Leader of the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has reacted to the Inspector General of Police's order for the arrest of Yoruba youth leader, Sunday Igboho over eviction notice to Fulanis herdsmen.

Last week, Ondo state Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, issued a seven day ultimatum to herdsmen occupying Ondo state forests to vacate the state accusing them of banditry and incessant killings. The eultimatum expires on Sunday January 24. 

In reaction to the ultimatum the Presidency stated that no one has right to tell herdsmen where to live.

Oyo state Youth leader, Sunday Igboho held rallies this week in the South West giving herdsmen quit notice to leave the state and accusing them of incessant robberies and kidnapping in the state.

He even dared the Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde to come and arrest him for defending his people.

On Friday, the Inspector-general of police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu ordered the arrest of Sunday Igboho, over the quit notice.

The IGP directed Oyo commissioner of police, Ngozi Onadeko to arrest Igboho and transfer him to Abuja.

In another twist, the National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Bello Abdullahi Bodejo in a new interview declared that nobody has the power to remove Fulani herdsmen from the state’s forests. 

Bodejo claimed the Fulani's own all the land in Nigeria and they value cows more than human beings. He said the Fulanis have settled in the Ondo Forest reserves for over 250 years and will not obey anybody to leave the place.

Nnamdi Kanu, has now reacted to the development.

On Saturday evening, January 23, Kanu wrote;

"Before your very eyes, Nigeria is turning to a pathetic APARTHEID State, mercilessly implementing the supremacy of one tribe over all others. And you do nothing. Incredible!"

A Christian cleric, Adewale Giwa has warned President Muhammadu Buhari to perish the thought of arresting Yoruba activist, Sunday Igboho for giving Fulani in Oyo State an ultimatum to exit the state.

Giwa who is the senior pastor of Awaiting the Second Coming of Christ Ministry, Akure, said that there would be crisis in the country if Adeyemo is arrested.

Presidential spokesperson, Mallam Garba Shehu had said that the Inspector General of Police had directed the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko to arrest Adeyemo and transfer him to Abuja.

However, Pastor Giwa advised Buhari not to make a move to arrest the activist.

He said: “Igboho’s arrest will hasten the disintegration of Nigeria. How can you be protecting Fulani while they continue to kill our people?

“Why didn’t IGP arrest Miyetti Allah and their representatives in Abuja? Let me inform you that Sunday Igboho is doing the right thing for the entire Yoruba nation.

“You can’t threaten, kill or arrest him unless you want to arrest all of us. When a government fails in its responsibilities to protect the citizens, people have no option than to protect themselves.

“Nigerians have tolerated Fulani herdsmen for over five years, and it is time all of us rise up to defend ourselves. Only a despicable person would be happy with President Buhari with the way he has handled security challenges over the years.”

Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, says any attempt to arrest Sunday Adeyemo, a youth leader better known as Sunday Igboho, will escalate the unrest brewing in the region.

On Friday, Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), had ordered the arrest of Igboho over the quit notice given to Fulani settlers in Oyo state.

Seyi Makinde, Oyo governor, also directed Ngozi Onadeko, commissioner of police in the state, to arrest persons found guilty of stoking ethnic tension.

In a Twitter post on Saturday, Fayose advised Makinde to deploy dialogue and meet with all stakeholders in order to bring the situation under control.

“Gov Seyi Makinde should rather use dialogue and persuasion instead of escalating tension in his own State by calling for the arrest of Sunday Adeyemo or anyone at this time,” Fayose said.

“If FG and some governors could ‘dialogue’ with Boko Haram terrorists, Gov Makinde calling all stakeholders to a round-table discussion will not be a misplaced action.

“Any attempt to arrest anyone will cause further threat to the already fragile peace in the West and the country as a whole. Above all, any unchecked escalation may lead to a state of emergency.”

The leader and founder of the Biafra Independent Movement/Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra ( BIM-MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has condemned the invading and burning down of his group’s secretariat in Orlu Council Area of Imo State by soldiers.

He also said that his members were not responsible for the alleged killing of security agents in the state.

Uwazuruike who called for calm over the unprovoked attack on his members by the Nigerian Army, admonished members of the pro-Biafra group to remain non-violent and not to take matters into their own hands.

Soldiers drafted from the 34 Artillery Brigade Obinze, on Friday, invaded the secretariat of the Biafra Independent movement/Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (BIM-MASSOB) situated at Mgbee in Orlu area of Imo State and burnt it down.

It was learnt that the soldiers numbering about 12, came in two Hilux trucks, procured fuel from a nearby filling station, went ahead to barricade the entrance leading to the secretariat before setting the building on fire.

The soldiers, it was gathered, had also prevented some good Samaritans who had wanted to put out the raging fire from doing so.

