The Biafra Internal Government Minister of Information, Chief Samuel Njoku has called on the leadership of Nigerian Police force to unconditionally release one of their member that was arrested and detain at Ikot Akpan, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.
The Minister who is also the Chief Minister of Biafra Independence Movement and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, (BIM-MASSOB) in Owerri, noted that Effiong Ekaidem is an Area Administrator under Chief Dr Ralph Uwazuruike led BIM-MASSOB in Lagos but traveled to the village to settle some family issues.
Speaking in a statement signed by him and made available to Newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Njoku appeal to security agencies to release him and every other non Violence and innocent Biafra activists incarcerated in different prison and detention center across the country.
“In Nigeria, we have different laws for different people, in the east non violent Secessionist groups are being killed, Detained, jailed, humiliated and disgraced but in the northern part of the country, terrorists are being trained and redeployed to the Military and Paramilitary.
“All this injustice against the people of the Eastern parts was the main reason why Chief Ralph Uwazuruike started the Agitations for the realisation of Biafra project.
“BIM-MASSOB are non violent group and we are not prepared to abandon our non violent methodology for any reason soon,” he said.
We can recall that the BIM MASSOB chieftain, comrade Effiong Ekaidem was arrested on 12th May, 2021 at Ikot Akpan on the allegation of being a member of Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, says despite the current challenges, peace and security will be restored under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Adesina compared the present situation of Nigeria to the buildup to Manchester City winning the 2020/21 English Premier League (EPL).
In an article published on Thursday, and titled “Lessons for Nigeria from EPL”, the presidential spokesman said some people, who know what Buhari can achieve, have been working to sabotage the current administration’s efforts.
According to him, just like other English clubs challenged Man City at the beginning of 2019/20 EPL season because of the team’s overwhelming success in the previous season, many critics of Buhari are focused on setting themselves against the government.
“Recall what happened in the 2019/2020 season. Man City was eyeing a treble. Three back-to-back seasons as champions, and a record in English football. But the adversaries knew the record that was to be set, so they arrayed themselves against the team. Just as some forces knew the record that was to be achieved by Muhammadu Buhari as Nigerian President, and which he had begun to show since 2015 when he got into office, and they positioned themselves against the government,” Adesina wrote.
“Every team, big or small, strong or weak, set its sights on Man City last season, flexed muscles, summoned superhuman skills and strength whenever they were meeting the champions attempting a treble.
“The lesson? When you are high-flying, the centrifugal forces will come against you, and it would only take the grace of God for you to attain.
“Yoruba people call those forces Aiye. When Aiye is on your case, as it was against Man City, and it is against the Buhari government, you need God, and God alone. Aiye (meaning ‘the world,’ if freely translated) is the negative part of mankind. The pernicious, baleful, sly and scheming part of humanity. If Aiye gets on your matter, you need God and God alone.”
Adesina linked the security situation of the country with the stumble that Manchester City had at the beginning of the season, adding that like Man City, “under President Buhari, peace and security would be restored”.
“Aiye was in full force against it. And the 2020/2021 season was initially not looking promising either. Eight weeks gone, the team was placed 13th on the table. It had lost 2-5 to Leicester City at home in Etihad Stadium, Tottenham drubbed it by two goals, played a draw with teams that couldn’t hold a candle to it in the past, and was generally forlorn and limp. Aiye was having a ball, laughing Man City to scorn. Aren’t they doing the same thing against the government in our country today, due to unrelenting security challenges, some of them possibly instigated by Aiye themselves?” he wrote.
“Victory came after victory, to the extent that the team was unbeaten in 21 consecutive games in the different competitions it was involved in. From the ashes, the Salamander had risen. Fire could not consume it, and today, Man City are champions, fifth time in 10 years.
“Who says Nigeria will not rise from its current travails? Who says Aiye will always win? Not where God is involved. And God is involved with Nigeria, our own dear native land. Under President Buhari, peace and security would be restored. The economy would rebound. Life would be abundant for the people , and Aiye would be left standing small, holding the rump of the flag of a country it thought had gone into oblivion.”
The South East Igbo Youth Stakeholders today, Thursday 13th May, 2021 asked Federal Government to unproscribe the Indeginous People of Biafra as a terrorist organization.
The group is an expanded Igbo Youth stakeholders, comprising Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth, National Youth Council of Nigeria (South-East), Nigerian Youth Congress (South-East), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other youth leaders of South East extraction.
