Nigeria Must Not Negotiate With Terrorists! – By Hon. Bitrus Kaze

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Hon. Bitrus Kaze, Member House of Reps Jos South-Jos East Federal Constituency

Like the proverbial birds of the same feather that flock together, the Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalist have made public those they want as negotiators including not surprisingly, Gen Muhammadu Buhari. Anyone who has been following on the internecine violence perpetrated especially North of the Niger by these merchants of death should understand their choice of Gen Buhari. Eventually the men behind the masks are beginning to unveil.

In my view, Gen Buhari like the Boko Haram is a religious extremist who cannot be trusted to negotiate for sustainable peace in Nigeria. In the build up to the 2003 Presidential elections, Gen Buhari was reported to have ask Muslims across the country to vote only for the presidential candidate that would defend and uphold Islam. Even before the emergence of Boko Haram, Gen Buhari had vowed not to “stop the agitation for the total implementation of the Sharia in the country.”

If it is too much to say Gen Buhari has a soft spot for Boko Haram, the incontrovertible facts show that he has consistently instigated violence in Nigeria. In his desperation to rule Nigeria again, Gen Buhari ordered his supporters in 2011 to “finish” anyone who tampers with the votes, whatever that means. Sheik Lemu may have attempted although unsuccessfully to vindicate him, but at least his Presidential Panel on Post Elections Violence acknowledged Gen Buhari’s “provocative utterances” which according to them appeared to have been “misconstrued by many voters to include recourse to violence.” Nigerians won’t forget in a hurry that after his woeful loss to President Goodluck Jonathan, many voters resorted to violence leading to unquantifiable loss of innocent lives and properties.

Against this backdrop therefore, it is unthinkable that anyone will expect peace from an engagement with an advocate of violence like Gen Buhari. By nature, thorn bushes do not yield bananas! The terms under which Boko Haram terrorist are seeking negotiations in the first place invariably offend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which government has sworn to uphold, protect and defend. They are asking for what they have been bombing Nigerians for all these murderous years. Any government that considers as cardinal the protection of lives and properties of its citizens cannot contemplate any negotiation with those demanding for the release of captured terrorists who are in the custody of security agencies awaiting trial. A government that has not compensated victims or reconstructed any place of worship destroyed by these suicide bombers has no business sitting at the same table with terrorists under any guise.

On the verge of 100th anniversary of Nigeria’s amalgamation, President Jonathan cannot afford to be deceived into mortgaging Nigeria’s national sovereignty in the name of dialoguing with terrorists in Saudi Arabia or anywhere. Desperate power mongers like Gen Buhari will more than likely misconstrue this as an opportunity to negotiate for 2015 albeit in the name of peace. There is no country in the whole wide world that has ever  succeeded in checkmating terrorists by negotiating on their terms. Peace and terror like light and darkness do not and will never mix.

Signed

Bitrus Kaze

Member House of Reps

Jos South-Jos East Federal Constituency

Plateau State

The Deceit of Sun Newspapers and Their Money Launderer Publisher

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Below is a citizen report submitted from Umuahia, Abia State.

Social media sites were agog with a special report on Aba and in the SUN newspapers estimation, a city under neglect. Let me state here that Aba, like many other megacities is confronted by myriad of challenges. Let me also state here that the pictures being bandied in the SUN NEWSPAPERS represent height of first class deceit.

No thanks to the internet that leaves us with little or no opportunity of verifying the veracity of claims we are inundated with. At the risk of repeating myself, Aba is experiencing challenges but by no means what idlers, loafers and custodians of jaundiced journalism are making out of it. OUK is already maintaining a permanent place in the dustbin of history or if you like; gallery of antiquities. OUK killed Abia when he resolved to be richer than the State. OUK is recognized in history as the only Governor that has no single capital project to his credit after eight years. OUK has tried unsuccessfully to get the attention of TAO.

As expected TAO rebuffed all his emissaries because OUK connotes evil, wickedness and fetishness. No sane person would want OUK anywhere around him. It is therefore understandable if he resorts to blackmail.
For the avoidance of doubt, Emelogu Street (which SUN wickedly published) was recently refurbished and one of the best access roads in Ngwa Road Area of Aba at the moment. Need I say more, what they still have as the picture of Ukwu Mango was what they recorded before 2007. Ukwu Mango has been reconstructed after over thirty years of neglect by successive administrations. I am not surprised because SUN Newspapers has the personality of the owner: deceit, falsehood, wickedness and trading in half truths.

