₦airaland Forum

The amount the Federal Government is subsidizing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, rose, yesterday, to N9.09 per litre, according to the latest pricing template released by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA.

Specifically, this means that if the Federal Government was to hands-off subsidizing the product and allow market forces determine the price, Nigerians would be made to pay a minimum of N95.09 to purchase a litre of the petrol from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) retail stations, and N95.74 per litre from other oil marketers.

This was even as the unending fuel crisis witnessed across the country continued, showing no sign of abating, with some oil marketers blaming the NNPC’s suspension of product allocation to some of them for worsening the crisis.

The PPPRA in its template, released Tuesday, put the Cost plus Freight of imported petrol at N74.83 per litres, with other cost elements hiking the landing cost of the product for marketers to N81.44 per litre. With a distribution margins put at N14.30 per litre, the Expected Open Market price of the product rose to N95.74 per litre.

However, the Federal Government fixed the Ex-depot price, which is the price at which marketers purchase the products from depots, at N76.50 per litre, while the retail price was fixed at N86.50 per litre.

In spite of the looming increase in fuel price from May, a petrol station owner in Abuja, who is member of the Association of Credit Marketers of Petroleum Products in Nigeria (ACMPPN) lamented that members of the association have not been allocated products since March.

The marketer called on the NNPC and its subsidiary, the restructured Pipeline Products Marketing Company, PPMC, to urgently lift the suspension it placed on product allocation to credit marketers if it is serious about ending the fuel crisis.

However, National President of the Association of Credit Marketers of Petroleum Products in Nigeria (ACMPPN), Samuel Nwoga, insisted that its members were not indebted to the NNPC, while he said the group was already in talks with the NNPC with a view of resolving the areas of differences in the best interest of the country.

Also, NNPC’s Chief Operating Officer, Downstream, Henry Ikem-Obih said the NNPC has received a letter from the group and a meeting was being scheduled.

The marketer, who chose not be named, said the ban on petrol allocation to credit marketers in March coincided with aggravation of the now three-month acute shortage of petrol that has defiled all solutions, as it led to the shutdown of thousands of filling stations across the country.

According to him, the argument that credit marketers were hugely indebted to PPMC was not true and the marketers have bank guarantees to back their business.

He said, “Each credit marketer has a bank guarantee and that means the credit is secured. So why is NNPC asking the major marketers to go back to business and we that have bank guarantees you are shutting us out.

“What is happening is nothing short of sabotage because the credit marketers have the best distribution business not only in the big cities like Abuja and Lagos but across the country.

“We have the most stations in this country with over 1,000 station petrol stations. The previous governments, when there is scarcity like this they will order the depots where we are loading to load us to supply to Nigerians.

“And if they load us, within two days the whole scarcity ends but as it is right now despite the acute scarcity NNPC has failed to reverse their decision and lift the suspension.”

He maintained that without the participation of its members it would be impossible to end the fuel crisis, especially as none of its members is currently loading from depots across the country.

He said, “Under Obasanjo regime, the system of credit marketers worked perfectly and when Jonathan came, he also adopted the system and you will have noticed that under Jonathan even when you had few cases of scarcity it did last as long as we are having it now.”

He, therefore, urged the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to urgently direct the PPMC to lift the suspension of products allocation to credit marketers and order depots across the country to load their trucks.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/subsidy-petrol-rises-n9-09-per-litre/

Pro Biafra groups in the southeast have accused the Department of State Services (DSS) of planning to tag Biafra groups as terror movement to find grounds to decimate its members.

Speaking on the backdrop of recent accusations by the DSS that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) kidnapped and killed some Hausa-Fulani residents in Abia state, the IPOB and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) said the accusation was a plot by the agency to incite genocide against Igbos in the North.

According to The New Telegraph, the IPOB media and publicity officer, Emma Powerful and MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, have dissociated their members from the said abduction and killing of the Hausa-Fulani residents.

The IPOB spokesman said: “They want to create pandemonium and provoke genocide against the Igbo in the North. It is a creation of DSS Abuja to discredit them as a terrorist group.” He noted that killing was not on the agenda of IPOB, since they were organised freedom seekers, recognised by the United Nations and not terrorists.

“IPOB has never for once planned to attack anybody because what we are pursuing is more than killing herdsmen. We are pursuing the restoration of Biafra and not after Hausa or Fulani people. We are not part of any abduction or killing of herdsmen. We are not kidnappers. We are mature.

“The allegation was concocted to portray IPOB as a terrorist organisation. If at all people killed herdsmen, they are not IPOB members.”

He said it was ridiculous for the DSS to link IPOB with any killing of the Hausa-Fulani residents and urged the secret police to look for the killers elsewhere.

“This is the highest frustration exhibited by Nigerian security agents against Biafra agitators to blackmail them as violent and terrorists, so as to see evidence against Nnamdi Kanu.” he said.

Adding that: “MASSOB or IPOB can never be deterred or jittery because of frivolous and baseless allegation of frustrated DSS.” The MASSOB leader, therefore, urged South- East Governors to quickly convene a stakeholders’ meeting on “the menace of Fulani fundamentalists” in the zone.”

In the same vein, the brother to A brother to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has called on the Department of State Services (DSS) to desist from branding Biafra agitators as terrorists.

He said the IPOB is a group strictly focused on self-determination, which the group is aimed at achieving, stating that his brother has done nothing wrong, Prince also called on the DSS to engage in finding better reasons to jail Kanu rather than misleading the world.

http://biafrasay.com/p/320187/dss-planning-to-incite-genocide-against-igbos

Former New Orleans Saints DE Will Smith shot dead

Will Smith, a nine-year NFL veteran, first-round pick, Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, was shot and killed late Saturday night following a traffic accident in New Orleans that brought the NFL community to tears Sunday morning. He was 34 years old.

Smith's wife, Racquel, was also shot and was taken to the hospital. The couple had three children, William, Wynter and Lisa.

"Heavy Hearts with the senseless passing of our Team Capt. Will Smith," Saints head coach Sean Payton posted on Twitter Sunday. "Pray for his wife's recovery and their children."

The family also released a statement: "On behalf of the Smith family, we are thankful for the outpouring of support and prayers. We ask that you continue to respect the family's privacy as they grieve the loss of a devoted husband, father and friend."

According to New Orleans Police, Smith was driving east on Sophie Wright Place when he was struck from behind by an orange Hummer H2. Smith's vehicle then struck the car in front of theirs as well. Police say Smith and the driver of the Hummer "exchanged words," before the driver of the Hummer pulled out a gun and shot Smith multiple times.

Smith's wife was shot twice in the leg.

The driver of the Hummer, Cardell Hayes, 30, has been booked with second degree murder.

The grim news stunned both the NFL community and the surrounding New Orleans area. Smith played his entire career with the Saints and helped propel the team to a healing Super Bowl victory in 2009 after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.

Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement: "This is such a tragic loss of life. Our thoughts are with Will's wife Racquel and their three children. He will be missed by many teammates and friends."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Will and his wife Racquel, but more importantly with their children, William, Wynter and Lisa who are suffering and just starting to realize and deal with an unimaginable loss," said Saints owners Tom and Gayle Benson. "We are devastated and saddened by Will's tragic and preventable death due to a senseless act that will leave a lasting scar on our community forever. Will was more than an exceptional football player he was a father, a husband, a son, a brother and teammate to so many and an inspiration to countless more. He will be greatly missed by all those he touched and impacted both on and off the football field and his legacy will continue to shine. The Saints family is hurting and devastated as it has lost a member too young and too soon."

"A senseless and tragic loss," Greg Bensel, the team's head of communications, posted on Twitter Sunday. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Will Smith -- his wife Racquel -- his children William, Wynter and Lisa."

"Devastated," said Saints running back Mark Ingram. "Lord please be with the Smith family at this tragic time. Nonsense man ..."

"Pray for my friend's family, pray for his teammates," former Saints running back Deuce Mcallister said. "So senseless. Rest in peace Will."

"We're praying for the Smith family," Jermon Bushrod said. "I'm hurt to hear about this news. This man had a beautiful family. His life taken away for nothing."

Smith was born on the fourth of July in 1981 to parents William and Lisa Smith. He was a standout at Proctor High School in Utica, New York and went on to Ohio State, where he was a dominant pass rusher for the Buckeyes.

He was selected No. 18 overall in a 2004 draft class that will be remembered as one of the deepest in modern NFL history, netting 15 Pro Bowl players in the first round alone. Smith had 33 1/2 sacks in his first four seasons alone, before logging a career-high 13 sacks during the team’s Super Bowl run in 2009.

Smith's career cannot be measured by box scores alone, though. For as many sacks as he had, there were countless forced fumbles, key downfield blocks and deflected passes. He became the first player in franchise history to force a fumble in five straight games back in 2005.

Smith will also be known for his charitable efforts outside of the game. His foundation, Where There's a Will There's a Way, helps provide opportunities for women and children.



http://biafrasay.com/p/320180/breaking-will-smith-shot-dead-in-new-orleans

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Igbo Youths Movement, IYM and the Igbo Women Association, IWA, yesterday denied the claim by the Department of State Services, DSS, that five northerners were killed and buried in a forest in Abia State, saying that it was a ploy by the Federal Government to engineer another round of mass killing of Igbo in the north.

They made this known in three separate statements made available to Vanguard in Enugu, adding that it was “not in the character of IPOB as a non-violent organization to kill innocent people.”

According to them, the Federal Government, “with a predetermined agenda to cloak IPOB in the garment of violent organisation deliberately designed such propaganda in order to ignite ethnic cleansing.”

Another plot to kill Kanu
Also yesterday, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, again alleged that it has uncovered another plan by the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government to assassinate its leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, in Kuje Prison through the help of Boko Haram detainees.

IPOB, in a statement by its Media and Publicity Officer, Mr Emma Powerful, said the Federal Government, the Department of State Services, DSS and officials of Kuje Prison held a meeting where they agreed that they will use Boko Haram detainees to eliminate Mr. Kanu.

IPOB said: “In the meeting, they agreed to use some acclaimed Boko Haram leaders who were arrested and kept in an unknown prison but will be brought to Kuje prison after being taken to court, where they will be remanded in the same prison with Mr Kanu and be given weapons to attack him and claim he insulted them which led to physical combat that claimed his life.

“Another game plan, according to our intelligence arm, revealed that the Boko Haram fighters will break into where Mr Kanu is presently being detained in Kuje prison to assassinate him by strangling him to death and afterward, escaping from the prison and then government will claim that the Boko Haram attacked the prison to free their members who were detained in the masterminded jail break,” said IPOB.

The IPOB therefore said it wish to alert the world the latest plan by the APC led government before they carry out their hatched plans, so that they will not be deceived by the lies being peddled by the Federal Government against IPOB and its leader.

IPOB’s statement jointly signed by its spokespersons, Mr. Emma Mmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya read, “On Saturday May 11, May 1953, hordes of organised crowd swooped on Easterners in Kano and killed 206 of them in cold blood. They were inspired by a hate speech and false accusation levied on all on Easterners in Kano by one Mallam Inua Wada. He claimed that Easterners booed Northern parliamentarian in Lagos.

“He was wrong. He mistook Samuel Akintola for an Easterner. Akintola cancelled his planned trip to campaign in Kano on May 16, 1953. Inua Wada’s propaganda led to ethnic cleansing in Kano on May 16, 1953.

“Exactly 50 years ago, meetings were held in the hostel of the Institute of Administration Zaria (now Ahmadu Bello University, ABU). Easterners were blamed for every wrong in Nigeria. The propaganda worked so well in preparing grounds for the horrendous three wave genocidal pogrom in 1966.

“On December 10, 2014, a well-orchestrated propaganda in Kano that Ndigbo were responsible for the Kanti Kwan Market suicide bombing were so effectively spread, that Easterners were forced to leave Kano in droves. Luckily, the confession of 12 year-old Zarau Babangida that she refused to detonate her explosives… she went on to tell the world how her own father handed her over to the Boko Haram in Bauchi…

“God used her confession to foil the plots of those who planned to incite a pogrom in Kano in December 2014 so Easterners will be driven away just before the presidential elections.

“Yesterday, the DSS announced that IPOB killed five northerners and buried them in a forest near Aba. Again, it is clear for even toddlers to see the game plan here. A government with a predetermined agenda to cloak IPOB in the garment of violent organisation deliberately designed such a cheap propaganda in order to ignite ethnic cleansing. This very cheap blackmail by the DSS is idiotic and unintelligent.

“First, it is not in our character to kill innocent live in cold blood. Second, we assure the DSS and their cohorts that the day we will decide to go violent, the whole world will know, like we did in 1967. Thirdly, five northerners do not make up for 218 IPOB men and women murdered in cold blood between November 2015 and February 2016.
“If we were to declare war, we will begin by killing at least 5,000 people, not just five. Finally, nobody in his/her right senses will take the DSS serious, until they are able to prove how, where, when and why IPOB killed five people and the DSS. The same DSS which could not locate the corpses of over 500 Agatu civilians, suddenly located the five people allegedly IPOB killed.

“The reason the DSS are riding on the intelligence of Nigerians, is probably because, they believe Nigerians are a bunch of idiots who would believe anything. We assure the DSS that their plot to incite blood shed may well come to pass, but when it happens, we will be the first to announce to the world why we finally took up arms. This false accusation by the DSS is a very cheap blackmail, nobody would believe.”

Also, the Igbo Women Assembly, IWA, in a statement signed by its Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Mariah Okwor stated: “IWA condemns in no uncertain terms the clearly false allegation by the DSS that IPOB killed five northerners and buried them in a forest in Aba. This calculated blackmail is probably plotted to give IPOB a bad name. IPOB has never been and cannot transform into a violent organisation.

