₦airaland Forum

Eight persons were feared dead following an attack by
suspected herdsmen, on two villages in Logo Local
Government Area of Benue state, a Police statement said.
The Spokesman of the Police Command in Benue, ASP
Moses Yamu, confirmed the attacks in a statement on
Monday in Makurdi.
Yamu said the attacks on Akaa and Tse-Orlalu villages in
Mbamar, Ugondo communities, were perpetrated by
suspected herdsmen late on Sunday.
He said that the police had yet to establish the motive for
the attack and that adequate personnel had been drafted to
the villages to restore normalcy.
He said the attackers invaded the villages, killed eight
people and injured many others.
Meanwhile, an eye-witness told the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on Monday that the herdsmen came in from Taraba
State through Abaji and Mbamar in Ugondo community,
“They started first by attacking Akaa village before
advancing to neighbouring Orlalu.’’
The eye-witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
said that several villagers were still missing.
NAN recalls that suspected herdsmen had attacked some
communities in the past, including Agatu community, where
10 persons were killed.
Meanwhile, efforts by security agencies and the state
government are still ongoing to curtail the restive herdsmen
and protect communities.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/8-persons-feared-dead-suspected-herdsmen-attack-2-benue-villages/

bantudark:
i dont even like her...what makes you think i care what she writes..?....
only women i like can quiet me...she,i dont like.....

Young man...say your tribe or get lost

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

ABA—G overnor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has said the
first batch of Aba shoemakers will soon depart the state for
training in China.
Ikpeazu, who disclosed this while receiving the
management of Huajian Shoe Factory, Guangdong, China,
led by Mr. Zhang Huarong, on a visit to Abia to seal the
deal for a $1.5 billion shoe factory in Aba, insisted that the
best way to develop Nigeria is to adopt the Chinese model
of public private partnership for rapid industrialization.
The governor expressed optimism that the coming of Zhang
Huarong and his team would boost the Aba leather and
garment industry, stressing that the state’s target is to serve
as the hub of the African leather and garment market.
Recall that the governor had during his visit to China,
secured a $1.5 billion project for the establishment of a
shoe industry in Aba, from Huajian Shoe Industry,
Guangzhou, China.
“The first batch of Aba shoe-makers will depart Abia for
China in the next one week, for training,” he said.
Chairman of the company, Zhang Huarong, said he was in
Abia to seal the deal which started during the governor’s
visit to his shoe factory in China and described Abia as a
calm environment where business can thrive.
According to Huarong, “China has enjoyed a robust
relationship with Nigeria and having a factory in Abia would
build on the relationship as well as help accelerate the
industrialization drive of the governor.”

www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/aba-shoe-makers-training-china/

By Egufe Yafugborhi & Perez Brisibe
OPUAMA – HOURS after some groups of militant
threatened to resume hostilities in the Niger Delta region,
some suspected militants on Monday attacked an army
formation at Opuama community of Warri North Local
Government Area of Delta State leaving one of the soldiers
critically injured.
The incident it was gathered occurred at the Opuma Zion
junction along the Omojo creek of the area and has sent
tension down the spines of locals in the area over fears that
the military would invade their community in a manhunt for
the suspected militant.
Giving details of the incident Wednesday, an operative of
the Department of State Security, DSS, said: “Though
military personnel in the area were able to foil the attack,
unfortunately, one of the soldiers was critically injured after
he was shot by the hoodlums.”
He asserted: “They came out from Omojo creek and were
heading towards Kpogoda at about 1a.m when they were
flagged down by the army personnel at the formation with
torch light for a mandatory stop and search which they
refused to obey, sensing danger, the soldiers fired a
warning shot.
“Though they earlier zoomed off, they (militants) later
returned and engaged the soldiers in a fierce gun battle
with one soldiers sustaining gunshot wounds.”
Confirming the incident, a military source said: “Security
operatives in the area have been able to identify one of the
master minders of the attack as an ex-militant leader who is
trying to establish a militant camp in the area.
Investigations are in top gear and we are doing everything
within the law in ensuring that the culprit and members of
his gang are brought to book.”
Meanwhile, the leadership of Opuama community has
condemned the attack adding that the people of the
community were shocked as a result of the attack.
National leader of Egbema kingdom, Chief Emmanuel
Ebimami, who spoke on the incident, described it as
uncalled for and provocative warning those behind the
attack to steer clear of the kingdom or face dire
consequences.
Shedding light on the incident, he said: “Following the
attack, locals in the community, fled into the bush and are
yet to return over fears of a reprisal attack.
“As a people, we are meeting and would soon come out
with a surveillance team to work in conjunction with
security operatives in the area in manning the waterways.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/gunmen-attack-army-formation-delta-soldier-injured/