In a communique issued and signed by the Deputy National President, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Comrade Innocent Nduanya, Comrade Chuks Okafor, NANS Senate President, Maazi Chukwuma Okpalezeukwu, for Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth, Comrade Maxwell Ezelagwu, for Nigeria Youth Congress, Comrade Ilogebe Chidi, immediate past NANS president, Comrade Pascal Ugwu, South East, Chairman, among others at the end of their meeting in Awka, said that having considered the state of the Nation, the increasing state of insecurity, the overall development of the Igbo nation, they resolved as follows:
As a step towards genuine peace and reconciliation as championed by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Federal Government and South-East Governors should as a matter of urgency, unproscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra, as a terrorist organization and called for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction
They regretted the heightened insecurity in the South-East which has resulted in the loss of lives of their people, security agents and properties and they deeply commiserate with the families of the bereaved.
The group further called on the South-East Governors to synergize and liaise with the relevant stakeholders especially the youth to arrest the current security challenges in the region.
They condemned in totality the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and appealed to the perpetrators of the criminal act to desist forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances, and urgedSouth-East Governors to encourage Community Policing by strengthening and digitalizing the local vigilantees in the Zone.
They said that they unequivocally align with the resolution of the Southern Governors and call for necessary legal framework for immediate implementation of the resolution and proposed for quarterly interface between the Governors of the South-East and the Youth stakeholders so that the issues of the zone will be regularly reviewed.
The group called on the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the ENDSARS panel report, especially on Youth Development and also review the Laws of their various State Security Council Committees to include critical youth stakeholders.
The group further called on the South-East Governors to adopt business friendly policies to attract Ndigbo’s investments back home.
They noted that for the sake of fairness, equity and justice, every Political party should zone their Presidential candidate to the South-East.
They unanimously resolve to convene an all important Youth Security Stakeholders Summit to be held soon and to be an annual event to appraise security issues.
Akintoye said his struggles for the actualisation of the Oduduwa nation was necessitated by the need to save his people from their suffering.
Popular Yoruba historian, Professor Banji Akintoye has explained why he is in the struggle for the actualisation of the independence of the Yoruba Nation.
Akintoye, who is the leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, the umbrella body for Yoruba self-determination groups, said his struggles for the actualisation of the Oduduwa nation was necessitated by the need to save his people from their suffering.null
Akintoye, who was a senator in the Second Republic stated this in a virtual meeting with Dele Momodu’s Ovation Media on Wednesday night.
He spoke of how herdsmen were not violent in years past.
He said, “The herdsmen were not violent neither were they destructive but the ones that have been sent since 2014 have been deliberately indoctrinated and empowered to go and hurt people, as servants of a philosophy that says ‘That we, Fulani, Allah has given us Nigeria and all of Nigeria and it is our duty to drive the people off their land and take the land’.
“That’s what we have been having, people call them herdsmen but when I came and found people in Afenifere meetings talking endlessly about the menace, I concluded we need to find out what’s happening. We researched the crisis, I wrote a paper, I think 36 pages, I went all over Nigeria trying to understand and then I went to countries in West Africa, inside and outside Nigeria.
“I spoke to Fulani folks in places like Yewa, I spoke to Fulani folks in Upper Senegal and the Gambia in West Africa. Some eminent persons among the Fulani political elites decided that the terrible situation among the Fulani was an opportunity to unleash them as warriors against the rest of Nigeria and so they were indoctrinated, heavily indoctrinated to believe that God (Allah) has given Nigeria to the Fulani and that all that the Fulani needed to do was seize the land by force and that is what we are experiencing.
“One Aliu Gwazo wrote in January 2014, ‘In 1960, Allah through the British, gave us Nigeria to rule and to do with as we please. We have been doing that since 1960 and we wish to continue and if anybody tries to stop us, we shall kill, maim and destroy and turn Nigeria to the bloodiest war zone in Africa’. That is what they are doing, claiming and trying to achieve.
“I was on the delegation of those who visited Benue State Governor when the Fulani people came in large number on January 1, 2018, they wrote a letter to him, ‘Mr Governor, I see that you and your people are mourning and they carry out mass burials but what is happening is a little of what is coming to you and your offence before us is that your ethnic groups in your state believe that the land they are living on is theirs because they have been on it for thousands of years but the land is not theirs, it belongs to us Fulanis and Allah has given it to us and we will take it by force we have accumulated the money and weapon for the battle. And we will continue fighting for hundreds of years if that is what it will take and we are not talking of the ethnic groups in your state alone but all over Nigeria, the Yoruba, Igbo, Kanuri and nothing can stop us and if you think the FG can protect you, you are deceiving yourselves’.
