₦airaland Forum

My father is an ex-Biafran soldier. As much as there are many books written about Biafra, it also good to get the authentic story from someone was present and on the ground when the whole thing was happening. My father told me that the reason he fought against Nigeria was his belief that it is the right of the Igbos to decide their fate and to decide if they wish to be part of Nigeria or not. My father told me stories of the frontlines, the friends and comrades he lost. It was with that knowledge that on Monday I went, to a Biafran remembrance day gathering. On my way there, I knew that I could be arrested, shot at even killed by the Nigerian security services. As we all know, mere sympathising with Biafra in the wrong place and at the wrong time can be a death sentence in Nigeria. But I had to go because I knew that I was not doing anything wrong by going to remember our war dead. We gathered and prayed for them, we honoured them. Luckily for us, there were no security agents around to cause trouble and we all went back home after the remembrance. It was with heavy heart that I learnt that other people in other states were not so lucky. Many were killed in Onitsha and Asaba. The deaths are a reminder that Nigeria is still very much what Lord Lugard created it to be, an intrument of exploitation and oppression against the indigenous people of the land. I can only quote what Asari Dokubo said in a video on YouTube:

As long as Nigeria refuses to address the issue of people who have been dispossessed of their lands and sovereignty, there will never be peace

willibounce1:
In that case, please join the next so called peaceful ipod protest.

Typical Nigerian. You expect to one day be a great nation by supporting evil, destruction and subjugation. You might as well hope to one day get water from stone.

I saw the video of him lying on the grass dead. I heard someone comment that he came from Enugu to Onitsha for the Biafran remembrance day. It is the height of evil for Soldiers to go to a church and shoot unarmed people. But that is the evil of the entity called Nigeria. Killing people in the name of "one Nigeria". Forcing people who want their God given right to be free to belong to a white man invention called 'Nigeria'. I pray that the family has the fortitude to bear the loss. His death is a reminder that freedom is one of the very few things in life worth dying for. His death is a reminder of the evil Nigeria stands for. One day we shall get there.

Adieu Bro, your legacy will mean nothing in Nigeria, but it will mean everything in the land of the rising Sun.

RIP

willibounce1:
The ipod touts kill policemen and soldiers and as a result, they get punished for it and guess what? The wages of killing any Nigerian security force is DEATH.

Oh really? You probably heard about the killing of Biafran activist for many years now, since the days of Uwazuruike. There were no police or Army casualties. You only heard about the killing of Nigerian security forces this week. Have you commended the Biafra activists for not retaliating all these years? So it is unarmed civilians that are good to shoot? For your information, the constitution allows us all to defend our lives against anyone, be it a uniformed security personel or not, who unduely or unnecessarily risks the life of others.

OLADD:
The unity of the country must take preeminence over any primordial considerations. If the president has to go on his kneels for the country to remain one, he doesn't have any choice. Grandstanding by any of the govt arms would lead us nowhere.

The unity of the country cannot take preeminence over the lives of the indigenous people of the land. You cannot claim to have a country without the sovereign consent of all involved and Nigeria does not have this, it never did. While it is true that the implementation of the confab recommendations would have gone a long way to calm the restive nerves of the SS/SE people, the truth is that there is another section of the country who are agitating against it. They are the ones currently holding the levers of power. Fair to say that the confab report will never be implemented while a northern president is in Aso Rock. In the meantime, the SE/SS will remain ever restive.

willibounce1:
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The arrested ipod touts will die in jail. You will join achebe if you go out and join a useless protest just because you don't like the president. I just hate the way you cowards hide behind your phones and laptops to brag about the things you cannot do. You want to stay alive but encourage your illiterate brothers to go out, protest and get killed like chickens. Chukwu okike alabama will save you.

And who is doing the killing? Your security agencies who are paid to protect life or IPOB?

Ijaya123:
All those comments up there, seem like some people have traded away their brain.

And to those rejoicing over this sad news, hope you will do same if those killed happen to be your family or relatives.

Did you condenm the killing of over 50 people on Monday by the Nigerian security agencies just because they were marking Biafran remembrance day?

isbish:
I always woder why people cry over Northerners rulling forever, especially from our Eastern brothers. This is Democracy where political calculation is done through give and take in order to gain power. PMB used two Igbos as running mates to clinch power at least to give the Igbos the second most powerful position in the country but they never voted in that favour, instead voting for PDP, which was OBJ and a Northern VP. The same happened during Yaradua's time.

