15042019 - North now land of bandits, says Northern Elders Forum
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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 15, 2019—15<br />
Buhari, Atiku non-Nigerians —IPOB<br />
By Emeka Mamah<br />
E NUGU—THE<br />
Indigenous People <strong>of</strong><br />
Biafra, IPOB, has<br />
described the ongoing<br />
altercations between the<br />
ruling All Progressives<br />
Congres, APC, and the<br />
opposition Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, PDP, over<br />
the nationalities <strong>of</strong> both<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari and the former Vice<br />
President, Alhaji Atiku<br />
Abubakar as unnecessary<br />
as both “are non -<br />
Nigerians.”<br />
IPOB made this k<strong>now</strong>n in<br />
a statement signed by its<br />
Media and Publicity<br />
Secretary, Comrade Emma<br />
Imo election: Army hands over 115 suspects to police<br />
By Chinonso<br />
Alozie<br />
O WERRI—THE<br />
Nigerian Army said<br />
it has handed over 115<br />
suspects arrested during<br />
2019 general elections in<br />
Imo State to the state police<br />
command.<br />
Vanguard's investigation<br />
yesterday revealed that<br />
these suspects operated<br />
Powerful. It stressed that<br />
the pretence by those in<br />
positions <strong>of</strong> authority that<br />
things were normal in the<br />
country “with the current<br />
level <strong>of</strong> injustice, poverty,<br />
pain, insecurity, hunger<br />
and oppression,”<br />
amounted to a recipe for<br />
disaster.<br />
It stated that its leader,<br />
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had<br />
earlier warned Nigerians<br />
that the two Fulani political<br />
gladiators were non -<br />
Nigerians, even as the<br />
occupant <strong>of</strong> Aso Rock was<br />
<strong>now</strong> a “Sudanese.”<br />
The statement read in<br />
part: “With the trend <strong>of</strong><br />
ongoing events in Nigeria,<br />
it is <strong>now</strong> clear to all and<br />
with the other three<br />
suspected bombers<br />
apprehended at Iho<br />
collation center in Ikeduru<br />
Local Government Area <strong>of</strong><br />
Imo State.<br />
Public Relations Officer,<br />
PRO, 34 Artillery Brigade,<br />
Obinze, Mohammed<br />
Bawa told Vanguard that<br />
exactly 115 suspects were<br />
arrested during the 2019<br />
elections in the state and<br />
sundry that any word<br />
uttered by our leader on<br />
Radio Biafra is the<br />
unquestionable truth<br />
backed up by irrefutable<br />
facts. Atiku’s nationality<br />
debate attests to this.<br />
“On Radio Biafra, every<br />
lecture on history, social<br />
policy, economy, politics<br />
and law is designed to<br />
liberate the poorly informed<br />
half-educated masses <strong>of</strong><br />
Nigeria from the darkness<br />
and oppression <strong>of</strong> the<br />
people.<br />
“Those who over the<br />
years derived joy in<br />
propagating the lies that<br />
Radio Biafra is about<br />
propaganda and hate<br />
speech are the ones today<br />
relying on it to get factual<br />
Enugu govt inaugurates committee on<br />
fiscal transparency securing “concrete<br />
By Chinedu<br />
Adonu<br />
ENUGU— Governor<br />
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi <strong>of</strong><br />
Enugu State has<br />
inaugurated a 20-member<br />
steering committee for the<br />
Enugu Open Government<br />
Partnership, OGP.<br />
Open Government<br />
Partnership Nigeria is a<br />
programme anchored by<br />
the <strong>of</strong>fice <strong>of</strong> the Attorney-<br />
General <strong>of</strong> the Federation<br />
and Minister <strong>of</strong> Justice<br />
towards upholding the<br />
principles <strong>of</strong> fiscal<br />
transparency in the areas<br />
<strong>of</strong> open budgeting, open<br />
contracting, tax<br />
transparency, and ease <strong>of</strong><br />
doing business as well as<br />
anti-corruption, access to<br />
information and citizen’s<br />
engagement.<br />
Consequently, Enugu<br />
State government in<br />
keeping with its<br />
commitment to fiscal<br />
discipline, transparency<br />
and accountability was<br />
recently admitted into OGP<br />
to promote the set objectives<br />
<strong>of</strong> the programme.<br />
Inaugurating the<br />
committee comprising<br />
governmental and nongovernmental<br />
members,<br />
