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Stephen Enada, co-founder on the International Committee on Nigeria, speaks at the Chinese Community Church in Washington, D.C. during the fifth annual Night of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Nov. 10, 2018. | (PHOTO: THE CHRISTIAN POST)

WASHINGTON — The Nigerian government is "aiding and abetting" the deadly Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram by releasing captured militants who have "repented," a Christian activist has said.

As the Borno state-based Boko Haram has made a name for itself as one of the world's deadliest terrorist outfits, the Nigerian government appears to be paying "lip service" to the terrorist group, human rights activist Stephen Enada warned last weekend.

Enada, who fled from persecution in Nigeria in 2016 and was granted temporary non-immigrant worker status in the United States, spoke on Saturday night in front of believers gathered for the fifth annual night of prayer for the persecuted church hosted by the nonprofit group One Body in Washington, D.C.

Before giving his call for prayer to those gathered at the Chinese Community Church in Chinatown, Enada sat down with The Christian Post to speak about the ongoing persecution of Nigerian Christians. Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria and radicalized Fulani attacks targeting Christian villages and farms in the Middle Belt have killed thousands this year.

"It has been explained away by the government that Boko Haram has been decimated," Enada, co-founder of the International Committee on Nigeria, explained. "But that is not true because most of the attacks on soft targets are still going on."

The Nigerian military has claimed that it has completely "defeated" Boko Haram, a radical Islamic insurgency that began in 2009 and has killed tens of thousands of Christians and others across Nigeria, Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon, and forced about 2 million to flee.

However, news reports of abductions and attacks carried out by the terrorist outfit over the past several months have indicated that a government defeat of Boko Haram has not yet been completed. Additionally, Enada said the group still controls some territory.

"It is not eradicated. If the government says that Boko Haram has been eradicated, that is a big lie," Enada said. "I keep on telling people that when you talk about these insurgents in Nigeria, our government has actually paid some lip service to it."

Enada warned that at the same time the military forces are fighting against Boko Haram insurgents, the government has released hundreds of other captured Boko Haram insurgents "saying that they have repented."

"It is like sort of a granting the terrorists amnesty," Enada explained. "That just tells you that this is really showing that the government of Nigeria is actually aiding and abetting these folks. These are folks that have unleashed terror on the community and now at this time, the government is taking it upon themself to set them free."

As recently as two months ago, Enada explained, the government released about 500 suspected Boko Haram insurgents.

In January, the government released 244 "repentant" Boko Haram suspects who have undergone rehabilitation.

"At the end of the day, it shows that these insurgents are actually supported, or maybe the government gives them comfort," Enada contended. "So now, it just shows anybody anywhere in the world that it is good to terrorize. Afterall, if [the terrorists] say [they] have repented, they will be granted a reprieve or they will be reintegrated into community."

In February, the government released about 475 suspected Boko Haram suspects. According to Reuters, the government was not able to charge them with crimes "due to lack of sufficient evidence against them."

Enada accused the Nigerian government of "obstructing justice."

"Our judicial system is clear that criminal elements and terrorist activities are subject to prosecution," he continued. "For government not to submit these insurgents for prosecution means they are obstructing justice."

Enada said there isn't much information available on what has happened with the Boko Haram suspects that have been released from detention. He said he doesn't know if they have been integrated into society or if they are planning to regroup and "unleash terror again."

"But what this has actually shown everybody is that the act of terrorism in Nigeria is not bad because government will definitely forgive you if you come out and say you are sorry," he added.

Along with killing of over 20,000 people since 2009, Boko Haram is also responsible for the abduction of thousands of boys and girls.

Enada also spoke out against the Nigerian government's response to attacks by Fulani herdsmen on Christian farms and villages in Nigeria's Middle Belt. Fulani are a nomadic ethnic group of livestock herders.

Over the summer, it was reported that as many as 6,000 people, mostly women and children, have been murdered by Fulani herdsmen since January.

Enada, who fled from Nigeria after his cousin was killed by Fulani herdsmen in the Benue state, said that Fulani herdsmen have taken after radical groups like Boko Haram in the last seven or eight years.

Enada said there are similarities to Boko Haram in the way Fulani herdsmen are now attacking communities and farms with "sophisticated weapons" in order to drive out the indigenous population and occupy the land.

"Recently we have seen Fulani militias have Boko Haram branding and wreaking havoc in communities with sophisticated weapons and anyone who stands in their way is killed or decimated. When this happens, they occupy," Enada said. "It is not that they are unknown. It is just that government is looking the other way. If someone is a terrorist and overruns a community, the government should make sure certain people are arrested and prosecuted."

Enada said he isn't sure why the government isn't doing more to help return the occupied land to its rightful owners and prosecute the Fulani culprits.

Enada reasoned that it could just be "complacency" or maybe the fact that Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari is ethnically Fulani.

"Maybe this has limited his moral authority as a leader," Enada said. "These communities and villages have been displaced and ransacked and you see Fulani imposing themselves in that community. They are not arrested or being persecuted. Rather, it is just government inaction showing us that government is culpable."

With government inaction, Enada and his International Committee on Nigeria are lobbying foreign governments to apply pressure on Nigeria to protect its citizens.

"In 2016, it reached the highest level of persecution in the Benue state when one of my cousins were killed, 500 women and kids killed and good folks were killed," Enada said. "I asked myself, 'What can I do?' I started to look at the international approach to it."

The International Committee on Nigeria is calling on the U.S. to send a special envoy to Nigeria to help in "coordinating an adequate response to the crises in Nigeria" and "counter the increasing violence in Nigeria."

Last week, Assistant Secretary for the State Department Bureau of African Affairs Tibor P. Nagy visited with Nigerian government officials in Abuja during his trip to West Africa.

"Nigeria has several very, very serious issues going on at the same time. We have the crisis in the Northeast," Nagy stated prior to leaving on his trip. "We have the historical problems in the Middle Belt, which, unfortunately, recently has led to serious loss of lives."

Nigeria 'aiding' Boko Haram by freeing hundreds of jihadis who've repented, activist warns

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The Borno State Government says it may declare a state of emergency to curb the menace of drug abuse in communities liberated from Boko Haram control.

The Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Kaka Shehu, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Maiduguri that illicit drug use and abuse among the Internally Displaced Persons in the state was becoming alarming.

Shehu, also the Chairman, Borno State Committee for the Control of Drug Abuse, noted that in spite of security challenges in the state, there had been significant successes in the fight against drug abuse.

“I recall that some offices of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency were attacked in Gamborun Ngala, Banki, Baga and here in Maiduguri before it was taken over by Boko Haram insurgency.

“But in spite of these challenges, the NDLEA Borno command was able to recover more than 20 tonnes of various of assorted illicit drugs.

He said the agency also made significant arrests of drug barons, consumers and other traffickers over the last three years.

“It is against this backdrop that the government has deemed it fit to support the agency in its effort to wipe out the menace of drug abuse by setting up a Drug Control Committee.

“The committee comprises the military, NDLEA, Police, Civil Defence and other humanitarian and non Governmental Organisations.

“So far, we have mapped out an aggressive sensitisation on drug abuse in almost all the IDP camps because we have discovered that some IDPs are chronic addicts of illicit drugs.

“Our fear is that we do not want these IDPs to get back to their liberated homes and continue to constitute nuisance.

“We have had enough of Boko Haram and enough of our youths engaging in drug abuse. We do not want to go to the camps to start effecting arrests now because of the condition they have found themselves.

“But be rest assured that as we are moving to return them to their liberated communities, we will ensure that we rid the communities of nefarious activities.

“You can see that the truck that was intercepted with about 1,200 kilograms of Indian hemp was heading to Gamborun Ngala — a liberated community.

“The committee will then continue to liaise with the NDLEA to ensure that all liberated communities are free of illicit drugs.

“We will also liaise with the Federal High Court to ensure that all cases of drug abuse is handled with dispatch to serve as warning to others,’’ Shehu said.

