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Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by Emytexboy(m): 2:27pm On Nov 21, 2015 |
Nnamdi Kanu
Nnamdi Kanu a political activist based in the United
Kingdom , is a leading advocate for restoration of the
nation of Biafra and its independence from Nigeria . [1] :
He is a leading member of Biafra nationalist organization,
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the director of
London -based radio station Radio Biafra . [1] : Nnamdi
Kanu, being a historian deemed it important to pursue
the course for which his Father gave his all for. Also, the
politicians from the same Biafra location, who are well
placed in government, and have eaten from the national
treasury have distanced themselves from the struggle.
They publicly called the peaceful protesters evil and
declare that the protests are uncalled for. Nnamdi
decided to take the bull by the horn since the people who
are supposed to step up and represent the Biafran
masses have been bribed and cannot take a stand on
their own. He paid the price being unjustly abducted and
locked up without due process because of the flexible
and dependent nature of the Nigerian legal system. He is
still in detention at the moment.
Arrest
On October 18, 2015, it was reported that Mr Kanu had
been arrested in Lagos State by Nigeria ’s secret police
the Department of State Services (DSS). [1] : [2] Mr Kanu
had told his solicitors that he was, on 14th October,
2015, arrested by the agents of the Federal Government
of Nigeria , the State Security Service (SSS) in his hotel
room i.e. Golden Tulip Essential Hotel Ikeja, Lagos State .
[3] The solicitors in a press briefing said, between 14th
and 17th October, 2015 their clients where about were
unknown until 18th of October, 2015, when the Press
Media broke the news of his arrest and detention by the
SSS in Abuja. [4] The news of the arrest of Mr Kanu
generated mass protests across parts of Delta State ,
Enugu State , Rivers State , Abia State , and Anambra
State . [5]
Continued Detention
On 20 October 2015, Vanguard announced that Mr Kanu
had been released on bail after a secret arraignment at
Magistrate Court,Wuse 11. [6] However, the bail seemed
"controversial" and there were claims the DSS
announced the bail only "to calm the angry people of
Biafra". [7] On October 19, 2015, it was reported that Mr
Kanu had been granted bail.[8] Although the bail
conditions were stringent some of which required the
Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property within
Abuja municipality, a level 16 officer in the Ministry, Mr
Kanu's lawyer said they eventually met the requirements
in full. However, “upon the issuance of the Form 36,the
court ordeal went to execute the order but came back
unsuccessful. He was unable to produce the prisoner. [6]
The lawyer, Vincent Obetta, called the continued
detention of the activist despite meeting his bail
conditions "a clash between judiciary and executive" in a
democratic Nigeria . According to Mr Obetta, "I have not
seen or heard any place where a court grants bail and
the person is not released. Under UN and Africa charter,
it is enshrined that once bail is granted, you release the
person upon meeting the bail conditions. We are sliding
to days of Decree 2 and 4 of 1984. This is pure
Dictatorship.” [9]
==Freedom in Nigeria==nnn Brendalyn had noted that
chapter four of the Nigerian constitution guarantees
Nigerians the right to life, personal liberty, freedom of
expression, and freedom to own property.
"Notwithstanding these provisions, the government has
detained human rights crusaders unlawfully, continued
attacks on students and academics and has taken steps
to muzzle the press," the author wrote. [10] :126
Protection Against False Accusation (Decree No.
