Kebbiprince: Na una go cry pass, we will shut down your businesses and stop food from coming to the east
So you are still deceiving yourselves that you guys feed the nation? If so why do beggars litter your region begging for the same food you claim to produce?
I have told you what to do, come down to the east an lead the war, before that write your will because your chances of going back alive is 50-50.
He said Ikonso and some members of IPOB and ESN operatives were killed at Oguta junction at Mgbidi, along Owerri road Onitsha expressway and not in their hideout by a joint security force with the support of Imo State Government.
Is this the ESN headquarters security agencies claimed to have raided.?
The Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has narrated how Commander Ikonso, who heads a branch of its Eastern Security Network (ESN) was killed.
Mr Ikonso was killed on Saturday with his remains shown to the press. Other members of his gang were captured alive in the early morning military operation that comprised of the Army, Police and operatives of the State Security Service (SSS).
Media reports quoting security sources claimed the deceased warlord was eliminated during a raid at the headquarters of the security outfit, a claim the secessionist group refuted in a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful.
Mr Powerful who described the death of Ikonso as painful, said Ikonso was murdered in cold blood while narrating what transpired.
He said Ikonso and some members of IPOB and ESN operatives were killed at Oguta junction at Mgbidi, along Owerri road Onitsha expressway and not in their hideout by a joint security force with the support of Imo State Government.
“Contrary to claims by the cowardly security forces who flee from terrorists but kill innocent citizens, they were not able to penetrate into the camp of Eastern Security Network ESN,” he said. “They only ambushed Ikonso but we promise them hell for this cowardly act!”
The group stated that before his death, the warlord was accosted with mouth watering offers to collapse his gang into Ebubeagu, a security outfit by eastern governors, but refused to compromise.
“Uzodinma decided to kill Ikonso because he refused his offer to head Ebubeagu ghost security outfit formed by South East governors,” Powerful asserted. “Uzodinma has tried but without success to lure ESN operatives into Ebubeagu. He had made irresistible offers to them which were turned down, hence his resorting to elimination of these patriotic heroes who vowed never to betray Biafra.”
The group also chided security agencies who could not enforce a court order directing cattle dealers who staged armed resistance in Enugu State to relocate their business premises.
“Fulani terrorists pretending as cattle sellers in Enugu destroyed Police van and attacked Government officials on lawful duty with AK-47 but no Army, police or DSS attacked them till now. But ESN operatives defending our communities against the terrorists are being hunted like games every day. The world has kept quiet over this atrocity until we begin our own madness.”
The Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB has confirmed the death of its Eastern Security Network (ESN) commander killed earlier today in Imo State.
There were reports of security agencies comprising of the Army, Police and operative of the State Security Service (SSS) raiding the hideout of the deceased known as Commander Ikonso.
Confirming the killings, the secessionist group in a statement on Saturday by Emma Powerful said the deceased while alive was approached to collapse his gang into Ebubeagu, a security outfit formed by governors from the South-East region, but he disagreed to betray the Nnamdi Kanu led movement.
Mr Powerful said Hope Uzodinma whose residence was set ablaze by suspected hoodlums today will pay dearly for the military operation that has led to the dead of Ikonso.
“The Supreme Court Administrator of Imo State Hope Uzodinma and all those who had a hand in this wickedness will pay dearly,” he said. “Hope Uzodinma and his cowardly Nigerian security agencies that cannot confront Fulani terrorists but only flex their muscles when they see Biafra agitators. For murdering Ikonso, the ESN unit commander in in cold blood, Uzodinma has stirred the hornet nest! He should get ready for a sting.
“Uzodinma decided to kill Ikonso because he refused his offer to head Ebubeagu ghost security outfit formed by South East governors. Uzodinma has tried but without success to lure ESN operatives into Ebubeagu. He had made irresistible offers to them which were turned down, hence his resorting to elimination of these patriotic heroes who vowed never to betray Biafra.
“Hope Uzodinma sent a lot of emissaries to beg Ikonso and other ESN officers to join Ebubeagu security outfit. So, because of their refusal to betray Biafra agitation and our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the hopeless governor mobilized joint security forces to attack them today.
“Contrary to claims by the cowardly security forces who flee from terrorists but kill innocent citizens, they were not able to penetrate into the camp of Eastern Security Network ESN. They only ambushed Ikonso but we promise them hell for this cowardly act!
