Pope Francis urges dialogue, negotiation on BIAFRA

NNEWI—The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, released the text of the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis address to thousands of IPOB members who gathered last Sunday at the Vatican City for the weekly Angelus, saying the Pope has cautioned their oppressors, the
Nigerian government and its military and their agents to repent and stop killing Biafra agitators or face the wrath of God that will be catastrophic. The text of the Catholic Pontiff address which was made available to Vanguard by the IPOB Media and Publicity Officer, Mr. Emma Powerful, disclosed that the Pope advised the Biafra agitators and the crowd that gathered at St Peter’s Square from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace to be patient in all they are doing, that God’s patience towards their oppressors is without limit but the time to end their oppression is now. Newly elected Pope Francis I, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Pope Francis I IPOB quoted the Pontiff to have said that “it is never too late to convert an oppressor to change from his evil activities, including murderous activities, but it is urgent, it is now, let them begin today to change from their oppression and killing of innocent people through all sorts of violent means, including the jack boot of the military.” According to the pro Biafra group, the Pope spoke on “invincible patience,” explaining how God’s “unyielding concern for sinners” should provoke patience in us, asking if we have thought of God’s patience. “Have you thought of His unyielding concern for sinners, how this should provoke patience among people, including governments, instead of killing people on slightest provocation or no provocation at all, let alone people who are protesting against unfair treatments or for something they feel is their right?” IPOB said the Pope told them that God does not permit tragedies to punish sins but rather, that Jesus uses warnings that sinners will perish if they do not repent, adding that if the oppressors of peaceful agitators like the Biafra agitators in Nigeria fail to repent, the wrath of God will be catastrophic against them. The Pontiff according to IPOB, welcomed the need to firmly and unreservedly focus on negotiations and dialogue between governments and agitators all over the world including Biafra agitators and the government of Nigeria, like it was done in Syria which has brought the current ceasefire in the country, involving government and rebel forces. “I invite all to pray so that this window of opportunity can give relief to the suffering people and agitators and encourage the necessary humanitarian aid, and open the way to dialogue and much desired peace” he said. 

 The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has condemned the plan by the Norwegian government to illegally deport Lotachukwu Okolie, the detained leader of pro Biafra agitators in Norway and his counterpart Onyedikachi Ani, also detained, who is married to a Norwegian and has a child with her, and other Biafra activists in the country. According to a statement by the leader of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, a plan is allegedly being hatched to deal with Biafra agitating groups. The statement read: “Norway and Nigeria have already perfected plans of deporting them through chartered cargo airplane from Belgium, to transport them to Lagos on March 9, 2016. The information we have is that the Norwegian government have struck a deal with Nigerian Immigrations Service, in Lagos to accept all the deportees and bypass the embassy which knows about their pro Biafra activities but cooked up lies against them and consider them threat to Nigeria security, which means they will be eliminated on arrival. 

Again, Worried by all the rumours making the rounds on the issue of Biafra, the umbrella body of Igbo Socio-Cultural organisations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has denied meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on agitation for Republic of Biafra and warned proponents of Radio Biafra to desist from airing falsehood because ‘’he who goes to equity must come with clean hands.’’ The apex Igbo group gave the warning following Radio Biafra reports that Ohanaeze had aborted the actualisation of Biafra as a country, that some white people from America held a meeting with Ndigbo through Ohanaeze with the intent of delivering a United Nation’s Certificate of Recognition and Independence of the Republic of Biafra. Describing the claims as a ruse, Ohanaeze Secretary General, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, in a statement, said the reports were distortions of the visit of the new United States Consul-General in Nigeria, John Bray and his team to the South-East, during which they had a meeting with Ohanaeze at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu. Noting that the visit was part of Bray’s familiarisation tour of the country, Nwaorgu said the consul-general ‘’had meetings with the governors in the various states and in Enugu, the headquarters of Ohanaeze, he had a meeting with us on Igbo perception of Nigeria.” This meeting is what has been distorted to be ‘some white men from America came to give Biafrans independence. Of course, this cannot be the process of granting anybody independence.’’ Insisting that Ohanaeze Youth Leader, Mr. Ikechukwu Isiguzoro, was not at the meeting contrary to reports and that Ohanaeze has never had any meeting with President Buhari on Biafra, the group restated its call for the unconditional release of detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr Nnamdi Kanu. While appealing to Igbo youths to be analytical in their utterances and cautious in their actions, Nwaorgu urged the Radio Biafra people to investigate their stories before airing, adding that ‘’the US Consul-General had been to other zones of the country before arriving the South-East and thir youth never misread the visit.’’

