Many people may shy away from this, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t say it. The inability to tell the leaders the truth, has been the bane of leadership, especially in Nigeria. When you say the truth, you are threatened. Police, DSS, SSS or the military will be sent after you. They will chose to live in lies till their destructive end. But lies can never be the truth.
You see this Biafra agitation? It will never end without the actualization of Biafra. You see the military in South East bragging, shooting directly into people’s houses and bragging as they burn communities? I see them running within time.
Not even negotiation will make today’s agitators to stop. The minds of the agitators are made up. Every agitator knows the danger of speaking for Biafra. They know that Nigeria government can waste them at any time, yet they are still speaking. What do this tell you? These people are ready to face anything, provided they get Biafra.
You say they are brainwashed. You call them miscreants, jobless and illiterates, yet they were able to withstand you all in arguments, stand fearlessly even to the extent of paying the ultimate prize for what they believe in and above all have raised billions in dollars just to be free. If they are jobless, then how come they are getting the resources to move the struggle forward?
Nigeria love lies too much. The military confrontion in the South East will push the East to rise up in defense of their people. You can’t be burning people inside their houses and think they won’t rise up. You can’t be committing genocide against indigenous people and want them to give their neck willingly to you.
I see the Nigeria military dividing soon. Lots of security personnel from the South are not happy over what is happening. Soldiers will keep burning houses in the East, while customs do theirs in the West, but non of such is happening in the North. Bandits are pampered, Boko Haram members recruited into the military, while peaceful IPOB members are killed at random. If this will continue then for sure the military will divide.
The end of the country called Nigeria is near. 95% of Easterners want Biafra and nothing can stop them this time.
Elochukwu Ohagi, Philosopher, Teacher And Activist, 2021.
IPOB EXONERATES ITSELF FROM THE ATTACKS AND KILLINGS IN THE SOUTH-EAST, BLAMES IT ON THE ARMY, OTHER SECURITY AGENCIES
AJM NEWS
IPOB PRESS RELEASE
NIGERIA ARMY, OTHER SECURITY AGENCIES, NOT ESN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESTRUCTION IN SOUTH EAST – IPOB
Following the frustration of the Nigeria military deployed to the South East, and their ranting claiming that IPOB and ESN are responsible for the numerous attacks, killings and burning down of people’s properties worth billions in the region, we the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), wish to tell the world that there is no iota of truth in such fabricated allegation.
It is rather the Nigeria military and their sister security agencies that are masterminding the ongoing secret genocide and mayhem in South East. It’s quite unfortunate that after committing these atrocities, these vampires cleverly point accusing fingers at IPOB just to cover their flanks and deceive the gullible.
Nigeria Army is afraid of facing Boko Haram and other terrorsists in the North but down here in the South they have taken over the work of the police in their desperation to kill more Biafrans. No matter how much they want to twist facts the public is already aware of their pranks.
The serial killings going on now in the land of Biafra are masterminded by the military and they cannot deny it. There are viral videos where the Nigeria Army is demonstrating its might against innocent and hapless people of Awgu in Enugu State. Will they say those burning down houses in the said video are IPOB and ESN? We challenge them for a forensic audit of the viral video. The UN should investigate this to establish the real identify of those behind the ongoing destruction in South East.
We wonder how Nigeria army and its security counterparts would derive joy in killing Biafrans but Boko Haram and bandits sacked them in their barracks in the North. The world will one day hold them accountable for these atrocities and crime against humanity. The truth will one day refuse to be buried.
The media should stop buying into their lies and report objectively.
COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL MEDIA AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY
INEC ANNOUNCES INSURANCE COVER FOR CORPS MEMBERS DEPLOYED FOR ANAMBRA ELECTION
NYSC Members
AJM NEWS
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an insurance cover for corps members deployed for the Anambra State governorship election slated for Saturday, November 6, 2021.
The Commission said the development followed its decision to implementing a policy, known as Electoral Hazard – a group personal accident policy, covering death by accident, temporary disability, permanent disability and medical treatment due to accident.
Chief Press Secretary to INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen in Abuja, said, the commission had insured all ad hoc staff, including the NYSC members engaged for the Anambra governorship election.
