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https://www.naij.com/722615-biafra-fresh-plot-detain-kanu-indefinitely-exposed.html
Clement Ejiofor 10 hours ago 37876

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– IPOB accused Buhari of plotting against Kanu

– Linking us with ship hijack is blatant lie – group

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said it has exposed a fresh plot against their leader Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently in detention on treason charges.

The group blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration of planning the indefinite imprisonment of Kanu and other IPOB prisoners with its recent linking of the group with the supposed capture and threat to blow up a commercial ship.

Emma Powerful, the group spokesperson, said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has been seeking more reasons to continue the detention.

The statement from the group reads: “IPOB has uncovered another plan to continue to incarcerate our leader, Mr Nnamdi Kanu, and other detained IPOB members. The recent plot last week linked IPOB and other Biafra agitating groups to the alleged seizure and threat to blow up a merchant ship which the military has denied. This has made nonsense of the Buhari-led APC government allegation against IPOB as a lie and one coming from a deceitful and dishonest government.

READ ALSO: Pro-Biafra militants release hijacked ship, hold hostages

“We found that accusation an insult and a plot to continue to incarcerate our leader Mr. Kanu who is still in high spirit, in spite of the wicked treatment, intimidation, harassment and denials to damper his spirit. We wonder why the government of APC will busy itself in hatching plans to nail innocent agitators.

“This shows the inconsistency for which the APC and its government is known for or why will anybody, group or government be linking IPOB with seizure of ship in another country? Are we living in the water, or do we carry arms? How can a government that claims to have saints in it be likening IPOB with hijacking of ship?”

“It is shameful that a government that claims to be responsible should be involved in the highest level of indiscipline of disobeying court orders. We are not surprised because this is a government of the people that threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable when they lost election, and also threatened that baboons and their brothers will soak in blood if they did not win election. So, how can they respect the law now that they are in power? They have become so power-drunk and it will destroy them and their government.

“IPOB does not carry arms. Our leader is a refined, never say die, relentless, determined, focused, and unrepentant Biafra activist that is not interested in any government threat or inducement to drop the agitation of sovereign state of Biafra and no amount of blackmail will discourage him.”

READ ALSO: Pro-Biafra ex-militants hijack ship, demand Kanu’s release

Pro-Biafran activists were accused of hijacking a merchant ship and threatening to blow it up with its foreign crew if authorities do not release Kanu.

The development was confirmed by the defence ministry spokesman Rabe Abubakar; however, the group denied the accusation.

The hijacking may indicate that the Biafra secessionists could be working with some Niger Delta oil militants blamed for recent bombings of pipelines in the oil-rich south.

Secret police detained Nnamdi Kanu, the director of banned Radio Biafra, and since have accused him of terrorism, sparking protests in which police are accused of killing several demonstrators.

uu cannot hold a people down forever.

Laugh wan kill me die. Buhari should release Nnamdi and focus on delivering change agenda.

Kyase:
This ICC no dey work with Nigerians.
So na waste of time

Guy na so dem talk until Sudan president here ICC arrest warrant come start to run.

They make sure that they have u red handed first. Continue, dey are not watching.

In a statement published earlier in December, Oeas – which advocates for people's right to self-determination – warned that Nigeria could risk a "civil strife" if pro-Biafrans' demands were not met.

The organisation also said Nigeria should hold a referendum on the Biafra issue within 90 days, with independent observers supervising the polls.

UK MPs speak on Biafra

British MP Angela Reyner said in a statement on Twitter that she had contacted the UK Foreign and Commonwealth office expressing concern over "the situation in Biafra".



Reyner's call for investigations on the ongoing situation follows MPs Tom Elliott and Danny Kinahan's motion in which they acknowledged pro-Biafran calls for independence.

The motion read: "That this House acknowledges the Biafran issue could be improved with the co-operation of the Nigerian government by offering a referendum; and urges the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to use its diplomatic strength to assist in the resolution of this matter."

