₦airaland Forum

The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has accused members of the Joint Military Taskforce of shooting at unarmed pro-Biafra protesters on December 2, 2015, in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State. In a statement, the CLO’s executive director, Ibuchukwu Ohabuenyi Ezike, claimed that the task force members killed one Vivian Emeka and 10 others and left many protesters with severe injuries. The group also added that more than 100 protesters are being held in custody in Abuja, calling the detentions an abuse of court orders. BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK DEC 05, 2015 1.5K -2147483648 12 The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) has accused members of the Joint Military Taskforce of shooting at unarmed pro-Biafra protesters on December 2, 2015, in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State. In a statement, the CLO’s executive director, Ibuchukwu Ohabuenyi Ezike, claimed that the task force members killed one Vivian Emeka and 10 others and left many protesters with severe injuries. The group also added that more than 100 protesters are being held in custody in Abuja, calling the detentions an abuse of court orders. The CLO is demanding a full investigation. Mr. Ezike stated that a contingent of the heavily armed joint task force, consisting of personnel from the Army, Navy, police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, last Wednesday attacked thousands of unarmed members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group seeking a separate republic of to be called Biafra. “Among those killed by the joint military operation was a 21-year-old Vivian Emeka,” said the statement, adding that efforts were being made to identify the other victims. The statement said that those injured were receiving medical attention at undisclosed hospitals in Onitsha, adding that more than a hundred protesters were under detention by the Directorate of State Security (DSS) in Abuja. The IPOD members were demonstrating against the continued incarceration of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who is also the director of Radio Biafra. Nigerian authorities have detained Mr. Kanu since arresting him on October 1, 2015. He was reportedly arrested at the Murtala Mohammed Airport in Lagos on his arrival from the United Kingdom. The CLO stated that the continued detention of Mr. Kanu violated a court order, noting that the government had not appealed the ruling granting bail to the IPOD spokesman. There were unconfirmed speculations that Nigerian authorities were planning to charge Mr. Kanu with terrorism. His wife, Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, is heavily pregnant and has claimed that her husband was terribly sick, had been denied medical attention, and could be killed in detention by Nigerian government officials. Mr. Kanu was taken to court on December 1 but returned to a detention when the court did not sit due to the magistrate’s absence. Dismayed IPOB members, who had trooped to the court in Abuja to cheer their leader, marched to the British High Commission in Abuja to protest. They stated that Nigerian security operatives teargassed and battered them, preventing them from entering the High Commission. More than 100 IPOB protesters were allegedly arrested and remain detained. The continued detention of Mr. Kanu has sparked “solidarity protests” in several parts of the southeast and beyond, including Onitsha, Aba, Nnewi and Port Harcourt. In Onitsha, the protesters blocked the head bridge area, preventing the flow of traffic to and from the commercial city. Witnesses said members of the joint task force stormed the head bridge at 1:30 a.m. last Wednesday and began shooting sporadically into the crowd, killing 11 protesters and injuring numerous more. Mr. Ezike warned that the Nigerian government’s disobedience of court orders could “seriously threaten our civil rule and viciously return our society to the yester years of impunity, terror and executive lawlessness.” The CLO decried the government’s violation of a court order granting former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (ret.) permission to travel overseas for medical treatment. It also condemned the detention of the former chairman of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi, by agents of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after he responded to an “oral invitation to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.” According to Mr. Ezike, the CLO absolutely supported the government’s war against corruption, but “will not support the impudent violation of the rights of the citizens by the authorities acting contrary to the provisions of the law, no matter the excuse. Even where murder allegation is involved, nothing can justify the abuse of the rule of law, human rights, and due process while the matter is being investigated. It looks odd to parade and hold suspects who are being investigated by security agents in guilt as if they have been found guilty by the courts.” The CLO declared the shooting of unarmed civilians in Onitsha as “a case of gross violation of human rights, use of excessive force and a crime against humanity.” Its statement added, “This barbaric act has no place in a modern society as it also gravely undermines all UN, AU and other international, regional and national human rights mechanisms. Nothing, whatsoever, can justify this flagrant infraction on the rights of the citizens.” The CLO avowed zero tolerance for corruption and other social vices and crimes, but condemned “the violation of our laws and human rights on the altar of fighting graft and other crimes in Nigeria.” It stated that the disregard for the rule of law was reminiscent of what happened “in Nigeria in 1999 and 2000 when the Obasanjo regime sacked Odi community in Bayelsa and Zaki-Biam in Benue states through executive terror and lawlessness.” The group urged the Nigerian government to deploy its energies and resources in the fight against Islamist terrorists Boko Haram “and other criminal elements whose activities terrorize and ravage our country, which have turned our young soldiers’ wives into widows in our barracks, children into orphans and our communities into IDPs camps.” It also urged the Muhammadu Buhari administration to handle the agitation for Biafra with care “so that it does not escalate into a full blown crisis,” adding, “Nigerians cannot afford to fight two or more wars at the same time.” The CLO demanded that the National Assembly and the National Human Rights Commission conduct a thorough and credible investigation of the alleged shooting in Onitsha. It also urged the government to release Mr. Kanu as well as other detained protesters in keeping with a court ruling and the law.

