₦airaland Forum

WHY VICTOR BANJO WAS ARRESTED BY IRONSI




In his memoir titled "Tragedy without heroes" page 36 and 37, former Biafran Army commander, Brigadier Hilary Njoku wrote

"On the morning of 18th January 1966, I went to see the Supremo(Ironsi) on an important military matter. On arrival at the Police Headquaters, I met Lt Cols Victor Banjo and George Kurubo and Major patrick Anwunah. I had stood before the Supremo's office for some minutes waiting my turn when Victor Banjo approached me and requested to go in with me to see the Supremo. I told him that my topic was for the Supremos ears only and that I would not take more than a few minutes of his time. He did not take this kindly but I stuck to my gun. After waiting for some time after this discussion with Victor Banjo, the Supremo was still busy. I decided to interrupt him. I knocked and went straight in. He was having a chat with the inspector general of police, Mr Edet, who had rushed back from leave, and commodore Wey. I appealed for a few minutes with the supremo alone, they kindly obliged me without much ado. I sat down and introduced the topic. Halfway through, I had a feeling that someone was eaves-dropping, and without asking the supremo for excuse I made straight for the door. I locked the door and we resumed our discussion. After the discussion, I learnt that Lt Col Victor Banjo was caught while forcing himself into the Supremo's office with a sub-machine gun and a beretta pistol, all loaded and cocked. George Kurubo and Major Anwunah had arrested him. Outside the building, Victor Banjo had a group of armed men seated in a landrover. The BBC flashed the News without delay. Victor Banjo resented the fact that the leadership mantle fell on Ironsi.................................. others thought he expected to be appointed the Governor of the Western provinces"

igbodefender:
To quel the Biafra agitation, the Federal Government needs to make some real concessions to Ndigbo.

The only concession is referendum

jaymezzz:
Marginalisation By Your Own Should Be more Painful

Trust me it is not. Its far better that I get marginalsed by a brother in Abakiliki than some stranger in Kebbi

greenpasture:
Nothing stopping you.

If you take a plane to Nnamdi Azikwe Airport or board a bus at ojota no one will stop you. Ignore the naysayers and pioneer the " homeward" movement. You will be celebrated.

Make history

What is stopping me is that going back home will not give me the indepwndent nation I desire.

oladeebo:
attackgat you missed it all!
the troubles of today is not that of yesterday, and the solution of yesterday cannot solve the problems of today!
thinking that Nigeria problems is unsolvable with our unity is evil and wickedness!
you illiterate elites of this nation must stop this non-sense!
we regret of sending you to school with low knowledge of yours
its pity, people were been living together before you were born and your Idea of separation cannot separate people of living together!
you IQ is too low!
stop pls!

You dont seem to understand. Have you asked me as Igbo man if Im interested in Nigeria working? Have you asked me if I see Nigeria as my country?

Britain is rich and works as a nation, it did stop the scottish people agitating to go and getting a referendum in 2014.

I dont care if Nigeria works, what I care about is my Igbo people becoming an independent nation.

adexway:
The concept of referendum is alien to the Nigerian constitution and the earlier we recognize that the better. We should rather intensify pressure on the National Assembly to sponsor and pass a bill recognizing referendum. While I don't support political restructuring, I think we seriously need Fiscal restructuring and true federalism.

Referendum might be alien to the Nigerian constitution but it is not alien to Nigeria

Referendum has been conducted twice in Nigeria

Nigeria is comprised of three of the largest ethnic groups in Africa, Igbo/Yoruba/Hausa-Fulani.

Each of them over 40 million in population, far larger than the population of most countries of Africa.

All three are different in their way of thinking, their religion, tradition, food, norms and culture.

Nothing unites all three except football(even that is disappearing)

Yet, some people believe that progress will come out of so much division.


Nigeria is just a failed British colonial contraption and the earlier we go our different ways, the better

What Mbaka said is no different than what you will see in a country like Germany where Bavarian man will treat a Cologn man different or in England where an Essex man in the South will look down on a Yorkshire man in the North or in Ireland where many Southern Irish dont want to even see anythig Northern Irish.