Ugwuanyi who was<br />
represented by his deputy,<br />
Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo stated<br />
that the multilateral<br />
initiative was aimed at<br />
commitments from<br />
governments to promote<br />
transparency, empower<br />
citizens, fight corruption<br />
and harness new<br />
technologies to strengthen<br />
governance”.<br />
The governor disclosed<br />
that “the state has also<br />
taken steps to fulfill all<br />
other requirements that<br />
would ensure her full<br />
participation and<br />
representation in the<br />
initiative,” adding that<br />
“part <strong>of</strong> these measures is<br />
the constitution and<br />
inauguration <strong>of</strong> the<br />
steering committee, Enugu<br />
OGP and DFID-PERL<br />
Support to Enugu OGP.”<br />
Members <strong>of</strong> the<br />
committee are<br />
were handed over to the<br />
police in Imo.<br />
Bawa said: “The suspects<br />
have been handed over to<br />
the police. We don’t have<br />
any suspect arrested<br />
during the election with<br />
us <strong>now</strong>.<br />
“We have handed them<br />
over to the police, we<br />
handed over a hundred<br />
and fifteen suspects. We<br />
came with a hundred and<br />
information on constitutional<br />
law in Nigeria. Senior<br />
lawyers in Nigeria <strong>now</strong><br />
depend on Nnamdi Kanu<br />
to tutor them on constitutional<br />
law and the dysfunctional<br />
legal system <strong>of</strong> Nigeria.<br />
“Those that referred to<br />
IPOB as miscreants are the<br />
same people <strong>now</strong> quoting<br />
and referencing the<br />
speeches <strong>of</strong> our supreme<br />
leader, Mazi Nnamdi<br />
Kanu in their legal<br />
depositions.<br />
“Radio Biafra has <strong>now</strong><br />
been confirmed beyond<br />
every doubt as a citadel and<br />
arguably the best (,open)<br />
university in Africa as<br />
events surrounding Atiku’s<br />
nationality attests."<br />
HEALTH: From left —Managing Director, UBA Pensions Mr. Bayo Yusuf; Head Strategy Sigma<br />
Pensions, Mrs. Adaora Ude; CEO, Sigma Pensions, Mr. Dave Uduanu, Corporate Strategy<br />
Analyst Sigma Pensions Ms. Ada Akonobi and Head Business Development East, Mr. Chukuma<br />
Amaonwu at the Sigma Walk to Live, in Enugu, weekend.<br />
Commissioner for<br />
Information, Ogbuagu<br />
Anikwe, who serves as co-<br />
Chairman; Head <strong>of</strong><br />
Service, Mr Chidi Ezema;<br />
Commissioner for<br />
Intergovernmental Affairs,<br />
Aloysius Ogbodo; and<br />
Commissioner for Justice,<br />
Miletus Eze.<br />
Others include<br />
Commissioner for<br />
Commerce and Industry,<br />
Ogbu Sam Nwobodo; and<br />
Commissioner for Finance,<br />
Mrs Eucharia Uche Offor;<br />
Commissioner for<br />
Chieftaincy Matters,<br />
Emeka Okeke; ALGON<br />
Chairman, Frank Ugwu;<br />
Special Adviser to the<br />
Governor on SME and<br />
Investments, Anayo Agu;<br />
and VEC Directorate, Dr<br />
Eric Oluedo.<br />
three and then our <strong>of</strong>ficers<br />
in the field told us that<br />
there were twelve other<br />
suspects with them and we<br />
collected them and handed<br />
them over to the police.”<br />
At the time <strong>of</strong> filing this<br />
report, the Imo State Police<br />
Public Relations Officer,<br />
PPRO, Or<strong>land</strong>o Ikeokwu,<br />
could not be reached as his<br />
phone was switched <strong>of</strong>f.<br />
Igbo, Yoruba alliance <strong>now</strong><br />
inevitable, <strong>says</strong> ADF<br />
By Dennis Agbo<br />
E NUGU—ALIGBO<br />
Development<br />
Foundation, ADF, has said<br />
cooperation and alliance<br />
between the Igbo and<br />
Yoruba people has become<br />
even more relevant <strong>now</strong>, as<br />
it will help fasten the<br />
realistion <strong>of</strong> selfdetermination<br />
pursuits <strong>of</strong><br />
most ethnic nationalities in<br />
Nigeria.<br />
It also said that the<br />
bridge for closer ties would<br />
not only engender<br />
economic emancipation,<br />
but would further<br />
consolidate the historical<br />
and cultural affinity as<br />
already identified between<br />
the two regions.<br />
ADF made the statements<br />
as part <strong>of</strong> its reaction to<br />
what it said was a welcome<br />
development on the Ooni<br />
<strong>of</strong> Ife’s recent citations <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Igbo origin, traced to Ile-<br />
