Centre alerts Osinbajo on attempt by groups to rubbish Nigeria’s sovereignty
The Center for International and Strategic Studies, Abuja has unraveled plots by some foreign backed groups to destabilise and rubbish the sovereignty of the country.
A research work carried out by CISS revealed how some foreign elements have perfected plans to use some NGOs to further their evil agenda in the Nigeria.
The centre, in its recomendations called on the acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo to sit up as the foreign elements have succeeded in poisoning the hearts of some Nigerians to cause confusion.
The research authored by Professor Shuabu Danfulani, a professor of law and Dr. Ifure Ataifure, Secretary General of the Centre gave names of 23 persons and several organisations that may have been bought over by the foreign forces.
The Centre urged the Acting President and the Nigerian security agencies to study its report and recommendations in the overall interest of the country’s sovereignty and its people.
The full report of the research addressed to the Acting President as obtained by our correspondent is attached below.
The Centre for International and Strategic studies wishes to bring to your notice a well-orchestrated plot by some group of persons masquerading under the umbrella of civil society organisations to destabilise Nigeria through their activities.
The groups, though bearing different names, however, their message are alarmingly the same in concept and dissemination.
Your Excellency, in the light of the above, the Centre for International and Strategic Studies commissioned a research work to bring to the knowledge of the Nigerian government this destabilisation plot, its masterminds and examples of the similarities in the conceptualisation and delivery of their messages.
This study identified three organisations: Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Inter-Society) and Amnesty International (AI)
Your Excellency, please find enclosed the research document and findings, which in our opinion would assist the relevant security agencies in the country, further understand the peculiarity of these organisations with a view to designing and implementing an appropriate counter-strategy.
Please accept the assurances of my highest regards.
IPOB, Inter-Society and AI: An Inquest
Introduction:
It is no longer news that there has been agitation for the resurgence of the state of Biafra by individuals and groups. Most prominent in this regard is the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the headship of Nnamdi Kanu. Much as this sounds reasonable in the ears of the ordinary, however, this research work was able to establish a nexus between IPOB as led by Nnamdi Kanu, The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law ( Inter-Society) led by one Emeka Umeagbalasi.
Nnamdi Kanu and Emeka Umeagbalusi share certain characteristics. They are both Igbo by the tribe and also active supporters of the activities of Amnesty International in Nigeria. While Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB readily associates with Amnesty International on the narrative of “killing of peaceful pro-Biafran demonstrators, whom Amnesty International have tagged “Activists.”
On the other hand, Emeka Umeagbalusi was at a time the Onitsha Pre-Group Coordinator of Amnesty International. Emeka Umeagbalusi has never hidden his disdain for the Nigerian government and by extension the Chief of Army Staff. He has continually employed the use of uncouth languages press releases from his organization.
This paper identified that the deliberate attempt by these group to destabilize the peace and tranquillity experienced in the country was well-thought through and implemented in a systemic way that could easily pass through detection by the relevant security agencies. The trio has also capitalized on the religious and ethnic volatilities in the country to continue to advance their agenda without fail.
IPOB, Inter-Society and Amnesty International are organizations masquerading under the umbrella of justice and respect for the rule of law, when in truth; they are acting script that falls within a destabilization plot to cause unrest in the country by fanning the embers of disunity through but not limited to hate speeches, ethnicity, and religion.
This study relied on random interviews, newspaper reports, press releases and other published materials domiciled in the public space.
The Messengers:
Your Excellency, it is important at this point to give a background on the leaders of IPOB and Inter-Society.
• Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of IPOB/ Emeka Umeagbalasi is the leader of Inter-Society.
• Emeka Umeagbalasi is former chairman of the Civil Liberties Organization in Anambra State as well as its vice chairman of the Southeast zone. He was also the Onitsha Pre-Group Coordinator of Amnesty International, formerly Nigerian Section.
