In addition, Adaeze reacted to the controversial $3.8Million Money Laundry at the Nigerian Embassy-Washington-DC and Nigerian Consulate at the UN-Mission, prompting the United States intelligence community (FBI)  to freeze two Bank accounts belonging to the Nigerian government. The banks are West-Fargo and Bank of America, located here in the United States.

[PHOTO: Adaeze A. ....]

“I am not defending officials and corruption but you people should not generalize, it was not only Nigeria—many other countries accounts were frozen too because of massive corruption in the banking industry, you should study banking System, it’s not just Nigeria”, she said.

She also spoke on the UN-Sponsored Indigenous people’s Program held annually at the UN and much more. “I prefer thatch Houses, they are Natural…Indigenous people are free but have no access….” She added.  

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy…

The UN-Sponsored event was hosted on the First Floor of the UN Building in New York. Despite the questionable climate, Republic Reporters investigations at the UN discovered from insider sources at the UN that while the indigenous people annually danced and drummed, the so-called ‘Big FIVE”, that include: United States, France, Britain, China and Russia in collaboration with Multinational oil corporations, International Monetary Fund (IMF) World Bank (Bank) and others are busy looting indigenous peoples minerals (solid/Liquid) from these devastated communities such as Ogoni-Land, Ijaw, Ukwa-Ngwa (indeed, in specifically the entire former Republic Of Biafra); not to mention Native American-Lands, Native Latin-American-Lands, Bolivia, Australia-Native-Lands, and other indigenous territories to mention but a few, in the name of liberalization and privatization. 

In addition, we learnt that Multi-nationals are asking for bigger control and dominance of these Oil-exploration and much more, while indigenous people has less and less control of these resources. Our findings show that these discredited greedy-entities have confiscated majority of indigenous people’s minerals/lands in partnership with domestic gate-keepers and corrupt politicians locally.   

It is noteworthy to state that majority of the indigenous music presentations at the occasion in this year’s UN-Indigenous Peoples & Food Sovereignty” project–were hugely characterized by revolutionary lyrics and rhetoric.  

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy….

These are a bunch of liars, who think, no, who strongly believe, that they can mock God and get away without repercussions. After being responsible for the deaths of tens of Akwa Ibom people, initiated and presided over the incarcerations of many, not to talk of countless cases of kidnappings, rape, and assassinations, Godswill Akpabio really believes that he will retire from politics to become a king-maker of his cultists in Akwa Ibom State without paying the price for his sins.

He does not know what is awaiting him. He does not know that various spy agencies around the world are building cases against him for money laundering and other crimes; he needs to telephone James Ibori as soon as possible.

 Just because he is now free to travel around Nigeria paying millions to buy useless and meaningless awards, Akpabio does not know that his only savior is the Immunity Clause— a portion of the Nigerian Constitution, which he is now spending billions of the people’s money to block from being removed from the Constitution.

Maybe someone needs to tell Akpabio the truth. When he leaves the office in which he is now occupying through usurpation, God will give him only two options;

1.      He will die for his sins because the Bible states that the wages of sin is death.

2.      He will remain in prison as a consequence for all his sins.

The choice will be left for Akpabio to decide by either confessing to his sins and spend time in prison, or be in denial and go to hell by the route of death.

Meanwhile, let him continue to plan for his false hope of visualizing how he will have time to spend with his family. When the time comes, God will ask Akpabio if Philomena Udonwa did not wish to spend time with her family. God will ask him if Barrister Udonwa did not wish to spend time with his family. God will ask Akpabio if Chief Paul Inyang and Edidem James Obot did not wish to spend time with their families.

Every day, hungry children in Akwa Ibom State cry for food, but in vain because Akpabio has refused to pay salaries to their parents. Every day the youths of Akwa Ibom State roam the streets in search of work, but in vain because Akpabio has turned the State into a place where investors, who would create jobs, are afraid to come in to do business. The list of Akpabio’s failures, as a leader, goes on and on. Still, Akpabio thinks at the end, the tears of the hungry children and the cries of helpless youths will never come to haunt him?

