This is another national army in country .
Watch
Has Boko Haram been defeated?
Friday, May 24, 2019
WATCH: Boko Haram Releases New Video Showing Hostages Captured From Nigerian Army
This is another national army in country .
Watch
Has Boko Haram been defeated?
BREXIT: Theresa May Resigns
She will hold on until another PM is elected.
To watch the full speech, click the link https://t.co/eg4ElQMXVR
JUSTICES CAUGHT IN THE ACT
BY Oseghale Erahodu
An unsavoury dinner has just taken place in Aso Rock Villa. The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Mohammed, was caught on camera in a dinner session with President Muhammadu Buhari. The CJN had a full retinue of Supreme and Appeal Court justices, including members of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal at the dinner. They were at the Villa to break the Ramadan fast with the president.
If you ask me what my grouse with this high-powered dinner is, I will quickly retort by telling you that there is something distasteful about the meal. It is sour in every sense of the word because of the secrecy that was brought to bear on it.
Before their lordships were feted at this presidential dinner, some other high-ranking government officials, including the leadership of the legislative arm of government, had had similar dinners with Mr. President. But there is a difference. The dinner for the other stakeholders was in the public domain. They were announced to the Press. The public was very much in the know. But that was not the case with that of their lordships. Theirs was kept under wraps. It took some kind of whistle-blowing for some of us to know about this meal that has all the trappings of compromise.
Why were their lordships ferreted into Aso Rock and treated to a sumptuous evening without Nigerians being put in the know? That is the question that is begging for answer.
Now, let us go into the substance of the matter. I have a problem with this dinner because of the issue we have on our hands. The Nigerian judiciary is on trial because of the 2019 presidential elections. The received impression in many homes in Nigeria is that the election in question was won by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is largely believed to be holding a stolen mandate. It is this disputed outcome of the election that Atiku and his party, the PDP, have gone to court to challenge.
But an issue as testy as this cannot be resolved by a corrupt and compromised judiciary. The independence of the judiciary, the world over, is almost taken for granted. The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. It is the bastion of democracy. It is expected that the judiciary will stand firm and courageous when democratic institutions are being abused and trampled upon by corrupt politicians.
Not too long ago, the judiciary in Kenya, an East African country, made the world proud when its Supreme Court upturned the result of the 2017 presidential election in the country owing to widespread electoral malpractices. Since that courageous step was taken in Kenya, the world has been holding the Kenyan judiciary aloft as the beacon of hope for democracy in Africa, nay in the world. The judiciary in Nigeria may not have attained this enviable height, but Nigerians are hoping that our courts would, one day, help to right monumental wrongs. This is where we stand in Nigeria of today.
It was on the strength of this delicate situation that Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the President of the Court of Appeal who also assumed the chairmanship of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, was asked to recuse herself from the trial because it is believed that she is an interested party in the case. I will not bother you here with the details of the assumed and presumed weaknesses of Justice Bulkachuwa in this matter. Suffice it to say that she has since recused herself even though she did so in a pretensious manner. Our hope is that the other Justices on the panel and whoever that will take over from Bulkachuwa will do justice in this matter without fear or favour.
But we are constrained to say that members of the presidential election petition tribunal have started on a disappointing note. Their ruling that there was not enough reason for Justice Bulkachuwa to recuse herself from the case is bizarre. How they decided to ignore judicial precedents and decided cases in this matter beats the imagination. Is this their skewed judgment a foretaste of what to expect from them in the case before them? We hope it is not. Nigerians are still waiting for them to dispense justice in a manner that will not make our judiciary a laughing stock.
You can now appreciate my agony when the matter which we are trying to resolve at the Appeal Court level is being entrenched at the Supreme Court. It must be noted that Justice Tanko Mohammed was appointed in controversial circumstances. He was chosen to replace Justice Walter Onnoghen, the deposed CJN who Buhari suspended in circumstances that were less than decent. Analysts have since linked Onnoghen's deposition to the presidential election case we have on our hands. All the talk about non declaration of assets by the former CJN was bunkum and a mere afterthought.
Given this set-up, it will be most unconscionable for Justice Tanko Mohammed to do anything that will throw him open to suspicion. Since he is believed to be the president's special nominee, he must tread with caution. He must be seen to be an impartial arbiter who will not be compromised by sticky meals.