“Hope Uzodima has murdered sleep, so he should be ready to stay awake! Fulani terrorists pretending as cattle sellers in Enugu destroyed Police van and attacked Government officials on lawful duty with AK-47 but no Army, police or DSS attacked them till now. But ESN operatives defending our communities against the terrorists are being hunted like games every day. The world has kept quiet over this atrocity until we begin our own madness.
“Hope Uzodinma as you the body of Ikonso was paraded by Fulani Jihadists in police and Nigerian army, so shall it be your portion one day,” he added.
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu says forgery is a greater crime than supporting terrorism.
Mr Shehu who stated this while appearing on Channels Television’s Today Politics programme Friday evening, monitored by TODAY POLITICS, was comparing the forgery scandal that ousted former finance minister Kemi Adeosun and the past radical remarks of Isa Pantami Digital Economy and Communications Minister.
Mrs Adeosun resigned her position when it was established that one of her academic credential was doctored.
Mr Pantami whose controversial remarks supporting terrorists and the violent elimination of non-muslims was recently unearthed by the media has been called on to step down from office.
Rather than fire him, the presidency sided the embattled minister despite public outcry, saying his offence was committed in the past and his proclamation renouncing them was enough.
The presidency has made known its resolve to go after media houses consistently publishing past extremist views of Minister Isa Pantami.
Mr Pantami whose past Islamic views have come to hunt down presently heads Digital Economy and Communications ministry spearheading the enforcement of National Identity Number (NIN) to Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) linkage.
He was caught on tape declaring support for terrorists while berating the administration of former president Goodluck Jonathan of unjustly eliminating Boko Haram terrorists whom he described as his Muslim brothers.
He also expressed satisfaction at the unending killings of non-muslims, an ideology Boko Haram is spearheading in Nigeria.
The President Muhammadu Buhari administration says the initiative is aimed at tracking down criminal elements which will in turn tune down rising insecurity across the country.
Renouncing his extremist views, the embattled Communications chief said he made the now controversial remarks supporting terrorists while he was immature. His explanation did not deter defiant Nigerians from continuing demanding his removal from office.
In a statement Thursday night, the Presidency in a statement by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said the federal government stands by the minister.
Mr Shehu who alleged that media professionals were being financially induced to continue unearthing the now renounced views made in the past, threatened to deploy arsenals aimed at clamping down on the media.
“And there is now well-reported information that alleges newspaper editors rebuffed an attempt to financially induce them to run a smear campaign against the minister by some ICT companies, many of which do indeed stand to lose financially through lower prices and greater consumer protections,” the president’s spokesman said. “The government is now investigating the veracity behind these claims of attempted inducement, and – should they be found to hold credence – police and judicial action must be expected.
“The Administration stands behind Minister Pantami and all Nigerian citizens to ensure they receive fair treatment, fair prices, and fair protection in ICT services,” he added.
Though Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Pantami denounces any allegiance to Boko Haram, he expressed support for the global extremist groups — the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
“This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria,’’ Mr Pantami said in one of his vicious preachings in the 2000s. “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm al Qā‘ida).”
Mr Pantami’s call to Jihad and unalloyed support for murderous groups portray him as a dyed-in-the-wool Islamic fundamentalist. Yet, President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mr Pantami as communications minister to control the country’s massive data and telephone infrastructure and other sensitive details of national intelligence.
When contacted on Wednesday by Peoples Gazette regarding his support for the terrorist groups, the minister did not comment.
On Monday, Mr Pantami threatened to sue some media platforms for reporting that he is on the U.S. terror watchlist for supporting Boko Haram.
The minister had claimed on Twitter that his lectures “against the doctrines and all other evil people (terrorists) have been available for over 15 years, including debates that endangered my life against many criminals in Nigeria.”
But he failed to acknowledge that he is an avowed supporter of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, as revealed in a 2019 academic document ‘Debating Boko Haram’ seen by The Gazette.
Mr Pantami invited Muslims, especially “Ahlus Sunna” (Salafis), to be sceptical of politicians and religious leaders calling for peace and understanding but retaliate with jihad.