Oh yes, he wants to be a king-maker. Right! He wants to be with his family. Right! Jimmy Cliff, the famous Jamaican musician said in a lyric from one of his albums; “Time will tell—time always tell.” Akpabio needs to listen to that song again, before he begins hallucinating about his future. Meanwhile, my prayer is; Oh God, may Godswill Obot Akpabio never retire in peace.

Written by Ikpafak Thompson Essien

The Voice of the Poor Masses

Defender of the Oppressed

Social Critic

A native of Ibibio nation of Ubium Republic extraction, now living in the safe and beautiful city of Portland, Oregon,. Where no AKPF, ADUMA, ADV, and Akwa Ibom State politicians can reach…

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy….

[PHOTO: Buhari....]

 Mr. Buhari has had a lot of successes in his life and that is why it is hard to understand why he is so unfulfilled. He was a military governor of North Eastern state of Nigeria, Chairman NNPC, Minister of Oil and energy for Nigeria. He had successfully shot his way to the presidency. And among the military presidents his presidency stood in sharp contrast to that of Abacha and Babangida and a few others. He was a benevolent ruler who did not bring the full weight of his powers to bear on the citizens as some military rulers were wont to do. He tried with some degree of success to inculcate on Nigeria some discipline in daily living. He did not institute or rehabilitate death squads and by many measures he did not amass unfathomable riches for himself and for the children of a greater God.
 Mr. Buhari should be more contended. But he is not.
 When Mr. Buhari starts preaching about the value of the ballot box; about free and fair elections; about the sanctity of the constitution; about listening to the voice of the people, I usually take my challenge posture; my disdain look; my “look at who is talking posture”; my “how dare you speak” posture; my scornful posture; my lookdown stance and wonder in deed “HOW DARE YOU MR. BUHARI OPEN YOUR MOUTH.”
 For Mr. Buhari violated every one of the topics in his sermon. Nigeria spoke, no matter how incoherently, when they elected Mr. Shehu Shagari as the president. But the then general Muhammadu Buhari ignored the voice of the people; ignored the constitution and ignored the sanctity of the ballot box and shoved Mr. Shagari aside and threw his Vice President into the maximum security jail at Kiri-Kiri in Lagos. When you recall his decrees curbing the freedom of the press or detention without charge for upwards of three months; his banning strikes and locking out workers and his founding of Nigeria’s first secret police (all these are from Wikipedia) you have to ask who are you Mr. Buhari? And don’t forget his treatment of Fella Ransom Kuti or the drugging of his administration’s minister for transportation and crating him so that he could be shipped as a cargo.
 Those combined acts would constitute critical incidents that should preclude him from ever uttering the word democracy, sanctity of the ballot box, election rigging.
 He has no credibility on those subjects.
 When such subjects come up for discussion Mr. Buhari should plead the fifth.

It can be said that 2 years in office (1983 -1985) did not give him enough time in office to accomplish his vision, but this must be balanced by the fact that he was not elected to any term of office. He was not the people’s choice (Shagari was) so he went just the way he came (by the sword). It can also be said that he failed to understand how Mr. Obasanjo could be both a military Head of State and a civilian one and he Buhari could not accomplish such a feat. But he should recognize that he did not have OBJ’s political skills or smarts, and luck.
 If Mr. Buhari is indeed in search of how to improve the lots of the lowly Nigerians and humanity he has examples to emulate. If he is seeking power for the purpose of inspecting the honor guards and sitting with other heads of nations he is welcome to continue in his present direction.
 Examples to emulate in the service of the down trodden include Mr. Jimmy Carter. The former US president’s career, like that of Buhari, was cut short before he had had a fair chance to bring his dreams to fruition. He settled in and started various humanitarian projects such as Habitat for Humanity and with donations from individuals and using his immense personality he built what must now be thousands of houses for the homeless, the impoverished in all parts of the world. Mr. Buhari could start in Nigeria. Because he loves democracy Mr. carter started a monitoring group and with advising world leaders in the need for a free and fair elections. Mr. Buhari could start with local governments in northern Nigeria. Mr. Carter embarked on writing on public affairs; in speaking out against inhuman practices everywhere and in joining the oppressed in the fight against oppression. He never issued war words or threatened blood or promised making any place ungovernable.
 He never incited the uneducated into making bombs or killing and maiming innocent by standers.

