Remove IPOB from terrorism list – Ohanaeze youths to Buhari

 

Youths of the South-East Zone of Nigeria have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) from the list of terrorist organisations in the country.

The youths further said part of the steps towards peace in the region would be the de-proscription of IPOB and the release of any of its members in prison.

The youths made this call after an emergency meeting of South East youth stakeholders held on Friday in Awka, the Anambra state capital.

The group’s communique was read to journalists by Comrade Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth, on behalf of other groups.

These are National Youth Council of Nigeria (south-East), Nigerian Youth Congress(South-East) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

The communique regretted the heightened insecurity in the South-East which has resulted in the loss of lives of our people, security agents and properties.

It also consoled with the families of the bereaved.”

The group also called on the South-East Governors to liaise with the relevant stakeholders especially the youth to arrest the current security challenges in the South East.

It condemned in totality the wanton destruction of lives and properties in the South-East and called on the perpetrators to desist from such forthwith and seek for a proper means of airing their grievances.

“As a step towards genuine peace and reconciliation as championed by Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Federal Government and South-East Governors should as a matter of urgency unproscribe IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) as a terrorist organization.

“Furthermore, we call for the release of all political prisoners of Igbo extraction.”

The group called on the South-east governors to encourage community policing by strengthening and digitalizing the local vigilantes.

It also aligned with the resolution of the southern governors and call for necessary legal framework for immediate implementation of the resolution.

“There is a need for a quarterly interface between the Governors of the South-East and the Youth stakeholders so that the issues of the zone will be regularly reviewed.

“We call on the South-East Governors to fully implement the recommendations of the #ENDSARS panel report especially on Youth Development, and to review the Laws of their various State Security Council Committee to include critical youth stakeholders, while urging for full implementation, support and fund for community policing committee which was constituted last year,” the communique concluded.

- PM NEWS

Lebanese national Simo impregnates 7 minors in Jos

 

Plateau Police Command has arrested a middle-aged Lebanese national identified as Simo, for allegedly sleeping with 14 under-aged girls in the Abattoir Community, a suburb of Jos, the state capital.

According to Africa Independent Television, the Lebanese was said to have lured his victims to his residence, while seven of them are allegedly pregnant.

The command’s spokesman, ASP, Gabriel Ubah, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect said his arrest followed a complaint by the family of an 11-year-old girl who he allegedly molested.

The complaint further led to the discovery of his other victims in the community, a situation that angered community members who stormed the Police Station, calling for justice for the victims.

“We have an issue about a Lebanese man using girls of age 10-13 to act pornography. He was arrested yesterday (Thursday) but now he is nowhere to be found and the policemen are saying nothing about it.

“The police have refused to release the girls in question. So there is uproar around the station because the youths insist that the girls must be released and that the man must not go free,” One of the angry youths told newsmen.

Ubah, however, said an investigation is ongoing with the case transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.

- PM NEWS

Yoruba peace group: Government should focus on restructuring — not 2023 elections

 The Yoruba Leadership and Peace Initiative (TYLPI), a non-governmental organisation, says efforts should be focused on restructuring the country, not on the 2023 general election.

There have been secession agitations, while some persons have called for Nigeria to be restructured to allow for regional governments.

On Tuesday, governors of 17 southern states after a meeting in Asaba, Delta state, issued a communique demanding that “urgent and bold steps be taken to restructure the Nigerian federation”.

Reacting to the position of the governors in a statement issued on Friday and signed by Tunde Ipinmisho, director of publicity and media affairs, TYLPI said it will be hurtful to the nation’s strategic interest to go ahead with the election without addressing the fundamental structural problems in the polity.

The group said not restructuring the country “has given rise to mass discontent, economic difficulties, social instability and crippling insecurity”.

TYLPI also noted that Nigeria’s survival and prosperity depends on the urgent restructuring of the country, which the group said will give the citizens a sense of belonging as well as create the right atmosphere for sustainable development.

“TYLPI, a think tank of Yoruba professionals, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, said it was pleased that the idea of restructuring was gaining the required traction, noting that the Executive and Legislative arms of government, through statements by the Minister of Information and the upcoming sensitisation on restructuring by the Senate Committee on Constitutional Reforms, respectively, indicated that restructuring had gone mainstream,” the statement reads.

The group commended the southern governors for their “brave and timely initiative”, and urged the federal government and governors in the northern states to support the restructuring agenda.

TYLPI said the governors have spoken the mind of the people through the communique, adding that it is a way of moving the country forward.

- THECABLE

Champions League final: Man City players hate me – Guardiola

 Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has said his players hate him for his constant rotation.

For their away clash against Newcastle United on Friday night, Guardiola made a few changes to his starting XI.

The Spaniard went for a front three of Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres.

Torres netted a sublime hat-trick as City won 4-3 and Guardiola has defended his decision to always rotate, as they eye a stunning Treble with the Champions League final against Chelsea on May 29.

“The season is long. We cannot play the season with just 11 players. The best striker we can buy, we cannot play all the minutes because of injuries, a lot of games.