Ife.<br />
Oba Adeyeye Enitan<br />
Ogunwusi, the Ooni <strong>of</strong> Ife,<br />
during the recent Aje<br />
Herdsman attack: Abia First<br />
Lady assures victim <strong>of</strong> justice<br />
ABA—WIFE <strong>of</strong> Abia<br />
State Governor, Mrs<br />
Nkechi Ikpeazu has said<br />
the government <strong>of</strong> Abia<br />
State is working hard to<br />
ensure that justice is done<br />
in the case <strong>of</strong> a woman who<br />
lost her fingers after a<br />
herdsman attack.<br />
The Abia first lady who<br />
disclosed this during her<br />
visit to the victim, Esther<br />
Ibemecha at the General<br />
Hospital in Aba, consoled<br />
the victim and assured her<br />
that justice must be done.<br />
It will be recalled that<br />
recently a herdsman,<br />
Salisu Garuba who<br />
allegedly attempted to cut<br />
<strong>of</strong>f the head <strong>of</strong> Ibemecha,<br />
ended up cutting <strong>of</strong>f her<br />
four fingers in the process.<br />
Mrs. Ikpeazu while at the<br />
hospital, assured that the<br />
state government will work<br />
assiduously to ensure that<br />
such incident will not repeat<br />
in the state.<br />
Festival at Ile-Ife had emphasised<br />
the aboriginality<br />
<strong>of</strong> Igbo civilisation in<br />
Oduduwa which the Igbo<br />
group, ADF, said the history<br />
should be seen as a<br />
welcome development in<br />
the restoration <strong>of</strong> positive<br />
relationship between the<br />
Igbo and the Yoruba.<br />
Chairman <strong>of</strong> ADF<br />
publicity Bureau, Chief<br />
Abia Onyike in a statement<br />
yesterday, said the<br />
information provided by the<br />
Ooni was also reflected in<br />
the book, titled, "The Cradle<br />
<strong>of</strong> a Race: Ife from the<br />
beginning to 1980" written<br />
by many Yoruba<br />
intellectuals and edited by<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>. I. A. Akinjogbin.<br />
ADF therefore urged the<br />
Igbo nation, especially the<br />
traditional rulers and<br />
spiritual leaders in Igbo<br />
<strong>land</strong> to reciprocate the<br />
goodwill demonstrated by<br />
the Ooni <strong>of</strong> Ife to further<br />
improve and consolidate<br />
I g b o - Y o r u b a<br />
rapprochement and<br />
solidarity.<br />
She disclosed that the<br />
government <strong>of</strong> Abia State<br />
will take care <strong>of</strong> all the<br />
victim’s medical bill and<br />
urged the hospital<br />
management to do all they<br />
can to put her back in good<br />
health.<br />
“I just came back and<br />
heard about what<br />
happened and I decided to<br />
come by myself. The<br />
governor has said that the<br />
government will settle<br />
every medical bill. I'm<br />
therefore pleading with the<br />
hospital management to do<br />
whatever you can do and<br />
be assured that<br />
government will take care<br />
<strong>of</strong> everything. I k<strong>now</strong> that<br />
the man who did this is<br />
already in custody and the<br />
government is not keeping<br />
silent. Something must be<br />
done to see that we don’t<br />
have this kind <strong>of</strong> thing<br />
again,” she said.<br />
3 Catholic priests cheat<br />
death in Owerri<br />
By Chidi<br />
Nkwopara<br />
O WERRI—Three<br />
Catholic priests<br />
narrowly cheated death in<br />
Owerri, as an early<br />
morning fire destroyed<br />
part <strong>of</strong> their rectory in Holy<br />
Trinity Parish, World Bank<br />
Housing Estate.<br />
Explaining their<br />
miraculous escape during<br />
an interview, the Parish<br />
Priest, Rev. Fr. Charles<br />
Ikwuegbu said the fire was<br />
noticed at about 1am.<br />
“I was hearing sparks<br />
and honestly, I thought they<br />
were gunshots by armed<br />
robbers. Then, I started<br />
perceiving odour <strong>of</strong><br />
burning materials. So, I<br />
opened the door and<br />
behold, the whole house<br />
has been engulfed in thick<br />
smoke”, Fr. Ikwuegbu<br />
narrated.<br />
The cleric said it was at<br />
this point he realized that<br />
the parlour was burning<br />
and the ceiling was also on<br />
fire.<br />
“It was at this point that I<br />
realised the parlour was<br />
burning and the ceiling<br />
was also on fire. We raised<br />
the alarm, which attracted<br />
other people who helped to<br />
rescue us”, Rev. Fr.<br />
Ikwuegbu recounted.