Mother Theresa was never a head of anything. She was not even high ranking Roman Catholic personnel. She was a mere nun in an impoverished Calcutta city as far from Rome as one could get. From her small quarters she reached out to millions of poor and under nourished humanity and influenced powerful governments. Until she died she could ask for audience with the Pope, with ANY Head of State and would be received in dignity. In fact she was much more respected than the Holy Father. Mr. Buhari should go and do likewise
 Mr. Nelson Mandela was in jail for 27 years and was head of state for a mere four years. He, like Mr. Buhari, did not have enough time to accomplish all that he would have liked to accomplish, but he realized that good things could be done without the title of head of state or government. He bowed out and started molding his country from outside of government. He also started influencing governments outside South Africa. Today he is one of the most powerful men in the world.

Closer to home is general Ishola Williams. He never held the Head of State position but he is today involved in a few NGO’s activities seeking ways to help Nigeria improve; he is involved in discussions and debates, offering suggestions receiving abuses in the process. Mr. Williams believes that he could influence Nigeria in the direction he would like to see the country move. He does not need the title of President to be helpful. The same can be said of the likes of Mr. Shagari whose career was rudely interrupted by Mr. Buhari. Mr. Ekwueme who Mr. Buhari incarcerated in Kiri-Kiri is quietly making his contributions to the nation as are thousands of other Nigerians.
 Mr. Buhari ought to learn some lessons. His statement before the 2011 elections has been cited as one of the causes of the violent events claiming hundreds of live of Nigerians. He ought to back down from such utterances, but in his spoilt brat mode he has repeated his threat for 2015. For him unless he wins the result of elections it must be due to rigging. The only free and fair election in Nigeria would be the one that Mr. Buhari would win even though he has nor machinery in place to win. He has no candidates for LG elections in Achi/Oji River, in Burutu, in Ajegunle, in Oturkpo or Okitipupa, not in Mile 2 Diobu.
 Mr. Buhari has no presence in 70% of Nigeria. How could he win? If he likes political power this is the time to get to the grass roots and build it from the ground up not from Abuja pulpit. If he does not like the heavy lifting that grass roots organizing involves he should reorganize his rifle men and shoot his way back to Aso rock like he did before. He made a success of it before. It may work for him again.
 And Nigeria would survive him this second time also.
 Or he should live up his 70 years and put puerile temper tantrums behind him. Words have meaning.
 Benjamin Obiajulu Aduba
Boston, MassachusettsMay 17, 2012

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy….

In what appears to be a defensive response to growing public anger and a tactical shift in operational approach, the spokesperson for the sect, Abul Qaqa, told PREMIUM TIMES, Thursday afternoon, that the facilities being targeted are in retaliation for the destruction of properties belonging to its members and those it characterized as “innocent landlords” in some parts of Kano and Borno States. 

[PHOTO: Boko Haram leadership said it will bomb government buildings in 19 Northern States....PTimes Thursday reported.]

In a prompt response, the police asked Nigerians to disregard such a threat and go about their normal businesses, adding that it is battle ready to repel any attack by “any criminal group”.

It is not clear whether the State Security Service is aware of the fresh threat by the group. The spokesperson for the agency, Marilyn Ogar, declined comments, saying she would not respond to telephone enquiries.

In a move indicating that the group is battling for its share of the minds of the public, Mr Qaqa also said his sect is giving a notice in advance of the attacks because, “we don’t want innocent people to be caught in the attacks. We are not happy that innocent people are dying in our war with the government. And that is why we have reduced our attacks in the past few days to enable us to strategize.”

He accused the Joint Task Forces, the inter-agency outfits in charge of security in Kano and Borno states, of harassing and arresting members of the sect in the two states.

“Most of these people live in rented apartments,” Mr. Qaqa claimed.

“But to our utmost surprise, after arresting them, some with their wives and family members, the JTF will bring out their properties. Both the apartments and the properties are then destroyed.

“This has become the new trend and it is becoming difficult for people to rent out accommodation to people, and a lot of people, including our people are homeless.