“IPOB is a mass movement of millions of eastern youths, who are frustrated and disenchanted with Nigeria as presently structured. Those who came up with this spurious accusation, had better look for a better story to tell.

“The IWA knows that the extra- judicial killing of these unarmed IPOB youths, which could have radicalised them in turning violent, did not achieve that; therefore, we do not believe that the age old brigandage of Fulani herdsmen would now turn IPOB into murderers overnight. Nobody believes the DSS funny story.

Also, reacting to the allegation, the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, said that it would have ignored the DSS allegations, but for the grave implication it portends.
In a statement signed by the IYM Founder and Secretary of Igbo Leaders of Thought, Evangelist Elliot Uko, the youths, said, “After careful enquiries from IPOB leaders, we stand by their story, that IPOB will never come down low to kill innocent people in cold blood.

“Therefore, the IYM pleads with the DSS to make public the IPOB members who killed this five northerners, the circumstances of their death, venue, date and event that led to their killing.

Unless the DSS avails Nigerians with a detailed account, we find it extremely difficult to believe this very strange story.”



http://biafrasay.com/p/320155/ipob-igbo-youths-women-fault-dss-claim-on-killing-of-norther

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, on Sunday, accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government of planning to impose more hardships on Nigerians by increasing Value Added Tax (VAT) from the current five per cent to 10 per cent, describing the move as insensitive to the plight of Nigerians who are suffering from the bad economic policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had said on Thursday, in Lagos that the current five per cent VAT rate in the country was very low, and went on to add that the Federal Government would increase the taxpayers’ base this year.

Reacting through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said any increment in VAT or any other tax being paid by Nigerians at this time will further make life unbearable for the people.

He said: “Nigerians are suffering and the little that they have, federal government is planning to take back through VAT increment, this is wickedness! Under three months, electricity tariff was increased despite epileptic power supply, N50 stamp duty was imposed on bank customers for money received into their accounts via electronic transfer, cash and cheques; petrol is being sold for as high as N400 per litre and now they are talking about increasing VAT to 10 per cent. This is the height of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians,” he said.

The governor, who lamented the increase in the cost of living of Nigerians, occasioned by the bad economic policies of the Federal Government, said, “even recent figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that prices of food have hit a record high and inflation is worsening.

“How can government be considering 100 per cent increment in VAT when businesses are folding up, prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed, millions of Nigerians are losing their jobs and those who are still employed are no longer getting paid regularly?

“For even contemplating the increment of VAT at this difficult time shows that the Buhari-led government does not care about the welfare of the citizens and only God will save the poor masses from the hands of this government.”

Governor Fayose said, rather than imposing more hardships on Nigerians, President Buhari should seek help from experts on how best to revive the country’s economy, adding that “as at today, the Buhari-led government is yet to show that it has any clue to the revival of the economy.”


http://biafrasay.com/p/320146/buhari-imposing-more-hardships-on-nigerians-with-vat-increme

The Department of State Services has taken over Umuanyi Forest near Aba in Abia State, where it said unidentified 55 shallow graves were discovered recently.

Not less than 55 identified persons were said to have been allegedly buried in the graves by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra.

The DSS on Saturday accused the members IPOB of engaging in kidnapping and extrajudicial killings.

IPOB is being led by the Director of guerilla Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, who is being prosecuted by the Federal Government for alleged treasonable felony.

The secret service further accused IPOB members of the kidnapping and killing of five Hausa-Fulani men whose remains it said were buried in the same forest.

But the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, another pro-Biafra group which rose in defence of IPOB, dismissed the allegations by the DSS as lacking merit and evidence.

A statement issued by DSS spokesperson, Mr. Tony Opuiyo, in Abuja on Saturday read, “Service has uncovered the heinous role played by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra in the abduction/kidnap of five Hausa-Fulani residents, namely Mohammed Gainako, Ibrahim Mohammed, Idris Yakubu, and Isa Mohammed Rago at Isuikwuato LGA in Abia State.

“The abducted men were later discovered at the Umuanyi Forest, Abia State, where they were suspected to have been killed by their abductors and buried in shallow graves, amidst 50 other shallow graves of unidentified persons.

“Arrests and investigation conducted so far revealed that elements within the IPOB carried out this dastardly action.”

With this action, Opuiyo said it was pertinent to alert the general public that IPOB was gradually showing its true divisive colour and objectives, while steadily embarking on gruesome actions in a bid to ignite ethnic terrorism and mistrust amongst non-indigenes in the South-East region and other parts of the country.

Following this act, the DSS alerted that tension was currently rife among communal stakeholders in the state, with possibilities of spillover to other parts of country.

The agency warned that it would not hesitate to act decisively within its statutory mandate to ensure that the sponsors and perpetrators of “this action are apprehended and prosecuted for their crime.”

Efforts made by SUNDAY PUNCH to get IPOB to react to the allegation by DSS proved abortive, as the telephone line of the Director of Information of the group, Emma Powerful, which indicated that it was busy as of 8pm, indicated that it was switched off by 8:08pm.

When his alternative line was also called, it was switched off too.

However, the new leader of MASSOB, Uchenna Madu, in his response via a text message to one of our correspondents, stated that MASSOB and IPOB would remain undeterred on their agitation.

He said, “DSS allegation against pro-Biafra agitators lacks merit and evidence because MASSOB and IPOB are non- violent organisations. This is the highest frustration exhibited by Nigerian security agents against pro-Biafra agitators; they want to blackmail us as violent or terrorist group in order to get evidence against Nnamdi Kanu.

“MASSOB and IPOB can never be deterred or get jittery because of frivolous and baseless allegations by frustrated DSS. Why have they not raised eyebrow on several killings and destruction of properties by Fulani herdsmen?

“We advise Igbo governors to immediately summon a meeting of stakeholders on the menace of Fulani fundamentalists.”

A senior operative of the service, who was involved in the operation that led to the discovery of the graves and the forest, told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday evening that the forest had become a no-go area for unauthorised people.

The security agent said, “The forest has become a security zone. We have taken over the place. It is an offence to see people who have no business in the area for now.”

The source said the operation was carefully planned and executed by the security outfit.

“A Good Samaritan blew the lid on the killings that happened there and how people were hurriedly buried in the forest,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added.

On how the identity of those buried in the graves would be known, the agent said the service might conduct an autopsy or find alternative ways to identify the corpses.

“I’m sure we would find a way of doing that (identification of corpses). If it requires that (autopsy) may be we would do it,” the operative said.

The source however refused to give the number of arrests that had been made, saying operation and investigation were ongoing.

Meanwhile, the Abia State Government on Saturday denied knowledge of shallow graves in any forest in the state.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor, Mr. Godwin Adindu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that the government would investigate the alleged discovery.

He said, “We don’t have such a report; there is no such report here. The DSS has not given us the report. We don’t have such information. Even within the populace here, nobody has raised such alarm.”



Forget Biafra, South-East APC leaders tell MASSOB, IPOB

The South-East chapter of the All Progressives Congress has urged all pro-Biafra groups in the zone to abandon the struggle for the secession of Biafra.