The former Head of New Media for the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, and Convener of pro-democracy and good
governance group, Concerned Nigerians, Prince Deji
Adeyanju has been reportedly arrested by men of the police
force in Abuja.
In a series of tweets, Friday, the pro-democracy group’s
convener revealed, “I am at the Unity Fountain and Officers
of The Nigerian police are trying to stop me from entering
the Unity Fountain park .”
“Over 300 Police officers have manned the Unity Fountain
to stop the #NoToSecretTrial procession for Nnamdi Kanu.”
“All entrances to the Unity Fountain have been barricaded
by officers of the Nigerian Police.”
Then he finally tweeted, “Arrested,” suggesting he had been
arrested.
Recall that Prince Adeyanju had, yesterday, alleged that he
received life threats from the security operatives comprising
the Police, the army and the men of the Department of
State Security Services, DSS after he was invited and
persuaded to step-down the planned peaceful protest
against the federal government’s insistence of a secret trial
for the Biafran group leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
According to him, ““Just got out of a 1-hour meeting with
Commissioner of Police of FCT.
In attendance was a Director of DSS and Brigade
Commander of the Army.
“They said there’s security concerns over our rallies:
#SayNoToSecretTrial of Nnamdi Kanu #FreeZakZakky
I asked what concern: No Answer.
“Then threats and more threats.
“I told them, rally will go on as planned tomorrow for
#SayNoToSecretTrial and #FreeZakZakky on Wednesday.
“Then threats and more threats.
I told them, rally will go on as planned tomorrow for
#SayNoToSecretTrial and #FreeZakZakky on Wednesday.
“The DSS guy said: Deji, we have never disturbed you in all
your rallies. Why ZakZakky and Kanu “They have a major
issue with ZakZakky & Kanu.”
Recall also that the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other
pro-Biafra supporters have been detained since October 14,
2015, by the DSS over alleged treasonable felony and illegal
association preferred against them by the federal
government.
Although the later charge was later struck out by the court
wherein IPOB or Biafra was declared not an illegal
association and Mr. Kanu and other detainees granted bail
by various courts, the federal government has continued to
detain them.
Consequently, the group who, in a statement signed by both
its Convener, Prince Deji Adeyanju and its Secretary, Dr.
John Danfulani, had given reasons for the planned peaceful
protest, saying it became necessary to stage it because,
such secret trial as being pushed by the federal government
does not serve the interest of the course of justice.”
As at the time of filling this report, efforts to reach Mr.
Adeyanju proved abortive while no statement had equally
been gotten from the Police concerning the alleged arrest.

www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/breaking-adeyanju-others-arrested-for-staging-peaceful-protest-against-kanus-secret-trial/

And in the end, Biafra will come.

Militants struck overnight at Woodland Estate area, Ishawo
in Ikorodu local government killing two soldiers and five
policemen.
Some residents of Isawo had earlier lamented that
militants who terrorised the areas in 2016 were returning to
the area.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/breaking-2-soldiers-5-policemen-killed-gun-duel-militants/

By Emeka Mamah The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Sunday rejected the call for the restructuring of the country to ensure true federalism saying that what the country needed was competent leadership at all the levels of government and not doing anything that would weaken the centre. The National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Mohammed Ibrahim, made this known in a telephone interview with Vanguard. Ibrahim said “that Nigerians fought for the unity of the country” pointing out that it was “not possible for the north to support anything that would cause disunity” in Nigeria. He however stressed that since the country was practicing democracy, everything about restructuring or amending the constitution should be channelled through the National Assembly which had the constitutional duties to bring about such changes. On a personal note, Ibrahim said that it would be practically impossible to restructure the country along the line of regionalism when it had not been possible for civilians to create even one local government council since the exit of the military from governance over 18 years ago. “It is not possible. Nobody can even amend the 1999 Constitution as it is today. This is my personal opinion but we have not been able to create a single local government since the advent of the present democratic dispensation. For anybody to create a new local government council in the country, all the 36 states must agree and this cannot be possible,” he added, pointing out that everything about restructuring along regionalism would be an exercise in futility.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/acf-wont-support-structuring/