The leader and founder of the BIM- MASSOB, Chief Uwazuruike, who spoke through his media aide, Elder Chris Mocha, yesterday, said: “They (soldiers) vandalised the iron doors which had the inscription ‘BIM – MASSOB’ and later poured 25 litres of fuel on the secretariat after successfully removing the 66 pieces of plastic chairs and six roofing sheets inside the office.

“The military onslaught against my members is as a result of violent conducts being perpetrated by members of the of Indigenous People of Biafra cum Eastern Security Network, who have been causing mayhem in the state knowing that they have no traceable addresses in the state or anywhere in the South East.”

Uwazuruike maintained that his members were not responsible for the alleged killing of soldiers and police men in Orlu and wondered how members of his group were being targeted for an offence they never committed.

In this interview with a popular broadcaster, Kola Olootu, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, speaks on why he gave a quit order to killer herdsmen in the Ibarapa area of Oke Ogun, Oyo State. 

We heard that you have been arrested, is that true?

God forbid.

You were seen in a video playing table tennis; how authentic is that?

It is an authentic video of me at my residence.

The gate of your residence was highly fortified, why?

Tomorrow (Friday) is the D-day when the ultimatum given to killer herdsmen would elapse. This is not an issue that affects Sunday Igboho but a matter of concern to the entire Yoruba race. I am saying it pointedly that I am too strong for Fulani bandits to attack or capture, so this matter is not about me at all. I don’t have a child who would be kidnapped by Fulani men because my children are not even based in the country.

We learnt that when gunshots were fired at you during your visit to Seriki in Igangan community, the bullets did not penetrate?

That shows the efficacy of the Yoruba traditional power. It would not be a hard nut for the Yoruba people to crack, rather the evil marauders killing and maiming our people would be visited with retribution as God lives.

What was the basis of the ultimatum that you gave the killer herdsmen?

The reason for that was the incessant attacks on our people in the Ibarapa and Oke Ogun areas of the (Oyo) state. Our people are no longer safe in their own land. On the contrary, Yoruba people don’t engage in such atrocious things. You cannot see a Yoruba man going about killing people in Kano. In the North, they can behead a Yoruba man for slapping a Hausa/Fulani not to talk of destroying their farmlands. You will recall the case of ‘Oko Oloyun’ ( a popular herbal medicine practitioner)  who was killed during a visit to his country house. He was killed at Igbo Ora. Government said they would unravel the facts behind his killing but till now, the matter has not been unravelled. That killing would clock up a year this month. Another illustrious son, Dr Fatai Aborode, returned from overseas and cultivated a farmland in Igangan. He employed about 300 people. When his farm was plundered by cattle, he lodged a complaint with the Seriki Fulani. Few days after, killer herdsmen kidnapped him, tied him and butchered him. Nothing was done and no arrest was made.

We heard that his killers insisted on getting money before releasing his corpse, could you confirm that?

That was the story that we heard. After that, they also killed a woman, an Alhaja, a native of Imeko who brought the ransom. Many like that had been killed, including the son to Oba Abdulazeez Adeoye of Igangan. Before getting to Seriki’s residence, you have to pass through three local security checkpoints. Seriki is so powerful, (even) more powerful than traditional rulers in the zone. They rape women coming from the farm at will and nothing is done about it. Now, we are determined to defend our people, but they say we don’t have the right to do so.

You alleged that a council chairman narrated the experience of the people of the community to you…

That is it. Some people alleged that I’m doing this to gain cheap popularity, far from it. Some even said perhaps I’m trying to do it to enrich myself, but that is not also correct.  The fact is that I am a rich man. I am not seeking favour from government because I’m a contented person. I don’t need money or favour from government, but I am from Ibarapa. Before now, during hot weather, we used to lay our mats and sleep outside the house or in the courtyards without any fear. In those days, we sometimes returned from farm around 1am without any molestation or fear of possible attacks. But things have changed. People no longer feel safe. Those in government need to know that without the citizens there would be no government.

You alleged that some people were trying to threaten you?

I was being intimidated by some people but I replied saying that whoever would kill or bring me down must be well fortified.

What were the things you saw inside Seriki’s residence?

I saw different expensive vehicles, such as Range Rover Sport, Toyota Venza, Camry and more. I asked him if it was with the proceeds from the cattle that he sold that he was able to buy the expensive vehicles, some of which costs as much as N38m while some cost N8m.

I was told that some traditional rulers in the area collect money from them and honour them with traditional titles. They also give them land.

I told Seriki that we could no longer cohabit with him and his people because he is a betrayer. I am not against Hausa/Fulani people. I have many of them as friends at Sabo, Ibadan.

