Connect with us

Government

Military Declares IPOB Terrorist Group, as Kanu Faults Claim

Published

on

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Burata
  • Military Declares IPOB Terrorist Group, as Kanu Faults Claim

The Defence Headquarters on Friday declared the Indigenous People of Biafra a terrorist group, just as it warned parents and residents of the South-East region to advise their children against joining the group.

The Director, Defence Information, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said recent developments had made it clear that IPOB was violent and possessed militant weapons.

He said the group had become a security challenge in the country and that it had been metamorphosing from one stage to the other.

Enenche said, “After due professional analysis and recent developments, it is clear that the claim by IPOB actors that the organisation is non-violent is not true. The group has been terrorising the general public in ways including: the formation of a Biafra Secret Service, the claimed formation of Biafra National Guard, and the militant use of weapons, which are stones, Molotov cocktails, machetes and broken bottles on a military patrol.

“Also, there was a physical confrontation of troops by Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB actors at a check point on September 11 and attempts to snatch their rifles. There was also an attack by IPOB members on a military check point on September 12 at Isialangwa area, where one IPOB actor attempted to snatch a female soldier’s rifle.

“From the foregoing, the Armed Forces of Nigeria confirm that IPOB, from all intent, plan and purpose, is a militant terrorist organisation. Therefore, parents and residents of the southeast should advise their wards against joining the group.”

But reacting to the DHQ’s declaration, Emmanuel Kanu, an IPOB member and brother of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who spoke during a Channels TV programme on Friday evening, faulted the branding of the group as a terrorist organisation.

In the programme, which was monitored by one of our correspondents, Kanu said the group never believed in violence and that its members never carried arms.

He said, “We don’t believe in violence as violence never solves a problem. We believe in dialogue and education in informing our people the right thing at the right time. So, how could a whole intelligence officer of the military tag IPOB a terrorist group; how possible is that?

“From inception, Nnamdi Kanu made it clear to the whole world that we (IPOB) are non-violent freedom fighters and that is the way it has been. We do not carry arms, we do not ask anybody to kill for us, neither have we killed before.”

When queried about the formation of the Biafra Secret Service and the Biafra National Guard, which have been described as unauthorised formations, Kanu said the formations were vigilance groups and not secret service.

“I think there is a lot of misconception there; they are there to take care of our land, protect us against attacks from herdsmen and criminals and that is all it is. We are not armed.”

Also speaking on the declaration by the DHQ, a human rights lawyer, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, described the declaration as illegal and should be disregarded by the IPOB members.

Citing the Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011, as amended in 2013, Adegboruwa explained that before the Nigerian government could declare any group a terrorist organisation, the Attorney General of the Federation is required by law to approach the Federal High Court to seek an order of the court to proscribe the group and that such would take effect once it is published in the Official Gazette and national newspapers. He said the court would grant such order if convinced by the facts presented before it.

“Given the provisions of this Act, which states the procedure to be followed before declaring a group a terrorist organisation, the declaration by the Defence spokesperson is not only illegal, it is an affront to constitutional democracy.

“Not even the President, the Chief of Army Staff or the Chief of Defence Staff could make such declaration, because only the Attorney General, acting on the order of a Federal High Court, could make such declaration in the gazette. So, what Maj. Gen. Enenche said in his release was a mere statement.”

Adegboruwa said in spite of the President’s military background, he should “allow Nigeria to practise true democracy where the military is subject to constitutional democracy.

“So, I urge IPOB members to disregard the statement; they have a right to freedom of association. If the Defence Headquarters has intelligence that IPOB is engaging in any of the activities listed in the Act as constituting terrorist activities, it (DHQ) should approach the Attorney General, who would then proceed to court to obtain the order.”

Meanwhile, a United Kingdom-based civil society organisation, Citizens United for Peace and Stability, said on Friday it had started gathering proofs to send to the UK Government to revoke the British citizenship of Nnamdi Kanu, who is a dual citizen of the UK and Nigeria.