No ethnic tribe is ever 100% loving towards each other, simply not possible.

Frankly, I would rather be in a Biafra where I am marginalised by a fellow Igbo man than be in a Nigeria where I am marginalised by another ethnic group

KingOfAmebo:
Sequel to the agitations by Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) for a Biafran Country, It is unfortunate that man at some point in life get tired of peace and would gladly embrace violence and death, but isnt it cruel for a person or group of people to embark on a mission that would bring about the death of millions of people, young and old, mothers and children...case study The Nigerian Civil War, commonly known as the Biafran War, (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970).

What is Nigeria but a mere 1914 British colonial arrangement? This colonial arrangement is what you people must adopt as their country? That is enslavement and Igbos will not stand for it. Igbos have a right to self determination and the right to say what their country is. Nobody loves war or fighting but more often than not, people have to fight for their freedom. Freedom is one of the few things in life is worth fighting and dying for.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/civil-war-in-nigeria

It is well documented how Late Lieutenant Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu lead 1 million Igbos to their early graves, he fled the country but later returned to dine with the same country he went to war with (1 million souls sacrificed for a pot of porridge). Nnamdi Kanu is no different judging by his demeanor, his speeches and relatively unknown background..

When people fail to ask questions they become tools. Is Nnamdi Kanu chasing a personal agenda at the detriment of sacrificing the lives of his Igbo brothers and sisters? read between the line in his recent speech.

Of course you will see people say that Ojukwu led 1 million people to their deaths but you will never hear the same people say what actually led to the war.

1945 Jos massacre
1953 Kano massacre
1966 massacre in which over 50,000 Igbos men, women and children were killed all over Nigeria.

So Igbos should have been jumping and dancing for ONE NIGERIA while being massacred? Ojukwu should have folded his hands and watch his people get butchared because of the fear of war?

The Igbo nation fought for its independence as the warriors they are against unbelivable odds and I am proud of them despite the cost. Only slaves get butchared and they do nothing.

"I gave a speech in Aba, Abia State on Sunday and I made it absolutely clear that the boycott stays. We must boycott election in Anambra State.It is our civic responsibility to do so and that’s what we are going to do – total and absolute boycott, to let the whole world understand the strength of IPOB on the ground, in Anambra State" Nnamdi Kanu.

http://sunnewsonline.com/nnamdi-kanu-explodes-nigeria-ll-burn-if-im-re-arrested/

Is this not what Boko Haram tried to achieve? claim a territory, establish a government in a government...how is this not a treasonable act? one may ague he is not using violence to achieve this but his next speech doesn't suggest he wont use violence if given the chance:

"I don’t care! Quote me verbatim.If I’m re-arrested, this country will burn, I assure you. From where that oil money they depend on, they can no longer have access to it. I assure them that. This is not empty threat. We’re IPOB, we don’t abandon our own". Nnamdi Kanu

http://sunnewsonline.com/nnamdi-kanu-explodes-nigeria-ll-burn-if-im-re-arrested/

He successfully roped himself with those words. Give a proud, over ambitious and desperate man a microphone, sit back and watch him destroy himself. Sadly, United Nations(UN) cannot save him from this cowardice.

So, why wouldn't the Nigerian government want to go to "another civil war" with Biafra? A wise Father would consider the cost of hospital bills should he hit his child so hard because the child offends him.

President Buhari is indeed patient and has transformed to become a peace loving man, you know why? he is probably considering the above analogy.

Nigeria is but a fraudulent colonial creation of 1914 and Kanu represents those who are tired of Nigeria

cumbak60:
Kanu is committing blunder after blunder judging by his media antics, the institution of BSS, when Biafra is yet to become a sovereign state, and the acceptance of the demi-god position his followers have converted him to.
The Holy Book said, "thou shall not bow down to any......under heaven"..... But time without number, images of people bowing and paying homage to Kanu have gone viral online. His advisers needs to be questioned.

If Kanu is truly practicing Judaism, as he claims, then this scripture should be embedded in his mind. Why allow obeisance? Why allow people bow to you as if you are a deity? This is completely strange to Igbo culture that I know.

