Nigerian DSS Arrest Nnamdi Kanu on October 2015 ./ Protest around the World Part Eight (8)
Nnamdi
Kanu's detention: Niger Delta militants DETAINS ship off the coast of Bakassi.
To blow it up if. . .
Nnamdi Kanu's detention: Niger Delta militants seize
ship of the coast of Nigeria. Threaten to blow it up
Unconfirmed report has it that a group of ex-militants in support of
the agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has claimed
responsibility for the detention of a ship on Friday along the Bakassi
Pennisula Nigeria coastal line.
According to The Sun, the group, which recently gave the Nigerian government a 31-day
ultimatum to release Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader and Director of Radio
Biafra, said the concerned Niger Delta agitators were abreast with the
incarceration of Kanu.
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Spokesperson of the group, who gave his name as General Ben,
threatened that they would blow up the vessel with the expatriates onboard, if
the government continues to dilly-dally over Kanu’s release.
Speaking in Port Harcourt yesterday, the group’s
spokesperson declared that they would not wait till the end of the ultimatum,
before showing their seriousness.
Ben stated: “We cannot wait till the end of the 31 days to
tell the Federal Government that we are serious. The vessel and the crew are
under custody.
And any noise, any delay from government, we will blow up
everything. We will blow the vessel and everybody in the vessel will go down.
“We are not interested in the country that owns the vessel. What we know is
that the vessel was coming to Nigeria to lift oil. We are not interested; once it
is blown up, let the country and Nigeria resolve the matter.
“We are in touch with everything happening around the IPOB
leader.
Now, court has denied him bail, saying because of his dual
citizenship, he might jump bail. We also heard that the judge said he would
rather give the matter an accelerated hearing.
This is provocative; hence we did not waste time to go into
action. We are in support of the Biafra struggle.
We will not retreat or surrender. “The federal government
might have taken our ultimatum as an empty threat. But, we will surprise them,”
he stated.
Also, the group reacted to the Supreme Court verdict, which
upheld the appeal filed by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, saying that it
saved the state from bloodshed.
Ben
said the state would have been overwhelmed by crisis, warning any government
against sabotaging the IPOB agitation of the consequences.
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Biafrans refrain from believing in everything you come across
(some men of God). Believe in Most High God and yourself, you will never be
disappointed.
Do you know that Biafrans back home trekked from Bayelsa to Igweocha (PH); those from Igweocha trek to Aba and those from Aba trek to Imo state to protest in their millions. If you know the distance between these towns in Biafra then you will understand it is not an ordinary. This must go down in our story/ history. No flesh can stop the coming of Biafra no matter how hard they may fight us. |
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Full
text: Amnesty International statement said Buhari’s government is a ‘Monumental
Failure’ for reinstating war crime General
Amnesty International in a statement has described the recent
reinstatement of Maj. Gen Ahmadu Mohammed by President Buhari as a “monumental
failure of the government to stamp out impunity for war crimes at the highest
level.” Maj. Gen. Ahmadu Mohammed, was retired by President Jonathan in
2014 as one of the nine senior commanders implicated for alleged war crimes.
Mohammed was commanding officer when soldiers killed around 640 unarmed
detainees after Boko Haram insurgents attacked Giwa barracks in Maiduguri,
according to Amnesty International. Gen. Mohammed was also the army general
soldiers shot at during a mutiny- the soldiers revolted because they said a
dozen colleagues killed by Boko Haram in a night ambush on the road from Chibok
had been unnecessarily sent into danger. Read Amnesty Release below:
The reinstatement
of a senior Nigerian military general implicated in the mass murder of hundreds
of detainees underlines the monumental failure of the government to stamp out
impunity for war crimes at the highest level, said Amnesty International. Last
June, Amnesty International named Major General Ahmadu Mohammed, along with
eight other senior commanders, calling for an investigation into their possible
criminal responsibility for war crimes including the deaths of more than 8,000
of detainees.
Major General
Ahmadu, was in charge of 7 Division and was in command of operations when the
military executed more than 640 detainees following a Boko Haram attack on the
detention centre in Giwa barracks on 14 March 2014. He was retired in 2014 for
unrelated reasons, but reinstated this month. An in depth report exposed a
range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity committed by the
military in the course of operations against Boko Haram. It found that, since
March 2011, more than 7,000 were starved, suffocated, and tortured to death in
military detention camps. A further 1,200 were rounded up and unlawfully
killed.
“Major General
Mohammed must be investigated for participating in, sanctioning or failing to
prevent the deaths of hundreds of people,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General
of Amnesty International.
