Sahara Reporters Latest News Friday 31st May 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Friday 31st May 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 31/05/19

E2%80%99s-nomination-ambassador-large target=_blank>“International Human Rights Commission” Withdraws Saraki’s Nomination as Ambassador At Large

The Nigerian Central Office of a phony “International Human Rights Commission” has withdrawn the nomination of the outgoing Nigerian Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, as Ambassador-at-large of the commission.
It will be recalled that Saraki was nominated as an “Ambassador-at-Large” for the IHRC earlier in March. Saharareporters had investigated that the 2-year old organization was not affiliated with the United Nations.

E2%80%99s-assets-did-not-appreciate-or-depreciate-four-years target=_blank>ANALYSIS: How Come President Buhari’s Assets Did Not Appreciate or Depreciate In Four Years? By Kelechukwu Ogu

President Buhari Inspectig His Herds Of Cattle In Daura
President Buhari Inspecting His Mango Tree In Daura
President Buhari Inspecting His Farmland In Daura, Katsina State

On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari declared his assets in fulfillment of Section 140 subsection 1 of the 1999 constitution.
The section reads, “A person elected to the office of President shall not begin to perform the functions of that office until he has declared his assets and liabilities as prescribed in this Constitution and he has taken and subscribed the Oath of Allegiance and the oath of office prescribed in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution.”
In keeping up with his title of Mr. Integrity, could the president have unwittingly lied before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), like former Senate President Bukola Saraki was accused of doing?
The opaque nature of Buhari’s asset declaration in 2015 and 2019, as well as the failure of the constitution to mandate full public disclosure of assets, makes it is impossible to make such a claim. However, there are items in that asset form as listed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu in 2015 that should have either appreciated or depreciated in four years.
The 270 Cows
Buhari said in 2015 that he had 270 cows. The breed and a breakdown of the purpose of the cows in the herd- for pet, for breeding, for beef or for milk was not given.

President Buhari Inspectig His Herds Of Cattle In Daura

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A certain percentage of the president’s herd that is reared for dairy products are expected to live for an average of 5-6 years while an unknown percentage that is purposed to produce beef should live for 12 to 24 months before finding their way to the butcher’s slab. Also, the unknown percentage of Buhari’s cattle kept for breeding would last for 8 to 12 years, if the herder chooses to keep some as pets, then those lucky ones could live to be 20 years old.
If Mr. President last added dairy cows to his herd in 2013, then all of them would have most likely passed on by now and his herd would have depreciated. His cow population would have also lost cows to the butcher’s slab. Only if they are reared for status and ceremony would the herd not contain those fattened for Salah.
Studies show that the average calving rate of grazing cows in Nigeria is at least an interval of two years. These cows start giving birth when they are five years old. Cows in controlled environments like ranches, however, could begin producing offspring when they are three years old. This means they would have a shorter interval between their first set of children and the next. Whether President Buhari’s cattle are in a fattening room receiving plenty healthy food or in the scorching arid lands of the semi Savanah and the Sahel, they would have added offspring that would have caused a ‘significant’ increase to his 270 cows.
One major purpose of rearing cattle is to milk the udder and produce cheese, butter, yogurt, fura, milk, and other dairy products for our consumption. Although Nigerian cows are said to produce one liter or less of milk daily, the beef suckler cattle breed is about the lowest milk producing species of cattle in a ranch setting and it produces four liters of milk a day. President Buhari’s list of cows might include local breeds like the White Fulani or the Red Bororo but considering the popularity of the Holstein-Friesian species- present in 150 countries, we could say that this brand will be in Mr. President’s flock. The minimum liter of milk produced by this breed is 28 liters.
During lactation which lasts for at least 10 months, there are cow breeds that can produce at least 60 liters of milk and up to 100 liters at most. Besides those cattle sold at a minimum of N100,000 for burials, religious and traditional festivities, Buhari will earn N150 on each liter of fresh pasteurized milk sold on his behalf in Nigeria or a minimum of N5,000 on every kilogram of milk he exports based on current global export prices. Mr. President’s account would have surely soared if his herd are well managed or he might have needed to draw some money out of his N30 million to maintain the herd if his cows have not been producing.
25 Sheep
Ewe- female sheep are quite productive. They have a short lambing interval and produce one-two offspring every time they give birth. The breeds of sheep in Nigeria produce 25 to 56 kg of milk per lactation period which usually lasts for 70 to 91 days. If President Buhari was selling all the sheep in his flock and maintaining just 25, he would have at least grown his N30 million from the sale of wool, milk, ram, ewe, and lamb for slaughter. The average lifespan of a sheep is 10-12 years.
Economic Trees
These plants are referred to as being economic because they generate income. The vagaries of the asset declaration made by the President gives no information on where these trees are located, does he have a forest range or does he have several plantations where these trees are grown. These trees provide medicine, food, domestic and other industrial needs. Or might Mr. President be keeping them for status purposes? PMB also has an unspecified number of orchards.