Did Kanu ask anyone to bow to him? If people decide on their own accord to bow to Kanu, why bring Kanu into the matter?

Why is he and his followers always insulting and abusing those with variant opinion from theirs? If Biafra comes, does it mean we will all toe the same path? What happens to freedom of expression? What about opposing views? Are we going to operate a one party system, as is obtainable in a communist state? Communism is alien to our culture and values.

Our tenet as a people over the century, is buried deep in democracy. Everybody is accorded to right to be heard. We practiced this value right from our ezi'nu'no down to umun'na and oha'neze. IPOB must understand that self-determination is beyond insults and name-calling.... We can disagree to agree as humans without bitter feelings.

But on a honest note, Igbos are not well treated in this union, and may want out. I'm one of the people that will love to see a peaceful exit from the union. I personally believe, that Kanu is a clog on the wheel, as a result of his methods and approach. My opinion though. However, Kanu if you are reading this post, please correct your mistakes before its too late. You cannot appropriate the position of God to yourself and expect him to keep calm.

We are Igbos and we are known to stand for the truth. Yes we may want out of the union, but what transpire after our exit is determined by how we objectively strive for self-determination now.

Referendum, which Kanu advocates, is the most peaceful way by which a people can leave an existing political framework.

Britain used it to leave the EU last year

Nice one, my people are keeping the flame burning and Im proud of them.

Not like the other ones who are begging the North for restructuring and making stupid excuses for a monumentally failed ONE NIGERIA

How can states be the federating units of Nigeria? Does this old man realise that states are the mere creations of the military? How can they be federating units?

It is because of Uwazuruikes way of doing things that caused MASSOB which he founded to throw him out of the organisation.

Now he says that Buhari bribed Kanu with mansions abroad?



The man is crazy

His name is 'Ikenchukwu' which is the Ika-Igbo way of saying 'Ikechukwu'

figoperch:
What price did Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu pay?

What price did past coup plotters like IBB and your current president pay?

The whole thing is just nonsense because the person is asking the courts to stop Kanu from disrupting the elections

Everybody knows that Kanu is calling for a boycott of the elections. Election boycott is in no way disrupting elections so the case is dead on arrival

Lajet:
I thought what IPOB said the will boycott Anambra Election not disrupt why are many people causing confusions all the time

Mere mischief making

Ikwokrikwo:
Will the court force people out of their houses to vote?

Nna, the tjing tire me.

Nnamdi Kanu is calling for election boycott which is not illegal, so people label it election disruption.

TheCabal:
we'll see who really believes in Biafra... when the guns go bang .. bang

The rhetoric in the coming days .. "they are killing Biafran Nigerian citizens"

Are the police supposed to be shooting unarmed protesters in a democracy?

Nice one by Uhrobo IPOB'S

PentiumPro:
Ojukwu and Igbos? with all your backbone, what did you get losing over 3M souls? zilch!! With all your backbone, it took a secondary school teacher's magnanimity to grant your lord amnesty to come back into his father's house in Nnewi.
With all your backbone, it took not a bullet but intelligence to end the war with blockade to deny you food and other supplies.

The difference between you and Yoruba is clear, Yorubas know that you don't go into a war you are not 100% certain to come victorious, while you act without thinking only to come back to blame others for your woes you foolishly go into.
Now, you are about to repeat the same mistake your fathers made.

Just like you woke up and taught the Northerners the need to have a firm grip on Nigeria with your senseless coup of Jan '66, you are giving them another idea again on how to have a grip on Nigeria with your thoughtless biafra noise.

Only if Zik was with half the foresight of Awolowo, you Ibos will not be in this mess you are in Nigeria, Awo saw the need to insert a secession clause in our independent constitution, because he consulted wide and far about issues of new nations and how nationhood works, but the greed of an ibo man in Zik and the fears of an Hausa man in Bello put paid to it

You are still saying the same thing Im saying. At least Igbos have proved they can fight. What have Yorubas ever proved except that they are only good at talking? The fight you Nigerians won was the one Britain and Russia won for you, what has your armed forces managed to do against Boko Haram or the Niger Delta Avengers when there was no Britain and Russia support? Nothing.