“Young men and
boys, rounded up by the military, were either shot, starved, suffocated or
tortured to death and no one has yet been held to account. It is unthinkable
that Major General Muhammed could resume command of troops before an
investigation has even begun.”
The report, Stars
on their shoulders, blood on their hands: War crimes committed by the Nigerian
military, was based on years of research and analysis of evidence – including
leaked military reports and correspondence, as well as interviews with more
than 400 victims, eyewitnesses and senior members of the Nigerian security
forces. It exposed a range of war crimes and possible crimes against humanity
committed by the military in the course of operations against Boko Haram. It
found that, since March 2011, more than 7,000 were starved, suffocated, and
tortured to death in military detention camps. A further 1,200 were rounded up
and unlawfully killed.
It named nine
senior Nigerian military figures along the chain of command who should be
investigated for potential command and individual responsibility for the crimes
committed. Hours after the publication of the report on 3 June, President
Buhari responded personally on Twitter to say: “I assure you that your report
will be looked into…This administration will leave no stone unturned to promote
the rule of law, and deal with all cases of human rights abuses.”
Likewise the
President announced on 12 June 2015 that investigating criminal responsibility
for the violations documented in Amnesty International’s report would be the
first task of the Attorney General. This investigation is yet to begin. Since
the publication of the report, four of the named military commanders have
retired. Two others had already retired prior to the publication of the report.
The current status of two Brigadier Generals is unknown. Major General Mohammed
was removed from his post on 16 May 2014 two days after a reported mutiny by his
own men. News of his reinstatement reached Amnesty International on 17 January.
“Seven months after
the publication of these horrific discoveries and the President’s pledge that
they will be looked into, we continue to call for urgent independent investigations
to begin,” said Salil Shetty.
“Those responsible
for the crimes detailed in Amnesty International’s report must be held to
account, no matter their rank or position. Only then can there be justice for
the dead and their relatives.”
BACKGROUND
In November 2015, the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, identified two potential cases of crimes against humanity and war crimes by the Nigerian military. These relate to the arrest, detention, torture and death in custody of Boko Haram suspects and extrajudicial executions, including of recaptured detainees on 14 March 2014. The prosecutor is assessing the admissibility of the potential cases in order to reach a decision on whether the criteria for opening an investigation are met. Amnesty International’s report into human rights violations by the military was published on 3 June 2015. Based on the evidence it uncovered, the organization believes that the following military officers should be investigated for potential individual or command responsibility for the war crimes of murder, enforced disappearance and torture detailed in this report:
Major General
Ahmadu Mohammed – reinstated.
He was Commander of 7 Division from 24 February until 16 May 2014. During this period, Amnesty International continued to document arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention of thousands of people in inhumane conditions, the deaths in custody of large numbers of detainees and extrajudicial executions committed by Nigerian troops under his command. In addition, Major General Ahmadu Mohammed was in charge of military operations when, in the aftermath of a Boko Haram attack on Giwa Barracks, Nigerian military executed more than 640 former detainees. Major General Mohammed was reinstated in January 2016 and is waiting to be assigned a post.
Major General John
A.H. Ewansiha – currently retired.
He was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Operation Restore Order I (ORO) and Operation BOYONA between January 2012 and August 2013. As GOC of ORO and Operation BOYONA, he was informed about the arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention of thousands of people in inhumane conditions, the deaths in custody of large numbers of detainees and extrajudicial executions in areas under his command in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. He received regular reports indicating the commission of these crimes by his subordinates and failed to take measures to stop and prevent them or to bring those responsible to account. In August 2013, he became Chief of Standards and Evaluation at Army Headquarters and Chief of Training and Operations at Army Headquarters.
Major General Obida
T Ethan – currently retired.
He was Commander of 7 Division from 22 August 2013 until 1 January 2014. Major General Ethan took over the command of the military operations in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in August 2013 from Major General Ewansiha. During this period, Amnesty International continued to document arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention of thousands of people in inhumane conditions, the deaths in custody of large numbers of detainees and extrajudicial executions committed by Nigerian troops under his command.
Brigadier General
Austin O. Edokpayi – status unknown.
He was in command of the Multinational Joint Task Force based in Baga from at least April 2013 until December 2013 where Nigerian soldiers were responsible for arbitrary arrests and unlawful detention, the extrajudicial executions of more than 185 people in April 2013, and deaths in custody in Baga detention facility.
Brigadier General
Rufus O. Bamigboye – status unknown.