The call was contained in a communiqué issued after a meeting by the leaders of the South-East zone of the APC in Enugu.

The meeting resolved that the party’s leaders in the zone would meet with President Muhamadu Buhari over Igbo interests in the APC.

The communiqué, which was signed by the APC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Emma Eneukwu, and the Zonal Secretary, John Mkpuruka, said after extensive deliberations, the party’s leaders in the zone urged all pro-Biafra groups to have a “rethink” and abandon the idea of secession from Nigeria.

“We call on all the groups agitating for separation from united Nigeria, particularly the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra to rethink and abandon the idea and join other ethnic groups in building a formidable united Nigeria, where all Nigerians will be equally treated in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the communiqué read.

How Shekau’s ‘deputy’ was arrested —DSS

Meanwhile, the DSS on Saturday explained how it arrested Mohammed Usman believed to be second in ranking to Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau.

Usman, who was arrested on the suspicion of taking part in several terrorism crimes in the country, is also known as Khalid al-Barnawi, Kafuri, Naziru, Alhaji Yahaya, Mallam Dauda and Alhaji Tanimu.

He was said to have been arrested by the DSS on April 1 in Lokoja, Kogi State, while allegedly hiding under a false cover.

Al-Barnawi was said to be a founding member of the Jama’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid Da’wah Wa’l-Jihad (Boko Haram) and later the Amir of the break-away faction, Jama’at Ansarul Muslimim Fi Biladi Sudan (JAMBS).

Opuiyo described the suspect as a trained terrorist, who, he said, had coordinated many terrorist activities in the country.

He said, “Khalid Al-Barnawi is a trained terrorist commander, who has been coordinating terrorist activities in Nigeria, while talent-spotting and recruiting vulnerable young and able Nigerians for terrorist training by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in North African States and the Middle-East.

“The suspect was involved in many terrorist attacks in states of the federation, including Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Sokoto and Abuja. This resulted in the killing and maiming of innocent citizens of this country.

‘Albarnawi is also responsible for the bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja on 26th August, 2011; the kidnapping of two European civil engineers in Kebbi State in May, 2011, and their subsequent murder in Sokoto State; the kidnap of a German engineer, Edgar Raupach, in January 2012; the kidnap and murder of seven expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company at Jama’are in Bauchi State in February 2013; and the attack on Nigerian troops at Okene in Kogi State while on transit to Abuja for an official assignment.”

Opuiyo said the suspect would soon be charged to court to face his charges after investigations were completed.




http://www.punchng.com/dss-takes-over-abia-forest-with-55-shallow-graves/

Nigerian troops of 22 Brigade Garrison, Army Headquarters Strike Group (AHQ SG) on Sunday arrested six suspected Boko Haram terrorists and recovered improvised explosive devices (IED) devices.

“The patrol team captured 3 Boko Haram terrorists at Kadawu and recovered 4 motorcycles, 3 bicycles, 1 solar panel and 2 liquid herbicides,” Defence spokesman Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar said in a statement. “At Garna, the troops also captured 3 and recovered 7 locally made guns from them.”

The soldiers also rescued 275 persons held hostage by the Boko Haram terrorists, Abubakar said.

One of the rescued persons gave birth to a baby boy shortly after their liberation. Both mother and the child are doing fine, according to the DHQ spokesman.

Abubakar also said troops of 152 Task Force Battalion alongside troops of Sector 1 of Multinational Joint Task Force yesterday, cleared suspected hideouts and bomb-making factory of Boko Haram terrorists around Madawaya while 15 terrorists were killed in the process.

Suspected terrorist camps in Jere, Kardile, Koujili, Ngenere and Maksamari, as well as Douse, Bembem, Zombulum and Taraji villages, were also cleared.

“They also discovered and destroyed the Boko Haram terrorists’ IED making factory at Bula Umara and killed 15 terrorists in the same area. In addition, the troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, 4 fully loaded magazines with 7.62mm ammunition, 2 power generating sets, welding machines, assorted batteries and solar panels.

“Other items recovered include drums of beans and other grains as well as Bandolier.”

Abubakar said the troops recovered several vehicles and motorcycles.



http://biafrasay.com/p/319904/nigerian-troops-arrest-six-terrorists-rescue-275-people

On March 24, Radovan Karadzic, the former Bosnian Serb leader, was found guilty of genocide and crimes against humanity during the 1992-95 Bosnian war by the International Criminal Court (ICC) based in The Hague, Netherlands. In pronouncing its verdict, the UN Tribunal described the atrocities during the war as the worst crimes committed in Europe since the Second World War and sentenced the 70 year-old Karadzic to 40 years in prison. Judges at the world court found him guilty of 10 out of 11 counts of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other atrocities in the Bosnian war of the 1990s, including leading the slaughter of thousands of Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks) and Croats.
The decision of ICC on the Bosnian war is timely and significant, coming at a time when Nigeria is debating the agitation for the reemergence of Biafra from the ashes of history. The verdict also deflects the argument that the International court targets African leaders only. Laurent Gbagbo, the former President of Côte d’Ivoire, Jean-Pierre Bemba, the former Congolese vice president, and Charles Taylor, Ex-Liberian Leader, were former African leaders who faced trial at the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court (ICC) was adopted at a United Nations diplomatic conference in Rome on July 17, 1998 but was formally ratified July 2002 by over 149 countries including Nigeria. Having deposited its instrument of ratification to the Rome Statute on September 27, 2001, Nigeria therefore acquiesced to ICC’s jurisdiction over crimes committed on the territory of Nigeria or by its nationals.

If ICC’s conviction of former Bosnia Serb leader for an offence committed before the establishment of the world court is any guide, it follows that the court should consider a trial of Nigerians living or dead who perpetrated war crimes during the Nigerian civil war of 1967-1970. About 3 million people were massacred during the war in what resembled the ethnic cleansing that occurred in the Bosnian war of the 90’s. An estimated 3 million lives were lost in the Nigerian civil war compared with 750,000 lost in the Bosnian war and both wars occurred before the establishment of the Rome Statute.
So far, the world court acknowledges that Boko Haram’s acts of murder and persecution are enough bases to believe that crimes against humanity are being committed in Nigeria. But, the court ignores the truth that the greatest perpetrators of crimes against the Nigerian people are the country’s leaders. While the heinous activities of Boko Haram are criminal and unacceptable in a modern society, the problem about bringing charges against the non-state actor is that the group is invisible. This is the more reason why the court should focus more on past and present leaders who committed war crimes during the Nigerian civil war and subsequent wars in peace time that the country had had to deal with from the 90’s to date.


Although Nigerian leaders past and present refuse to acknowledge the enormity of the atrocities committed during the country’s fratricidal three-year war, it is undeniable that the Nigerian government wanted to annihilate the Igbo nation during the war. Those who fought on the side of Biafra during the Nigerian civil war were subjected to hunger, starvation, and mass murder by the Nigerian army on the instruction of Nigerian officials including military and civilian leaders. Hunger was used as an instrument of war and pictures of starving Biafra children who suffered from malnutrition- induced disease - Kwashiorkor were all over the place and pricked the conscience of the world. No situation better exemplified genocide or war crimes than what happened to the secessionist Biafra nation. The simple definition of genocide is the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular ethnic group or nation. The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1948 almost two decades before the genocidal elimination of Ndi Igbo through starvation, displacement, and killing.