The Similarities in Content:
The groups have identified that religious and ethnic sensitivities can be exploited. Consequently, the content of their messages has centred on Hate Speech, Religious and Ethnic Extermination and paramount compensation for the supposed “victims of Nigeria’s cruelty.”
Facts Sheet:
1. In a statement issued in Umahia and signed by a certain publicity Secretary by name Comrade Emma Powerful on June 20, 2017, “IPOB berates Osinbajo for saying group’s actions violate Nigeria’s constitution.
2. “We the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemn unequivocally the distasteful statement credited to the Acting President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, to the effect that Biafra agitators who through the instrumentality of IPOB are exercising their God-given and inalienable right to self determination, is in violation of the provisions of the General Abdulsalami Abubakar 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
“For such a statement to escape the lips of a learned fellow like Prof. Osinbajo confirms the widely held view that African leaders lack the mental capacity and discipline to operate a constitutional democracy in a modern world.”
2. In a statement on March 13, 2017, a group by the nomenclature International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (INTERSOCIETY), “Pay Biafra victims, others $5bn compensation, group tells Buhari”
“The Buhari Administration/Federal Government of Nigeria should set aside $5bn for adequate compensation of over 1750 victims of state murders and 4000 victims of Police SARS/Army custodial killings as well as not less than 28000 unarmed Christians killed by Nomad Fulani Jihadists between June 2015 and January 2017.
“The $5billion State Crime Victims Compensation Scheme, which will be subject to 50 percent upward review every five years ; should be divided into four categories of : $1bn to members or families and group-victims (IPOB) of over 270 slain members of IPOB and other Pro-Biafra Campaigners; $500m to over 370 terminally shot and injured Pro-Biafra Campaigners; $1.5bn to 1120 slain members of the Shiite Muslims and their IMN as well as $500m for 400 of their members terminally shot and wounded.
“The sum of $500m should be set aside by the Buhari Government/Federal Government of Nigeria through its Ministry of Police Affairs for compensation of 4000 victims who may most likely have been slain in the past 20 months, by way of custodial killings arising from torture and wilful custodial shootings.
“This should be done on the basis of proper identification of dead victims by their immediate families and lawyers.
The remaining $1bn should be paid by the Buhari Government to the families and the churches of over 2800 dead Christians who are victims of the Nomad Fulani Jihadists in Nigeria since June 2015.”
The Messages:
It was identified that the message has been centred on Hate Speech, and Incitement
• In a press statement entitled: “Igbo Heroes Day Massacre & Wicked Regime Falsehood: We Foresee Uprising & Retaliatory Justice,” by Emeka Umeagbalasi,
“The Muhammadu Buhari, Tukur Buratai, Solomon Arase and Willie Obiano of Nigeria’s present disastrous democracy and their killer-subordinates are steadily pushing Nigeria back to the Hobbesian era where life was brutish, short, nasty and disease prone; and where retaliatory and jungle justice and cannibalism were the order of the day.”
• In a press statement Igbo Traitors – IPOB labels igbo leaders who visited Buhari after massacre at Nkpor. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in a press statement has described a group of Igbo elders who visited President Buhari after security forces massacred some of its members who were praying and observing remembrance day for Biafran fallen heroes at Nkpor junction in Anambra State as Igbo traitors. According to the statement by Dr. Clifford Iroanya, IPOB’s Coordinator, he said, those igbo’s who rushed to see Buhari only went to congratulate him for killing Biafrans and not to condemn his murderous act. Therefore, it is left for Biafrans to decide what to do with these traitors; He said.
• IPOB commends Amnesty International’s report on killing of Biafra agitators. “The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its Directorate of State, DOS, said it totally agreed with Amnesty International reports concerning the incessant killing of Biafrans. IPOB in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary Mr. Emma Powerful said the report has proved IPOB right, but added that they will continue to be in the forefront of the struggle for the restoration of Biafra nation in spite of the incessant killing of their members. “IPOB’s records and statistics department gathered from all parts of Biafraland, revealed that we have over 2000 members killed, 750 missing since then till date, we have not seen their dead bodies and we are still searching for them. We also have 567 members under-going medical treatment in different hospitals.”:
• Zaria Massacre: Human Rights Organizations award Sheikh Zakzaky.