He said, “The Independent National Electoral Commission has obtained an insurance policy for all ad hoc staff that would be engaged for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for November 6 2021.
“The policy, known as Electoral Hazard, is a group personal accident policy. It covers death by accident, temporary disability, permanent disability and medical treatment due to accident.
“This has been the commission’s long standing standard practice for every election conducted by INEC.
“The ad hoc staff covered include Presiding Officers, Assistant Presiding Officers, Collation Officers, Returning Officers, Supervisory Presiding Officers and Security personnel.”
It would be recalled that INEC, had on October 26, presented cheques to the next-of-kin of police officers who died in a boat mishap that occurred during the Bayelsa Central and West Senatorial Districts’ by-elections, held on December 5 2020.
THE FREEDOM AND LIFE OF NNAMDI KANU IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN NOVEMBER 6 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN ANAMBRA, RELEASE HIM FOR PEACE TO REIGN, DOYIN OKUPE CALLS ON FG
Kanu And Okupe
{….Invite The Leadership Of IPOB To A Peace Meeting. The Government Should Listen To The Complaints Of The Youths From The South-East Region And See How A True Solution Can Be Negotiated~ DOYIN OKUPE}
AJM NEWS
Former Presidential aide, Doyin Okupe, has called on the Federal government to release IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Okupe who was the former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, said Kanu should be released if that would restore peace in the South-East geopolitical zone. According to him, the freedom or life of the IPOB leader is more important than the November 6 governorship in the state, which he observed risked flawed in the face of a militarised electoral process.
His words: “The Anambra State election is no doubt a security nightmare and a major cause for concern for many Nigerians. Whether we like it or not, the IPOB has become an established “Army of Resistance” for self-determination in the South-East. Also, we must come to accept that the Biafra ideology has come to stay.
“Although it is self-evident that the major stakeholders of these movements are predominantly youths, the adult themselves share the concerns of these fighting youths even though they may prefer a different approach to achieving the same goals.
“Unfortunately also, concurrent events in the nation make the counsels of the elders untenable and therefore unacceptable to the warring youths.The Police have deployed 34, 000 officers. We do not know the numbers for the military and civil defence institutions. To the average citizens in Anambra State, this militarisation and over-policing, though inevitable, can nevertheless, be comforting.
“From my own projections, nothing less than 50% of normally voting population, purely out of fear and apprehension, will stay in their houses and avoid voting. If this happens, the election itself becomes substantially flawed. This is because a major ingredient of democratic suffrage, ‘free and fair’ will be absent.
“While one must of necessity concede to the Federal Government that it should not normally tolerate or succumb to internal threats to peace and good order, perhaps it’s now time to seek the seemingly elusive peace in the South-East.
“I hereby call on the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, if that will bring peace in the South-East zone, especially Anambra State. Nnamdi Kanu should be released for the sake of peace and order in that region. Nigerians are in pain. Nigerians are suffering and we can’t afford war whether local, regional or national. We don’t need it. We need peace.
“Nnamdi Kanu is more important than the Anambra State governorship election. We need peace in all parts of this country, and if the release of Kanu will bring peace in Anambra State and the entire South-East zone, please the Federal Government should release him now.
“I call on the Federal Government at this point of our national history to invite the leadership of IPOB to a peace meeting. The Government should listen to the complaints of the youths from the South-East region and see how a true solution can be negotiated.
“I say this as someone who was part of government when Boko Haram was in its wake or infancy. The presumed might of the Federal Government made it look preposterous for the government to call a rag-tag group to a negotiating table. Now after more than 10 years, thousands of deaths, human tragedies and millions of internal human displacements, and with billions of dollars down the drain, I am convinced that it was indeed an error not to have negotiated for peace ab initio.
“Historically, since the mid-1900s, no insurgency, once fully established, lasts less than 15 years on the average. This is what I will like to remind this administration. Nigeria cannot afford to sustain another major internal rebellion, for another 15 years.”