Some US leaders, including Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz, have written President Joe Biden, urging him to support the candidacy of Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the office of the director-general of the World Trade Organisation.

In an open letter addressed to the newly sworn-in president, the US leaders said Okonjo-Iweala’s ascension to the office of the DG would send a strong message to the rest of the world that Biden is leading an inclusive government.

The team of former senior US government officials and leaders in academia, civil society, and private sector said Okonjo-Iweala will be the first American woman to lead the WTO.

“We write to respectfully encourage you to support the candidacy of the eminently qualified Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as she seeks to become the next Director-General of the WTO,” the letter read.

“Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is a dynamic woman of vision who can guide the WTO through its era of reform. She possesses a very rare combination of leadership and experience that is deeply grounded in international trade, finance, economics and diplomacy.

“Her selection, as the first American and woman of color to serve as the WTO’s director-general will send a clear message of inclusion to the rest of the world.”

In October 2020, Okonjo-Iweala was elected by 110 of 164 countries as the most qualified person to lead the world trade body.

The US opposed the selection of Okonjo-Iweala, claiming that she does not have trade experience.

However, in a letter signed by the US leaders, including John Negroponte, former ambassador to the United Nations, Okonjo-Iweala was said to possess a “very rare combination of leadership and experience that is deeply grounded in international trade”.

“We know Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and have found her to be a woman of integrity, an honest broker and a pragmatist who consistently delivers results,” the letter read.

“We believe strongly that she can be a transformative director-general, one who — with your support — will be embraced and effective within and beyond the WTO.

“In sum, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a uniquely qualified leader poised to help the WTO evolve and succeed for future generations. She is a leader who can also be relied on to pay due attention to the concerns many Americans have about global trade. She has what it takes to lead WTO reforms and take the organization into the future.

“We deeply appreciate any consideration you may provide to her candidacy which is critically important for our nation and the world.”

Okonjo-Iweala was nominated by the Muhammadu Buhari-led government as Nigeria’s candidate for the office of the WTO DG.

She became a US citizen in 2019 — after living and working in America for over four decades.

Okonjo-Iweala has a better relationship with Biden’s Democratic Party than Donald Trump’s Republican party, emphasising that Biden is likely to favour the emergence of Okonjo-Iweala.

The WTO has postponed the selection process indefinitely.

President Muhammadu Buhari has committed the sum of $100m to combat insecurity in the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) sub-region.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, told attendees at the virtual 58th ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, that the sum of $20m will be released for the implementation of the ECOWAS action plan on the fight against terrorism.

He said another $80m will be disbursed towards the fight against terrorism and banditry in Nigeria’s north-east and north-west regions.

According to the minister, President Buhari has called for the immediate implementation of the action plan, which is expected to run from 2020 to 2024.

In 2015, President Buhari had hinged his election campaign on three major areas – economic development, fighting insecurity and corruption.

He restated that promise upon his re-election in 2019.

Government officials as well as the Nigerian Army have severally stated that Boko Haram insurgents no longer have authority over any part of the country, especially in the northeast where the insurgents once had a stronghold.

The Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major-General John Enenche has once told Channels Television what the country now has are remnants and a weakened enemy (Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters).

While the government continues to insist that successes have been recorded in its insurgency war, with banditry now seemingly on the rise, some have faulted the claims even as many, including frontline officers, have had to pay the supreme price.

Still, the government believes that the insecurity fight under the current administration has been far more progressive than in previous governments.

Some suspected Fulani herdsmen have reportedly shot a woman, Morenikeji Salami, while going to her site on the Oru-Awa Road in the Ijebu-North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The woman’s injuries were captured in a video that went viral on Saturday.

The attackers numbering about eight reportedly emerged from the bush, cut off one of her fingers and shattered her jaw with bullets.

Salami was said to have run into some herds and attempted to make a quick reverse but was caught and attacked.

In the over four-minute clip, the woman was seen being treated in a hospital, writhing in pains as a nurse attended to her.

The victim was said to have been taken to a few hospitals including the state-owned Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital but was rejected.

She said she had to travel to the Lagos State Hospital, Ikeja, before she could get treatment.

 In the video, a female voice was heard asking the daughter of the victim a few questions about the attack.

When asked how it happened, she said, “She (my mother) was going to her site in Idofe after a road that leads to Oru along Quarry. She said she saw some cattle while she was driving on the road and as she made a quick attempt to reverse, she was surrounded by some Fulani men who emerged from the bush.

“She said they were about eight and the first thing they did was to shoot at all the four tyres and later went to block her car at the front. One of them carried a gun and wanted to shoot her. She begged him but he went ahead and shot her, removing one of her fingers.”

She explained that the attacker fired another shot which shattered her mother’s jaw and mouth, adding that the gunman shook her head to check if she had died.