The Igbos hate the North cos they see them as their problem. How can you be a President of Nigeria without forming alliance with the North that have the strength of number? The Yorubas calculated well, hence, informing why they have a good command in the current settings.

Igbos detest Northerners calling them names as backward, illiterates and so on and you dare cry that these so called illieterates know politics and its dynamics more than your people. How ironical. Its shameful to call North all sort of names but yet they keep being stronger than you.

Igbos, what's your problem? Maybe you all need to look within. I asure you all that your problems starts from yourselves rather than others.

You think the issue here is the Igbos getting the office of the president of Nigeria? Three Igbos aspired for the president in the last elections. Igbos did not vote for any of them. Igbos have already seen that office of the president is not worth the paper it is printed on. Those who have held it before have not benefited from it. Not even the Ijaw Man benefited from GEJ's rule. The issue here is not presidency, it is all about sovereignty. What the Igbo man is asking himself is how can a tribe with a numerical strenght of over 40 Million people be ruled from Abuja? Why should I as an Igbo man be told that I have to seek the permission of a Yoruba and Hausa man before I elect my own president? Because we 'one Nigeria'? Says who? Lord Lugard? This about independence, it is about sovereinghty, it is about self rule. Nigeria cannot keep telling the Igbo man "you must be with us", "you have no right to choose", "you must be be part of us". This is tantamount to calling a people prisoners. We should all remember that Nigeria is an illegal creation of the White man. In a situation where some people are forcing another people to be with them, there can be no peace, and by extension, no progress.

Let's assume that Jonathan was corrupt and Buhari is not but only one of them can be president:

{GEJ= Boko Haram insurgency but reduced herdsmen attacks

Buhari = Increased Herdsmen attacks but but reduced Boko haram insurgency}

{GEJ= Economy growing at an average of 6% a year

Buhari= Economy grew by less than 1% in his first year}

{GEJ= Pure water N5, bag of Rice N7000, Basket of Tomato N5000, Dollar N150, Pound 250,

Buhari= pure water N15, bag of Rice N15,000, basket of Tomato N30,000, Dollar N400, Pounds N500}

{GEJ= stability in the Niger-Delta region and reduced agitation for Biafra.

Buhari= Increase in Niger-Delta militancy and global Biafran agitation}

Since the suffering of Nigerians will get worse under Buhari, what is the point of Buhari? What is the point of the anti-Corruption war when life will be 3 times as hard for the average Nigerian under Buhari than it was under GEJ?

Chiwude:
IPOB and NDA seems to be working together.

I wouldn't say 'working together' but what both are fighting for is the return of their lands stolen by Lugard in 1914.

hucienda:
At least cut the President some slack for officially launching the clean-up.

True Fiscal Federalism like is practised in the US- who we modelled our form of government from- is the solution to most, if not all this trouble... states should manage whatever you produce then pay tax to the centre. This would make states look inward to develop resources and/or prospects lying fallow in their respective domains, promote competition amongst states and the multiplier effects would be for the better of the masses.

Else, we keep turning round in circles.

No you cannot practice exactly the same type of federalism practiced in America in Nigeria. America is a nation of immigrants while Nigeria is a nation of indigenous people. Therefore, the entire 36 states must be abolished, and in it place, regions will be created. The regions must be made of ethnic groups who decide they are compatible with each other. For example, the Efik/Ibiobio people might decide they want their own region. They may even decide that they would like to join the Igbos in their region or maybe with the other minorities in some other region. That is why a referendum must go hand in hand with any attempt to return to regionalism and true federalism

Civilised country. There isn't even any Police in sight. If it was Nigeria, the Army and Police will arrive there, cork their guns and start killing people.

raumdeuter:
What sense is in this that you wrote? Delta and Edo used to be Midwest now they are classified as South South, Kwara Benue used to be categorized as North they are now North central

So the SSG is not among the indigenous people of the place called Delta? Tell me where the SSG Mr Agas is indigenous to? Plateau State?

Who classes people as South-South? Rivers state was part of the eastern region, Delta-state was in the mid-west region. When did both of them who were in different regions suddenly find themselves in the so called South-South? The point I'm trying to make is the South-South does not mean anything same as the SE. The SSG is just one voice. One voice cannot be used to know what the people want unless that voice has been elected as a spokes man. I don't know how one man can get up and say he is speaking for the many ethnic nationalities in Delta -state such as Anioma, Isoko, Urohbo, Itsekiri, Ijaw and others.

raumdeuter:
When was Delta state part of Biafra?