BARR. UCHENNA ORJI, EBONYI STATE COMMISSIONER FOR INFORMATION RESPONDS TO CRITICS, AS HE HIGHLIGHTS SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMMES EMBARKED ON BY GOV. UMAHI TO ENGAGE THE YOUTHS AND TO KEEP THEM BUSY
Barr. Uchenna Orji
His Words:
The issue of youth restiveness is actually a national menace that requires collective national attention. In Ebonyi State, we have done quite a lot. The governor immediately after the ENDSARS protest, did a 7-day summit aimed to get the youths to air their grievances, their opinions, their recommendations that will make us move forward as a nation. The summit was tagged “Youth Engagement in National Development”. And thereafter, the governor in response to their recommendations launched N3billion EndSars Empowerment Programme.
That N3Billion Naira empowerment programme is in the basket. It is not only for the victims of the Endsars protest but also for the protesters themselves. It is for entrepreneurs, especially the youths and women. All you have to do is to do a bankable proposal. Once it passes the test by the financial institution concerned, you are sure to be a proud beneficiary of between N500,000, N1,000,000 to N2,000,000.
And I can tell you that so far, 200 people per local government have been shortlisted, that is 2,600 people to be beneficiaries of this empowerment programme. And I am sure that about 20 persons were already given N5,000,000 each and of course, some of them were those that couldn’t make it back to the executive council because they needed to go into business and I can tell that they are already doing business. So, again, let me mention that we have other packages.
The governor did introduce a talent hunt initiative under youths and sports and has regenerated sporting events in Ebonyi State in the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and that is playing some roles, that is, catching them young, discovering talents, and redirecting the focus of your youths, the women in various sporting events and that has also kept our people busy. During the summit, the resource persons were taken in the entertainment industry, security, and even in the academy, and those in the entertainment industry had to bring a proposal on how to tap into the potentials we have in tourism and in the creative industry to develop our youth. As I speak with you, very soon we are going to launch a programme on youth empowerment through the entertainment industry and creative industry that will have a lot of ripple effects in terms of creating jobs and creating wealth for the population. Now, you need to know that we have a vocational college. That vocational college is an institution created by this administration that is aimed at bringing on board all of these talented persons such as artisans, craftsmen, technicians, especially those of them who didn’t pass through the walls of tertiary institutions, getting them into the school, having them trained for a minimum of 2 years, or perhaps to 3 or 4 years, depending on the vocation or entrepreneurship programme and thereafter, they will be given certification – a certificate that will now empower them to access funds from CBN, from Bank of Industry.
Let me assure you that this is going to be an aspect that will get our people to be engaged. Let me also mention that education is also being launched, a creative education whereby we are looking at taking the women outside the streets, taking them back through what we call “Out of School Children’s Programme”. They are to receive counseling, free and compulsory education.
There was a launch of this programme for N7.5 Billion and it will also reduce street hawking in parts of Ebonyi and even outside the shores of Ebonyi State. The last time we came to Lagos, we empowered them with N130 Million at the sum of N250,000 each. Those people are already prospering with their families because we introduced what we call a street-to-skill empowerment programme. Of course, within the shores of the state, we also rolled out N750 Million and empowered 3,000 youths after training them in different entrepreneurship programme and I can tell you today that they have been taken away from the streets. We also did an empowerment programme for the poorest of the poor widows.
Today, we have rolled out and given out as a grant, the sum of N400,300,000 to the poorest of the poor widows. I can tell you that has enhanced school enrollment because when you empower the women, you have empowered the nation, you have empowered the children. You have even empowered the husbands and that is what is happening in Ebonyi State. I can also tell you that the civil servants are not left out in this.
We have four billion (Facility/loan) which they have already assessed completely. That loan is a single-digit loan that they are to pay over a number of years – a minimum of three years and a maximum of the time they are bowing out of service. That has made our civil servants to be more self-reliant under the programme that is called “Second Address”. The second Address means that even though you have white-collar jobs, you need to have green-collar jobs to make up for the job that you are doing as a civil servant.
That has also helped a lot. We have quite a lot of programmes that we have done, even for the clergy because we also attend to all classes of people – the clergy and the clerics. We rolled out N500,800,000 and gave it to 5,800 people with the sum of N100,000 per person.
