responsible for the massacre to book. But we are forced to wonder whether it does not bother him that some herdsmen in this country are better armed than some of our Policemen. Does it mean that the lives of cattle in some parts of the country are worth more than the lives of human beings in some other parts?

The Catholic Diocese of Nsukka is in mourning for her dead children and in pains for the displaced ones. We are also living in fear because we do not know where and when the armed militants will strike next. In the meantime, we shall do what we can to offer some help to the displaced persons, relying on the usual generosity of our people. But we have absolute faith in the abiding presence of God among us. In these difficult and trying times, all of us, especially those who have lost dear ones, should know that God is even nearer to us than we thought. Let us turn to him in prayer, asking him to receive our dead ones in his kingdom and heal our bleeding hearts. We direct that Masses and prayers be offered in all the Churches in the Diocese next Sunday, while awaiting the detailed programme for our prayer in this period which will be announced later. As good Christians, we should, like our Lord Jesus Christ, pray for these who persecute and kill us: «Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing» (Lk 23:34). We also pray for those whose responsibility it is to protect and defend us. We are sure that in no distant time we shall also hear the voice of the Lord saying to us: «Stop your weeping dry your eyes ... There is hope for your future after all ... your children will return to their homeland» (Jer 31: 16-17).

Nigeria is a country richly blessed by God with abundant human and natural resources. For decades we have continued to senselessly slaughter ourselves, squander our resources and destroy our environment. We call on all to please stop this madness, so that, as a people, we may realize our full potentials for the benefit of all and to the glory of God.

Godfrey Igwebuike ONAH
(Catholic Bishop of Nsukka)
Friday 29 April 2016

Thursday 28 April 2016

NIGERIA’S SECOND GENOCIDE ON BIAFRA AUTHORIZED BY MUHAMMADU BUHARI:







Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari has authorized a second genocide on Biafra, having directly participated in the first genocide of 1967—1970. In 1968, Buhari and his co-soldiers slaughtered over two million Biafrans at Owerri and most of those massacred were women and children. In 2016, Buhari has embarked on a second genocide on Biafrans under the guise of Fulani Herdsmen.
 

These killer squads have already massacred thousands in Agatu in Biafraland. Between 25th and 27th of April 2016, over one thousand Biafrans in Enugu were murdered by Buhari’s Fulani Herdsmen. Not satisfied by the numerous bloodsheds, Buhari’s blood-thirsty Fulani Herdsmen moved over to Delta State and killed hundreds of Biafrans. In all these killings Buhari, who was quick to sympathize with the government and people of Belgium when terrorists killed a few people there, never uttered a word in repudiation of the heinous crimes committed by his acolytes. Even the Department of State Services (DSS), who gleefully reported the discovery of bodies of five dead Fulani men (but only named four of them) buried in mass graves, have been silent on the ongoing genocide on Biafrans, which is contrary to section-2(3a) of CAP 74 LFN 2004.
 

The lameduck Governors of all the States in Biafraland remain hopeless, helpless, and useless in the face of Buhari’s men onslaught on defenceless Biafrans. It will be recalled that these are the same State Governors who connived with Buhari and his murderous security agencies to kill Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) peaceful protesters. Today, the same slave masters from the North led by Buhari are killing Biafrans but this time under the guise of Fulani Herdsmen. Yet, the same Governors who ordered IPOB peaceful protesters to be shot at sight for merely agitating are now impotent before the marauding band of stark illiterate and brainless cattle herders from Buhari’s tribe.
 

Following the helplessness of these lameduck Governors is the cowardly silence of those from Biafraland who call themselves elites, party chieftains, elder statesmen, and members of the highly compromised and moribund organization known as Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
It goes without saying that these genocidal killings can never be tolerated in the Northern or Western regions of Nigeria and if it happened by accident, the elites, the elder statesmen and regional organizations such as OPC, YCE, ACF, NEF and others will be in the forefront of demands for immediate stoppage of the carnage and the institution of panel of enquires in addition to compensation of affected victims.
 

A few days ago, a group of old men led by a former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo paid brown-envelop journalists to publish in the newspapers that they are the leaders of IPOB. But these old men have remained blind, deaf, and dumb in the face of the recent genocidal acts committed by Buhari’s killer squads on the people they are supposed to be leading. If truly they are leaders of Biafra, then why have they remained silent when their people are being slaughtered like animals?
 

But the fact is, be it Buhari and his criminal gangs masquerading as Fulani Herdsmen or the congenitally chicken-livered lameduck Governors in Biafralnd or is it the cowardly Biafran elites and money-minded Ohanaeze Ndigbo members, there is an ongoing genocide in Biafraland which is a repeat of previous genocide of 1967-1970. The world must take notice that Biafrans are on the verge of being exterminated and the supervisor of this extermination exercise is no other than Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari. At the appropriate time, Buhari and his co-killers must pay for their heinous crimes against humanity.
 

It may take a while but at the end of it all, Buhari and his murderous crew shall never escape justice!!!!
 


Signed
Barrister Emma Nmezu Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya
Spokesperson for IPOB Spokesperson for IPOB WORLD WIDE.

Thursday 14 April 2016

BREAKING! 8 human right abuse case files opened against the Nigerian government at ICC.



AS INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT (ICC) BEGIN THIS INVESTIGATION ONE OF THEM BEING THE CASE FILE BY ‪#‎IPOB‬, WE ARE OF HOPE THAT ‪#‎HITLERBUHARI‬ AND HIS CRIMINAL MURDERERS WILL CERTAINLY BE ARRAIGN IN ‪#‎HAGUE‬ FOR TRIAL AND NOTHING WILL STOP THEM BEING CONVICTED BECAUSE EVIDENCE OF THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ARE ABOUND:

8 case files opened against Nigeria at ICC


Eight cases of human rights abuses are pending against Nigeria at the International Criminal Court at the Hague.

A delegation from the office of Madame Fatou Bensouda, the Prosecutor, International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague was in Abuja on Wednesday in connection with the cases. The delegation intended to investigate them as part of the assessment of the Nigerian situation.

Six of the alleged cases were committed by the Boko Haram sect while the remaining two are by the Nigerian Armed Forces.

It was not clear whether a recent filing by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria alleging the genocide of Nigeria’s military against its defenceless members, was among.

Minister of Justice and attorney-general, Abubakar Malami during a meeting with the ICC delegation, expressed the Nigerian government’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of human rights, including during counter insurgency operations in the country.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Salihu Isah, the minister assured the delegation that Nigeria had high value for its relationship with the ICC.

Malami said that the Nigerian Army has conducted its operations in the North East region of the country in a highly professional manner, imbibing best practices in the areas of international human rights.

He also said that he was aware of the eight case files against Nigeria.

He insisted that Nigeria had the prerogative rights in handling the alleged crimes referred to in the prosecutor’s 2015 report of activities in the country.

“Let me reiterate that Nigeria retains the sovereign capacity to investigate and punish the alleged crimes referred to in the report and will therefore continue present efforts in the above direction.’’

He however solicited the support and understanding of ICC and the international community especially in regards to the conduct of the affairs of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Responding, the leader of delegation, Mr. Phakiso Choko, said that the prosecutor did not intend to compromise the sovereign rights of Nigeria in investigating crimes and meting out punishment.

He said that most cases referred to the ICC were the ones host nations were unable to resolve through internal mechanism.

The prosecutor, through the delegation expressed support and willingness to work with Nigeria in addressing all identified crimes and criminality against humanity.

Wednesday 13 April 2016

19YR OLD BIAFRAN GIRL IS BEING CHARGED FOR TREASON IN PORT-HARCOURT



#WhatHasSheDone?
Just for working for an IPOB member.

Yesterday being the 12 of April, Miss AMUCHE DESTINY a Nineteen(19yr) Old Biafran from Orlu Local Governement Area Of Imo State, was arraigned in FEDERAL HIGH COURT 3 PORTHARCOURT. Miss Amuche was unlawfully detained on the 10th of November 2015,from the Shop where she works as a Sales Girl,following the peaceful protest of the Indigenous People Of Biafra and was charged for Treasonable Felony. Amuche Destiny who is presently an orphan,after loosing her Father some years back before her unlawful detention,she lost her Mother who is presently in the Mortuary.