President Buhari Inspecting His Mango Tree In Daura

File

Farmlands
The loophole in the constitution which permits just the minimum requirement of declaring your asset gave the President a French window sized space to escape telling us just how many hectares of land he has and the average earning he makes from his farms. While he was gracious to state that he has five houses including a mud one, he probably could not number his farmlands or maybe Mr. Shehu refused to tell us. What is obvious though, is that the farmlands would have yielded crops for Mr. President which would have been exchanged for money.
For instance, the average yield per hectare of maize in Nigeria is between 1,528 to 2,000kg per hectare. For cereals, it is 1,591.80 and 3 tons per hectare for rice. It is therefore inconceivable that Mr President’s uncountable hectares of farmland will be producing less than these averages. Except PMB spent all his money on Yusuf’s treatment in Germany, Zara’s wedding and the purchase of the cursed power bike that almost killed his priceless son, it is difficult to accept that N30 million is still the sum in his two bank accounts.

President Buhari Inspecting His Farmland In Daura, Katsina State

File

Accusing Fingers
Under Mr. Integrity’s regime, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Walter Onnoghen, the disgraced former Chief Justice of Nigeria, were brought before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on accusations of declaring false assets.
The Code of Conduct bureau that is quoted to have commended the President for ‘leading by example by declaring his assets in accordance with the law, slammed 13 charges on Saraki. The bureau said he failed to declare some assets he acquired while in office as governor, allegedly acquiring assets beyond his legitimate earnings, operating foreign accounts while being a public officer – governor and senator, etc. On his end, Onnoghen was stung with six charges. He was accused of funding several bank accounts with foreign currencies, failing to declare his assets every four years and not doing the same after he assumed office as CJN.
Since President Buhari is protected by immunity, he has for now escaped the misdemeanor Saraki was accused of. Going by the media circus Nigerians were entertained with during the Onnoghen and Saraki trials, it is expected that the ninth Assembly will amend section 140 subsection 1 of the 1999 constitution to make asset declaration a transparent affair.
Kelechukwu Writes From Lagos
kocambel@gmail.com

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target=_blank>#BiafraRemembranceDay: Nigerians Share Painful Memories of War, Want May 30 declared National Mourning Day

Fifty-two years ago, Igbo people of South-East Nigeria pulled out of Nigeria, declaring an independent Republic of Biafra that led to a brutal civil war which claimed millions of lives.Although it is over four decades since the war ended, many of the victims have yet to get over the horrible experience. Using Twitter hashtags like #BiafraRemembranceDay, #BiafraHeroesDay2019, #Ozoemena, many Nigerians, especially Igbo people, are taking turns on social media to lament their losses and painful memories. Ozoemena translates literally as “Another should not happen” in Igbo.