“This jihad is an obligation for every single believer, especially in Nigeria (hādhā jihād farḍ ‘ayn ‘ala kull muslim wa-khuṣūṣan fī Nījīriyā),” he added. Mr Pantami’s comments were translated by Professor Andrea Brigaglia, an African expert at Naples University in Italy. Nigerian scholar Musa Ibrahim of the University of Florida in the United States contributed to the paper that explored the onset of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Top journal publisher academia.edu published the research in March 2019, several months before Mr Buhari tapped Mr Pantami as a minister. Mr Pantami’s violent preachings, which he rendered in Hausa and Arabic throughout the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s, had gone largely unreported in the Nigerian mainstream media.
President Muhammadu Buhari The document detailed how Mr Pantami offered himself as a volunteer to mobilise the Hisba police of the North, requesting to be appointed as the “commander” (kwamanda) of a militia (ready to travel to Yelwa Shendam) to fight in defence of the Muslims.
The speech, which is about 20 minutes long, concluded with the prayer, “Oh God, give victory to the Taliban and to al-Qaeda (Allahumma’ nṣur Ṭālibān wa-tanẓīm alQā‘ida).”
“During his speech, Pantami is in tears, and his voice is often broken by sighs. The genuineness of his emotional response to what was, without doubt, a dramatic episode in the history of violent conflict in Plateau state is obvious,” said the report.
In a second speech, delivered in 2006, Mr Pantami offered his public condolences for the death of the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, al-Zarqawi.
“May God have mercy on Aḥmad alFāḍil al-Khalayleh, raḥmatullāh’ alayhi. May God forgive his mistakes. He is a human being. He has certainly some mistakes in front of God, so may God forgive his mistakes. Who am I talking about? He is Abū Muṣ‘ab al-Zarqāwī.
“He was born in 1966 of the Christian era, that is forty years ago. […] After some time, he was given responsibility for a camp in Herat. It was the Commander of the Faithful (Amīr almu’minīn) Mollah Omar ‒ may God preserve him ‒ who personally gave him the authority to run this camp.”
The document noted Mr Pantami as further saying, “To this date, in the community of the Prophet we have some awesome people, people of awesome faith, who follow the creed of the Sunna and thanks to whom the enemies of God are unable to find rest in this world.
“They have killed the Shaykh, the martyr Abdallah Yusuf Azzam ‒ may God have mercy on him ‒ but did the struggle end? They went on to strike Chechnya, and they killed many of them: did it end? […] Whenever one goes, another one comes, and he is even more awesome than the first,” Mr Pantami added.
In 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan made a veiled reference to the fact that terrorists and their sympathisers had infiltrated his government. Boko Haram and other terror groups in the country have continued to terrorise Nigerians by the wanton destruction of lives and property.
The Nigerian presidency under President Muhammadu Buhari says critics have two more years to wail over its principal’s preference for medical tourism overseas.
Before becoming president in 2015, Mr Buhari severally berated his predecessors who sought medical attention abroad, despite doing same, according to presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu.
The president’s recent medical tourism in London amidst strike by residents doctors elicited protests from Nigerians residing in the foreign country. They are pressuring he return home and fixed dilapidated medical facilities across the nation.
Speaking on the development, Lauretta Onochie, the president’s aide on social media, said his principal will not hearken to the demand of critics and stop seeking medical attention abroad.
Ms Onochie, in a Twitter thread Wednesday, told critics they have two more years to wail, adding that her attempt in 2016 to indoctrinate Nigerians on the issue failed.
She added that her principal will continue his medical tourism until he leaves office.
“NEXT YEAR. PRES. @MBuhari WILL GO FOR A ROUTINE CHECKUP. 1. We have been here since 2016. Its been the same wailing. So the response will also be the same,” she wrote on the micro-blogging site. “At least, once a year, People across the world see their personal Doctors especially one they have seen for about 40 years.
“He went for #CheckUp in 2017, 2018, 2019 & in 2020, just before the pandemic. Same wailing and same explanations. The fact remains that if @MBuhari chooses, he will go for checkups in 2022 & 2023. He will go in 2014. He will continue to go. Its his choice to go or not to.
“I don’t know any man who will accept a different barber to cut his hair if the one he is used to, is not available. Wailing cant take away his rights to see his personal doctors so wailers must get ready for two more years of wailing and fooling around. God bless Nigeria,” she added.
Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State, says his domain prefers to be part of Nigeria rather than belong to the Oduduwa nation declared recently by Yoruba activist Sunday Adeyemo.