Source: Punch

Communities Recovered From Boko Haram Take To Drug Abuse

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Though 2019 may still be far, but politicians are already warming up for what could at the end be regarded most intrigued election as a former governor of Borno State and the embattled factional Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has reported earmarked N100 billion to execute his presidential ambition.

Mr. Sherriff will establish a committee to formally explore his Aso Rock bid, Global Village Extra said an impeccable source who pleaded anonymity confided in it

Our source claimed it exclusively gathered that the two-time Borno State governor is so much battle ready for the 2019 presidential challenge so much so that he is willing to spend a whopping 100 billion Naira on the election campaign.

Creating the exploratory committee will allow Senator Sherriff to start spending money immediately, especially on travels and other relevant things such as setting up a huge media team,” the source said.

Ali Modu Sheriff is Borno State’s first governor to serve two consecutive terms (2003–2011). He was the acting National Working Committee chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), from 16 February 2016 until the National Convention, where he lost out to another Senator, Ahmed Maikarfi, but refused to concede defeat.

“The thought of running excites him big time, and he cannot wait to get on the road and start travelling around the country. He wants to listen to the core issue facing the Nigerian people,” our source concluded.

2019 EXCLUSIVE: 'almighty' Borno Billionaire Sets To Unleash N100b Campaign Team Fund To Unseat Buhari At All Cost

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PORT HARCOURT- THERE were mixed reactions, weekend, across states in the South-South to President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day speech threatening to deal with Niger Delta militants.
Some leaders, who spoke to Us, said they completely agree with the President, while others rejected what they termed as provocative comments at a time everybody expected him to be temperate in his utterances. They maintained that the President should personally lead the much talked about dialogue with the stakeholders in the region to agree on the way forward.

President Buhari had said in his Independence Day broadcast that: “A new insurgency has reared its head in the shape of blowing up gas and oil pipelines by groups of Niger Delta militants. This administration will not allow these mindless groups to hold the country to ransom.

President Buhari participates at the 56th Independence Anniversary programme Presidential Change of Guards Parade at the Statehouse on 1st October 2016. “What sense is there to damage a gas line as a result of which many towns in the country, including their own town or village, is put in darkness as a result? What logic is there in blowing up an export pipeline and, as a result, income to your state and local governments and consequently their ability to provide services to your own people is reduced? “No group can unlawfully challenge the authority of the Federal Government and succeed.

Our administration is fully sympathetic to the plight of the good people of Niger Delta and we are in touch with the state governments and leaderships of the region. “It is known that the clean-up of Ogoniland has started. Infrastructural projects financed by the Federal Government and post-amnesty programme financing will continue. “We have, however, continued to dialogue with all groups and leaders of thought in the region to bring lasting peace.” Force not the solution But former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen (retd.), who hails from Edo State, said in his reaction: “All well-meaning people, both Nigerians and foreigners, including Britain and America, have made it clear that the answer to the problem is dialogue. “The idea of Mr. President threatening to use force or wanting to use force in this matter is an anathema, particularly when the boys have demonstrated their preparedness for dialogue and given their fathers the power to dialogue and negotiate on their behalf. “This fact is known to the President and his security chiefs, so why is he saying he is ready for dialogue and threatening to attack on the other hand? There is need for him to maintain a clear stand on dialogue and let us proceed on dialogue, which is what everybody is waiting for. No need threatening force because that is not the issue here.” Fire Brigade approach On his part, Presiding Bishop of Christian Chapel International, Calabar, Bishop Emmah Isong, said: “Talk about attacking militants by the President is just a self-serving effort, which will lead us nowhere. Right now, we do not even know the number of militant groups that exist. We have lost count of them. “We do not even know where these groups are and in which state of the Niger Delta they are operating from. The last camp discovered in Ogun, which is far stronger than the Niger Delta Avengers, said they have 98 camps in the creeks. Some of them said they are still about 4,300 men in the creeks. So how do you fish out all these men in the creeks with bombs? “Is he saying he is going to bomb every creek in the Niger Delta because of militants? Right now, the Avengers are about four splinter groups, so which group is the President going to attack? “Look, militancy has become employment forum for the unemployed youths. Youths of our nation are hungry and unemployed. Militancy comes from very simple circumstances and if you can address those circumstances such as hunger and idleness, which should be the focus of the government, the problem will be solved and not talk of attacking them. “Is he saying the farmers should not go to bush again or fishermen should not go to the creeks again because he wants to attack militants? He should think of something better to do, not attack, which is fire brigade approach.” Return fire for fire Cross River State political activist, Cletus Obun, however, said: “Militancy in the Niger Delta is an orchestration of the political intolerance by some disgruntled political elements. “These people have been granted amnesty and a Ministry for Niger Delta Affairs created to assuage the pains of the region, but they have returned to armed struggle and when somebody given an amnesty returns to armed struggle, he is asking for military action, which the President said he was going to undertake. “These people are just three per cent of the population of the Niger Delta, who now hold the entire population to ransom by destroying oil installations and in such circumstance, what do you want the President to do other than return fire for fire? “Niger Delta is an Ijaw creation, which has refused to key into efforts of the present government to change the Niger Delta. Look at the clean-up of the Delta by government, which was commended by the United Nations Conference on environment.” From Delta State, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central senatorial district in the Senate, disagreed with those berating the President. He said: “First, I commend Mr. President for the maturity and patience with which he has handled the insurgency in the Niger-Delta. This is obviously as a result of his military upbringing. He knows the consequences of the use of force. “I want to counsel more patience, while dialogue is encouraged. I want to use this medium to appeal to our brothers to stop these senseless attacks and channel their legitimate grievances through their elected representatives. That is why we are there.” Buhari not against dialogue All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship candidate in Delta State in the last elections, Olorogun O’tega Emehor, concurred with Omo-Agege. He said: “In the first place, the President was upfront, he identifies with the issues of the Niger Delta and he will continue the dialogue. He is already having talks with leaders and groups in the region. He, however, emphasized that he will not be held to ransom by criminal elements, whose objectives are not that of developing the region. “I believe, however, that all sincere men of goodwill from the Niger Delta will support the President on this. Let us have peace with no conditions attached. What we already have, including NDDC, Amnesty Programme, and Niger Delta Ministry, should be reinforced to develop the region. “Individuals should not hold the region back and this is what the the Minister of Transportation, Chief Chibuike Amaechi’s initiative is all about.” President should not threaten citizens But Timi Tonye, who represents Patani Constituency in Delta State House of Assembly, disagreed with them, asserting that presidents, anywhere in the world, were assumed to be statesmen, who would not threaten their own people under any guise. He said: “Protests of any form in a democracy are signs of dislocations. Straighten these dislocations and the protests fizzle out. The most effective means of straightening dislocations in democracies are through constructive engagements, which cannot be too much in a democracy. “This is what we shall continue to advocate for Mr. President when dealing with either Boko Haram insurgents, Niger Delta agitators or any other such groups that use violence as instruments of drawing attention to their plights. “It is more effective than issuance of threats. Suffice it to state here, however, that one totally abhors violence as instrument of agitation, no matter the circumstances.” Hypocrisy President, Niger Delta Security Watch Organization of Nigeria, Dickson Bekederemo, posited: “The President by his comments, has demonstrated clearly his insincerity in his quest for dialogue as a means of resolving the age long issues of oil governance. “At one point, he sought for dialogue and the oil rebels obliged him by constituting a team to dialogue. As soon as the team was constituted, he declared war against them. The Niger-Delta Avengers are simply saying by their action, ‘stop exploration and let us agree on how to live together and on what terms.’ “This is a non-violent approach in the resolution of Niger-Delta issues. A sincere President ought to have constituted his own dialogue team by now.” Nothing to cheer The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, spokesman, Eric Omare, said in his reaction: “There is really nothing significant about President Buhari’s Independence Day speech, with respect to Niger Delta agitators and resolution of the Niger Delta problem. “Threatening to deal with agitators and at the same time, promising to negotiate or saying that negotiations are ongoing, has become his trademark. Buhari’s position with respect to the Niger Delta can best be described as a study in contradiction and absurdity. “He lacks a clear cut idea on what to do about the Niger Delta. I do not take whatever he says seriously. In my view, it is becoming more and more obvious that Buhari does not have the will to resolve any of the issues agitating the Niger Delta people and it is unfortunate.” Threats won’t solve problems In Rivers State, former President of Ijaw National Congress, INC, Prof Kimse Okoko, told Vanguard: “These (threats) are old clichés that do not help the matter at all. We agree that no section of the country should hold the country to ransom. “But more importantly, an unjust society will hold itself to ransom. It is better for the government to start implementation of the 2014 National Conference recommendations, if they don’t want any part of the country to hold the government to ransom. “That is the most peaceful way of resolving the problem of the country. No amount of threat will resolve the problem of the country, so long as there is injustice, oppression, so long as there is inequality. They should learn from what is happening in other parts of the world. So his clichés do not help the matter. “The way out is implement the 2014 National Conference Recommendations, using the six regions as the federating units. This way, they would have taken care of the major problem causing the apparent turbulence confronting the system. “It is now clear with 27 states not being able to pay salaries that the state structure certainly cannot hold in the new arrangement as was proposed at the National Conference. There were 18 states that did not want to go along with regions. “Now, it is clear that this country cannot sustain most of the states that are almost totally dependent on the centre, that is why I said they should use the six regions as federating units.” Buhari spoke in past, not present tense Professor Andrew Efemini of Philosophy Department, University of Port Harcourt, said: “Mr.President spoke in the past; we have crossed that level of his statement. My idea is that anybody who uses force in one way or the other is involved in military activities. “So, if Mr President was talking about vandals, if he militarizes the region, it will create more problems, more violence. We agree that nobody should hold the country to ransom, but that cannot be achieved by mere statements. Only policies will produce what they intend to achieve, policies that address the root cause of the problems. “The root cause of the problem is that we are not running a federal system. Any party in power in the country at any time that does not understand why there is crisis in the Niger Delta, that it has to do with the nebulous, parasitic political structure that we have, is deceiving itself. “Mr. President is speaking in past tense. We have passed that level of statement he is making. That statement portends dictatorship. If he is a democrat, he should bring international agencies, United Nations and all that to help him resolve the issues, just like he intends to do with Boko Haram

