Ohanaeze reminded the President his actions fuelled the agitation for a separate state by members of IPOB and others in the South-East, describing IPOB as a product of injustice.

Buhari had, in interview granted to Bloomberg, urged “international allies to take additional step to proscribe IPOB and designate it as a terrorist organisation.”

He was quoted to have “pleaded with Nigeria’s international partners, especially the United States and the United Kingdom to block the group from the international financial network.”

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the spokesman for Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, said what IPOB was asking for is very clear; “treat us as partners in the Nigerian project or allow us to go.”

Ohanaeze, in the statement titled, “IPOB as a product of injustice,” said, “It is most expedient to enlighten the general public that what IPOB is asking for is the parting words of a Nigerian titan, the Maitama Sule imperatives, to President Buhari when he led the Northern Leaders Forum to congratulate him shortly after his victory in the 2015 general elections.”

The statement read in part, “What I think IPOB is asking for is very clear: treat us as partners in the Nigerian project or allow us to go.

On the other hand, how can one explain the obvious lopsidedness in the appointment of military and paramilitary personnel to head the following organisations with little or no considerations for the people of the South-East region; Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security, National Intelligence Agency, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs Service; and several others.

“On the other hand, as Maitama Sule predicted the orchestrated alienation of the South-East region from the centre of power as the cause of the agitation in the region.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, has repeatedly stated that a people denied justice may not have interest in peace.

“The request by Mr President to the West is most unachievable because the West watches with keen interest and utter resignation the pathetic governance paradigm in the country. For the avoidance of doubt, democracy all over the world requires justice, equity, mutual toleration and institutional forbearance, all of which are in short supply in the country today.”

IPOB kicks

Also, the leadership of IPOB has lashed out at the President over allegations that the group was responsible for pipelines and public facilities’ vandalism in the country.

According to the group, Buhari further showed the world his ignorance when he stated that oil facilities, located on the coast of Niger Delta, were vandalised by IPOB.

IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, described the allegation as laughable and childish.

Powerful stated, “The President should tell America and other Western countries the locations of pipelines IPOB vandalised. The allegation against IPOB by Buhari is childish because everybody knows that IPOB does not engage in pipeline vandalism. Even the international community knows that IPOB is not involved in such acts.

“Going to Bloomberg news and parroting falsehoods against IPOB won’t save him and his co-travellers from being prosecuted in the International Criminal Court at the appropriate time.”

In a correspondence with Bloomberg, the president asserted that the National Livestock Transformation Plan, putting ranching at its core, is the only way to deplete the competition for resources at the core of the clashes.

According to him, governors from some individual states have sought to play politics where ranches have been established; but where they have been disputes have dramatically reduced.

Speaking further regarding the war against terror, President Buhari explained that in 2015, Boko Haram held territory the size of Belgium within the borders of Nigeria, adding that today, however, the terrorists are close to extinct as a military force.

Buhari while reaffirming that a leader of ISWAP was eliminated by a Nigerian Airforce airstrike in March, noted that the jets acquired from the US and intelligence shared by the British were not provided to previous administrations and stand as testament to renewed trust re-built between Nigeria and her traditional western allies under his government.

“Terrorists no longer hold any territory in Nigeria, and their leaders are deceased; and vast infrastructure development sets the country on course for sustainable and equitable growth,” Buhari stated.

He urged the same international partners to take additional steps costing them nothing, by proscribing another group – IPOB – as a terrorist organization.

“Their leadership enjoys safe haven in the West, broadcasting hate speech into Nigeria from London, spending millions lobbying members of the US Congress, and freely using international financial networks to arm agitators on the ground.

“This must stop,” the president declared.

As regards corruption, President Buhari assured Nigerians that his government will leave Nigeria in a far better place than they found it.

In his opinion, corruption is less hidden, for Nigerians feel empowered to report it without fear and stolen monies are now being returned.

Reminding Dokubo that he is not an Igbo man and should stop portraying himself as such, IPOB in a statement released by its Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful told the former militant leader that he would appreciate what the group can do if any of its members in hinterlands and coastal region of Biafra die as a result of his threat.