ABRAKA- SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen have again cruelly
slaughtered a 50-year-old staff of the Delta State University,
DELSU, Abraka, Mr. Sunday Idama, at his cassava farmland
in Ovre-Abraka community, Ethiope East Local Government
Area, Delta State.
Mr. Idama, a father of 14 children, married to three wives
had gone to his farm, last Friday, to mount surveillance after
discovering that herdsmen were allegedly constantly
uprooting his cassava and feeding their cows with them.

It was gathered that Idama, who went to the farm with his
motorcycle encountered the herdsmen same night and
challenged them. But they pounced on him with machetes,
cutting him on the hand, leg, face and everywhere until he
gave up the ghost.
Police confirm killing
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP
Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the killing of Idama when
contacted by Vanguard, saying that the police evacuated
the remains to Ufuoma Clinic in the area for autopsy and
investigations were on by homicide detectives to unmask
the killers, no matter their status.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/breaking-suspected-herdsmen-kill-varsity-staff-farmer-delta/

Nigeria has expired, selling it to the public is a crime.

The Igbo socio-cultural group known as Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said it was ready to compile the data of Ndigbo in and outside Igbo land, with a view to ensuring their protection and well being. This came as the group said that it has not said anything that was ‘not for the best interest of Ndigbo’ to President Muhammad Buhari and that Ohanaeze Ndigbo was created for the protection of the interest of Ndigbo. The group in a statement, Wednesday, singed by Chuks Ibegbu said ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo will soon compile the data of Ndigbo overseas and outside Igbo land with a view to ensuring their protection and well being. Its also said that it will explore opportunities at all federal ministries and agencies with a view to ensuring proper representation and fair positioning of Ndigbo. The statement read thus Ohanaeze Ndigbo will soon compile the data of Ndigbo overseas and outside Igbo land with a view to ensuring their protection and well being. It will also explore opportuniites at all federal ministries and agencies with a view to ensuring their proper representation and fair positioning. The affiliation of Igbo groups all over the world to the Apex Igbo body will also soon commence. The President General of the Organisation Chief Nnia Nwodo has called on Ndigbo outside Igbo land to invest at home as a fall back position. He also called on them to promote Igbo language and heritage wherever they are. He re-iterated on the call for the release of Nnamdi Kanu and for federal presence in Igbo land. A situation where the South East has only five states and ninety five local governmant areas is no longer tolerable , he stated. Meanwhile Ohanaeze Ndigbo is dismayed by the recent utterances of the DG of the Voice of Nigeria, Mr Osita Okechukwu claiming the the group is opposing President Mohammadu Buhari. This is the figment of his imagination. Ohanaeze is there to protect the interest of Ndigbo and will always shout if Ndigbo are sidelined in the scheme of things. Ohanaeze has not told or said any thing that is not for the best interest of Ndigbo to Mr President . It is very uncharitable for Osita Okechukwu to compare the immediate past regime of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its decisions then with the position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo present leadership ably led by Chief Nnia Nwodo. As an Igbo son , we expect Chief Okechukwu to join Ohanaeze Ndigbo in its determined role to advance the Igbo cause . He should seperate facts from propaganda.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/ohanaeze-ndigbo-capture-data-igbo/

Where is Buratai, the maggot? If it were armless IPOB members, he will be flexing muscle and threatening fire and brimstone, bringing curse upon himself.

