Apostle Suleiman: IPOB Roasts DSS, Calls Agency Hypocrite on Christian/Muslim Issues

Apostle Suleiman: IPOB Roasts DSS, Calls Agency Hypocrite on Christian/Muslim Issues

As the dust of the controversy generated by the invitation of Apostle Johnson Suleiman by the Department of State Service (DSS) still hangs in the air, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has decried the alleged hypocrisy of the security agency in dealing with sensitive national issues.

In a statement issued by the spokesmen of IPOB, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, following their analysis of the DSS reactions to “hate statements” made by adherents of Islamic and Christian faiths, they stated that they revealed a pattern of bias and hypocrisy.

They noted that by asking the members of his church to defend themselves against the murderous herdsmen, the General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries was only exercising his fundamental human rights of self defence recognised by the United Nations.

The IPOB spokesmen pointed out that prominent adherents of the Islamic religion have in the past made inflammatory statements encouraging the killings of Christians by herdsmen while the DSS looking the other way.

Specifically, IPOB cited inflammatory statements made by Zahra Buhari, daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, and Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el Rufai, without attracting the attention of the DSS.

“We recall that in 2016, Weeklypostng.com reported a message from Zahra then 21, where she stated as follows: ‘killing will keep going on, Muslims who donts (sic) want to adhere to Muslims rules will be killed, Christians will die until they turn Muslims, Biafrans is just a say (sic) dream, political oppositions must follow my daddy’s (sic) rule.

“We also recall that in 2016, the Sultan of Sokoto ordered Muslims in Nigeria to fight anyone trying to stop them practising Islam without giving details of what he meant by “trying to stop them.

“In a tweet in 2012, El Rufai stated as follows: ‘We will write this for all to read. Anyone, soldier or not, that kills the Fulani takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes,” IPOB said.

The group further recalled that and reminded the world that the public relations officer of Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), Mr. Yakubu Kuzamani, had accused El Rufai of engaging in hate speech while speaking on an Aljazeera television programme on January 17, 2017.

“In all these three examples, the common thread is hate speech and an incitement of Muslims against non-Muslims. But in all, none of the perpetrators of the hate speeches has been invited by the DSS,” it said.

It then raised these posers: “Why is Apostle Suleiman being singled out for investigation by the DSS? Why did the DSS not invite Zahra Buhari (now Mrs. Zahra Indimi) for her hate speech? Why did the DSS not invite the Sultan of Sokoto for his hateful and inciting speech? Why has the DSS not invited El Rufai for his hate speech that was even announced by SOKAPU?”

IPOB expressed disappointed with the National Assembly for not calling the DSS to order “as they engender tyranny and religious bigotry.”

It wondered why the National Assembly should keep mute “as the DSS allows those with Islamic linkage to freely dish out hate speeches and incitements to commit violence while it invited Christians like Apostle Suleiman who resort to universally-acclaimed rights to self defence?”

While condemning the National Assembly on its silence, IPOB also faulted the silence of the United Kingdom, which brought Christianity to Nigeria as well as other Christian nations like Italy, United States, Germany, among others for keeping quiet while Islamic terrorists go haywire killing Christians in Nigeria. 

“With the silence of these countries, we are bound to ask if they are only interested in the money they make from church members in Christendom in Nigeria. Why must Muslims be the only people with the unfettered licence to hate speech and violence?

“Why is the British Government so intensely glued to Islam and highly supportive of their violent ways? What is it in Islam that the British Government enjoys that they are always supporting Islamic countries but working against existing Judeo-Christian nations or those agitating for their nations such the Biafrans?,” IPOB said.

Sharia: Man Jailed for 12 Months for Selling Alcohol in Niger State

Sharia: Man Jailed for 12 Months for Selling Alcohol in Niger State

A Minna Chief Magistrate Court on Tuesday sentenced one Baba Abuja to 12 months imprisonment for contravening the Saharia law.

Baba Abuja was arrested and charged before Chief Magistrate Abdullahi Usman for selling alcohol in a prohibited area of Paiko town.

According to the Sharia law which came into effect in the state in 2002, it is illegal to sell alcohol in local government area headquarters without obtaining the required permit.

However, Chief Magistrate Usman gave the convict an option of N200,000 fine.

 According to the prosecution, the arrest was based on a petition by  some residents of Paiko which was addressed to  the state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, indicating that the sale and consumption of alcohol in the Paiko town had constituted a serious security threat to the people.