Delta State was part of Mid west state and previously under Western Region.

Some of you dont even know your history

So you know that Delta state used to be part of the mid-west but today you people say it is SS? The SSG is just saying what any Government official is expected to say. Only the indigenous people of of the area called Delta state have the right to decide who they are not some politicaly appointment SSG with no mandate whatsoever.

divineappo:
I strongly believe that there are foreign powers outside Nigeria(America) secretly funding and covertly sponsoring terrorism, civil unrest, ethnic militancy, in Nigeria. There are foreign powers that are working actively to undermine national security, promote terrorism(Boko haram) forget the fake military aids and support, America is behind BOKO Haram, America is their grand sponsor and some key northerners are co-supporters of BOKO haram, they are able to easily do this by identifying potential key person's in these regions who aid them.

America understands us more than we understand ourselves. America wants an All-Out Civil War in Nigeria, which will eventually grant their justification for US Military Invasion. America did it in Libya & Iraq. They are seriously working towards repeating same thing in Nigeria. America has a major focus on Nigeria.

I advice President Buhari NOT to use Military force in suppressing Biafra & Niger Delta Avengers. I have strategically, holistically & logically analyse Nigeria's current problems, Let BUHARI do everything possible to bring these guys to the table for dialogue, everything possible except Military Force. The President must THINK and identify what needs to be done to bring them to the table for dialogue. Buhari has refused to think or engage thinkers. I believe aggression can be suppressed without Aggression.

Sometime ago, America gave a prediction that Nigeria will cease to exist, thank God, Clueless Jonathan was kind enough to hand over power, and the civil war was averted, that was America's Plan A. The truth is, All the Biafra, NDA, NDT, Fulani Herdsmen are all America's Plan B. They came up with Plan B for this administration since their Plan A failed in 2015. America is working actively to ensure an All-Out Civil War in Nigeria. And our clueless, vision-less and unpatriotic leaders are busy pursuing politics.

Mark my word, America wants and desires that BUHARI should use military force on NDA. They are secretly praying that Buhari uses military force in Niger Delta. If BUHARI does this, BUHARI will be unknowingly helping America to perfect their plans of Civil War in Nigeria. We must do everything possible to disappoint America. Please let's embrace Peace.

I have been monitoring all the political press organizations of these foreign powers; Fox news, BBC, CNN e.t.c. They have began to paint Buhari as a "Former Dictator who has not changed". They did same thing to Gadaffi, History is repeating itself in Nigeria.

You are talking complete nonsense. The reason why Nigeria is restive is because Nigeria has never worked as a nation. We are different people forcefully amalgamated by the British for their selfish interests. We keep on saying we are one people in one nation but the reality is that we have been fighting and killing each since the British left in 1960. This has got nothing to do with America, this has to got everything to do with the fact that we are incompatible people.

thesicilian:
That suicidal moment when you shed almost all your blood and spend your entire youth for Biafra actualisation, only to find out that your own Igbo politicians are worse than Abacha & Idi Amin combined

Of course the Igbo politician will be bad, the Igbo politician is operating in Nigeria and with the Nigerian system. Why won't they be worse than Abacha or Idi Amin?

MyX1:
TERRIBLE_SOUTH_EAST_GOVERNORS
AFTER THE BLOOD BATH IN ANAMBRA STATE
DUE TO THE BIAFRAN REMEMBRANCE DAY,
NONE OF THE EASTERN GOVERNORS HAVE SEEN
IT IMPORTANT TO PUT OUT A STATEMENT
REGARDING THE KILLING OF ABOUT 30 IGBO
YOUTHS (FOR OR AGAINST) ....
DOES THAT MEAN THE DEATH OF 30 YOUTHS
MEANS NOTHING TO THEM?
SOUTH-EAST HAS A BIG LEADERSHIP
PROBLEM..