started recovering from the effect of last week’s pro- Biafra violent protests that left nine people dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed. After the Wednesday’s mayhem in the city and the subsequent dismantling of the barricade used by the protesters to block the Bridge Head and other entry points in Onitsha,indication emerged that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were regrouping on Thursday to begin another round of violent demonstration. This was, however, aborted following the beefing up of security in the area. For instance, several truck loads of soldiers, from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, were seen heading to Onitsha on Thursday and this, perhaps, scared the organizers of the protests. Hundreds of the IPOB agitators, who gathered at one location in Onitsha, had to hurriedly disperse for fear of arrests. The suspension of the protest, however, does not mean the agitation is over. For now, the agitators have resorted to the use of the social media to whip up sentiments and gather more support for what they described as impending referendum on Biafra. One of the messages that have hit the media is entitled, ‘The Biafra question: A case for self-determination referendum.’ Many traders in Onitsha were, at the weekend, still counting their losses since the protests began following the arrest and detention of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra, by security operatives. Mr. Maximus Okafor, a trader at the popular Bridge Head drug market, Onitsha, said his customers, who were coming to make purchases that Wednesday, could not enter Onitsha because of the activities of the pro-Biafra group. Okafor, who resides in Asaba, Delta State, and has had to cross the River Niger everyday to reach his shop, said he too could not enter Onitsha on the said day. According to him, though people were trekking to Onitsha from Asaba, he saw no need to do so since the markets were closed. He added that his customer, who had already transferred money to his account, had to stay in a hotel outside Onitsha until the following day. Travellers to other parts of the country could not make their journey and were trapped between Upper Iweka Road and the Bridge Head as the IPOB activists controlled the highway for the better part of the day. Most of the boys that organized the protest came from Aba, Abia State after embarking on a similar protest in Enyimba the previous day. They were joined by their colleagues in Onitsha who provided logistics. Some of the protesters said they were looking forward to when their leaders would lead them to march on the streets of Abuja to make “the impact concerning Biafra Republic”. One of them, who gave his name as Uche and who claimed to be 26 years old, said he became interested in the Biafra project after listening to Radio Biafra for several months. “Listening to Radio Biafra opened one’s eyes to what Igbo people are passing through in Nigeria and the best thing that can happen to us is to have our own country. If it happened in Southern Sudan, why can’t it happen here?”, Uche said. Incidentally, there appears to be no peace among some of the agitators as the various groups, which claim to be working towards the actualization of the Biafra Republic, are trading blames over the outcome of the happenings in Onitsha. Even Igbo groups and many highly- placed individuals have dissociated themselves from the activities of the groups. For instance, two factions of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, are accusing each other of being responsible for the loss of lives and destruction of property as a result of the violent nature of the agitation. MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, is accusing IPOB and the Uchenna Madu-led faction of MASSOB of being responsible for the violent protests. He recalled that Kanu, the detained Director of Radio Biafra, who is the leader of IPOB, and Madu, the leader of the break away MASSOB, had earlier been expelled from MASSOB because of their alleged disposition to violence, which, according to him, is against the non-violence posture of MASSOB. To him, Kanu and Madu were being sponsored by politicians to destabilise MASSOB and so they had to be expelled. But Madu countered, saying Uwazurike had lost the confidence of Ndigbo who once believed in him. “Uwazurike should cover his face in shame because no Igbo man wants to hear his voice on issues concerning Biafra any longer as he and his followers have been tagged Biafra saboteurs”, the MASSOB factional leader stated. “In this current agitation for Biafra, which has drawn international attention, Uwazurike is completely lost as he is no longer agitating for Biafra actualization, but pursuing personal interests. Biafrans know who their leaders are and Uwazurike is not among them.” Pro-Biafra protesters mount road blocks and bonfires at Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State, yesterday. Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. FILE:Pro-Biafra protesters mount road blocks and bonfires at Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State. Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. The question remains, what would be the next move of the Biafra agitators in the face of the criticisms trailing their actions, and the clampdown by security operatives? Unfortunately, most of the agitators protesting on the streets do not know the detailed programme of their leaders, except that they have been told that by constantly protesting on the streets, the international community would one day tell Nigerian leaders to allow the Biafra Republic to be carved out of Nigeria. After the Onitsha protest, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State appealed to the people to give peace a chance. The governor said:”The government of Anambra State has been monitoring developments and is greatly concerned about the security of lives and property of residents and visitors to the state. As your governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I am compelled to act to avert any likely breakdown of law and order. In all situations, the preservation of human life comes first and I am determined to enforce that. “I therefore, sincerely appeal to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), MASSOB and other aggrieved groups and individuals to maintain peace and resist any attempt by hoodlums to take advantage of the situation and destabilize any part of Anambra State.“ I am in constant touch with all the security agencies in the state to ensure that what has otherwise been a peaceful protest is not hijacked by trouble makers. All mischief makers are hereby warned to keep off as we will not tolerate any breach of peace under any guise or pretext. You are seriously warned!” The apex Igbo socio–cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which is also worried by the activities of the Biafra agitators, said no reasonable Igbo would associate with the demand of the youths. Chairman, Forum of State Presidents of Ohaneze in the seven Igbo–speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, said that no right thinking person would support what he called the madness by some youths, who were being deceived to engage in something they cannot finish. He, however, identified the perceived marginalization of Igbo as the main cause of the Biafra agitation,urging President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue. Imo: Shock, grief, anger trail killings Reports from Imo State said grief, anger and shock trailed the Wednesday’s killing of the MASSOB and IPOB activists by security agencies in Onitsha, Anambra State. Many residents recounted what they called “the excesses of the Buhari administration to include the abandonment of the South-East and the assault on defenceless and unarmed protesters”. They were of the view that some of the recent appointments made by President Buhari showed the disdain his administration has for Ndigbo. The people recalled with grief, anger and defiance that only the South-East has five states, while others have six and above, with multiple local government areas that equally attract high revenue from the Federation Account. During a recent pastoral outing, the Bishop of Egbu Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Okorafor, had called for understanding and dialogue. He predicted that if the growing agitation was not properly handled, it could lead to loss of lives. Today, he is vindicated! One of the loyalists of IPOB, who simply identified himself as Geoffrey, appealed to the Federal Government to stop deceiving the country that it is running a democracy. “In a democracy, people are free to express their misgivings openly. In a democracy, people are free to seek self-determination. If the country is united, our soldiers would find it difficult to direct the nozzles of their guns at unarmed members of MASSOB and IPOB, instead of members of Boko Haram that have been killing hundreds of innocent people for years”, he said. Speaking also, a female member of IPOB, Mercy Chikodi Agams, said “the Indigenous People of Biafra have been going about their agitation peacefully and will continue to remain peaceful, despite provocations from security agencies.” Continuing, Agams said “the group is not only resolute in our quest for freedom, but is also aware that in this legitimate struggle, many lives would be lost, not because we want to lose them, but because the Buhari government detests freedom of the oppressed people of Biafra”. She added “The world is watching the terror unleashed on innocent people legitimately agitating for their right to independence”. Agams was of the view that what increased the tempo of the agitation was the arrest, detention and prosecution of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is now branded a terror suspect by the Federal Government. “This young Biafran, Kanu, lives in the United Kingdom. If he was the terrorist, which the Federal Government now brands him, the British police would not have allowed him to walk the streets of London unhindered”, the activist said. To Kemdi Uzor, government has failed to critically ascertain the reasons behind the current agitation, with a view to coming out with the appropriate solution. “If not that the Ndigbo are industrious, we would have been sentenced to untold hardship and penury. I recall with grief that only paltry 20 pounds was given to all bank depositors at the end of the 30-month old war, irrespective of the amount you left in the account”, Uzor said. He recalled that the Federal Government took that decision because owners of such accounts either made withdrawals or deposits, while the war lasted. “So, you can see that the Federal Government expected that the hungry and disease-infested people that were living in land-locked Biafra, should not have operated their accounts for 30 whole months”, Uzor stated. Some business men in Owerri were, at the weekend, counting their losses, following the closure of markets in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State. “Our livelihood and the sustenance of members of our families are dependent on our ability to record reasonable turnover at the end of the day, but the events in Onitsha have definitely slowed things down. “It is not in doubt that Onitsha and Aba are the major commercial nerve centres in the South-East. These are also the major operational zones of MASSOB and IPOB. The economic environment sadly shrinks each time the groups order their loyalists to the streets”. Apart from traders, another group of business men that have suffered huge losses, since the uprising started, are commercial vehicle operators. Sunday Vanguard gathered that some of the commercial drivers heading to Benin, Lagos and the other western states, made use of the Owerri-Elele-Efurun-Warri-Benin axis, while those heading to the North, used the Enugu route and avoided Onitsha. A driver, who simply identified himself as Uko, complained that the stress occasioned by the diversion, was great and the man hours spent on the trip, longer. Enugu: MASSOB factional leader to Igbo leaders: Don’t meet FG Meanwhile, factional MASSOB leader, Madu, says any Igbo leader who represents the group in any meeting with the Federal Government without its consent will be disgraced. The factional leader, who spoke in Enugu State, said: “Every struggle has its methodology to achieve its desired goal and aspiration for the people. The two-days blockage of River Niger is part of the ongoing peaceful,non-violent demonstration against the continued detention of our Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigeria government. Civil disobedience, non-cooperation and peaceful demonstrations are tools of non-violent agitation worldwide. Our actions so far portray IPOB,MASSOB, led by me, as well organized, focused, determined uncompromising, dedicated, fearless and unsabotage organizations bent on Biafra actualization. “Today,Nigeria is jittery,shaken and disorganised because of one month peaceful demonstration and protests of genuine Biafra agitators. There are tens of other programmes and actions we can unleash under our clothes of non-violence which will ultimately uproot Nigeria from her already dislocated foundation, but we are watching the Nigeria government to ascertain,verify their seriousness on the much published dialogue,meeting of Ndigbo and the Federal Government over our demands. “We still maintain that any Igbo representatives on the dialogue or meeting with Federal Government without our consent shall be disgraced. We shall never relent or retire until our Biafra is actualized. Non-violence shall also remain our cardinal point and motivational force.” In a related development, a leading transport company, Peace Mass Transit, PMT, told Sunday Vanguard that the blockage of the Niger Bridge by the Onitsha protesters had increased the man hours spent on the route even as it occasioned increased fuel consumption as the drivers made a detour to avoid the Head Bridge. The PMT Managing Director, Mr. Amaechi Ezegwu, said: “Most of our drivers had to sleep on that route. They spent over 12 hours on the 2nd Niger Bridge as a result of the blockage. Manhours were spent and most of the drivers made a detour to avoid the bridge. Fuel will be consumed in the process. We might be forced to increase fares if the situation persists.” Ebonyi: Police arrest four In Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, four members of MASSOB were in the early hours of Friday arrested by policemen. The members, who engaged in a peaceful protest along some streets in Abakaliki, were seen carrying placards, the flag of the pro-Biafra group and chanting songs of solidarity. This development caused pandemonium as tricycle operators and motorists made a detour to avoid troubled areas. Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP George Okafor, who confirmed the arrest of the MASSOB members, threatened that the police would not allow MASSOB to gain grounds in the state as the command was prepared for any showdown with the activists. Peace has since returned to the state capital as security operatives have been positioned at strategic points to stop the pro-Biafra agitators. Activists threaten national security— DHQ Separately, military authorities, at the weekend, explained that security agencies intervened in the MASSOB and IPOB protests because the protesters turned violent and attacked innocent citizens and property. Consequently, the authorities warned that the military will not sit and watch molestation and violent destruction of property or harassment of innocent citizens in the guise of agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra, noting that ‘everybody’s right must be respected’. Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, told Sunday Vanguard, in a telephone interview, that government and security agencies had to come in especially when the protesters began to carry dangerous weapons and taking the law into their hands. Disclosing that the police, as the lead agency in internal security issues, were doing very well tackling the challenges brought about by the protests in the South- East, the DDI said the military could only be called in if the situation got out of hand.