“The Collusion of Nigerian Print, Broadcast Media with Buhari’s Genocidal Regime”
The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) comprising of 12 human and civil rights organizations in the Southeast have adopted Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, the revered leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) with Prisoner-Of-Conscience POS prestigious award whether dead or alive.
The coalition of Human Rights organizations named the leader of the movement on account of his long detention without trial and no traces of individual or group violence linked to his name against government and people of Federal Republic of Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement signed by the leader of the Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations Emeka Umeagbalasi titled
Amnesty International accuses Nigerian military of covering up Zaria killings. Amnesty International (AI), the global watchdog of human right abuses, has accused the Nigerian military of “mass slaughter of hundreds of men, women and children” in Zaria and attempting to cover-up the incident, which it said demonstrates an “utter contempt for human life and accountability.” The true horror of what happened over those two days in Zaria is only now coming to light. Bodies were left littered in the streets and piled outside the mortuary. Some of the injured were burned alive”
Sponsored Attacks On Amnesty International: Another Dimension To Raging State Terror In Nigeria
(Intersociety & SBCHROs, Nigeria: 22nd March 2017)-The leaderships of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) and Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) are deeply shocked and dismayed concerning the ongoing sponsored attacks by the agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria against the Nigerian Section of Amnesty International, using hired street urchins and laptop based groups; claiming to be human rights groups.
“The ongoing State terror and campaigns of calumny against the authorities of Amnesty International also expose the present Government’s gross illiteracy and ignorance on the workings of modern international relations and diplomacy which are strongly traditionalized in human rights and citizens’ sovereignty without borders.
They further expose same as highly intolerant political leadership and gross and unrepentant rights abuser. The panicky response of the Buhari Administration by sponsoring the ongoing attacks against AI is a clear admission of guilt and un-readiness and unwillingness of same to make amends over its grossly poor human rights abuses.
Rather than beating about the bush by involving itself in this type of infamy and show of shame, the Buhari Administration must as a matter of inexcusability, investigate all the gross rights abuses raised in the AI Reports as well as the recent Special Report of Intersociety (Welcome To Bleeding Republic Of Nigeria: A Land Flowing With Blood & Tears). All those involved in the gross rights abuses must be fished out, dismissed from Service and prosecuted. Adequate compensations to the tune of $5Billion must be set aside for the compensation of identified group and individual victims of State crimes. Further State killings and Nomad Fulani Jihadist killings such as the latest butchery in Benue State must be halted and those responsible fished out and punished.”
Findings:
The findings of the research work, revealed that the principal actors in Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB and Emeka Umeagbalasi of Inter-Society are leaders of what seems like two different organisations with different nomenclatures, but in reality, they are spreading the same message “ hate, incitement, disregard for constituted authority, provocation, false accusations”
This research was able to deduce that IPOB and by extension are also in the extortion game. The example below suggests so:
“IPOB issues 48-hour ultimatum to Emeka Umeagbalasi & his INTERSOCIETY”
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday described as sponsored and spurious allegations that it was being sponsored by the Anambra State Governor and certain other individuals
The Allegation:
“A group, INTERSOCIETY had listed Obiano, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and several other individuals and groups as sponsors of pro-Biafra activities.”
The Response:
We have found it necessary therefore to issue this ultimatum to Emeka Umeagbalasi and his INTERSOCIETY.
“If at the expiry of the next 48 hours he fails to publish incontrovertible evidence to buttress his allegations against the leader of IPOB and others he mentioned their names, he will bear the consequences of whatever legal action IPOB chooses to take. For those that may not understand, what Emeka Umeagbalasi is trying to do, is to use the scare tactics of publicly naming a few politicians in order to frighten potential donors away from supporting IPOB because they will feel their names will be exposed to the public.