“That is what is happening; saying it is a clash between farmers and herders, is a lie, it is not truth. When I came back to Nigeria, I was away for 25 years, I never thought I would come back to Nigeria. When I came back in 2015, I found our people in the midst of all these. I went about lecturing people that Yoruba is a great nation.”
The professor also spoke on why elections should not hold in the southwest region, he said, “The more we hold elections under the 1999 constitution, the more we prolong our suffering. The Fulani marauders are telling us that they are in Southern Nigeria, Yoruba land, Igbo land, everywhere because the constitution allows that, so the more we hold elections under 1999 constitution, the more we prolong our suffering.
“I am very confident that if it comes to a referendum or some sort of voting, the Yoruba people will say in a very large majority that they don’t want election in their part of Nigeria and those in the East and Middle Belt are saying the same and look at it, South and the Middle Belt account for three-quarters of the population of Nigeria so this is not the question of the minority.
“In our kind of situation, it is sensible to resort to what other nationalities have resorted to. Many nationalities that have tried to conduct their election like the Catalonians in Spain, like the Scots in Britain. We think it would be better to persuade the United Nations to come and run our referendum, the same way they did it in Sudan, I believe we can get that done.
“It is the pressure from three-quarters of the country that will put pressure on the United Nations to run it, the people running the country may not want it but the two-thirds will put such amount of pressure in the world that a lot of people will agree with them and that will amount to a vote on the United Nations that will authorise the UN to intervene. Process and procedure to expect in terms of self-determination
“We are setting up in a very strong way, the hands of some important members of this government, critically important members of the security council in this matter, we might also be going to court over some parts of the struggle all put together to create a situation where there will be no doubt that the United Nations needs to intervene.
“United Nations doesn’t choose to intervene in any situation on its own, it is the situation that pressurises the UN to intervene anyway and so we are going to be using that knowledge very much.”
Speaking on how some Yoruba politicians are reportedly preparing for the 2023 elections, Akintoye said, “They are warming up and there is nothing wrong with that but they will soon discover they will hit a rock very soon.”
The historian added that the Yoruba nation must be achieved as there is no other alternative to that.
“Yoruba must have their own country in the interest of humanity so they can bring development, prosperity and development to their people again, and I believe that it is the same type of thinking among the Igbo, Middle Belt and people of the South-South. There is no considerable option that will satisfy the humanity that we are seeking to satisfy.”
The leader and founder of Biafra Independence Movement and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (BIM-MASSOB), Chief Dr. Ralph Uwazuruike have directed his members to remain indoors and pray while observing the 22nd May redeclaration of the New Biafra.
Uwazuruike on May 22nd 2000 declared the defunct Republic of Biafra at 175 Folks Road Aba, the commercial city of Abia State. The declaration that triggered arrests, detentions, Killings and Intimidations of the members of MASSOB from Olusegu Obasanjo led Federal Government of Nigeria, even though Uwazuruike made it clear that he is not ready for violence, as he maintained that he will use non Violence methodology to achieve his purpose of Actualising the Republic of Biafra.
Speaking in a statement signed by his Foreign Representative, Mazi Ikenna Obibi Egeonu, Uwazuruike said. “As BIM-MASSOB prepare to celebrate May 22nd 2021, being the day New Biafra was reproclaimed, the father of the Nation and Ijele Ndigbo, Chief, Dr. R. Uwazurike has instructed all members of the family to stay indoors and mark the day with special prayers, in glorious thanks to the Maker of all things, for our life and successes so far.
“This decision becomes necessary to avoid mistaking and arresting BIM-MASSOB and other non-violence group agitators as IPOB/ESN. Similarly, every other person is advised to be mindful of their movements and actions, assured that on our road to homeland Biafra we remain dauntless and committed”, he said.
The Father of the New Biafra Nation also advise all Biafrans to report any suspicious movements within their environs to the appropriate authorities.
PROFESSOR BANJI AKINTOYE REPLIES SOUTHERN GOVERNORS, SAYS “WHAT THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE NEED NOW IS SOVEREIGN NATIONAL CONFERENCE, NOT POLITICAL CONFERENCE”
BACK GOVERNORS ON BAN OF OPEN GRAZING IN SOUTHERN NIGERIA
The statement, as made available to Newsmen by Akintoye’s communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye on Wednesday evening, goes as thus:
Our Governors in the South deserve the gratitude of all of us their people for hurrying to hold a meeting on the terrible insecurity that is ravaging all the peoples of the South. We their people should commend them for the considerable amount of bravery that they have shown in their communique. In particular, it gladdens the heart that our Governors now have the courage to decide to eliminate open grazing of cattle in all parts of the South. That is a historic decision of great significance. So, we their people are looking forward to two things now concerning that decision; first, what are the processes by which the Governors intend to carry out this decision, especially in the face of predictable Federal opposition and resistance to the decision?