Following an interview granted by Destiny Amuche's immediate Elder Brother Master Success Amuche to Ibeh Gift Amarachi of Family Writers,he stated; "Amuche is my Younger Sister and she is Nineteen(19) of age,who was unlawfully detained in the Shop were she works as a Sales Girl,on the 10th of November 2015 when the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) had a peaceful protest. Destiny went to work and never joined the peaceful protest,but was arrested in the Shop because her Boss is a member of Ipob. My Family had no idea of her way about,until a Church member saw her picture on the newspaper and then gave us the report of our missing Sister. It hurts my Family so much,as presently my Elder Brother Micheal Amuche have suddenly developed mental issues,as he can't take the news of our little Sister suffering in that dungeon they call PortHarcourt Maximum Prison. I plead that the World,will allow Justice prevail".

The case was adjourned to 25th of May 2016,which means this Nineteen year Old Girl will still be rottening away in PortHarcourt Maximum Prison till then.

It is paramount to state that,this 19year Old Innocent Girl was not caught protesting,but was arrested and have been detained in PortHarcourt Maximum Prison November 2015 upon till today,because she works for her Boss who joined the Ipob peaceful protest. Nigeria is the only uncivilised Country where Peaceful Protest is prohibited and tagged Treason. Your human right is been violated and spat on. You have no right to let the Government of Nigeria know,how you feel over the barbaric and inhumane acts against you and the poor masses,if done you will be charged for treason,arrested and in most occasions assassinated. We are calling on the World,to let Justice prevail.

Ibeh Gift Amarachi reporting for Family Writers

Monday 11 April 2016

KAYODE: Prepare for War - The murder of the Fulani: Yugoslavia unfolding.



The Department of State Security (DSS) have claimed that five Fulani herdsmen were abducted, killed and buried in a mass grave by members of IPOB in Abia state a few days ago. They have also claimed that there were up to fifty more bodies in that mass grave and that they are all Fulani.

The implications of this announcement is obvious. It will create more tension and fear in the land and it will lead to reprisal killings in the north. Violence is never the way out and I have always believed that it has no place in any civilized society. Yet what I find curious about this announcement is the fact that it is unique and historic.

I say this because thousands of Igbos, Yorubas, Niger-Deltans and Middle Belters have been killed by Fulani militants and herdsmen over the last ten months since President Buhari came to power yet the DSS has never announced it and told the country about the details and ethnic identities of the victims.

When one thousand Shiite Muslims were slaughtered in Zaria and buried in mass graves the DSS did not speak. When five hundred Idomas were massacred in Agatu by Fulani militants the DSS did not speak.

When hundreds of southern and Middle Belt farms were raided by AK-47-wielding Fulani herdsmen who murdered, raped, burnt down and took over the land of their victims the DSS never gave us details of the victims or made any announcements.

When our leaders in the south were kidnapped and when men witnessed their wives and children being raped and butchered by the Fulani militias before their very eyes the DSS made no announcements.

When the International Terror Index told the world that the Fulani militias in Nigeria are the "fourth most deadly terror organization in the world" the DSS said nothing and neither did they give us details about their activities or their victims.

Worse of all is the fact that our government and our President, who himself happens to be a Fulani, has never deemed it fit or necessary to condemn the activities of the Fulani herdsmen and militants and neither have they expressed any sympathy or displayed any empathy for their many victims.

Let me be clear: the murder of anyone, regardless of their ethnicity or faith, is unacceptable to me. I deplore murder and violence and in my view the killing of one innocent soul diminishes the humanity of every single one of us as a community and nation.

However it seems curious that the minute that Fulanis are killed in the east the DSS is quick to rise to the occasion and express concern about it whilst they do not express the same concern when Nigerians from other ethnic nationalities are killed by the Fulani in their own homes and land.

Therein lies the double standard and it is sad and unfortunate. Furthermore not only is it very dangerous but it also confirms the view that our government and security agencies are not only partial but that they are also attempting to implement an ethnic and religious agenda.

Three questions must be answered: firstly who is funding the Fulani herdsmen and where do they get their weapons from? Secondly why does our government not only turn a blind eye to the mass murder and genocide that they regularly indulge in but also go out of their way to protect them?

And thirdly why do the government and security agencies have so much hatred and contempt for those that the Fulani regularly target and their victims and why do they believe that those victims do not deserve to enjoy the full protection of the Nigerian Federal Government?

Could it be because they are regarded as slaves and second class citizens? Is Fulani blood and are Fulani lives more important than others? Indeed do non-Fulani lives matter in President Buhari's Nigeria?

Are we compelled to begin a ‘’non-Fulani lives matter’’ movement which is based and fashioned on the ‘’Black Lives Matter’’ movement in the United States of America before we can draw the attention of the world to what is going on in our country?

Is it not obvious and logical that when the security agencies refuse to protect the citizens from the murderous hordes and herdsmen from hell those citizens will eventually seek to protect themselves and go on the offensive? That is human nature and it is to be expected.

Is it not clear to those in power that when a people are convinced that their government is no longer impartial in any conflict and that the security agencies of that government have been directed to go out of their way to actively and openly support those that constantly and regularly slaughter their people it will eventually lead to open war?

Is it so difficult to accept the fact that no government and no force from hell or on earth can compel or intimidate a man into lying down passively and silently watch his family, loved ones and kinsmen being butchered and slaughtered morning, day and night without trying to protect them and without indulging in some form of retaliation?

With the sort of things that are going on in our country today it is time to tell ourselves some home-truths. No-one wishes to accept it let alone say it but sadly war will come to Nigeria again within the next few years. I do not want war and I consider it to be the ultimate evil but I am constrained to speak the truth and say things as I see them.

The fact that a war is coming is a testimony to the fact that we have all failed to manage the peace that God has given us since 1970 and the cessation of hostilities after our brutal civil war. We have failed so badly that the remote and immediate causes of that civil war are back with us today even though we hate to admit or acknowledge it.

Our country is like Yugoslavia unfolding before it exploded and violently broke into five separate countries. All the signs are there. Anyone that knows about the history of Yugoslavia or that is a student of world history will agree with me and appreciate what I am saying.

Consider the dangerous mix. A crumbling economy. An inept, weak, failing and paranoid government. A hungry, angry and increasingly desperate civilian population. An ignorant, obsessive, arrogant, insensitive, corrupt and self-absorbed political class who are out of touch with reality.

The ruthless implementation of an ethnic and religious agenda by a reckless and irresponsible government that refuses to consider the implications of taking such a course of action and that have an early-1960’s mind-set. The growing unrest, ethnic killings and sectarian murders.

An ethnic and religious division within the Armed Forces and security agencies. A relentless clamp-down on and persecution of the opposition and all dissenting voices by the government and the use of fear as a tool of governance and control.

The entering into a secret and covert treaty and military alliance with a group of Arab Sunni Muslim countries that seek to Islamise our country, that have, over the years, funded the most brutal and barbaric jihadist and radical Islamist terrorist organisations all over the world and that seek to impugn our national integrity and violate the secularity of our state.

The constant and open abuse of power. The impunity and insensitivity of the Buhari administration to the plight of the masses. The hunger, hardship, poverty and suffering in the land. The failure of the government to get rid of the fuel queues and supply electrical power.

The demonisation of peaceful and law-abiding self-determination groups and the unlawful incarceration of their leaders. The breach of the constitutional rights of the citizens and the ignoring of court orders and judicial processes by the government.

The attempt to intimidate and control the Judiciary and Legislature by the government and so much more. The list goes on and on and history proves that such a mixture of circumstances is dangerous and can only lead to open conflict if not halted.

The country is badly divided today and the people are suffering as never before. The division and hatred amongst some of our ethnic groups has reached pre-civil war levels.

We in the south must prepare for the worse and not be found wanting when the trouble starts. That is my greatest fear.

We must not end up like the Bosnians of Bosnia-Herzogovina did during the Yugoslavian civil war in the European Balkans in the late 1980's right up until 1992.

They were the only ethnic group in Yugoslavia that was not prepared for it when the war started. They had no arms, no plan, no allies and no fall back position.

When the fighting started they were caught unawares and for two years they suffered immeasurably for their stupidity and naivety whilst their people were killed like flies and their women and children were raped and enslaved. God forbid this should happen to our people.