The fact that the presidential dinner under reference took place in secret is worrisome. The impression it conveys is that the concealed meal may be one of the sessions that will be put in place to compromise the justices, particularly the CJN in the ongoing presidential election petition trials. The development is most reprehensible, to say the least. It sends uncomfortable signals to the watching world.
Justice Mohammed must retrace his steps. He must also watch his back. He must bear in mind that it will be imperative that he recuses himself from the case if he cannot maintain the neutrality expected of him. Nigeria must overcome a compromised and corrupt judiciary which cannot save the country from itself. The ongoing presidential election petition will be a case to end all cases. Our lordships must watch what they do because the world is watching.
That is why I shudder at the fact that their lordships did not see anything wrong with the secrecy that attended their outing. Considering the fact that other dinners that held before theirs were publicized, their lordships should have spared a moment to ask why theirs was made a top secret.
Circumspection is paramount here because of the case before them. They must realise that they are being looked up to resolve many of the thorny issues that the 2019 presidential election has thrown up. A cavalier disposition such as the one Tanko Mohammed and his entourage displayed in the instant case will not serve anyone's purpose in this matter. They should come off it and stay guided.
OSEGHALE, A freelance journalist writes from Benin City.
Zamfara Election: Supreme Court Nullifies APC Votes, Declares PDP Winner
The court, presided over by Justice Paul Adamu Galinji, described that all votes cast for the APC as wasted votes.
The decision of the court affected all candidates of the APC in the elective positions of the 2019 general elections.
Daily Post reports has it that a five-man panel of justices, in the Supreme Court on Friday, May 24, nullified all votes cast for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections in Zamfara state.
In the lead judgment by Justice Paul Adamu Galinji, the apex court held that all votes cast for the APC as “wasted votes” and declared that all political parties with the second highest votes in the elections and the required spread, are elected to the various elections.
Sit-at-home: Court Remands 140 IPOB Members For Alleged Treason In Enugu
By Chukwuemeka Chimerue - May 24, 2019
ENUGU— A Magistrate Court sitting in Enugu and presided by Magistrate A. N. Chioke has remanded 140 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, over charges of treason.
The IPOB members were arrested by men of the Nigerian army at Ibeagwa Nike military checkpoint en route to Nsukka on Wednesday, 22 May for their scheduled evangelism for May 30 sit-at-home sensitization rally.
When they were brought to the court yesterday, in three 608 buses and one 18-seater bus, the defendants all pleaded not guilty on the allegation of conspiring to commit treasonable felony.
They were however, arraigned outside the court for about two hours as the court room could not accommodate them.
The offence was said to be punishable under Sect. 516 (A) of the Criminal Code CAP C38, Laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria 2004 as applicable in Enugu State.
The defense counsel to the IPOB members, Mr. Osita Abalu applied for their bail on the grounds that there was no evidence to back up the charge.
Abalu said that the prosecution had failed to provide probable cause why the defendants should be remanded in court in line with Section 234 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Laws (ACJL) of Enugu State, 2017.
He urged the court to exercise its powers under Section 225 of the same law and grant bail to the defendants.
Abalu said that though the offence for which the defendants were charged was punishable with life imprisonment, Section 88 of the ACJL, the Magistrates Court was qualified to grant bail.
He also urged the court to order the release of the four buses conveying the defendants to the venue of their scheduled evangelism in Nsukka area of Enugu.
Also speaking, another counsel to the 104 defendants, Mr F.C. Okeke told the court that it was ridiculous for the prosecution to claim that the defendants attempted to overthrow President Muhammadu Buhari.
Okeke said that the defendants were arrested on their way to a burial and wondered how that could translate to over-throwing the government.
“President Muhammadu Buhari is in Abuja, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is in Enugu while the defendants were arrested in Nsukka,” he said.
The counsel described the charge as trumped-up and meant to deny the defendants of their fundamental rights.
Okeke said that the prosecution deliberately brought the matter to the Magistrates Court just to punish them.
“An accused person cannot be brought to a court when such court has no jurisdiction to entertain the matter just to punish them.
“That is the essence of the ACJL of Enugu State. The law does not want an innocent soul to suffer.
“The defendants were arrested with no evidence; not even a razor blade. They were going to a burial,” he said.
Okeke urged the court to grant them bail in the most lenient means.
However, the prosecution counsel, Mr Paschal Nwachukwu urged the court to discountenance the bail application.
Nwachukwu said that the law empowered prosecutors to bring defendants to a magistrate for remand.
He said that a court could not grant bail in a matter it had no jurisdiction.