According to the Convener of CUPS, Dr. Idris Ahmed, the move seeking the revocation of Kanu’s British citizenship was connected to alleged acts of “terrorism” perpetrated by IPOB, including the recent attacks on Northerners living in the south-east.

A video clip had emerged recently whereby Kanu said he was gathering an army of two million fighters to march on Abuja and “take the battle to our enemies.” Another video had emerged showing armed IPOB fighters searching for Hausas in buses in the south-east, apparently to attack them.

In several Facebook posts on Friday, Ahmed said, “Beyond any doubt, IPOB is a terrorist organisation. I have watched so many video clips on Facebook in which Nnamdi Kanu talked about mobilising weapons and financial resources to wage war against the Nigerian state.

“The CUPS organisation has started compiling evidence to pass to the British Government to strip Nnamdi Kanu of his UK citizenship. Under a new law, over 100 UK citizens who went overseas to commit acts of terrorism or fight for ISIS have been stripped of their citizenship by the Home Secretary (Minister of Internal Affairs). Nnamdi Kanu perfectly falls into this category.”

The UK Home Secretary had yet to respond to email inquiring whether the IPOB leader could lose his British citizenship.

Meanwhile, according to the British Nationality Act 1981, S.40(2), the Secretary of State is permitted to deprive a person of citizenship if she is satisfied that deprivation is “conducive to the public good.”

According to the Act, deprivation orders are almost always served while the individual is outside the UK and take immediate effect so that the affected person cannot return to the UK to argue their appeal.

In the Act, those who are British citizens by birth and do not have another nationality cannot have their citizenship removed. However, those who are British citizens by birth and are dual nationals may have their citizenship removed if revoking it is considered conducive to the public good.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

Continue Reading
Comments

Government

EFCC Nabs Ex-Delta Governor, Okowa, For Alleged N1.3trn Fraud

Published

on

governor-ifeanyi-okowa-of-delta-state

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion.

Sources with the EFCC revealed that Okowa visited the EFCC office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday before he was subsequently detained by officials.

The N1.3 trillion reportedly represents the 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.

It was gathered that Okowa was at the Port Harcourt office of the Commission following an invitation from investigators probing the allegations against him.

The former governor was said to have been apprehended no sooner than he arrived at the anti-graft office.

Okowa was also accused of failing to account for the funds, as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed was used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.

Sources said the former governor reportedly bought shares worth N40 billion in one of the country’s major banks, representing an 8% equity stake, to support the offshore LNG project.

The funds are alleged to have been misappropriated for other purposes.

They noted that investigators are also examining the alleged diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba, Delta State.

Okowa was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2023 election.

He was the governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023 and was succeeded by Sheriff Oborevwori, the incumbent Governor.

When contacted, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the arrest but declined further comment on the matter.

Continue Reading

Government

FG Frees Minors Remanded For Protesting Hunger In Nigeria

Published

on

Some minors who joined the nationwide #EndBadGovernance in Nigeria have regained their freedom.

Their release followed the striking out of the treason charge against them by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday.

Investors King had reported that the Federal Government through its security agencies arrested and preferred treason allegations against the minors who participated in the August #EndBadGovernance protest.

However, President Bola Tinubu had directed the release of the minors owing to the outrage that greeted their arrest, prosecution and incarceration.

Carrying out the presidential directive when the matter resumed on Tuesday, counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, made an application for discontinuation of the case.

Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), premised his application on provisions of Sections 174(1), (b), and (c) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015.

He informed the court that the AGF had officially taken over the case file, saying the Federal Government no longer has interest in the case against the protesters.

The DPPF also applied for the proceeding to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266 (b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Child’s Rights Act.

Counsel to the defendants, including Mr Femi Fanala, SAN, did not oppose the application.

To this end, Justice Obiora Egwuatu struck out the charge against the protesters who were minors.

Recall that the judge had last Friday admitted the 114 protesters arraigned by the police to N10 million bail each with two sureties each in like sum.