Mr Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho pronounced the breakaway of the Yoruba nation from Nigeria last week, advising Yorubas in the Northern region to return home.
He also said there are plans to reopen land borders in the Southwestern part of the country closed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
But reacting yesterday in Akure while swearing-in some government officials including the new Secretary to the State Government, Oladunni Odu, the governor said his state should be excluded from the new nation as his people prefer to belong to Nigeria.
“To comment on the current agitation by some people who express grievances arising from the challenge of nationhood. The noises generated by seeming inaction or passive indifference on the part of the elected and appointed representatives of the government at all levels appear to be responsible for the growing disaffection in the land,” Mr Akeredolu said.
“There is problem, no doubt. While some have been measured in their reaction to this problem, others have been less diplomatic. It is common to find groups and individuals purporting to act or speak on behalf of the rest of us. Did you ask them to speak for us? People just stand up and say they are speaking for a people.
“While it is right for citizens to discuss, agitate, even fight to right perceived wrongs and even people for self-determination. I don’t think there is anything wrong with this but this must be done within an acceptable parameter. We cannot continue the way we are going, all of us must be concerned and agree to achieve a desirable end.
“There must be a common platform through which the demands for the most mundane to the sublime be presented. There must be general consensus. This must be articulated and presented after rigorous engagements on the level of intellection and agendum for the action.
“Self-determination must be a collective programme of action. Nobody can speak when others are not part of it.
“Let me state unequivocally that Ondo State under my watch will stay in the Federal Republic of Nigeria as constituted.
“We recognise that there are reasons that certain anomalies be right. Nobody is running away from it but we will continue to encourage dialogue as an effective tool in resolving disputes. We will also not shy from joining others to insist on socio-economic justice.
“We will, however, not subscribe to banditry and recklessness in putting forward our demands. We will not in Ondo State subscribe to that. So, if people are shouting out there at this time, Igboho will speak for you. It is not going to work and those who have not been speaking for us will not speak for us. Let us be clear on it. We will stay in Nigeria. We are not running away,” he added.
The minister of state for petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has explained how funds for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery will be sourced.
The federal government on Wednesday approved $1.5billion for repairs aimed at reactivating the abandoned project.
The government appears unperturbed despite the positions of critics citing the unstable state of the nation’s economy. For Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, executing the project at this time will be unwise.
Reacting to reports that the funds will not be sourced through borrowing, the junior minister said only a little percentage (about $500million) of the funds will be borrowed.
“Let me tell you how this rehabilitation is going to be funded; it is not going to be all debts, we are not going to borrow all the monies that are going into the rehabilitation (project),” Mr Sylva said Sunday evening when he appeared on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“Some of the money will come from NNPC’s internally generated revenue – from NPDC, some of it will come from the Federal appropriation, and just a little fraction will come from the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank),” he added.
Giving a breakdown of how the funds will be sourced, Sylva also said the repayment plan is nothing to worry about as it will be paid when it becomes functional, going by the way the project is structured.
“The NNPC is going to spend about $200 million from its internally generating revenue sources, while the Federal appropriation will put in about $800 million and it is already broken down into three parts,” the minister said.
“The 2020 appropriation will give $350 million, 2021 appropriation will give another $350 million, and 2022 appropriation will give another $100 million, making it all $800 million from appropriation, and then the rest of it will now come from Afreximbank,” he added.
Sunday Adeyemo, a Yoruba activist in the South-West, has vowed to reopen land borders closed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, stated this during a meeting in Ibadan on Wednesday. The video clip where he made the vow is also circulating on social media.
Nigeria share lengthy borders with Benin Republic across its southwestern parts. High volume of transborder trading occur through the Seme Border lying west of Lagos. Traders in the region often bring their goods through the border as it apparently offers cheaper costs compared to the nation’s ports.
Economic activities around the border have however been crippled since the closure of all land borders by the Buhari administration.
The activist in his recent reaction also appealed to his kinsmen residing in the Northern part of the country to return home, adding that the time for secession is now.
Igboho who resisted arrest last month also claimed traditional rulers in the geo-political zone were backing his resolve to actualize Oduduwa Republic.
“After this discussion, we will hold a meeting and open our borders so that rice, food and other things can enter easily. Enough is enough,” Igboho barked.
“All our borders that the Nigerian government closed, we are telling them we are no longer under them, we will go and open the borders. We are ready for everything they want to do to us. I am speaking on behalf of Yoruba people,” he maintained.