We also considered the wives of security officials. In order to complement the efforts of their husbands who are working for us during the day and at night, the governor rolled out N80,600,000, that is N200,000 to 403 people who benefited, and today, these wives of these security officials are doing very well. But our emphasis is on agriculture because in agriculture, both the primary level, secondary and tertiary levels are doing a lot and that I believe will enhance food sufficiency and self-reliance as a people.
The governor is also targeting employing 5,000 youths and women; that is, civil service employment at the local government and state government levels. That recruitment is ongoing and that recruitment I can tell you by January, we’ll be rounding off and the 5,000 people will be recruited into civil service. Let me assure you that Ebonyi State is a concision site.
Anywhere you go, there is a concision going on. That is another form of employment and empowerment that is going on and we are targeting the non-skilled, the semi-skilled, and the skilled labour in this process. In all the local government areas, you see different kinds of projects scattered across the state. You see Ebonyi State indigenes working as engineers in road construction, engineers in flyover construction.
Today, we have not less than 13 flyovers making Ebonyi the highest after Lagos and Abuja. Today, we have the best network of roads, making us the next after Lagos and Abuja. Today, we are the first the construct roads with concrete pavements that lasts for a minimum of 50 years and it is our indigenes that have been doing that. Then we don’t have a capital flight at all because the indigenes, that is, those who are residents in Ebonyi, are the people doing the work. We have quite a lot of facilities created by the governor that empowers our people.
The international market has 5,000 shops that are housing our men and our women and they are doing very well now. The shopping mall is Africa’s biggest shopping mall and it is beautifully adorned. It was constructed with facilities such as lifts, escalators, CCTV cameras, and a car park taking about 50,000 vehicles at once. We also have medical centers that people are managing. This is meant to be driven by the private sector, that is, a place where we have corporate conferences and I can tell you that it is the most beautiful economical centre in Africa. I do not exaggerate. We also have an emerging international airport that provides not less than 10,000 jobs, which will empower our youths to go into importation and exportation.
We are training not less than 60,000 female youths to see how they can be proud millionaires. Africa’s biggest university of medical sciences is in Ebonyi State. We have given it over to the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria because they have the best management and discipline that will give us all we need. All we have to do is to generate revenue and job creation through them and that will trigger job employment and wealth creation in Ebonyi State. I assure you that we are really emerging and we are very proud of that.
SOUTHEAST COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS, BISHOPS/ARCHBISHOPS DEMAND FOR THE RELEASE OF MAZI NNAMDI KANU, FOR PEACE TO RETURN TO THE ZONE
Traditional Rulers, Southeast
AJM NEWS Otu Obiahu
Following the rising cases of killings and crisis in the Southeastern part of Nigeria, the traditional rulers and representatives of clergymen in the zone have once again requested for the immediate release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from the federal government.
Nnamdi Kanu was rearrested in Kenya and illegally brought back to Nigeria some months back and kept at the DSS detention facility.
According to a communique made available to newsmen, the traditional rulers maintained that Nnamdi Kanu’s release from detention would automatically restore peace and tranquility in the crisis ridden Southeast.
Below Is The Full Text Of The Communique::
JOINT STATEMENT BY THE SOUTH EAST COUNCIL OF TRADITIONAL RULERS AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF IGBO ARCHBISHOPS AND BISHOPS
Gentlemen of the Press,
We, the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops, note with deep concern the high level of insecurity and socio-economic disruption in the South East Zone of Nigeria. This has deepened the hardships being faced by the citizens and rendered prostrate the socio-political and economic lives of our people.
Flowing from similar initiatives taken to bring peace to other troubled parts of the country, we urge the Federal Government and other stakeholders to explore dialogue and negotiation in resolving critical issues that threaten national unity, cohesion and development.
Accordingly, we refer to our earlier request for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to the South East Council of Traditional Rulers and the Representatives of Igbo Archbishops and Bishops and restate this call even more strongly. We are of the firm belief that this act of courage and statesmanship is not only imperative but will speedily de-escalate the heightened state of insecurity and dislocation in the South East Zone.
We also urge President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) and the Federal Government to take immediate steps to de-proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and release all IPOB members being held in various detention facilities in Nigeria.