There was a bloody fight between Igbo traders and the
Hausa traders at Panteka market, a major spare-parts
market in Kaduna state following the naming of two dogs,
‘Muhammad’ and ‘Ibere’ by both an Igbo trader and a
Hausa trader respectively.
According to reports, the Igbo trader named his newly
bought dog after the Hausa man who bears the same name
‘Muhammad’ in retaliation to the Hausa man who first
bought his own dog and named it ‘Ibere,’ after the Igbo
trader.
An eyewitness, Aminu Ibrahim was quoted saying “trouble
started when one Muhammad bought a dog and allegedly
named it Ibere after an Igbo trader.”
“Since the boy named the dog after the trader, the trader
had warned him on several occasions to rename the
dog, but the owner of the dog Muhammad refused. The
Igbo trader, Ibere also bought a dog and named it
Muhammad, this is when all hell was let loose,” Aminu said.
The reports also said that the market has been closed
down by men of the Nigerian Police who stormed the area
to restore law and order after the fight broke out.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/clash-kaduna-market-traders-name-dogs-muhammad-ibere/

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has redeployed a
corps member, Mr Michael Uwakwe, serving in Zamfara to
Anambra, following his assault by a police officer.
Mrs Victoria Okakwu, the NYSC Director, Corps Welfare and
Inspectorate, made this known to newsmen in Abuja on
Wednesday.
Okakwu explained that the corps member was redeployed
to ensure his safety and security while carrying out his
national assignment.
The briefing was designed to keep the public abreast on the
outcome of investigations conducted by the scheme on the
slapping of a corps member serving in Zamfara as earlier
reported by some media.
The reports had alleged that Uwakwe was brutalised and
manhandled by the police for punishing a student who
happened to be a rich man’s ward by simply asking him to
go on his knees.
Okakwu said that after proper investigations and resolution
of the matter the scheme has also ordered the immediate
withdrawal of 11 other corps members who were serving
along with Uwakwe at Nasara Standard Academy, Gusau.
She said that the 11 corps members have been re-posted to
serve in other establishments in Gusau as a proactive
measure to ensure their safety and security.
“On Wednesday last week we got information from Zamfara
state that a corps member was beaten by the police,
arrested, detained and later released.
“When we got this information I had to speak to the state
coordinator to investigate the matter thoroughly. From our
investigations, the corps member had a problem in the
school he was posted to serve.
“He came into the class and said he was going to give the
students a test asking them to put their books away and get
ready but that this student was not just cooperative.
“In the process of doing the test she hissed and he asked
why she will hiss in the class because it was a rude
behaviour but she had nothing to say after a while she
hissed again and he went to her to ask why again.
“The next thing he saw written on her script was `Nonsense
Tes’. That got him infuriated and he asked the student if the
questions he set were out of what he had taught them.
“The girl will not answer so he instructed her to kneel down.
In the process he asked her to crawl with her knees and
after that he left; later he came to look for the girl and she
was no where to be found.
“The girl went home, spoke to her father and he went to the
police. The corps member was in the staff room when he
was called that he was needed in the principal’s office.
“When he got there he was asked to go with the police but
he declined stating that he was just doing his job but he
later agreed to go to the police station if the principal will
go with him.
“He went with the principal to the police station and in the
station he was slapped and detained for six hours,” Okakwu
said.
She said that the scheme made a formal report to the state
commissioner of police expressing dissatisfaction over the
way the police handled the matter as the police was meant
to maintain peace and not cause harm.
Okakwu explained that with efforts of the NYSC State
Coordinator, the local government and zonal inspector, the
state commissioner of police waded into the matter and it
was settled amicably among all parties.
According to her, the commissioner said this is not an issue
for the police but one that would have been settled in the
school.
The police commissioner apologised for the way his
personnel handled the matter, she said.
She said that Uwakwe was redeployed to Anambra state in
order to ensure his safety and protect him from any further
harm and any phobia which would prevent him from
carrying out his duties.
However, the director maintained that Uwakwe was not
brutalised as speculated but just slapped as he did not have
any bruises on his body.
Okakwu said the scheme was very concerned with the
security, safety and wellbeing of its corps members,
assuring that wherever corps members are serving in the
country the scheme will continue to ensure their welfare
and security.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/03/nysc-redeploys-corps-member-assaulted-police-zamfara/

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: A Pan Igbo group, Nzuko Umunna has asked
President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately release the
detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB,
Nnamdi Kanu.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, leader of the group and
former Central Bank governor. Prof. Charles Soludo said the
federal government must obey court orders.