He was Commander of the 21 Armoured Brigade, stationed in Giwa barracks from February 2012 till September 2013. He was in charge of the barracks during the period when at least 5,000 detainees died in custody, and when torture and ill-treatment were used routinely. In December 2013, he was promoted to Deputy Director of Operations at Defence Headquarters. According to media reports, Brigadier General Bamigboye was appointed Chief of Staff of 81 Division in July 2015. Amnesty International has not been able to verify his current status. In addition, Amnesty International believes that the following high-level military commanders should be investigated for their potential command responsibility for crimes committed by their subordinates given that they knew or should have known about the commission of the crimes, and failed to take adequate action:
Lt. General
Azubuike Ihejirika. He was Chief of Army Staff from September 2010 until he
retired in January 2014.
Admiral Ola Sa’ad
Ibrahim. He was Chief of Defence Staff from 4 October 2012 until he retired in
January 2014.
      
HYPOCRISY OF
THE WESTERN WORLD!
Please read and share in every social media platforms
until world leader do something about this;
These are ( toddlers ) human, the different is skin
color, when the Syrian toddler was washed off the sea, there were protest
against the EU to allow the Syrians to enter the Europe, protest of different
kind was carried out.
But just last
two week a toddler in school uniform in the today Eastern - Nigeria ( Biafra
Republic ) was shot dead by Buhari - led Nigeria Government and his joint
military task force during a Biafra peaceful protest for the release of their
leader - Nnamdi Kanu and self determination of Biafra Republic, there was no
protest in any part of humanity against this inhuman and barbaric act by Buhar
- led Nigeria government against this Biafra toddler and the Biafra people.
Sometimes, I imagine what have gone wrong in this
life, DOES BLACKS LIFE REALLY MATTERS, it is time the world should know that
God created humans and it was man that made it white and black, I call on the
world leaders to come to the aid of Biafrans, since the media refused to carry
Biafra stories, we are using every social media platform to disseminate our
agitation, all we want is freedom, self determination, just as we were before
colonization, all we need is the restoration of Sovereign State Of Biafra.  
NIGERIA CAN’T BE ONE,
THERE IS HATRED: WE SHALL GET BIAFRA WITHOUT BLOODSHED- MR IBU
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
INTERVIEW: The popular Nollywood star John Okafor known as Mr
Ibu, well celebrated among his fans for his comic roles. He is a comedian one
cannot resist, you will fall into laughter for just his physique, he has lost
the difference between scene and behind the scene. Always playing a comic role
in everything he does, he entertained a select team of Family
writers/journalist during a lengthy interview on the Nigeria vs Biafra issue.
Speaking to Biafran Herald (family writers/journalists) correspondent’ IFEANYI CHIJIOKE, CHIMA ONYEKACHI AND ISSAC OKONKWO SOMTO he noted a lot of things and discussed some key issues, he proffered solution and prayed for caution. He charged Biafrans to continue being lawful and apply intelligence in Biafra restoration exercise to make sure war is avoided. He also called for the relevant offices, bodies and persons that are responsible for conduct of referendum to do as quick as possible to save another bloodbath of Biafrans in what he termed as repeat of 1967. He however maintained that everything he said is his personal view and not mandating anyone, he further reminded that he has nothing to do with politics but urged for a political resolution of Biafra agitation than killing Biafrans and imprisoning them for lawfully and peacefully agitating for self-determination. He questioned why peaceful protesters must be shot to death and wondered if carrying of placards had became unlawful. He decried the hatred of Igbos by Hausa/fulani and Yorubas. He frowned at Kunle vs Alhaji leaked phone conversation and cried that Biafrans will be in great mess if we fail to restore Biafra this time and finally maintained that there is no love among the three nations that made up of Nigeria and hence there is need to talk, restructure Nigeria to favour everyone or make demarcation for peace to reign. EXCERPTS__ HOW DO YOU SEE BIAFRA AGITATION UNDER NNAMDI KANU? That Nnamdi Kanu, the issue between Nigeria government and Kanu, let me tell you, before now, my own idea o! From my view, people are being marginalized, Eastern Nigeria is being marginalized(southsouth and southeast), talking about geo political zones, majorly the three major languages in Nigeria, each of us, we do not like each other, we don’t mingle quick, Yorubas don’t find it easy with the Igbos, Hausa/fulani don’t find it easy with Yorubas or Igbos, Hausa/fulani might probably find it easy with Yorubas but not totally, so I discover that all of us being together in one umbrella keep generating odd, not workable and we Biafrans have to apply caution and be watchful, in the case of doing this (agitating for Biafra), if we make mistake(fail to achieve Biafra), it will go down far to our generations and to everybody.