The reason that they suffered for two years was because there was an international arms embargo placed on all the ethnic groups and warring militias and armies in Yugoslavia when the war started.

And sadly the Bosnians were the only ones that did not buy and stockpile arms in preparation for war months and years before it actually broke out.

Plagued by a cowardly and weak-minded ruling elite and a naive, self-serving, servile, ignorant and intellectually-challenged middle class the Bosnians just kept talking, writing newspaper articles, appeasing the aggressors and their tormentors, praying and hoping for peace whilst all the other ethnic and religious groups and warring parties were quietly preparing for war. Sounds familiar?

They suffered immensely for their lack of understanding, insight and foresight and their civilian population paid a heavy price. For two years after the civil war started the Bosnians could not even buy a gun or bullet to defend themselves. Their towns were besieged and blown up whilst their women and children were raped, enslaved and butchered.

Their men were rounded up into Second World War-like Nazi concentration camps and starved and tortured to death and their dignity and self-respect was taken from them. They were turned into an internally-displaced people and their land was transformed into a sea of desperate and suffering refugees.

It was a nightmare from hell and suffering on this scale had not been seen on European soil since the First and Second World Wars.

It was after the international community silently watched them being slaughtered by their Serbian and Croatian compatriots for two long years that they were compelled, as a consequence of pressure from the people of the world and on moral and humanitarian grounds, to lift the arms embargo on them so that they could buy arms to defend themselves.

The war dragged on for more years after that but at least the Bosnians, though two years late, were now able to fight back and defend themselves.

It took the intervention of NATO, the bombing of Belgrade by the international community led by the Americans and the eventual break-up of the entire country into five pieces to stop the carnage and barbarity of the Serbs and eventually bring the civil war to an end.

It was during that war that the term "ethnic cleansing" was first used by CNN to describe what was being done by the Serbs to the Bosnians, the Croats, the Slovenians, the Kosovars, the Macedonians and the Monte Negrans, all of whom represented the other ethnic groups that made up the old Yugoslavia.

Eventually the country broke up and each of them got their independence from the dominant Serbs and from one another.

If such a thing could have happened in the heart of Europe in the early 1990's why on earth would any reasonably intelligent person dismiss the notion that it can happen here?

The only difference would be that if such a thing were to ever unfold in our country it would be far worse than what happened in Yugoslavia due to the sheer size of our population.

The signs are already there and it is left for us to recognize them and prepare ourselves for the worse or to ignore them and, like the Bosnians, eventually pay a very heavy price. I pray that I am wrong but as far as I am concerned, for Nigeria, the bell is tolling. May the Lord deliver us.

Sunday 10 April 2016

(IPOB) Press Release: THE UNSUCCESSFUL FRAMING UP OF IPOB AS A VIOLENT AND TERRORIST GROUP: BUHARI AND DSS SHOULD TRY HARDER NEXT TIME


Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari and his Gestapo Organization called Department of State Services (DSS), henceforth referred to as “Gestapo-DSS“, have once again failed in their attempts to portray the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a violent and terrorist group. In their latest but poorly written statement titled “DSS Official Statement on Barnawi and IPOB“, the Gestapo-DSS stated that: “the Service has uncovered the heinous role played by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), in the abduction/kidnap of five Hausa-Fulani residents, namely Mohammed GAINAKO, Ibrahim MOHAMMED, Idris YAKUBU, and Isa Mohammed RAGO at Isuikwuato LGA in Abia State.” They further noted that: “The abducted men were later discovered at the Umuanyi forest, Abia State, where they were suspected to have been killed by their abductors and buried in shallow graves, amidst fifty (50) other shallow graves of unidentified persons. Arrest and investigation conducted so far, revealed that elements within the IPOB, carried out this dastardly action.”

To drive home their evil intentions, the murderous Gestapo-DSS asserted that: “It is pertinent therefore to alert the general public that IPOB, is gradually showing its true divisive colour and objectives, while steadily embarking on gruesome actions in a bid to ignite ethnic terrorism and mistrust amongst non-indigenes in the South-East region and other parts of the country. Following this act, tension is currently rife among communal stakeholders in the State with possibilities of spillover to other parts of country“

Sadly, Buhari and his Gestapo-DSS have come too late to the party because the world is already aware of their plans as earlier revealed through IPOB‘s statement dated September 9, 2015 and titled: “ PERSISTENT TERRORIST ATTACKS ON BIAFRANS BY THE NIGERIAN STATE.”

The aforementioned IPOB‘s statement is posted at the end of this Press Release to remind Buhari and his Gestapo-DSS that IPOB knew ahead of time, what they have up their sleeves. But apart from IPOB’s proactive warning, it is important to analyze this red-herring being drawn by Buhari and his Gestapo-DSS.

First, on the website of the Gestapo-DSS, they stated thus: “We are obligated by law to investigate the following;

Threat of espionage

Threat of espionage

Threat of sabotage

Economic crimes of national security dimension

Terrorist activities

Separatist agitations and inter-group conflicts.“

But all the claims above are at variance with Section-2(3) of CAP74 LFN 2004 which is the law that established and empowers the Gestapo-DSS. Above all, it is not the duty of the Gestapo-DSS to investigate and make conclusive statements on civilian abduction and murder cases but rather, it is the duty of the Homicide Department of the Nigeria Police Force under the Force/State Criminal Investigation Department (FCID or SCID) and the office of the Director of Coroner’s Inquest of the State in question. Therefore, structurally and mandate-wise on this occasion, the Gestapo-DSS is a fraud and their claims/activities are equally fraudulent.

Now, we come to the their statement; How did the Gestapo-DSS come to the conclusion that it was IPOB members that perpetrated the said crime? Why was it so easy to identify the five Hausa-Fulani victims by names while they were unable to identify the name of atleast one person out of the other fifty victims? Are they saying that only Hausa-Fulani people can be easily identified by names? Who conducted the “arrest and investigation“ and when was it done? By the way, where are the pictorial and video evidences of the claims by the Gestapo-DSS in comparison to the pictures and video footages provided by IPOB when Buhari killed dozens of Biafrans on February 9, 2016 and for which Buhari cowardly refused to watch the video footage during an interview with Al Jazeera’s Martine Dennis?

It is clear to everyone that Buhari and his Gestapo-DSS are bereft of any strategy to quell the rising profile of IPOB and the growing resoluteness of Biafrans to restore their God-ordained nation of Biafra despite extra-judicial killings, intimidations, blackmail, monetary inducements to Ohaneze Ndigbo and allied groups, and sundry evil acts perpetrated by state agents. On the other hand, the Gestapo-DSS have realized that they are on the losing side of the legal proceedings that they initiated against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB. They have rather resorted to concocting stories of abduction and killing and have subtly introduced the word “Terrorism“ so that they will hopefully make it stick on IPOB and then get Buhari to proclaim IPOB a violent and terrorist organization.

One of the reasons behind this ill-fated statement by the Gestapo-DSS is to give them the opportunity to go to court and cite Section-62(2) of CAP38 LFN 2004, which is the missing piece in the second charge against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. But they have failed woefully. Another reason is to give justifications to any upcoming genocidal killing of Biafrans in the Northern (Arewa nation) part of Nigeria, having laid the grounds for reprisal killing of those from the Igbo-speaking areas of Biafraland residing in Arewa portion of Nigeria. Therefore, IPOB is once again alerting the world of the evil plans of Buhari and his Gestapo-DSS in which they want to tag Biafrans as violent and terrorists.

We urge the public to disregard this hogwash statement from the Gestapo-DSS because it lacks credibility, it is not from the constitutionally/legally authorized source, and it is intended to achieve the twin objectives of classifying IPOB as a terrorist organization and satisfying Section-62(2) CAP38 LFN 2004.

Signed

Barrister Emma Nmezu Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya

Spokesperson for IPOB Spokesperson for IPOB

Thursday 7 April 2016

INTERSOCIETY releases NAMES AND DETAILS of IPOB members allegedly butchered and dumped by soldiers across River Niger



The International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (INTERSOCIETY) on Thursday 7th April made good its promise of two days ago to release detailed information concerning “the shooting, abduction, murdering and dumping in Onitsha General Hospital Mortuary of some jubilant members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by soldiers of the Onitsha Military Cantonment led by Col Issah Abdullahi.”