We call on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to demilitarize the South East Zone, moreso as it has become apparent that a continued military siege on the region can only lead to heightened tension, skirmishes and endless bloodletting between the security agencies and our youths. It has become urgent, imperative and compelling to de-emphasize the military option and move towards finding a political solution that will lead to sustainable peace.
We assert that heightened inequality and marginalization remain at the core of youth restiveness in our region. We urge our apex National Leadership to note that until it takes deliberate steps to run government on the basis of fairness, equity, justice and non-discrimination, this restiveness is likely to continue. We shall respectfully seek audience with Mr President to discuss these issues in exploring political solution and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
On our part, we assure our youths that we have heard their cries of marginalization, injustice and longsuffering. As concerned parents, we feel your pain. However, we urge you to de-escalate the tension and remain law-abiding to enable us to engage especially the Federal Government in finding a lasting solution to the crises.
Consistent with the above, we urge IPOB not to do anything that would hinder or be seen to be hindering the smooth running of the forthcoming Governorship Election in Anambra State and to cancel all scheduled sit-at-home orders, as these have already caused untold hardship for our people.
Finally, we call on all the candidates in the forthcoming Anambra State Governorship Election to eschew violence and commit to free, fair and credible election.
Signed:
H.M. Igwe Charles Mkpuma Chairman, Ebonyi State Trad. Rulers Council & Chairman, South East Council of Traditional Rulers.
H.M. Eze Joseph N. Nwabeke Chairman, Abia State Trad. Rulers Council
H.M. Obi Nnaemeka Achebe, CFR Chairman, Anambra State Trad. Rulers Council
H.M. Igwe Amb L. O. C. Agubuzu, OON Chairman, Enugu State Trad. Rulers Council
H.M. Eze Dr. E. C. Okeke Chairman, Imo State Trad. Rulers Council
Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna Catholic Archbishop of Owerri
Most Rev. Dr Emmanuel O. Chukwuma, OON Anglican Archbishop of Enugu
Most Rev. Dr. Chibuzo R. Opoko, TFG, DOB, JP Methodist Archbishop of Umuahia
Most Rev. Dr. Valerian M. Okeke Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha
Most Rev. Dr Uma A. Onwunta Past Principal Clerk Presbyterian Church Nigeria
Bishop Obi Onubogu Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria
Rev. Dr. Abraham Nwali Chairman, CAN, South East Zone
FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT, IYORCHIA AYU EMERGES PDP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, SAYS THE SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION IS A QUIT NOTICE TO APC
IYORCHIA AYU
…The PDP Is Back. We Are Determined! The Other One Is A Contraption~ IYORCHIA AYU
AJM NEWS
Iyorchia Ayu has emerged as the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Ayu’s emergence marked the conclusion of the PDP’s elective national convention in the early hours of Sunday.
The former Senate President went into the elective convention as the consensus candidate of the Northern PDP leaders.
However, delegates still cast their ballot for all the candidates despite the consensus.
A total of 3,511 accredited delegates to the National Convention were called out to vote.
First to be called were delegates from Abia and Adamawa States. Abia has 116 delegates while Adamawa has 118 delegates.
According to the Chairman, Central Planning Committee of the Convention and Governor of Adamawa State, Alhaji Umaru Fintiri, there were a total of 3,701 delegates in the PDP, out of which 3,511 were accredited.
Speaking in the early hours of Sunday after his election at the national convention of the party in Abuja, Ayu said: “The PDP is back. We are determined. The other one is a contraption.
“In two weeks time you will see the power that will come back in PDP in every state. A small group of people decided to divide Nigeria. We will unite the country and move ahead to develop this country.
“We did it before, we will do it again. The other party can never hold a convention… It is a challenge. This is a quit notice to the other party. We are taking back the country. We will develop the country.”
THE ARREST OF FORMER SGF, ANYIM PIUS ANYIM BY EFCC, AN ACT OF POLITICAL INTIMIDATION BY APC, SAYS OYC
Senator Anyim Pius Anyim
… Describes The Fight Against Corruption By APC Led Government As “Selective”.
