Chairman of the Anambra State Elders’ Advisory Council, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Nigeria Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme and other Igbo leaders have justified the reasons for the agitation of some Igbo youths, including Nnamd Kanu, for the creartion of a Biafran republic out of the greater Nigeria, and called on the government to immediately address such reasons.

In a communiqué issued by the leaders today, Friday, after a meeting to deliberate on the present state of affairs in the country, including in particular, the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Anambra state scheduled for 18th November 2017, the elders stressed that the country is currently showing signs of a failed state.

The Igbo elders made it clear that the root cause of the under-performance of Nigeria state is the transformation of the country’s structure of governance from the true federalism carefully negotiated and agreed in the 1960/63 constitutions by the country’s founding fathers to the effectively unitary structure which arose from the prolonged period of military intervention in the government of the country.

“That there is urgent need to arresting this national drift through a restructuring government architecture by returning to a true federalism based on fewer and more viable federating units

The Igbo elders expressed conviction that restructuring will usher in greater national cohesion and a more united country where all the citizens in the component regions can pursue their self-fulfilments with equity and fairness.

The communiqué, which was signed by Chief Anyaoku, Dr. Ekueme, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, former Governor, Anambra State and Dr. Tim Menakaya, former Minister of Health read thus:

Members of the Anambra State Elders Council deliberated at length on the present state of affairs in our country, Nigeria, including in particular, the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Anambra state scheduled for 18th November 2017, and unanimously reach the following conclusions:

1. That our country, Nigeria, by all universally accepted major national indices; security of life and property, progress in socio economic development, national cohesion on political stability – is clearly under-performing and worryingly drifting towards becoming a failed state.
2. That the root cause of the under-performance is the transformation of the country’s structure of governance from the true federalism carefully negotiated and agreed in the 1960/63 constitutions by the country’s founding fathers to the effectively unitary structure which arose from the prolonged period of military intervention in the government of the country.
3. That there is urgent need to arresting this national drift through a restructuring government architecture by returning to a true federalism based on fewer and more viable federating units.
4. That we are convinced that restructuring will usher in greater national cohesion and a more united country where all the citizens in the component regions can pursue their self-fulfilments with equity and fairness.
5. We firmly believe that their is no part of the country that does not benefit holistically from belonging to one large Nigeria; we therefore see agitations currently for a republic of Biafra and potentially for a Niger Delta Republic and an Oduduwa Republic as manifestation of strong grievances by the agitators.

In the case of Biafra induced by both perceived failure to heal the wound of the civil war and continuing marginalisation of the South East zone by the federal government, and in other cases induced by a strong conviction that the present governance structure and performance of the federal government constitute a great obstacle to the development and self-fulfilment of their people.

We call on the federal government, particularly the Executive and Legislative to urgently take steps to initiate the process of restructuring.

6. We feel compelled to draw attention to the recent quit notice given to Ndigbo by Northern Youths and support Ohaneze’s efforts in this respect and call on the federal government to urgently address the matter.
7. We see great value in periodic meetings of the major stakeholders of the SE zone – Governors, Federal Ministers and Legislators, Ohaneze, prominent captains of the Cooperate Sector and Acknowledged Youth representatives to discuss and there after act on projects promoting peace and development of the Zone. The meetings of the governors and Ohaneze should be more frequent and to be followed periodically by all major stakeholders meeting.
8. We also call all concerned to ensure that the people of Anambra State are availed, without any disruptions, of the opportunity to go to the polls and elect their governor on November 18, 2017.
9. We utterly condemn horrendous killing of innocent worshipers at St. Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu and express our sympathy to the families of the bereaved and the wounded. We call on the law enforcement agencies to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.
10. We see great value for peace and security in sustaining the zoning formula for political offices in the state as adopted by Ohaneze Ndi Igbo Anambra State and also as resolved respectively by the Traditional Rulers Council and Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU), and call on all candidates for the governorship election and their sponsoring political parties to eschew indecorous language and violence in their political campaigns.
11. We are appalled that the representation of Anambra Central Senatorial District is still outstanding. We therefore call on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that the election is conducted forthwith, without further delay. We call on individuals and groups who are contributing to this impasse to put the Anambra State wider interest above their self-interests.
12. We call on all Ndi Anambra, irrespective of their political affiliations to continue to dedicate themselves to the continuation of the present peace, security and development of the state.
13. Finally, we commendations Governor Willie Obiano for achieving security in the state, and also for the several developmental projects he has been executing in the state, including the Auto Industrial Park, which has begun to make good progress.

Signed by their Excellencies

Chief Emeka Anyaoku, CFR

Chairman, Anambra State Elders’ Advisory Council

Dr Alex Ekwueme, GCON

Former Vice President

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, CON

Former Governor, Anambra State.