4,1984), drafted on March 29,1984, was the most
dreaded, most repressive and the last press law enacted
in Nigeria . It was promulgated during the military regime
of Major General Buhari which did not take kindly to
press criticisms. [11] “Concerning the Decree 4 of 1984, I
have to assure you that the time for that is over.That
was part of Military administration and Dictatorship, but I
have also promised you that I am now a converted, and
converted democrat. Therefore, I want to assure you that
I am going to be a friend of the media and this time, I will
work well with you as friends and partners in the
development of the nation, and that is my promise to
you.” the APC presidential candidate president
Muhammad Buhari in an an interractive session with
members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and
Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria before the
2015 president election. [12] |
Re: Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by Emytexboy(m): 2:30pm On Nov 21, 2015 |
Court Jurisdiction
"It should be noted that within the interval of eight days
we have applied and gotten three Orders of Court against
the SSS compelling them to release, produce or transfer
our client to the prisons. It is heartrending to say that
despite all the Court Orders emanating from a court of
competent jurisdiction, the Department of State Services
(DSS) have willfully refused to obey these order(s)", said
the solicitors in their press statement. [13] In Nigeria's
days of military rule, Decree 2 of 1984 (Detention of
Persons) vested powers on appropriate officers to detain
persons for acts prejudicial to State Security without
recourse to the courts. "Decree 2 was a potent
instrument for the violation of Nigerians' fundamental
human rights, since it could be used by government
functionaries to derogate the rights of social justice
activists" during those military days. [10] " An estimated
one to three million people participated in one of the
peaceful protests on November 9, 2015 in the
commercial town of Aba, Abia State calling for his
release. [14][15] The Magistrate Court 1 sitting in Abuja
on November 18, 2015 ordered the Department of State
Services (DSS) to produce Nnamdi Kanu, at the court on
Monday, November 23, 2015. [16]
Non-Violent Protests
Massive peaceful [15] :protests have continued in
southern Nigeria about the continued detention of
Nnamdi Kanu since his arrest. “I saw some of them jump
into the bush when they sighted a patrol vehicle
belonging to the Nigerian army. The protesters were over
two hundred. They were singing pro-Biafra songs as
they marched on the street”, remarked Mr Johnbull
Tamunoemi. [17] According to Voice of America , the
protesters in southeastern Nigeria are demanding the
release of the jailed radio station chief who advocates
restoration of the nation of Biafra and its independence
from Nigeria . [1] Some of the highlights of pro- Biafra
protest in the commercial hub of Aba on November 10,
2015 was a football match by the group wearing T-shirts
marked Biafra along major streets of the city, [14] : and
the closure of markets and schools in solidarity with
thousands of people who marched on the streets. [18] :
The BBC's Abdussalam Ahmed in the south-eastern city
of Enugu said in reality they do not want a repeat of the
Biafran war but are keen to draw the attention of the
central government to some developmental challenges
the region faces. [19] The Igbo People in the region claim
they have been unfairly treated—even punished—
decades after the fighting stopped. [20] : An IPOB leader,
Uchenna Madu, told the BBC that the group was fighting
against the "injustice and inequality" ethnic Igbos faced
in Nigeria. [19] : On Thursday November the 12th, 2015,
one of the protesters marching through the streets of
Owerri said their agitation was meant for the Nigerian
Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu and grant
Biafra people freedom from Nigeria . [21] On November 6,
2015, commercial activities were grounded in the port
town of Onitsha, when youths and supporters of IPOB
marched through the streets demanding the release of Mr
Kanu, whom they said was being incarcerated for over
three weeks, and the continued arrest and detention of
their members as well as the actualization of the Biafran
cause. [17] "Pro-Biafra protesters on November 16,
2015, carried their release- Nnamdi-Kanu protest to
Umuahia, the Abia State capital and the home-town of
Nnamdi Kanu, marching through the major streets of the
city, but under the watch of security agencies." [22] It
was reported the protesters marched around the city,
carrying the portrait of Mr Kanu and the Biafran flag while
chanting songs of freedom." [23]
Crack-down on Protesters
Daily Mail reported that Police in Nigeria 's oil hub of Port
Harcourt on Tuesday, November 10, 2015 fired shots
and teargas to disperse hundreds of the pro- Biafra
supporters as they marched for the release of the key
activist, Mr Kanu. [20] It was gathered that at least three
persons were hit by stray bullets, while one of the protest
leaders, who identified himself as Orji Azu-Enaga said
two of their members were shot dead around Eleme
junction during the marching. [18] The Police in Delta
State on Friday November 6, 2015 used teargas to
disperse dozens of pro-Biafra agitators who staged a
protest rally in Asaba . One of the demonstrators, Uche
Obiakor, said the action of police was a great injustice to
the Biafra people because they were not armed neither