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide is an international law which Nigeria recognizes and as such the war crimes against Nigerians can be adjudicated by the court. The fractured politics of the heterogeneous country makes it necessary for a neutral body to intervene and dispense justice as appropriate. The suggestion to surrender to the neutrality of the international court recognizes the concerns of nationalism and judicial independence from foreign powers and especially past colonial overlords. No doubt, concerns about imperialism associated with the world court in relation to undermining the sovereignty of African nations often disrespected by western powers are noted. But how long can the country’s leaders delay genuine reconciliation, retribution, and rehabilitation?

Whereas the conviction of Karadzic is a related development that should resonate in Nigeria, it must be pointed out that activists in Nigeria have the duty to bring Biafra genocide to the attention of the world court to seek redress. The world is more connected today than the 60’s and 70’s. This means that mobilization of the conscience of the world will be easier than in the past. Even though Karadzic made efforts to escape justice for a long time, yet the world remained united in bringing him to justice. That the way to appreciate the world court’s 40-year jail sentence on the war criminal who supervised the massacre of more than 7,500 Muslim men and boys in the Srebrenica enclave in July 1995, which the UN said was part of a campaign to “terrorize and demoralize the Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat population”.

The Nigerian civil war may have ended 46 years ago, but Ndi Igbo still yearn for justice and sense of closure to the egregious human rights abuses inflicted on them during the war. Ndi Igbo, otherwise known for their uncanny industry and determination still suffer today from different policy initiatives designed to dwarf their growth in a country that refuses to develop on its own and also prevents other segments of the population interested in collective growth and development. In reality, article two of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide that defines genocide as instances that “cause serious bodily or mental harm to members of a national, ethnical, racial or religious group” is similar to the challenges different ethnic groups face in Nigeria. The letters of the law might be different from the spirit and of course the enforcement.

At the same time, the pursuit of justice can be winding and protracted. It calls for patience. For example, the trial of Karadzic lasted five years followed by an additional 18-month deliberation by the bench before last week’s verdict and possible appeal. This should be a lesson to Biafra agitators. Instead of young Nigerians challenging the recalcitrant and tone deaf government that often considered the agitation for Biafra as sedition or felony; they should channel their energies to the rule of law and international law for that matter. It requires patience. The late civil rights icon, Martin Luther King’s famous quote that “the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice” should be instructive.

Everything considered the war crimes in Bosnia and Nigeria were perpetrated by leaders of both countries at different times in history but the similarity deserves similar justice.
*Dr. Uchenna Ekwo, President of Center for Media & Peace Initiatives writes from New York.





http://biafrasay.com/p/319870/biafra-war-crimes-world-court-and-nigeria-s-biafra-genocide

The first elected civilian Governor of Bayelsa state, Late Chief Deipreye Solomon Alamieyeseigha will finally be laid to rest on Saturday, April 9, in his Amassoma country home, Bayelsa state, Vanguard reports.

This was disclosed by Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (Retd), the deputy governor of Bayelsa state and the chairman of the Central Burial Committee.

Jonah said: “There will be a Youth/Student Activities in Yenagoa the Bayelsa state capital; public lecture on Federalism and Development in Nigeria, by Prof. G.G Darah at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa; Night of Songs and Tributes at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, Yenagoa.

“On Friday, April 8, there will be a Valedictory State Executive Council Session, at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa and Wake-keep at his country home in Amassoma.”

Jonah added that there will be a Commendation Service on Saturday, April 9, to be followed by his internment in Amassoma, his country home.

According to him, the burial ceremony will be concluded with a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, April 10, at St. Peters Anglican Church, Yenagoa.

Alamieyeseigha died at age 62, on October 10, 2015, at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers state, following a brief illness.

He slipped into a coma two days before and was placed on life support.

Esueme Dan-Kikili, the Bayelsa state commissioner for information, confirmed that the former governor had died after a cardiac arrest.





http://biafrasay.com/p/319881/alamieyeseigha-to-be-buried-april-9

Really? What happened to your drones?

Ahead of the second anniversary of the more than 200 abducted schoolgirls by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, the United States government has reassured Nigerians that efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the girls.

The US said that it was providing a range of security assistance to Nigeria, and that it had stepped up information-sharing efforts.

“One component of our strategy is providing support to the Multinational Joint Task Force, which includes soldiers from Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, and Benin. We are providing advisers, intelligence, training, logistical support, and equipment. This is part of a regional approach to a problem that transcends borders.

“And as the second anniversary of the Chibok girls’ captivity approaches, we continue to actively support the efforts to locate these girls – none of us has given up on the fight to bring these girls home. We are equally concerned about the thousands of other victims of Boko Haram, which by some measures is the most deadly terrorist organisation in the world today,” the US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said at the US Institute of Peace.

According to her, through the Security Governance Initiative, which President Barack Obama launched in 2014 with six African partners, including Nigeria, the American government is exploring ways to enhance the management of security and justice systems so that Nigeria can provide needed services, including in the North-East, “more efficiently and effectively”.

Thomas-Greenfield stated further that Nigeria needed to make important moves in its efforts to defeat Boko Haram.

“First, it is critical that the foot soldiers of Boko Haram – especially those who may not have joined wilfully – are able to leave the group and eventually be accepted back into their communities. The need for these pathways is one of the key lessons we’ve learned from conflicts across the globe. We are ready to help Nigeria support and encourage such defections and reintegration. This is difficult but necessary work.

“Second, people who have been forcibly displaced by Boko Haram must not be asked to return to their homes before those communities are safe and the displaced feel ready to return. Premature returns put IDPs in undue harm and are inconsistent with international norms. This, too, is an area where we look forward to working with Nigerians and the United Nations system.

“Third, Nigeria should invest more federal resources to meet the humanitarian needs of the victims of Boko Haram, while developing and implementing a long-term development strategy in collaboration with state governments and local authorities.

We’re optimistic about the commitment Nigeria is showing to improving its security, and we will continue pressing our Nigerian partners to respond to threats responsibly, professionally, and transparently.







http://biafrasay.com/p/319857/we-ve-not-given-up-on-chibok-girls-us

Let it be true

The Indigenous People of Biafra has said that the Federal Governments wants to divert the attention of the United Nations from the ongoing trial of their leader and the Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu with pretence to release him to the British government.

IPOB spokesmen Mr. Emma Nmeze and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya in a press statement said the plot was to avoid the impending humiliation in the ongoing court trial of bogus allegation of treasonable felony leveled against its leader.