Dr. Tim Menakaya, OFR

Former Minister of Health. [myad]

Police in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has virtually turned its back on citizen Ugochukwu Igwe who was detained and brutalised by a fellow Igbo man, Jonathan Omeruara in Chibiri, the suburb of Kuje.
Jonathan, a poultry farmer, was said to have detained Ugochukwu Igwe, a self-employed plumber, in his farm house in Chibiri village, along Kuje-Gwagwalada road for more than four hours during which time he also ordered his private security man to machet him (Ugochukwu), with sharp cutlass.
It was gathered that the police first arrested, Jonathan and his security man, took Uhochukwu to Kuje General Hospital for treatment and made move to charge the suspects to court for illegal detention or kidnap and attempted murder.
Information reaching us said that the police handling the case, Inspector Bali suddenly abandoned the case without any explanation, even as he barked at the victim: “is it goat you want me to charge to court?”
It was learnt that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) had, on three different occasions, rebuffed attempts made by the lawyer of the victim to see him, leaving the victim to reel in pains for more than three weeks.
Narrating the incidence to our reporter, Ugochukwu said that it all started when Jonathan asked him to recommend a good carpenter to carry out some works on his poultry farm.
He said that Jonathan negotiated the cost of doing the job with the carpenter he eventually recommended for him, but that when Jonathan could not provide essential working materials to continue with the work, the carpenter left it for another one in Garki.
Ugochukwu said that eventhough he was not part of the negotiations for the cost of doing the job and did not get a kobo from any of the two parties, Jonathan later turned on him.
“Jonathan first threatened to use soldier to deal with me which he actually carried out, as a soldier invited me to Pasali village in Kuje, where he threatened to deal with me if I did not produce the carpenter for Jonathan. The soldier even accompanied me to my house where he harass my wife and children.”
Ugochukwu said that he convinced the carpenter to accompany him to Jonathan’s poultry farm to explain to him why he (the carpenter) could not continue with the job.
“It was when we got to the farm that Jonathan asked his security man to lock the gate, began to curse me in particular and when I told him that I did not steal his money or was not part of his transactions with the carpenter, he ordered the security man to deal with me.
“The security man then brought out a sharp cutlass, brutally cut me on my left knee, my wrist and three other places. Some plumbers who were working for Jonathan inside the farm house rushed to take the cutlass from the security man, but he (the security man) went for another long knife aiming to continue to cut me. The same plumbers struggled, tool the weapon from him, pushed into a batcher where he sleeps and locked him in.
“In the milie and, drenched in my own blood which oozed out from the cuts, I managed to get a police officer on my mobile phone. The officer mobilised Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), rushed to the place, forced the gate open and took me to the hospital as they detained Jonathan and his security man.”
Ugochukwu said that he and his lawyer were utterly surprised when attempts they made to see the DPO were turned down by the DPO even as the entire Kuje police pretended as if nothing happened.
Ugochukwu said that Jonathan had earlier used a soldier by name, Nnamdi to deal with him, adding: “the soldier invited me and asked me to refund the money Jonathan paid to the carpenter for the job. I told him that I did not know anything about the money, but he would not listen and instead, ordered me to sit on bare ground, inside scotching sun for a long time after which he led me to my house where he embarrassed me in front of my wife and children.”
Attempts by our reporter to get the version of Kuje police was rebuffed by both the DPO and his officers, saying: “you can go and write anything you like. Nothing will happen.”
Also attempts to see Jonathan, the poultry farmer did not succeed as he was said to have travelled out of Abuja. [myad]

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has adjudged officers of the Nigerian Customs Service and court judges in Nigeria as the most corrupt set of people.

The NBS, in its latest report after a survey, said that the 2017 National Corruption Survey showed that an average bribe paid to Custom officers as N88, 587, Judges/magistrates as N18, 576 while Prosecutors received an average of N10, 072 as bribes from Nigerians.

The survey showed that 46.4 per cent of Nigerian citizens have had “bribery contact” with police officers, 33 per cent with prosecutors and 31.5 per cent with Judges/magistrates.

The survey, tagged: ‘Corruption in Nigeria – Bribery as Experienced by the Population’ revealed that custom officers, judges, magistrates and prosecutors were the public officials who received the largest average cash bribes.

The survey also listed police officers and tax/revenue officers as public officers to whom the highest number of bribes were paid.

It said that 29.7 per cent of all bribes are paid to police officers upon a direct request before the service is provided.

In the private sector, employees of insurance companies, teachers in private schools and doctors in private hospitals have highest bribe prevalence in Nigeria, the survey revealed.