Soludo who was flanked by Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr Udenta
Udenta and other Igbo professionals also accused the
ruling All Progressives Congress APC of abandoning its
social contract with Nigerians.

“There seem to be a national consensus that the current
system cannot endure. We are in a state of emergency at
all levels. The national council of states has to be convened
urgently.

“We demand for the urgent release of Nnamdi Kanu and his
colleagues as well as all prisoners of conscience”, they
said.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/breaking-release-nnamdi-kanu-now-igbo-leaders-tell-buhari-say-apc-abandoned-manifestoes/

Still to no avail. Hw is that going to stop a massive influx of almajiris from Niger, chad and benin rep thru the countless illegal, unidentified and unmanned borders to boast the population of the north. These ppl hv other Nigerians by the balls. They can do everything, I mean everything, to maintain the status quo. So, hw is the govt going to put a check on this? What measures would be taken to avoid the glaring falsification that would occur as a result of this must-happen uncontrolled immigration?

Meaning it can last as long as 2019. U need a knock on the head while Buhari deserves lashes of cane, say 50, for resetting and formatting.

EazyMoh:
State Laws versus federal laws, this bill ain't going nowhere. A Nigerian has a constitutional right to move around in to any part of the country lawfully.

True. But the last time I checked cows ar not Nigerians, or are they? Fayose kudos to you. Ugwuanyi must visit you for a tutorial, whether he likes it or not.

Wickedness in the high places. He is one of them; useless and evil leaders we hv in the south east. Nigeria is CURSED.

GODKID98:
LET dem continue,they re almost there!!!...wen d economy z at level zero,we'll see whether they will nt b affected!!

I suggest you keep ur sermon for Sunday service.

Well, it is good they are beginning to receive sense.

Zombies must hv convened an emergency meeting to reach a consensus on counter attack and in defense of their demigod.

SylarsMcQuins:
He can't, trust me he's not that comfortable coz he knws he aint in the land of the Zombies.

*heaves a sigh of relief*....good to know...thanks.

This man should not infest my state and south east region with (spirit of) lies. Please help me sound the alert, a deadly disease has just entered the southeast and is just discovered in Enugu. There is fear it is highly contagious, air borne, and may spread quickly. People are hereby directed to take preventive measures as the cure for the disease is yet unknown.

It is obvious he has been struck with madness by the gods.

lucyhelp:
We are watching God will help us.

Why disturbing God in what is obviously within ur capacity? From day1 we hv been yelling, "Boko will be a thing of the past. When the sheriff comes he will do wonders." "May God kill all the bokoharam members". etc In churches, prayers hv been going on for more than decades for Nigeria in distress, yet we ar sinking the more and u never pondered whose fault is it. Is it that God does not answer prayers or that we pray amiss. And yet bokoharam is still staring us in the face. When the previous administration wanted to tackle it, Buhari likewise other Northern leaders opposed it. Some even accused the coas of vengeance. And u want God to stop bokoharam.
Now u hv started calling God on the issue of militancy, which is wrecking havoc on oil pipelines, consequently affecting the economy negatively. That region has been abandoned to decay with life unbearable for the ppl, yet the govt looked the other way. Who does not know the demands of these ppl? Is it hard to implement? For me it isn't.
When every dick and tom knows the present system is counterproductive and calls for its restructuring, ur dumb leader is shouting that the unity of the country is not negotiable. Still u want God to send His angels to come and save u when u ar holding urself down. Why can't we negotiate wen it is crystal clear we ar not moving forward rather we live in pretense that everything is Ok.
If u like waste ur precious time calling God to intervene in this matter, I am afraid u may not get any answer. Utilize ur time and stop disturbing God, rather prevail on ur leaders to do the needful.

Things hv really become messy. But will he listen?

*Denies Rivers’ attack, alerts on phony Facebook account

WARRI- Suspected militants have blown up three Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, manifolds in Digbolo, near Dibi in Warri North Local Government of Delta State. The incident it was gathered occurred at about 11.00 pm on Wednesday. Claiming responsibility for the attack, the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, said: “Between the hours of 10:50pm to 11:10 pm, our (Niger Delta Avengers) strike team blew up Chevron manifolds.”

The statement signed by its spokesperson, Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, while wishing Muslims a happy Eid Mubarak celebration, said: “The manifolds are RMP 22, 23 and 24.”