Let us go back to Nnamdi
Kanu, the court said, if we respect the jury, the court said release him, for
my part, irrespective of whoever is in that prison, they should release that
man, let’s have a dialogue, let’s talk, if the government of this country wants
Biafra to go, we will go, if they don’t want Biafra to go, let us have a
dialogue, then open a discussion, allow a pool (referendum), welcome advice,
welcome congregation, let’s hear them talk, majority carries the vote, if
majority says let Biafra go, Biafra will go, we have no choice than to go. If
majority says please stay, let us change hand in administration, so that it can
favour up and favour down. Then my own advice to us is, we should pipe low and
wait but in a situation where there is no room for dialogue and then the best
way is let us apply caution and look for a better way to do it without much
strain of creating things like to endanger peoples lives and all that.
Mr. IBU
It is not a small deal, it is not a day job. It has to be; a lot
of technicality will come in, because we human beings, we are being crafty just
for nothing, sometimes we are crafty. The issue of Biafra is not news of today,
it has been that anybody on the centre knows there have been issue of Biafra or
no Biafra and consistently Biafrans are killed, our blood flow, even sometimes
when you talk and touch your chest, people should know life is on your chest,
even spirit knows life is on your chest (Nnamdi Kanu is very mean and finally
ready to die or give him Biafra and he can do anything for Biafra); so what am
I talking about. If Biafra is ready to go, let there be dialogue, amicably;
then there should be demarcation of boundary; but if there is no room for don’t
go; then there should be amendment of treatment; there should be equal balanced
government to favour both side for now.
THE PEACEFUL PROTEST RAGING ACROSS EASTERN NIGERIA OF SOUTHSOUTH AND SOUTHEAST, PEOPLE ARE BEING MASSACRED, WHAT’S YOUR TAKE? There is no need for shooting now; to me.(he pleadingly said) that’s why I keep saying that there should be dialogue; there is no need of shooting and killing peaceful protesters hence it is a peaceful protest and carrying of placards., then the police should guard the crowd from going astray, it is wrong shooting the crowd; to me it is wrong; they should find a way; it happens in so many countries, it is not only here in Nigeria; there are other countries, even in Russia they go on peaceful demonstration; the government guard them, they deliver their massage and go back, they should be able to listen and hear when the crowd is talking. PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS FLOUTED COURT ORDERS AND REFUSED TO AKNOWLEDGE THE PROTESTERS AND NUMEROUS CALL FOR DIALOGUE, WHAT HAVE YOU TO TELL HIM? I cannot speak to my president so easily like that but I have advice for him, anybody in charge of publication should be able to pass this message across to Buhari. Biafra agitation is going out of hand now, before it goes worse; let’s find out what is their problem and seek a way to solve it; our country; we are big but we don’t need war anymore; as a matter of fact, let who is in position to handle this matter handle it with enough intelligence, if you keep quiet, it does not solve the problem.
HAS NOLLYWOOD TRIED TO WADE INTO THIS ISSUE AFFECTING THEIR COUNTRY TO
SOLVING IT
Well we can’t say we didn’t hear about Biafra agitation, killing and unlawful detention of Kanu, we heard about it, no script can come in, nobody will treat their scripts pertaining that now; because what we are doing is commercial job, we do it to sale, because if anybody puts his money in that will only sale here and be very careful of handling it, because we are serving both side (Nigeria and Biafra), we are entertainment industry for everybody. That is why you can never see me in any campaign; you can never see me take microphone and say vote this person, because it is a dangerous thing, if other person lost, you know what is gonna be. Everybody can call us to anchor programme, you know we feed our children through that (he burst into his comic laughter as we could not hold back) shey you understand? What we are after is one to put food on our table; so we don’t as we are not part of it, even-though we( Biafrans) are in support, but we try to keep away because we serve the public. ARE YOU IN SUPPORT OF BIAFRA RESTORATION BY KANU? Whether you like it or not, I am from the east and that makes me a Biafran man, understand? What I am advising is that we can do it without shedding blood. We need dialogue, settlement and supply technicality to make sure that when Biafra goes her own way, both countries can still relate to each other. IF REFERENDUM IS CALLED, WILL YOU VOTE FOR BIAFRA OR NIGERIA? Technically, I have answered that question, I am being technical here to answer this question, it is obvious that these three major languages in Nigeria, there is huge hatred, especially for the Biafrans. I will play something for you now (brought out his phone) WHAT IS IT A phone call between Hausa/fulani and Yoruba, ALHAJI AND KUNLE. CONTINUES Sometimes people from the North don’t like the Igbos, i will play something for you now. Then the Yorubas all because Biafrans dey progress fine, not that they cannot take the risk of going into trade and all that and when they see Biafrans invade into their zone, build houses, sometimes they are not happy. That is where they picked that information, an Hausa man said there is gonna be property whatsoever by the government, that Hausa man who owns a house in Lagos will pay 10000(ten thousand), Yoruba will pay 5000(five thousand) and Biafran man will pay 1000000(one million). Why must somebody say such a thing? Even if they hate Biafrans, they should not say it out, wait for us to come to your domain, then you can get your anger on whoever that is in your domain. 
