Military-IPOB Faceoff: Governor Fayose Calls For Dialogue

Ayodele Fayose, the governor of Ekiti State, has once again called on the federal government to handle the agitation of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, with caution and allow leaders of the Southeast region to apply political solutions as against the use of force, which has created tension in Abia State and the entire Southeast since the military embarked on its Operation Python Dance II.

In a statement e-mailed to The Trent on Saturday, September 16, 2017, by Lere Olayinka, a spokesperson for the governor, Fayose also called the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu and his followers to desist from any act capable of threatening the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians and allow dialogue to resolve their agitations.

The governor said the federal government should be reminded of how late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua handled the Niger Delta militancy with dialogue and consultations, adding that the same approach should be used to address IPOB agitations and those of others rather than military option.

The governor said; “For whatever reasons, the federal government should avoid being seen as becoming trigger happy because in every union, there will always be agitations and leaders must listen to such agitations and address them.

“I was particularly happy when Governors of the South-East states met with Nnamdi Kanu, 16 days ago and I commended the governors then and said that the federal government should allow the governors and other leaders of the region to intervene just as governors from the Northern States were allowed to peacefully address the Arewa Youths threat against Igbos living in the north.

“The federal government should therefore withdraw the military from the Southeast and encourage the peace effort of the Southeast governors so as to prevent further bloodshed and tension as being witnessed in Abia State now.”

Maintaining that Nigerians will always agitate for the restructuring of the country, Governor Fayose said; “The moment it becomes necessary for Nigerians living outside their states of origin to be assured of their safety where they reside, it should be obvious to all discerning minds that all is not well.

“For instance, here in Ekiti, we do not need to begin to assure other tribes living in the State of their safety because as a government, our actions never threatened the peaceful co-existence of Nigerians living in Ekiti State.

“Therefore, instead of trying to suppress agitations, the federal government should accede to calls for the restructuring of the country so that we can have a country that we can all call our own.”

Nigerian Military Declares IPOB Terrorist Organisation

The Defence Headquarters has declared the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) a militant terrorist organisation.

Director, Defence Information, Major-General John Enenche, in a statement on Friday, said parents should dissuade their wards from joining the group and that the Armed Forces will confront “all security challenges facing the country.’’

Enenche listed reasons for the declaration to include, the formation of a Biafra Secret Service, claimed formation of Biafra National Guard, unauthorised blocking of public access roads; extortion of money from innocent civilians at illegal roadblocks, and militant possession and use of weapons (stones, molotov cocktails, machetes and broken bottles among others) on a military patrol on September 10, 2017.

“From the foregoing, the Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to confirm to the general public that IPOB from all intent, plan and purpose as analysed, is a militant terrorist organisation,” it said.

Based on the declaration, the army warned Nigerians against joining the group.

“Therefore, parents and particularly unsuspecting residents of the South East and other Nigerians should advise their wards to desist from joining the group,” it said.

“The Defence Headquarters restates its commitment to handling all the security challenges in the Country and further assures all Nigerians of the protection of lives and property.”

See full reasons for the declaration below:

The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) group which has posed to be a security challenge in the Country, has been metamorphosing from one stage to the other. After due professional analysis and recent developments, it has become expedient, to notify the general public that; the claim by IPOB actors that the organization is non-violent is not true. Hence, the need to bring to public awareness the true and current state of IPOB. In this regard, some of their actions, clandestinely and actively, that has been terrorising the general public among others include;The formation of a Biafra Secret Service.Claimed formation of Biafra National Guard.Unauthorised blocking of public access roads.Extortion of money from innocent civilians at illegal roadblocks.Militant possession and use of weapons (stones, Molotov cocktails, machetes and broken bottles among others) on a military patrol on 10 September 2017.Physical confrontation of troops by Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB actors at a checkpoint on 11 September 2017 and also attempts to snatch their rifles.Attack by IPOB members, on a military checkpoint on 12 September 2017, at Isialangwa, where one IPOB actor attempted to snatch a female soldier’s rifle.

Court Remands 32 Suspected IPOB Men In Prison Port Harcourt

A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, yesterday remanded 32 suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in prison

The suspects were arrested after they allegedly engaged in a bloody clash with security operatives during which a policeman was killed, his rifle taken away and three others injured.

The Tuesday afternoon attack at a military checkpoint in Obehie, Abia State moved to Oyigbo Junction in Port Harcourt where the policeman was shot dead. Three other policemen were injured and two Police vans burnt. Three police weapons and 68 live ammunition were carted away, among others.

The 32 suspects were arraigned for murder, armed robbery, unlawful assembly and treasonable felony, among others.

The Magistrate declined jurisdiction and ordered that the case files be transmitted to the office of the state Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.
Magistrate Amadi Amadi-Nna adjourned the matter indefinitely.
Efforts by the accused lawyers to make the court turn down the case file for reassignment to a high court failed.

The lawyers said the charge against their clients were trumped up, and urged that they be disregarded and the defendants be discharged.
They lashed the police for charging them before a court that lacks the powers to prosecute.

The prosecution, led by Enoch Gorge, a Superintendent of Police, objected to the submission and urged the court to use its discretion in the charge.
George told reporters later: “We are aware that the court lacks jurisdiction in the matter but we are here on remand proceeding.

“The defence counsel canvassed that the charge be struck out and the suspects discharged just like that but we objected on the grounds that the charges pressed on them are heavy.”
He assured the public that the Police would ensure that the seven-day deadline provided for by section 304 of Administration of Criminal Justice Administration to transmit the case file to the DPP would be kept to ensure that justice was done to both the defendants and the society.
The charge was not read out to the accused persons.
The 23 suspects arrested over the Tuesday afternoon fracas were charged with treasonable Felony. The nine arrested for the murder of the policeman and on the second day were charged with murder, armed robbery, unlawful assembly among others

Autocrash along ibadan-lagos express way claim 30 lives

An auto accident on the Lagos-Ibadan highway has claimed 30 lives on Thursday night.

Spokesman for the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Bisi Kazeem, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abuja on Friday.

Kazeem said the accident occurred at about 8pm at Km 95 around the Elebolo Quary Area on the Ibadan axis of the road.

According to him, 10 other persons were injured in the crash involving 40 persons and two Mazda buses.

“The crash occurred at a construction site, and it resulted from route and speed violations.

“This has further underscored the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi’s advice to motorists to avoid night journeys, be careful around construction sites and drive within approved speed limits,” he said.

Kazeem said rescue operations by the FRSC officials, who arrived at the scene minutes after the incident, ended at 2:42am on Friday.

He disclosed that the corpses were deposited at Adeoyo Yemetu Hospital mortuary, Ibadan.

The injured were taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, and Adeoyo Yemetu Hospital, he added.