Deal with it: He may have taken more than three months but President Muhammadu Buhari would need to deal with the growing discontent coming from the South- East. His direct silence or, better put, seeming indifference, or both, has, one way or the other, contributed, in no small measure, to the spark that has happened on members and leaders of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB – and the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, riddled by in- fighting, is playing catch up with relevance. But beyond the noise, needless braggadocio of the Nigerian state and somewhat uncreative approach to dealing with the agitation, is the lack of a clear understanding of why nations fail. Every nation seeks the total sum of good for its people. One of the ways this is done is by unlocking the creative potentials. Since after the civil war, what ordinarily ought to have been a Marshall Plan of sorts for the South-East was never engaged. Worse still, some self- appointed leaders of the zone have engaged in serial short-changing of their people by placing the pursuit of filthy lucre above the welfare of Igbos. Until the destruction wrought by the war in the North-East, some parts of the South-East looked and still look like fresh topography of war owing to neglect, un-development and underdevelopment. When there is inequality, it breeds poverty. Poverty in turn breeds instability of many forms. Instability breeds further poverty. This is not just because it has to do with the Igbo nation. It is the way the Nigerian state is structured for development by leaders whose parochial appreciation of governance is best underscored by the failed leadership and wasted opportunities of the last 16years. Whatever grievances the Igbos are crying about today, many parts of Nigeria typify that neglect. But there is a nexus between good governance, rule of law and prosperity. Which is why good governance, justice and equality would always be a sine-quanon for development and prosperity. The following, excerpted from the book, WHY NATIONS FAIL, by Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, creates the linkage between Africans, laziness, despotism, good governance and prosperity: “One widely accepted theory of the causes of world inequality is the geography hypothesis, which claims that the great divide between rich and poor countries is created by geographical differences. Many poor countries, such as those of Africa, Central America and South Asia are between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Rich nations in contrast, tend to be in temperate latitudes. This geographic concentration of poverty and prosperity gives a superficial appeal to the geography hypothesis, which is the starting point of the theories and views of many social scientists and pundits alike. But this doesn’t make it any less wrong. President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari “As early as the late eighteenth century, the great French political philosopher Montesquieu noted the geographic concentration of prosperity and poverty, and proposed an explanation for it. He argued that people in tropical climates tended to be lazy and to lack inquisitiveness. As a consequence, they didn’t work hard and were not innovative, and this was the reason why they were poor. Montesquieu also speculated that lazy people tended to be ruled by despots, suggesting that a tropical location could explain not just poverty but also some of the political phenomena associated with economic failure, such as dictatorship. “The theory that hot countries are intrinsically poor, though contradicted by the recent rapid economic advance of countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Botswana, is still forcefully advocated by some, such as the economist Jeffrey Sachs. The modern version of this view emphasises not the direct effects of climate on work effort or thought processes, but two additional arguments first, that tropical diseases, particularly malaria, have very adverse consequences for health and therefore labour productivity, and second that tropical soils do not allow for productive agriculture. The conclusion, though, is the same temperate climates have a relative advantage over tropical and semitropical areas. World inequality, however, cannot be explained by climate or diseases, or any version of the geography hypothesis. Just think of Nogales. What separates the two parts is not climate, geography or disease environment, but the US-Mexico border. “If the geography hypothesis cannot explain differences between the north and south of Nogales, or North and South Korea, or those between East and West Germany before the fall of the Berlin Wall could it still be a useful theory for explaining differences between North and South America? Between Europe and Africa? Simply, no…. ‘So Close and yet so different: The Economics of the Rio Grande’ “The city of Nogales is cut in half by a fence. If you stand by it and look north, you will see Nogales, Arizona, located in Santa Cruz County. The income of the average household there is about $30,000 a year. Most teenagers are in school, and the majority of the adults are high school graduates. Despite all the arguments people make about how deficient the US health care system is, the population is relatively healthy, with high life expectancy by global standards. Many of the residents are above age sixty five and have access to Medicare It’s just one of the many services the government provides that most take for granted, such as electricity, telephones a sewage system, public health, a road network linking them to other clues in the area and to the rest of the United States, and last but not least, law and order. The people of Nogales, Arizona, can go about their daily activities without fear for life or safety and not constantly afraid of theft, expropriation, or other things that might jeopardize their investments in their businesses and houses. Equally important, the residents of Nogales, Arizona, take it for granted that, with all its inefficiency and occasional corruption, the government is their agent. They can vote to replace their mayor, congressmen, and senators, they vote in the presidential elections that determine who will lead their country. Democracy is second nature to them. “Life south of the fence, just a few feet away, is rather different. While the residents of Nogales, Sonora, live in a relatively prosperous part of Mexico, the income of the average household there is about one third that is Nogales, Arizona. Most adults in Nogales, Sonora, do not have a high school degree, and many teenagers are not in school. Mothers have to worry about high rates of infant mortality. Poor public health conditions mean it’s no surprise that the residents of Nogales, Sonora, do not live as long as their northern n3eighbours. They also don\t have access to many public amenities. Roads are in bad condition south of the fence. Law and order is in worse condition. Crime is high, and opening a business is a risky activity. Not only do you risk robbery, but getting all the permissions and greasing all the palms just to open is to easy endeavour. Residents of Nogales, Sonora, live with politicians corruption and ineptitude every day. Nnamdi Kanu Nnamdi Kanu In contrast to their northern neighbours, democracy is a very recent experience for them. Until the political reforms of 2000, Nogales, Sonora, just like the rest of Mexico, was under the corrupt control of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). “How could the two halves of what is essentially the same city be so different? There is no difference in geography, climate, or the types of diseases prevalent in the area, since germs do not face any restrictions crossing back and forth between the United States and Mexico. Of course, health conditions are very different, but this has nothing to do with the disease environment; it is because the people south of the border live with inferior sanitary conditions and lack decent health care….” In the face of the tenacity of the average Igbo, his creative instincts – which, though, are not in short supply in other parts of the country – his industriousness and such other attributes that form good ingredients for national development, would the Nigerian state not be the better were it to tap into this mass of humanity. It is about creating the right conditions. And it is about effective engagement and not opening of fire on innocent civilians. Lives are already lost; and many more may be lost if this wrong-headed approach is followed by the authorities. Now, even those who dismissed Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, as a joke, are now showing empathy – a man who was not reckoned with before has suddenly become a hero for a people. His anti-Nigeria statements signpost him as lacking courtesy or out rightly indecent or both, but he now appears to be making sense by describing Nigeria as a zoo, one where police would shoot at innocent civilians with live bullets. In retrospect, how did Boko Haram become what it is today? God forbid anything happens to Kanu while he is in government custody (as was the case with Muhammed Yusuf), what does this administration think would happen?