Secondly, what do our Governors intend to do in replacement of cattle grazing? What we the people propose is that our Governors should embark upon the policy of encouraging our indigenous entrepreneurs to venture into modern cattle ranching in their own homelands. If we make a success of this, it will eliminate the need for open grazing of cattle in our land forever.
Altogether, we the peoples of the South assure our Governors that if they sincerely go forward to embark on implementing this decision, we will support them every inch of the way and with all the strength at our disposal.
For us the peoples of the South concerning the open grazing of cattle, “Enough is now Enough “.
However, we are surprised that our Governirs are still calling on the Federal Government to come and deal with insecurity in the South. The Federal Government had recently made a statement that it is not responsible for fighting against banditry, kidnapping and raping, therefore, what should have been decided by our Governors is how they will replace the Federal Government in the fight against insecurity in the various states of the South. It does not make sense that they are calling upon the Federal Govermnent to come and bring insecurity to an end after the Fedrral Government has made a statement that it is not responsible for such functions.
What our Governors should have decided is how they would tackle insecurity in their various States. We therefore respectfully call on our Governors to go back to the meeting table again and take decisions on how they will tackle various aspects of insecurity such as kidnapping for ransome, killings, maimings, destruction, banditry, raping and others.
The Federal Government has abdicated responsibility in these matters and we need our State government’s to step boldly into the gap. We are surprised that our Southern State Governors have held a meeting without considering the issue of domestic and international terrorism as it affects the South. We know today, that a combination of terrorist groups such as ISIS, Boko Haram, Al Quieda and others have entrenched themselves decisively in Niger State, immediately to the North of the Southwest thereby standing in a position to have easy access to the Southwest and the rest of the South. At the same time, an important world power, the United States of America, has alerted the world that ISIS and its allies have infiltrated the South from the sea. The Federal Government is not saying or doing anything about all these. Again, our State governments must step into the gap and do the needful.
Our Governors speak of agitations for inclusiveness in appointments into the Federal government and its agencies in Nigeria as if that is the only kind of agitation that is going on in Nigeria. While there is agitation for inclusiveness, there is bigger and wider agitations for self determination of the various peoples of the South and the Middle belt accounting for a total of three quarters of the population of Nigeria. Our Governors ask for a conference to consider the question of inequality in the appointments into the Federal Government, but that is not really the kind of conference Nigeria needs right now. The kind of conference that Nigeria needs is a conference for the purpose of negotiating with the various peoples of the South and Middle belt of Nigeria concerning the assertion of their national self determination. That is the greatest need of the moment. Behaving as if it does not exist is unfortunate. Every nationality in Nigeria has a right to self determination and the right to seek to assert its self determination. The people of the South and Middle belt are doing just that now, and the Nigerian government needs to step forward to negotiate with them in order to prevent ultimate chaos in the dissolution of Nigeria. Self determination of the various nationalities of Nigeria is today the idea whose time has come in Nigeria, and it will have its way, one way or another. What is needed now is that it should not be allowed to have its way through chaos, violence, and human suffering.
We ask that our Governors should go back to the meeting table again and give serious and statesmanly consideration to the determination of the various peoples of the South and the middlebelt to assert their self determination in a peaceful manner according to International Law.
Lagos Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu has said security agencies in the state were on top of threats by Oodua Republic and the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) agitators to disrupt law and order, and attack soft targets, respectively.
He stated this at a stakeholders’ forum on security chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the state secretariat, Alausa and
Odumosu said: “The command has taken notice of agitators for Oodua Republic by some Yoruba separatist groups and the threats to disrupt law and order in the state. Twenty four of these groups have been identified and being closely monitored. “Similarly, the threat of IPOB to attack soft targets in Lagos is equally being put on the radar of the command intelligence gathering and other security services in the state. Strategies are being put in place to neutralise their activities.
“The command is using this medium to solicit for the support of all and sundry to be vigilant at all times and report any suspicious person or movement to security agencies. Let us adopt the slogan of “when you see something, say something.”