Otu Obiahu AJM NEWS 27/10/2021
The apex youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide- Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has described the arrest of Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim as an act of political intimidation by APC led federal government against position voices in Nigeria.
Reacting to the unfortunate arrest of a former Secretary to the Federal Government, (SFG), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, by the Economic And Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) urged the Buhari led Government to desist from the perceived intimidation, victimisation and witch-hunt of selected region through the anti-corruption body.
Speaking through her President, Comrd. Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, shortly after what he described as “an unwarranted arrest”, the Council charged EFCC to as a matter of urgency, quit intimidating, harassing and embarrassing Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and other Igbo prominent eminent sons of the Igbo nation.
Igboayaka, who called for the immediate release of the distinguished image of the region, amidst bitterness, recalled that a similar treatment derogatory treatment was meted out to a former Governor of Abia State, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu.
He said: “EFCC has been characterized with political conspiracy to witch-hunt the perceived opposition members of other political parties or those that are not in the corridors of power with APC led federal government.
“Selective fight against corruption is the worst corruption ravaging the political cum economic growth of Nigeria, Economic And Financial Crime Commission ought to be an independent institution but the principle of its establishment has been messed with by APC government. Although PDP did obviously the same thing when they were in power, but APC’s style own is carried out with impunity.” Igboayaka Stated.
“APC led Government of President Mohammadu Buhari should as a matter of urgency desist from intimidating the perceived opposition members, and use EFCC for the purpose for which it was established.
“It’s unfortunate that this was the same treatment that was meted out to Sen. Orji Uzo Kalu, and, therefore, Ohanaeze Youths Council is urging EFCC to immediately stop intimidating, harassing and embracing Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim and other Igbo prominent sons of the Igbo extraction. EFCC should have a mind of its own and not derail from its original plan and purpose of establishment. Do not be used as a tool to propagate corruption. It drags your image through the mud”, Igboayaka advised.
Speaking further, he said: There’s hatred of political act going on against Igbo political office holders and stakeholders by the EFCC and the same EFCC has failed to investigate Patami, Gov. Ganduje and all others who have been indicted with all manner of corruptible acts.
EBONYI WILL NEVER BE PART OF BIAFRA, GOV. UMAHI VOWS
Governor Dave Umahi
{…As the father of Ebonyi, I want to make it clear that we will never be in Biafra, we will not. We will not go back to second slavery}
AJM NEWS
The Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi has vowed that the state would never be part of the Biafra Republic being canvassed for by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in the Southeast part of the country.
Umahi spoke this during an inter-denominational prayer summit organised in Abakaliki, the state capital on Friday by the Office of the Wife of the Governor, in conjunction with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
According to him, being part of the proposed Biafra would amount to second slavery for Ebonyi State.
“As the father of Ebonyi, I want to make it clear that we will never be in Biafra, we will not. We will not go back to second slavery.
“We want to belong to Nigeria. We want to belong to fair and equitable Nigeria.
“And let me make it clear, zoning or no zoning, party or no party, South-East must not be schemed out of the affairs of this country.
“What is good for other regions should be good for the southeast.
“Let southeast properly integrate in the affairs of this nation. We are nation-builders, we have investments in every part of this country.
“We should not be feared but people use hate speeches to keep us down.
“People should not be afraid of us. We will work with God to restore the peace of this nation.
“We will work with the people for love and unity of this country.
“Give us a chance, treat us fairly for we have sacrificed a lot to the building of this nation,” the governor said.
Umahi also commended the Wife of the President for initiating the summit for Nigeria to seek the face of God over the seemingly intractable security problems confronting the nation.
He announced a N2 million cash reward for anyone with useful information that could lead to the arrest of bandits terrorising some parts of the state and a “comprehensive amnesty” for repentant bandits.
Umahi said: “I’m offering a comprehensive amnesty for repentant bandits and terrorists.
“Do not be part of agitation groups, do not be part of killings.
“Anywhere you are and you an Ebonyi man, whether in the West or South-East, I am ready to stop everything to empower you.
“We are ready to empower our youths,” he said.
Umahi also refuted the reports in the social media that Ebonyi indigenes were responsible for the violent activities of the proscribed IPOB in Anambra and Enugu states.