THE business community of Onitsha, Anambra State has started recovering from the effect of last week’s pro- Biafra violent protests that left nine people dead and property worth millions of naira destroyed. After the Wednesday’s mayhem in the city and the subsequent dismantling of the barricade used by the protesters to block the Bridge Head and other entry points in Onitsha,indication emerged that members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were regrouping on Thursday to begin another round of violent demonstration. This was, however, aborted following the beefing up of security in the area. For instance, several truck loads of soldiers, from the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, were seen heading to Onitsha on Thursday and this, perhaps, scared the organizers of the protests. Hundreds of the IPOB agitators, who gathered at one location in Onitsha, had to hurriedly disperse for fear of arrests. The suspension of the protest, however, does not mean the agitation is over. For now, the agitators have resorted to the use of the social media to whip up sentiments and gather more support for what they described as impending referendum on Biafra. One of the messages that have hit the media is entitled, ‘The Biafra question: A case for self-determination referendum.’ Many traders in Onitsha were, at the weekend, still counting their losses since the protests began following the arrest and detention of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra, by security operatives. Mr. Maximus Okafor, a trader at the popular Bridge Head drug market, Onitsha, said his customers, who were coming to make purchases that Wednesday, could not enter Onitsha because of the activities of the pro-Biafra group. Okafor, who resides in Asaba, Delta State, and has had to cross the River Niger everyday to reach his shop, said he too could not enter Onitsha on the said day. According to him, though people were trekking to Onitsha from Asaba, he saw no need to do so since the markets were closed. He added that his customer, who had already transferred money to his account, had to stay in a hotel outside Onitsha until the following day. Travellers to other parts of the country could not make their journey and were trapped between Upper Iweka Road and the Bridge Head as the IPOB activists controlled the highway for the better part of the day. Most of the boys that organized the protest came from Aba, Abia State after embarking on a similar protest in Enyimba the previous day. They were joined by their colleagues in Onitsha who provided logistics. Some of the protesters said they were looking forward to when their leaders would lead them to march on the streets of Abuja to make “the impact concerning Biafra Republic”. One of them, who gave his name as Uche and who claimed to be 26 years old, said he became interested in the Biafra project after listening to Radio Biafra for several months. “Listening to Radio Biafra opened one’s eyes to what Igbo people are passing through in Nigeria and the best thing that can happen to us is to have our own country. If it happened in Southern Sudan, why can’t it happen here?”, Uche said. Incidentally, there appears to be no peace among some of the agitators as the various groups, which claim to be working towards the actualization of the Biafra Republic, are trading blames over the outcome of the happenings in Onitsha. Even Igbo groups and many highly- placed individuals have dissociated themselves from the activities of the groups. For instance, two factions of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, are accusing each other of being responsible for the loss of lives and destruction of property as a result of the violent nature of the agitation. MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, is accusing IPOB and the Uchenna Madu-led faction of MASSOB of being responsible for the violent protests. He recalled that Kanu, the detained Director of Radio Biafra, who is the leader of IPOB, and Madu, the leader of the break away MASSOB, had earlier been expelled from MASSOB because of their alleged disposition to violence, which, according to him, is against the non-violence posture of MASSOB. To him, Kanu and Madu were being sponsored by politicians to destabilise MASSOB and so they had to be expelled. But Madu countered, saying Uwazurike had lost the confidence of Ndigbo who once believed in him. “Uwazurike should cover his face in shame because no Igbo man wants to hear his voice on issues concerning Biafra any longer as he and his followers have been tagged Biafra saboteurs”, the MASSOB factional leader stated. “In this current agitation for Biafra, which has drawn international attention, Uwazurike is completely lost as he is no longer agitating for Biafra actualization, but pursuing personal interests. Biafrans know who their leaders are and Uwazurike is not among them.” Pro-Biafra protesters mount road blocks and bonfires at Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State, yesterday. Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. FILE:Pro-Biafra protesters mount road blocks and bonfires at Onitsha Head Bridge in Anambra State. Photos: Vincent Ujumadu. The question remains, what would be the next move of the Biafra agitators in the face of the criticisms trailing their actions, and the clampdown by security operatives? Unfortunately, most of the agitators protesting on the streets do not know the detailed programme of their leaders, except that they have been told that by constantly protesting on the streets, the international community would one day tell Nigerian leaders to allow the Biafra Republic to be carved out of Nigeria. After the Onitsha protest, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State appealed to the people to give peace a chance. The governor said:”The government of Anambra State has been monitoring developments and is greatly concerned about the security of lives and property of residents and visitors to the state. As your governor and Chief Security Officer of the state, I am compelled to act to avert any likely breakdown of law and order. In all situations, the preservation of human life comes first and I am determined to enforce that. “I therefore, sincerely appeal to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), MASSOB and other aggrieved groups and individuals to maintain peace and resist any attempt by hoodlums to take advantage of the situation and destabilize any part of Anambra State.“ I am in constant touch with all the security agencies in the state to ensure that what has otherwise been a peaceful protest is not hijacked by trouble makers. All mischief makers are hereby warned to keep off as we will not tolerate any breach of peace under any guise or pretext. You are seriously warned!” The apex Igbo socio–cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which is also worried by the activities of the Biafra agitators, said no reasonable Igbo would associate with the demand of the youths. Chairman, Forum of State Presidents of Ohaneze in the seven Igbo–speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, said that no right thinking person would support what he called the madness by some youths, who were being deceived to engage in something they cannot finish. He, however, identified the perceived marginalization of Igbo as the main cause of the Biafra agitation,urging President Muhammadu Buhari to address the issue. Imo: Shock, grief, anger trail killings Reports from Imo State said grief, anger and shock trailed the Wednesday’s killing of the MASSOB and IPOB activists by security agencies in Onitsha, Anambra State. Many residents recounted what they called “the excesses of the Buhari administration to include the abandonment of the South-East and the assault on defenceless and unarmed protesters”. They were of the view that some of the recent appointments made by President Buhari showed the disdain his administration has for Ndigbo. The people recalled with grief, anger and defiance that only the South-East has five states, while others have six and above, with multiple local government areas that equally attract high revenue from the Federation Account. During a recent pastoral outing, the Bishop of Egbu Anglican Diocese, Rt. Rev. Geoffrey Okorafor, had called for understanding and dialogue. He predicted that if the growing agitation was not properly handled, it could lead to loss of lives. Today, he is vindicated! One of the loyalists of IPOB, who simply identified himself as Geoffrey, appealed to the Federal Government to stop deceiving the country that it is running a democracy. “In a democracy, people are free to express their misgivings openly. In a democracy, people are free to seek self-determination. If the country is united, our soldiers would find it difficult to direct the nozzles of their guns at unarmed members of MASSOB and IPOB, instead of members of Boko Haram that have been killing hundreds of innocent people for years”, he said. Speaking also, a female member of IPOB, Mercy Chikodi Agams, said “the Indigenous People of Biafra have been going about their agitation peacefully and will continue to remain peaceful, despite provocations from security agencies.” Continuing, Agams said “the group is not only resolute in our quest for freedom, but is also aware that in this legitimate struggle, many lives would be lost, not because we want to lose them, but because the Buhari government detests freedom of the oppressed people of Biafra”. She added “The world is watching the terror unleashed on innocent people legitimately agitating for their right to independence”. Agams was of the view that what increased the tempo of the agitation was the arrest, detention and prosecution of the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is now branded a terror suspect by the Federal Government. “This young Biafran, Kanu, lives in the United Kingdom. If he was the terrorist, which the Federal Government now brands him, the British police would not have allowed him to walk the streets of London unhindered”, the activist said. To Kemdi Uzor, government has failed to critically ascertain the reasons behind the current agitation, with a view to coming out with the appropriate solution. “If not that the Ndigbo are industrious, we would have been sentenced to untold hardship and penury. I recall with grief that only paltry 20 pounds was given to all bank depositors at the end of the 30-month old war, irrespective of the amount you left in the account”, Uzor said. He recalled that the Federal Government took that decision because owners of such accounts either made withdrawals or deposits, while the war lasted. “So, you can see that the Federal Government expected that the hungry and disease-infested people that were living in land-locked Biafra, should not have operated their accounts for 30 whole months”, Uzor stated. Some business men in Owerri were, at the weekend, counting their losses, following the closure of markets in Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State. “Our livelihood and the sustenance of members of our families are dependent on our ability to record reasonable turnover at the end of the day, but the events in Onitsha have definitely slowed things down. “It is not in doubt that Onitsha and Aba are the major commercial nerve centres in the South-East. These are also the major operational zones of MASSOB and IPOB. The economic environment sadly shrinks each time the groups order their loyalists to the streets”. Apart from traders, another group of business men that have suffered huge losses, since the uprising started, are commercial vehicle operators. Sunday Vanguard gathered that some of the commercial drivers heading to Benin, Lagos and the other western states, made use of the Owerri-Elele-Efurun-Warri-Benin axis, while those heading to the North, used the Enugu route and avoided Onitsha. A driver, who simply identified himself as Uko, complained that the stress occasioned by the diversion, was great and the man hours spent on the trip, longer. Enugu: MASSOB factional leader to Igbo leaders: Don’t meet FG Meanwhile, factional MASSOB leader, Madu, says any Igbo leader who represents the group in any meeting with the Federal Government without its consent will be disgraced. The factional leader, who spoke in Enugu State, said: “Every struggle has its methodology to achieve its desired goal and aspiration for the people. The two-days blockage of River Niger is part of the ongoing peaceful,non-violent demonstration against the continued detention of our Nnamdi Kanu by the Nigeria government. Civil disobedience, non-cooperation and peaceful demonstrations are tools of non-violent agitation worldwide. Our actions so far portray IPOB,MASSOB, led by me, as well organized, focused, determined uncompromising, dedicated, fearless and unsabotage organizations bent on Biafra actualization. “Today,Nigeria is jittery,shaken and disorganised because of one month peaceful demonstration and protests of genuine Biafra agitators. There are tens of other programmes and actions we can unleash under our clothes of non-violence which will ultimately uproot Nigeria from her already dislocated foundation, but we are watching the Nigeria government to ascertain,verify their seriousness on the much published dialogue,meeting of Ndigbo and the Federal Government over our demands. “We still maintain that any Igbo representatives on the dialogue or meeting with Federal Government without our consent shall be disgraced. We shall never relent or retire until our Biafra is actualized. Non-violence shall also remain our cardinal point and motivational force.” In a related development, a leading transport company, Peace Mass Transit, PMT, told Sunday Vanguard that the blockage of the Niger Bridge by the Onitsha protesters had increased the man hours spent on the route even as it occasioned increased fuel consumption as the drivers made a detour to avoid the Head Bridge. The PMT Managing Director, Mr. Amaechi Ezegwu, said: “Most of our drivers had to sleep on that route. They spent over 12 hours on the 2nd Niger Bridge as a result of the blockage. Manhours were spent and most of the drivers made a detour to avoid the bridge. Fuel will be consumed in the process. We might be forced to increase fares if the situation persists.” Ebonyi: Police arrest four In Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, four members of MASSOB were in the early hours of Friday arrested by policemen. The members, who engaged in a peaceful protest along some streets in Abakaliki, were seen carrying placards, the flag of the pro-Biafra group and chanting songs of solidarity. This development caused pandemonium as tricycle operators and motorists made a detour to avoid troubled areas. Ebonyi State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP George Okafor, who confirmed the arrest of the MASSOB members, threatened that the police would not allow MASSOB to gain grounds in the state as the command was prepared for any showdown with the activists. Peace has since returned to the state capital as security operatives have been positioned at strategic points to stop the pro-Biafra agitators. Activists threaten national security— DHQ Separately, military authorities, at the weekend, explained that security agencies intervened in the MASSOB and IPOB protests because the protesters turned violent and attacked innocent citizens and property. Consequently, the authorities warned that the military will not sit and watch molestation and violent destruction of property or harassment of innocent citizens in the guise of agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra, noting that ‘everybody’s right must be respected’. Acting Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, told Sunday Vanguard, in a telephone interview, that government and security agencies had to come in especially when the protesters began to carry dangerous weapons and taking the law into their hands. Disclosing that the police, as the lead agency in internal security issues, were doing very well tackling the challenges brought about by the protests in the South- East, the DDI said the military could only be called in if the situation got out of hand.