Analysis:
• From the conversation, there are donors that Emeka Umeagbalasi and his group Inter-Society are trying to chase away “in order to frighten potential donors away from supporting IPOB”. The question is who would want to support the activities of IPOB and for what purpose?
–Igbo Businessmen?
– State Governors?
– Foreign governments?
Examples:
Ekweremadu, Peter Obi, 21 Others Named As Sponsors Of Biafra Agitation
A group known as the Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) and Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) has named some persons it claims are allegedly funding the Biafra agitators.
The group, according to Daily Times, alleged that deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state, and former governor of Anambra, Peter Obi were all part of those funding the Biafra agitators.
We learnt that the group recently alleged that Governor Willie Obiano gave car and cash gifts to the IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu. The group in its statement listed those allegedly funding the Biafra agitators to include:
1. Amnesty International
2. Alaigbo Development Foundation
3. Igbo Youth Movement
4. Ike Ekweremadu
5. Peter Obi
6. Joe Achuzi
7. US Embassy in Nigeria
8. Mike Akuoma
9. Ugochukwu Chinwuba
10. Ikechukwu Okoye
12. Prince Emeka Onyeso
13. Okechukwu Nwanguma
14. Aloysius Attah
15. Ibuchukwu Ezike
16. Tochukwu Ezeoke and his Igbo Ekunie group
17. Justus and Justine Ijeomas
18. Alex Olisa, Damian Ugwu
19. Damian Ogudike, Tools & Allied Market and its leadership
20. Ekwenche Group, USA
21. Uche Asiegbu
22. George Onyeibe
23. Samuel Kamanyoku and others.
According to the group, these patrons of the Biafra movement were diverting resources meant for improving the lives of Nigerians to the pro-Biafra groups to finance their insurgency.
Brother to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, Emmanuel Kanu has disclosed that the Turkish government is seeking ways of partnering with IPOB’s leadership.
Emmanuel, in a statement said Turkish government was seeking to partner with IPOB leadership in the areas of infrastructural programmes designed to promote education, roads reconstruction and other projects.
He said this was made known during a meeting between “the very first emissary sent to Biafra land by the Turkish government, Abdulkadir Erkahraman and representatives of IPOB.
“During the visit, Erkahraman said he came to seek ways to partner IPOB leadership and Biafrans in general in the areas of infrastructural programs designed to promote education, roads re-construction and other projects which will be unveiled in no distant time.”
According to Emmanuel, Erkahraman said “Biafrans are very hard working and great people to work with.”
He noted that the Turkish government would welcome a transparent and trustworthy relationship with the leadership of IPOB represented by kanu.
– Why would Turkey want to identify with IPOB?
– Is there a possibility that monies exchanged hands during the visit of the Turkish citizen to Nnamdi Kanu?
– Is there a possibility that from the listed names, some might have in one way or the other supported IPOB with cash?
– Is there a possibility that Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB and Emeka Umeagbalasi of Inter-Society parted ways because of money?
– Is there a possibility that both men are trying to outwit each other?
Conclusion:
There are pointers to two things: One is the similarities of the message, and the other is the quest to outwit each other. IPOB and Inter-Society in the opinion of this research work are acting a script but under a well-disguised umbrella. From the earlier stages, both actors seemed friends, but later in the day, they fell apart. Why?
While it would be dangerous to assume that the various actors in the recent surge in the agitation for the actualization of the State of Biafra are carrying out their activities based on genuine concern and that there are no foreign sponsors of their operations. It would also be dangerous for the relevant authorities not to scrutinize the motives and objectives of IPOB, Inter-Society and Amnesty International.
This research work was able to identify that there exists a nexus between Inter-Society and Amnesty International. One of the facts is that Emeka Umeagbalasi was formerly of Amnesty International. He was the Onitsha Pre-Group Coordinator of Amnesty International.