The group said in a statement issued in Onitsha, signed by Board Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi, Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law Programme, Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esq., and Head, Campaign & Publicity Department, Uzochukwu Oguejiofor Esq.: “The dastardly act was perpetrated on 17th of December 2015 at the Onitsha Niger Bridgehead in Anambra State, Southeast of Nigeria.

“We had earlier reported that not less than 80 members and supporters of the IPOB were shot and killed by the security forces, which also shot and terminally maimed over 170 others particularly in the Southeast and the South-south zones. The shootings and killings took place between 30th of August 2015 and 9th of February 2016 during nonviolent and peaceful protests and processions associated with nonviolent pro Biafra agitation. While the killings are concentrated in three locations of Onitsha/Awka, Aba and Igweocha (Rivers State); the shootings and their victims are majorly found in five locations of Onitsha/Awka, Asaba, Enugu, Aba and Igweocha (Rivers State). The Nigerian Army accounts for 65% of the culpability, while the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy Command account for 30% and 5% respectively.

“The crude State violence used was fueled by pronouncements to that effect by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai and retiring IGP, Solomon Arase. The pronouncements, which were widely publicized in local and international visual, audio-visual and online media; specifically directed their sub commanders and subordinates to use  maximum force and other available means to crush any peaceful procession or protest associated with pro Biafra agitation.

“Apart from the shootings and killings, hundreds of IPOB/pro Biafra activists and their supporters particularly in the South-south and the Southeast zones are presently languishing in various prisons across the country after being arraigned in inferior courts that do not have jurisdictional competence to try them in spurious charges of capital felonies leveled against them. Such felonies carry death penalty and life imprisonment on conviction. This segment of the dastardly act is solely perpetrated by the Nigeria Police Force; in addition to indiscriminate arrest and arbitrary detention of members and supporters of the group using criminal stigmatization by labeling them “Biafra members”. Torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment is also a routine and commonly used by soldiers, navy and police personnel in the treatment of arrested and detained IPOB activists. There are also cases of disappearances of IPOB/pro Biafra activists and supporters. In Abia State and between the State and Rivers State, corpses of unarmed citizens suspected to be IPOB/pro Biafra activists and their supporters are indiscriminately dumped in burrow pits or buried in shallow graves. While 16 dead bodies were recently discovered in two locations in Aba and environs, there is also latest discovery of eight more corpses in a pit in the border town of Etche in Rivers State. The area is located between Abia, Imo and Rivers states.

“According to Comrade Michael Okoro, an IPOB official in Abia State and a resident of Aba, “I went to the abandoned site last week where the eight corpses were dumped and I saw them.  We strong suspect that those eight new corpses dumped in Etche Community are members of our organization (IPOB) arrested in their homes and other locations as well as those arrested by soldiers since 9th of February 2016 at Ngwa High School, who were moved to the Ohafia Military Barracks. One of those arrested on that day and taken to Ohafia Barracks alongside others, got freed recently on account of his father’s wealth and connections. It was from him and other reliable resources that we gathered that even up till now, our members are still there while others whereabouts are unknown till date. It is possible they are taken to those secret places alive and executed. Families whose loved ones have gone missing on account of IPOB nonviolent protests in Aba are too afraid to speak out”. This expressly suggests that the Nigerian Army in the area dominated by soldiers of Hausa-Fulani stock is engaged in systematic and secret execution of those in their captivity, after which they are sparsely dumped in pits or buried in mass graves.

“Pretrial Arbitrary Detention Of IPOB Officials: Twenty officials (20) and members of the IPOB from Abia, Imo and Rivers States who were arrested by the Abia State Police Command since 9th of February 2016 during the shooting and killing of 22 IPOB activists and injuring of over 30 others at Ngwa High School in Aba are still languishing in Umuahia Prisons. They were arraigned in inferior court (Magistrate Court 1) in Umuahia, which lacks jurisdiction to try them over capital felonies slammed on them; following which they were sent to prisons as “awaiting trial detainees” and till date, their trial has not commenced. While 16 of them were arrested on 9th of February 2016, four others have been in pretrial detention since January 2016. Their names are (1) Ugwoha Okechukwu, (2) Okechukwu Nnebedum, (3)Donatus O. Okeke, (4) John Onyebuchi, (5) Ifeanyi Okike, (6) Amos Nkemjika Ezekiel, (7) Joseph Okorie, (8)Ani Chimezie, (9)Jude Amiche, (10) Emeka Ezeugo, (11)Igwechukwu Ebuka,(12)Monday Ibenji, (13) Okwudili Okafor, (14) Nnabuike Obasi, (15) Ngozi Onuorah (she is married with five children), (16) Nwogu Ginikachi  and (17) Nwogu Eberechi (sisters), (18) Chibuzor Okpara, (19) Oluchukwu Bekee (she is married with a kid) and (20) Nnene Ekwueme (she is married with six children).

“Summary of the Butchery across the Niger: Clusters as well as extensive nonviolent protests and processions by IPOB/pro Biafra activists and their teeming supporters were between 30th of August and 2nd of December 2015 organised in Anambra State particularly in Onitsha and environs; followed by Nnewi, Ekwulobia and Awka. Other than that of 30th of August and that of 2nd of December 2015; there were no reports of casualties and gunshot wounds. In the 30th of August 2015 nonviolent protest near the Awka Government House embarked upon by the women wing of IPOB, some of them sustained wounds inflicted on them by police personnel attached to Awka Government House. In the 2nd of December 2015 large protest in Onitsha and environs, the security forces (police, army and navy) shot and killed at least 13 IPOB/pro Biafra activists and their supporters and terminally maimed over 20 others. In the two protests under reference, not less than 13 IPOB/pro Biafra activists and their supporters were shot and killed and over 24 others terminally maimed. In the entire shootings and killings associated with IPOB/pro Biafra nonviolent protests, processions and jubilations in Anambra State, over 27 IPOB activists and supporters were killed by security and over 40 others terminally maimed. The casualties include five persons that died later in the hospital following terminal gunshots.

“17th of December 2015 Massacre of Jubilant IPOB/pro Biafra Activists at Onitsha Niger Bridgehead: Following a pronouncement made by the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court for immediate and unconditional release of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu (POC), which Federal Government of Nigeria later flouted; members of the IPOB, dominated by the Obosi Zone of the group at Nkpor abandoned their scheduled meeting same day and went into a celebration match along Onitsha-Enugu Expressway. The jubilant group in their dozens peacefully marched and sang along the Expressway before headed towards the Onitsha Niger Bridgehead to pay homage to the statue of late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu erected before the Bridge. On getting to the spot, soldiers of Hausa-Fulani extraction stationed at the Bridge sighted them and pulled their triggers. Before the jubilant IPOB members knew what was happening, the murderous soldiers had opened fire on them, killing at least nine of them instantly and terminally maiming over 17 others.

“As if that was not enough, the murderous soldiers attached to the Onitsha Military Cantonment made away with corpses of those they killed and a number of others with gunshot wounds. Others abandoned by soldiers were rushed to hospital by sympathizers and unhurt IPOB activists. The soldiers later stormed the Multi-care Hospital where they were taken to and abducted 22 of them including the victims’ relatives and those injured who were at terminal state. The soldiers stormed the Hospital around 10:08pm same night of the dastardly act (17th of December 2015). They later in the same night brought back five of them who were at terminal state. The remaining others were held hostage in the Onitsha Army Barracks till 19th of December 2015 when they were transferred to the State CID at Awka following advocacy outcries by our organization and the Anambra State Branch of the CLO. Following efforts made by the two rights groups, all the 17 army hostages taken to the State CID were freed, except those they shot and abducted at the Niger Bridgehead on 17th of December 2015. Among the 17 citizens held hostage by soldiers (injured and relatives)  were Amaechi Alo, Ejike Jideofor, Onyema Ikeagwu, Emeka Nwaoba, Emeka Eneje, Felix Okeke, Prince Ogechukwu Okonkwo, etc. Names of the five citizens at terminal injury state returned by soldiers to the the Multicare Hospital same night were given as Nzubechukwu Okonkwo (Prince), Chinonso Nwele, Debeluchi Chukwu, Chigozie Nweke and Chinonso. Four of the wounded citizens shot by soldiers later died in the Hospital, in addition to another gunshot victim that died at the Paragon Hospital.