According to the statement, the latest in their deception and diatribe is that President Muhammadu Buhari and his media aides‘“grotesque interpretation“of an alleged letter written by IPOB lawyers to the British government concerning their citizen, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The IPOB through its lawyer had on March 24, 2016 allegedly written a letter to the British Government via its High Commissioner in Nigeria.

According to the statement, the central theme of that letter was to bring the attention of the British government to the acts going on in the court which include the disobedience of court orders by Federal Government and its agents, the lack of confidence in both the Nigerian judicial system and the trial Judge (Hon Justice John Tsoho), and alleged executive interference evidenced by the President’s prejudiced utterances .

The statement also add that “because of the educational and intellectual limitations of President Buhari and his media henchmen, it is disheartening though not surprising that Buhari and his lying group posited that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was begging the British Government to set him free from the illegal detention imposed by Federal Government.“

“Buhari is desperate to wash his hands off the case and is looking for a way out hence the glee with which they spun the news about the letter to the British High Commission. Buhari’s plan is to hide under this misinterpreted letter and release Nnamdi Kanu to British Government and then avoid facing the court of law. The statement said the Federal Government should come to the court to prove their bogus treasonable felony charge against our leader and Buhari must stop scavenging for soft landing.”





http://biafrasay.com/p/319856/fg-plans-to-release-kanu-to-british-government-ipob

Death is death

The below write up comes from one of the soldiers that was dismissed from the Nigeria army simply because they are from Old Eastern Region of Nigeria.

Do you know what will happen? we #Nigerdelta we are going to burn all the oil wells and pipe lines, let us know how Nigeria will stand without Biafra.
Let them carry all the whole soldiers in Nigeria and defend pipe lines we must burn it down, I’m ready to sacrifice my life to make sure that things happen. See how they are killing our brothers and sisters, but we have not killed anybody. Their brothers are here living peacefully we can’t hurt them but we must achieve our aim.
Now, we have to go for self defence, because enough is enough! Do you know how many soldiers from Niger delta that Nigeria army dismissed from service? I’m one of them.
This is time for us to fight for our freedom we can’t be one anymore. To get admission in our place is very hard, No light, bad road, No work for youth, many of our youths are schooling in north. You said we are one Nigeria Godforbid:: I trained home and abroad but Nigeria army dismissed me from the Army, do you think I will be happy with Nigeria?

Never… I can’t stop carrying Rifle because I trained with it, even my regulars from North and Yoruba land that Nigeria army dismissed too they are not happy with Nigeria they are ready to do anything: don’t worry the fight is going to be joint fight all the four corner of the Nigeria there will be no peace.
When I was in Nigeria army I can’t save money because of poor salary but now I know my level.
I traveled to Belize ( central America) our people there are praying for Biafra to come so that they will come back home, even my sister don’t allow me to come back to Nigeria again but i said No” I must come back, this is time for us to wake-up and fight for our right.
Top senior men in this country are terrorist, even in the military they are all terrorist.
That’s why if soldiers want to go for an attack the senior officers will call Boko Haram that soldiers are coming to attack them from so place, Boko Haram will now ambush soldiers and kill them.
How do you think Nigeria will grow with this evil art? If Boko Haram attack, military camp soldiers will run away, is not that soldiers can’t fight is because if they die Nigeria army will bury them like they are nobody ( I will not bury my dog the way Nigeria army buries soldiers) and their family will start suffering.

They will immediately frozen the account of the disease that’s the end, nobody will hear from him again: do you think soldiers are fools? They will not die for nothing, very soon soldiers will start blocking road with Rifles because of their salary is not enough.
I’m not ready to come back to Nigeria army anymore because am a BIG BOY. I call my regulars that are still in the service they said that they are tired of the work. I laugh at them* because they are still blind, very soon their eyes will be open: to get Rank in Nigeria army is very hard, some soldiers are 8 years in service no rank.
I will not insult president Buhari yet but am looking at him with one eye. I will only advice him to free Nnamdi Kanu, and let him count how many IPOB member that died because one IPOB member that die is 100 heads from Nigeria so you will see how important my people are to me.
Buhari think nobody can kill him (No impossibility) I don’t talk much but I do what’s in my mind, I trained to kill am going to destroy things some will think am joking or threatening, everybody will feel it when the time comes.

I’m not afraid of death because man die go, woman born another, not everybody will understand what I mean is only the wise men will understand it. I will not go far…



http://biafrasay.com/p/319845/i-will-sacrifice-my-life-for-biafra-actualisation-dismissed

Robber robbing from rob

“Justice Mohammad Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered President Muhammadu Buhari to hold all successive administrations since the return to civil rule in 1999 to account on the spending of the recovered loot” – a national newspaper.

Are you aware that in addition to the four refineries in Nigeria – Portharcourt I and II, Warri and Kaduna, this country also had a 30 per cent interest in West African Refinery, Sierra Leone which was handed over to President Obasanjo’s government in 1999? Are you also aware that has Obasanjo so far failed to account for that national assets and its disposal, he was handed a list of assets forfeited by Abacha to the Federal Government on May 26, 1999 – in the last decree –Decree No. 53 – which was the last signed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar as Head of State, Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria? Are you also aware that other Abacha loot, returned between 1999 and May 2007, when Obasanjo was forced to step aside, remain unaccounted for and might have been re-looted? Prepare yourself for a shock – if it is still possible to be shocked in Nigeria by anything done by leaders of the PDP who had access to the corridors of power – especially the self-righteous Obasanjo. His administration established the template for looting Abacha loot. But, permit first a diversion – a necessary one.

Obasanjo had since made a caustic comment about the court order. He called Justice Idris “stupid” for daring to ask Buhari to ask Obasanjo to account for OUR money and other assets. That shows Obasanjo in his true colours. A honest man if asked to account for other peoples property which he held in trust does not resort to abuse. He would open the records for all to see that he had integrity. But, not Obasanjo. It is in his character. Back on April 8, 2012, three individuals who knew Baba Iyabo better than most Nigerians had the following to say about the man.

First, former Senate President Ken Nnamani: “He personally authorized the disbursement of N50m each for 109 Senators, as well as other sums of money, which amounted to an excess of N8bn to pass the third term bill into law.”

Then, Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila: “He spent over N10bn on the agenda. His aides came to me to solicit support for third term. He also attempted to enlist the support of a former US President, Mr Bush, for the project, but it failed.”

Finally, read what Honourable Halims Agoda had to say. “It was Obasanjo’s personal agenda. He sought the support of the National Assembly, but it was thrown out..”. In the front page report of a national newspaper on the day under reference, titled “Obasanjo a joker, liar, he was behind third term – Nnamani, others”, Nigerians and the entire world were presented with the man Obasanjo. From what Nnamani alleged, he was involved in bribery and corruption – spending funds whose sources were undisclosed. Readers will begin to get an idea of where the money came from by reading my book – PDP: CORRUPTION INCORPORATED. Obasanjo created the PDP as we know it today. Jonathan just took the party to the next level.

Now, let us examine some indisputable evidence to support Justice Idris’ call on Buhari to ask Obasanjo and others to account for our resources. Please notice the word “resources” because what is missing is more than money – as will soon be demonstrated shortly.