The survey showed that 6.0 per cent of Nigerians have come in contact with bribe-seeking employees of insurance companies, 5.9 per cent with teachers in private schools and 3.7 per cent with doctors.

The survey said men pay higher bribes to public officials (37.1 per cent) than women (26.6 per cent).

The NBS also found that young Nigerians have the highest prevalence of bribery in the country as 36.4 per cent Nigerian population aged 25 to 34 years are the people with highest bribery prevalence.

The highest and lowest prevalence of bribery by geographical location and sex showed that 39.5 per cent of the people are urban males while 24.9 per cent are rural women. [myad]

A 66-year-old Nigerian singer, Charly Boy, is not happy with his colleague, 2face Idibia, for not joining him  in his agitation for the return or resign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Charly Boy, in a new video, which he posted on Instagram on Wednesday night, said: “my guy 2face, I am not happy with you. Since I couldn’t reach you directly, I decided to reach you through this medium. Do you remember when you called on Nigerian youths to come out and protest?

“We obeyed because we thought you had a good intention to stand up to the injustices against the youths and masses of this country. But, as you retreated into a hole since then, I am very pained. If a beckon of hope like you can be lily-livered when people need you more, what is your problem?

“2face are you happy with the way Nigeria is headed? Are you saying you have not heard about the resume or resign protest, why are you not involved?”

Charly Boy’s anger was expressed a day after he and members of his group were assaulted at Wuse market in Abuja. The protesters, whom he led, demanded the immediate resumption of President Muhammadu Buhari to office or his resignation.

2face had earlier organised the #IStandWithNigeria protest in February but pulled out in the last minute due to police reports that hoodlums were planning to hijack the protest.

Charly Boy has similarly suspended his protest after the attack in Wuse market, even as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration vowed not to allow anybody to take any form of protest to the market again.

Charly Boy has however defended his decision to withdraw from the protest indefinitely.

“This wasn’t an ethnic Protest, but they turned it so. It was a peaceful protest, but they made it violent. It wasn’t a personal attack on our sick President, but they twisted the matter. I called off the protest because I value the lives of the tenacious, consistence, dogged, rugged and focused exceptional Youths. We know the game and we will beat the modaf**kers at it. OurMumuDonDo,” he wrote on Instagram.[myad]

Acting President has made it clear that any leader, who fails to speak loud against hate speech that is now defining the political activities in Nigeria, will be seen as having endorsed such hate speech.

Professor Osinbajo emphasized: “speech that promotes violence against an individual or group, especially when such comes from people of your own faith, tribe or group, your silence in such situations can only be seen as an endorsement.

“Hate speech, and the promotion of the same throughout history from Nazi Germany and the extermination of Jews to the Rwandan genocide succeeded in achieving their barbarous ends by the silence of influential, voices from the aggressor communities.

“When leaders in communities that speak in such a manner as to create dissension or to intimidate a population are quiet, they do a great disservice to our unity and nation.”

The Acting President, who spoke today, Thursday, at the National Security Retreat of the National Economic Council (NEC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, advised political leaders, religious leaders, business leaders and all of those who truly want a united country and a country where there will be peace and security, to ensure that they do not tolerate by their silence, the hate speech that we hear every day in the community.

He reminded the governors of the 36 states of the federation or their representatives who attended the retreat that the nation’s Constitution states that the primary purpose of government shall be the security and welfare of the people.

“And as President Buhari likes to say: “you cannot administer a country you have not secured.”

Professor Osinbajo vowed that they would not relent in their vision to ensure a secure country, in which all citizens can confidently aspire to achieve their dreams and ambitions.

The full text of his speech goes thus:

Protocol.

I am delighted to welcome you to this special session of the National Economic Council, focusing on Security. As you’re all aware, the Buhari administration came into office on a vision that covered three key areas: Security, the Economy and the fight against Corruption.

All three issues are closely linked, of course. Without guaranteeing security, we will struggle to attract the kind of investments, domestic or foreign, needed to create jobs and prosperity for our people. And when those jobs are hard to find and keep, our people will naturally be more susceptible to the lure of criminal activity.  Which means that governments that are serious about fighting crime ought to be extremely serious about fighting poverty.

And I take the point that the Chairman of the Governors’ forum made about investments in agriculture, although the N23 billion investment is one aspect of agriculture which is the Anchor Borrower’s Programme. Our total investment is well over five times that.  If you look at all the other areas in which we are investing in agriculture, and that excludes what the States are also investing in agriculture. So I think that substantial effort is being made, still not enough but certainly more than N23 billion.