In her ruling, Magistrate Chioke declined jurisdiction in the case and remanded the defendants in Enugu Prisons and urged the defense team to make application in the appropriate court.
The magistrate ordered the release of the four vehicles to their owners on bond and on the provision of proof of ownership and particulars.
“The charge the defendants are remanded for is treasonable but the prosecution did not list any exhibit of weapon of warfare against them.
“The only document against them before the court is the charge sheet. This looks to me like a trumped up charge,” Chioke said.
Thursday, May 23, 2019
DSS Moves To Arrest Obasanjo, Surrounds Ota Farm
The Department of State Services DSS has barricaded the country home of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in an attempt to arrest him. The DSS want the former President to defend his allegations raised in accusing Buhari of plotting to use Boko Haram, herdsmen to Islamize Nigeria.
Obasanjo, who spoke on the topic, “Mobilizing Nigeria’s human& natural resources for national development and stability” also said both Boko Haram and herdsmen acts of violence were not treated as they should at the beginning.
According to him, “They have both incubated and developed beyond what Nigeria can handle alone. They are now combined and internationalized with ISIS in control.
The DSS noted that it is necessary for Obasanjo to come to the commission office to answer questions on the weighty allegations leveled against the Government of Nigeria.
Currently, the DSS has surrounded the farmland of Olusegun Obasanjo to arrest him.
Islamization/Fulanisation: Buhari Planning To Destroy S’East, S’South Regions – MASSOB backs Obasanjo
By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
ABAKALIKI— MOVEMENT for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on Wednesday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government of alleged plot to destroy both the south-east and south-south regions.
The group made this known through a statement signed by the Director of Information, Mr. Edeson Samuel and forwarded to our correspondent in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
MASSOB, however, applauded former President Olusegun Obasanjo for revealing the plans of President Buhari to use Boko Haram and ISIS to actualize the agenda of Islamization and fulanization of Nigeria.
The statement read, “Chief Obasanjo should not be crucified or condemned because he exposed the intended evil President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal government is planning to unleash on people of southern and middle belt regions of Nigeria.
“MASSOB have confirmed that the likes of Lauretta Onochie and Alhaji Lai Mohammed have mortgaged their consciences for their selfish desires, presenting falsehoods to the citizens because they want to be relevant to the President Buhari’s administration.
“MASSOB commends Obasanjo for been courageous and eloquence in revealing this unwanted truth, which the present government doesn’t want to hear.
“It will be recalled that MASSOB have earlier exposed this Islamization agenda of President Muhammad Buhari in pursuit, projection and actualization of the grand command of Othman Dan Fodio which is to islamize/fulanize this geographical entity called Nigeria and destroy the entire southern Nigeria but nobody believed us.
“MASSOB has gathered many secret plans by the northern political and religious leaders against the southern region through Biafra Intelligence Agency (BIA).
“In early 1960’s, the north through Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello used Chief Akintola to destabilize the Western region, today they want to use Bola Tinubu to destabilize the political structure of the Southern region. That was the recent meeting of some northern leaders in Saudi Arabia.
“MASSOB wishes to make it clearer again that there is no difference between Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, the terrorist herdsmen where sent to go and destroy the South and Middle belt while the Boko Haram will carry their acts of terrorism in the northeast.
“That is why President Buhari can never declare Fulani herdsmen, a terrorist movement or even to condemn the killing of the innocent citizens by these foot soldiers of Islam called Fulani herdsmen,” the group stated.
Ohanaeze Kicks Against Closure Of Enugu Airport
ENUGU— APEX Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Tuesday kicked against the plan by the Federal Government to shut down the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu over alleged congestion of shops, describing it as ill-timed and capable of causing chaos.
The Igbo group urged the government to “deviate from such plot, as this will block the economic development in Igboland,” even as they appealed to political office holders in the South East region to step into the matter to forestall the planned closure of the international airport.
A statement by Chidozie Orizu, Special Assistant (Media) to the National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Arthur Obiora, advised the government to steer clear of such plans to avoid chaos and crisis.
He said, “The attention of the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (Worldwide), has been drawn to the recent publication in the media quoting the Minister of Aviation on a plan to shut down the Enugu International Airport due to congestion of shops.
“The government should deviate from such plot, as this will block the economic development in Igbo land.
“The Igbo political office holders both at the National and State Houses of Assembly, Governors and Ministers should come together and help calm down the looming chaos.