The prosecution said the governor directed the Chairman of the liquor board, Yahaya Halidu, to commence investigation of the petition which led to the arrest of the convict.     

When the charge was read, Baba Abuja admitted guilt and was summarily tried.    Items recovered from him and tendered as exhibits included cartons of Guilder, local gins, Star Larger beer and stout.

In the same court, a female liquor vendor, Asabe Solomon, was also sentenced to six months imprisonment with an option of N50,000 fine  for selling alcohol in Gbadna village also in Paiko Local Government Area of the state.                   

When she was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Usman, she pleaded guilty to the charge of selling locally brewed alcohol popularly called Burukutu without licence.

She urged the court to consider her age and give her a light sentence promising to stop the sales of alcohol.  

Miyeti-Allah: Fulani Men Sighted in Agbeyangi are Victims of Bandits

Miyeti-Allah: Fulani Men Sighted in Agbeyangi are Victims of Bandits

Fresh facts emerged today on the real identity of some Fulani people sighted in Agbeyangi, a town in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State which were alleged to be fleeing members of the Boko Haram sect.

Palpable tension last Sunday enveloped Ilorin, the state capital, over the alleged rumours that some members of Boko Haram had invaded Agbeyangi town with their materials like mattresses, beds, pillows and other items.

Since then, various stakeholders in the state have been moving around to verify the alleged claim while the state police command had denied the invasion of the suspected Boko Haram members in the state.

But, the Chairman of the state chapter of Miyeti-Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Adamu, who spoke with journalists in Ilorin yesterday, said the strangers were victims of bandits from a camp in Shiroro, Niger State, and not members of the dislodged sect as reported by some sections of the media (not THISDAY).

He said it has been established that they were attacked by unknown assailants who reportedly slaughtered two of their children, prompting their quick vacation of the camp and sought asylum in Kwara State.

Adamu explained that there was no prior notification on their coming to the state and the state could not harbour such strangers even though they are Fulanis.

He stated that he had communicated witgh his counterpart in Niger State, who also confirmed the attack on them by the unknown assailants.

Adamu told journalists that he visited Agbeyangi community with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Oke-Oyi, Headquarters of Ilorin East Local Government Area, the community head and Alhaji Oba Ajara where it was confirmed that they are not questionable characters.

The Miyeti-Allah chairman said the relative security in the state should be abused by any unknown persons and had therefore ordered them to relocate to their place.

"Before now, I heard that they are Boko Haram members but from my investigation, I called the Miyeti-Allah chairman of Niger State where they came from. He said armed robbers attacked them in their camp in Shiroro Local Government Area. The attackers were said to have killed two of their children and demanded N10million from them before they can be allowed to return and live in the camp. That is why they vacated from Niger State to Kwara State as a matter of emergency.

"I'm not aware of their coming. After calling my counterpart in Niger State, I went there (Agbeyangi community) myself; I met them in group with the DPO of Oke-Oyi and Baale of Agbeyangi, Alhaji Oba Ajara, and from our findings, we confirmed that they are not Boko Haram members. And I ordered them to go back to where they came from because in Kwara State, we will not receive people like that without our prior consent.

"They are Fulanis. We asked them why they decided to come to Kwara State without the consent of the state government? They claimed that the reason they vacated from their location was due to emergency, that armed robbers attacked them and slaughtered two of their children.

Traditional War in Benin as Monarch Ostracizes Suspended Chief Isekhurhe

Traditional War in Benin as Monarch Ostracizes Suspended Chief Isekhurhe

The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II today, ordered that the suspended Isekhurhe of Benin, Chief Nosakhare Isiekhurhe, be ostracized.

Last week Wednesday, the Benin Traditional Council (BTC), with the approval of Oba Ewuare II, suspended Chief Isekhurhe for negligence of duties and usurping powers of the traditional stool.

The BTC, led by the Iyase of Benin, Chief Sam Igbe, who briefed journalists had alleged that the Isekhurhe designated his house as a palace where he held court which he sometimes reviewed cases already dealt with at the Oba's palace.

Chief Igbe further alleged that "he (Isikhurhe) used his position to influence new chiefs celebrating their investiture to perform certain rights in his residence, during which monies, kola nuts and drinks were collected.

"Senior chiefs were at times openly badmouthed and vilified by him, and during those times, he declared that the chiefs were not senior to him and that he would not pay respect to them again as palace cultures demand.