“Because of this trend, we have decided that in the coming days, every Nigerian, especially in the North, including Abuja, should vacate any government quarters or buildings – residential, office, classroom or anything owned by government.

“Every government building, whether occupied or empty will be blown up. Whoever is caught up in the attacks has his or herself to blame. We have done our best by
issuing this warning,” Mr. Qaqa said coldly.

We are ready for them

But the spokesperson of the police, Frank Mba, who refused to disclose whether or not his force is aware of the threat, said the security consciousness and readiness of the police is at its peak.

“For us, security is 24 hours,” Mr. Mba said.

“Whether there are threats or no threats from criminal groups, we will continue to provide the best level of security.

“We want to urge Nigerians to disregard whatever threats there are. We also want to reassure Nigerians of our commitments to providing the citizens and other inhabitants of utmost security.”

The police spokesperson said the new leadership of the force had put in place an elaborate and effective counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency strategies.

History of killings

The Boko Haram sect, founded by Mohammed Yusuf in 2002, set out seeking to impose a stricter form of Sharia or Islamic law in northern Nigeria and end corruption.

The group gradually became violent after the five days of clashes in July 2009 between the group and members of the security forces in Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, and Kano states that left more than 800 people dead, including at least 30 police officers.

During that unrest, the police captured and allegedly killed the Boko Haram leader, Mohammed Yusuf, along with several dozen of his followers in Maiduguri.

Since the July 2009 clash with the authorities, the group has executed series of attacks on Nigeria.

Suspected members of the group carried out hundreds of attacks on cities in northern Nigeria, targeting government security officers, politicians, traditional leaders, opposing clerics, Muslims, Christians, students and journalists.

Last year, the group claimed responsibility for the November bombings in Damaturu, Yobe State, that left at least 100 people dead, and a suicide bomb attack in August on the United Nations building in Abuja that killed 24 people and injured more than 100 others.

Culled to RepublicReporters by PREMIUM TIMES….

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy…

[PHOTO: Minister Of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister... Okonjo Iweala.. seeks N1.8T External Borrowing plan....sources...]

Nigeria is seeking the loan facility from the World Bank, Africa Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Exim Bank of China and India lines of credit. 

“We have an external borrowing plan that we have put to the National Assembly, as we are required to do and I am really counting on your help to get out the borrowing plan as quickly as possible.” 

The Minister, said the loan is required to complete some on-going projects captured in the 2012 budget. 

She said government will spend the loan on several projects in agriculture, water resources and power. 

On the monthly meeting of Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), which distributes money to the three-tiers of government, she explained that delay in disbursing funds was not an issue of concern. 

With regards to government’s revenue, Mrs. Okonlo-Iweala said Nigeria recorded 17 per cent drop in oil out in April 2012 as a result of theft and smuggling, adding that the development is giving government serious concern. She stressed that the government is determined to check the theft and smuggling of oil out of the country thus denying the government of needed funds. 

She revealed that the federal government is being owed over N100 billion by corporate entities, adding that negotiations were on with the defaulters to resolve the issue. 

“We also have more than N100 billion that is outstanding. That is why the number of companies is quite substantial but we are working at this. Government is “not out to just publish names until we have discussed with the companies and use every means to try and persuade them to pay. It is not the arrest that is important but the money that comes in. Our job is not to arrest but to get them to remit the money that they owe.” 

The minister noted that a lot of things depend on this external borrowing plan “and until the National Assembly gets it out, all those who want to assist us with soft credit will not be able to do so.” 

Most of the credits in that borrowing plan “are mostly soft credits with very low percentage of interest. Some of them are outright zero interest, but with a commitment charge, from the African Development Bank and the World Bank, the Islamic Bank and the other multilateral donors, including China and India. These are people who want to assist us. These resources are very key for our 2012 budget,” she stressed. 

The loans when secured will cover a spectrum, mostly “for very productive investments in agriculture, water resources, power and transport. 

Earlier, the chairman House Committee on Finance Abdul Mumin Jubrin called the minister of finance to look into the matter of remittances of revenue to government coffers. All agencies he said are supposed to be remitting revenue to the Federation Account as such there should efforts should be redouble to ensure that whatever is due to the government is remitted. 