Last November, James Duddridge, Minister for Africa and the Caribbean, confirmed that British consular officials will meet Kanu – who holds British and Nigerian citizenships – after a question from Kanu's constituency MP, Harriet Harman.

Meanwhile, an exclusive report by IBTimes UK revealed that an Amsterdam-based group of lawyers will also file a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on alleged human rights abuses against pro-Biafrans. The lawyers announced they will file the complaint on 29 January.

Buhari's position

President Muhammadu Buhari's government has always maintained that Nigeria's unity is a priority for the country and that although peaceful pro-Biafran protests are welcome, demanding the breakaway of the Biafran territories is against the constitution.

The Nigerian government told IBTimes UK that it does not consider the separatist movement a threat to the current leadership, and defined pro-Biafrans as an "insignificant number of frustrated people who are not a threat to the existence of Nigeria".http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/eu-biafra-self-determination-be-addressed-respecting-international-law-says-federica-mogherini-1538863

lalasticlala in the same vain as dat nnamdi kanu thread, fp if u no dey fear.

MrAnalyst:
Please Mister,I'm not Mynd44 and I will never ever be Mynd44 IJN. If you have issues with him,he may respond if you use the "mail mod" button on his profile.

Don't talk about things u dont know den, becos u leave people with the impression that u know more than u are disclosing. U sound like u are Mynd44 .

MrAnalyst: 9:30pm

lol. who cares?!

I will prefer if Mynd44 address me boldly with his moniker not a side moniker.


His conduct is open for all to see and hence no need for a side moniker.


People have already concluded on your character, dont be shy.

Is there any reason to hide this comment and ban the poster? I am guessing u ban the posters?

waternogetememy:


So says a yoruba man, let us have a referendum first, leave all this fiction.

Referendum is the way to decide not all this fiction. It is referendum time.

LAGOS BETTER PAY THE PRICE FOR THE GOODS THEY DESTROYED. IT IS ONLY FAIR.


THE TRADERS SHOULD TAKE LAGOS STATE TO COURT.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/biafra-journalist-uses-social-media-poll-challenge-government-president-buhari-not-worried-1536141

World
Biafra: Journalist uses 'social media poll' to challenge government but President Buhari not worried

Nnamdi Kanu protester
A protester holds up a poster of Nnamdi Kanu, the Biafran leader charged over his comments about Nigeria's presidentGetty Images
Thousands of people have participated in an online poll held by a prominent Nigerian journalist on a possible breakaway of the Biafran territories from Nigeria. International journalist and global community activist Kemi Nkem Omololu-Olunloyo told IBTimes UK she decided to hold the social media referendum to understand what the new generations living in the Biafran territories think.

She explained that about 97% of voters (2,200) – mainly from the Igbo ethnic group – took to Twitter and Facebook to vote in favour of the independence of the Biafran territories, annexed to Nigeria during the British colonisation, ended in 1960.


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A total of 154 people voted on Twitter, with 65% (100) of the voters backing a possible breakaway. On Facebook, 95% (nearly 2,100 people out of 2,200) voted in favour of the independence.

"More than 100,000 people saw the Facebook post due to shares," Omololu-Olunloyo said. "I wanted to get a feel of what the new generation of Biafrans are thinking and saying. We are in a modern social media era where Nigerians can speak out more to decision makers."

Among other things, those who voted "yes" motivated their answer by saying people living in the Biafran territories are marginalised by the government and communities are negatively impacted by a lack of infrastructure and employment possibilities.



People who voted "No" said they were in favour of the unity of Nigeria. One Facebook user said: "There is nothing to debate about, it's one NAIJA [a way of referring to Nigeria]. Nothing like Biafra."

Omololu-Olunloyo's initiative came as southeastern Nigeria has been rocked by pro-Biafran protests in which thousands of people call for independence as well as the release of their leader Nnamdi Kanu, arrested in Lagos last October.