ABOUT 42 Igbo organizations have planned to organize a five million-man march for what they describe as true federalism in the five south eastern states in December. They say the protest march will hold simultaneously in Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo states at a date before Christmas. The Founder of Igbo Youth Movement, IYM, Evangelist Elliot Uko, made this known after a marathon meeting with Igbo traders organizations and some Niger Delta groups. The Indigenous People of Biafra on a Peaceful Protest over the Arrest of the Director of Radio Biafra yesterday along Ikwerre road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke File Photo: The Indigenous People of Biafra on a Peaceful Protest over the Arrest of the Director of Radio Biafra, along Ikwerre road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke The Niger Delta groups which attended the meeting yesterday at the IYM secretariat in Enugu included, Union of Niger Delta and South-South Youth Congress, among others. According to Uko, 13 different marches for the restructuring of Nigeria will hold in Afikpo, Abakaliki, Nsukka, Enugu, Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia, Okigwe, Owerri, Orlu, Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka. He said that, “these peaceful marches will be led by the clergy and students groups in each of the cities and towns in the South East. “Only the truth can save the situation and the truth is that Nigeria must be urgently restructured in order to give all sections a sense of belonging thereby enthroning true federalism without delay. Only an early return to true federalism will heal Nigeria. “I do not think any Igbo leader will be stupid enough to commit political suicide by trying to deny the truth. “Any attempt to impose scripted agenda on the people will only drive those leaders to irrelevance and self- destruction.” Meanwhile, a faction of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday, raised alarm on the nonchalant attitude and insensitivity of many Igbo people residing in northern and western parts of Nigeria who still believe that Nigeria State will be better for inhabitation of non indigenous people. MASSOB in a statement said that if former President Goodluck Jonathan who was the most closest neighbour, in-law and friend of Ndigbo whose administration for six years could not right the wrongs the previous administrations meted to Ndigbo in the areas of deplorable conditions of Federal roads in Igboland, effect critical developmental infrastructure; Buhari’s administration will never be fair to Ndigbo. But the OHANEZE Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio –cultural organization, dissociated itself from the activities of the Biafra agitators, who had been protesting in many cities in the South East and South –South, saying that Biafra died in 1970 with the surrender by General Philip Effiong, to the Nigerian troops. Addressing reporters in Awka yesterday, the chairman, Forum of State Presidents of Ohaneze in the seven Igbo –speaking states, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh said that no right thinking person would support what he called the madness by some youths, who were being deceived to engage in something they cannot finish. He said: “You will notice that Ohaneze has been very silent on the issue of Biafra insurgency, though the youth wing of Ohaneze has been speaking on it. Ohaneze, as the Igbo cultural group, cannot support Biafra and we dissociate ourselves from it totally. “Igbo people have contributed so much in the development of Nigeria and we cannot allow some people to jeopardize the lives and efforts of millions of Igbo people residing in all parts of Nigeria. “We believe that anybody who has any issue to settle with the federal government should use dialogue and that is why we participated in the last National Conference. No sane Igbo person would want to witness a repeat of the kind of thing that happened during the Nigeria Civil War. “Ojukwu, who led the Biafra war, returned to Nigeria from exile and contested elections in Nigeria, which showed that he was fully integrated in Nigeria and was a full- fledged Nigerian before he died.” Eluemunor denied the speculation that politicians of Igbo extraction were supporting the Biafra agitation, adding that their support comes mainly from outside the country. He however observed that part of the reason for the agitation was the dearth of infrastructure in Igbo land and pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to address the infrastructural decay in the area. However, National Director of Information, MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu advised Ndigbo residing outside Igboland to start returning back to their home land, re- establish their business and investment back to Igboland. “We have decided and promise to provide adequate security of lives and properties in Igboland . MASSOB shall defend Igboland with our blood, valor and enthusiasm. It is our unflinching service to our father land. MASSOB has vowed to root away kidnapping, arm robbery and other criminal tendencies in Igboland because there is no place in Nigeria like Igboland. “MASSOB wishes to salute the courageous spirit and vision of these Igbo sons who proved their total love for development and industrialization of Igboland. Men who understand that charity and goodness of a real Igbo- man begin from home land. These men include chief Rommy Ezeonwuka (Ogilisi Igbo) proprietor of Rojenny Tourist Games village Oba, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, CEO of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Nnewi, Chief Daniel Chukwudozie (Akudo of Okija) CEO of Dozzy group of companies Onitsha, Chief Dr. Alexander Chika Okafor (OON) Executive Chairman of Chicason Group of Companies Nnewi, Chief Cletus Madubugwu Ibeto, Chairman of Ibeto Groups of Companies Nnewi, Chief Chidume Oranu, GMD Krisoral Group of companies Onitsha and several others. “Nigeria is a state where others are first class citizens but treat the Igbo as second class citizen, a state where others are born to rule but treat Igbos as perpetual outcasts, a state where state policies deliberately denies Igboland critical developmental infrastructure. Nigeria has vowed to continue to be a state where prejudice, tribalism, exclusion and hate are elevated while nation building is ignored, a state where it seem the only logic for unity is to share oil resources and not on the basis of consent, mutual respect, fraternity and shared brotherhood. “Today in Nigeria, true Nationhood has remained still born, peace has remain elusive to Nigeria which still remain in perpetual strife and ever increasing crisis since her independence. This undeniable realities are the reasons the Nigeria state is afraid of Biafra which represent the truth they cannot legitimately counter. Biafra speaks of the truth Nigeria know they are guilty of, so out of weakness, jittery and fear Nigeria resort to repression, persecution and detention of Biafra agitators”Biafra Spokesperson lamented.