On the issue of insurance Jubrin lamented that National Assembly looks “at it year after year we are budgeting lots and lots of money for insurance of government property and assets and it is important for us to go out there and review the value of these assets that are being insured and the amount of money that is being paid as premium and see if procedures are being followed in line with laid down rules and regulations.” 

He urged the finance minister to conduct “a lot of investigative work in that regard to compliment the efforts of the National Assembly.

Culled to RepublicReporters by Our Reporter….

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy…

These woods short, haphazardly grow; In the mid and farthest North Pole; The faithful kites in multitude. The large number as headcount tells. That holds the whole woods in control. And lovely with them as others; Pray I well our belief will last; The Mid-West of these graceful woods. With somewhat a hilly landscape. Dwell tricky rabbits in their holes; Holes from which dear liquid is dug. And stones and cash fruit all for life;  People could mistake me for them;  Had I the sameness of their voice.

Read full text beneath:  

At the end of the northern woods

The ground of which is mostly plain

Lacks greenery because of poor soil

But its dwellers do some hard work And grow few goods for fair living

In that sense I duly admire

The hand that lives upon its work

In more fewness the trees are found

At where some men breed animals To feed all dwellers of the woods Right hand side from the northern point

And left a bit you will get them

They face the challenge of ignorance

Far from heavy heads like blocks

The mid of these woods, densely thick

With shrubs and pastures ever green

Have excess nutrients for all crops My friend many times did complain

Did our fathers suffer at all?

Heaven can say my words are true

How now are men of laziness!

I see the East-West strands at length

Bordered with the vast wide ocean

By those shores are all kinds of trade

Of local-goods and foreign-made

Some do think I may be a part

A part-unfair deal-to prefer

The makes of other woods to mine

At the margin of far North-East

As ever could be in blessed woods

A great lake its beauty impel All nearby birds to dive for fish

To feed themselves and take some home

Brought up on water I may dive

To catch as much as I can throw

In the leafy East of these woods

Subtly springing from branch to branch

Are the admirable weaver-birds

Who with their songs of merriment

Work all day with great activeness

For in my heart those songs do melt

One of them I am made to be

But these woods at the farthest West

Perfectly perched on scattered trees

The beauteous owls with drowsy eyes

Like unawares of the day break

Wait for fatty termites at night

For continual feast and these owls

Though lovely, they hoot all the night

The Y-shape of long-wide rivers

Such scenery that is rare to find

Are God’s free blessings to some woods

The blood that holds the life of Man

And birds and beasts, all lovely things

The source as said was traced by Park

While gone fathers in them did fish

Such nine times thousand square of land

Owned by men of desire and hope

Differs really from side to side

For it I sing these words of grace

That the past may be left alone For love and glory of the land

These woods I pray shall grow to band

From above the sky, all the parts

Early were blessed before we live

Why then, God forbid, do we fight

What aim do we to sweep away

The wealth for us and for our sons

First to the woods does matter less

But what the nation could achieve?

To me all the same these woods are Whether short, tall or undersized

From One and going to One all came

Their love in me cannot decline

Or in my heart that warmness lose

Ever as long as exist I

For it I’ll strike, for it I’ll die

Again my fellows in all nooks

Men of good future you all are

Allow to fade and pass those wounds

And let for those to come fresh air For in other world the grown woods Did to survive these stages pass

And now somehow, in peace they live

Muhammad Ajah is a poet, author, advocate of humanity and good governance based in Abuja. E-mail mobahawwah@yahoo.co.uk  

Here I’ve lived ever since my birth Not alone but with handsome men Of tender souls and healthy looks. They had their quarters in the woods. The fear and fight is who will head.  How fate has gathered us all here; Yet tell me, friends, can Fate reshape?