Of course it means nothing to the Governors. The only person who made an attempt to condemn the killings was Ike Ekweremmadu.

heryeendey:
CALL FOR SOLIDARITY!!!!!!!!
I felt nothing buh shame,pain & agony to
see Nigeria in this mess it's in.what a
fraught caused by hatred & animosity.let
me stop beating about d bush and hit d
nail on the head. THE SABOTEUR. The saboteur are those bigots,fool &
infacts,the animals in man's flesh,who
have done nothing but CAST BLIGHT on
the nation's economy & welfarism....wh
at an abject nd hardened Idiots. The
Niger Delta Avengers,the Boko haram,the Ipob,the Massob,the Fulani
herd'sme nd their Ilk.
the sects mentioned above are just
ignorant nd damn-daft set of people who
has bin brain-washed to fight blindly for
some baseless,meaningless,nd evn disproving facts.
The most annoying of them,the NDA(The
Niger Delta Avenger) who has been d
plight menacing the supply & availability
of oil(which is the major source of
revenue to the Nigerian governnent).i'm never in support of terrorism buh ma
aversion & hatred towards the NDAs is
immeasurable.they keep blowing up
pipelines which s detrimental 2 d
development of their communities nd stil
xpect d region 2 develop? Why not fight their government who do
nothing buh ravenously consume money
meant 4 d development of d state.their
land has bcom so infertile owing 2 their
wrong course of protest,where oil
spillage has killed dia aquatic animals,bla bla.
for all i care,the course is senseless &
illogical,& or the only thing i can deduce
or make outta dis,is the fact that the
NDAs s pained because their son (GEJ) lost
the last election and d only thin they can do is sabotage the government plans so
as to see this administration fall
through.....how on earth?
Thereafter they'll get amnesty,walk
freely nd evn participate in governing a
country they've done harm?.I pray & hope they realise that gone are dos days
when you're left untouched as an
aborigine of Niger Delta.m glad 2 tel
u,your days are numbered.
As regards d herdsmen,i frankly can't
understand d cause &reasons 4 d massacre of some local communities......i
hope d fg proffer an expedient &
immediate solution dat wil end dis
catastrophe.
I jst blieved nigerians need mostly
sensitisation. To be continue...... #Say_no_to_treason.. M jst a concerned nd vulnerable
Nigeria.....peace.

Niger-Delta Avengers, herdsmen massacres, IPOB/MASSOB agitations, Boko Haram are all symptoms that something is wrong with Nigeria, that Nigeria is sick. Instead of asking why Nigeria is sick, you are asking Nigeria should be sick. It is the job of your Government to liaise with these disgruntled elements and how to address their grievance. Instead, the Government of the day has used heavy handed military methods to make the situation worse.

In January 1967, Ojukwu touched in a Helicopter in Aburi Ghana to have a face to face meeting with Yakubu Gowon. After two days, Gowon and Ojukwu agreed that Nigeria will be a confederation of the 4 regions. They signed this agreement and went back home. Gowon broke this agreement by announcing the creation of 12 states which forced Ojukwu to declare Biafra. It is highly disgraceful that 50 years after Ojukwu went to Aburi to get true federalism, the same federalism eludes us today. What is even more shocking is that all the ethnic nationalities who joined hands with Gowon and his Northern cohorts to fight Ojukwu so as to help Gowon entrench unitary rule and promote 'divide and rule' are the ones singing the tune of "restructuring" today. Ojukwu has been long vindicated while the unitary rule they fought a war for has destroyed Nigeria.

ekhai:
The press release from your governor said so called unarmed protesters started shooting at the law enforcement agents. or you didn't read before you comment? Again you must obtain a permit before any form of protest. And if not granted, it becomes an illegal gathering. stop exhibiting your ignorance. Check my signature and verify where an speaking from.

Don't talk like an ignoramus. The people on the ground are saying no one fired at the security agents but it a statement from a Governor who was not even there that you choose to believe? Is it the first time you have heard about the Army and police shooting unarmed IPOB protesters? BTW? What civillised country brutalises and kills its citizens for not getting a permit to congregate somewhere?

It's not even about those demands. The Government of Buhari could have used the approach of dialogue with all disgruntled elements. This at least would have shown the Government is not insensitive. But Buhari's hardline military approach has made a bad situation much worse

keally:
With the recent killings of UNARMED CELEBRANTS in Onitsha Anambra State, Buhari has just sown a seed which will soon germinate and he MUST SURELY REAP THE FRUITS IN EXPONENTIAL PROPORTION.

My brother, it was painful news. The videos shocked to my bones. Up till now, no one knows the number of people who were killed in Asaba, Onitsha and Nkpor.

God2man:
The truth is God has an agenda for this country. The agenda is unfolding gradually, it may tarry but it will surely come to past.

You mean the kind of agenda that claimed over 3 million lives from 1967-70? Sorry bro but God does not work like that, the Devil works like that.