By Mary
Helen Bernstein
Biafra Referendum: OEAS instructs Biafrans to protest in Strasburg ahead of buhari's visit The Washington based organisation of emerging African States (OEAS) led by Jonathan Levy has instructed the indigenous people of Biafrans to stage a peaceful rally in Strasburg, Germany ahead of Nigeria's president Buhari's visit to Germany on February 3 to address the European community. You will recall that the European Union through the OEAS gave approval and support to a Biafran state that will emerge in accordance with UN international laws and through a referendum. 
The world
is busy looking and waiting for the second coming of Jesus but i tell you here
is him#NnamdiKanu i love you, do you love him?
Israeli Prime Minister and British MP
call for Nnamdi Kanu’s Release.
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‘Catholics
Are Bearing Your Shame’: Open Letter To Father Ejike Mbaka (READ)0
Father Mbaka endorses current Deputy
President Ike Ekweremadu before the 2015 elections in Enugu
Iwrite
you this letter with all sense of humility and deep respect for you and your
calling as a priest of the Holy Mother Church. This letter has become
absolutely necessary owing to your recent political activities which are
causing the Church huge embarrassment. As a Catholic myself, I, as other
Catholics, are now forced to bear the shame of your recent activities and asked
questions about the transfer policies of the Church which ordinarily should not
have caused any public inquisition if you had not caused it to be so.
Fr, it is unfortunate that as a priest
of the Catholic Church, you have allowed your emotions to take you beyond your
allowed limits in partisan politics before, during, and after the last
elections.
Pray, what is in a transfer of a priest
in the Catholic Church? You were transferred from one parish to another, an
exercise that is a normal routine in the Church, and instead of you to move
quickly and quietly as expected, you caused a whole lot of needless hullaballoo
and in an attempt to curry public sympathy, made your transfer look like
anything but usual in the Church. The razzmatazz and revelry that graced your
movement to your new parish is alien to the Church! You are gradually eroding
the very fabric that makes the Catholic Church unique and uncommon among
others.
Were you the only priest transferred?
Why did other priests not cry to the public about their own transfers? Did you
reach an agreement with the Church on the day of your ordination that you
should be exempted from transfers? Fr, you need not be reminded that you are a
priest of the Catholic Church and not a pastor of any other denomination. It is
no longer news that priests of the Catholic Church do not belong to themselves
but to the Church wholly, fully and entirely, hence, you took an oath of not
only obedience to your Local Ordinary, the Bishop, but your oath also included
that of poverty. So, the Bishop exercises his prerogative to transfer any
priest serving under him to areas where their services are most needed among
other considerations. Just like you were transferred from somewhere else to
Christ the King Parish, GRA, Enugu, you have also been transferred to Our Lady
Parish, Umuchigbo, Njinike also in Enugu.
It would be ignorant of me to think
that you actually thought Christ the King Parish, GRA Enugu would be your
parish forever. No priest of the Catholic Church would ever think a particular
posting of his would last for too long. For example, in Abuja Archdiocese from
where I write you this letter, there are brother-priests of yours who have been
transferred from the highbrow area of Maitama to a parish in a remote village
like Yangoji in far away Kwali LGA, just as there have been priests transferred
from Igu, also a very remote village in Bwari LGA, to Our Lady Mother of
Perpetual Help Parish, Gwarinpa, and then to Our lady Queen of Nigeria
Pro-Cathedral, Garki, and so on and so forth. Are you not aware of
brother-priests who have been transferred from the comfort of parishes in
Nigeria here to remote places even in war-torn and less developed countries like
Chad, Sudan, Mali, Sierra-Leone, Burundi etc.
Some of them in areas so remote cars
cannot even get there nor is there electricity, yet, they went in obedience and
without noise. Fr, how is yours supposed to be different?
You complained about the parish house
you are to occupy as being too small and by implication, not comfortable for
you. The question is, was it not a brother-priest that just used and left
there? Are you saying that other priests can remain to serve God’s people
perpetually in a one room self-contained apartment while you enjoy the comfort
of a gigantic parish house perpetually?
Fr, John the Baptist served God
effectively in the wilderness; all the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ left
all the comfort of family and wealth and followed willingly and without
complaining, the Son of Man who had no place to lay His head. Fr, from which
part of the scripture did you get your reason for complaining?