Calls for justice have dominated the Nigerian trends on Twitter while photos of malnourished children and corpses continued to flood the timeline.Some of those who shared bitter memories of the war demanded that May 30 be declared a national day of mourning and public holiday.?
A Nigerian with the Twitter handle, @bayelsa_arise, wrote, “I lost relatives to Biafra. Uncles were tagged saboteurs and shot. They were the lucky ones. The unfortunate were sent to starve in camps in Enugu. We still remember. #BiafraRemembranceDay.”
I lost relatives to Biafra. Uncles were tagged saboteurs and shot. They were the lucky ones. The unfortunate, were sent to starve in camps in Enugu. We still remember. #BiafraRemembranceDay— Asahelâœï¸ (@bayelsa_arise) May 30, 2019

Another Nigerian, identified simply as Ifeanyi, wrote, “If I were the president, I will declare May 30 a public holiday…three million people deserve worldwide mourning. #BiafraRemembranceDay #BiafraHeroesDay2019.”
If I were president, I will declare May 30 a public holiday….. 3million people deserve worldwide mourning, #BiafraRemembranceDay #BiafraHeroesDay2019— Mr Raphael (@OMONU244) May 30, 2019

Sharing a similar view, a Nigerian identified as Ekundayo Caeser wrote, “Today should be a public holiday all over the nation to remember the over three million lives lost during the civil war. May the souls of the dearly departed, through the mercy of God, continue to rest in peace.”
Today should be a public holiday all over the nation to remember the over 3 million lives lost during the civil war. May the souls of the dearly departed, through the mercy of God, continue to Rest In Peace.#BiafraRemberanceDay #BiafraHeroesDay2019 #Ozoemena pic.twitter.com/Esc1bXkpYa— Ekundayo Caeser (@dayo_dynamo) May 30, 2019

Other prominent Nigerians also took turns to share their opinions about the war. A former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, wrote, “No one should feel good about young people who never saw the ills of war glamorizing it and wishing war on themselves and their generation. But no one should also think that denying memory ever contributes to healing. Mutual acknowledgment is always a basis for stronger foundations #Ozoemena.
No1 shd feel good abt young ppl who never saw the ills of war glamourizing it & wishing war on themselves & their generation. But no1 shd also think that denying memory ever contributes to healing. Mutual acknowledgement is always a basis for stronger foundations#Ozoemena— Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) May 30, 2019

“There’s a good opportunity for #Nigeria to mine memory in order to build a different, more inclusive kind of country. We stumble from one avoidable tragedy to the next, never learning anything and always repeating the same errors. So, we democratize alienation. #Ozoemena.”?There’s a good opportunity for #Nigeria to mine memory in order to build a different, more inclusive kind of country. We stumble from one avoidable tragedy to the next, never learning anything & always repeating the same errors. So, we democratize alienation#OZOEMENA �� Chidi Odinkalu (@ChidiOdinkalu) May 30, 2019

A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, says it is unfortunate Nigeria never learnt from the war and continued to repeat mistakes that trigger tragedies.A country of leaders & people who quickly move on from every Horror it suffers and never learned how to properly grieve and empathize with victims. Just look at us…. forever repeating tragedies because we have refused to learn. May our children end the horrors. #OZOEMENA— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) May 30, 2019

She said, “A country of leaders and people who quickly move on from every horror it suffers and never learned how to properly grieve and empathize with victims. Just look at us…. forever repeating tragedies because we have refused to learn. May our children end the horrors.This yearâ€™s #BiafraRemberanceDay , we not only remember and pray for all families among us who lost sons, daughters, dads, moms, siblings and relatives in the war but specially thank the @cfmemories for starting the great work of documentation. People are not Statistics #Ozoemena pic.twitter.com/IhG9u1dHVx— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) May 30, 2019

“This year’s # BiafraRemberanceDay, we not only remember and pray for all families among us who lost sons, daughters, dads, moms, siblings and relatives in the war but especially thank the @cfmemories for starting the great work of documentation. People are not statistics #Ozoemena.”Dr Joe Abah wrote, “Today being #BiafraRemembranceDay, I join others in remembering all those who died in the war, and say “Ozoemena” (never again)!”Today being #BiafraRemembranceDay, I join others in remembering all those who died in the war, and say â€œozoemenaâ€ (never again)!— Dr. Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) May 30, 2019