Nkem4040:
Yes confirmed. Initially I couldn't believe it, had to arrange my seat well. The guy was calm, collected and commiserated with the dead IPOBs, debunked the killing of police in Onitsha by their group as alleged by the Army, threatened Buhari's life and lives of any SS politician that accompanies him to SS. Mentioned Nnamdi Kanu numerous times as their inspiration and no amount of Money can buy them. All the through the phone call, he kept referring their group and struggle to the restoration of Biaafra. It was touching!

I also heard last night while listening to radio Biafra. When I heard the words "calling from the Niger-Delta Avengers!" I was shocked. The guy basically commiserated with Biafrans over their losses on the 30th of May Massacres in Nkpor, Onitsha and Asaba. He also said that reports reaching them is that Buhari is planning to visit the Niger-Delta, Ogoni land I believe. He said Buhari would not leave the Niger-Delta alive. He also reiterated that the Avengers would completely shut down the Nigerian Oil industry. Very emotional last night, listening to eye witness accounts of how the Nigerian Army and Police massacred Biafrans who were simply celebrating Biafran rememberance day. Chei!

There was a country

saintmark88:
But there was casualty on both sides as two police men were killed n a soldier, so how do u reconcile tht

How I can reconcile that is what the law says. The law says that everyone is allowed the right to 'self defence'. What this means is that we are all allowed the right to protect our lives and property if they are unjustly threatend by anyone, wether in uniform or not. Being in uniform does not give anyone the right to kill unnecessarily. IPOB have consistently shown they are a peaceful movement. They do not carry arms. They only turn violent when they are shot at. The Nigerian Army and Police have consistently shown they are unprofessional. They forget they rules of engagement when it suits them and engage in murder. It is a sacrilege for a uniformed person to turn his gun on the very people they are paid to protect.

Adaure4ever:
The fulani herdsmen that have been mudering people up and down, how many times have the Nigerian Army arrested or shot them.
Whats wrong in Ipobs remembering May 30th Biafran day at onitcha and Asaba?
3 million kids died painfully in the civil war just because of Crude oil, Many died in the Asaba massacre.
Why will the Nigeria Army open shoot at a peaceful gathering of the Remembrance day.
Catalans do their protest in Spain and no one is shot, why is Nigeria different?
I am getting hugely tired of this Failed 3rd world cesspit called NiggerArea aka Nigeria.
Igbo blood have flowed in this satanic cesspit country for long, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
This issue will result to a bloody revolution soon, let Pharaoh keep bragging in his wicknedness, the red sea will consume him soon.
I am tired of this damned country, its either we restructure the country or Expect a Bloody Revolution soon.
"Every mistake can be corrected, Lord lugard's own is Not an exception"- Adaure

My sister, take heart. Nigeria has always been a system of subjugation of the indigenous people of the land from when Lugard created it in 1914 to date. What kind of deranged person will tell another "I must be one with you!". Isn't that madness? I'm an Igbo man, how can I say to any ethnic group in Nigeria "I must be one with you!"? If I want to be with anyone, be it the minorities I share boarders with and interacted for hundreds of years before the there was Nigeria such as the Ibibio, Efik,Ogoja, and Ijaw, I will propose it. But never will I force any of them to be with me if they do not want it. So when I hear people say "one Nigeria or death!", it reminds why I should not be a Nigerian. I have always had my identity as an Igbo man long before Lord Lugard came, I do not have to accept the identity Lugard brought from Britain.

I heard this news on Radio Biafra and called my Aunty who lives in Nkpor, I could hear sporadic gun shots on the phone as I talked to her. Only God knows what is happening in Nkpor. I can only hope that the gun shots I heard were directed at the Sky, but knowing the Nigerian security agencies, it will be a minor miracle if no life was lost.

There are too many lies in this press statement. They said it was "Igbo day". Which one is Igbo day? Everyone knows that the 30th of May is Biafran remembrance day. 30th of May being the day Ojukwu declared Biafra. They report also said that that nothing happened in Nkpor. I saw videos of of several people with gun shot wounds and one person dead in Nkpor on the Radio Biafra website last night. Also, many people called into Radio website giving graphic accounts of the security forces shooting unarmed people. It is highly disturbing that this sort of thing is happening in a country that calls its self giant of Africa. That the security forces can shoot people all over Onitsha is just unbelievable. The videos are on YouTube for all to see