“Dumping of Abducted & Murdered IPOB Activists at Onitsha General Hospital Morgue: Following the dastardly act perpetrated by soldiers of the Onitsha Military Cantonment led by Col Issah Abdullahi, search parties were raised by IPOB members and families of the victims. The searches were extended to River Niger where divers were hired as well as visits to public mortuaries; all in search of missing IPOB activists. Weeks later, a breakthrough was recorded when information got to the IPOB that three of their members shot and abducted by soldiers on 17th of December 2015 were found dumped at the Onitsha General Hospital mortuary. The Hospital is owned by the Government of Anambra State. Initial efforts made to confirm the information from the Hospital hit a brick wall following a firm order by the Hospital management to the staffs of its mortuary section to keep a sealed lip on the issue. It took weeks of cries, lamentations and persuasions from families of the victims to sooth the conscience of some staffs; on strict condition of anonymity. It was unofficially revealed to IPOB, victims’ families and our organisation that some soldiers of the Onitsha Military Cantonment stormed the Hospital with some police personnel from the Onitsha Central Police Station (CPS) and deposited the three corpses of  murdered IPOB members on 21st of December 2015; four days after the shooting and killing rampage.

“Further investigations revealed that the corpses were hidden somewhere in Awka before they were transferred to the Onitsha Government General Hospital on the approval of some officials of the Government of Anambra State. Investigations further revealed that “soldiers cannot deposit such murdered corpses in public mortuary on their own without the involvement of the police”, which was why they sought and secured the involvement of police personnel of the CPS, Onitsha. Arrangements were unofficially made by the mortuary section of the Hospital with the victims’ families and the IPOB, leading to facial and pictorial identification of their murdered loved ones; after which their corpses were removed from the Hospital and taken home for burial on 11th and 12th of March 2016. Our organization visited the Hospital on 8th and 9th of March 2016. The three murdered corpses and their States, LGAs and Communities’ of their origin are: (1) Michael Nweke (37) from Aguekka, Ekka Community of Ezza North LGA in Ebonyi State. He was buried on 11th of March 2016; (2) Peter Chukwuma Nwankwo (26) from Amaokpo in Nssakra Omege Community of Ezza South LGA in Ebonyi State. He was buried on 11th of March 2016, and (3) Mathew Ndukwe Kanu (25) from Ndiodo Community in Akanu-Ohafia LGA in Abia State. He was buried on 12th of March 2016.

“The link below contains written testimonies of the immediate relatives of the three murdered IPOB activists. The relatives are (1) Sunday Nweke (younger brother to late Michael Nweke), (2) Frank Chijioke Nwankwo (elder brother to late Peter Chukwuma Nwankwo) and (3) Grace Onyinyechi Kanu (elder sister to late Mathew Ndukwe Kanu). They met with Intersociety recently.  http://intersociety-ng.org/site-administrator/downloads/category/3-article?download=439:testimonial-accounts-of-the-victims-relatives.

“We renew our call for international inquiries or investigations into these dastardly acts. The Buhari administration must stop the ongoing ethnic cleansing and mass murder of unarmed and nonviolent members of the Igbo Ethnic Group in Nigeria and refrain from pushing the innocent Race to the wall. We also demand for international arrest and prosecution of the following security chiefs in Nigeria: (1) Lt General Turkur Buratai (COAS), (2) IGP Solomon Arase (retiring Police IG), (3) Col Issah Abdullahi (Commander of Onitsha Military Cantonment), Lt Kasim Sidi Umar (Commander of 144 Battalion, Aba), (4) CP Hosea Habila (CP of Abia State), and (5) ACP Peter Nwagbara (Aba Area Commander); among others for their collective and individual involvements in the dastardly acts under reference. We also call on the international community and local and international rights and media groups to mount and sustain intensive pressures on the authorities of the Nigerian Army and their Onitsha Military Cantonment for the purpose of disclosing where they dumped the corpses of other IPOB/pro Biafra activists and their supporters shot, murdered and abducted alongside those of late Citizens Michael Nweke, Peter Chukwuma Nwankwo and Mathew Ndukwe Kanu on 17th of December 2015 at the Onitsha Niger Bridgehead.

“We also demand for immediate and unconditional release of Citizen Nnamdi Kanu (POC) and others standing kangaroo trials and political persecutions with him as well as 20 IPOB officials and members dumped at Umuahia Prisons before and since 9th of February 2016, whose names are given above. The continuing detention of women among them particularly those with little children at home is a serious affront to the principles and purposes of the United Nations as well as the basic standards of the international law and humanitarian principles.”

•Photo by INTERSOCIETY shows Col. Issah Abdullahi, Commander, Onitsha Military Cantonment (Left) with some of his henchmen.

SOURCE:

Only in the Zoo: civil defense officer kills a motorcyclist over fuel scarcity squabbles




By Ibeh Gift Amarachi reporting For Family Writers

It is only in Nigeria that you can see an ordinary Vigilante carrying arms in every street, killing and maiming innocent souls. Go to the civilized worlds, the police are not seen carrying arms around and cannot shoot at innocent civilians. What a hopeless country called Nigeria! Is a civil defense officer supposed to be carrying arms? Only in the zoo; Nigeria.

Yesterday being the 6th of April 2016, the shameful fuel scarcity being experienced by the citizens of Nigeria that claims to be one of the richest oil producing countries in the world, took away the life of an innocent motorcyclist. It was gathered by Ibeh Gift Amarachi of Family Writers that a female Civil Defense Officer shot dead a motorcyclist queuing to buy petrol at 'Forte Oil Filling Station at FESTAC in Lagos State'.

The Civil Defense woman that was sent alongside with her colleagues to control the crowd buying fuel suddenly started destroying Cans and pouring out fuel from those who bought with Cans in the same filling Station.

As the motorcyclist approached her and asked why she was carrying out such a barbaric act of pouring fuel already bought by people after queuing for a very long time, the female Civil Defense bastard got angry over the question, pointed her gun directly at the motorcyclist and took away the life of this innocent man who took a bold step to tell her the truth over her evil actions.

When the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra Maazi Nnamdi Kanu spoke against the increased rate at which Nigeria Government is arming people, they tagged it "Hate Speech" and this is one of the reasons why he is now unlawfully incarcerated and detained.

Just because a civilian motorcyclist asked a civil defense (defending who?) lady to stop destroying people's cans and throwing away the fuel they bought with their hard-earned money after queuing for a long time, he was shot dead. This is one of the reasons why Biafrans must leave this evil murderous entity called Nigeria.

We can't be blessed with crude oil yet we suffer from fuel Scarcity and after queuing for fuel and luckily buying it, some mentally deranged armed Men and Women will come pouring it away on the floor and at the same time taking peoples lives. This is horrible and must be condemned by any sane human being.

BIAFRA: Is Asari Dokubo the hope of Africa?




The Great Legend and Freedom Fighter Chief Asari Mujahid Dokubo is a fearless and brave Biafran who confronts the enemies of the Izon speaking Biafrans eyeball to eyeball. In an interview granted to Ibeh Gift Amarachi, Blessed Orji and Onyekachi Chima, he fearlessly let the World know that Biafra is the Hope and the last miracle of our time. The same way the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra; Maazi Nnamdi Kanu aired, just before his unlawful detention.

When the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra preached on Radio Biafra Broadcast repeatedly. People doubted his gospel, but it has been confirmed by another hardcore Biafran; Chief Mujahid Asari Dokubo via an interview granted to FAMILY WRITERS.

Let's hear him:

Asari said "If Biafra had been independent, we would have been better than Dubai. The economy of Biafra would have grown. Today people are hungry. There is poverty and diseases everywhere. Anybody who says we should perpetually remain in this darkness called Nigeria is an evil hypocrite."