Media personality, Ebuka Obi-Uchendu, called for a national conversation about the war. He wrote, “Today is #BiafraRemembranceDay. Hopefully, someday, we will start having open honest conversations about our history…Ozoemena.”Another Nigerian, @CollinsUma, says his father has yet to heal from the emotional scars inflicted by the war.Today is #BiafraRemembranceDay. Hopefully someday, we will start having open honest conversations about our history…Ozoemena ðŸ™ðŸ¾— Ebuka Obi-Uchendu (@Ebuka) May 30, 2019

He said, “Two weeks ago I was in Ohafia to see my father. He still has physical and emotional scars from the Biafra war. My father lost family and friends to that war, like millions of others. Today, we remember everyone lost in that war. We will never forget. #BiafraRemembranceDay.”Two weeks ago I was in Ohafia to see my father. He still has physical and emotional scars from the Biafra war.My father lost family and friends to that war, like millions of others.Today we remember everyone lost in that war. We will never forget.#BiafraRemembranceDay— Callings (@CollinsUma) May 30, 2019

Another Nigerian with the Twitter handle, @iam_realjayson, shared stories his father told him about the war.Stories My Dad told me…My Dad was a boy during the war, he told me him and his peers struggled to get LIZARDS (as meal) for their families. It was a highly valued delicacy during the war.The very same lizard we all discountenance today.ðŸ’”#Ozoemena #BiafraHeroesDay2019 pic.twitter.com/vb8PAtBL60— Afá»¥ Nwa na Tuwita! (@iam_realjayson) May 30, 2019

He wrote, “My dad was a boy during the war, he told me that he and his peers struggled to get Lizards (as a meal) for their families. It was a highly valued delicacy during the war. The very same lizard we all discountenance today. #Ozoemena #BiafraHeroesDay2019”My dad’s step brother, a young child, died during the war as a result of the tactical starvation used by the Nigerian side.Today, I remember him and the millions of others who died fighting for the freedom of the Igbos.RIP. You will never be forgotten.#BiafraHeroesDay2019 pic.twitter.com/aUQdB06STA— Ife Sinachi (@DiplomaticIfe) May 30, 2019

Ife Sinachi blamed the Federal Government for starving Igbo people of food during the war, noting that starvation led to the death of some of her relatives.
Sinachi wrote, “My dad’s stepbrother, a young child, died during the war as a result of the tactical starvation used by the Nigerian side. Today, I remember him and the millions of others who died fighting for the freedom of the Igbo.RIP. You will never be forgotten. #BiafraHeroesDay2019.”
My late grandmother told us stories about the war on how she had to cross murky waters with crocodiles into delta state paddling the canoe alone without help because she didn’t have 1naira to pay. She was from anambra state and gave me my beautiful name #Ozoemena— Diana ðŸ’– (@MizGlamfairy) May 30, 2019

Another Nigerian, @MizGlamfairy, recalled how her late grandmother crossed murky waters with crocodiles into Delta State while paddling the canoe alone without help because she didn’t have one naira to pay as fare.
“She was from Anambra state and gave me my beautiful name #Ozoemena,” she wrote on Twitter.”
Another Nigerian with the Twitter handle, @Chinedutoskolo, wrote, “To you, it might be statistics and numbers but it means more to us. It is parents we would never see again, brothers that will never return, sisters that we don’t know their fate. This means more.”To you it might be statistics and numbers but it means more to us.It is parents we’d never see again, brothers that will never return, sisters that we don’t know their fate. This means more.#BiafraHeroesDay2019#Ozoemena pic.twitter.com/okusW6A8gD— Toskolo (@Chinedutoskolo) May 30, 2019

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*-church-members target=_blank>Timi Dakolo Calls Out COZA Pastor Fatoyinbo Over S** With Church Members