“The Minister should steer clear, otherwise it would cause chaos because the said airport has been upgraded for use, hence the youths can’t can’t sit back and watch it happen".
2 Confirmed Dead, 3 Injured In Onitsha Building Collapse
ONITSHA— At least two persons have been confirmed dead, following the sudden collapse of a four-storey building in Onitsha, Anambra State yesterday.
The Anambra State Police Command in an update Wednesday night, confirmed the death of two persons after the collapse of the building earlier in the day.
A statement by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Haruna Mohammed, said three other persons were rescued alive.
The statement said: “On the 22/05/2019 at about 3p.m., a building under construction located at No 9 Ezenwa Street, Onitsha belonging to one Barr Ikebu Aso collapsed.
“Police patrol teams and other sister agencies rushed to the scene and cordoned off the area to checkmate miscreants and criminal elements from taking advantage of the situation to loot".
The PPRO said that the three casualties whose identities are yet to be ascertained were rushed to the General Hospital, Onitsha, by the Red Cross for medical attention while two others were certified dead by the medical doctor and their corpses deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
He said: “The rescue operation is still ongoing and case is under investigation to ascertain circumstances surrounding the incident".
OPRAH WALKS HER FORMER SA SCHOOL STUDENT DOWN THE ISLE
Glori Nelson took to her instagram pictures of her wedding day and among the them was her with her mama bears.
"My three mama bears walked me down the aisle. One walked me in spirit. I lost my mum when I was ten and her spirit gained me to them. A praying mum, dead or alive, is so powerful" she wrote.
Oprah was one of the mamas who were right by her side on the big day.
Tuesday, May 21, 2019
Man United To Complete Multi-Million Pound Transfer
James, who has made just 39 senior appearances for Swansea, has emerged as a key figure for the Welsh side this season, scoring five league goals and registering seven assists to attract attention from a number of Premier League clubs.
It looks however as if Manchester United have won the race for the 21-year-old, with The Daily Mail reporting that the Old Trafford club have agreed a £15million fee for James.
The report also claims that United’s Premier League rivals Newcastle; Everton and Brighton who have recently appointed James’ former Swansea boss Graham Potter as their manager were also interested in the winger, but The Red Devils offered the best financial deal for both Swansea and James.
As well as breaking into the Swansea side this season, James also made his debut for Wales – who are managed by Manchester United club legend Ryan Giggs during the recent March international break.
With a number of Premier League sides circling, it always seemed likely that James would leave the Liberty Stadium this summer, and Manchester United’s financial strength meant they were always going to be the frontrunners for his signature.
£15million however is an excellent return for Swansea on a player who hasn’t even made 50 senior appearances in his career, and they must now look to use it as best they can in order to strengthen their own side in the summer transfer window.
Biafra Heroes Day: South East, South South Governors supports IPOB
They gave their support during the mid year meeting of South-East, South South Governors Forum recently held in Enugu.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of South East Governors Forum, Engr. David Umahi of Ebonyi State said that "IPOB is right to call for a sit at home to honour those who died during the war from every side".
He noted that he does not support IPOB but 30th of May is a highly recognised event to honour those who died in their million for a better future which they felt they don't have in their time;'stressing that he has declared 30th of May as public holiday in Ebonyi State and asked every Nigerian to recognise the day as a day to honour all the heroes.
In collaboration, Governor Wike of River State said "it is normal for everyone to honour those who died in the tragic war and ask Nigeria to join in the sit at home as a sign of unity"
APPRECIATING THE RICH CULTURAL AND MORAL VALUES OF THE GREAT MBAISE NATION IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD
I must say that I am humbled and overwhelmed by this singular honour you have given me to make a contribution on this all important convention.
A gathering of this sort is timely and indispensable. Without belabouring the obvious, our culture is in a serious state of jeopardy and on the brink of extinction. We are now living in an entirely new world our fathers and grand fathers could never have imagined. We live in a virtual world, a world without territorial boundaries and without any specific culture any particular people can lay claim as their own. We live in a world where the new technology draws all nations into close proximity as in a village. In this global village, world cultures are competing and struggling to survive. Of course, in such an arena of competition, cultures of the less advanced nations are usually victimized and obliterated. Needless to say that main concern of the so-called global village is to dissolve all cultures and transform the human race into one virtual people practicing one unreal and virtual culture that thrives on aping and mimicking the most powerful and domineering cultures of the world (Cf. David Asonye Iheanacho.