He continued "Nigeria is a very barbaric country where you see politicians advertising roads and social amenities on various platforms including the local and international television as their achievement. Have you ever seen where an American politician who constructed roads and provided equipment for the people advertise it on CNN? That is because those things are basic necessities of life, thus it shouldn't be used to cajole people and making use of people's brains. It's very shameful that up till now Nigeria is still building roads and trying to provide pipe borne water for her "citizens". What a Shame ... Oh ... Biafra would have gone far because our people are very creative beyond human imagination. Biafra is the Hope of African"

Wednesday 6 April 2016

BIAFRA: Interview with Nnamdi Kanu at Kuje prison, by Ejike Ofoegbu.



Family writer EJIKE OFOEGBU interview with Nnamdi Kanu inside the Kuje prison yard.

NOTE! Phone access was denied for taking live picture in the prison yard.

A family writer of IPOB (Indigenous Peoples of Biafra) worldwide EJIKE OFOEGBU had an interview with Nnamdi Kanu based on Biafran issue and how he feels on the choice he made to restore Biafra.

Good day sir, my name is Ejike Ofoegbu, one of the IPOB family writer. Am here to get some information from you, about the choice you made to restore Biafra,

(NNAMDI KANU) I welcome and thank you so much for being here.
First... It was not a choice I made by myself to restore Biafra, it was a call from the Most High Chiukwu Okike Abiama to lead His people out from the contraption called Nigeria, which have no meaning whatsoever. And I have dedicated my life to get Biafra or I die trying to restore Biafra. The reason why my mother gave birth to me is to restore and save Biafrans from the zoological republic of Nigeria.

(EJIKE OFOEGBU) Thank you sir.... But do you think fighting to get Biafra is the right thing to do? Or why don't you organize your people? ... I mean the Ibos to walk towards the betterment and upbringing of this country; Nigeria.

(NNAMDI KANU) Never in a million years will I do such, water and oil will not and never mix together till the end of time, and besides they are coming with their Islamic agenda to turn every living thing that is breathing in Biafra-land into Islam, mark my word today, if we don't get Biafra, the Biafran race will be cleansed up from the face of the earth. You will come back home, if you are living outside the country, you will no longer know the road to your father's compound.

How can I encourage my people to work towards the upbringing of the zoo called Nigeria, when we don't hear the same language, we don't eat the same food, we don't have the same culture, in fact if I come to their land to practice my culture, I will be beheaded. Their women wear hijab, and Biafran women don't, and on the point that our women don't wear hijab, they will be seen as infidels, and on that note will be beheaded. We are 100 % Christians. These people are Muslims who sees killing as a culture. From where I come from, it is hard for my people to kill a human being, because in my language HUMAN BEING is called MMADU which means the "Beauty of life", now you see it will never work, the only solution is Biafra.

(EJIKE OFOEGBU) Now coming to your court case, what do you have to say about that?

(NNAMDI KANU) The world is watching, you see, when I called Nigeria a zoo, the world thinks I was just being hateful, now they have come to their full understanding that Nigeria is a zoo. I even owe my apology to the animals in the zoo, because they are more organized than Nigerians. They want to use a masquerade to testify against me... Am watching and the world is watching... My people have to keep on the struggle... That is all I have to say for now about the court case... Till... You know what I mean.

(EJIKE OFOEGBU) Do you have any regret?

(NNAMDI KANU) There is no regret in my dictionary, I said and will continue to say that, is either the flag of Biafra is raised up, or I am lowered in the grave. Am ready to be here for a thousand years, I must have Biafra, and Biafra must come, I don't have any doubt about that.

(EJIKE OFOEGBU) Now sir, did you watch the Aba massacre that happened recently, I mean the IPOB killing at Aba?

(NNAMDI KANU) Yes, I watched the video. It was so doomed, I saw the Nigerian Army shooting my people, I saw the killing. I don't want to go there, I mean talking about that, but Aba people did me proud. Because of that video alone Biafra have come. When we start, no world power, no TV station will tag us a terrorist group. Aba is the pillar of IPOB. They don't have to stop. And Aba cannot afford to fail me. They should keep on. And wake up other states back. I put the responsibility on Aba.

(EJIKE OFOEGBU) What do you have to tell your pro-Biafra supporters?

(NNAMDI KANU) I want to correct one thing that the zoo gutter media is doing to my people,
We are not pro-Biafrans... We are Biafrans.

Pro-Biafra means supporters of Biafra but we are Biafrans, so I can't be a supporter of Biafra. When I am in Biafra, my people have to tackle those fools that did not know anything and can't reason well.
And also we are not trying to secede from Nigeria... MY GOODNESS ME... I mean this people don't know anything. We are older than Nigeria. You can only talk about seceding if Biafrans are the ones that colonized Nigeria. But we are older than that contraption. So, we can't secede rather we just want to go back to the way we were before the British came.

(EJIKE OFOEGBU) Lastly Sir, any word of encouragement to Biafrans?

(NNAMDI KANU) They should know that the struggle is still on. No going back. I will never disappoint them. Am fighting for them. Am ready to die for them. I will do anything humanly possibly to make sure that Biafra comes. I will never think of giving up and that will never come to my mind. It is Biafra or death, even Buhari knows that.

They have offered me wealth, but all I want is the freedom of my people. I want to see when children will be playing in the streets of Biafra. I will like to see when Biafran footballers will have match against USA, England, Ghana, and the world will be watching. This is all I look forward to see. Let them always remember my word, if you love me, keep my commandment and Biafra must come under my watch.

Thank you EJIKE OFOEGBU

Thank you Sir for your time.
This was a live interview inside the Kuje prison yard with Nnamdi Kanu; the leader of IPOB worldwide.

Follow us on twitter @ejikeofoegbu1 for more information.

Thank you.

Fallen Biafran Hero: Murdered by Nigerian forces on February 9th as he prayed to God.




By Onyebuchiukwu Abiama Agwa

Sad...

This young man is called CHIBUIKEM ( God is my strength ).

He was in Eastern National High School, Port-Harcourt Road, Aba, Abia State praying fervently for the restoration of a country he believed in and that would be better off for him and his unborn children.

He came from Obingwa LGA of Abia State, the same LGA the Abia State governor come from.

The Nigerian trigger happy soldiers in their usual manner rounded up our brethren where they were praying and shot dead 17 of us instantly, others later died of injuries sustained in that brutal crackdown on peaceful IPOB members.

Perhaps, Mbuhari would have seen the level of inhuman treatment and reckless use of power by the Fulani soldiers had he watched the clip during the Aljazeera interview but to show he value us not, he bluntly refused.

Chibuikem will be led to rest but the question of Biafra will never be led to rest until Biafra is successfully restored.

He died fighting for a just course he believed in but was murdered by those who prefer injustice to justice.

My prayer is simple as I already said in one of my recent articles published here.

Whatever you sow, you shall reap for those who kill by sword shall be killed by sword.

26 years, the prime of life, when life is sweet, he was cut down. Whoever that cut down this life shall be visited in the same way but more vicious and dangerous than this.

Rest in Peace my dear Igbo brother.

You have made your mark.

May God accept your soul and grant you eternal repose.

Ya dibara Chukwu

Tuesday 5 April 2016

Biafrans are the same people: Akwa Ocha




written by Ifeyinwa China Onyeabo

This is a picture of three Igbo women. Look at one of them holding the Akwa Ocha (that white patterned cloth worn during occasion in igboland)

In the olden days, it was owned by titled and prestigious men and women. My father had one.

Akwa Ocha is originally made at Akwaete. Akwaete is in Abia State. Three Igbo women and details of their attire including nja anklets and odu ivory bangles, akwa ocha (‘white fabric’) cloth, and a plaid-like cloth known today as George all made primarily in the Igbo speaking town known as Akwaete.

The above Photo is taken by missionary G. T. Basden in the early 20th century in an Igbo speaking area now known as Anambra State, Nigeria. The three women were likely engaged [and well off]. Those who are trying to re wrote history by saying Akwa Ocha is an exclusive preserve of certain people which makes them unique are liars from the pit of hell.

Part of our problem is lack of exposure. Not exposure on salad and chicken or how many oyibo you interact with but exposure on the things about your community. If you try and study your people, nobody can come and confuse you about your odinani.

I have just been blocked by a liar who was on his wall telling people that Akwa Ocha is the exclusive preserve of the Aniomas. This is another attempt to make it look like Anioma is different. Please go tell your lies to novices and those who do not understand their odinani and omenani. Ndi mmuo!!