Nigerian singer, Timi Dakolo has taken to his Instagram handle to call out popular Abuja based Pastor, Biodun Fatoyinbo who is the founder of The Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA) over his alleged sexual relationship with female church members.
In a series of post on Thursday, the singer called on members of the church to “try and find” these ladies and men who have at one time come out to say their truth but got shut up by the pastor and his “criminal lawyers”.
Alongside a picture with text written on it, Timi Dakolo captioned the picture, “COMMONWEALTH KO ZION NI…CHURCH IS SUPPOSE TO FIX BROKEN PEOPLE AND NOT CRUSH PEOPLE WHO SHOW UP IN CHURCH NEEDING GOD.
“DEAR AGGRIEVED AND AGGRESSIVE CHURCH MEMBERS, PLEASE USE THE SAME ENERGY YOU ARE USING TO CALL ME, AND THREATEN ME OR SLIDE INTO MY DM TO SEARCH FOR THIS VICTIMS AND ASK THEM WHAT REALLY HAPPEN. THAT IS WHAT JESUS WILL DO.”
The picture with text written on it reads: “From florin to Abuja to Lagos to Dubai to Port Harcourt to London and any city he visits, your pastor is leaving a trail of broken women, sexually abused and mentally strangled. From Avalanche to Gratitude, from Pastoral Care Unit to Host and Hostesses, from witty Inventions to Hospitality Unit. They are found in every department in that “Church”. He hand picks his victims and ruins them.

“So none of you wonder why a dedicated church worker or leader stop coming to church and don’t want to talk about it. Suddenly rumors start flying around the person being evil, I will tell you all straight up, all your branch pastors know about this evil going on for years and are part of it.
“Some of the victims they will threaten some they will pay off and some they will spur by isolating from the “Church Members”. Oga “Criminal Lawyer” always ready to do the dirty work behind the scenes just to drown the truth. Dear Church Members, try and find these ladies and men to hear their side of the truth before crucifying them or branding them evil. Trust me, their side of the story will SHOCK YOU.
“Touch not my anointed and do my prophet no harm? They have used that line to scam us well well. How we carefully uproot a scripture and give it an interpretation that soothes us without actually knowing the context with which it was said./ Both the congregation and the pastor are very much anointed. Jesus did not die two separate death. One for the pastor and another for the congregation. The House of God is a place of prayer not a den of thieves.”
It will be recalled that in 2013, a former church member Ese Walter had in a blog post revealed her alleged sexual encounter with Pastor Fatoyinbo in a hotel in Lagos.

According to her, the Pastor told her to feel at home and should not be “shy”.
She alleged that he told her to order for “alcohol, feel free and order what you want.”
Ese Walters said she felt guilty at first that she and the pastor were getting involved however, Mr. Fatoyinbo told her that he will “ teach you a level of grace that you don’t understand.”

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target=_blank>Delta House Of Assembly Passes 49 Bills In Four Years

In the four legislative years of Delta State House of Assembly, 49 out of 83 bills presented before the Assembly were passed.
This was revealed by Rt. Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, while giving his valedictory speech at the floor of the House.
Oborevwori revealed that 83 bills were brought before the Assembly during the course of legislative activities.
“The House received a total number of 83 bills. Out of the bills received by the House 49 were passed, two fell through the legislative processes, six were merged and 26 are still pending in the House.
“Out of the forty-nine Bills that were passed by the House, 45 of them were assented to by the Governor, His Excellency Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa while four of the bills were not assented to,” Oborevwori said.
He also said that of the 177 motions, which include Requests from the Executive Arm of Government, 175 were considered while two were rejected by the House.
The Speaker of the Delta Assembly listed the Bills and Motions passed, they include: the Delta State Contributory Health Commission Law, 2015,Delta State Public Procurement Commission Agency Law, 2015, Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria ( Fourth Alteration ) Act, 2017, Delta State Public and Private Property Protection Law, 2018, Delta State Audit Law, 2018.
Others are Delta State Public Finance Management Law, 2018, Delta State House of Assembly Fund Management (Financial Autonomy ) Law, 2018, Delta State Water Law, 2016, Warri /Uvwie and Environs Special Area Development Agency Law, 2019, Establishment of Agro-Industrial Park at Aboh Ogwashi -Uku through Public Partnership (PPP ), Devastating Landslide/Coastal erosion at Akugbene Community in Bomadi Local Government Area, Provision of relief materials to Ogbe -Udu community in Udu Local Government Area, Abuse of Narcotic Drugs and other psychotropic substances in Delta State, Demand for the speedy trial of the suspects who murdered Miss Elozino Joshuana Ogege and Unlawful and illegal invasion, massacre and occupation of Ovre R’Eku Community in Ethiope East Local Government Area.