Decree No 53, as earlier stated was the last decree signed by General Abubakar, who after it was placed in the Gazette, wanted it withdrawn for reasons still unknown. A desperate but failed effort was made to retrieve all the copies. Consequently, few copies of the Decree are in existence and most people are not aware of it. Among the few is available at Unijankara kept under lock and key. Below however is the summary of all the assets forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria under the FORFEITURE OF ASSETS, ETC. (CERTAIN PERSONS) DECREE 1999.

Properties/Assets Belonging To Late General Sani Abacha.

Plot 135(A6), House No. 12, Zaire Crescent, Maitama; Plot 574 (A4), Yakubu Gowon Crescent near ECOWAS Secretariat, Asokoro; Plot 2824 (A6), Block No. 17, along Danube Street, Maitama; Plot 650 (A6), Rhine Street, Maitama; Plot 1487 (A4), Justice Mamman Nasir Street; Plot 2480 (A6) Alvan Ikoku Street, Maitama; Plot 636 Adeyemo Alakija Street, Victoria Island (Cowry House).

Finally, 30 per cent shares valued at $420,000 USD, in West African Refinery, Sierra Leone (Purchased from UNIPETROL).

In addition to the properties listed there were the following cash items: $625,263,187.19; 75,306,886.93 pounds sterling and N100,000,000. In those days with the US dollar exchanging for N130 per dollar and a pound fetching N250, the total Abacha loot alone Abubakar handed to Obasanjo’s government was about N100 billion. That was just from the first set of loot found in Nigeria. Wait util next week to find out how much was forfeited by Abacha’s National Security Adviser, Ismaila Gwarzo, Mohammed Abacha, Abdulkadir Abacha, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu and Chief Tony Ani. Then you will begin to understand why Obasanjo does not want a probe of the Abacha loot…..

NEXT WEEK: “If he [Obasanjo] is claiming that he never initiated the idea, who then initiated the release of more than N8bn from CBN coffers? Is it not the President that has access to CBN vaults?” Senate President, Ken Nnamani. Raiding CBN by Presidents pre-dated Jonathan. Baba started the civilian version in 1999.

CBN GOVERNOR: CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS ARE BLAMING THE VICTIM.

“Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny.”

William Shakespeare, 1564-1616. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTES).

If there is one public official who has earned my total sympathy these days, it is the Governor of Central Bank, CBN. There must be occasions, these days, when poor Mr Godwin Emefiele must be asking if there aren’t easier ways to make a living. Personally, I admire his guts, his tenacity, his patriotism and his courage under the constant bombardment of attacks – mostly defamatory. If he is not accused of selling dollars to unnamed beneficiaries below official rate, he accused of conducting secret recruitment unknown to the Presidency. All the critics, without exception argue from narrow perspectives of the CBN’s challenges and options available. They are like so many blind men each holding a part of an elephant and thinking he knows what an elephant is. Nobody has offered a comprehensive alternative to what he is doing.

Yet, I can state authoritatively that if there is any official most closely watched by government, it is the CBN Governor. He had made no important decision without approval from Aso Rock. Those asking for his sack are wasting their time. Bet on it. The guy is smart.



http://biafrasay.com/p/319842/how-obasanjo-s-govt-looted-abacha-loot

These guyz are mean

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said that it will resume protest in it bid to free Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra and that it is putting in place a Television technology that it will use to broadcast live all its activities in Nigeria.

IPOB also said its leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu will no longer accept any food, including those brought by his close family members to avoid poisoning it by the Department of State Security, DSS, alleged to always scrutinize his food before allowing it in.

IPOB in a statement jointly signed by its spokesmen Emma Mmezu and Dr Clifford Iroanya, said ‘many people are willing to die for Nnamdi Kanu so Buhari led All Progressives Congress Federal Government should tread carefully with the life of Mr. Kanu because hell will be let loose if anything happens to him, Nigeria will never be the same should anything untoward happens to Kanu”.

“Our resumption of protest is imminent but for understandable reasons we can’t give you details yet. We are putting in place our TV technology so the whole world will watch it live online and gain firsthand knowledge of the brutality of the Nigerian Army.

“We are IPOB and we do things in a unique way, so our next outing will shake the whole earth. The worst mistake this government did is to arrest our leader and now they are beginning to discover how formidable we are.

“Death to us is nothing, freedom for Biafra is everything. Those governors from southeast state who have decided to bring them selves out as argent of the APC led government in Nigeria will soon know the stuff IPOB is made of at the appropriate time.

“In response to what some South East Governors are doing, IPOB does not expect our elders and leaders to support us openly, we know that not all of them are trust worthy. IPOB worldwide decided to be doing and piloting this struggle without them at this point in time, till the appointed time” they said.

Also “there is serious plan to kill Mr. Kanu by his persecutors who are confused on what to do about the charges they preferred against him, just as they said they will resume their protests.

“We have advised our leader to reject every food, including those brought by close family members because the DSS that always scrutinize his food before allowing it in as might poison the food.

“He will also not mix with other prisoners because we are aware that Interior Ministry officials working through the Prison Service have planted their agents pretending to be prisoners, in order to spy and report on him to DSS.

“We have eyes everywhere so we get regular reports on his health status. Nigeria knows the consequences should anything happen to our leader because in every family in Biafra lands are hardcore IPOB” they said.

“The bail refusal is not a problem for us because IPOB wants the trial to go ahead, so we can expose and disgrace a corrupt judicial system hamstrung by the whims of a dictator in the the present government of Nigeria” they said.

The group alleged that “the trial Judge was hired to do a hatchet job, but he never reckoned that we will be this tenacious. As long as they want to go by the rule in this trial we welcome, it but any silly games will be resisted.

“It is obvious that the Nigerian Federal Government has no case against our leader Nnamdi Kanu, hence we continue to call for his release rather than his vindictive detention.

Meanwhile, the IPOB through it Media and Publicity Officer Mr. Emma Powerful has denied a local radio and television report in Anambra state that Mr. Nnamdi Kanu is begging President Muhammadu Buhari to release him.

IPOB described the report precisely from the Anambra State owned radio and television reports as blatant lie that is calculated to destroy the name of Mr. Kanu and to give the impression that he is chicken hearted when he is not and is in high spirit to face his trumped up charges.

According to Mr. Powerful to set the records straight, there no time IPOB, Mr Kanu or his lawyers wrote to Buhari, Nigerian Government or representatives of the Nigerian Government anywhere in the world begging for the release of Mr Kanu, rather IPOB through lawyer to Mr Kanu wrote the British High Commission Abuja over the injustice by Nigerian Federal Government against Mr kanu who is also a British citizen.

In the letter through their lawyer Hon. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, titled “Nnamdi Kanu: A victim of travesty of justice and a call for British Government to be on the watch” IPOB said there is a deliberate design by the Nigerian Government to subvert the course of justice in the criminal trial of Mr. Kanu.