.“Those of us involved in looking at development issues in the country know that the President is not about to resolve the problem. I can assure him that militarization of the region is not a solution.”
A’Ibom leaders flare up In Akwa Ibom, prominent leaders and citizens of the state described Buhar’s statement as unfortunate. Reacting, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, (retd.), insisted that no other option could work, besides dialoguing with the militants and respected leaders from the region, who the agitators have accepted and recognized to speak for the region. “We have said severally that use of force is not the answer to this problem. Do not just say you will deal with them because it is not that easy. If it is that easy, I mean it could have been done with a snap of the finger. But you know that we cannot do that. It is not possible, it is not practicable. “It is not about how many guns and aeroplanes that you have. Look at what is happening with the Boko Haram. Let us be very honest, Nigeria is going with a lot of equipment, which Boko Haram does not have.

“They were using aeroplanes, have you heard any aircraft coming from Boko Haram? But they were still coming out here and there. “If we have conventional war against other countries, we can overrun some of those countries, but here, you are dealing with people in low intensity conflict. So the answer is not to say you will deal with them because if you do that, you get the issue more complicated.” Nkanga stressed that what the government of the day should do was to try and find out the root causes of the problem, like most Nigerians home and in Diaspora have advised, to ensure a lasting solution to it. Careless statement Similarly, Senator Anietie Okon, who could not hide his disappointment over Buhari’s statement, recalled that it was not the first time he had threatened to deal with the Niger Delta militants and urged him to embrace dialogue, if he was sincere in ensuring a lasting solution to pipeline bombings.
“The United Kingdom, US and other nations have told him (President Buahri) that the path to ensuring peace in the region is dialogue, and he is still keeping to his jaundiced approach to issues and still bent on the 95 per cent corridor, where he said that those who gave him 95 per cent votes will benefit more from his government.

“He said that he will deal with Niger Delta militants, good luck to him. He has this mindset that they are people to be conquered.

For him to say that he will deal with them is an unfortunate evidence of a relapse into believing that boots can be solution to the issue, where they can trample upon the people and decimate them by mere strength. “To say he will deal with them is the most unfortunate term to use. Even if he was going to crush them, he should not come out to say that,” he said. Lack of diplomacy In his reaction, the member representing Mbo Local Government Area, one of the oil rich areas in Akwa Ibom, Samuel Ufuot said: “The President needs to adopt more diplomatic approach in the Niger Delta issue.
“It cannot be fought with physical weapon. Let him embrace dialogue as late Yar’ Adua did. There must be negotiations. Let him look into some of the reasons the militants are agitating. I remember one of the reasons was a reduction in the budget of the Niger Delta. “The President increased allocation to the North East zone to rehabilitate the areas devastated by Boko Haram and because of that reduction, some of our people abroad under the Presidential Amnesty Programme were seriously affected. “When our leaders cried out then, the President did not listen to them. Also, there is the issue of sharing of oil blocs.

The southerners do not have oil blocs and all the oil blocs are here. We had the first President from this region and until he left office, he had no single oil bloc. Some of these things are annoying.
“Let him call the leaders from the region, negotiate with them. I do not think using force can solve the problem.”
Focus on issues National Publicity Secretary, Ijaw National Congress, Mr Victor Borubo, said: “What the Niger Delta need more than anything is peace. When you talk about militants holding the nation to ransom, are you implying that they just woke up one day and decided to hold the nation to ransom?

“If you look at the country carefully, you will find that it is the various governments that have held the nation to ransom and not the people themselves.

“Because the government has created the conditions that made the unwholesome activities possible. If there had been avenues for peaceful dialogue, useful discussion, definitely people are reasonable.
“The militants have made representation on what their demands are, which are not far from the general demands of the people. “Nobody is saying that anybody should go and blow pipelines because it is our environment that is getting destroyed. Why not look at what the demands are. “For me, it is easier and more productive for Mr President to focus on the issues.

“The issues festered for many years, the early signs were there. Our past leaders like Dappa Biriye, Isaac Boro drew attention to the issues but were ignored.
“We want the government to succeed.

The government should dialogue with the people to move the nation forward. All these threats will not help us. The other time, Mr President said he was going to treat militants like Boko Haram. At another time, he said he was going to hold dialogue, nothing happened.

Militants: Buhari’s threat tears N–Delta leaders apart

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As millions of Christians flee the Middle East and Christianity’s original homeland becomes lacking of Christians at increasing rates, an odd anomaly is occurring:

Christianity in the Gulf states is surging. Amid a shocking exodus in neighbouring countries, this strictly Islamic region has seen a jump in its Christian population.

Figures show that in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Christianity was practically non existent just over a hundred years ago. There were only 80 Christians in the UAE in 1910 (0.1 per cent of the population) and 50 in Saudi Arabia, even less than 0.1 per cent, according to a recent study. However one hundred years later in 2010, Christianity had exploded to 12.6 per cent of UAE’s population and 4.4 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s. Between the two countries alone there are now well over one million Christians. While by no means a majority, this represents a a significant growth in such a conservative Islamic region.

Indeed, this surge is not limited to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Throughout the Gulf, countries such as Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar have all seen dramatic increases to their Christian populations.

Converting from Islam to Christianity in the Gulf is punishable by death in both countries and evangelism is prohibited. In Saudi Arabia any public observance of non-Muslim faiths is illegal and Saudi Christians are forced to worship in private. However despite the dramatic increase, it is likely there will be little change to religious tolerance in the region. Wahhabism, a strict interpretation of Islam, still dominates Saudi Arabia in particular and even in the relatively liberal UAE, Christian converts face severe persecution and no religious education other than the teaching of Islam is permitted.