The proscribed group also told him to withdraw his empty threat and stop exposing his “historical shortcomings and ignorance by dabbling into a matter that he has no idea of.

The statement read “We wish to put the whole world on notice particularly the Izon people, of the unguarded and nonsense statements coming out from Asari Dokubo against the people of IPOB and our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu because when it will start nobody will blame. Dokubo numerated how he sabotaged and planned how our leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU was abducted and extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria. He should equally remember that IPOB never declared war against him since he started his nonsense statements against IPOB and Nnamdi KANU. We don’t want to be distracted or join issues with you. But we want to make it categorically clear to you that if any IPOB member both in the hinterland and coastal region of Biafra dies as a result of your threat you will understand what IPOB is capable of doing. Again, we want you to withdraw this empty threat and stop exposing your historical shortcomings and ignorance by dabbling into a century that you have completely no idea about. You are not an Igbo and have no link with the Igbo people. Igbo don’t need Asari to live their lives. Asari should know that he doesn’t and can never love Igbo people more than Nnamdi KANU and IPOB movement. Asari Dokubo should know that his sabotaging the Biafran struggle will not stop us from getting Biafra freedom. Your grouse with Nnamdi Kanu was because you were more interested in becoming the President of Biafra, and he told you to wait first until Biafra comes. You turned against him and Biafra freedom because you hate the truth. Asari is thinking that his criminal gangs sponsored by Aso Rock and some politicians in the region will kill IPOB members and blame it on Igbo people. We know who he is and he will soon regret his actions against a just cause.”

Justice Nyako had on Tuesday, ordered the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow Kanu to have a change of cloth.

“I don’t want to see him in this cloth again. This one is almost off-white. Also, make sure that you allow him to exercise and give him a good mattress”, Justice Nyako had ordered.

Meanwhile, when the matter was called up on Wednesday, the Prosecution counsel, Mr Shuaibu Labaran, told the court that Kanu was the one that chose to wear his designer Fendi clothes.

He said: “My lord, based on your order yesterday, we provided Defendant with a new Orthopedic mattress, pillows and blankets. As for his appearance, he chose to wear this particular one because he said that it is designers”.

In his response, Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, told the court that it was not true, noting that his client did not insist on wearing his designer’s clothes.

“My lord what happened was that by the time proceedings ended yesterday, and because it was not his visiting day, we were not able to pass to him, some clothes we obtained for him. We even discussed it with him this morning and he said that on the next visiting day he would want to have the new clothes”, Ozekhome added.

He however commended the DSS for providing the IPOB leader with new mattresses and pillows.

“I want to commend the DSS and the court for ensuring that it was done”.

Before allowing Kanu to be re-arraigned on the amended 15-count treasonable felony charge the Federal Government preferred against him, Justice Nyako reiterated her demand for Defendant to have a change of clothes.

Kanu is currently entering his plea to the fresh amended charge against him which borders on his alleged commission of acts of terrorism, felony, incitement, unlawful importation of a radio transmitter, and headship of an illegal organization.

Already, the DSS had before Kanu was ushered into the courtroom around 10:15 am, produced several documentary evidence, including electronic devices it would use to play some of the alleged inciting broadcasts that were made by Defendant.

Armed security men stormed the church during mass, shot sporadically into the air before whisking Nwosu away.

IPOB in a statement released by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said if not for the fighting spirit of Nwosu’s family, the Uzodinma-led government would have blamed its militia wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN), for the “abduction of the politician.”

“We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) condemn the abduction of Uche Nwosu in the church.

This is another vindication that IPOB and Eastern Security Network (ESN) are not responsible for the numerous attacks, abductions/kidnappings in Imo State contrary to false accusations and propaganda by Hope Uzodinma and his co-travellers.

The incident has also further confirmed the complicity of Hope Uzodinma and the All Progressives Congress party in the insecurity going on in Imo State and the South-East region.

But for the dexterity and fighting spirit of Nwosu’s family and associates, Hope Uzodinma, his co-travellers and some infamous media houses would have, as usual, pointed accusing fingers at ESN, IPOB and unknown gunmen. But God Almighty, Chukwu Okike Abiama, has exposed them this time around.

