Garba Shehu replies UK lawmakers, legal experts and campaigners, fidgets, attack Kanu, IPOB & Danjuma

 

September 25, 2020 | The Biafra Times

The President and Government of Nigeria welcome the seriousness of the letter from UK lawmakers, legal experts and campaigners. We welcome the attention paid to this serious challenge by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and seek to work with you, the Commonwealth and all concerned parties to bring a lasting solution to herder-farmer clashes, and the threat posed to all Nigerians – and the Sahel region as a whole – from Boko Haram terrorists and their allies.

We ask our British colleagues to visit Nigeria, whether formally or informally to discuss all the points raised in their letter. Our government is made equally of Christian and Muslim cabinet members; our Vice President is an Evangelical Pastor. We have everything to gain as a country through international cooperation with concerned, senior British parliamentarians and policymakers. The threat to civilians and peaceful co-existence between different ethnic and religious groups from Boko Haram, banditry and land disputes is of serious concern to the President and the government. It is incorrect, however, to assert that the government has or is doing nothing to address these intertwined threats.

Firstly, there are on-going efforts for the establishment of cattle ranches to prevent or curtail open grazing, the practice that brings herders and farmers into conflict. This is an age-old problem facing Nigerian Governments since the colonial days. However, matters of land distribution are dealt with at state level. This means willingness has to be shown by state governors to drive the process forward. The Federal Government launched a plan last year to work with states to address these issues - together. Unfortunately, this has been lacking in some states.

Secondly, with regards to the long and determined battle waged against Boko Haram, Nigerians are aware of the efforts made by this Government. When the government came to power, the terrorist group held and administered an area the size of Belgium. Now they hold none. The terrorists are hiding out amongst remote forests and across borders. This makes it difficult to extinguish the final flames of the insurgency, and the government has no illusions of the potent threat still posed. However, the progress made cannot be denied.

Thirdly, in the face of rising crime and insecurity, the government’s new community policing initiative was launched this month. 10,000 new constables are being recruited from the areas they will safeguard – as opposed to past practice. The government hopes this will bring policing closer to local communities. N13 billion has been earmarked for this initiative.

At the same time as we take note of the lawmakers’ letter, it is also important to stress to our partners and colleagues in the United Kingdom that not all who press them have the best interests of either democratic governance or peaceful coexistence in mind. For example, the former Nigerian Chief of Army Staff, named and quoted in the letter as a source on military matters, relinquished that position some 40 years ago - in 1979. He was last in a government position 17 years ago in 2003 (as Minister of Defence). At that time, religious and ethnic riots erupted in two states of the federation, (2001 and 2002), these were violently and ruthlessly put down by the military under his authority, leading to the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of some further 50,000 persons. He is, therefore, not a natural source of pressure for good governance.

Another, signatory to the letter, is well-known to be associated with the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, a Nigerian-blacklisted terrorist group. The IPOB are running a well-known (source-of-financing-unknown) international campaign intended to damage the reputation of Nigeria and its government in order to further their cause of “independence”. He jumped bail in Nigeria. He frequently travels on a Nigerian passport but urged his supporters to burn their passports! The IPOB barely mention their aims in their publicity; neither do they mention that their own leadership do not claim to be Christian. Yet, their media and lobbying campaign has focused near-exclusively on promoting matters related to Christianity in Nigeria, promulgating false claims that a government with 50 per cent of its cabinet and 50 per cent of its State Governors who are Christian somehow works against Christians. We call on our British friends and colleagues to join us in addressing genuine solutions not pander to agents of anarchy.

Garba Shehu

Senior Special Assistant to the President

(Media & Publicity)

The Biafra Times

Publisher: Chijindu Benjamin Ukah

Contact us: [email protected]

Follow us on twitter: @thebiafratimes

#BuhariResign: Enyinnaya Abaribe Unarguably the Only Distinguished Senator in Nigeria - IPOB

File photo: Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe

IPOB PRESS RELEASE

January 31, 2020 | The Biafra Times

The recent incoherent and roundly childish tirade by the presidency of Nigeria against Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, unarguably the only distinguished senator in the whole of Nigeria, is confirmation of the paranoia that has gripped the Fulani government in Aso Rock. Garba Shehu has not only showcased his ignorance of the law as it pertains to bail forfeiture proceedings in a law court, but his pathetic attempt to rewrite the history of the unprovoked bloody invasion of the home of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by Fulani terrorist soldiers which directly resulted in his inability to attend Binta Nyako's court is well documented. It doesn't matter how many times Aso Rock rehearse this puerile line of 'jumping bail' argument, the facts are very clear and in the public domain for any sensible person to comprehend. If you went Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's house to kill him, is it a court in Abuja, where judges are impotent, that he won't be attacked? Common sense!