Photo credit Nigerian Nostalgia Project

Nnamdi Kanu: Report on the latest outcome of the court proceeding - 5th April



The presiding judge Justice John Tsoho arrived and climbed the bench at about 10:10 am. He proceeded to read out the names of the three accused persons.

S.M Labaran was the first to introduce himself on behalf of the FG. Followed by Chuks Muoma appearing for the defendants with his learned legal team. At this point, Director Nnamdi Kanu just arrived, at about 10:14 am while his lawyer is still introducing his legal team

Chuks Muoma raised a motion for proceedings which was filed on the 7th day of March 2016. Barrister Chuks Muoma told the court that the applicants will rely on the facts contained in the filed application. He said that the letter attached to the affidavit is exhibit MD3. He told the court that the defendants also rely on all the positions in the said affidavit and said, the two written addresses was in pursuant of this affidavit. He informed the court that the second written address attached to the application is dated 22nd March 2016.

At this point, the judge intercepted Barrister Muoma saying that the time allowed for him to make his presentation has elapsed, but Muoma reminded the judge that he, [Muoma] has within 20 minutes to make his presentation and that he has not exhausted the time. But the judge adamantly stopped him from continuing in his presentation.
The Prosecutor in his presentation asked the court to disregard the application submitted by the defendants, describing it as "bias".

Chuks Muoma rose to react to the Prosecuting counsel's plea, citing that it's an adjunct of the right of appeal as stated in section 241(2) of the constitution adding that the law is not hypocritical. Muoma Chuks said his reaction in the court is an act of appeal provided by section 241 subsection one, of the Constitution. The law is not hypocritical, it doesn't do with the right and takes away the right.

Chuks Muoma quoted those sections saying that Section 306 is unconstitutional regarding the case of Kanu. He said that section 306 of the administration of criminal justice act constitution is an aberration to section 214, therefore, its null and void, saying that it's unconstitutional and therefore, cannot stand. He further explained section 306, saying that it's contradictory to that of 214, and saying that it's not done and that he is standing by it.

At this point, there was a grave silence in the court as it seemed that Barrister Chuks Muoma [SAN] has quashed the prosecution's point of argument. Barrister Chuks Muoma [SAN] broke the silence only for the judge, Justice John Tsoho, who could not hide his contempt for Kanu adjourned the court session till Tuesday, 26th April 2016.

Biafra Writers crew who were live in the court reporting from Abuja, later interviewed Bar Ifeanyi Ejiofor on the outcome of the court session and to explain further what

From our correspondents, live from Abuja,
Chukwuemeka Chimerue  and Anyikwa Kelechi Cynthia, reporting

FOR BIAFRA  WRITERS

Monday 4 April 2016

Buhari has planned to deploy only Igbo soldiers in ijaw to create enmity among Biafrans.




By Onyekachi Ugwu

Many political and social commentators in the Old Eastern Region of Nigeria have described the move by the present All Progressive Congress led Government to deploy majority of Igbo Soldiers to combat the uprising of militant in Niger Delta region as a trick to further divide the region and create enmity between the two major clan; Igbo and Ijaw whose relationship was injured during the civil war but healed by Goodluck Jonathan.

While speaking with EASTERN RADIO on the recent incident which took place at a command under 82nd Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu, an elders states man and Honorable member in the House of Representative during the Second Republic who pleaded unanimity told our news crew that divid and rule has been an old philosophy handed to the North by the Britain and it has been working for them.

He further stated that the brutal incident should be enough an eye-opener to every Igbo and Ijaw man on the kind of war games the North and West are playing with the people from the Old Eastern Region. "The lives of those gallant soldiers that where lost in the uproar is regrettable but i see it as a collateral damage necessary for all of us to have an idea of the latest game plans being deployed by the North to remotely control us here".

" It is saddening to know that Buhari-led government which should have continued with the legacy of unity and economic explosion left behind by his predecessor Goodluck Jonathan have chosen to impose on us a script written in the North, characterized by division, subjugation, derivation, Islamization and economic terrorism". " The APC led government are failing in their constitutional duty to ameliorate the suffering of a common man rather they have succeeded in further dividing the country along ethnic line". Their body language shows things will get worse in the nearest future" he added.

Also in a telephone interview, an Ijaw Man; Comrade Baratuipre Godspower told EASTERN RADIO that Nigeria is already experiencing great difficulties in its combat with freedom fighters in the river-line areas – the creeks (the place Nigeria calls Niger Delta). "Our offence is that we now demand to be free from the suffocating presence of Nigerian occupation forces in our land". "We are no longer in the business of militancy, we are now Biafra freedom fighters, but Nigeria government still label us militants", he said.

"Buhari, APC and their Western allies are experiencing difficulties in controlling Niger Delta area of Biafra Land. We are very much aware of their plans to mare our good relationship with our brothers (The Igbos). They feel threatened and think the efficient way is to deepen its divide-and-rule; a strategy is to create enmity between us by deploying only Igbo soldiers to our communities for us to fight each other", he continued.

Opinions collected in the social media by our Reporters is no different with the above analysis. Some are of the view that Buhari led government hope to use it as a Technic to dilute the ongoing agitation for Biafra within the region. Research have shown the Igbos and the Ijaws have combined forces in the quest to restore the Republic of Biafra. That Nigerian government are not happy with.

They believed that Biafrans fighting against Nigerian forces in the creeks were only Ijaws and so they needed to pitch the Igbo against them. Put in a different way, they were playing at setting Igbo-speaking Biafrans to fight against Ijaw-speaking Biafrans. This was what triggered off the reported shooting in Enugu among Nigerian Army personnel.

One of the 54, saddened by the development had sought to know the criteria used in throwing-up only Igbo-speaking Biafrans for the assignment. One of the commanders picked offense and demanded to know where he got the cheek from to ask such a question when given a military order. In rising anger, he pulled out his gun and shot the young soldier on the forehead, killing him on the spot. Another soldier who is among the enlisted soldiers could not contain himself; he pulled his own gun out and took down the commander, killing him on the spot too. Then directed the gun on the second commander before the GOC saved the day curtailing further deterioration of the situation.

The message to all Biafrans today is that they must do everything humanly possible to resist attempts by Nigeria to push them against themselves. Both in the military in the barrack and at the war front. Biafrans must conduct themselves in full understanding of the evil in Nigeria.

If Nigeria must fight any Biafran group, either in a media war or in a shooting war, Biafrans must be wise enough not to allow themselves to be used. If Nigeria wants a shooting war in its attempt to resolve a problem, which could easily be resolved through peaceful means, they should do so without involving Biafrans.

Biafrans must be wiser today, and stand together.

Saturday 2 April 2016

PRESS RELEASE(IPOB): Buhari and his media henchmen's desperate search for soft landing on Nnamdi Kanu's illegal detention.




INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA

April 1, 2016

Press Release

BUHARI AND HIS MEDIA HENCHMEN’S DESPERATE SEARCH FOR SOFT LANDING ON NNAMDI KANU’S ILLEGAL DETENTION

Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari and his lying media henchmen have now resorted to desperation in order to gain a soft landing and to avoid the impending humiliation in the court of law arising from the illegal detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The latest in their arsenal of deception and diatribe is Buhari and his media henchmen’s grotesque interpretation of a letter written by IPOB Lawyers to the British Government concerning their citizen, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

On the 24th of March 2016, IPOB Lawyers, who are defending Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in the various court cases, wrote a letter to the British Government via the High Commissioner in Abuja-Nigeria. The central theme of that letter was to bring the attention of the British Government to the shenanigans going on in the court which include, the disobedience to court orders by Buhari and his agents, the lack of confidence in both the Nigerian Judicial System and the trial Judge (Hon Justice John Tsoho), and the unarguable Executive interference evidenced by the unguarded and prejudiced utterances of Buhari. The letter was replete with examples of travesty of justice and Executive lawlessness. For the avoidance of doubts and to put the records straight, the referenced letter by IPOB Lawyers is attached to this Press Release.

Because of the educational and intellectual limitations of Buhari and his media henchmen, it is disheartening though not surprising that Buhari and his lying group posited that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was begging the British Government to set him free from the illegal detention imposed by Buhari’s DSS. Nothing could be further from the truth. Buhari and his lying media henchmen have indeed sunk irretrievably into the abyss by this gross misrepresentation of facts as can be seen on the attached letter from IPOB Lawyers.