These woods short, haphazardly grow; In the mid and farthest North Pole; The faithful kites in multitude. The large number as headcount tells. That holds the whole woods in control. And lovely with them as others; Pray I well our belief will last

The Mid-West of these graceful woods

With somewhat a hilly landscape

Dwell tricky rabbits in their holes

Holes from which dear liquid is dug

And stones and cash fruit all for life

People could mistake me for them

Had I the sameness of their voice

At the end of the northern woods

The ground of which is mostly plain

Lacks greenery because of poor soil

But its dwellers do some hard work And grow few goods for fair living

In that sense I duly admire

The hand that lives upon its work

In more fewness the trees are found

At where some men breed animals To feed all dwellers of the woods Right hand side from the northern point

And left a bit you will get them

They face the challenge of ignorance

Far from heavy heads like blocks

The mid of these woods, densely thick

With shrubs and pastures ever green

Have excess nutrients for all crops My friend many times did complain

Did our fathers suffer at all?

Heaven can say my words are true

How now are men of laziness!

I see the East-West strands at length

Bordered with the vast wide ocean

By those shores are all kinds of trade

Of local-goods and foreign-made

Some do think I may be a part

A part-unfair deal-to prefer

The makes of other woods to mine

At the margin of far North-East

As ever could be in blessed woods

A great lake its beauty impel All nearby birds to dive for fish

To feed themselves and take some home

Brought up on water I may dive

To catch as much as I can throw

In the leafy East of these woods

Subtly springing from branch to branch

Are the admirable weaver-birds

Who with their songs of merriment

Work all day with great activeness

For in my heart those songs do melt

One of them I am made to be

But these woods at the farthest West

Perfectly perched on scattered trees

The beauteous owls with drowsy eyes

Like unawares of the day break

Wait for fatty termites at night

For continual feast and these owls

Though lovely, they hoot all the night

The Y-shape of long-wide rivers

Such scenery that is rare to find

Are God’s free blessings to some woods

The blood that holds the life of Man

And birds and beasts, all lovely things

The source as said was traced by Park

While gone fathers in them did fish

Such nine times thousand square of land

Owned by men of desire and hope

Differs really from side to side

For it I sing these words of grace

That the past may be left alone For love and glory of the land

These woods I pray shall grow to band

From above the sky, all the parts

Early were blessed before we live

Why then, God forbid, do we fight

What aim do we to sweep away

The wealth for us and for our sons

First to the woods does matter less

But what the nation could achieve?

To me all the same these woods are Whether short, tall or undersized

From One and going to One all came

Their love in me cannot decline

Or in my heart that warmness lose

Ever as long as exist I

For it I’ll strike, for it I’ll die

Again my fellows in all nooks

Men of good future you all are

Allow to fade and pass those wounds

And let for those to come fresh air For in other world the grown woods Did to survive these stages pass

And now somehow, in peace they live

Muhammad Ajah is a poet, author, advocate of humanity and good governance based in Abuja. E-mail mobahawwah@yahoo.co.uk

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy…. 

As a result very deep-rooted hatred and intolerance has bedeviled the country’s population and led to the endemic killing of the ethnic Igbo people and others from the area called Biafraland by the rest of Nigerians.   Beginning from 1945 Igbo/Biafran people have suffered innumerable genocidal killings of their kind as members of the Nigerian union. This is 2012 and the killings have continued. So, here we are talking of 67 years of consistent and unremitting persecution, oppression, murdering and looting of a people, in other words, crimes against humanity. Starting from 1966 the pace and scope of the killings increased, widened and became alarming. The people were getting killed in their tens of thousands. And millions of others were being internally displaced. It reached the breaking point when the leaders of Igbo ethnic people under the leadership of Emeka Ojukwu led the rest ethnic peoples within the Eastern Region to secede from the Nigerian union the following year, 1967. Ojukwu declared the Republic of Biafra on May 30, 1967.  

 Secession for the Easterners was a last resort effort to try and secure the lives and properties of their people. Biafrans fought a bitter war of independence from 1967 to 1970 and were forced back to rejoin Nigeria. But that was not before they had lost 3.1 million of their population. Biafra War is officially regarded in many quarters as an ethnic/religious cleansing embarked on by the Nigerian state. Nigeria then and now is predominantly Muslim while Biafra then and now is entirely made up of Christians and Animists.   The reunion was viciously achieved because the bulk of the oil revenue that sustains Nigeria’s economy is located in the Biafran territory. When the war ended the victors were unwilling to address the fundamental cause of the endemic problem which is the irreconcilable tripartite evil of ethnic/religious/cultural conflict. So the ethnic killings of Igbo/Biafrans have continued even 42 years after the war. A total of 5 million Igbo/Biafrans have been killed by this method of ethnic cleansing in Nigeria in the last 67 years.  