Northern group calls for dialogue over Biafra

A group of Northern youths under the aegis of North East Youths Peace Development Initiative, NEYPDI, yesterday urged President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to dialogue with those agitating for Biafra, instead of applying force against them. The group also dissociates itself from the call for the Igbos in the north to vacate the area. The National President, NEYPDI, Alhaji Kyari Idris Abubakar, in a statement said: “Like those of us who have been suffering from insurgency in the past years we would not hesitate to go against anything that would lead to violence in the country. FG should dialogue with the agitators and not force, as it is not the best approach in handling the matter.” Abubakar expressed regret over the recent call for Igbos to move out of the north, adding that it was capable of generating tensions and possibly lead to violence. “I want to remind the group that we have northerners in the south-east and other parts of the country and if the threat is carried out, they would also be asked to move back to the north, the development that negates the principle of peaceful co-existence as a nation,” he said. The youth leader also urged President Buhari and the Service Chiefs to step into the matter in order to avoid it from degenerating. According to Abubakar since the agitators of the sovereign state of Biafra did not enjoy the support of many Igbo leaders including the governors, there was no need for one to go as far as asking the Igbos to quit northern part of the country. Abubakar who is also the leader of Lagos State chapter of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) further stated that the constitution of the country gives liberty to its citizens to choose any part of the country as residence. “The major task ahead of northern youths in the country is not for Igbos to quit the north but to join hands with the new government and Service Chiefs to end the ongoing insurgency in the region,” he said.