She added, “My mother said she pretended as if she had died. One of her fingers was blown away by the bullets. She said she pretended as if she was dead. So, they went back into the bush. She said she managed to get down from the car after waiting for them to go

“After she managed to alight from the car, she saw a tipper lorry and flagged it down. The driver rescued her and took her to Oru but she was rejected. We went to the general hospital she was also rejected. When we got to OSUTH , they also said there was no space.”

In the video, the interviewer explained her efforts to get the video across to some aides of the Governor Dapo Abiodun and other people she believed matter.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, adding that it happened on Monday, January 11.

He said three suspects had been arrested, adding that the Fulani herders who committed the crime had left their cattle on the spot and fled.

He said “Those people have a piece of land between Oru and Ago Iwoye. They went to inspect the land. One Alhaja who was going with them had excused herself with the promise that she would join them on the land.

“On getting to the land, they discovered that some Fulanis were attacking a labourer hired to clear the land in question. Those people immediately ran to those in the neighbourhood and in the process, the Fulanis left the victim and took to their heels.

“Unknown to the Alhaja, on her way to join the people, the Fulanis laid in ambush for her and opened fire on the vehicle she was driving. The woman was hit by a bullet and the Fulanis, who perpetrated the crime, ran away.

“When the police were informed, they went to the scene and could not find any of them but they saw the cattle they left behind. The police, in conjunction with the local vigilante group and hunters didn’t allow the cattle to leave the spot.

“Around 10pm, three Fulani men came to the spot with the aim of taking away the cattle and the police apprehended them. They have been transferred to the police headquarters in Eleweran. They have strong connection to the crime.”

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has said it only granted leave to the applicants to commence legal actions against the interim management board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

This is contrary to speculation in some quarters that court gave an order sacking the Prof. Daniel Pondei-led Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

The clarification is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja, adding that the presiding judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, only granted leave to the applicants to commence legal actions against the IMC of the NDDC.

It would be recalled that the IMC of the NDDC had been a subject of media coverage over the past few months, especially with regards to an alleged order of Justice A. R. Muhammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja suspending or disbanding the committee.

However, according to the statement, the case was struck out on Jan. 13, 2021 and the judge never made any order suspending or disbanding the IMC.

It explained that rather, what the judge did which was misrepresented in the press was to grant leave (permission) to the plaintiff to file a case for mandamus against the defendants, praying for the orders which the plaintiff attached to the motion for leave as required by law.

This, it said was especially because at that stage, the court could not have granted those orders yet since all the plaintiff prayed for was only leave to file for mandamus and not for the grant of those orders.

It added that in the proceedings of Dec.8, 2020, the court requested to see the reporters who originated the story of the purported sack of the IMC and observed that the mischief originated from the lawyers to the plaintiff.

“They were consequently instructed to go and correct the impression created,” the statement said.

It said the plaintiff’s lawyer never appeared in the case after then until it was eventually struck out on Jan. 13 2021.

The statement wondered why the case was cited as a basis for the executive action by the presidency dissolving the IMC and appointing a sole administrator especially when the minister of Niger Delta is himself a lawyer and also a party in the case who ought to know that there was no such order made.

It however, expressed hope that the presidency would act on the latest judgement of the court and reinstate the Prof. Pondei-led IMC of the NDDC .

The 58th ordinary session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and government has held virtually, in compliance with the covid-19 protocols.

The summit had all Heads of State and government in attendance including the head of the Mali transition government,  who was attending for the first time

The heads of government meet to harmonise their response to the corona virus pandemic, whose second wave has hit member states hard.

The Authority of Heads of State and Government agreed to continue measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic within the region

They also agreed to source the COVID-19 vaccines as a bloc in order to reduce cost and minimise competition.

The Heads of Government are also concerned about the  cost of testing for the deadly virus across the region and agree to harmonise the cost to 50 dollars. But beyond the pandemic, the rise in terrorism in the subregion is also brought up for discussion

An Action plan endorsed in 2019 in the fight against terrorism is now to be implemented as quickly as possible to help address insurgency and terrorist attacks in the region

The Government of Ghana pledges 50million dollars to support the implementation of the plan and to address piracy in the gulf of guinea while the Nigerian government pledges 100 million dollars

President Banda of Mali participated in the meeting for the first time as the Head of the transition Government

The finalisation of the roadway for the transition is in progress and would be presented and adopted soon.

Covid-19 was also reported to have greatly affected the single currency project. Heads of State and government agreed to exempt 2020 and 2021 from the respecting the convergence pact

The Authority of Heads of State and government also  agreed to adopt a new path and develop a new road map which will be presented in the next meeting in June 2021.