Igboho had previously ordered politicians from the South-West to shelve their 2023 political ambitions and join hands with him to actualize his dreams.
He threatened to deal with anyone who will campaign in the Yoruba predominantly area.
The Nigerian Senate has explained why the upper legislative chamber ignored petitions and complaints against former service chiefs and hurriedly confirmed their ambassadorial nominations.
The former military commanders whose appointment were confirmed are: the former Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin; former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai; former Chief of Air Staff, Ibok Ibas; and former Chief of Naval Staff, Abubakar Sadique.
They resigned late January and were immediately replaced with Leo Irabor, new Chief of Defence Staff; I. Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff; A.Z. Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff; and I.O. Amao, Chief of Air Force.
Days after leaving office, the International Criminal Court (ICC) acknowledged petitions against them for their alleged sadistic conducts when they held sway. In a move to shield them from prosecution apparently for doing his bidding, President Muhammadu Buhari wrote the Nigerian Senate often referred to by critics as rubber-stamp, demanding their confirmations as non-career ambassadors, a move aimed at conferring diplomatic immunity on them.
The Senate which received the request early February confirmed the appointees within three weeks, ignoring petitions and complaints against the ex-service chiefs accused of violating human rights and perpetuating crimes against humanity.
In an interview with The Nation, the spokesman of the red chamber, Senator Ajibola Bashiru, who represents Osun Central, said former military commanders were confirmed ambassadors because their former jobs differ from the present assignments.
“It is just like a newspaper that had an editor that was considered not effective in carrying out the editorial functions of the newspaper,” Mr Bashiru explained, “If tomorrow such an editor is appointed as an ambassador, would you say he is not fit for that purpose because he was relieved of his job as an editor?
“I am not saying the Service Chiefs did well on their job. The Senate faulted the way they handled the insecurity situation in the country and we passed resolutions to that effect. Nevertheless, we still believe they have put some mechanisms in place that can help in the fight against terror in the future. Besides, the job of an ambassador is different from that of a military commander; they are two different assignments and two different briefs.
“I asked a question during the screening; assuming the former Service Chiefs decide to contest for senatorial seats in their constituencies, would they be disqualified because there are concerns about the issue of insecurity?
“I think we should not dwell on emotions and sentiments when answering the above question because it is capable of undermining people’s commitment to serving the country in different capacities. If you recall, the US terror war in Afghanistan started in 2001. As we speak, America is still in Afghanistan. Similarly, the Irish Republican Army (IRA) is still fighting against the authorities in Ireland.
“I am not saying we could not have done more in the war against insurgency; my point is that insurgency is not a conventional war. So, the Senate approved their appointments as ambassadors because the job of an ambassador is different from that of a Service Chief,” he said.
The spokesman who also refuted the rubber-stamp tag hanged on it by critics, said although lawmakers agreed not to attack the executive acrimoniously, reality on ground does not tally with the description.
“I don’t know the basis for your question, but what I do know is that at the inception, there was an agreement among the lawmakers that we do not want an acrimonious relationship between the Executive and the Legislature,” he explained.
“All of us witnessed how such a relationship worked against the interest of the country with the attitude of the 8th Assembly towards the Executive. Indeed, the so-called rubber-stamp tag does not tally with the reality, if one considers the fact that on several occasions the President’s nominees were rejected by this 9th Senate. There are so many instances of this. For instance, a nominee to represent the Southeast in the Law Reform Commission was rejected because he had not been called to the Bar. Even though he is a qualified lawyer, the law requires that he must be called to the Bar.
“A request for a loan for the government to tackle COVID-19 was also not ratified, even though the ruling party has the majority in the National Assembly. As representatives of the people, we also expressed dissatisfaction over the handling of security issues by the government. Following up on that, we called for the sacking of the Service Chiefs several times.
“So, the tag of rubber-stamp does not suit the 9th National Assembly. We only approve proposals that advance the interest of our dear country. But, any request that does not represent the aspirations of those that elected us has been turned down on several occasions. The absence of acrimony between us and the Executive does not mean that the parliament is a rubber-stamp in the hands of the chief executive,” Bashiru added.
Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, has suggested steps he thinks can tackle rising insecurity particularly in educational institutions.