It will not be a surprise if by tomorrow, Hope Uzodinma fingers Uche Nwosu and his in-law Rochas Okorocha as the sponsors of IPOB, ESN, unknown gunmen and insecurity in Imo State. We know his antics and such options may not be out of the table.

For the umpteenth time, no single individual can sponsor IPOB. We are a global movement and millions of our family members home and abroad remain the source of our sponsorship.

We have never hidden this fact because we are not a secret or terror organisation. IPOB is well grounded and we don’t need any Okorocha, Uche Nwosu or Hope Uzodinma or any politician for that matter to sponsor us. We have no dealings with corrupt politicians and people with questionable source of wealth.

It’s now transparently obvious to all who the masterminds of the abductions/killings of many traditional rulers and religious leaders including politicians in Imo State and other parts of South East are.

It is also now clear who created unknown gunmen to demonise and implicate IPOB and ESN operatives.”the statement read

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, argued that it makes no sense to be desperate for a power shift in 2023, while IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu is still in detention.

The statement reads “The attention of IPOB has been drawn to the unpatriotic moves by some unreliable elders in Biafraland who are begging the Alamajiri elders for President of Nigeria from Igbo stock in 2023. We want to make it categorically clear to desperate Igbo politicians that IPOB is not looking for any Nigerian President of Igbo extraction under the present contraption called Nigeria. Again, IPOB will not be a party to their begging and fawning for a transient political office at the detriment of our freedom. They must understand that our singular concern is Kanu’s unconditional release. If our elders think they can use IPOB and Kanu to bargain their way to political office, they are in for the shock of their life”.

The adjournment came on a day Kanu’s team of lawyers, staged a walk-out over the refusal of operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, to allow some of them to gain access into the courtroom.

Kanu, who was brought into the courtroom around 9:52 am, had shortly after his case was called up, bemoaned the refusal of security agents to allow some members of his legal team, especially his lawyer from the United State of America, Bruce Fein, to enter the courtroom.

The IPOB leader told the court that Mr Fein, who he said was handling a case for him in the US, was around to witness his trial.

Kanu stated from the dock. “I have an ongoing case in the US. I have not been allowed to see him. He is here to see me and to observe the proceedings. He has been to the DSS to see me, but they denied him access to me”,

Asked by the Judge, if he was ready to conduct the proceedings himself, in the absence of his lawyers, Kanu replied in the negative.

Meanwhile, counsel to FG, Mr M. D. Abubakar, who is the Director of Public Prosecution, urged the court to proceed with the trial in the absence of Kanu’s lawyers.

Abubakar told the court that ordinarily, the matter was fixed for a hearing of an application that was filed by Defendant.

He argued that since Kanu’s lead counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who was initially inside the courtroom, walked out with his team shortly before the arrival of the judge, his pending application should be deemed abandoned.

In a short ruling, though Justice Nyako expressed his displeasure over the conduct of Kanu’s lawyers, she declined to dismiss the pending application and rather adjourned the case till January 19 and 20, 2022, for trial.

Onyema Nwachukwu, Army spokesman, said this on Monday, November 1, while briefing journalists on the ongoing military operation in the south-east.

According to him, Chukwunonso Iherue, leader of a gang allegedly behind the attacks on police stations in Imo state, was behind the recent violence in Izombe community of the state.

He said Iherue was one of the convicts who escaped when gunmen attacked Imo prison in April.

In May and August, police stations in Orsu and Oguta LGAs were attacked by gunmen who also killed officers on duty.

Nwachukwu said Iherue and his gang members were seen parading the community, flying the Biafra insignia on October 1, while threatening and instilling fear in the people

He said when the army attempted to arrest him, he escaped with the help of some persons “until he was later neutralised when he engaged the troops with fire from his pistol in a frantic attempt to escape. The group opened fire on troops, killing two soldiers in the process. “Inan effort to avoid civilian casualty and collateral damage in the community, troops tactically withdrew from the area. Unfortunately, the suspected IPOB members ran amok, setting ablaze houses and other property belonging to those perceived to be against them.  A reinforcement team was deployed to Izombe and the security situation was immediately stabilised, while peace has since returned to the community.It was, however, observed on arrival at the community that the criminal gang also burnt troops’ van in addition to other public and private property.”