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target=_blank>EFCC Debunks News Of Okorocha’s Arrest

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied reports it arrested former governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha and his wife.
A top source at the EFCC who spoke to SaharaReporters, however, said: “it’s not true”.
Corroborating this, Tony Orilade, acting head media, and publicity for the anti-graft agency said “we do not investigate sources of disinformation, we investigate economic and financial crimes. So if anybody is quoting us, we can then take it up.”
The news is coming a day after Okorocha while exiting office warned political opponents to steer clear of conspiracies and plans to arrest him.
He said, “As I walk out of this government house, let no on fight me and I will not fight anybody.
“When you remove this seal of governance off my face, you will see the real Rochas. The real Rochas is still asleep, if not bigger than the governor, so let no one fight me and I will not fight anybody.”
The ex-Governor of Imo alleged that there is an ongoing conspiracy to arrest and try him.
“Why I say so is there seems to be a gang up and conspiracy to hold me down politically but I don’t think they can hold me down politically because what God has ordained must surely come to pass. I will leave you for good and I will wish you well.”

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target=_blank>SPECIAL FEATURE: 52 Years After: Looking At The Civil War Through Biafran Eyes

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu
General Gowon And Lt. Col Odumegwu-Ojukwu In Aburi, Ghana
Ankrah, Gowon And Ojukwu Sharing A Symbolic Meal In Aburi, Ghana
Biafran Soldiers
Biafran Tank
Starving Biafran Women And Children
Starving Biafran Children
Biafran Pounds
Biafran Flag

General Gowon And Lt. Col Odumegwu-Ojukwu Shake Hands

General Gowon And Lt. Col Odumegwu-Ojukwu In Aburi, Ghana

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Few issues in the history of Nigeria are as controversial as the Nigerian Civil War that lasted for 30 months from 6 July 1967-15 January 1970.
The war is often called the Biafran war because it is believed that the war was caused by the attempted secession of the south-eastern provinces of Nigeria to become a sovereign entity known as “The Republic of Biafra”.
However, the civil war did not just start. A number of factors ignited the war that pitched compatriots against each other and led to mindless bloodletting that exacted millions of casualties from both camps (with heaviest casualties coming from the Biafran Camp).
The ghost of the war still haunts the country until today.
It is a subject that always turns people to impassioned and impatient debaters once it finds its way to the public square.
It is now 52 years after the outbreak of the war. Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra had ordered a sit-at-home to commemorate the Biafra war and honor their fallen heroes.
Here we take a look at events that happened during the civil war, focusing on the Biafrans.

IPOB Leader, Nnamdi Kanu

BEFORE THE WAR
THE ABURI ACCORDIn a last-ditch effort to stop the war from happening, on 4th and 5th, January 1967 a few military officers from Nigeria dragged one another to a location in Ghana named Aburi.
They left the meeting with a consensus agreement now historically known as the Aburi Accord. It is however well known today that the much-touted meeting turned out to be futile.

Ankrah, Gowon And Ojukwu Sharing A Symbolic Meal In Aburi, Ghana

DURING THE WAR
NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
The south-easterners, having been killed in their thousands, showed their ingenuity and inventiveness by coming up with various contraptions of warfare to repel the Federal army.

Biafran Soldiers

Some of the contraptions, called various names based on what they were deployed to do, include Ogbunigwe (mass killer when roughly translated in English), Grenader Launcher, Biafra Armoured Personnel Troop Carrier, Biafran Armour Vehicles Known as Red Devils, there were type A, B, C, and D.
These contraptions, especially the Ogbunigwe, became so fearsome that they sent shivers down the spines of most Nigerian soldiers and most of them would rather feign illness than face these powerful contraptions.