Let us note that:
1. SUN NEWSPAPERS for those who do not know, is owned by former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu. That establishment is one out of the very many avenues through which OUK laundered billions of tax payers’ money while he was Governor. It is therefore understandable when this medium presents itself as a willing tool to distort and peddle false information.
2. It is a ‘weekend’ newspaper that unfortunately runs daily. Weekend newspapers in the history of journalism are soft sell papers, whose primary function is to entertain. They use screaming headlines and trade in jaundiced journalism. People who are seeking for the truth and core facts, obviously do not refer to SUN NEWSAPAPERS. They are largely patronized by readers who are not seeking the truth but desire to be entertained.
3. SUN NEWSAPAPERS was borne out of greed, selfishness and wicked antecedents of OUK. OUK as Governor appropriated large sums of money to revitalize the state –owned AMBASSADOR NEWSPAPERS. It is heartrending to know that instead of investing in the state, he diverted the funds to establish hi – tech SUN, by implication killed AMBASSADOR. If OUK was honest, if he had the interest of Abians at heart, why did he ensure that AMBASSADOR was moribund until he left the Government House? What was it OUK had that Abia State could not afford, so much that he destroyed the state to build his empire?
4. It is a known fact that the gory pictures posted in the SUN were scenes recorded in Aba while OUK was ‘Action’ Governor. OUK it was who was hounded out of Aba stadium (play the clip of Enyimba and Iwuanyanwu Nationale at Aba 2006 season) in protest of the poor network of roads and degraded environment. What rented the air was, “Orji, Gaa kpoo dirty! O gi bu Mugu” (Orji go and clean Aba, you are the mugu not Aba people).
5. Aba is being gradually recovered from abashed neglect and criminal conspiracy supervised by OUK. For the eight years he was in government, he could not assess New market Road where his ‘father’ lived. SUN did not post images while this reign of terror lasted. They also failed to tell us by way of special report the real relationship between OUK and his ‘father’.
6. SUN has refused to tell us how Millions of Abia Tax payers’ money was allocated to them to travel to Igbere during Eunice Uzor Kalu’s Igbotomma in 2007. If they are honest, they should tell us with what funds they chartered an aircraft from Lagos and consequently spend nights at Damgrete during the time. Were those Editors and Top management blind at the time?
7. Let us say they were blind. Have they equally lost sense of history so much that they could not trace how Aba came to their perceived sorry state. Where were they when a group of media experts did a tour of States in Nigeria while OUK was Governor? Wouldn’t they have given us a special report on the reasons for the non – performance of their launderer publisher?
8. Did SUN not read in CAFONLINE that while OUK managed Enyimba, that cheques in favour of the Club were issued in the name of SLOK GROUP?
9. Is it not possible for SUN to do a special report on servicing of debts incurred by OUK while he was Governor? Is it difficult for them to tell us the last minute effort at milking the State dry by OUK and the subsequent collateral damages that have caused the State?
10. Did SUN know that where Nnanna Kalu, OUK’s former sleeping member of the House of Representatives, cornered as site for his industry was originally proposed by government as a refuse dump site? That singular act had grave implications and deserves a special report. We are waiting for SUN to do a special report on that.
11. Wouldn’t they have done a report on HOW OUK RIPPED ENYIMBA OFF? In case they did not know, for the eight years Enyimba reigned, they did not have anything to show for it because OUK ran the Club like his personal estate. Is it not newsworthy that a Club who were African Champions for two years under OUK neither had neither a corporate account nor a functional operational office? How come HENRY UMAHI did not periscope that, to add voice to the blueprint on how to manage our Sports?
12. Who sold Golden Guinea Breweries for a penny? Is SUN not aware that OUK mortgaged the collective future of Abia Youths by his gangster style of leadership? Does that not qualify for a Special Report?
13. OUK and his Odiuko supervised the mad erection of shops in Ariaria and promoted the slogan of ‘share and sell’. If SUN is honest, they should do a comparative analysis of what obtained in Aba while OUK was Governor and now.
14. SUN should apply their investigative Journalism sense and report back to us why Osusu, Omuma and the famous Orji Uzor (Cemetery) Roads collapsed after three months. A newspaper is supposed to stand in the gap and advocate for toothless masses. Why is SUN not telling us why for the eight years OUK ruled, he could not give Abians a single capital project.
15. If they are not out to deceive unsuspecting members of the public, why did they fail to disclose information on how they were established? I had thought that the least a Newspaper could do is to gift their readers with privileged information.
16. The money used in establishing SUN NEWSPAPERS would have been enough to build 70% of the roads in Aba. Where is the newspaper’s sense of vigilance if they could sit by and benefit from money laundering?
17. OUK could pass for the most slippery human being I have encountered in my whole life. He has applied every means from the mundane to the sublime to attract the attention of TAO. He has sent thousands of emissaries to negotiate for peace with the TAO led administration. The latest being the Alhaji from the north who is negotiating for OUK to return to PDP and pleads that TAO accepts OUK.
18. OUK has written hundreds of letters begging the State Government to pay SUN N27M, election debts he could not pay himself but has criminally said it is advert fees due to his brainchild SUN NEWSPAPERS. OUK established SUN with Abia money and still wants the government to provide funds for their recurrent expenses. How absurd!
19. If OUK has genuinely repented and in the mood for peace (I wonder), why did he not cause SUN to publish the billions of Abia money he wasted in the establishment of his very many personal businesses.
20. I blame TAO for indulging a man who struggled so hard to under develop the state entrusted in his care. I blame him for delaying in telling the world how deceitful and wicked OUK is, given that OUK generously impoverished Abia and laid the foundation for degraded environment.
21. OUK should know that power is not acquired by blackmail.
22. I challenge anybody who thinks those pictures are Aba as at now to give us a picture of Fauklks Road end of Free Zone up to A line. That is the lead picture they published. That image was recorded before 2007. Anybody who is taking the challenge should swear by his entire family.
23. OUK is working hard to dispel visitors from Aba. He is working so hard to tell a lie repeatedly to make it look like the truth.
24. Leaders have memoirs. I challenge OUK to publish his for the eight years he supervised criminality in Abia State. It would make the Guinness Book of Records because that would be the most laughable chronicle to ever appear on the shelves.
25. TAO should expedite actions in telling Abians why it would take a little longer to reposition a State mortgaged by its past leader OUK.
26. I urge TAO to either bring OUK to justice to take justice to him. OUK has insulted the intelligence of Abians enough sand deserves to be condemned to the dustbin of history.
27. I urge TAO to change SUN to AMBASSADOR just as he did to State office in Abuja that OUk criminally named after himself