Mbaise, Who we are as a people).
It goes without gain saying that there is lurking danger to our identities by the magical tools of the new technology. Our generation is suffering from serious ideological inferiority complex and as such have become copicats of other cultures.
This is evidenced by the level moral decay in our society, get-rich quick syndrome among the youths as against hardworking and sincerity of purpose, lack of respect for elders and values, being ashamed of mother tongue. Indeed we are into serious identity crisis. We must realize the fierce urgency of the situation. We must realize that unless we make haste and secure whatever we can from our history and tradition the rampaging global village might cause our history and culture to disappear completely from the face of the earth.
Wise nations and peoples are heading back to the basics of their cultures to preserve whatever they can of the various aspects of their cultures before they could be swept to oblivion by the ravens that are trampling down peoples cultures around the world.
It is in the light of this same realization that I heartily commend the organizers of this congress. Thank you very much. You have contributed your own quota in the efforts to preserve and promote the history, culture and traditions of the great Mbaise nation that is vanishing in a very rapid way. By this convention, you have joined the league of civilized people, who believe that unless some frantic efforts were made to preserve some vital aspects of our culture, we might become cultural orphans in the nearest future.
This is reinforced by the fact that as the global village forces wobbly culture to compete on the table of world cultures, we will definitely come out the big loser. Yes, we will be surprised that in an arena of competition featuring various cultures of the world, even our own children, and our own kith and kin including some here listening to this speech will unashamedly and arrogantly choose other cultures ahead of their own. And you can bet that such free-market of cultures will put a final death nail on the coffin of our own culture. And we know that if our culture dies, we are as good as dead.
What do we do?
For me the conveners of this congress have taken a good step in the right direction and we must key in to the crusade. We must make use of this wonderful forum to campaign and promote vigorously our rich cultural heritage. It’s heartwarming that our youths form major part of this forum. I humbly urge you to keep pressing other youths to be proud of who they are as a people and eschew slavish imitation of other peoples way of life. We must not continue to be carried away by the flashy gadgets of the new technologies at the detriment of what defines us human beings in this world which is our native culture. We must not get wearied in convincing our youths that there’s nothing like a virtual human being even in the global village they claim to be dwelling; that a real human being which everyone of them is, is a being of culture and tradition. Culture gives both the personality and identity.
Without culture and tradition every human being becomes nothing but a beast on two feet (Cf. Ibid). And unless we do what we can to preserve and promote our rich cultural heritages we will breed a generation of confused people who will never be true foreigners or true natives. This’s my concern! Imagine a time when the inhabitants of the great Mbaise territory will be half- humans and half-beasts. God forbid! But then this’s the reality staring us in the face.
Once again, may I sincerely thank the organizers of this wonderful congress for giving me this privileged opportunity to make a contribution. I consider it a great honour.
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria!
Long live Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO)!
Long live Federation of Mbaise Students (FUTO)!
Long live Mbaise nation!
Thanks for listening.
Monday, May 20, 2019
We Will Declare Niger Delta Republic In June, Oil Companies Should Vacate ~ Niger Delta Republic Fighters Warn Oil Companies
The group said it will declare the Niger Delta Republic on the 1st of June, 2019.
The NDRF revealed what is to to befall the region in a press statement signed by Maj. Gen. Maxwell Dan and seen by SaharaReporters on Monday.
Maxwell Dan said: "After several months of consultations within and outside the shores of Nigeria on the collective wellbeing of the Niger Delta people in the Nigerian state, coupled with cruel persecution and selective maltreatment of the Niger Delta sons and daughters by Nigerian government over the years especially by the present administration of Muhamadu Buhari and his agents despite the huge contribution of the Niger Delta people to the sustenance of Nigeria.
"We therefore take solace in the word of our patriarch – Isaac Boro, which states “…Today is a great day, not only in your lives but also in the history of the Niger Delta. Perhaps, it will be the greatest day for a very long time.
"This is not because we are going to bring the heavens down, but because we are going to demonstrate to the world what and how we feel about oppression. Remember your 70-year-old grandmother who still farms before she eats; remember also your poverty-stricken people; remember, too, your petroleum which is being pumped out daily from your veins; and then fight for your freedom." It is quite unfortunate that the story has not change till today, and we are standing on that declaration, we are standing on the declaration of the sovereign state of Niger Delta and we will declare ‘NIGER DELTA REPUBLIC’ on June 1st, 2019".