Corruption and Security are also interconnected. We are all witnesses to how, only a few years ago, much of North Eastern Nigeria was at risk to falling completely into the hands of Boko Haram, largely because widespread corruption in the military had robbed our troops of the resources and morale needed to fight and defeat the terrorists.

Regarding this all-important issue of security in Nigeria, we all know what the issues are. In our lives as politicians and as elites; in our security meetings and confidential briefings, in news reports and editorials in the media, we are all daily confronted by the disturbing reality of Nigeria’s security situation.

Now I think is the time to implement our thinking and our talking; to add action to our analysis. And this action must be bold, ambitious, urgent – and, and very importantly – innovative. It was Albert Einstein who said, and I quote, that “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems in the first place.”

This is a challenge to all of us, to confront these matters with utmost seriousness. Because the problems we face as a nation are not static, but instead continue to evolve, our thinking and our solutions for them must also be equally dynamic, to take into account the peculiar realities of the 21st century. I have spoken at a number of recent fora about how technology and the internet have altered the nature of conflict and war in contemporary times, enabling and amplifying the efforts and impact of terrorists, insurgents, warmongers, secessionists, and peddlers of hate speech.

Against this backdrop, the question we should be asking ourselves, as Governments, especially as Chief Security Officers in our States, as Law Enforcement Agents, is: how can we take advantage of these same tools and technology to stay permanently ahead of those who seek to wield them to create mischief, and cause terror, fear and bloodshed?

These are the conversations that we should be having, and at the highest levels of government no less. My expectation is that we will, at this forum, focus on solutions, instead of rehashing the problems.

But let me just reiterate an important fact, one of the reasons why the National Economic Council is so important is because the framers of our Constitution recognise that that the Federal Government alone cannot solve Nigeria’s security or economic challenges. Security is a collective enterprise, requiring the harmonization of efforts from all three tiers and branches of Government, and from the private sector, civil society and indeed the general public as well.

Yesterday, we took an important step in incorporating all of our society into this security issue and into the fight against insecurity in our country. Pursuant to our Constitution, I issued a directive to the Inspector General of Police to constitute the Community Policing Programme. As you know the Community Policing Programme is one that the Police itself had developed over the years.

But by this directive, we expect that the community Policing Programme will take root and take effect and all of our Police formations across the country will engage their communities in the very creative ways the Police themselves have prescribed in the Community Policing programme.

We expect that this will be a fundamental change in the way that policing is carried out in our country and that it will yield the kinds of results that we expect.

The Buhari administration has already set a pattern of engagement and collaboration with Governors, and we are committed to maintaining this atmosphere of frank engagement.

You are aware that this was not always the case; and prior to this administration, the National Economic Council had not exactly fulfilled its obligations as an economic council because of the unending series of conflicts between the Federal and State Governments over very many issues.

But we are determined to do things the right way, to be transparent in our dealings with you, to respect your views, regardless of partisan or ideological affiliations, and to join hands with you to create positive change in the lives of all our people.

Please permit me a comment on hate speech.  The Federal Government has today drawn the line on hate speech. Hate speech is a specie of terrorism. Terrorism as it is defined popularly is the unlawful use of violence or intimidation against individuals or groups especially for political ends. The law, that is the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended), defines terrorism as inter Alia, an act which deliberately done with malice which may seriously harm or damage a country or seriously intimidate a population.

The intimidation of a population by words, by speech is an act of terrorism and this government intends to take this matter very seriously. As I have said, we’ve drawn a line against hate speech, it will not be tolerated, it will be taken as an act of terrorism and all of the consequences will follow it.

I call on all business, religious and political leaders, whatever your political leaning, your religion or tribe or faith to condemn in the strongest possible terms at all times, hate speech.

Speech that promotes violence against an individual or group, especially when such comes from people of your own faith, tribe or group, your silence in such situations can only be seen as an endorsement.

Hate speech, and the promotion of the same throughout history from Nazi Germany and the extermination of Jews to the Rwandan genocide succeeded in achieving their barbarous ends by the silence of influential, voices from the aggressor communities.

When leaders in communities that speak in such a manner as to create dissension or to intimidate a population are quiet, they do a great disservice to our unity and nation.

This is why I urge all of our political leaders, religious leaders, business leaders and all of those who truly want a united country and a country where there will be peace and security, to ensure that we do not tolerate by our silence the hate speech that we hear every day in our community.

In closing, let me remind you that our Constitution states that the primary purpose of government shall be the security and welfare of the people. And as President Buhari likes to say: “you cannot administer a country you have not secured.”

We will not relent in our vision to ensure a secure country, in which all citizens can confidently aspire to achieve their dreams and ambitions. I am confident that today will mark an important milestone in the achieving that vision.

I thank you very much for listening.[myad]