LEADER of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Otunba Gani Adams, has announced the launch of an Oodua Radio/Magazine, in honour of the matriarch of the Awolowo dynasty, late Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo.
Adams who said the launch took place in London earlier in the week, explained that the media will serve to project, enhance and showcase the Yoruba cultural heritage and tradition of the Yoruba to the world at large. He said that there was an urgent need to resuscitate the Yoruba culture and tradition which he regretted were going extinct. Adams said the radio station would propagate the cultural beliefs of the Yoruba through what he described as effective communication channels. According to him, “establishing the Oodua Radio and Magazine is a deliberate attempt to showcase Yoruba culture and ethics globally. In his address, Tourism Editor of Tribune newspapers, Gabriel Akinadewo, urged Nigerians especially the Yoruba to be culture ambassadors within and outside the country. “We must all support the Federal Government by projecting the image and protecting the name of Nigeria for the change mantra to work and Oodua Radio is a platform for everybody living in London to do this,” he said.

the present struggle for liberation of biafra should integrate every viable non-violent means. we must not relent, because we are winning the war.ln the street, millions are out there matching, ln your national daily, you hear nothing but biafra. To all free biafra cyber armies, its time to invade their government sites, litter it our symbol #freennamdikanu.

RADIO BIAFRA)

I NO LONGER THINK ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE EXCEPT BIAFRA,WHEN AM WALKING ON THE ROAD I THINK OF BIAFRA,WHEN AM LYING DOWN I THINK OF BIAFRA,WHEN AM DISCUSSING WITH ANY BODY I TALK ABOUT BIAFRA,WHEN AM PRAYING I PRAY FOR BIAFRA EVEN IN MY SLEEP I DREAD OF BIAFRA,BIAFRA,BIAFRA BIAFRA,OH MY LONG AWAITED AND EXPECTED BIAFRA,WHEN WIL I SEE U AND HAVE MY BIAFRAN NATIONAL PASSPORT?GOD,FOR THE SAKE OF THOSE UR CHILDREN WHO ARE DEDICATED FOR THIS CAUSE,WHO WANT TO WORSHIP U IN TRUTH AND SPIRIT IN THE LAND U HAVE GIVEN THEM,WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE ROAD SINCE 2WEEKS NOW PROTESTING THE ENSLAVEMENT OF UR PEOPLE BY THOSE WHO DO NOT EVEN KNOW YOU LET ALONE WOTSHIP U,WHO ARE STIL ON THE ROAD EVEN NOW AT THE RISK OF THEIR LIVES,PLS GIVE US BIAFRA.WE CANNOT DO ANYTHING BY OUR OWN POWER,DO IT FOR US THE WAY U DID TO OUR BROTHERS THE ISREALITES WHEN U DELIVERED THEM FROM THE EGYPTIAND.HAUSA FULANI AND YORUBAS ARE EGYPTIANS IN OUR LIVES,WE REJECT THEM.DO SO FOR US SO UR NAME WILL BE PRAISED FOR EVER,AMEN

thanks for foreseing d near future. from now to december, with dis agitation momentum, its evident that d zoo will fall. anyway, other middle belt may join us through our free referendum.

we dnt talk about sports hre, tell us politics! tell us biafra! free nnamdi kanu! biafra our home! biafra our country! biafra we hail! biafra land of rising sun.

to whoever that posted this, how a hell do u call agitating biafrans. "nigerians". this costly and careless reference is enough to send feeling of disgust to any biafran that reads this.

SE and SS are same! united biafra.

We Don’t Want Resource Control, We Want Biafra – says Niger Delta Youths

Oh! my fellow youths of South south and South East, why the media attack on each other because of Biafra? Have you forgotten that this is exactly what the greedy parasites and traitors want? We don’t need to fight ourselves because, whether we like it or not one day we will surely be called BIAFRANS! Let me address the South South wing because I am a proud son of the South South. It is laughable that we the people of South South keep saying that we are not happy with the way the Hausa/ Fulanis are treating us, but still we are not Biafrans. We want Niger Delta Republic? Hahahahahahaha please forgive my laughter, i laughed because there is no such thing like Niger Delta Republic, it has not been established anywhere or recognised by anybody. If at all anything like that would exist, it will emanate from the discussion between the South South And South East upon the realisation of Biafra and not from the present Nigeria. I said so because, we are equal with the South East virtually in every aspect, they will not marginalize us because they cannot marginalize us the way these parasites are doing, we match the South East in military power, economically and population. My people, it is completely baseless to think that the Igbos would marginalize us in a new country. All we (SS and SE) need to do is to unite and synergize to wrestle our freedom from these parasitic demons. I am sounding like this because i am fully convinced that secession crises that will lead to war is inevitable in this country, though i would have wished for a peaceful and credible referendum. We the people of South South need to state clearly where we belong, and we don’t need to make the same mistake we made in the past. How can we and some parts of the South East will be sustaining the whole country, still they regard us as inconsequential and second class citizens? Let us be wise and identify with our Igbo brothers and sisters who mean no harm but love for us. It is too bad that we the South South people are ludicrously contemplative, we already know that these parasites hate us, and they are only saying “one Nigeria” because of our oil, but we are still skeptical and cynical about the harmless Igbos. We better wake up before it’s too late. I just hope our fate would not be that of Hamlet in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, that got all the convincing signs that Claudius his Uncle killed his Father, but he was still looking for more signs to believe beyond all reasonable doubt, and that indecision led to his death. (I chose to summarize the play in past tense and not progressive tense as required of a synopsis of a theatrical piece). In case you are not aware of the signs that they don’t mean well for us, let me help you with some. The killing of Ken Saro Wiwa after he helped them to drive the Biafran soldiers out of Rivers state and its Environs. The blocking of our agitation of resource control at the 2005 National Political Reform Conference. The blocking of the agitation of increment of Derivation by our people in the just concluded National Conference. The stiff opposition they gave the Petroleum Industry Bill that would have given 10% oil proceeds to host communities in our region. The deliberate and malicious attacks on Jonathan and his aides from our region, while those from their region are being exempted from the attacks. If after doing all these things and many more to us, and some us still see the Igbos as our enemies instead of them, then I regret to say that there is something fundamentally wrong with our thinking faculty. We call these parasites poor and illiterate, yet they are able to manipulate us to hate and fear Igbo people, then they crept in to subvert our will and control our resources. Just imagine, poor and uneducated masters to Rich and educated slaves? Gosh! So strange, i really need to do a thorough research to know how to describe such slavery and to ascertain if such slavery has ever existed anywhere before. Let me end my piece with this unguarded statement by Ahmadu Bello. “The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great Grandfather Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities in the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to have control over their future” –Ahmadu Bello, 12th October, 1960. Let’s tell them the truth: we don’t want resource control, we don’t want PIB, we don’t want derivation, what we want is BIAFRA!