"It is a common fact that Nigeria has completely derailed from the path of peace, justice and progress as proclaimed by its founding fathers".
"The selective maltreatment of the Niger Delta people became more clearer when President Buhari ordered police to ransack the house of Chief E. K. Clark in order to have blackmail the aged Niger Delta Leader and force him from agitating for the Niger Delta people".
"As that could not pay off, the scavenger removed a Niger Delta son Mr. Mathew Seiyeifa the most qualified Director of DSS without any due process. Not satisfied with his cruel and selective onslaught against the Niger Delta people, the scavengers plotted again and remove our son – Justice Walter Onoghen from office on frivolous allegations without following due process neither was he given opportunity of fair hearing".
"It is also unfortunate that after four years of this administration, there is no single viable project executed by the federal government in the Niger Delta despite the billions of Naira accrued to the government from the resources of the Niger Delta as a result of the cease fire in the region".
"Most surprising is the unfounded allegations and counter allegations trailing the controversial 2019 Presidential elections, after committing such a day robbery fraud against the people, the central government of Nigeria could not manage the outcome but continue to blackmail decent characters in order to incarcerate them. It so unfortunate that Nigerians have witness the worse government since independence and the criminals derive joy in telling lies and deceiving populace while the streets of the cities and towns are flooded with innocent blood on daily basis".
"The blood of innocent citizens is becoming alarming and it is clear that the government cannot protect the citizens, instead they continue to make unguarded statements without recourse to the safety of the people, it is a common fact the country is in siege and we cannot allow it to consume us".
"In the light of the above injustices, we therefore use this medium to warn and order all the multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to shut down their operation and vacate the region from May 29, 2019 to avoid avoidable circumstances as we will declare the Niger Delta Republic on 1st June 2019".
"All operations by Oil Companies in the Niger Delta is hereby ordered to stop from 29 May 2019, anyone we see in the oil platform, both onshore and offshore shall be treated as criminal. We therefore call on International Community to withdraw their citizens from the Niger Delta region on or before 1st June 2019 as their safety cannot be guaranteed neither are we ready to compromise our freedom any longer".
"We have already recruited, trained and equip our freedom fighters for this purpose. Arms and other war materials has been bought and brought to Nigeria, immediately we commence action, Port Harcourt Airport would be shut down only our fighter jets would be permit to use the facility".
"This war would consume them in Abuja and Lagos, there is no going back on this, we therefore call on all the Niger Delta citizens to return home as their safety is guarantee at home than anywhere else".
"We are tired of being second class citizens in our land, the injustice has reach its peak. While we admonish our Elders and Leaders, particularly PANDEF to remain calm as we shall make further declarations and directive soon; however, our position on this issue cannot be compromised as injustice to one is injustice to all. To be forewarned is to be forearmed".
Downgrading Of Enugu Airport, An Affront To The Igbo Nation
News went viral last Friday about a planned shutting down and/or downgrading of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, from its international status which was recently granted during the immediate past administration, to a local airport, by the incumbent government, over issues of concerns bordering on safe taking-off or landing of aircraft.
The Minister of State for Aviation, Mr. Hadi Sirika, hinged Federal Government’s decision to shutdown the only international airport in the South East on some minor challenges which can easily be fixed or amended. For example, he outlined the presence of a state radio mast on the flight path of airlines that threatens the safety of incoming aircraft, the siting of a Free Trade Zone(FTZ) at the end of the runway, as well as incessant bird strikes affecting airlines which according to him, was occasioned by the presence of an abattoir situated close to the runway.
According to the minister, for the interest of airline operators as well as the safety of aircraft and passengers, the Enugu Airport might have to be closed down. “I have told the governor that we have to move the market, FTZ, and take the radio mast away so that we can move in and fix things and clear the runway so that we can improve on safety and save lives,” he added.
However, as plausible as these concerns raised by the honourable minister were, the Igbo habour some troubling fears while sensing some motives behind this move by the Federal government. There had been growing concerns and perception that successive Nigerian governments, particularly under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that there exist a well thought out plan to strangle and/or frustrate the economic base of the Igbos. The Igbo are not unaware of the possible authors behind this script of “give them no Seaports, no railways, do not rehabilitate their roads, downgrade their only international airport to local or motor park to frustrate Ndigbo economically.” And it seems this is exactly what is playing out in disguise.