The group however, denied attack on the NNPC pipeline in Eleme, Rivers State, posted by on a Niger Delta Avengers Facebook account it described as fake. Warning the public that it is shutting down all its social media accounts, the group said: “Niger delta Avengers is not out to mislead the public, as a result, we are closing our entire social network accounts.” “This Facebook Account/page is an impostor page that was open by fraudster to deceive the general public.”

Speaking further, it said: “We warning any group that wants to do anything to go about their activities without tagging us (Niger Delta Avengers). Instead do your activities and claim responsibility.” “Niger Delta Avengers is not out to mislead the public as a result we are closing all our Social network accounts and will be using our websites to pass information to the general public,” it added.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/avengers-hits-chevron-blows-3-manifolds/

By Anayo Okoli
UMUAHIA— A coalition of groups from the South East and
South South has called for a referendum on the resolution of
2014 National Conference, saying such would provide a lasting solution to the problems currently bedeviling Nigeria.
The coalition also frowned at “hounding, arrests and
intimidation of IPOB members, innocent youths, whose only
sin is their loss of faith in the lop-sided, unfair and unjust
unitary system in Nigeria where some regions are continuously treated as conquered people”.
Rising from a meeting, weekend, in Umuahia, the groups
condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision not to
look into the Confab resolution, saying that “the document
must be retrieved from the archives, and on early referendum conducted to determine the fate and future of Nigeria”.
Held under the aegis of Old Eastern Region Movement, the
meeting was attended by traders organizations, students
groups, traditional rulers and town unions, representatives of
CAN, age grades and socio-cultural organizations from the
South East and South South zones; Igbo in academia, South
East professionals, Niger Delta Youth Forum, PFN, World Igbo Congress, among others.

www.vanguardngr.com/2016/07/coalition-s-es-s-groups-calls-referendum-2014-national-confab/

What again do u want to dialogue for? Eeeh, this dumb and senseless govt. They hv made a list of their demands, and u are still talking of round table discussion. Can't u see they hv feigned ignorance of ur request. Do as they hv said or this country sinks.

Dayo Oketola, Fisayo Falodi and Jesusegun Alagbe

President Muhammadu Buhari has come under fire by Southern groups over what they described as “lopsided” appointments of heads of the various security agencies in the country.

They said the pattern of the appointments by the President did not reflect federal character and the diversity nature of the country.

Saturday PUNCH findings showed that 14 of the nation’s 17 security agencies are currently being headed by Northerners. The majority of them were appointed by President Buhari.

Only three security agencies are headed by Southerners, a situation the groups tagged as “worrisome.”

The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), under whose purview are the Prisons Service, Immigration Service, Fire Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, hails from Kaduna State.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, is from Borno State. The National Security Adviser, Maj-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd.), is also from Borno State. Also from Borno State is the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

The Minister of Defence, Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (retd.), hails from Zamfara State, while the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, is from Bauchi State. The acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, hails from Niger State.

Also from Niger State is the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Muhammadu. The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Musa Daura, is from Katsina State.

However, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin, is from Ekiti State in the South-West.

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede, is from Jigawa State, while the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), is from Bauchi State.

The Controller-General of the Nigeria Prison Service, Alhaji Ja’afaru Ahmed, is from Kebbi State, while the Federal Road Safety Commission boss, Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi, is from Kwara State.

Nevertheless, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, is from Cross River State.

Also, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, who was appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan, is from Oyo State.

But the Comptroller-General of the Federal Fire Service, Joseph Anebi, also appointed by Jonathan, is also from the North.

The Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency, Sani Didi, from Kaduna State, was also appointed by the former President in 2010.

Expressing concern over this situation, the Secretary General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Joe Nwosu, said the appointments so far had not reflected the federal character as embellished in the country’s Constitution.

He said, “We have been crying out loud since the first appointments — of the ministers were made — when out of the 36 ministers, 24 were chosen from the North. Now that other Nigerians are complaining, it means we are not alone. As a tribe, we have had a long history of marginalisation from governance in Nigeria.

“The President said the appointments were made on merit, so are we now saying that only the Northerners have merit? Where is the federal character which we talk about in Nigeria?”