Mr Atiku gave his points while reacting to the outcry of the federal government lamenting its inability to provide security for Nigerians, specifically school children.
Education minister of state, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, had advised Nigerians to be at alert against ravaging bandits that have resort to kidnapping students and pupils.
Describing children as the country’s greatest assets, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general election advised the government to withdraw security personnel attached to individuals and reassign them to educational institutions.
“The FG may think they cannot protect all schools, but in actual fact, they can. It is a matter of leadership priority. Children are our greatest asset,” Atiku asserted on Twitter Tuesday evening, suggesting, “If we reassign police officers currently engaged in non-essential guard duties for individuals to schools in the affected states, the object can be achieved.”
Citing rising figure of unemployment in the country, the opposition politician urged the federal government to massively recruit more police officers.
“Recent figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics reveal that Nigeria now has an all-time high unemployment rate of 33.2%, up from 8.4% in 2015.
“Rather than think we cannot secure all our schools, let us kill two birds with one stone and massively recruit more police officers to provide the needed security,” he added.
The North is not interested in Arewa Republic again, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said Tuesday.
Emmanuel Yawe, national Publicity secretary of the socio-cultural organization in Northern Nigeria, stated this while reacting to the recent declaration of former Niger Delta warlord, Asari Dokubo, announcing the formation of Biafra Customary Government (BCG).
Mr Dokubo, described as an attention seeking joker by the federal government, said his declaration akin to treason is premised on rising insecurity which, according to him, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration failed to tackle squarely.
Announcing some officials of the de facto government, the former warlord said his administration will soon begin the creation of provinces.
For Mr Yawe, the people of the North are no longer interested in championing the Arewa Republic course. He said this is because the people fought a civil war to keep the present day Nigeria today.
“We are not interested in the Arewa Republic,” the ACF scribe told Sahara Reporters, adding that, “We believe in one Nigeria, we fought a civil war to keep Nigeria one and we cannot fight a civil war only to come and declare an independent nation again.”
As the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari winds down in 2023, the demand for power rotation to South, or division of the country takes place, have recently heightened.
While some individuals adjudged to be influential in the North are opposing power rotation for competency, their counterparts in the South are insisting on return power returning to their area.
In the South-West, Sunday Adeyemo, an activist in the Yoruba predominant area, threatened to kill politicians from the geo-political zone should they vy for the top position in 2023.
Mr Adeyemo popularly known as Sunday Igboho, said what the people of the zone ought to be talking about is how to ensure the coming of Oduduwa Republic.
In the South-East region, Nnamdi Kanu and his Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) are not backing down on their resolution to secede and restore back the defunct Biafra Republic.
Mr Kanu believes he will actualize his dream before the next general election.
Ahmed Wase, the deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, says Nigerians abroad have no right to complain about insecurity bedeviling the nation.
Mr Wase who stated this on Thursday while standing in for the speaker of green chamber, Femi Gbajabiamila, who was absent, rejected a petition filed by Mzough U Tiv Amerika (MUTA) on insecurity in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba.
The petition, presented by Mark Gbillah from Gwer East/Gwer West, berated the federal government, saying it was displaying non-chalatant attitude towards addressing the hazards of displaced Nigerians as a result of violent herdsmen activities, particularly in central Nigeria.
Arguing that they have no right to question the government, the deputy speaker said it would be comprehensible if the petition is coming from those who are within the country.
“Honourable Gbillah, did you say Tivs in America? What do they know about Nigeria? What is their business? They can’t sit in their comfort zones and know what is happening in Nigeria,” Mr Wase said.
In response, Mr Gbillah explained that Nigerians abroad have family members who are at times victims of insecurity.
“Some of them are just studying, some just went they to do courses and they’re a union and are Nigerian citizens,” the Benue lawmaker argued and cited section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution which recognises freedom of association.
But the Deputy Speaker queried if MUTA was registered with the Corporate Affairs of Commission (CAC) to begin with but was countered on grounds that Nigeria has been pursuing a policy of inclusiveness for its citizens in the Diaspora, an aim that would easily be defeated if the same category of Nigerians cannot be allowed to speak on raging matters of national concern.
“I’ll refer you to the functions of the committee on diaspora, if you go through that, it is nothing relevant to what you’re now presenting, I’m not convinced that we have to take that petition,” the presider said.
Chidi Odinkalu who shared a video clip of the debate on Twitter condemned the comments of the top lawmaker.