The minister claimed that he informed the Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, concerning the deteriorating state of the airport and its runway and how best to tackle the issues but everyone knows that the aviation sector is one of the 65-68 items on the Exclusive List in the fraudulent Nigerian Constitution which makes the Federal government responsible in the renovation and maintenance of airports in Nigeria. If that is the case, why is the minister now telling the governor what to do and why is the governor failing to take responsibility, assuming there was some kind of arrangement between States and FG to take care of projects like that?
The staggering reality is: In their continued blind oppression of the Igbos, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport was intentionally denied a whole lot of facilities and federal support, so that later, it could be downgraded to a local status. Why couldn’t the government upgrade the Airport to meet the standards of Muritala Mohammed and Nnamdi Azikiwe Airports in Lagos and Abuja respectively?
Nearly every airport in the North has been upgraded to international status with no incident. Not one in the entire Eastern Region (South East/South South) is fit for even local operations, let alone international. International Airlines have been taxed out of the Eastern routes, especially Enugu, leaving only Ethiopian Airlines with the burden of integrity to continue still they are about to be kicked out in the guise of so-called temporal shutdown for upgrade with no single guarantee that the international airlines will be allowed to use the airport.
Recently, the Nigerian government launched some kind of partnership with the Chinese government to build a dry port in Ibadan to enable ease the pressure on Lagos seaports. About 75-80 percent of these port users are from the East. Many of them who haven’t been forced to relocate their businesses to Lagos still operate from the East.
In the East – From Imo to Rivers to Akwa Ibom to Delta to Anambra States, there are naturally deep waters, deep enough to take any size of ship, especially the Rivers port. But the channels that lead to these deep waters from the ocean are very narrow. Rather than spend money to dredge them and encourage ships to use those ports, the Federal government has chosen to spend even more money to establish dry ports in places like Kaduna, et al, where easterners who do business in the East and parts of the South will find it extremely difficult to do business from. This is very absurd, subjugating and frustrating.
As at 2016, Lagos ports complex claimed about 97 percent of all containers berthed in Nigeria, whilst Rivers ports had lost nearly 75 percent of the ships that usually patronized it due to heavy taxation and lack of incentives from the Federal Government. In the same 2016, Lagos International Airport accounted for 69.1% of all international passengers and about 90.5% of all cargos. Imagine what the situation is now. The the oppression and marginalization against the Igbos continues unabated.
Now, let’s tackle the issue of incessant bird strikes affecting the airlines as one of the reasons the minister talked about. We understand that safety is key, however, the listed problems are not rocket science for any serious government to fix. Since the problems have been identified, why not solve them rather than opt for an outright downgrade of the airport or are those things rocket science? Why does it appear that anything to subdue the Igbos gives them orgasm? Why will an airport be shutdown because of an abbatoir and bird strikes which can readily be fixed? Do you know that even the most advanced airports still record bird strikes occasionally?
Hardly a week goes by without a plane somewhere in the United States making an emergency landing after hitting birds. As these incidents reach record levels, airports are coming up with increasingly imaginative ways of combating them. Every airport in the US, and many more across the world, use pyrotechnics daily to drive the birds away. Similarly, a population of Canada geese used to live between the two runways at Salt Lake City. “Not any more,” says Gib Rokich, who oversees the airport’s wildlife programme, due to a system of egg addling.
“The goose is scared from the nest and the eggs are addled or oiled pretty much in place by picking each egg up individually and shaking them or submerging them in vegetable oil. The goose continues to sit on them but they never have a successful hatch. If she lays 10 goslings, and five survive into adulthood, then they will want to come back to the same location to nest, so you can see how it can multiply. After four years, we broke the cycle, so we still get the occasional one but they’re not established any more".
Thirdly, eliminating vegetation removes a food source for birds and deters them from settling. That is why instead of downgrading the airport, the market trade zone and the abbatoir should be relocated as the Enugu State government has just directed. The bottom line is: bird strikes occur everywhere and the solution is not to downgrade. When it is downgraded, will it stop bird strike or solve other problems listed?
Finally, the Igbo leaders and well-meaning individuals in Igboland must now jump down from their high horses and get ready for war – it is a different kind of war. It’s called ‘war of economic emasculation.’ We can beat them to it and take back our motherland from the rusting shackles of colonial bondage. All hands must be on deck to confront and tackle this obnoxious affront against the Igbo nation. These bloodsuckers won’t stop until they get a taste of our resolve. Join the movement. The time is now!
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