Source- Vanguard 

BIAFRA: Pope Francis urges dialogue, negotiation On March 2, 201612:40 amIn NewsComments *Cautions Nigerian government on repentance * As MASSOB accuses FG of plan to deport agitators By Clifford Ndujihe & Chimaobi Nwaiwu NNEWI—The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, released the text of the Catholic Pontiff, Pope Francis address to thousands of IPOB members who gathered last Sunday at the Vatican City for the weekly Angelus, saying the Pope has cautioned their oppressors, the Nigerian government and its military and their agents to repent and stop killing Biafra agitators or face the wrath of God that will be catastrophic. The text of the Catholic Pontiff address which was made available to Vanguard by the IPOB Media and Publicity Officer, Mr. Emma Powerful, disclosed that the Pope advised the Biafra agitators and the crowd that gathered at St Peter’s Square from the balcony of the Apostolic Palace to be patient in all they are doing, that God’s patience towards their oppressors is without limit but the time to end their oppression is now. Newly elected Pope Francis I, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Pope Francis I IPOB quoted the Pontiff to have said that “it is never too late to convert an oppressor to change from his evil activities, including murderous activities, but it is urgent, it is now, let them begin today to change from their oppression and killing of innocent people through all sorts of violent means, including the jack boot of the military.” According to the pro Biafra group, the Pope spoke on “invincible patience,” explaining how God’s “unyielding concern for sinners” should provoke patience in us, asking if we have thought of God’s patience. “Have you thought of His unyielding concern for sinners, how this should provoke patience among people, including governments, instead of killing people on slightest provocation or no provocation at all, let alone people who are protesting against unfair treatments or for something they feel is their right?” IPOB said the Pope told them that God does not permit tragedies to punish sins but rather, that Jesus uses warnings that sinners will perish if they do not repent, adding that if the oppressors of peaceful agitators like the Biafra agitators in Nigeria fail to repent, the wrath of God will be catastrophic against them. The Pontiff according to IPOB, welcomed the need to firmly and unreservedly focus on negotiations and dialogue between governments and agitators all over the world including Biafra agitators and the government of Nigeria, like it was done in Syria which has brought the current ceasefire in the country, involving government and rebel forces. “I invite all to pray so that this window of opportunity can give relief to the suffering people and agitators and encourage the necessary humanitarian aid, and open the way to dialogue and much desired peace” he said. Planned deportation In another development, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has condemned the plan by the Norwegian government to illegally deport Lotachukwu Okolie, the detained leader of pro Biafra agitators in Norway and his counterpart Onyedikachi Ani, also detained, who is married to a Norwegian and has a child with her, and other Biafra activists in the country. According to a statement by the leader of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, a plan is allegedly being hatched to deal with Biafra agitating groups. The statement read: “Norway and Nigeria have already perfected plans of deporting them through chartered cargo airplane from Belgium, to transport them to Lagos on March 9, 2016. The information we have is that the Norwegian government have struck a deal with Nigerian Immigrations Service, in Lagos to accept all the deportees and bypass the embassy which knows about their pro Biafra activities but cooked up lies against them and consider them threat to Nigeria security, which means they will be eliminated on arrival. No to falsehood Worried by all the rumours making the rounds on the issue of Biafra, the umbrella body of Igbo Socio-Cultural organisations, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has denied meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on agitation for Republic of Biafra and warned proponents of Radio Biafra to desist from airing falsehood because ‘’he who goes to equity must come with clean hands.’’ The apex Igbo group gave the warning following Radio Biafra reports that Ohanaeze had aborted the actualisation of Biafra as a country, that some white people from America held a meeting with Ndigbo through Ohanaeze with the intent of delivering a United Nation’s Certificate of Recognition and Independence of the Republic of Biafra. Describing the claims as a ruse, Ohanaeze Secretary General, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu, in a statement, said the reports were distortions of the visit of the new United States Consul-General in Nigeria, John Bray and his team to the South-East, during which they had a meeting with Ohanaeze at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu. Noting that the visit was part of Bray’s familiarisation tour of the country, Nwaorgu said the consul-general ‘’had meetings with the governors in the various states and in Enugu, the headquarters of Ohanaeze, he had a meeting with us on Igbo perception of Nigeria.” This meeting is what has been distorted to be ‘some white men from America came to give Biafrans independence. Of course, this cannot be the process of granting anybody independence.’’ Insisting that Ohanaeze Youth Leader, Mr. Ikechukwu Isiguzoro, was not at the meeting contrary to reports and that Ohanaeze has never had any meeting with President Buhari on Biafra, the group restated its call for the unconditional release of detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr Nnamdi Kanu. While appealing to Igbo youths to be analytical in their utterances and cautious in their actions, Nwaorgu urged the Radio Biafra people to investigate their stories before airing, adding that ‘’the US Consul-General had been to other zones of the country before arriving the South-East and thir youth never misread the visit.’’