 

PhotoNews: Sambo Visits Imo Flood Victims

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[flagallery gid=57 name=Gallery]

Nsukka Banker Arraigned for N20million Fraud

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The Economic and Financial Crime Commission on Monday October 15, 2012 arraigned Mrs. Millicent Ngozi Omeje before Justice V. K. M Udeh of the Enugu State High Court Nsukka division on a twenty count charge of forgery and stealing over twenty million naira.

Mrs Omeje, a former head of operations of Nsukka Township Community Bank (a Micro-Finance Bank) allegedly forged the signature of customers of the Bank and withdrawn money from their account to the tune of twenty million naira without the customers’ authorisation.

The accused, a native of Umudiale Ohom Orba, Nsukka in Enugu State was said to have forged various banking instruments like fixed deposit certificate booklets, Community Bank savings withdrawal slips belonging to several customers with which she withdrew huge sums of money from different accounts with the bank between 2010 and 2011 using her position as a senior manager of the bank

However, when the charge was read to her, she pleaded not guilty. Defence counsel Mr. J .O Olobo prayed the court to grant the accused person bail as the alleged offence was a bailable one.

The prosecuting counsel Marshal Umukoro Onome did not oppose the bail application.

The case was adjourned to November 19, 2012 for trial.

Rivers/Bayelsa Oil Wells Dispute: ACN Charges Amaechi

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The Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has charged the State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi on the need to be proactive and expedite action on the best approach to use to stop any part of the state from being taken by any State under any guise.

The party in a statement issued on the current impasse between Rivers and Bayelsa States over ownership of six oil wells in Kalabari land and signed by its publicity secretary, Jerry Needam said the Rivers State Government should take a cue from the case of Bakassi peninsular which Nigeria lost to Camerouns at the Hague due to its non-challant attitude and ensure that this all important ceding of part of its territory to sister Bayelsa State is handled with dispatch.

Jerry Needam expressed surprise that the dispute has been on for years without the state government raising alarm.