The Head of Information and Communication, Uche Okafor-Mefor, disclosed this in a statement urging the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) not to deny the people of the State from voting.

The De facto Biafra Customary Government said the sit-at-home order was criminal while also demanding the federal government to immediately withdraw their security forces deployed to the South East region, pointing out that the use of violent approach against the Igbos would no longer be acceptable.

The group said in a statement “In the light of the complex developments, hydra-headed security challenges and other sundry issues adversely affecting the indigenous civilian populations lumped up together against their will in Nigeria, the De Facto Customary. The government of Biafra hereby declares as follows; the hydra-headed government believes absolutely in the sanctity of human life – the protection of lives in the Biafran territory – and therefore condemns in no uncertain terms the ongoing wanton destruction of lives and properties in Biafraland by both state and non-state actors irrespective of their motives. That the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra extols the democratic ethos for which Biafrans are known and as such declares support for the people of Biafra to exercise their democratic rights to vote and be voted for in Biafraland in the current and future elections.”

On the Anambra governorship election, “That in line with this pronouncement, the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra affirms that elections in Anambra State and elsewhere in Biafraland must hold by the extant laws; that any boycott of the Anambra elections and others elsewhere remains fruitless, counterproductive and would be incapable of invalidating the electoral process because a winner must emerge eventually by the circumstances strongly urged to go out and vote for the preferred candidates of their choices. That the continued violent campaign for the boycott of elections and other ancillary unethical conducts which are inimical to the advancement of the Biafran cause are subsequently frowned at and as such must be discouraged forthwith. That the proponents of this self-annihilating strategy must be reminded that in reality, the best way to be in control of political power is by engaging and by going through the democratic process itself or they will otherwise and in effect be aiding and abating the same Fulani-controlled Nigerian state to all the more heavily militarise Biafraland, impose a state of emergency, kill more Biafrans, ultimately rig the elections and fraudulently install their stooges. Just as the group condemned alleged violence against the people of the Southeast region saying: “That the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra further condemns without any equivocation the associated systematic subject on of Biafrans to torture and the targeted assassination of Biafrans on Biafran soil. These are heinous conducts against the laws of the land and prohibited as atrocious crimes by the international community. That the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra calls on the Nigerian government to withdraw her forces from the Biafran territory forthwith and to arrest and bring to justice all her security personnel implicated in the commission of crimes against humanity, enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings in Biafraland. That the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra opposes and deplores in its entirety any torture or killings of Biafrans by Biafrans on Biafran soil. Henceforth, anybody or group of people embarking on this criminality remain the enemy of the people. That the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra welcomes any civil disobedience measures taken by Biafrans in response or protest to the violations of their fundamental human rights this criminality which advances the ever legitimate Biafran cause. In this regard and with particular reference, any sit-at-home in line with the above-stated objective which is voluntary is welcome. However, any violent enforcement of such exercise leading to the forcible restriction of movements, destruction of businesses, above-stated in Biafraland must be challenged. We further reiterate that violent enforcement of any said sit-at-home exercise is criminal conduct, and anybody indulging in those despicable conducts remains a criminal. Finally, that the De Facto Customary Government of Biafra reaffirms and reasserts that Biafra is our heritage and would do everything humanly possible to defend, and her people. Long live the people of Biafra. Long live the State of Biafra.”

The exercise, which recorded total compliance in the state, saw the shut down of both public and private schools, markets, banks and shops.

it was observed that between 7 am and 10 am, on Thursday in Abakaliki, the state capital there were no vehicular and human movements.

It was also observed that neither civil servants nor students were seen going to work or school, on Thursday, in the state.

Both banks’ premises were under key and luck and our correspondent, noted, that the Nigerian flag was seen lowered in their offices.

Also, parks of major transport companies such as Peace, Onitsha South, GUO, Ifesinachi, Eastern Mass, ROMCHI, among others, were shut down.

It was also observed that filling stations in the state, were shut down and didn’t open for business, on Thursday.