It speaks to the intellectual vacuousness of this APC regime that a seemingly high ranking presidential spokesperson is blissfully ignorant of the constitution they swore to uphold. Does it mean that Garba Shehu, Malami the Attorney General of Nigeria and the Tanko Muhammad the Chief Justice of Nigeria are ignorant of the section of the constitution that stipulates by law a senator is not allowed to stand surety for an accused person? Therefore Abaribe has no case to answer, that is why neither Binta Ntako's court nor the Court of Appeal is willing to entertain the bond forfeiture case any longer. Garba Shehu should stop disgracing himself and his Miyetti Allah government with their nauseating ignorance of judicial process.

This same Garba Shehu who said they don't take advice from the likes of Abaribe were the same people that publicly called for Goodluck Jonathan to resign. Why is it that Senator Abaribe's legitimate call for the resignation of Abba Kyari's government headed by Jubril Al-Sudani is suddenly treasonable felony. Fulani caliphate plans against Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe and others will fail because ordinary people are now wiser thanks to the gospel of liberation being preached by our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

Since the failure of Fulani/Ohaneze Ndigbo/South East Governors' plot to eliminate our great leader during the invasion of his country home at Afaraukwu in Umuahia Abia State, Aso Rock with their truth averse misguided friends in some sections of the cash and carry news media in Nigeria, have been scrambling to see what false allegation against Enyinnaya Abaraibe will stick. Each time they have failed as they will also fail in this latest charade. We are now all familiar with the usual Fulani rage and fury anytime their corrupt regime in Aso Rock is held publicly accountable. They cannot fool the masses anymore, we are all wiser.

We should remind Garba Shehu and Nigerians alike that Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Binta Nyako granted our leader bail on 23rd of March 2017 and a few months after that, the Fulani owned Federal Government of Nigeria on 14th of September 2017 to be precise, conspired with South East governors, Ohaneze Indigbo led by John Nnia Nwodo and ordered the Nigeria Army, Police, Navy, Air Force, and DSS to invade kill and maim our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The fact they failed in that murderous mission that took the lives of 28 Biafrans is the reason why there is so much meaningless vitriol directed at Abaribe to cover up their murderous intent against our leader.

It is important we let the masses that inhabit the colonial contraption called Nigeria know that any government that fail to protect the lives and properties of her citizens is a total failure, therefore this Fulani regime is a complete and utter failure and should be removed. It is unfortunate that Nigerians do not know what democracy and opposition politics is all about. An opposition party is there to oppose and that is what Abaribe did but surprisingly this rudimentary requirement of democratic governance is lost on some sections of ill-informed Fulani quota graduates hence their hysteria.

We are warning and cautioning any person, persons or group who are making frantic efforts to endear themselves to the caliphate by issuing unguarded press statements to retrace their step because Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe is not to be toyed with or his name ridiculed by any faceless, non-existent Igbo group

We are warning and cautioning any person, persons or group who are making frantic efforts to endear themselves to the caliphate by issuing unguarded press statements to retrace their step because Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe is not to be toyed with or his name ridiculed by any faceless, non-existent Igbo group. IPOB is still in court challenging the Nigeria Army, Police, Navy and DSS invasion of our leader's compound in 2017. Garba Shehu and his fellow Janjaweed in Aso Rock should always be mindful of these irrefutable facts before opening their mouth again in public.

COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL MEDIA AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.

The Biafra Times

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Publisher: Charles Opanwa

IPOB Proscription: We No Longer Live In The Era Of Emperors And Sovereign Kings, Stop Dishing Out Lies Against IPOB— Biafra Writers Replies Garba Shehu

By Odira O. Udozo || For Biafra Writers

October 26, 2017

For sometimes now, Channels TV has really been a model for other TV stations in Nigeria. They can be said to be the CNN, Aljazeera of Nigeria. It was disappointing for me then, to watch the Garba Shehu interview with Maupe Ogun. The man was literally allowed to get away with galloping lies and unfounded allegations. He said that the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was staging road blocks and extorting money from the populace, that they printed a passport and declared a territory! Since the quintessential Sunrise Morning Crew did not deem it fit to grill him adequately for posterity sake, probably the print media should help mis-abuse the minds of the people over such claims.

The MASSOB under Chief Raphael Uwazurike was alleged to have created passports which the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu debunked its worth during his days of broadcast on Radio Biafra. What evidence does the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media, Garba Shehu have to prove that the so-called passports were printed and issued at the behest of the Nnamdi Kanu-led IPOB? He also talked about the printing of Biafran currency! With all due respect, this is a display of sheer ignorance or clear-cut mischief. So, because some Biafrans decided to display a relic from the past, a relic that inspires a great future nevertheless, it’s now akin to printing of currency by the IPOB?