The ACN spokesman argued that cases of this nature call for both legal and political approaches and blame Governor Amaechi-led government for not exploring all the necessary avenues before rushing to the Supreme Court in the usual PDP style.

Pastor Needam regretted the seeming urge to enter a war without the will to win it, the picture of which is being portrayed by the state government’s inaction in the prevailing circumstance.

The ACN therefore called on Governor Amaechi to prevail on President Goodluck Jonathan to use his good offices to ensure that the cordial brotherly relationship that had existed between the two sister states does not nosedive.

“There is no way the president can pretend not to be concerned directly or indirectly as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and an indigene of the benefiting Bayelsa State who had also been privileged to govern the state in both acting and full capacities as state chief executive. To resolve the matter therefore, he must be directly involved and must not be seen to be playing a double standard”, the party declared.

In the same vein, the ACN spokesman, Jerry Needam enjoined all Rivers people to fully mobilize against any plot from any quarters aimed at dispossessing them of their inheritance and God given wealth. “This is not a case of Kalabari people alone but a Rivers problem impinging on our collective integrity,” Jerry Needam warned.

The party also warned against any action(s), covert or overt by the agencies of the Federal Government to instigate crisis between the two states, insisting that under the present circumstance they know the right thing to do without bias.

The right thing to do, the ACN said is to return to status quo, since the land, oil wells and the people are bonafide properties of Rivers State.

Jerry Needam, JP

Publicity Secretary

Action Congress of Nigeria

Rivers State.

Friday, November 2, 2012

 

Presidential Poll Shows Large Racial Chasm: Blacks For Obama, Whites For Romney

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A Pew Research Center poll released this week found a racial chasm possibly of historic proportions among white Americans and those of color in their support of President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.

The study found that 57 percent of whites planned to vote for Romney, compared to only 37 percent for Obama. That number would translate into the lowest share of the white vote for a Democrat in a two-person race since Walter F. Mondale received just 35 percent of the vote in 1984. By comparison, in Obama’s 2008 victory, 43 percent of white voters supported him.

Michael Dimock, Pew’s associate director for research, said that white voters without college degrees, who tend to have lower incomes and be more likely to be suffering from sluggish economic growth, accounted for most of Obama’s falloff in the poll.

“Obama’s running about as well among white college graduates as he did four years ago,” Dimock said. “The bigger difference seems to be among less educated whites. It’s almost two-to-one for Romney among the less educated whites.

“There’s a tendency to want to infer a lot of cultural weight to that, but I think, given the circumstances, it’s economic,” said Dimock, downplaying the possibility that the gap presaged any long-term shifts among whites. “College grads have a little more of a cushion in this economy than non-college grads. People who had a problem with Obama’s race, that was already there in ’08. The loss of support? That probably has a lot to do with the economy.”

The findings aren’t particularly surprising, but could play role in next week’s Election Day if Obama supporters don’t head to the polls in the same record numbers as they did in sending him to the White House four years ago.

The Pew poll found the race between the president and former Massachusetts governor to be a statistical dead heat going into the final few days, meaning every vote will count.

But win or lose, it’s clear the Republican Party will have to adjust to the nation’s fast-changing demographics if it wants to remain politically viable in the future. A fast-growing Latino population means that people of color will soon become the majority in America, so the GOP will no longer be able to be content going without any support from black, Latino and Asian-American voters.

But the high level of racial polarization reflected in pre-election polls also hints at dangers for Democrats. Predictions that Republicans will suffer from an increasingly diverse population rest on the assumption that many white voters will continue to vote Democratic. But if this year’s surveys showing three of every five whites supporting Romney prove accurate, and are a harbinger of long-term trends, falling support from whites could outpace Democratic gains among minorities.

“Both outcomes are possible,” said Merle Black, a political science professor at Emory University. “The Democrats have a huge problem among white voters, and it seems to be increasing. And whites remain the majority of voters in the United States.”

Even if Romney ekes out a victory, it may be the last one the GOP can wring from the white coalition that has carried the party to the presidency in seven of the last 11 elections, analysts said. This election is the “last hurrah for whites,” said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution, a non-partisan think tank.

In Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, and other battleground states, minority voting-eligible populations have surged since 2008, according to Frey’s analysis, trends that are expected to accelerate.