“He turned himself to be an ‘all and all’ and a seeming authority in the Benin culture and tradition especially palace procedures. He even pronounced himself the head of the royal family."

In reply, Chief Isekhurhe, through the Ihogbe N'Ore Royal Family, demanded proof of the allegations leveled against him, giving his accuser 14 days ultimatum or a legal action would be taken.

The Ihogbe N'Ore, in a rejoinder signed by Mr. Osagbakhoe Ogbomuda, had wonder why the palace will engage in such a cheap blackmail, describing it as a "case of giving a dog bad name and hang it."

He said: "We are, therefore, through this medium giving 14-day notice to the BTC to produce proof of the cases earlier tried in the palace and the people involved but later reviewed by the Isiekhure and also proof how much collected from such cases.

"If at the expiration of the 14 days the proof is not forthcoming, we shall have no other option than to allow chief Isekhure to take appropriate legal action to redeem his image that has been badly damaged."

But speaking yesterday on the process of ostracising the embattled Isiekhure, a top palace chief who led other chiefs but preferred anonymity, announced that the ancestral palace of the Isiekhurhe belongs to the Oba of Benin, and was asked to relocate to his personal abode since he has been suspended.

He alleged that Isekhurhe had used a dangerous weapon to chase out the chiefs who were following orders that the palace should be sealed pending further instruction from the Oba.

According to him, it is unheard of that an individual would threaten a court action and even give an ultimatum to the Oba of Benin knowing the traditional consequences.

He said the sealing of the palace is “part of the process of ostracising the Isekhurhe," noting that "the safety of some vital and important artifacts which are now in the wrong hands is a source of worry to the Oba."

The chief said some of the traditional items have been tempered with and the palace has moved to secure those items and occupy the palace so that the items will be safe.

Amosun Receives Rescued Turkish School Students, Staff

Amosun Receives Rescued Turkish School Students, Staff

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, today received students and staff of the Nigerian Turkish International Colleges (NTIC), who were kidnapped by gunmen from the school.

The governor who also received parents of the students, management of the school, security agencies congratulated the school and parents on their safe return of the abductees.

Amosun who said immediately the news of the kidnap came in that he has been in constant communication with the president on the issue, noted that he became worried when the rescue exercise was taking longer than necessary.

He said: "I congratulate the school and felicitate with their parents on the safe return of their staff and children. I can imagine the trauma you would have gone through. Sincerely, everybody was worried and I personally became even more worried when the rescue efforts were taking longer than necessary.

"When the issue happened, I was not around but when I was informed, I called the attention of the president to it. Even last Sunday, I still spoke with him and we had hoped that by Monday, they would be released. I mounted serious pressure on the police; I met with security agencies involved in the rescue operation more than five time, an so when the AIG came here last Tuesday, he assured me that in the next 24 hours, the abducted will be released, and I am happy they are all back alive."

The governor, therefore, said the safe rescue of the victims was a good birthday gift for him, noting that issues of kidnappers will henceforth be handled and treated like that of the Boko Haram sect.

He added that the state would rejig the security arrangement around the schools, especially those with boarding facilities in the state.

"Mapping of the schools will be done and other tight security measures would be put in place to prevent such occurrence, and private school owners should collaborate with the state government on proper security arrangement.

"We will go after these criminals; hunt them down and I assure you that your abductors will pay for the crime they have committed. We don't want people to have the feelings that Ogun State is not safe, hence, the perpetrators of this crime will not go unpunished," he said.

However, the rescued students and staff were accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ililyasu; Brigade Commander, 35 Artillery Brigade, Brigadier-General Basil Adonikwe and state Director of DSS, Kabiru Sanni.

Iliyasu, while briefing the governor on the rescued students and staff, said with the support of the state government and the resolute stance of the police, the identities of the hoodlums were uncovered 24 hours after the victims were abducted.

He said the combined efforts of the military, DSS and the intelligence response system of the police further tightened the noose around the kidnappers hence the eventual release of the victims.

Iliyasu, however, disclosed that during the rescue operation, a high profile suspect was arrested. He noted further that kidnap operation was of high scale, saying investigations were still ongoing to nab others behind the abduction.

In his remark, the Managing Director of the college, Mr. Orhan Kertim, said it had been difficult and sleepless 11 days lauding the parents of the affected students for their solidarity and understanding.