Although the recent increase of Christians in the Middle East is truly amazing, many are asking why this is happening. Over the past few years, thousands of Middle Eastern muslims have claimed to have seen Jesus in dreams and visions; is this just a strange coincidence or is God actually trying to speak to these people before it’s too late?

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” // Acts 2:17

The future is therefore uncertain for Christians in the Gulf. But as Christianity loses its most ancient communities in the Middle East, the arrival of Christians in Islam’s most conservative heartland may be a source of hope to those praying for a revival in the Middle East.

Revival In The Middle East: Muslims Are Turning To Jesus By The Thousands

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Yoruba elders fumes at President Muhammau Buhari’s administration, says they made a great mistake by not queueing behind Jonathan who has good plans for Nigeria.

The leaders are particularly angry with Buhari over his lop-sided appointments into key positions, which they feel was a big blow to the South west region.
They berated the president saying that their region have not benefited from his administration despite voting massively for him during the April 2015 presidential polls.
“For the fact that the South-West played a key role in the emergence of Buhari as the President, it is expected that they would occupy a more strategic position than the post of vice president”, said one of the elders.
They argued that the National Assembly leadership election has given the impression that their region is weak politically.
Some of the leaders who also participated in the last National Conference also say the region must re-strategise to assert itself in the politics of the nation.
They argued that the position of Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, the current vice president, who is a South west indigene is not a powerful position.
Chief Ayo Opadokun, a South-West leader, who spoke to the Nigerian Pilot yesterday on the current power imbalance, noted that the Yoruba race made a great mistake by not re-electing former president Goodluck Jonathan, considering what he had in stock for the zone.
He emphasised that the implementation of the National Conference report would elevate the standard of the zone, which is the reason people of the South-West should have queued behind Jonathan.
Also speaking on the issue, image maker of Pro- National Conference, Wale Okunniyi, faulted the emergence of Saraki and Dogara, which he described as a conspiracy against the Yoruba nation by some powerful forces in the APC.
Another prominent South-West leader and lawyer, Asiwaju Bisi Adegbuyi, focused on how the Yoruba race can move forward saying, the region needs self-determination rather than a symbolic representation.
“Yoruba race should know what they want. Yoruba made progress when Chief Obafemi Awolowo led us”, he said.

We Regret Voting Out Jonathan – Yoruba Elders

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Reports say at least eight people, have been killed after members of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, attacked three villages in Borno state, north-east Nigeria and hoisted their flag there.

According to the BBC, the villages which are said to be near Chibok town, from where the militants captured more than 200 schoolgirls in April 2014, are Kubirivour, Boftari and Kuburmbalah.

However, the Nigerian Army has debunked the report.

In a text message to Channels Television following a request for response by the Army, the spokesman of the Army, Colonel Sani Usman described the report as false.

The Nigerian military and the multi-national joint task force have said that troops have almost routed the insurgents from their stronghold in the north east and the Lake Chad area.

But it is reported that the militants remain in control of some villages along the Nigeria-Niger border.

Boko Haram Hoists Flag In Borno Villages

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News making round the media has it that Buhari may soon give up on One Nigeria, as he was quoted saying he can only allow the Igbos to secede but will not allow the Niger Delta as most of the Nigeria asset is located within the Niger Delta.

In a hush-hush meeting allegedly held by some of the Northern leaders with President Muhammadu Buhari early this month, the President revealed to the Northern Leaders that serious pressure is being mounted on him, to obey the United Nations Charter on Self-Determination, and unconditionally release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

According to Buhari, he was also advised to desist from further violation of Kanu’s fundamental Human Rights alongside Rights of other Biafra agitators held in different Nigerian prisons, and to also allow for a UN monitored referendum to test if the people of Biafra wish to continue with Nigeria or not.

BIAFRA AT LAST: I Will Allow Only IGBOS to go But Will Never Allow Niger Deltans – PMB

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THE NEED FOR HON. JUSTICE JOHN TSOHO TO HANDS-OFF NNAMDI KANU’S CASE AND TURN-IN HIS RESIGNATION TO PREVENT HIS UNAVOIDABLE DISMISSAL

The Hon. Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, born 24th of June 1959, must hands-off Nnamdi Kanu’s case as the trial Judge. In addition, he must turn-in his resignation in order to prevent unavoidable dismissal by the National Judicial Council (NJC). Already, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), The Hon. Justice Mahmud Mohammed, has sounded a note of warning to Judges like Hon. John Tsoho that they shall be punished for their judicial somersaults and miscarriage of justice. Based on available evidence and facts related to the ongoing court case involving the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, we believe that the most honourable thing for Hon. Justice John Tsoho to do is to excuse himself from the case as the trial Judge as well as turn-in his resignation to avoid being axed for impropriety on the job.

We recall that on January 29, 2016, Hon. Justice John Tsoho in his first ruling denied bail application made by Nnamdi Knau’s lawyers and the denial was based on three frivolous reasons which were:
1) That Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was a threat to national security.
2) That if released, Nnamdi Kanu might commit the same offence again.
3) That there was a probability that Nnamdi Kanu might jump bail because he possessed dual citizenship.

On the 9th of February 2016, Hon. Justice John Tsoho ruled that items belonging to Nnamdi Kanu should not be returned to him even when such items were not listed as part of the exhibits in the case and this ruling runs contrary to sectio-10(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015. Part of the items being requested to be released to Nnamdi Kanu were cash in sums of $2,200 & N87,000 and his two International passports (British and Nigerian). We should also keep in mind that at this time, Nammdi Kanu was already remanded in Kuje prison and we are wondering why Hon. Justice John Tsoho will not release the non-listed items to someone in prison custody.

On the 19th of February 2016, the Hon. Justice John Tsoho in his ruling, dismissed prayers by the DSS lawyer to hide the identities of prosecution witnesses for which the DSS lawyer wants to enforce under section-232(3) of ACJA-2015. This ruling was welcomed by all and seen as a sound judgment based on correct interpretations of the law especially section-36(4) of the Constitution and section-232(4) of ACJA-2015 which correctly specified and streamlined the conditions for which section-232(3) should be applied.

Surprisingly on the 7th of March 2016, instead of the Hon. Justice John Tsoho to apply section-351(1) of ACJA-2015 which specifies the dismissal of the case for non-appearance of prosecution witnesses, he unilaterally and without an appeal from DSS lawyer reversed his judgment of February 19, 2016, thereby making it possible for DSS witnesses to testify with masks or as masquerades.

When questioned by the defense counsel as to why he changed his mind without directing DSS to appeal to a superior court, the Hon. Justice John Tsoho lied that he was merely clarifying his ruling when in actual fact the said relief he was referring to never made mention of testifying behind a screen. When the Hon.

Justice John Tsoho realized that he lied in his own court, he deliberately withheld the rulings because he knew he would be exposed and that he cannot alter a judgement he pronounced publicly in a court of law. We wonder what fellow 1984 University of Lagos law graduates will be thinking of Justice Tsoho and his judicial acrobatics.

In the meantime, on the 9th of February 2016, Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers applied for Certified True Copy of Justice Tsoho’s judgment of January 29, 2016. Also, application for Certified True Copies of the last two rulings mentioned above were made on the 8th day of March 2016. We would like to remind everyone that in the Nigerian Constitution, section-36(7) allows only seven (7) days for the Court to keep judgments/rulings after which the judgments/rulings must be made available to the accused person.

However, it is on record that the Certified True Copies of the three aforementioned rulings were made available to Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers after a formal complaint was sent to the office of the Hon. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. The formal compliant was sent on April 11, 2016 and the three Certified True Copies were released to Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers on April 25, 2016.

In other words the Certified True Copies were released:
(1) two months and fifteen days after the ruling of February 9, 2016,
(2) two months and six days after the ruling of February 19, 2016, and
(3) one month and 18 days after the ruling of March 7, 2016. All of these are in contravention of section-36(b) and section-36(7) of the Constitution of Nigeria. In addition, Justice Tsoho dismissed Nnamdi Kanu’s application for stay of proceedings within 24 hours of obtaining the excessively delayed documents mentioned above.