To describe your transfer as a witch
hunt is the most uncharitable comment any priest can make against his bishop
especially in public. You are not a Pentecostal pastor or a General Overseer of
any church, you are a priest of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. You own
no church and you own no parish. The gifts of the Spirit (miracle, healing,
prophecy etc) which God has blessed you with are not the emphasis of the
Church. The Catholic Church places more emphasis on the fruit of the Holy
Spirit which is what ultimately helps a man to make heaven: “…Lord! We
prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many
miracles in your name. But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me,
you who break God’s laws’”. There is no ordained priest no matter how gifted
that has survived a confrontation with the Church. They go quickly into
oblivion soon after while the Church waxes stronger. Fr, be very careful!
You lamented about the assets of the
Adoration Ministry and where you were going to keep them since your new parish
is too small to contain them. I understand your concern especially as I am also
aware of the enormity of the assets being an archdiocesan official of the
Catholic Charismatic Renewal of Nigeria, Abuja, myself. However, just like you
admitted, you have “given” the assets to the Catholic Church in Enugu. So, if
you have “given” the assets to the Catholic Church, why not just hand them over
to your Bishop who knows how most appropriate to take care of them. Why do you
still cry over that which you have “given” out? More so, you know that as a
Catholic priest, you own nothing! There is no major asset even including a car
that you can own without the consent and blessing of your bishop. This is how the
Catholic Church is structured. This is how the Catholic Church works. So, those
assets never belonged to you ab
initio, they have always belonged to the Church. Just take an inventory of
them and hand them over to the appropriate authorities. They know what to do
with them.
One of the reasons why our priests are
not allowed to own anything of their own is so that when the call of service
comes and they are asked to go anywhere at the shortest notice, they would not
have to look back at what they would be leaving behind so that they do not drag
their feet on obeying the call to service. Lot’s wife looked back and turned to
a pillar of salt. Fr, why are you looking back?
As I end this letter, let me remind you
that your gifts of the Holy Spirit do not come in isolation. They come with
enormous responsibility! Enough of this ridicule you have subjected the Church
to. Focus your attention on your apostolic calling and leave politics for
politicians. If you are so interested in joining politics and making your mark
there, you know the right thing to do. Stop parading about like a colossus that
the Church is so badly in need of. No one man or group of men can hold the
Catholic Church to ransom. Even if the Lord decides that you answer the eternal
call today, Enugu diocese will never fold up!
I pray that God will lead you aright in
all your endeavours.
Jude Ndukwe is a
political analyst who lives and works in Abuja, Nigeria. He tweets from@stjudendukwe.
Nigeria: Your unnecessary trips is bleeding Nigeria’s economy’ – Fayose Counsels Buhari
Nigeria: Your unnecessary trips is bleeding Nigeria’s economy’ – Fayose Counsels Buhari
Tuesday, 2 February 2016
Ekiti
State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has counselled President Mohammadu Buhari to
stay at home and govern the country instead of junketing from one country to
the other, saying; “foreign countries won’t solve our problems for us and the
President’s incessant foreign trips is already bleeding the economy with about
$1 million being spent per trip.”
The
governor, who said most of the trips embarked on by the President were
unnecessary, added that ministers or at best the Vice President could have been
made to attend most of the functions being attended abroad by the President.
According
to a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said that “the
President should rather listen more to those of us who criticise him instead of
those hailing every of his wrong steps either because of what they intend to
gain or for fear of persecution.”
The
statement read; “Conservatively, about $1 million goes into every of the
foreign trips and the way the President is going, foreign trips alone might
gulp 20 percent of the Federal Government budget and that will be disastrous
for the dwindling economy of the country.
“It is even
more worrisome that while the economy is already in shamble and insecurity
pervades the land with Boko Haram burning Nigerians, including children alive
in the North East, our President is busy globetrotting.
“From available
records, in June 2015 alone, the President travelled to Niger Republic, Chad,
Germany and South Africa. Also in 2015, the President travelled to United
States of America in July, Benin Republic in August, Ghana and France in
September, India in October, Iran, France and United States of America in
November and in December, he travelled to South Africa, Benin Republic.
“In most of
these trips, about $500,000 is spent on estacode, transportation,
accommodation, honorarium, media coverage, contingency and other expenses on
accompanying Presidency officials. The Presidential Air Fleet, which includes
fuelling of the planes and allowances for crew members as well as the
President’s estacode per night and those of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and
his aides is said to be in the range of $500,000.