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/biafra-pope-francis-urges-dialogue-negotiation/

Osogbo –A leader of pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Olu Falae, yesterday escaped death by the whiskers when a mobile policeman along Akure-Ilesha Express way fired a gunshot at his car. Olu Falae Olu Falae Falae, according to reports was on his way to Ile-Ife to join other members of the pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere on a courtesy visit to Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi when the incident happened. A visibly disturbed former Secretary to the Federal Government, SFG, who narrated his ordeal to newsmen in Ile-Ife before the Afenifere’s meeting with Oba Ogunwusi said he narrowly escaped death in the hands of the policemen. He explained that his car was shot at at Ile-Oluji junction. Falae was recently kidnapped in his Akure home by Fulani herdsmen before he was rescued by the security agents. He expressed shock over the shooting at his car by the policemen, asking; “When was I kidnapped that they want to kill me now?’’ He added: “I was coming from Akure approaching Ilesa and I saw some vehicles ahead of me. There was a bullion van in front. The vehicles ahead of us were overtaking the bullion van so we too followed. “I nearly passed them when I heard a shot and subsequent bang on my car. We stopped and we saw that they actually fired at the car. “They didn’t stop. We stopped at Erin-Ijesa and complained to the police at the check-point that we were fired at by some policemen escorting a bullion van at Ile-Oluji junction. Chief Falae who expressed fear over continuous attack on him said; “I don’t know why I was kidnapped recently, why I was arrested in 1997 and locked up for two years and now shot.” When contacted, the Osun state command of the Police image maker, Mrs Folashade Odoro said the command was yet to receive official report on the issue. The Personal Assistant to Chief Falae, Captain Moshood Raji confirmed the incident saying; “Yes it is true, they shot at the car as we drove pass them between Ikeji Arakeji and Ipetu in Osun State as others did . ‘’There were three vehicles including an Hilux van which was carrying the policemen, the bullion van and the pilot vehicle. “Chief Falae’s Sports Utility Vehicle, SUV, drove pass the pilot car, so one of the policemen fired a shot at our car . Nobody was injured. Chief Falae and everybody is fine. “ He added that Chief Falae reported the matter to police authority in Akure. Also reacting, Afenifere’s spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin, described the situation as: “Tragic and symptomatic of the lawlessness and depravity in our society”. “Good that Papa’s security details have the clues that will be useful in tracking the fellows in the bullion van. They must be made accountable.”

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/police-escorts-shoot-at-olu-falae-at-ile-oluji/