From the foregoings, it is crystal clear that the Hon. Justice John Tsoho lacks the moral, ethical, and judicial burden to continue as the trial Judge on this case. As a public officer identified in the Fifth Schedule Part-II(5) of the Constitution, the Hon. John Tsoho has violated his Judicial Oath, he has violated section-36(7) of the Constitution and he has violated the Fifth Schedule Part-I(9) of the Constitution he swore to uphold at all times. We therefore urge the Hon. John Tsoho to hands-off the case of Nnamdi Kanu and immediately tender his resignation to the Hon. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court in order to avoid his impending dismissal.

We call upon the Hon. Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer Nnamdi Kanu’s case to another Judge of the caliber of the sagacious and fearless Hon. Justice A. F. A. Ademola so as to salvage what remains of the battered image of the Nigerian Judiciary.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu looks forward to battling the DSS in court under an unbiased trial Judge and we are confident that victory shall be that of Nnamdi Kanu’s.

Signed
Barrister Emma Nmezu
Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya
Spokespersons for IPOB

BREAKING: As Nnamdi Kanu Goes To Court Monday 26, IPOB Releases New 'Powerful' Statement

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Daily New9ja attention has being drawn to an alleged ongoing ritual being performed by unknown persons at the premises of the Abuja court where the leader of the indigenous people of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu is set to appear today Monday 26th.

The faces of those involved in the depraved act were not conspicuous.

More details soon....

Happening Now!!! Heavy Rituals Allegedly Ongoing Against Nnamdi Kanu At Abuja Court Premises

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The lawyers representing the detained leader of the indigenous people of Biafra were yesterday's night interviewed on 99.5 Wazobia Fm Abuja over the continued detention of their client, Nnamdi Kanu despite an order from a competent court of jurisdiction that he be released unconditionally.

Speaking in the interview, the IPOB lawyers revealed they would be coming to court on September 26th with other 52 senior lawyers to fully represent Kanu.

The legal representatives also promised to hold the federal republic of Nigeria accountable should anything happen to their client, Kanu who according to them is being 'illegally' detained.

BREAKING: 52 Senior Lawyers Set To Storm Abuja Court To Defend IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu

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The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday said that with the population of over 70 million people and a total area of over 29,400 square miles, Biafra was big enough to be a sovereign nation. IPOB said there are nations that are significantly smaller than the area both in size and in population, adding that Biafra is almost as big as Gambia and Sierra Leone put together, and is bigger than Togo or Rwanda and Burundi combined, and is four times the size of the Republic of Israel.

Apparently reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent call on Nigerian youth corps members to tell their brothers to forget about Biafra because according to him, Nigeria is big enough to accommodate all and sundry, IPOB’s spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya contended that they do not need Buhari to lecture them on the resources in Biafra land because they are already aware of them. According to the statement,

“For us in Biafra, we cherish and give the greatest priority to human resource, unlike Nigeria which operates a rentier economy with heavy dependence on Biafran oil and gas resources, adding, the excuse that Nigeria is big enough and therefore Biafrans are bound by the sheer size of Nigeria to be part of it, is not logical”.

The statement added: “It was because of the control of oil in Biafraland that Britain in 1968 alone supplied hundreds of armoured personnel carriers, APCs, 10,000 machine guns, 20 million rounds of ammunition, 3,000 bayonets, 10,000 rifles with grenade launchers, 15,000 pounds of explosives, 21,000 mortar bombs, 42,500 Howtizer rounds, 5,000 submachine guns and deployed other weapons of mass destruction in one year alone, to the killing fields in Biafraland.

“Without this one-sided military support from the British to Nigeria while at the same time denying Biafra access to weapons, even Buhari himself knows that there was no way in a billion years Nigeria could have defeated Biafra in a war and we want to make it abundantly clear that the assertion by Buhari that Biafrans must stay together with the rest of Nigeria is not enforceable under any known law on this planet earth”.
“The right to self-determination is not synonymous with war or violence. Buhari should therefore, not juxtapose self-determination with war because the two are not interchangeable.
The least he can do is to use the instrument of Referendum to test the resolve of Biafrans in their quest for the restoration of the nation of Biafra. We will also like to remind Buhari that the sovereignty of a nation is not premised on size”.

With 70m People Biafra Big Enough to Be a Sovereign Nation – IPOB

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“For us in Biafra, we cherish and give the greatest priority to human resource, unlike Nigeria which operates a rentier economy with heavy dependence on Biafran oil and gas resources, adding, the excuse that Nigeria is big enough and therefore Biafrans are bound by the sheer size of Nigeria to be part of it, is not logical”.

Boko Haram

At least eight people were killed outside a church in a suspected Boko Haram attack carried out by gunmen on bicycles in northeast Nigeria, local residents said on Monday.

The attack happened shortly after morning service on Sunday in Kwamjilari village, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) east of the town of Chibok, in Borno state.
“Some of the worshippers remained around the church and the gunmen opened fire and eight men died,” said Luka Damina, from nearby Kautikeri village, where locals fled.

“Unknown to the residents, the gunmen had stationed some of their comrades on the road leading out of the village and they shot anyone who tried to flee.
“Many people ran into the bush with gunshot wounds.

But so far we can only confirm eight deaths.” The attackers set fire to homes and fields of maize that were almost ready for harvest, according to a local chief in Kautikeri, who also said eight people were killed.

The chief said soldiers were later deployed to Kwamjilari from Chibok — the scene of a notorious kidnapping in 2014 when more than 200 schoolgirls were seized.

A similar attack in the area last month left 10 people dead and saw 13 others kidnapped, while homes were looted and set on fire. Both raids bear the hallmarks of Boko Haram Islamists, who have frequently attacked villages, churches and mosques across northeast Nigeria and beyond since 2009. Nigeria’s military maintains it now has the upper hand against the insurgents in a conflict that has left at least 20,000 dead and made more than 2.6 million people homeless. But such sporadic attacks underline the continuing difficulty in securing remote rural areas

BREAKING: Boko Haram strike leaves eight dead

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Boko Haram

Nnamdi Kanu may soon breath in fresh air of freedom as his continued detention has finally drawn the attention of the international community.

An international body, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law aka Inter-Society has finally waded in in an open letter to the United Nations demanding the immediate release of the detained IPOB leader.

Below is the copy of the open letter sent to our newsroom in the French capital of Paris:

*The Secretary-General of the United Nations
*The President of the United Nations General Assembly
*The President of the United Nations Security Council
*The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
*The United Nations Special Rapporteurs on:
*Truth, Justice & Reparation
*Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions
*Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatments or Punishments
*The Honourable British Prime Minister & Distinguished British Parliamentarians
*Distinguished European Union Leaders
*The President of the United States & Distinguished US Congressmen & Women

(9) Distinguished Canadian Leaders & Parliamentarians

(10) Other Internationally Distinguished Personalities:

(a) Human Rights Activists & Groups

(b) Former Heads of UN Bodies

(c) Former World Leaders

(d) Independent Experts on Justice, Peace, Security and Human Rights

Distinguished Sirs/Madams,

Our name is: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law; abbreviated as INTERSOCIETY. We are registered (Reg. No. 27239) rights based Civil Society Organization under the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria. Our advocacy voice or thematic areas are: civil liberties and rule of law, democracy and good governance, and public security and safety. We are based in Onitsha, Anambra State, Southeast of Nigeria. For easy of reference, we can be electronically visited or accessed via www.intersociety-ng.org.

The purpose of this Open Letter to your highly respected personalities is to seek for freedom of detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, by name Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and other victims of regime atrocities in Nigeria. This we respectfully seek through your informed voices, wise counselling and unbiased diplomatic interventions, to be appropriately and timely directed to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by name: Mr. Muhammadu Buhari. Means through which Mr. Muhammadu Buhari can be reached or communicated are available at the diplomatic missions of your respective countries in Nigeria or the Nigerian Permanent Mission at the United Nations (i.e. New York, USA).