“Out of his
eight months as President of Nigeria, two months have been spent outside the
country, and one wonders how a country like Nigeria can progress with its
president spending the better part of his time abroad.
“Mr President
is therefore advised to focus more on governing Nigeria from home because
foreign countries won’t solve our problems for us. He should fulfil his promise
of leading the fight against Boko Haram from the front. Most importantly, the
President should pay more attention to the ailing economy of the country while
he carries on with genuine fight against corruption.”
 |
LISTEN..LISTEN..PEOPLE OF BIAFRA!! I AM ASKING ALL OF YOU TO MAKE A 5 TO TEN MINUTE VIDEO OF THE MASSIVE KILLING OF THE IGBO/ BIAFRIAN PEOPLE IN NIGERIA..TODAY WAS A BLOODY DAY FOR THE BIAFRIAN PEOPLE WHO WERE PEACEABLY PROTESTING ...THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT SIMPLY ARE SHOOTING THEM FOR PROTESTING AND THE BBC..AND AMERICA NEWS MEDIA IS NOT SAYING A DAMN WORD!! IF 1 WHITE PERSON IN FRANCE WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY BOKO HARAM..IT WOULD HAVE MADE WORLD NEWS!!
BIAFRA YOU MUST BE YOUR OWN NEWS REPORTERS..SO SPEAK CLEARLY AND SLOWLY SO ALL OF THE PEOPLE HERE IN AMERICA AND WORLD WIDE WILL SEE AND HEAR THE TRUTH!! KEEP IT SHORT AND DETAILED!! THEY CANT STOP ALL OF US FROM REPORTING THE NEWS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE BIAFRIAN PEOPLE..I AM ONLY ONE PERSON..BUT ALL OF US CAN MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT!! 12 TRIBES OF ISRAEL MUST STAND TOGETHER YAHSHUAH IS CALLING US TO CONNECT!! THESE DRY BONES WILL LIVE AGAIN... SO SAYS EZEKIEL!! Blessings!! NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST US SHALL PROSPER!! Share this post!! 
I Doubt If Buhari
Can Make Any Change – Obasanjo Makes First Swipe At Buhari Govt.
BY NEWSPUNCH ON FEBRUARY 2, 2016HOME, LOCAL NEWS, NEWS, POLITICS
A former president,
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, dissected the state of socio-economic
affairs of the country, especially the initiatives of the current
administration, and returned a verdict of doubt.
His words:
“The problem today
is that it is doubtful if the current administrative system is imbued with
right mix of skills and values to successfully implement a well-articulated
programme of change.”
He also averred
that the country was on its way to another debt burden unless the rising debts
were creatively addressed.
Obasanjo, who
recalled how he led Nigeria to exit the Paris Club and how he pursued public
service reforms, regretted that the gains he made had been reversed.
The former
president made the remarks at the conference of Ibadan School of Government and
Public Policy, ISGPP, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The former
President stressed the need for government to kick out all forms of corruption
in the polity, provide jobs for unemployed youths and be committed to change.
Noting that the
conference was timely as the country was in search of new ways of doing things,
given the crisis of governance that now manifests in vigorous ways, Obasanjo
said: “The drastic fall in the price of oil in the international market has
unravelled the weakness of governance in Nigeria. “The Minister of Finance has
recently announced that the 2016 Budget deficit may be increased from the
current N2.2 trillion in the draft document before the National Assembly, to N3
trillion due to decline in the price of crude oil.
“If the current
fiscal challenge is not creatively addressed, Nigeria may be on its way to
another episode of debt overhang, which may not be good for the country. It
will be recalled that a few years ago, we rescued Nigeria from its creditors
with the deal in which the Paris Club of sovereign creditors wrote off USD 18
billion of debt, Africa’s largest debt cancellation.
“Nigeria then used
windfall earnings from oil exports to pay off another USD 12 billion in debts
and arrears.
“On the rest of
Sub-Saharan Africa, the hope that followed the initiative of the New
Partnership for Africa Development, NEPAD, and African renaissance initiatives
are being threatened by developments in the global economy and governance.
“Falling commodity
prices have put pressures on local currencies, and if caution is not taken, may
lead to mounting debts. It is, indeed, proper for us in Nigeria to ask the
questions: Is the government working? Is government positioned to deal with
challenges arising from these new developments?
“These questions
are made apposite by the massive scale of poverty and unemployment, the decay
in infrastructure facilities, the impoverished living standards of citizens
with regard to food, housing, water supply, education and healthcare which have
deepened in recent years.
“This is complicated
by the protracted experience of violence and brutality, the flow of internally
displaced persons, IDPs, arising from the Boko Haram insurgency in large parts
of North-Eastern Nigeria where many citizens have become distressed, live in
fear and insecurity.”