Tomorrow: If They Kill Us We Will Kill Them- IPOB Issues Last Warning To FG
Tomorrow: If They Kill Us We Will Kill Them- IPOB Issues Last Warning To FG Million-Man-March The IPOB Has finally released the Authentic date of the Million March To Freedom MEGA PROTEST!!! This was announced by the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra Via their facebook page and Radio Biafra Live Broadcast. The information bellow was posted on their group: This is to inform you great Biafrans that the official date for the mega protest has been rescheduled from 4th to 6th of November 2015 according to the directorate of states. The last minute change was effected by the DOS so as tighten all loose end in other to achieve maximum success on that day. Million Man MarchThe protest will take place in two different zones. ZONE A will kick off the protest from Asaba to Awka and while ZONE B will kick off from Bayelsa to Igweocha to be joined by IMO, ABIA and environs. Kick off time is 12pm both locations and the protest will last for 2days but subject to possible extension if the need arises. Great Biafrans, this is the appropriate time to prove to the paedophile abd terrorist in chief and all our enemies including Britain how formidable, serious, resolute, resillient, unrelenting and fearless we are before our enemies. Remember that this is a march to free our leader Nnamdi Kanu and ofcourse freedom for us as a people. All of you who claim to love director, this is the only time ro show how much you love him but above all how much you love Biafra your country. Fellow Biafrans it is Biafra or Death!!!#Free_Nnamdi_Kanu #FreeBiafra According to the IPOB Directorate of State, Biafrans have been pushed to the wall with the massacre, arrest, kidnapping, Intimidation and crushing of its people who are fighting for their legitimate freedom as enshrined in the United Nations Charter on the Right of Indigenous people for their self actualisation and determination. Since the existence of IPOB not even a single bullet has been pulled and no one has been killed by IPOB. But at this point we cannot not promise the Nigerian Government Anything. The COC and the Deputy Leader of IPOB alos stated that the Nigerian Government is a terrorist state whose aim is to clamp down and annihilate the Biafrans in Nigeria. and every human has the right to defend themselves. WE CANNOT FOLD OUR HANDS AND ALLOW THEM TO KILL US; ON OUR MILLION MAN MARCH WE DARE THEM TO CLAMP US. IF THEY KILL US; WE WILL KILL THEM. WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO EXIST AND DEFEND OURSELVES

Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra, has become a factor of reckoning in Nigeria, owing to his arrest by the Department of State Services, says the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). MASSOB insists that the arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is a price to pay for their ultimate goal- secession. The Biafran group also revealed that Nnamdi Kanu, before his arrest, had successfully planted the MASSOB struggle in 78 countries, with the use of Radio Biafra and secret diplomatic build-up. Comrade Uchenna Madu, the factional spokesman of MASSOB said on Tuesday, that: “We see the arrest as part of the price to pay for our non violence struggle.” “No agitation is complete without arrest, detention and prosecution. It shapes the minds of activists, drawing sympathy from internal and external observers; it also shows that Nnamdi Kanu and Radio Biafra have become a factor of reckoning in Nigeria.” “The arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu by DSS will assist immensely in reviving the consciousness and sympathy for Biafra actualization in higher dimension which was temporarily halted by Ralph Uwazuruike’s deviation and lust for wealth. This singular arrest will cause more diplomatic harm for Nigeria image than good. “Before Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest, he has succeeded in rooting the Biafra struggle in about 78 countries including Biafra land through Radio Biafra, international tour and secret diplomatic build-up. MASSOB warns government to quickly release Nnamdi Kanu now or face an eruption of Biafra world wide demonstration and protest which will endanger the already battered image of Nigeria before the International communities”.

BECAUSE NNAMDI KANU WAS ARRESTED: Somany people have found it as a point of duty to write all sorts of fiddle-faddle to rubbish Nnamdi Kanu's image, but, I am here to say to you that, all are bound to fail till tomorrow. I find it so surprising that most of the comments against Nnamdi Kanu are actually coming from the Igbo speaking Biafrans. This is why he(Nnamdi Kanu) keep saying he is not Igbo that he is a Biafran, and this goes on to remind me what he said, that, "IGBO WILL FAIL YOU, BUT, A TRUE BIAFRAN WILL NOT FAIL YOU". I AM HERE TO ASK YOU QUESTION: Where were you all this years we do not have Radio Biafra that now speaks for us Biafrans, when the likes of Hausa/Fulani have their BBC-Hausa and AREWA-24 that speaks for them and carry their news to international communities? But, Nnamdi Kanu came and brought Radio Biafra with the help of IPOB world-wide that's now umjammable by Nigerian government and is rated number one on TuneIn whenever Nnamdi Kanu comes on to broadcast simulcasting on FM, Online and on App platform. Because he has been arrested you now come here to wag your pen and keyboard with all sort of hogwash. You may not like Nnamdi Kanu person or how he speaks fire in temper, but, he does that to awaken our conscience on what is happening in Nigeria and the way our people behave baffles his imagination. That's why he speaks the way he speaks and the things he do, by doing so passing the right information to Biafrans all over the world in one objective to get Biafra and freedom for all of us. Antipathy towards him, writing and put up some piece of flapdoodle stories will not make people cease from follwing him, neither will it change anything. BRITISH & NIGERIA ARE SHIVERING You are here disliking Nnamdi Kanu because of invidia, which is found in some Igbo blood while British government and their fraud counterpart Nigeria government are shivering in fear of Biafra and of what Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB with Directorate's have been doing good out there in quest for Biafra restoration. HE ABANDONED ALL IN QUEST FOR FREEDOM He was arrested because of you and I, which I know for sure tomorrow will speaks for him as this day is already speaking the same way Ojukwu actions and words are speaking this day till tomorrow. All he wanted is freedom and justice for all, where you and I can showcase our GOD given talent without any harassment or intimidation. Let join hands and bring Biafra out of the contraption British-Nigeria fraudulent entity #Freedom4Biafra #FreeNnamdiKanu #FreeBiafrans

yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeee arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee readyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..........

A match to crush northern amorites and western jebusite by the children of God. i am prepared ooo.

Nnamdi Kanu
Nnamdi Kanu is a political activist based in the United Kingdom. He is a leading member of separatist organization Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the director of London -based radio station Radio Biafra . On October 18, 2015, it was reported that Kanu had been arrested in Lagos State, Nigeria on October 17 by the Department of State Services (DSS). [1] This generated mass protests across parts of Delta State, Enugu State, Rivers State , Cross River State , Abia State , Akwa Ibom State and Anambra State.[2] Kanu's arrest was also condemned by world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[3] On 20 October 2015, Vanguard announced that Kanu had been released on bail. However, media sources supporting the objectives of IPOB called the bail "controversial" and claimed the DSS announced the bail only "to calm the angry people of Biafra". [4] References 1. ^ Uguru, Hilary (19 October 2015). "Nigerian intelligence arrests Biafran separatist leader" . Yahoo News . Retrieved 22 October 2015. 2. ^ "Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu reportedly arrested" . Vanguard News . 18 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015. 3. ^ "Russian President, Vladimir Putin Reacts To Nnamdi Kanu’s Arrest; Calls For His Release" . Igberetv News . Retrieved 22 October 2015. 4. ^ Ludovica Iaccino. "Nnamdi Kanu: Ipob leader whereabouts unknown despite Nigeria security forces claiming he is on bail" . International Business Times UK . Retrieved 22 October 2015. Last edited on 30 October 2015, at 04:35 ®