did they attack anybody. “We are just on a peaceful
protest for the unconditional release of our leader,
Nnamdi Kanu," he said. [24] One of the protesters in
Onitsha was feared dead during the rally on November 6,
2015. [17] We want to show Nigeria and the United
Nations that we the Igbos are one. They used to say that
we are not organized. United Nations should come and
help us to divorce this forced marriage. We don’t want
Nigeria again,” said Orji Azu-Enaga a protester. [18] :
Military Plan for Protesters
The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army has pledged its
readiness to suppress insurrection in the South East and
South South geopolitical zones whenever it was called
upon to do so. [25] Deputy Director of Army Public
Relations in the division, Col. Hamza Gambo, said the
statement had become imperative because of “the
marked increase in the activities of pro-Biafran groups’’
in the areas. Gambo listed the activities to include protest
marches, demonstrations and some cases of outright
lawlessness and threat to lives and properties. [26] “The
Nigerian Army would like to send an unequivocal warning
to all and sundry, more specifically to all those
threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the
country, committing treasonable felony and arson as well
as wanton destruction of lives and property. [27] In
justifying the intended military action, the Army boss said
“instructively, this constitutional guarantee does not
allow for abuse of other person’s freedom and safety. “It
is pertinent to note that the same constitution mandates
the armed forces of Nigeria to suppress insurrection and
act in aid of civil authority to restore order when called
upon to do so. [28] |
Re: Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by Emytexboy(m): 2:31pm On Nov 21, 2015 |
Emytexboy:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nnamdi_Kanu |
Re: Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by Emytexboy(m): 2:33pm On Nov 21, 2015 |
Economic Issues
Laja Odukoya, a lecturer in political science at the
University of Lagos, said the protests are a symptom of
Nigeria ’s economic problems. [1] : Rates of unemployment
and poverty are high in the Biafra heartland States. In
majority of these states, infrastructure such as roads,
water and electricity are lacking along with medical care
and education, as they affirm that even Igbo People have
been denied senior political posts such as the
Presidency. [20] : [1] : In many areas of the greater Njaba
River, Imo River and upper Orashi River basins, the
activities of oil companies have rendered drilling and
treatment of water from bore-holes more cumbersome,
costlier and unattractive. [29] [30] : World Igbo Congress
stated that no tribe in Nigeria has suffered more
Economic inequality and political injustice than the Igbo
People. [31] A case in point is the Nigeria federal
government’s reluctance to build a new River Niger
Bridge (Onitsha) , started by former president Goodluck
Jonathan to support economic activities, reduce the
pressure on the existing bridge and alleviate the suffering
of the people in the commercial and economic hubs of
Onitsha and Asaba after failed promises from past
Federal administrations. [31] The half century-old 4-lane
River Niger Bridge (Onitsha) has been subjected to
handling the traffic load which used to be shared
between the railways, river crafts and roadways
connecting the country’s hinterland to the sea terminals
along the eastern coastline. [32] The core business elite
from the Southeast and Southsouth geopolitical zones
have come to regard the Niger Bridge and the Asaba-
Shagamu highway as their lifeblood. [32] "We know that
it is a critical road. We also know how Nigerians suffer
during festive holidays and we hear people sleep on that
old bridge", said the Nigeria 's Director-General, DG of
Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC,
Aminu Diko while justifying the reason construction of the
second River Niger Bridge (Onitsha) may be put on hold
after a meeting with the President on August 26, 2015.
[33] On Monday, January 28, 2013, angry youths from
the oil-rich Awo-omamma protested Government’s
insensitivity to plight of their people whose roads linking
their villages, and the town to other neighbouring
communities, they alleged had been abandoned for years
by successive administrations in the state. [34]
In the people's commercial hub of Aba, Businesses face
tough times as there is no smooth sail on roads. The
rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway
passing through Aba , a Federal road has remained ‘work
in progress’ for years. [35] Chuks Nwanne noted that both
traders and industries in Aba are currently struggling to
break even, after high duties and multiple taxation. The
state of infrastructure, especially road and electricity
remain a major concern for manufacturers in Aba .[35]
The deplorable condition of the Owerri-Port Harcourt
expressway has remained a source of great concern to
motorists plying the road, especially from the Imo State
end, starting from Umuagwo to the Umuapu communities
both in Ohaji/Egbema , a stretch of over six kilometers.
[36] I never imagined such deplorable road could be
found in a much-touted Africa's largest economy, wrote
Paul John, a road user. [37] In August 2015, youths in
the oil-rich Umuapu, Ohaji/Egbema Local Council,
numbering about 2,000, barricaded the deplorable
Owerri-Port Harcourt road [38] The Umuapu youths with
playcards asked “Are we citizens of Imo State , Nigeria ?”