‘You have to have 15, 16, 17 top players and after that the academy, lots of interesting players who can help.

“That’s why the players hate me because they want to play every single day, but sometimes it is not possible because when you have all these alternatives, sometimes it is difficult to let the same players play,” he said.

- DAILY POST

Falana: Farmer-herder clashes can be addressed if policy makers abandon primitive ideas

 

The Alliance for Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), a civil society coalition led by Femi Falana, senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has advised those encouraging herders to reject modern animal husbandry to learn from countries that have adopted ranching.

On Tuesday, the southern governors had announced their resolve to ban open grazing and movement of cattle by foot in the region in order to tackle insecurity and address clashes between farmers and herders.

But different reactions have trailed the announcement.

Usman Yusuf, former executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), had faulted the decision of the southern governors, saying the governors must provide land for herders to graze their cattle and that “giving a blanket ban is irresponsible”.

However, Falana noted that the Northern Governors Forum, as well as the Nigeria Governors Forum had earlier resolved to ban open grazing, but the ex-NHIS boss did not condemn their decisions.

He said such “divide-and-rule tactics” are designed to further polarise the masses, adding that the decision of the governors to ban open grazing is in line with section 1 of the land use act.

Falana explained that herders are free to acquire land for cattle business, adding that any person who wishes to use land in any state is required to apply for a certificate of occupancy issued by the governor.

“At the virtual meeting of the Northern Governors Forum held on February 9, 2021, the members unanimously resolved to ban open grazing,” Falana said.

“In response to the call of the Northern Governors Forum for an urgent meeting, the Nigeria Governors Forum held a virtual meeting on the 11th February, 2021. At the meeting, the 36 state governors agreed by consensus to end nomadic cattle rearing in the country in order to end the incessant violent clashes between farmers and herders.

“At its own meeting held at Asaba, Delta State on May 11, 2021,  the Southern Governors Forum reiterated the decision of the Nigeria Governors Forum to ban open grazing in the country.

“Curiously, Professor Usman Yusuf has condemned the decision of the Southern Governors Forum on the ban. Even though he did not condemn the decisions of the Northern Governors Forum and the Nigeria Governors Forum, Professor Usman has argued that the decision of the Southern Governors Forum could not be justified under the Land Use Act.

“Such divide-and-rule tactics are designed to further polarise the masses of our people. In any case, the decision of all the governors to ban open grazing is in line with section 1 of the Land Use Act which has vested the entire land in every state in the governors on behalf of the people. Accordingly, any person or corporate body that wishes to use land in any state is required to apply for a certificate of occupancy issued by the governor.

“As I had repeatedly maintained, the worsening insecurity in the country including the violent clashes between herders and farmers can only be seriously addressed if policy makers are prepared to abandon primitive ideas and embrace scientific solutions.

“Those who are encouraging herders to reject modern animal husbandry are advised to learn from Botswana, South Africa,  Mozambique, Kenya and Ethiopia that have effectively adopted ranching to end clashes between herders and farmers.”

- THECABLE

I warned Nigerians against Buhari in 2015 – Adebanjo

 Leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has said he warned Nigerians not to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015, saying Nigerians were deceived that the President would fight corruption and wipe out Boko Haram in six months.

Adebanjo recalled that he, at the time, accused Buhari of being a feudalist, dictator and a tribalist with no regard for the rule of law.

However, he said Nigerians went ahead to vote for the incumbent because they were bombarded with propaganda, adding that, “Nigerians now know better that Buhari has failed in his promises.”

He said, “Six years ago, I warned the nation of the danger of voting for Buhari. I accused him of being a feudalist by birth, a dictator by training and a religious fanatic, a tribalist who has no respect for the rule of law. But, we were bombarded with the propaganda that he will ruthlessly fight corruption which they said was the bane of Jonathan administration”.

According to the Yoruba leader, the Nigerian economy under Buhari is now in tatters, as corruption grows in arithmetic proportion.

While speaking on Friday at the group’s meeting held at his Ogbo residence in Odogbolu, Ogun State, Adebanjo maintained that “the nation’s security has collapsed”, with the government becoming so helpless that it now negotiates with bandits.

He added that the clamour for Buhari’s resignation or impeachment is growing louder by the day.

The Afenifere chieftain said there may be no election in Nigeria in 2023 if the nation is not restructured and returned back to true federalism.

“There must be a country before elections are held. If Buhari is sincere about keeping the country together, he must restructure the country now,” he said.

Adebanjo stressed that federalism is the only answer to stop the division of Nigeria, telling Buhari that tagging advocates of restructuring as secessionist is mischievous.

He described the 1999 constitution as the cause of instability, alleging that “it was imposed on us by the military dominated by Northern Muslims after the coup of 1966.”

Adebanjo asserted that the Yorubas’ irreducible minimum condition of staying in Nigeria is restructuring, stressing that, “anything short of that is ‘to thy tent, oh Isreal,’ The unity of horse and the rider in which a section of the country is the rider and we the horse is most unacceptable.”

- DAILY POST