He said as leaders they would work with God and the people to enthrone peace in all parts of the country.
According to him, peace and security should be the collective responsibility of everyone.
“Buhari has invoked the face of God and today what governors cannot solve, what Military Generals cannot solve, what security agencies cannot solve, she has remembered that God is the owner of the entire universe,” Umahi said.
He urged IPOB and Eastern Security Network to disband and allow governors and other South-East leaders to pursue political solution to the agitation against marginalisation.
Earlier, his wife, Rachel, extolled the president’s wife for directing the prayer summit, which aimed at seeking the face of God to restore peace in the country.
She said: “Our coming together is to seek the face of God over the security challenges and other problems facing the nation.
“Through our constant prayers, we can overcome the rising cases of killing, armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in our country.
“God has been so kind to Ebonyi and our state has been so peaceful but we cannot take this for granted.
“Let us therefore pray with faith and sincere hearts.”
NNAMDI KANU’S TRIAL: OVER 3 MILLION IGBOS CRUSHED BY BRITAIN/NIGERIA IN 1967-70 COULD NOT STOP BIAFRA – OYC CAUTIONS FG
… Anyone Or Government, Both At Local Or International Level Who Thinks That Crushing Nnamdi Kanu/IPOB Will Stop Biafra Agitation Must Be Hallucinating. The Only Possible Solution Is Dialogue And Negotiation~ Igboayaka
Otu Obiahu AJM NEWS
The Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), the apex youth wing of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has urged the Nigerian Government to thread with caution over the trial of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Speaking with newsmen in a press conference held at Ikoyi, Lagos State after an exclusive interview with BBC Igbo at her National Headquarters on Thursday 23rd July 2021, the National President of the Council, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka noted that from 1967 to 1970 of a genocidal war deliberately executed by the Nigerian Government with the aid of Britain, Russia, France, Germany and United States of America couldn’t silence nor bury the agitation of Biafra. Anyone or government both at local or international level, thinking that crushing Nnamdi Kanu/IPOB will stop the agitation must be hallucinating.
Comrade Igboayaka advised the Nigerian government that threats of death or imprisoning the agitators cannot quench the call for Biafra restoration, but the only viable means is dialogue and negotiation.
“The call for Nigeria’s unity is only a verbal gesture because the President Mohammadu Buhari-led federal government since 2015 is practically complimenting the effort of pro-Biafra groups through his pursuit of the Fulani agenda and open marginalization, injustice and killing of IPOB and other self- determination groups in Alaigbo,” he stated.
Comrade Igboayaka called on Igbo leaders, governors and former governors, Senators, Traditional and Religious leaders to rally round Nnamdi Kanu for his safety and use the opportunity of his release to seek for the workable approach for political cum economic survival of Neighbours in Nigeria political project.
“No one throws away a child with the dirty bath of water, and an elder who rescued a perceived stubborn child have paved a new way of reasoning and the need to listen to the elders, therefore Ohanaeze Youth Council-OYC appeal to notable, noble and great men of Igbo extraction to rise up to the occasion and show their fatherly responsibility to save Nnamdi Kanu,” Igboayaka stated.
“Whether wrong or right, anybody thinking that Nnamdi Kanu is standing alone should interview any Igbo youth in all the communities of Igbo extraction, you will be shocked that Igbo youths still believe in Igwe Bu Ike and Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya. This evidential proof is a signal that Nnamdi Kanu could be used by a reasonable government to come into a dialogue or negotiation table, but an unreasonable government will use Nnamdi Kanu’s trial to put Nigeria in a situation more excruciating than 1967-70 experience,” Igboayaka revealed.
He noted that “At the end of every violent method, peaceful strategy is always used to restore peace and unity, advising, President Mohammadu Buhari and his team to quickly make a U-turn to give peaceful approach a chance to address Nnamdi Kanu’s issues, stressing that war failed in 1967-70 to address the Biafra issue. Also, judiciary approach over the quest for self-determination and Kanu’s trial can’t address the issue rather it will endanger the peace and unity of Nigeria,” Igboayaka concluded.
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