Today, the pace of suicidal bomb attacks of Igbo churches, homes, business places and town hall meeting places have increased. The Islamic attackers which have at various times manifested with different names presently go by Boko Haram. Boko Haram is an Islamic terrorist group that has vowed to use jihad and Islamize Nigeria and turn it into a theocratic Islamic state. The group has continued to target the Igbo/Biafran ethnic people whom they consider as the obstacle to their goal. The Islamic Boko Haram kill Igbo and other Biafrans in churches, marketplaces and any other place they can find them while the Nigerian government continues to demonstrate its unwillingness to protect Igbo/Biafrans’ lives and properties within Nigeria.    It is this state of hopelessness in the Nigerian government to provide them security that has driven a group of Igbo/Biafrans known as Biafra Liberation in Exile (BILIE) to formally send a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands. Just as Ojukwu was moved in 1967 to declare independence to directly assume the responsibility of protecting his people from the genocidal killings, the group is asking ICC to intervene on their behalf before their kind are completely exterminated in Nigeria. BILIE through their legal representatives from Brimstone and Co. of Washington, DC in the United States is requesting the Chief Prosecutor at ICC, Luis Moreno-Ocampo to initiate investigations into the Islamic/ethnic/cultural killings of Igbo and other Biafrans in Nigeria.

Anyone can follow the news by visiting BILIE’s website at www.bilie.org and click on genocide. This request by BILIE compares with the recent declaration by Moreno-Ocampo while visiting Misrata, Libya. During the visit he announced that ICC would commence investigations into the alleged violent sex crimes (rapes) committed by forces loyal to the former Libyan leader Gadhafi against civilians during the Libyan conflict of 2011.  Many analysts are following closely this case filed by BILIE against Nigeria as it will prove to be historic and significant in many ways. It will be the first time that such a case will be entertained by the world’s apex court against Nigeria. This is so in spite of the several incidents of crimes against humanity that are committed daily in Nigeria and reported by various human rights bodies. But it is alleged that over the years the Nigerian state has used bribes and other corrupt practices to prevent any move that would have exposed the atrocities being committed by Nigeria and its agents against Igbo/Biafrans. Some people also believe that if the case is handled properly it will serve to deter the people who in the past 67 years have acted with impunity believing that they are above the law from causing more harm. Others think it will help focus the attention of the world community on the need to dismember the Nigerian union and end the killings once and for all time.   Igbo/Biafrans maintain that genocides and other crimes against humanity are continually being committed against them in Nigeria and that the government has never shown any desire to protect them or punish those who hurt them.

They claim that Nigeria has failed them by not just being unwilling to secure their lives and properties; it has put in place certain official policies that make it impossible for them to have a future within the Nigerian union. As a result Igbo/Biafrans have continued to agitate for separation from Nigeria through the process of Self Determination. They cite the 2011 Sudan Solution as a recent reference.

By Osita Ebiem..

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy….

Four speakers in their respective classes were invited to do justice to the topic. They included Barrister Uche Okwukwu, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rivers State, Hon. Uche Onyeagucha, former member of the House of Representative, Hon. Omenazu Jackon, National Chairman of African Renaissance Party, and Mr. Opaka Dokubo, Chairman, Rivers State Council of the NUJ.

In his opening speech, Okwukwu, who was chairman of the occasion, held the audience spellbound with his fiery remarks. Speaking with fire in his words, he lamented that his kinsmen in Rivers State had failed as a result of ignorance to see the truth about the Nigerian-Biafran civil war, insisting that the death of Ojukwu had brought the truth about the war to the fore.
Hear him: “This year is my happiest year on earth. We have suffered persecution since after the civil war. Anyone who talked about Biafra before now was treated like an outcast. It had been so for years.”

He described the late Emeka Ojukwu as a brave and courageous man who, “despite his great university educational attainment, joined the army. He was brave and courageous to say what he wanted to say.”