Continue Reading

Government

Knocks, Kudos For Judiciary Over Stoppage of Allocations to Rivers State as Fubara Boasts of Coping Without FG’s Funds

Published

on

Siminalayi Fubara

A mixture of condemnation and praises has trailed a judgement of a Federal High Court that stopped the release of state allocations to the Rivers State Government.

Investors King had reported that Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the stoppage of the release of monthly federal allocations to Rivers State.

Justice Abdulmalik predicated her action on the grounds that the state government was in violation of the Constitution as regarding the state expenditures.

According to the judge, the current budget being operated by the state was not passed by a lawful arm of the Rivers State House of Assembly, therefore, Fubara is not entitled to allocations from the government at the centre.

Meanwhile, some stakeholders in the country have knocked the judiciary over the decision, calling on the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun to rein in on judges’ actions over the political crisis ravaging Rivers.

For former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the judiciary should be cautioned against setting the South-South State on fire.

In a statement by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President, said it was appalling that some elements loyal to the Federal Government were pulling the strings from behind.

Atiku wondered why Justice Joyce Abdulmalik issued the order when it was public knowledge that Rivers State had already challenged the Court of Appeal’s judgement on the legality of Rivers State’s 2024 budget.

He, however, called on Justice Kekere-Ekun to ensure that those found wanting are disciplined in order to restore the fading glory of the nation’s judiciary.

In the same vein, Chief Emeka Kalu, National Coordinator of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Coalition observed that the ongoing crisis plaguing Rivers State must be handled with caution to save it from unnecessarily being flamed in uncontrollable state of lawlessness.

Kalu in the statement said the judiciary is expected to maintain its integrity and protect her independence by working to avoid being politically purchased to harm democratic processes and the ethics of law.

According to him, the recent judgement by the Abuja Federal High Court division directing the RMAFC to stop releasing statutory monthly allocation to the State government was done out of bias and politically motivated plans to disrupt Fubara ‘s administration.

The group affirmed that it remains the height of injustice for a political party under the guise of personal interest to continue raising the dust of anarchy against the will of the people and the judiciary is expected to redeem and revitalize the failed system instead of allowing herself to be used to ruin the polity.

On the contrary, the National Democratic and Change Coalition has hailed the court for the judgment banning further release of allocations to Rivers and called on Governor Fubara to refund all monies spent without appropriation to the state coffers.

The coalition, while expressing satisfaction with the ruling, said the people of Rivers State have been vindicated and the long-awaited justice has been served on the governor.

Reacting via a press release by John Uloko, president of the coalition hailed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik for the judgment, saying that since January 2024, Rivers State had received and spent allocations based on an “illegitimate” budget, thereby describing it as a “constitutional aberration”.

The group, made up of lawyers, agreed with the court that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s presentation of the 2024 budget before a four-member Rivers House of Assembly was an affront to the constitutional provision.

It added that the ruling is a victory for democracy and will teach rogue governors the bitter lesson that the Constitution of the Federal Republic must be respected and the sanctity of the nation’s democratic institutions upheld irrespective of their political desperation.

Nonetheless, the embattled Governor Fubara, on Wednesday said the restriction placed on the state allocations is “the least” of his problems.

Governor Fubara stated this during a special thanksgiving service organised by the state government to celebrate his administration’s resilience amid escalating political crises, which began with the arson attack on the State House of Assembly complex exactly one year ago.

Governor Fubara assured that despite the court order, his administration would continue payments to contractors and ensure workers’ salaries are disbursed from today (Thursday).

He also confirmed that allocations for the 23 Council Chairmen would be credited, as the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee procedures have been completed.

The governor encouraged his supporters to remain resilient, assuring them that all challenges are surmountable.

Reflecting on his administration’s success, Governor Fubara noted that despite predictions that his government would not last even a week, he has successfully led for over a year.

He said his administration has also conducted local government elections against all odds and maintained a full cabinet despite attempts to undermine his leadership through resignations.

Highlighting his administration’s progress, he mentioned ongoing project executions across the state, countering critics who claimed he would be unable to deliver.

He also cited recent reports that position Rivers State as one of the leaders in financial accountability and transparency.

Continue Reading

Trending