The Nation reports that increased attacks on police, other security facilities in the southeast and south-south regions of the country with IPOB being major suspects. Also, two attempted attacks on two police divisions in Lagos were foiled last month and security beefed up across the state to forestall further attempts.
Igbo Business Model Known As Apprenticeship System Finally Approved By Harvard Business Review
This is a business model created by the Igbo as a traditional means to create wealth for everyone, whether are poor or rich.
The Republican News has written a lot about this business model which are now envied by the rest of the world and caused the top Ivy university like Harvard University to take a look at it.
Now, it has been approved for business review by the school.
The world has been mesmerised how this model of business can create so much wealth in the midst of poverty and make millions extremely rich.
This is a great news for the Igbo of Africa, though the economic system in their country Nigeria is very antagonistic towards them, they have used this business model to become the economic backbone of the country.
Former Imo State governor and the incumbent senator representing Imo west senatorial district, senator Rooch Okorocha said the new Nigeria, which will look after the interests of all regions where peace and justice are guaranteed, is achieved by enthroning a people- centered leadership.
Okorocha urged Nigerians not to give up hope but to remain strong and committed to a united country adding that the country’ s sleep capacity will be revitalized for the benefit of society under the new Nigeria.
Okorocha made this statement while speaking to selected journalists in Abuja, to mark Labor Day celebrations this year.
He said what the country is currently facing in terms of insecurity, hunger, poverty, and unemployment can be overcome when Nigerians are encouraged to believe in their jobs.
According to him, Nigerian workers have sacrificed and continue to make great sacrifices in building a prosperous country, but they will still reap the same benefits.
However, he urged staff to continue to show a spirit of nationalism, by putting national unity and stability first.
Rochas stated; ” We must look forward to a new Nigeria where everyone will be accommodated regardless of religion, race, and social status, Nigeria will put the people first, where workers will be proud to work for their country.
” We can achieve this if we all remain resolute and committed to the goals of a united Nigeria.
” I salute the stubbornness of the Nigerian workers who continued to sacrifice without being paid. We must all be driven and motivated by patriotic fervor and the belief that a New Nigeria is about to be born” .
The Senator also came up with solutions on how to deal with growing uncertainty across the country. It mandated the government to involve all regions in finding a lasting solution to the security challenges.
Okorocha said that although the government and security personnel, especially the Nigerian Armed Forces, were making great sacrifices to restore peace, the people needed to be in one place.
He added that injustice was part of the long- running causes of insecurity and divisive violence, stressing that until all issues of discrimination against Nigerians were resolved, they will be no progress on this fight.
His statement read; ” Nigeria can overcome the security challenges that exist very quickly and vigorously if all regions of the country are determined.
” The people we call robbers, terrorists, kidnappers, and other criminals live among the people, protected and treated as heroes and protectors because people feel abandoned by the government.
” But if this practice is reversed, if every Nigerian is given a sense of belonging, the spirit of nationalism will spread to everyone
The leader and Founder Biafra Independence Movement and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, BIM-MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has accused the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of “sending unknown gunmen to kill him”.
In one of his recent videos published online, Uwazuruike said his security men gallantly repelled the unknown gunmen.
However, Uwazurike in the video said he is using the opportunity to remind Kanu that he trained him, brought him up, and all the Odeshi that his unknown gunmen are using, he taught him how to go about it.
He also reminded Nnamdi Kanu how he single handedly sponsored his wedding.
According to Uwazuruike, he gave Nnamdi Kanu #450,000 to do his wedding.
He noted that during Nnamdi Kanu’s wedding, he asked for Security from his sister who is currently with the Nigerian police. She provided enough security. but despite this, his men came to the venue and abducted Nnamdi Kanu without a gun.
He revealed that Kanu was in detention for five days, where he was taught to respect his elders but he still hasn’t learnt a lesson.
Uwazurike stated emphatically that Nnamdi Kanu is a NOBODY but a tool in the hands of the enemies of Biafra.
That Nnamdi Kanu only had one attack in his family house and ran away.
Uwazuruike said he has had numerous attacks and is still staying in the country
He said Nnamdi Kanu doesn’t have the interest of Biafla at heart.if not, why would he think of attacking him, Uwazurike who started the Biafla struggle about 40years ago?
He said “Nnamdi Kanu is feeling like the C in C because he has some efulefu’s following his command, I’m sorry for the recruits”.
He dared Nnamdi Kanu to come down to Nigeria and stay anywhere he so wishes, he will ensure that his men bring Nnamdi Kanu before him
He noted that the unknown gunmen are now known gunmen confessing all over the Internet.
BT Afrika 