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One thing should be made clear to all conservative One ‘Nigerianists’; there was a country, there was a sovereign state of Biafra, there was a sovereign map with its flag, coat of arms and anthem, there was a recognition of Biafra by the sovereign nations of Ivory Coast, Zambia, Tanzania and Gabon. The Biafran agitation today, is not a secessionist struggle per se but more of a restoration of a country that has been under occupation in the last 47 years, a nation whose its sovereignty and independence was forcefully impugned and violated by external forces. Where is the pictorial or video evidences showing IPOB members mounting road blocks and extorting money from the populace? They actually expect the world to believe these kind of cheap lies without tendering an evidence to corroborate their claims? The same government that told us the President cannot work from his office due to rats’ occupation, a government whose army denied raiding Kanu’s residence despite video and pictorial evidences saying otherwise!

How can the IPOB declare a territory and still demand for a referendum to determine the people’s choice? That does not rhyme with the Boko Haram terrorist group that declared a territory and immediately started defending it against the Nigerian State in a manner that saw all "Pythons" leave the forest, it does not tally either with the pattern used by Kevin Baugh in the declaration of his Republic of Molossia; a micro nation within Nevada, USA. IPOB has called for a peaceful and democratic referendum to ensure that those in the proposed map of Biafra really wish to be citizens of a sovereign republic outside Nigeria; this is what the Scottish, Catalonians, Iraqi Kurds, and the Quebec people did. Garba Shehu and folks like him must understand that we no longer live in the era of Emperors and sovereign Kings, and the time of the remaining dictators of the world is fleeting. People must decide on how to live, co-habitation is not by force and internal colonialism in the name of keeping a country one, at all cost cannot be tolerated much longer.

Read Also: Biafra: Nigeria Failed To Appear Before ECOWAS Court And Now Their Judge Runs Away After Proscribing IPOB

It did not end with the SSA on Media to the president, the legendary Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had to throw his weight behind the surge of calumny against IPOB and the Biafran restoration project. The Minister who is now famous for his unending litany of pseudo statements; said that no country would have tolerated IPOB. Though self-determination groups around civilized democracies of the world have occasional fracas with the Central government, be it in Barcelona, Edinburgh or elsewhere, only the few so-called ‘democracies’ like Nigeria and perhaps Cameroon, would suppress peaceful revolutionary movements like IPOB the way they have been manhandled so far, and for what? For only demanding their right to freedom of speech, assembly and political association.

Most Self-determination movements in Africa for example, has a militant arm to contain the excesses of the government’s security forces. From the ANC of Nelson Mandela during the apartheld era to the Sahrawi people of Morroco seeking a Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic(Militant group- Sahrawi People’s Liberation Army), to the Lozis of Zambia seeking Independent Barotse land(Militant group; Barotse Patriotic Front), to the Oromia people of Ethiopia(Militant group- Conference of Oromiya People Liberation Front). In all these scenarios, they seek independence but they have a militant group to ensure that their Central government’s police, army, etc, do not get away with the killing of their people during peaceful rallies. In Nigeria however, IPOB loses her members from rally to rally to the military and other security forces. They are being shot at unprovoked, as documented even by the Amnesty International. If marching on the streets unarmed, educating its people on the need to boycott elections; if forming a Biafra vigilante service whose members are not armed; if pelting military armoured tanks with stones in reaction to seeing fellow Biafrans killed for no reason; amounts to armed struggle and terrorism, then humanity is doomed.

On the funding of IPOB, it is not a rocket science that members will support financially, in order to sustain its diverse means of mass communication, to sustain families of those the Nigerian Armed Forces have killed so far, to support the medical needs of those surviving gunshots, acid burns. The account in Paris isn’t a secret; as the movement isn’t an underground association after all. One would expect the Nigerian State to uncover the financial chest and sponsors of the Boko Haram sect and AK 47 wielding Fulani herdmen, but alas, there goes the priority list of the Danfodiyo Estate.

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They kept telling Africans they were inferior to all Whites and we believed it, likewise, Nigeria keeps saying that we are a federal state and many believed it, the Nigerian constitution begins with the line; "We the people," and many believed it. The point is, tell a lie continuously for a long time, and it might be believed by many as the truth. In this era of social media, where government no longer controls what we should know as a people, falsehoods must be sought out and uprooted with facts and irrefutable evidence. In that light, many will argue that the proscription of IPOB due to reasons cited by the Nigerian state, will not hold water in a competent court of law had IPOB being given a chance to defend itself.


THE BIAFRA TIMES
Edited By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
Publisher: Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
Contact us: [email protected]