“Oil community, no road, no water, no electricity, no
hospital. Drivers and passengers, bear with us.” [38] I
wondered if there were political representatives from that
part of Imo State , remarked Paul John the road user. [37]
With the current states of the Oyigbo ( Rivers state ) and
Umuapu ( Imo state ) sections of the two federal roads ,it
is clear that politicians representing these areas do not
come home at all.[37] According to Vanguard, Vice
President, Professor, Yemi Osinbajo, insisted that the
worst problem plaguing people of the South-East
geopolitical zone, was the failed road networks, saying
the situation required urgent Federal Government
attention. “One problem that the people of the South-
East have is roads. You know what our financial
constraints are, and there is a need for improvement on
roads where there is a lot of commerce and movement of
people", said the Vice President. [39] Rochas Okorocha of
Imo State on Tuesday November 17, 2015 said they
were concerned about the state of federal roads in the
zone, particularly the Enugu-Onitsha express road, Aba-
Ikot Ekpene, Owerri-Port Harcourt and Enugu-Port
Harcourt roads. [40] President of Igbo Youths Movement,
IYM, Evangelist Elliot Ukoh, who spoke on the issue,
attributed agitation for Biafra to what he called unfair
treatment of Ndigbo. "They have no jobs because of
quota system which ensures that people are given jobs
because of where they come from and not based on
merit or competence. [41]
As the people of South-East are faced with lack of jobs
for its energetic population, none development of new
motorable access roads to rural settlements, poor
maintainance of existing roads, water supply and
unreliable electricity, [20] : there are lots of abandoned
energy, road and water projects capable of improving the
economy of the region such as the second River Niger
Bridge (Onitsha) , [42] Orlu regional water scheme, [30]
Izombe Gas Processing Plant and Egbema Power Station
Projects. [43][44] On many occasions between 2005 and
2006, numerous media announcements were made by
the federal authorities to the effect that the federal
government was to commit the sum of 77 million Naira
toward the take-off of the Orlu regional water scheme.
[30] : An Igbo pressure group, Aka Ikenga, said the
suspension of the second River Niger Bridge (Onitsha) , a
private public partnership project would greatly affect
economic activities in the South-south and South-east
regions respectively. They noted that the nascent
industries in these regions will suffer from the
suspension due to heavy reliance on the old bridge to
ease transportation problems. [45] |
Re: Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by Emytexboy(m): 2:35pm On Nov 21, 2015 |
Political Deprivations
Former civil-war president Yakubu Gowon holds the view
that the gesture of having a president of Nigeria of Igbo
extraction has a net gain of providing stability to Nigeria .
[46] : Yakubu Gowon had noted that a president of
Nigeria of Igbo extraction demonstrates Nigeria 's
continued pursuit to eradicate the "toga of political
instability and the dread of ethnic domination that
hitherto defined political and socio-cultural relationships"
in the nation. [46] : In the words of Sanusi Lamido Sanusi ,
past Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria and now the
Emir of Kano, "the Northern Bourgeoisie and the Yoruba
Bourgeoisie have conspired to keep the Igbo People out
of the scheme of things in Nigeria . They Igbo have been
defeated in war, rendered paupers by monetary policy
fiat, their properties declared abandoned and confiscated,
kept out of strategic public sector appointments, and
deprived of public services. The rest of the country forced
them to remain in Nigeria and has continued to deny
them equity. [47]
The Emir in calling for justice and equity, remarked the
following about younger generations of Igbo People ,
"there is a new Igbo man who was not born in a 1966
and neither knows nor cares about Nzeogwu and
Ojukwu. There are Igbo men on the streets who were
never Biafrans. They were born Nigerians and are
Nigerians, but suffer because of the actions of earlier
generations." [47] : In corroborating the Emir's remarks,
Elliot Uko the Founder of Igbo Youth Movement said
years of feeling marginalised have fuelled the current
protests. [20] : "These people who want Biafra do not
have faith in Nigeria anymore, especially those who seem
not to believe that the Igbo People will ever get justice in
Nigeria ", said Mr Uko. [20] : “They believe for example that
the JAMB cut-off marks are skewed against them
because they get higher marks and, get dropped for
northerners who score lower grades in the name of
federal character. [48]
"I hope and am sure my brothers and sisters in the
South-East will be a lot happier when Ndigbo have the