This international justice appeal particularly comes on the heels of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, comprising of 193 Member-States, at which President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has been slated; likewise other world leaders, to address the UN General Assembly on 21st of September 2016, in line with the General Assembly’s 2016 session theme: Sustainable Development Goals: A Universal Push to Transform our World; which seeks a strong link between sustainable development, peace, security and human rights.

It is our informed observation that 70%, if not more of international travels undertaken by President Muhammadu Buhari since he became the President of Nigeria on 29th of May 2015 took place in the countries of your highly respected personalities or at the UN headquarters in New York, USA and a number of its other meetings and conferences elsewhere. Just recently, too, the US Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry visited the President and extended his visit to a number of places designated for him to visit by his host President.

We are technically aware of the modern workings of international relations. We are further aware that modern international relations are extensively driven by Democracy and ICT-powered Globalization. We also know as a fact that modern democracy is driven by the rule of law; just as the justice aspect of the rule of law is chiefly driven by the two Latin doctrines of nemo judex in sua causa and audi alteram partem; which simply mean that someone should not be a judge in his or her own matter and must hear the other side before drawing a conclusion; otherwise called fair hearing.

It is our knowledge that the modern UN System is strongly built on the principles of democracy, equality, rule of law and human rights; which in turn, lays a strong foundation for advancement ofinternational peace and security. As your highly respected personalities are aware, these are fully embedded in the Principles and Purposes of the United Nations. We are aware too that your highly respected personalities are the guidance and custodians of democratic traditions in your respected countries and have further worked hard at ensuring the sustenance of the hallowed principles at the UN System and global level.
Your highly respected personalities are aware too that unless these hallowed principles are guided jealously at all times, otherwise their opposites will set in and consume the world, leading to eruption of municipal, regional and international insecurity and violence; otherwise called complex humanitarian emergencies. That is to say that sustainable development can never find its root under complex humanitarian emergencies powered by regime atrocities and gross human rights violationsperpetrated by errant and violent Member-States. The crisis in Syria, for instance, has since gone beyond domestic and regional problems. It has long become a global headache with most territories under the watch of your highly respected personalities and the UN System bearing major brunt including incurring emergency expenditures of billions of dollars to cushion the effects of influx of Syrian refugees with associated public security threats.

We have always paused to ask ourselves and other international watchers how the world including your highly respected personalities’ countries and the UN System will look if Nigeria with estimated population of 174million people goes the Syrian way or erupt into complex humanitarian emergencies. That is to say that if Syria with less than 25million population could have approximately half of its population displaced, leading to generation of 3.9million refugees and 6.3million internally displaced persons just in five years; what then will happen if Nigeria is to explode in a like manner going by ongoing intensification of triggers of widespread violence; occasioned by current policies of militarism and militarization of the Government of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari?

We have carefully studied the ongoing diplomatic interactions and relations between your highly respected personalities and President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria and found them commendable. But in spite of their commendable outlook, we still find such interactions and relations lacking in one key area: regime atrocities and abuse of office. That is to say that your highly respected personalities have in the course of the diplomatic interactions and relations under reference; turned blind eyes to ongoing regime atrocities in Nigeria under the Presidency of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari. Many Nigerians see this lukewarm attitude as aiding and abetting of regime atrocities in Nigeria.

Regime Atrocities under democracy are taken to mean State-actor promotion and enforcement of gross rights abuses including widespread State killings outside the law, disrespect to judicial pronouncements, criminal stigmatization and trumped up charges. Others are executive interference in judicial affairs and castration of the independence of the judiciary; political domination, exclusion and segregation; nepotism and favouritism; ethno-religious cleansing and adoption of State religion; widespread insecurity, morality corruption and abuse of office as well as general governance failure. These are State-triggered structural violence culminating into deep societal divisions which can snowball into complex humanitarian emergencies. In quick consequences of these, both negative peace (absence of physical violence) and positive peace (absence of structural violence) have grossly eluded Nigeria.

Therefore, our writing your highly respected personalities is generally predicated on the above with particular attention centred on the ongoing persecution of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and other victims of regime atrocities by the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari. It is shocking to inform your highly respected personalities that till date, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu is not standing trial in any known court in Nigeria.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Black’s Law Dictionary, 9th Edition (2009), defines a criminal trial as a formal judicial examination of evidence and determination of legal claims in an adversary proceeding. In other words, a criminal trial is a proceeding preceding issuance of a judicial notice about intended legal claims and accompanying evidence (charge) before a judge by the accusing authority (i.e. AGF, Police or DSS) against an accused citizen in which the veracity of legal claims and accompanying evidence is determined through formal judicial examination. It is extremely important to inform your highly respected personalities that none of the foregoing has taken place in Nnamdi Kanu’s Matter till date.

He has been detained without trial for a period of eleven (11) months or since 14th of October 2015. The circumstances under which he is held are unlawful, illegal, unconstitutional and an aberration to modern international human rights and justice norms. Your highly respected personalities may recall that Mr. Nnamdi Kanu is the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director of a UK registered Radio Station by name Radio Biafra London (RBL). The IPOB is registered at the United Nations as a body advocating for the indigenous rights of indigenous people located in the Southeast and the South-south parts of Nigeria. Both IPOB and RBL earned their recognition and registration on account of their nonviolence methods in accordance with the UN mandate or principles.

As your highly respected personalities are aware, under the UN System, Rights to Self Determination, Development and Identities are recognized and enshrined provided their proponents do not use or advocate for violence. Where violence is resorted to by their proponents leading to widespread violent conflict between their proponents and the host political territory, the conduct of such is strictly governed by the Laws of War or Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Protocols. The enshrinement of these rights is internationally done by way of Treaty Laws or International Conventions; which are legally binding on Member-States that are parties to them.

Regionally and globally, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has willingly acceded to these treaty laws and accepted to be bound by their provisions and obligations. Till date, Nigeria is a party to the UN’s Covenants on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR) and Economic, Social & Cultural Rights (ICESCR). As a matter of fact, Nigeria ratified them in 1993. Nigeria is also a party to the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights (ACHPR), which it ratified and domesticated in 1981. Several decided cases by Nigeria’s courts of competent records or jurisdictions have also upheld their admissibility and enforceability in the Nigerian Legal and Justice System.

In these three important treaty laws cited, rights to self determination, development and identities are fully enshrined. Nigeria’s assent to them is intact till date. Under the International Law and the UN system, Nigeria is also under inexcusable obligation to be bound by these treaty laws as well as the Principles and Purposes of the United Nations particularly in the areas of respect for human rights and its obligation in the maintenance of international peace and security. Perpetration of regime atrocities particularly gross human rights abuses and reckless disregard to rule of law is the greatest threat to international peace and security as well as sustainable development.

Nigeria is further bound by the ten basic standards of the International Law including tolerance and peaceful management of nonviolent and peaceful assemblies; fair trial of citizens held under whatever guise; prohibition of solitary confinement or long detention without trial of detained citizens; prohibition of torture and custodial killings as well as bringing errant law enforcement personnel involved in gross violation of human rights to account for their conduct atrocities.

Under the UN’s Customary International Law with its principles of substantial uniformity of practice by a substantial number of States and Opinio Juris(i.e. a general principle that holds that a non-treaty rule is legally binding on all member-States of the UN); Nigeria as a member-State of UN is inexcusably bound by fundamental rules of the United Nations and International Law. Where the ruling Government in Nigeria or President Muhammadu Buhari pretends not to be in the know of all these, then the moral and diplomatic responsibility turns to your highly respected personalities to do so. The authorities of the UK Government, which colonized Nigeria and co-inhabits Mr. Nnamdi Kanu as one of its legal citizens, are morally and diplomatically obligated, exceptionally speaking, to do so; likewise the top leaders of the UN.