Southern Nigeria needs people who can stand up to the North the way Igbos, Ijaws, Efiks have done in the past.

Not Yorubas who are only good at talking and begging for restructuring.

Uwzuruike has lost his mind.

Bede2u:
yes but when a president pushes for it with his party behind him, he can achieve it

Not really, besides point 4, the North are not likely to like the rest which means they will vote against it in the national assembly

Yorubas threatening secession? Is that a joke or what? Secession is for people with backbone such as Ojukwu and Igbos.


Secession is not for those who are still in Nigeria begging the North for restructuring.


Maybe Awolowo did suggest that secession be added to the contitution but that in no way implies that the Yorubas ever threatend secession.

How come whenever APC is claiming to do anything in Igbo land, gou dont see any crowd? At most, maybe 20 people will be there?

Bede2u:
I have been a member of this forum since 2010. I have also been very strong in the political section.
In 2011 I supported GEj for president and he won. But my expectations of him were not eventually met. He suspended the dredging of the River Niger and stopped work along Enugu-Onitcha express way. He only empowered south east politicians. His promise of Enugu international airport was started but not delivered and 2nd Niger bridge was never awarded.
In 2015 I supported Buhari and his government has so far been a disaster to my people. Buhari has practically declared war on the good people of South East.
In 2016 I started supporting Nnamdi Kanu's IPOB. To me it became a simbol of progress for my Igbo people who have become sidelined since the unfortunate civil war of the 60s.

However, this article is about what I will do if I ever find myself in Aso Rock today. I won't give the Biafrans (which I am a part of) independence!

I will do the following;

1. Recognise the six geopolitical zones as federating units and order INEC to conduct elections to elect their governors. I will name the SE zone as Biafra state, SW as Odu'a state, SS as Niger Delta state, NC as Middle Belt state, NW as Arewa state, NE as Kanuri state.

2. The current 36 states will become metropolitan areas and the current 36 governors will become Mayors. I will scrap entirely the current 774 LGA arrangment. The current LGA chairmen will go to the new six state assemblies as legislators. The councilors will be dissmissed.

3. I will return Ilorin and Kabba to Odu'a state. Asaba, and other Igboid part of SS will be conceeded to Biafra (to quell unnessesary agitation). Ijaw part of Ondo will return to Niger Delta state. The fulani part of Kwara and Niger goes to Arewa state. The Christian part of Taraba goes to Middle Belt state.

4. The oil belongs to us all! Therefore the current sharing formula will continue. The 36 Metros will still get what they are currently getting, while the new six states will now get what the LGA where getting before. So a state will get only the amount that would have accrued to the LGA it had before.

5. Some NPF police officers will be transfered to state service as state police. Same will be with some prison wardens. Many of items on exclusive list (such as energy and power generation) will be moved to concurrent list to allow states participate. Only defence, foreign affairs and currency operations will be exclusive. Because of this, the oil revenue share retained by the FG will decrease to give more to the 6 states and 36 metros.

6. I will increase the number of senator to 115. The extra 6 will be one first class king from each of the 6 states. Such as the sultan, ooni, obi, oba o benin etc. The new 6 states will have houses of chiefs to be made up of the remaining top monarchs in the zone. Any monarch not included will be considered irrelevant and derobed.

By this, agitations will reduce grossly to give government at each level chance to do its job. Also the unaccounted waste by the current 774 LGAs will stop. The FG by this arrangement sheds power, but not enough to make it irrelevant. By this also Biafra would have been given to my people, Niger Delta would have been given to SS and Odu'a would have been given to SW.
Believe me, we are stronger and more prosperous together. If I have my way, I would unite the 15 nations of ECOWAS into one Federal Republic.

Shallom

I dont think you realise that the constitution of Nigeria prevents whoever is the president of Nigeria from implementing any of these 6 points you wrote.