The spokesperson for the Ijaw National Congress, Mr. Victor Borubo, said the appointments suggested the President was “tribalistic” and not “interested” in the country’s diversity.

He said, “Personally, it is an issue that has troubled me greatly and the President has not shown any sensitivity to it — the issue of the Constitution that people from all the states of the federation should be appointed in such positions.

“But the President is not showing interest in diversity and this has led to the loss of confidence in his administration. I think this is why different agitation groups are springing up across the country.”

Whether the President could perhaps change some of the appointments to reflect federal character if he is petitioned by the different groups in the country, Borube said, “I do not think so. He does not strike me as a listening President. If he were, we would not have got to this level. He does not really respond to issues. He carries on as if nothing is happening. We are going through a lot of pain today because the President is a tribalist. What he needs to do right now is to save the country.”

The National Publicity Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said the mostly Northern composition of the leadership of the country’s security agencies was “very” dangerous and could lead to the heating up of the polity.

He said, “The pattern of the appointments today has not shown enough sensitivity to the diversity of Nigeria. When you have the IG of the Police, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and Minister of Defence, the Minister of Interior and the NSA appointed from a section of the country, what that means is that when the apparatchiks are meeting, it is a section of the country that is being represented; it means that the views of other sections are not accommodated, that is very dangerous.

“That kind of arrangement is a situation from which genocide germinates because there is no balance in the security architecture of the country. This is not healthy for the polity. When you look at the table today, especially at the composition of the heads of the security agencies, I don’t think everybody is comfortable.”

The spokesperson for the Ijaw Youth Congress Worldwide, Mr. Eric Omare, said the situation was worrisome and unhealthy for the country. He called on the President to make changes to reflect federal character.

Omare said, “The style of the President’s recruitment is worrisome. When you appoint people from only one part of the country, it gives room for concern. For instance, we have a security challenge in the Niger Delta and we expected he would appoint someone from here who knows how to deal with it. However, he didn’t do so.

“We are not surprised because looking at the background of the President, he does not really know the country he is governing. Look at the people around him; there is no diversity. It is worrisome and we call on him to make changes with immediate effect.”

The spokesperson for the Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, said the President’s action suggested that he was promoting a Northern agenda.

He added the situation depicted that the President was only comfortable in working with and for the Northerners.

Famoriyo said, “It is very clear to everybody that the appointments of the heads of the security agencies tend towards the North. It is clear to everybody the appointments are Northern agenda than being pan-Nigeria agenda. This is clear for everybody to see.

“Does that mean there is no person from the South-West, South-East and the South-South that is qualified and educated to hold any of those key positions? One is not happy that what is supposed to have national character is not having it. That is the issue that must be looked into.”

Famoriyo, however, urged President Buhari to make his appointments reflect national character so that he would not be labelled as a Northern President as against being Nigeria’s President.

He said, “That is what the President should do. He should make sure that all the appointments he will make henceforth have national character. Even the issue of the ambassadorial appointments too, some people have kicked that they tend to be favouring a particular region.

“Whichever way you look at it, there are many qualified and educated personnel in the South that can hold these positions. The handwriting on the wall that the President appoints those he is comfortable working with and those people happen to be Northerners.”

Efforts to get the reaction of presidential spokesmen did not yield positive result as of the time of filing this report on Friday.

But earlier in the life of this administration, the Presidency had, while reacting to similar allegation of lopsidedness in Buhari’s appointments, assured agitated persons that the President would balance his federal appointments.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, had while reacting to the criticism that came after Buhari made six appointments, with five of them from the North, promised that the President would respect federal character as stipulated by the constitution.

Adesina had said, “Nobody can fault the fact that the persons appointed were appointed on merits.

“In terms of the spread, the President has prerogative to appoint and he knows there is federal character.

“I am sure that there will be balance in the future. These are still early days. At the end of the day, we will have a balance. By the time more appointments are made, it will balance out.”

The presidential spokesman had asked Nigerians to disregard talks of key or no key positions, as the President has the interest of Nigerians at heart.

“The president is trying to get the very best of Nigerians. The issue of key positions and no key positions should not be the issue,” he had said.

http://punchng.com/southern-groups-knock-buharis-pro-north-security-appointments/