Allowing a gross abuser of human rights to be dinning and winning with your highly respected personalities without calling him to order morally and diplomatically is nothing but aiding and abetting.It is also an international conspiracy and encouragement of citizens’ militancy and violent resistance. It is like an abomination in human rights community whereby a human parts dealer is asked to join an organization that is defending human rights. This position of ours follows our informed observation that your highly respected personalities are steadily failing in your moral and diplomatic obligations to the good people of Nigeria particularly as they concern their liberties, lives and collective security.

We respectfully inform your highly respected personalities further that Mr. Nnamdi Kanu who is has been detained for eleven months having been arrested on 14th of October 2015 by Nigeria’s Secret Police by name DSS (Department of State Security) is treated sub-humanly by the Presidency of Mr. Muhammadu Buhari. Apart from the fact that offences slammed on him are trumped up, the conduct under which he was arrested and detained is also criminally stigmatized. There is nowhere in the civilized world or law that voice conduct without force of arms or physical violence of any form constitute criminal offence not to talk of offences carrying capital punishment.

President Muhammadu Buhari was in opposition politics for over a decade and was noted for mobilizing several assemblies against successive administrations. In his several public speeches then, he was noted as a violent political campaigner, periodically threatening the authorities and rest of Nigeria, yet he was never arrested for one day. This was on account of relatively culture of political tolerance of the referenced past administrations, but months after he became President, he criminalized peaceful assemblies and ordered his security forces to shoot and kill any group of people gathered to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of association and peaceful assemblies. On account of this, as much as 250 Pro Biafra activists were gunned down and mass-murdered in about eight different locations by Nigerian security forces between 30th of August 2015 and 30th of May 2016. Till date, the perpetrators are still on the prowl.

As if these were not enough, President Muhammadu Buhari made a public speech on 30th of December 2015 during which he vowed to ensure that Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and ors spend the rest of their lives in prison custody. This signalled the beginning of persecution of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu. On account of Mr. President’s open bias and threats, the Judiciary became frightened and terrified. A search for an amenable, conformist and pro establishment judge to actualize President Buhari’s open threat commenced and seemed successful, leading to the choice of one Honourable Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The Judge as expected became bias and hostile; threatening and undermining the rule of law and its hallowed principles of nemo judex in sua causa and audi alteram partem; which simply mean that someone should not be a judge in his or her own matter and must hear the other side before drawing a conclusion; otherwise referred to as fair hearing.

Apart from holding Citizen Nnamdi Kanu for eleven months now without trial, four orders of the courts of constitutional records given for his bail and discharge were all flouted. This is attestation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s meddlesomeness and castration of the independence of the Judiciary. Citizen Nnamdi Kanu was kept in detention for months while the Buhari Presidency was busy searching for a conformist Judge to jail him at all costs. Since then, it has been one pre-trial arraignment and gimmickry to another.

As we speak, the scripted trumped up judgment against Mr. Nnamdi Kanu may most likely have been written long ago; waiting for a makeshift trial using masked witnesses; an infamous request from the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari which Justice John Tsoho initially turned down but later upturned following a circumstantially obvious directive and pressure from the Presidency. Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s Case (still at pre-trial stage) is scheduled to resume on 26th of September 2016 and despite calls by well meaning Nigerians and other informed observers on Hon Justice John Tsoho to hands off the case for obvious bias and hostility, he has refused to disqualify himself and is bent on doing President Muhammadu Buhari’s bidding. Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, too, have spoken out and written several protest letters.

As advocates of rule of law and human rights, we are not in opposition to judicial processes, provided they are credible, open and transparent. What we oppose at all times is the State efforts to use judiciary to pervert the course of justice and perpetrate gross abuse of the fundamental human rights of the citizens and undermine democracy and constitutionalism. Sections 35 and 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended in 2011; likewise the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the Ten Basic Standards of the International Law and the African Charter on Human & Peoples Rights contain express provisions entitling citizens to fully enjoy their rights to personal liberty and fair hearing.

These sacred provisions include unhindered access of the accused citizens to their lawyers, adequate time for accused citizens to prepare their own defence, timely availability of records of proceedings for perusal and other lawful uses by the accused citizens, custodial detention within the period legally allowed, trial of the accused citizens in the open court, accused citizens’ right of appeal and their presumption of innocence until they are pronounced guilty by courts of competent records.

Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky; leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) is another major victim of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime atrocities. Sheik Zakzaky had been detained incommunicado for over nine months or 270 days after he was shot severally, battered and blinded by soldiers, during which as much as 809 of his followers were also massacred. The massacre took place on 12th and 14th of December 2015 while they were peacefully and nonviolently marking their annual religious event in Zaria, Kaduna State of Northwest Nigeria. The Government of Kaduna State had publicly admitted burring in mass graves of 347 bodies of the massacred IMN followers alone. Till date, the blinded Sheik has neither been produced publicly nor put on trial in any court in Nigeria; a period of over 270 days and none of errant soldiers that perpetrated the heinous crime has been arrested and put on trial.

We hereby call on your highly respected personalities to:

At all times, manually and electronically, advice and task President Muhammadu Buhari on modern workings of democracy, human rights and rule of law.
Investigate and condemn all forms of human rights abuse particularly unprovoked attacks and killing of unarmed citizens, criminalization and stigmatization of rights to freedom of association, peaceful assemblies and freedom of expression; and reckless use of State violence in public governance approaches.
Task him to preserve and protect at all times the sanctity and independence of the Judiciary and the National Assembly as well
Task President Buhari to publicly renounce his abominable pronouncement made on 30th of December 2015 during his maiden Presidential Chat; upon which the Judiciary has been frightened and become terrified to the extent of conducting its proceedings (i.e. Hon Justice John Tsoho in Nnamdi Kanu’s Case) according to the dictates or whims and caprices of the President

Urge President Muhammadu Buhari to steer clear of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu’s ongoing Court Case and allow a level ground for the accused and his accusers (Buhari’s Presidency) to proof their cases.

Allow constitutionalism to be strictly followed in Mr. Nnamdi Kanu’s Case including the need for the proceedings or proposed trial to be conducted in the open court in accordance with Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended in 2011, as well as the ICCPR and the ACHPR Treaty Laws.

Urge President Muhammadu Buhari to end his obvious meddlesomeness in Mr. Nnamdi Kanu’s Case and the Judiciary and direct his Attorney General to proof the Federal Government’s allegation that Citizen Nnamdi Kanu is a treasonable felon or an insurrectionist; or withdraw the bogus charges against him for want of evidence.

Urge President Muhammadu Buhari to produce publicly dead or alive the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakzaky, who was shot and battered and detained incommunicado since December 14th 2015; a period of nine months or 270 days.

Urge President Muhammadu Buhari to refrain from making further mockery of the rule of law and citizens’ constitutional liberties by arresting and clamping citizens into detention for over three months without trial; contrary to Section 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended in 2011.

Urge Mr. President to end his clamp down, indiscriminate arrest and long detention without trial of Pro Biafra activists across Nigeria or any part thereof, particularly members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and release all their members languishing in various DSS cells across the country without trial.

Urge President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately reverse himself concerning his violence prone style of governance particularly his anti human rights stance, divisive and sectional governance as well as his policies of militarization and militarism.

Yours in the Service to Humanity:

JUST IN: Confusion hits Aso Rock, Buhari panics, as UN sets to hear Nnamdi Kanu's case

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The magistrate and High courts all in Abuja have earlier freed Nnamdi Kanu of all frivolous charges brought against him by Buhari and his bunch of incompetent and unintelligent buffoons in the DSS.

The bail charges were met but Buhari and DSS continued to hold him extra-judicially.

Disobeying court orders to release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally is absolutely a disrespect to the Nigerian judiciary which Buhari did on Dec. 23, 2015. Before the court ruling on Dec. 23, 2015, Buhari had first made a move to bribe the judge to jail Nnamdi Kanu whether or not guilty.