A pathetic attempt to show Igbo support for APC. They just got a few Northerners, dressed them in Igbo regalia and took pictures with Femi Adeshina

Absolutely laughable.

bakynes:
You tried but do you know it's a two party agreement, bilateral relationship between two nations, even the UN cannot force Nigeria to sign bilateral agreements with Biafra.

It is a completely different scenario when two nations separate from each other in not a peaceful manner.

Nigeria controls ECOWAS so don't expect ECOWAS to be on your side. Remember the blockage from Cameroon during the Civil War.

The Land use act solely rest the land on the hands of the state. The Land use act for Foreigners is different from Citizens. Why do you think Lagos state enforces all residents to pay the Land use charge if not will have you evicted from the house you built with your money.

Getting Biafra is like Denouncing the Nigerian citizenship so therefore all rights accused to Citizens is hereby withdrawn.

Even Britain leaving the EU has made EU to now introduce trade tarrifs on the UK,one that used to be free trade zone. Now they have to pay heavily to get products and goods into Britain.

You are ignorant. Britain left the EU last year in a referendum, but at the moment, Britain is still a full member of the EU fir another 18 months as they discuss the terms of disengagement.

If there is a referendum in Igbo land and Igbos vote to be independent, Nigeria has no power to sieze or ask Igbos to return to Igbo land the next day.

The Nigerian constitution states that the 3 ways a person can be a Nigerian citizen

1) If they are born in Nigeria

2) If either parents is a Nigerian

3)Naturalization.


What no1 means is that since most Igbos were born in Igbo land, they will still hold Nigerian citizenship until the day Igbo land is declared independent of Nigeria and no longer a Nigerian territory.

Another thing no 1 means is that Igbos like me who were born outside Igbo land but elsewhere in Nigeria can hold Nigerian citizenship forever (unless citizenship by birth is removed from the constitution)

The combination of no1 and no2 means that most Igbos will hold Nigerian citizenship until the day Biafra is declared independent while others such as me can hold Nigerian citizenship indefinitely.

But anyone thinking that a referendum result granting Igbos independence automatically means that Igbos can be kicked out of Nigeria and their properties siezed should forget the idea since it would be unconstitutional.

The truth

There are many tribes in the South of Nigeria whos only ambition is to beg the North for restructuring for the next 1000 years.

EMMAUGOH:
1.Is it to give full power to Northern Army?

2. To allow players feed from their effort? Which we have seen in the past 50yrs.

2. To make sure the Biafrans becomes part of suffering Nigerians in years latter ?

3. To Excite the Britons and make sure their Business is protected.

All this and other questions begs for answers..

Its simple, the North wanted to control the political and economic life of Nigeria. Thats the only thing they care about even to this day.

Yorubas and the Western Region was a 'walk over' for the North. Only the East under Ojukwu refused refuses to cow or bow down to the North.

Thats why there had to be a war. Only people with the heart to fight can confront the North

NeeKlaus:
Yes, they can be sold. Now, picture this rational thought please.

The moment you Igbos eventually get your wish and a referendum is conducted and it goes in your favour, Nigeria will be ordered to sever ties with the SE.

Now, immediately this is achieved, Igbos would become illegal Nationals in Nigeria and will be forced to flee their places of residence to Biafra. In a violence prone place like the North, do you HONESTLY BELIEVE they will have the time to sell their properties before fleeing?? Be very honest because all I can see is Xenophobia being the result in the end.

Many of you don't give thought to these important details of secession. I laugh in Hebrew.

It is people like you who dont think. It is not possible for Nigeria to just sever all ties like that, it is not possible. If Igbos get their independence, there will be a 'transition period' when Nigerian and Biafran leaders discuss the terms of disengagement and the sharing of assets and liabilities.

But there is something even more important. Since you know that Northern Nigeria is a violent prone area, why do you want Igbos to be doing ONE NIGERIA with violent prone people?

Is it not only someone who is living that enjoys properties and assets?

ajl:
You probably closing your eyes to the economic cost which has serious implication to whatever agitation your folks have. Who want to lose all he has worked for decades over an uncertain future. More so they say "once bitten twice shy".

People never lose their properties because of citizenship. They are protected by international law.