Facebook, popular social network, has stated why the page of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) was yanked off the networking site.
Mr Kanu, a fugitive facing charges of treasonable felony, had his facebook page banned Tuesday night.
The ban occurred hours after he ended a live broadcast where he propagated the activities of his group seeking a return of defunct Biafra Republic.
He used to page to publicize the existence of Eastern Security Network (ESN) recently formed by the secessionist group to tackle violent herdsmen in the old eastern region.
It said it security outfit was a replica of Amotekun, a regional security outfit, in the South-West unleashed on violent herders.
In a statement from a spokesman of the U.S-based company to TODAY POLITICS, the networking site cited hate speech as its reason for the expulsion.
It also said the activities of the secessionist leader on its platform goes against its community standard.
“We believe in giving people a voice, but we also want everyone using Facebook to feel safe. It’s why we have Community Standards, which set out what is and isn’t allowed on Facebook, and we remove anything that violates them,” the spokesman wrote in an email to TODAY POLITICS, adding that, “In line with our rules, we removed Nnamdi Kanu’s page for repeatedly posting content that breaks those Community Standards, including content that violated our rules on coordinating harm and hate speech.”
The outlawed group has berated Facebook, saying it allowed itself to be used by agents of oppression in Nigeria to suppress the truth.
“We strongly condemn this attitude of Facebook Managers in Lagos and Abuja who collude with corrupt Nigerian government officials to suppress free flow of Information via their platform,” Emma Powerful, spokesperson of IPOB said Wednesday.
“This unconscionable and reprehensible attitude amounts to partnering with perpetrators of human rights abuses and other criminal activities masterminded by the Nigeria State against innocent citizens.
“The federal government and its foot soldiers – terrorist herdsmen and bandits – have continued to subjugate indigenous nations in the country including Biafrans with the intent for conquest. These foot soldiers on daily basis unleash all sorts of mayhem on the innocent and hapless indigenous peoples while the federal government mischievously remains docile.
“These vampires masquerading as herdsmen have forcibly seized our forests and converted our farms to grazing fields for their cattle. They have equally turned our ancestral lands to slaughterhouses where they kill with impunity in most dehumanising manners, innocent locals going about their legitimate business.
“They commit these crimes unchallenged by security operatives. They kidnap for ransom, maim and rape our women. They feed their cattle with our crops, and Facebook is saying we don’t have a right to cry out?
“Now that our Leader has started exposing the atrocities of these wolves in human clothing, Facebook have decided to be an accomplice to mass murder and oppressive tendencies of Fulani supporter of APC rulers of Nigeria.
“Why should Facebook block the account of the leader of the largest peaceful mass movement in the world for speaking the bitter truth people are too terrified to talk about? Why hasn’t Facebook prevailed on the perpetrators of these heinous crimes in Nigeria to stop their atrocities instead of denying innocent victims media access?
“Facebook is quick to fall for the lie of agents of oppression and accuse us of hate speech but fails to realise that hate action begets hate speech if in Facebook lexicon, bitter truth translates to hate speech.
“This unholy act is only akin to what Britain and her allies did to Biafra during the Genocidal War of 1967-70 when they imposed land, air and media blockade on Biafra in order to deny the truth about the ongoing genocide from coming out.
“But our message to Facebook is simple: no matter how hard you try to suppress the gospel of truth being preached by our leader, the struggle for Biafra liberation cannot be slowed down. On the contrary, our efforts will be intensified because Biafra restoration is a divine mandate that must be accomplished in this era.
“We are very resolute in our resolve to restore Biafra and will not be deterred. If you like block all Biafran activists on your platform, we shall keep pushing on until Biafra is fully restored.
“We therefore, wish to encourage our leader’s teeming global audience to follow him and hook up to his live broadcasts via IPOB’s numerous other platforms. Our leader can be followed through many other platforms such as: Twitter YouTube, IPOB Community Radio app, Radio Biafra app, Satellite and FM.
“May we therefore remind all those local staff of Facebook in Lagos and Abuja that but for Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, their families in their communities would have today been overrun by herdsmen and terrorists. An accomplice to a cruel man will surely get the reward of cruelty!” the group added.
Politics › Re: How ESN Commander, Ikonso Was Killed: IPOB by deantimes(op): 10:52pm On Apr 24, 2021