Buhari was not favoured, because the sitting judge did not accept bribe or see any evidence of all charges brought by the DSS and Buhari against Nnamdi Kanu . CROSS SECTION OF NIGERIA BAR The lawyers and judges in Nigeria have gone through the Nigerian constitution and International law and confirmed that Nnamdi Kanu has no charges against him.

Both the Nigerian law and International law supported the Biafra agitation and activities of its leader Prince Nnamdi Kanu. It is therefore an act of tyranny on the part of Buhari and his bunch of routing bees called DSS to ignore an order of the court of competent jurisdiction.

But Buhari defied all the court orders without showing any remorse. He worsen it during his maiden media chat where he made a statement that he will never allow Nnamdi Kanu to go. Is Buhari the Pharaoh of 21st century? Why will Buhari not allow Nnamdi Kanu to go since no law is holding him? Maybe Buhari has no intention to respect International law and Nigerian judiciary.

Buhari disobeying court orders led to manhandling and regular torture on the innocent leader of Indigenous People of Biafra by the DSS. Buhari believes that Biafra agitation is a treasonable felony, what a world of ignorance? We are pleased that the political commentators, lawyers and freedom activities have called it Empty and Stupidity.

NNAMDI KANU, LEADER IPOB Biafrans have continued to protest peacefully worldwide since October 2015 against the unlawful detention of Nnamdi Kanu, yet Buhari kept adamant instead of dealing with the wave he continued to kill and detain unarmed Biafra protesters at will.

This is absolutely human right violation. Nigerian president Mohamadu Buhari did not stop, he raised 100million Naira looking for a fraudulent, criminal, corrupt judge either from the South-South or South east Nigeria to buy in other to jail Nnamdi Kanu. According to our sources Buhari gave the dirty money to Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo State and Chibuike Amechi, former governor of Rivers state to provide a judge for him.

He has not been favoured because of sheer providence on the side of Prince Nnamdi Kanu.

Justice John Tsoho, believes he can give a fair judgement on Nnamdi Kanu’s case without any prejudice. Because he can’t afford to bring his himself so low to take a bribe knowing very well that the whole world is watching closely on Kanu’s case. Can Justice John Tsoho take the blood money from Buhari and forget his legal profile? Can justice Tsoho sacrifices his legal profession for a dirty bribe from Buhari?

Is either John Tsoho free Nnamdi Kanu on January 29, 2016 or he takes the bloody and dirty bribe from Buhari and dent his impeccable record. Biafrans and friends of Biafra understand that the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra Prince Nnamdi Kanu is right fighting for the freedom of Biafrans and innocent of all the criminal allegations against him.

We are expecting the Nigerian court to do the needful and give him bail on January 29, 2016. Hon. Justice John Tsoho is poised to do that. Contributed By Ubah Basil Edited By Ikechukwu Nwaorisa By BIAFRA WRITERS

Biafra Republic BUHARI OFFERS ME 100 MILLION BRIBE TO JAIL NNAMDI KANU TODAY

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An African witch-doctor (juju woman) who is very popular and rich in Kenya for her voodoo has made shocking revelations about herself.

Annah Mutheu is a very rich witch-doctor living an extravagant lifestyle unlike many in her profession. The woman lives in a lavish home she estimated to be worth Sh40 million (N127m) and has a fleet of cars and often jets in and out of the country like a corporate high-flier.

According to The Nairobian, the popular witch-doctor from Kenya does not miss church service as she revealed she inherited the trade from her parents .

“Most people assume that witch-doctors are poor and lead miserable lives. That is not the case. I am a woman of means and my juju business has made me rich,” the former student at Katwii Primary School confessed to The Nairobian.

According to her, the Bible helps her a lot in healing her clients and that she never misses church on Sundays.

The 39-year-old witch doctor who only made it to primary school also revealed that she is religious to the core and attends church without fail. She attributes her success to the fact that she is inspired by God in her work.
She helps people in business prosperity, finding jobs, cure diseases, break curses etc. She is very popular in Kenya as many attests to the fact that her medicine (juju) works

See The Richest Witch-doctor Who Never Misses Church

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Boko Haram terrorist group under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, has threatened to capture President Muhammadu Buhari.

The degraded extremist group, in a new video released on Tuesday, said it remains stronger than ever.

The Islamist sect in the video which was recorded in video images of two Eid grounds, vowed to continue its attacks against Nigerians.

Referring to Buhari as an infidel, the group said, “This is our eid prayer from us and by the support of our leader Imam Abubakar Al-Shekau, we are extending our greetings to our people and fighters.

“Message to the infidels and the leader of the entire infidels (kafir) who is the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, that he should know we are very strong and doing very good.

“By the will of Allah under the leadership of our leader (Shekau), we will capture Buhari with our hands.”

BREAKING: Boko Haram Releases New Video, Threatens To Capture Buhari

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The stylish Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who covered the Thisday style issue some weeks ago has taken the notch higher.

The Emir took to his official Instagram page to announce the latest addition to his Royal fleet and its none other but the choice Rolls Royce Phantom, in white.

Recall that the Emir some months ago bought a black variant of the luxury vehicle which he showed off in a test ride around Kano.

Emir Of Kano, Sanusi Buys ₦209Million Rolls Royce Phantom… He Now Officially Has Three Rolls Royce

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Recall that the Emir some months ago bought a black variant of the luxury vehicle which he showed off in a test ride around Kano.

President Buhari attendds Eid Kabir Prayer in Daura Katsina on 12th Sep 2016.

President Buhari with Emir of Daura Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar and Magajin Gari of Daura Alhaji Musa Umar during Eid Kabir Prayer in Daura, Katsina on 12th Sep 2016.

As seen the the photos,

greater number of the people ignored Buhari when he raised his hand (a sign for Victory & Change).

People Ignore Buhari at kastina Prayer Ground (See Photos)

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President Buhari attendds Eid Kabir Prayer in Daura Katsina on 12th Sep 2016.

President Buhari with Emir of Daura Alhaji Umar Farouk Umar and Magajin Gari of Daura Alhaji Musa Umar during Eid Kabir Prayer in Daura, Katsina on 12th Sep 2016.

As seen the the photos,

greater number of the people ignored Buhari when he raised his hand (a sign for Victory & Change).

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has assured victims of killings in the Northern minority and the middle Belt that Southern Nigeria would never abandon them.

In his speech delivered on Saturday to the Christian Information Network Forum, Jos, Plateau State, Fani- Kayode said he identified strongly the suffering of families of those killed or wounded by violent herdsmen.

The speech made available to DAILY POST reads in parts: “I appreciate the barbarity and injustice of the ruthless persecution that they have been subjected to from those that have kept them in bondage and subjugation for over 200 years.

“As a matter of fact, I regard myself as being as much of a northern Christian as anyone else in this forum and when one of our own is killed by the Islamists and terrorists in our country, it hurts and pains me to the very marrow.

“These are my people that are being slaughtered as much as they are yours. If Nigeria were ever to break up we will ensure that the northern minorities and the Middle Belt come with the south.

“We will never leave you in the hands of our collective enemies and we will never abandon you. When Nigeria is either redefined or restructured: that is when your true liberation begins.

“When it comes to suffering injustice, marginalisation, mass murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide you have suffered more than any other.

“It is only the Igbo people of the south-east that have been subjected to the kind of wickedness that your people have been subjected to by the Nigerian state and those that have controlled it since independence.

“The only difference is that they literally took your identities away from you whilst they couldn’t do that to the Igbo who, till today, are still fighting hard for self-determination.

“It is our intention to right the wrongs of the past and to help to liberate you. It is our intention to encourage and support you in your quest for emancipation and freedom in this historic fight.”

The outspoken politician further urged Christians and other peace loving Nigerians affected by violence in the North to remain steadfast.

“No matter how bad things get, always hold your heads up high, never bow before them, never show them fear, never let them break you and always remember that our God is mighty and that it shall be well.

“No mattter what violence they inflict upon you, no matter what indignities they subject you and yours to and no matter who or what they take away from you never forget that on Christ the solid rock we stand, all other ground is sinking sand: all other ground is sinking”, he added.