The most surprising of all these is the gullibility of the Nigerian media. Without reviewing the content of the letter, the Nigerian media were awash with Buhari‘s lies that Mazi Nnmadi Kanu was begging the British Government to intervene in his illegal detention and in the court cases. Any discerning person reading the letter cannot come to the conclusion of any plea to be rescued but a sizeable pro-Buhari media are so desperate that they are willing to fabricate stories to make themselves feel better.



It is interesting to note that none of the issues of miscarriage of justice contained in the letter was reported which goes to prove that some segments of the media, like the Judges in Nigerian courts, are purveyors of evil and iniquity. Only a country of liars could have come up with such fabrications. We reiterate that at no time did the leader of IPOB beg for freedom, hence journalists should have read the letter before reporting instead of vomitting verbatim what the congenital liar called Lai Mohammed handed out to them. We advice the obviously compromised Nigerian media to stop clutching at straws in the hope of limiting the global embarrassment on Buhari caused by the illegal detention of the IPOB leader.

Buhari is desperate to wash his hands off the case and is looking for a way out hence the glee with which they spun the news about the letter to the British High Commission. Buhari’s plan is to hide under this misinterpreted letter and release Nnamdi Kanu to British Government and then avoid facing him in the court of law. Nigeria should come to the court to prove their bogus treasonable felony charge against our leader and Buhari must stop scavenging for soft landing.

Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari & Co, we look forward to meeting you at “Philippi” because there will not be any soft landing for you!!!

Signed

Barrister Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya

Spokesperson for IPOB Spokesperson for IPOB

24th March, 2016.




The High Commissioner,

British High Commission, Abuja

19 Torrens Close

Maitama, Abuja.

Dear Sir,

RE: FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA VS NNAMDI KANU & 2 ORS

CHARGE NO: FCT/ABJ/CR/383/15

NNAMDI KANU: A VICTIM OF TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE AND A CALL FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO BE ON THE WATCH.

We are Counsel to Nnamdi Kanu, the 1st Defendant in the above captioned criminal charge, hereinafter refers to as “Our Client”, and on whose authority and firm instruction, we formally bring to the attention of the British Government the deliberate design by the Nigerian Government to subvert the course of justice in the above criminal trial.

It is repeating the obvious to state that Our Client is a full British citizen, by virtue of which position he is entitled to all Rights, Privileges and Protections, guaranteed under the British Laws and conventions.

We are therefore constrained in the circumstance, to formally notify the British Government vide this medium, of our well informed reservations, and apprehension, that Our Client is undergoing persecution in the charge above referred, and deliberate design by the persecutors to frustrate every effort of the Defense team aimed at giving Our Client a fair trial.

We are not under any illusion that the British Government has taken notice of the highlights in the presidential media chat granted by President Muhammed Buhari on the 30th day of December 2015.

Prominent among his worrisome but most prejudicial comments in the said media chat, is his insistence, that Our Client cannot be granted bail by any Court. The President in the referenced media chat, referred to Our client as a flight risk for possessing dual citizenship.

It is the position of our Law, that dual citizenship is a constitutional right of the citizens of Nigeria, clearly provided for under section 28 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended 2011. Dual citizenship is not a crime under our Law.

Our reservations on the President’s comment was underpinned by the findings made in the ruling delivered on the 29th day of February 2016, by Hon. Justice John Tsoho, wherein Our Client and the two other Defendants were denied bail.

The learned Judge, in advancing his reasons for arriving at the decision, and in consistence with the direction conveyed in the aforesaid media chat, specifically referred to Our Client as a flight risk, on grounds of his dual citizenship, and on the basis of which he denied him bail.

It is apposite in the circumstance to remind the British Government, that Judges of the Federal High Court of Nigeria are appointed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in line with the provisions of Section 250(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended 2011.

This Section provide thus;

Section 250; APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF JUDGE AND JUDGES OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT 250(2)

“The appointment of a person to the office of a Judge of the Federal High Court shall be made by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.”

We therefore submit, most respectfully Sir, that by virtue of the powers conferred on the President in the above cited Law, the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammed Buhari, has overriding control over the appointment of the Federal High Court Judges.

The learned trial Judge in denying Our Client bail on the 29th day of January, 2016, granted accelerated hearing of the substantive charge.

Accelerated hearing ordered by the learned presiding Judge in the matter connotes total annihilation of all forms of delay in the trial intended to debilitate the tenets of fair hearing.

Also, instructive to mention, that the Court is under duty to allow the Defendants unfettered access to relevant materials and facilities that will aid them in the defense of their case.

This duty is not only sacrosanct and compelling, but is provided for under Chapter (iv) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as (Amended) 2011, particularly in section 36(6) (b), among the fundamental rights of the citizens.

In the course of our defense, We are usually confronted with situation where we are handed the short end of the stick in the face of deliberate refusal/delay in obliging us copies of the Ruling delivered in open Court.

The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Amended (2011), specifically section 36(7), allows a Court or Tribunal, only seven days, in a criminal trial, to keep records of the proceedings, Rulings and Judgment delivered therein, within which, it shall be made available to the Accused person(s) or person applying through him.

It is disheartening, that our successive applications for the certified true copies of Rulings delivered by the Honourable Court, on the 9th February 2016, 19th February 2016, and 7th March 2016, have not receive any attention. Either by deliberate design or omission, the Rulings, above referred, are still being shielded from us as at today.

It is more painful, when it comes to mind that these Rulings are not only fundamental but a necessity to a successful transmission of records of the Court to the Appellate Court.

The Court has always been served with copies of our Notices of Appeal, anytime an application for the certified true copy of the Ruling is submitted, which ordinarily, would have spurred it for expeditious action but the reverse is usually the case.

On the face of this frustration, the defense is confronted with apparent dilemma in offering our client the best legal services he deserved, in the defense of these bogus charges preferred against him.

The Application brought by the Federal Government of Nigeria, requesting the Court to protect the identities of the prosecution witnesses by the aid of facial masks and screens while giving evidence in the course of proceeding, was heard on the 19th day of February 2016.

Upon the hearing of the aforesaid application, and our objection, the Court declined to grant the application, and consequently ordered that the hearing of the matter should be conducted in the open. Members of the public and press were also ordered by the Court to continue to participate in the proceedings.

Surprisingly, on the 7th day of March, 2016, when the trial was scheduled to commence, the Director of Public Prosecutions orally applied that the subsisting order of the Honourable Court, made on the 19th day of February, 2016, be varied.

The Learned D.P.P, insisted that the prosecution witnesses have refused to attend Court to give evidence, unless their identities are shielded from the public.

On the strength of the above application, and despite our vehement opposition to the application, the Honourable Court made a volte-face, and proceeded to grant their request, by varying the very order it made on the 19th day of February, 2016.

Though we have successfully lodged an appeal against this perverse ruling of the Honourable Court, but it is now incumbent on the British Authority to turn their torchlight on the process complained of, against the obvious persecution of its own citizen.

Relevant to mention that the detail accounts provided by our Client in his vicious experience in the hands of the operatives of the State Security Services while in their custody, revealed how the investigating officers boasted to him that the British Government was instrumental to his arrest and dare him to watch out for future development in the matter.

It is therefore, our humble expectation that the demonstration of palpable commitment by the British Government will to a larger extent neutralize the concerns and fears raised by the remark under reference.

It is on the strength of this obvious maneuvering and deliberate design to subvert the course of justice that we most humbly request the British authority to begin a race against time, for more noticeable impact in this matter.

Attached herewith for your ease of reference, are copies of our press briefing granted on the 18th day of March 2016, Certificates of registration of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Radio Biafra respectively, in the United Kingdom Registration certificates of Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) in other countries of the world, and video clips of how the Nigeria Military personnel massacred innocent and Defenseless members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Aba-Abia State, on the 9th day of February 2016.

We shall keep you abreast of every development in this matter as we progress.

Accept the assurances of our deepest regards Sir.

Yours faithfully

FOR: I.C EJIOFOR & CO

_____________________

Hon. Ifeanyi Ejiofor

(Principal Partner)
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