“It is repeating the obvious to state that Mr Kanu is a full British citizen, by virtue of which position he is entitled to all rights, privileges and protections guaranteed under the British Laws and convention.




http://biafrasay.com/p/319827/ipob-plans-live-tv-broadcast-massive-protest

Fear of DSS

Nnewi – The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has said that its leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu will no longer accept any food, including those brought by his close family members to avoid poisoning it by the Department of State Security, DSS, alleged to always scrutinize his food before allowing it in.

IPOB in a statement jointly signed by its spokesmen Emma Mmezu and Dr Clifford Iroanya, said “there is serious plan to kill Mr. Kanu by his persecutors who are confused on what to do about the charges they preferred against him, just as they said they will resume their protests.

“We have advised our leader to reject every food, including those brought by close family members because the DSS that always scrutinize his food before allowing it in as might poison the food.

“He will also not mix with other prisoners because we are aware that Interior Ministry officials working through the Prison Service have planted their agents pretending to be prisoners, in order to spy and report on him to DSS.

“We have eyes everywhere so we get regular reports on his health status. Nigeria knows the consequences should anything happen to our leader because in every family in Biafra lands are hardcore IPOB” they said.

IPOB said “many people are willing to die for him so Buhari led All Progressives Congress Federal Government should tread carefully with the life of Mr. Kanu because hell will be let loose if anything happens to him, Nigeria will never be the same should anything untoward happens to Kanu”.

“The bail refusal is not a problem for us because IPOB wants the trial to go ahead, so we can expose and disgrace a corrupt judicial system hamstrung by the whims of a dictator in the the present government of Nigeria” they said.



http://biafrasay.com/p/319807/nnamdi-kanu-will-no-longer-accept-any-food-scrutinized-by-ds

Sony Corporation has announced today that it has successfully perfected the Proton PackTM (#protonpack), a product designed to capture content from a parallel dimension.
The Proton PackTM is equipped with a state-of-the-art, miniaturized superconducting synchrotron, which accelerates injected protons from a hydrogen plasma cell. Superconducting temperatures are maintained by a liquid helium reservoir, and an active cryocooler ensures that operational time vastly exceeds that available from a cryogen dewar alone.
Adaptive beam-steering technology guides the proton beam to an ergonomic wand, which doubles as a beam-halo tuning cavity to provide maximum down-range accuracy. The backpack form factor allows built-in psychokinetic grounding to the user’s spinal column, eliminating spectral noise feedback loops.
In development for over 30 years, the Proton PackTM benefits from the newest innovations from Sony Corporation’s acclaimed products.
WATCH VIDEO HERE:

http://biafrasay.com/p/319794/

So surprising

Nigeria has recorded the birth of its first baby conceived through the oocyte (egg) freezing protocol.

The feat was recorded by The Bridge Clinic, Lagos, on February 16, with the delivery of a male child, named Tiwatope.

The oocyte was preserved through cryopreservation, which is the cooling of cells and tissues to sub-zero temperatures to stop biological activity and preserve the cells for future use.

Human oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) is a process in which a woman’s eggs (oocytes) are extracted, frozen and stored. Later, when she is ready to become pregnant, the eggs can be thawed, fertilised and transferred to the uterus as embryo.

According to the fertility physician with The Bridge Clinic, Dr. Emmanuel Owie, who broke the news, Tiwatope’s birth was significant in many respects, as he puts the country on the global map in the practice of oocyte cryopreservation, a new offering in the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) space.

“Before his birth, this new practice seemed to be an exclusive preserve of the developed world of Europe and North America. It is even more significant considering the fact that since the report of the first pregnancy through this protocol in 1986, the practice has resulted in the birth of only about 5,000 babies worldwide,” he stated.

Dr. Owie said Tiwatope’s mother had her eggs frozen using the vitrification, also known as flash-freezing process – the cutting edge technology in cryobiology, where the eggs or oocytes of a woman are dehydrated and the water content replaced with “anti-freeze” solution (cryoprotectants) before freezing. This will prevent the formation of ice crystals, which could destroy the cell.

Tiwatope’s parents had battled infertility for eight years, but the clinic had the mother’s eggs frozen for two months.

Dr. Owie explained: “We fertilised the eggs using a standard technique, known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to overcome the egg shell, which normally gets hardened with freezing.

“The fertilised egg was subsequently transferred into her womb, resulting in the pregnancy of Tiwatope. She had her antenatal care in her family hospital and delivered the baby boy through caesarian section (SC).”

The clinic’s coordinator, Corporate Marketing/Communication and Client Relations, Dr. Ekundayo Omogbehin, said the baby and the mother were in good health.


http://biafrasay.com/p/319788/nigeria-records-first-baby-by-freezed-egg#319788

He has the right to choose all, i think

Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu during the week petitioned the British Government over his incarceration on alleged treasonable felony by the Department of State Security Services (DSS). A five-page petition titled Nnamdi Kanu: A victim of travesty of justice and a call for the British Government to be on the watch was signed by Kanu’s counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor.

According to the petition, “It is repeating the obvious to state that our client is a full British citizen, by virtue of which position he is entitled to all rights, privileges and protections, guaranteed under British Laws and conventions.”

Mr Kanu has finally gotten the revelation that he is a full blooded British citizen. Biafra, Nigeria, Britain, where do you belong, Mr Kanu? Maybe as full British citizen, he should be extradited back to the UK to beg the British people to carve out a small region for him to call ‘Biafra in the UK’.



http://biafrasay.com/p/319791/kanu-choose-this-day-where-ye-belong

How time flies
Source: http://biafrasay.com/p/319780/flashback-this-day-last-year-orubebe-disrupted-proceedings-a

It is now exactly one year since Godsday Orubebe, former minister of Niger Delta affairs and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent for the 2015 presidential election, hurled invective at Attahiru Jega, then chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

With his candidate, Goodluck Jonathan, trailing the All Progressives Congress’ Muhammadu Buhari by a wide margin with a few states to go, Orubebe made a last-ditch effort to prevent the announcement of results, alleging that Jega had colluded with APC to falsify the results of the presidential election.

“PDP has been observing with pains the manner you have been handling some issues‎,” he screamed at the INEC national collation centre.

“We are beginning to see that you are partial and tribalistic. The PDP has lost confidence in what you are doing. We have lost confidence in you because you are partial and selective.”

Orubebe vowed to disrupt the further announcement of the results, asking Jega to respond to the issues raised by the PDP in a letter to the commission previously.

‎In a fit of rage, He said to Jega: “You are tribalistic, you are partial. Until something is done, we cannot allow you to continue the process.”

Responding, the INEC chairman explained that he did not receive any petition from the PDP, stating that the party, through one of its agents, Bello Fadile, had tried to submit a petition to him on Monday while collation was going on, but he rejected it because it did not follow the right channel.

On the allegation of colluding with the APC to falsify results‎, Jega simply said: “I do not give results to anybody.

“I have not given anybody any result and I have not seen any result.”

Orubebe later apologised for his actions, but the video below had already gone viral.