He continued:
“Recent developments in governance show the failure of systems, the disregard
for institutional processes and the general decline of institutions that used
to function to guarantee reasonable service delivery to citizens.
“When I assumed
office in 1999, though I had some sense that the bureaucracy of government that
I left in 1979 had experienced significant decline, I only appreciated the
extent of this decline after the Dr Christopher Kolade Panel that I set up
submitted its report.
“I implemented
remedial measures and a reorientation programme coordinated by Professor
Adebayo Adedeji. I got the Management Service Office to undertake and evolve a
National Strategy for Public Service Reform. The reform process commenced in
2003 and by 2007, significant progress had been made.
“Unfortunately, the
evidence available today shows that those gains have been reversed. The problem
today is that it is doubtful if the current administrative system is imbued
with right mix of skills and values to successfully implement a
well-articulated programme of change.”
Recalling that
during his tenure, he identified corruption as the greatest single bane of our
society and as one of the worst legacies of misrule and bad governance, a
reason his administration set up the ICPC and the EFCC to tackle it, Obasanjo
lamented that things had taken a turn for the worse.
“Today, corruption
drains billions of dollars from our economy that cannot afford to lose even a
million dollars. It seems we are just beginning the fight against corruption
afresh.
“Until recently, it
seems corruption had returned with a vengeance, taking seat at the very heart
of government. I reiterate my statement in October last year during the 55th
anniversary of Nigeria’s independence that ‘corruption must not have a resting
place within our society; we must kick corruption out because it destroys almost
everything and I am not talking about corruption of money; corruption of
attitude, nepotism, favouritism, they are corruption in different forms and all
aspects of corruption must be kicked out of our society.”
“Now, given these
governance challenges and our experience with reform, it is clear that change
doesn’t just happen, there must be a basis for change. Leadership has to be
committed to change. Beginning with the reality of the budget, there is need
for sober reflection. Rebuilding the foundations of governance involved paying
attention to values, principles and practices that promote hard work,
innovation and sacrifice.
“Leaders who call
for sacrifice from the citizenry cannot be living in obscene opulence. We must
address these foundational issues to make the economy work, to strengthen our
institutions, build public confidence in government and deal with our peace and
security challenges. We must address the issue of employment for our teeming
population, particularly for our youths.
“Leadership must
mentor the young and provide them with hope about their future as part of a
process of inter-generational conversation.”
Nnamdi
Kanu: Ex-Militants Threaten To Blow Up Hijacked Ship With Foreign Crew
al wouldn't the country who owned
the ship be going berserek for their own country men?? I have to partly blame
television as we seem to have become desensitised to murder, starving children
and bloodshed but think pirate stories are epic! The reality is the crime is
the killings of innocent Biafrans no matter how they try to drag the attention
away from the real issues!by John Niger Delta Militants January 31 A group of ex-militants has hijacked a ship off the Bakassi Peninsula coast line and threatened to blow it up with its foreign crew if detained Director of Radio Biafra and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu is not released. The group, which said it was in support of the agitation for the creation of a Biafran state, gave the Federal Government a 31-day ultimatum to release Kanu or it would be forced to carry through its threat. Also, the group, in a Saturday statement in Port Harcourt through its spokesman who identified himself as General Ben, said it might not wait for the expiration of the 31-day ultimatum to carry out its threat. He said: “We cannot wait till the end of the 31 days to tell the Federal Government that we are serious. The vessel and the crew are under custody. “And any noise, any delay from government, we will blow up everything. We will blow the vessel and everybody in the vessel will go down. “We are not interested in the country that owns the vessel. What we know is that the vessel was coming to Nigeria to lift oil. We are not interested;; once it is blown up, let the country and Nigeria resolve the matter. “We are in touch with everything happening around the IPOB leader. “Now, court has denied him bail, saying because of his dual citizenship, he might jump bail. We also heard that the judge said he would rather give the matter an accelerated hearing. “Tis is provocative; hence we did not waste time to go into action. We are in support of the Biafra struggle. “We will not retreat or surrender. The federal government might have taken our ultimatum as an empty threat. But, we will surprise them,” the statement read. |
Isn't
it sickening that the world wants to know about fake pirates and not the
reality of murderers. If the pirates were real wouldn't the country who owned
the ship be going berserek for their own country men?? I have to partly blame
television as we seem to have become desensitised to murder, starving children
and bloodshed but think pirate stories are epic! The reality is the crime is
the killings of innocent Biafrans no matter how they try to drag the attention
away from the real issues!