opportunity to attain the presidency of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria. This, to all intents and purposes, will
help to achieve some measure of closure on memories of
the Civil War", said Nigeria 's civil war military president,
Yakubu Gowon in his support of the principle of rotation
of power in Nigeria and aligning his position with the
clamour for Nigerian president of Igbo extraction as a
measure to heal the civil war wounds and resolve the
root cause and effects of the Biafra-war. [46]
Chukwuemeka Ezeife alluded that the Biafra restoration
movement is gaining acceptability among serious
politicians from the South-East which hitherto
constituted major problem, in their pursuit of freedom,
fairness and equity from captivity as highlighted by Emir
of Kano, [47][49] : “We don’t want to be in Nigeria
anymore. We want to be on our own,” said Ugochukwu
Chinweuba, affirming that their goal is independence. [1] :
Calls for Referendum
In response to ubiquitous demand for 'Biafra ," and the
world-wide outrage of the Easterners against the
incarceration and molestation of "Biafra " agitators, there
are calls for Referendum in order to ascertain the wish of
the ethnic nationalities within the various geopolitical
space of Nigeria . Mr Kanu has been urged to change his
current violent speech propaganda for dialogue through
call for referendum in the Independence struggle. [50]
According to Lower Niger Congress, Nigeria 's
Constitution is being blamed for the country's failure to
thrive despite the abundance of human and material
resources in the nation. " [47] : The Indigenous People of
Biafra and Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign
State of Biafra, MASSOB, have found President
Muhammadu Buhari ’s self-determination-based call, in
address at the 70th session of the United Nations
General Assembly [51] on World Leaders to assist the
State of Palestine in getting freedom from the State of
Israel ironical but a boost to their advocacy for the State
of Biafra [52][53] from Nigeria . President Buhari while
launching the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day
Emblem and Appeal Fund on November 16, 2015 in
Abuja argued that "Our nation has recently celebrated 55
years of political independence and continues to remain
as one indivisible entity despite several grievous
challenges. Since independence, Nigeria has witnessed a
lot of internal strife, survived a civil war and has
remained united. This feat achieved by the country is an
eloquent testimony to the determination of our citizens
to remain as one people. [54] J.O.G. Achuzia (rtd) while
arguing for a round table conference amongst the
various regions, said "it is not a question of Biafra being
a South-East problem or a South-South problem. It is
the South-Eastern region of Nigeria because Nigeria was
originally on a tripod of South-East region, South-West
region and the Northern region." [55] Radio Biafra,
alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari has pre-
occupied himself with investigating the connection
between the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB,
secessionist group and Niger-Delta militants rather than
ordering the release of its detained director – Nnamdi
Kanu, and call for a dialogue on how to conduct a
Referendum. [56] In Kano July 16, 2014, Northern youths
under the auspices of Arewa Youth Development
Foundation called for the division of Nigeria as a political
entity. During the protest held outside the palace of the
Emir of Kano a speech signed by National President and
Secretary General, Barrister Aliyu M Usman, and Alfred
Solomon called on the people to “rise and support
agitation for peaceful dissolution of this union called
Nigeria for every region to go its own way”. [57] |
Re: Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by mandax: 11:59pm On Nov 21, 2015 |
Igbos who today lash out against protesting Biafrans are most selfish Igbos. Igbos fought and lost Biafra. Nigeria denied infrastructure to Igboland after that. Today Igbos protest for Biafra, some. Idiotic Igbos berate the protesting Igbos Yoruba protested after Abiola to withdraw from Nigeria. They maintained the tempo until Arewa called up Obasanjo and Yoruba called up Falae as sole presidential candidates of the two most powerful political parties. Yoruba pride was restored in Nigeria after that. Why did Igbos start to protest for Biafra if they knew they could be easily disowned by some self-appointed Igbos? If this Igbo uprising yields no positive results for the Biafrans, abokiii can henceforth just shiiit into the mouth of even the most powerful Igbos - and nothing happens. |
Re: Nnamdi Kanu On Wikipedia by Ofodirinwa: 12:03am On Nov 22, 2015 |
lmfao it looks like the page was created by a very crude yoruba person with poor writing skills |
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