Biafran Tank

OVER THREE MILLIONS BIAFRANS DIEDIn what has been called various names from pogrom to genocide and even ethnic cleansing. The Nigerian Army killed over a million Biafrans, chunks of whom were children, and women.IS EVERYTHING FAIR IN WAR?
The innovative Biafrans and their intrepid soldiers repelled the Nigerian forces for months. In fact, around 1968, the war was in a stalemate state. The Nigerian Forces could not make significant advances into the Biafran strongholds.
The Nigerian troops had suffered serious defeat in areas such as Arochukwu, Umuahia, Onne, Oguta, Abagana, and Ikene Ekpene and this forced the Federal government to change tack in their execution of the war: The government stopped supplying food to the Biafrans.

Starving Biafran Women And Children

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Biafrans resorted to eating lizards, cassava leaves e.t.c. After a while, most Biafrans started suffering from Kwashiorkor, Beriberi and other diseases caused by deficiencies in vitamins. It is often said that coupled with poor medical intervention, Biafrans lost millions of people through debilitating illness occasioned by lack of access to nutritious food.

Starving Biafran Children

BBC

Till today, some south-easterners still say Nigerian Government used hunger to win the war. Is everything fair in War?
THE BIAFRAN FLAG, ANTHEM, AND MONEY
To show their determination and preparedness “The Republic of Biafra” even at its incipient stage had everything needed to lay claim to nationhood. The Biafran Army, Definite Territory, National Anthem, Flag and Currency.

Biafran Pounds

The Biafran Anthem was culled from the late Nnamdi Azikwe’s poem titled “Land of the Rising Sun” and set to the tune of Sibelius’– Finnish Composer– “Finlandia”.
Land of the rising sun, we love and cherish,
Beloved homeland of our brave heroes;
We must defend our lives or we shall perish,
We shall protect our lives from all our foes;
But if the price is death for all we hold dear,
Then let us die without a shred of fear.
(The first Stanza of the Biafran Anthem)
The Biafran Flag consists of a horizontal tricolor of red, black and green charged with a golden bar. Each ‘logo’ on the flag stands for something, but the yellow/golden rising sun symbolizes a GLORIOUS FUTURE.

Biafran Flag

END OF THE CIVIL WAR
On the 23rd December 1969, a final offensive was launched against the Biafrans by the Federal forces of Nigeria who had support from the British.
Owerri and Uli which were both Biafran towns fell on 9th and 11th January 1970 respectively and that ended the starry-eyed optimism and the doggedness of the Biafran soldiers.

AFTER THE WAR
THE 3RS
After the civil war in Nigeria (from 1967-1970), in order to keep the fragile peace of the nation then, General Yakubu Jack Gowon, the Nigerian Head of State (President), instituted the 3Rs—Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reintegration; and also pronounced to the world’s acclaim that the war ended with a: “No Victor No Vanquished” stand.
The efforts were made to ensure the easterners reabsorportion and reintegration into the Nigerian Nation.

General Gowon And Lt. Col Odumegwu-Ojukwu Shake Hands

THE £20 STORY
In 1970 after the war the Nigerian government generally gave money to every eligible adult of Igbo extraction regardless of the amount they had in their account before the outbreak of the war.
This decision was ‘engineered’ by the late Obafemi Awolowo. While the Igbo still see the decision as pure cheating, Nigerians from other ethnic groups, especially those of Yoruba extraction still think it was pure economic wizardry from the Ikene-born former premier of the Western region.