But while the Republican ticket may attract greater white support this year than John McCain did in 2008, Democrats are hoping that boost will be concentrated in Southern states, where it won’t help. Romney could run up the score among white voters in those states, but since he is likely to win their electoral votes anyway, increasing his total number of white votes there won’t help him win the election.

Dimock said that because the economic recovery has been uneven geographically, and white voters are an extremely heterogeneous category, it was plausible to think Obama’s losses among whites will not be evenly distributed.

For now, members of racial and ethnic minority groups make up about a quarter of the national electorate, and polls show Obama far ahead. Obama maintains an overwhelming lead among blacks, according to polls, and a smaller margin among Asian-Americans. Among Hispanics, he led 69 percent to 21 percent, according to a Pew Hispanic Center poll earlier this month.

Since winning the nomination, the Romney campaign has campaigned for Latino votes with elected Latino Republican officials like Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and Governor Susana Martinez of New Mexico, but to little avail.

Radio Biafra-London Accuses FG of Cyber Attacks

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The Nigerian Government has been accused of waging a cyber war against

Radio Biafra London (RBL) as the radio station changes its frequency

and time of broadcast.

 

It is good that we bring to your attention the new aggressive cyber

attacks, frequency-jamming unleashed against our radio transmission

and systems by the Federal Government of Nigeria who has consistently

proved itself as enemy of alternative opinion, freedom and free

speech.

 

The radio station, apparently considered dissident by the Nigerian

government according to Mr Uche Mefor, its Presenter and Research

Analyst has been broadcasting from London was said to have been

subjected to unprecedented wave after wave of cyber attacks by signals

suspected to be sponsored by the Federal Government of Nigeria, aimed

at knocking it out of reach and air.

 

Mr Mefor in a press statement disclosed that, “Our slideshows, our

entire website and frequency have come under unprecedented attacks.

 

“But in keeping our promise to the indigenous people of Biafra

Republic and lovers of freedom and justice all over the world, we are

unwavering in our resolve to remain on air and to continue

broadcasting to millions of our listeners around the world.

 

“To this effect, Radio Biafra broadcasting from London (RBL) has

changed its frequency. And starting from Thursday, 1st of November

2012, Radio Biafra London (RBL) will be heard on a new frequency,

11830 kHz and 11.83MHz 25 Meter Band on shortwave and the new

broadcast time is 8pm to 9pm Nigerian time every Thursday and

Saturday.

 

“We call on our listeners, fans, friends and family of Radio Biafra

broadcasting from London (RBL) to take note of this development. Yes,

we have changed our frequency from 11870 kHz frequency on the

shortwave band to 11830 kHz and 11.83MHz 25 Meter Band on shortwave.

We have also changed the time of broadcast from 9pm-10pm to 8pm-9pm

Nigerian time. The broadcast days are however unchanged, as they

remain Thursday and Saturday.

 

The spokesman therefore urged their “followers to take note and adjust

immediately. While assuring you that freedom, liberty and

self-determination will suffocate tyranny, defeat criminal enterprise

and obliterate all other forms of man-made duplicity and

manipulations. We are on the frontline in our quest to free our people

from the plaque called corruption, political-naivety, social

captivity, incompetence, abject penury, visionless and dubious

leadership at all level and all manacles of marginalization,

deprivation, ostracism, criminal neglect, premeditated murder and

mass-organized killings of indigenous people of Biafra.

 

“We ask for your patience, dedication and support as the entire staff

of Radio Biafra shall serve the Biafra cause with utmost sacrifice

(not just in words but in action), dedication, transparency, trust,

accountability, passion and reason. We shall not relent; neither shall

we allow the spirited efforts of our detractors to prevail”.

 

Flood: FG Releases 400Million to Imo State

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From Ebere Uzoukwa, Owerri Imo State