Watch IBTimes UK's exclusive interviews with Kanu's wife
'My husband is a prisoner of conscience'
This is why we need Biafra
Demonstrators and NGOs have accused the police and army of unjustified violence against protesters, with reports often claiming security forces open fire on unarmed people. Speaking to IBTimes UK, the police in Amambra state − where several incidents have been reported over the past few months – denied the allegations, arguing pro-Biafrans disrupt peace in the state.

Biafra protests
A pro-Biafran lies prostrate after being shot allegedly by the army on 17 DecemberIpob
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Omololu-Olunloyo said she will use the poll results to engage with the federal government and start a dialogue. She added she did not expect so many people to take part in the voting, as many living in the Biafran territories do not have access to social media.

"If people on the ground did a mock election, it will be a landslide," she said. "Many of those protesters are not on social media."

Poor coverage

Omololu-Olunloyo also accused the international community of failing to pay attention to the increasing calls for independence.

"Look at how Biafrans are tweeting entire world bodies, leaders and even some media, but they are all ignoring them. But Scottish and Catalonia referendums make news," she said and added that coverage of the separatist movement has also been poor in Nigeria.

"Most of our journalists are still afraid to report in depth despite what the President said on his first televised media chat," she said, referring to the fact that Buhari called on journalists to do more investigative work during a media chat held in Abuja in December.

"The main problem is that Nigeria is being ruled time after time by the same dictators in civilian clothing," Omololu-Olunloyo alleged. "One other reason is that the same politicians ruling us own the newspapers, TV and radio stations.

"There can never be fair reporting and we have too much brown envelope journalism where reporters collect cash bribes to write or doctor a story. This is the reason why I'm the only Nigerian journalist seen on all the global cable networks talking about terrorism and openly about the poor leadership here."


Should pro-Biafrans hold a referendum in Nigeria?IBTimes UK
Government's position

In a previous interview with IBTimes UK, a government's spokesperson said Nigeria did not consider the separatist movement a threat to the current leadership and defined pro-Biafrans as an "insignificant number of frustrated people who are not a threat to the existence of Nigeria".

In the first reference to the separatist movement after taking office in May, President Muhammadu Buhari said he was not worried. He told reporters during the December media chat: "Why does it have to worry me, when I have militants of all kinds, Boko Haram, etc? The question is, who marginalised them [pro-Biafrans]?"

Speaking of Kanu – who is still being detained by the State Security Service (DSS) despite the Abuja High Court's ruling in favour of his unconditional release – Buhari said: "DSS disobeyed court orders, people got legitimate bails from courts, and they are still being held. It's due to atrocities they committed.

"They go against the country, and you expect them to jump bail? The one we are calling 'Kanu' he has two passports, he brought equipment. Do you know Kanu brought in sophisticated weapons into the country? There's [a] treasonable felony case against him."

Buhari has been criticised for backing the DSS's decision to refuse to release Kanu and former security aide, Sambo Dasuki, in spite of the High Court's rulings.

Buhari is just a bad news.

As it stands, referendum will settle the matter once and for all.

Ambode is a clueless man. I regret voting APC.

We know how this will play out in Britain in terms of public opinion.

Igbos are just waiting for the perfect excuse and trigger.

This will make Breaking Global News.

Buhari should try it. nuff said!

I pity Niger Delta, a wasted opportunity.

Today, the North is the richest region in terms of land, capital and labour.

Where will nigerdelta get money to clean up for 100 years?

Where will dey get water and grow food not to mention fishing?

Where will dey build their houses without risk of fire from oil spill?

How will dey treat cancer caused by swimming and drinking poluted water and also living close to oil insulation?

Seun Lalasticlala let us pretend not to see this.

TimeManager:
Nobody would be allowed to hold Nigeria to ransome- PMB.
Sanity gradually returning to our society. Change is here. Cowards can cringe under threats, but with PMB we are in safe hands. A fearless general.

No Lie Only Truth!

I hope you understand the difference between change to Tyranny and Totalitarian rule from democratic change?


illiterate begets illiterate.

I repeat Buhari get sense?