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target=_blank>AAC Blasts President Buhari Over ‘Speechless’ Inauguration

Rachel Onamusi-Kpiasi

Sahara Reporters Media

The African Action Congress (AAC) has expressed its disappointment over the silence of President Muhammadu Buhari at his second term inauguration despite concerns by Nigerians about various issues in the country.
This was conveyed in a statement signed by Rachel Onamusi-Kpiasi, the Director of Media and Communications for the party.
Onamusi-Kpiasi said the disrespectful move is proof that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by President Buhari had no real plans for the country and its citizens.
The statement reads: “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies – President Muhammadu Buhari started his second term as the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as he meant to continue: with no message of hope and nothing to offer the good people of this country.
“Yesterday, the elderly leader set a new record by being the first democratically elected leader in the history of Nigeria not to deliver an inaugural speech. The Take it Back Movement, led by Omoyele Sowore, believes this shocking silence to be disrespectful to Nigerians and further reflective of the non-existent plans that the APC-led government has for the country.
“Anyone holding out for change, next level or any level other than the one the country has found itself would have been met by silence yesterday. Silence at a time when the economy has plunged to unimaginable depths. No advice as lawlessness and terrorism reign supreme, and the criminals – those with guns and those in positions of power – escape unpunished. No words of comfort or encouragement as Nigerians are denied entry or rights abroad and denied respect at home. No stern words or promises of sanction or punishment for those who bleed the country dry and waste human lives at scale as people are denied security, access to healthcare, education or reliable infrastructure.
“We do, however, thank him for his honesty. The man who assured the nation four years ago that he “belonged to everybody and nobody” made it clear in his first term that he did indeed belong to a select few who did not serve the interest of the Nigerian masses.
“The flagrant disregard of a leader who has secured his second term and no longer has a need to keep up the pretense is not surprising to us at the Take it Back Movement, and we remain resolute in our stance: Nigeria must be liberated. We will continue to speak truth to power, educate the masses, and show our people the freedom in daring to hope. Where they meet Nigerians with silence, we will give our people revolution, a dream to aspire to. We will fight every step of the way to create a Nigeria we will be proud to call home.”

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target=_blank>Ethiopian Airlines Explains What Happened On ‘Almost Crashed’ Aircraft

Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed that its aircraft, Boeing 737-300 made a “go-around” at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos on Wednesday.
The General Manager, Ethiopian Airlines, Nigeria, Firihiewot Mekonnen said that the aircraft, which departed from Addis Ababa on its way to Lagos had encountered bad weather during landing and made a go-around the airport for a better and smooth landing.
She said the decision of the pilot was in accordance with the industry procedure.
She added that on “a second attempt, it made a safe and normal landing.
“According to safety standards, pilots are encouraged to make a similar go-around in such cases.”
Lucky Escape
Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian president and other Nigerians escaped death on Wednesday at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport when an Ethiopian Airlines plane almost crashed.The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that other prominent Nigerians in the Ethiopian airline passenger aircraft, Boeing 777-300, included the Director General of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Ambassador Ayoola Olukanni.Also in the plane was Prof Samson Tunde Adebayo, the Director of Ports Inspection, National Agency For Food And Drug Administration And Control (NAFDAC) as well as scores of Nigerians and other nationals.The passenger aircraft, ET-901, had departed the Bole International Airport, Addis Ababa, at about 9:10 a.m., Ethiopian time; 7 a.m Nigerian time.
No casualty was reported in the incident.
READ BREAKING: Obasanjo, 393 Others Escape Crash On Ethiopian Airlines

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BREAKING: Court Grants Sober Looking Naira Marley Bail

The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi has granted Nigerian musician Azeez Fashola bail.
At the resumed bail application, the lead defense counsel, Olalekan Ojo apologized for his absence at the initial arraignment on May 20 due to heavy down poor.
Ojo urged the court to accept the bail application Prima Facie based on the presumption of his innocence in accordance with Section 162 (1).
The defense also pleaded that a liberal approach is taken in hearing the bail application.
The prosecution counsel, led by Rotimi Oyedepo, however, argued that it is not the temporary release of the singer that mattered but the final judgment.
He, therefore, urged the court to grant accelerated hearing rather than bail.
He added that since the lawyer of the defendant said the defendant is a celebrity, then his actions and inactions have a multiplier effect on youths in the entire federation.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo who presided over the bail hearing after listening to the defense and prosecution arguments granted the singer bail to the sum of two million Naira with two sureties.
The trial has been adjourned to 22, 23 and 24 of October for accelerated hearing.

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