He recalled the calculated events that led to the war, the Aburi Accord, regional autonomy and other events. Okwukwu pointedly said that there were unresolved issues in the country that could lead to the experiences of Sene-Gambia, Malaysia, Sudan, or Russia, insisting that such issues might affect the country and lead it to collapse. “I don’t care where I find myself, as far as it is a place where justice can be found.”

The young lawyer took a swipe at the Abandoned Property policy, which was adopted by the government of Rivers State, describing it as unjustified. He made a strong call that the issue of ‘Abandon Property’ in Port Harcourt be revisited and such property returned to their owners. He also said the body of Amainabo of Bonny kingdom should be returned for proper burial, after he was allegedly taken away on the strength of suspicion that he supported the Biafran struggle.

“After the civil war, the General Yakubu Gowon administration announced the policy of ‘Rehabilitation, Reconstruction, and Reconciliation,’ secretly enacted the abandoned property decree, and withheld the property of the Igbo in Port Harcourt – from Borokiri to Mile 3 through Aba Road axis. It also impoverished the Igbo by withholding their hundreds and thousands of pounds in all the banks in Nigeria and paid them a paltry 20 pounds. Today, the Igbo are tenants in the Port Harcourt that they built since the 1930s, with hard labour and struggle during colonial times. But unfortunately the Nigeria government then was preaching one Nigeria as Gowon is preaching today. But we often forget that only the truth will set us free. Until Nigeria reconciles with the truth she can not stand,” he said.

He therefore re-echoed the call for a sovereign national conference to resolve all fundamental issues plaguing the country. He noted that “Ojukwu did what is right; he opted to be poor that we might be rich. He made himself a servant leader. He consulted the people of the former Eastern Nigeria to speak with one voice.”
He insisted that with the menace of Boko Haram staring everyone in the face, the nation must discuss to find a lasting solution, adding: “If we don’t discuss now, what happened before will happen again.”

Another interesting speaker of the night was Uche Onyeagocha, a vibrant and stimulating societal commentator, even when he was in the legislature. He challenged Nigerians to stop pretending even as he enjoined them to say their minds boldly. He too added his voice to the call for a sovereign national conference “to decide how we are going to live in or break up Nigeria. The National Assembly and state assemblies cannot discuss on our behalf, because of their party affiliations. Let’s call a national referendum on Nigeria and decide whether it will be or not be. That is the only way forward, because too many people are speaking from both sides of their mouths. Let’s not pretend; Nigeria is a failed state. We need to discus how we can save her.”

He advised the minorities in the East to stop romancing with the idea of South- South, noting that God is wise enough to bridge the three major tribes in the country with minorities.
“The South- South is between East and West, Middle belt is between North East and North West; everyone should join the larger group which was made by nature,” he counselled.

Onyeagucha also challenged the 13% reduction on oil derivation fund call by the North. He charged the Niger Deltans to wake up to the challenges of the North, insisting that they should come up with a minimum of 50% derivation based on the hazards arising from pollutions and deprivation.

He said Ojukwu’s death could not stop the agitation for Biafra. According to him, since Ojukwu died, the Igbo all over the world had closed ranks as what he stood for was a matter too close to them.
Chief Omenazu, in his brief speech berated those who do not keep agreement, insisting that such people were “irresponsible.” He said: “Ojukwu was called a rebel and hated for his boldness. Now, women and children are killed everywhere. Why are we living in fear in Nigeria?”

He described Nigeria as a failed state which needs to be addressed at a national conference. He therefore called for a people’s constitution, saying the country had been run for years without the people’s consent. He therefore urged Nigerians to arise and write a constitution of their own.

In his comments, Dokubo expressed sympathy with the Nigerian state. He commenced his speech with a series of questions. “Is it true that God did not want us to live together? We are so different in many ways. I am wondering, are we not meant to stay together as one family?” He sought to know if the problems of those countries that broke up were over. He said Ojukwu did not go to war for the sake of war. “We celebrate him today because of his fairness. This is the time the nation should think deeply; we need to talk about peace and equity,” he urged.

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REPUBLICREPORTERS….standing between civilization and anarchy….