The Vice President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Architect Namadi Sambo and Gov. OWELLE Rochas Okorocha have reassured victims of the
recent flood disaster in Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta Local Government Areas
in Imo state of government continuous support towards ameliorating
their plight.
Addressing a gathering of the victims in Egbema after accessing the
level of devastation in some of the affected communities, Architect
Sambo who was accompanied by the senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba,
Sen. Hope Uzodinma of Imo West Senatorial District, Minister of
Enviroment, Hajia Hadiza Melafia, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs
Serah Ochekpe and Director-General of National Emergency Management
Agency (NEMA) Mohamed Sani-Sidi, disclosed that the federal government
is packaging a special post-flood era programme to ensure a total
rehabilitation of victims of the unfortunate disaster.
He said “You are aware that this is a natural disaster which we all
know is a new phenomenon to the whole world. We have never witnessed
this before and we pray that we will not continue to witness this
unfortunate development. I want to assure you that all the victims
will be taken care as federal government is packaging a special
programme for the post-flood era” Sambo said.
He explained that President Goodluck Jonathan has set up a committee
in addition to the instant measures drawn up by the federal government
to cushion the effect of the devastation caused by the flood.
“Let me inform you that Mr. President has set up a committee
co-chaired by Alhaji Dangote and Olisa Agbakoba SAN that will organize
the whole Nigerians and the world to address this unfortunate
development. I have gone round to see houses and schools that were
affected by this flood and that is why we have a special programme for
the post flood era” he said.
Also speaking, Gov. Owelle Rochas Okorocha said the state government
has mobilized resources to assist the victims in anticipation of
federal government intervention.
“The state government has done the little it could to give support to
our people. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Imo
State Oil Producing Commission (ISOPADEC) have equally responded with
some relief materials and food items. But our greatest challenge is
that the entire land and agricultural products have been washed away
by the flood and most of these people sitting in this arena have no
home any more with no farmland for food production. Also, homes and
schools have submerged and most of these affected persons cannot be
able to raise a bungalow” Gov. Okorocha lamented.
He commended the federal government for releasing the 400million naira
for victims in Imo state and assured that fund will be judiciously
used for the purpose it is meant for.
“Let me assure that this money will be judiciously used as this
government has continued to care for the people. The money will be
shared between Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta LGAs and for only those that are
actually affected by the flood. Again, no big man will partake from
this money” he said.
He commented President Goodluck Jonathan for showing love to Imo
people and Nigerians especially in the period of difficulties and
challenges adding that the people of the state will continue to give
his administration the necessary support it deserves.

Abia: Man Petitions AIG over Alleged Police Harassment

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A security consultant, Remy Uchendu has petitioned the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of zone 9, Umuahia against a retired police officer, Linus Anyanwu over alleged intimidation and harassment.

Uchendu who is the Chief Executive Officer of Vanguard Security Services, alleged in his petition that Anyanwu had been terrorizing him and his workers at their work site at Ahia Ohuru (New market) in Aba.

He recalled how he earlier made a formal report to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ndiegoro Police Division on the issue and when he wanted to take the matter to court, Anyanwu pleaded he would no longer intimidate him or his workers, but only to renege when the matter was stepped down.

The petitioner said that presently, Anyanwu had employed the services of one of his brothers who is an Inspector in the police force to further harass and intimidate him.

“The men from your zone led by a brother to the said retired officer, an Inspector are now after me for complaining against the retired officer at the Ndiegoro police station,” the petition read.

Uchendu is therefore appealing to the AIG to call his men to order and for them not be used to settle personal scores.

We Are Not Part of Biafra Re-Declaration — MASSOB

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As the Nov.5 date for the planned re-declaration of Biafra by the Biafra Zionist Movement draws near, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has warned its members to stay out of the exercise which it alleged, is an attempt to bastardize Biafra.

In an interview with journalists, the MASSOB administrator for Aba region A, Mrs. Comfort Ogbuokiri who spoke through her Director of Information, Chidi Okoro; and the Director of Information, Aba region B, Sunny Okereafor said it amounted to taking the people for a ride for anybody to think of re-declaration of Biafra when in actual sense, Biafra had been declared twice.

Which Biafra do they want to declare? Is it the one declared by Ojukwu or that by Uwazuruike which was declared due to the exigencies of the time? They should stop causing confusion in Igbo and security operatives should checkmate their activities”, they said.

They argued that Biafra was first declared in 1967 by the late Ezeigbo Gburugburu, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu which led to the civil war that ended in 1970 with the ‘no victor, no vanquished slogan’.

They further recalled that due to what the Igbos had gone through in the Nigerian nation since after the civil war, Raph Uwazuruike on May 22, 2000, re-declared Biafra at Aba with her non violent stance, stressing that what the other group wants to do now, if allowed would make mockery of the state of Biafra and said MASSOB was out of it.

Recall that a group which called itself Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM and led by one Ben Onwuka said it had concluded arrangements for the re-declaration of Biafra on November 5, insisting that nothing would stop the campaign on that day.