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Uwazuruike opens another radio Biafra in Germany
THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, accused the federal and Anambra State governments of recruiting those it described as uneducated individuals and students in the universities to infiltrate its ranks in order to label the organisation a violent group.
IPOB members at Federal High Court Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan It also expressed gratitude to Imolites over the reception granted its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in Owerri during his unscheduled visit to a friend over the weekend, where an estimated three to four million residents thronged the streets to welcome him. Meantime, leader of Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has included opening of another Radio Biafra in Germany as part of activities lined up to mark the 18 years of the founding of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, which he said was formed September 13, 1999.
‘Miscreants have infiltrated our ranks’ IPOB was apparently reacting to Sunday’s incident at Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, where some youths dressed in IPOB uniform and waving Biafra flags tried to force themselves into St. Joseph’s Church in the town where Governor Willie Obiano was worshipping at the time. In a statement, yesterday, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, accused government contractors of mobilising people who went to the Catholic church and harassed worshippers, alleging that the aim was to create room for security operatives to begin to arrest IPOB members in Ekwulobia and its environs. The statement by Powerful read:
“IPOB leaders and members are very intelligent people who cannot involve themselves in any act of violence. It is crystal clear to all and sundry that IPOB under Nnamdi Kanu remains non-violent in its pursuit for Biafra freedom and cannot change our method of peaceful approach towards the restoration of Biafra. The election boycott in Anambra, come November this year, remains, but cannot cause any violence.
“We are aware that some politicians and Nigeria security employed some uneducated individuals and groups in the society to harass the general public in the name of IPOB members. Some government contractors have printed IPOB T-shirts and Biafra flag with huge amount of money to be shared to the hungry youths to claim to be IPOB members under Nnamdi Kanu. “We advise the general public to beware of fake IPOB members, who were paid by politicians to cause confusion in Anambra and states in Biafraland.
” Suspected IPOB members sighted in Awka Meanwhile, several bus loads of suspected IPOB members were sighted in Awka, Sunday evening, as they headed towards Onitsha through the old Enugu-Onitsha road. Comprising mainly people between the 20 – 25 age bracket, and chanting Biafra songs and displaying Biafra banners, they kept shouting to other motorists and passersby that there would be no election in Anambra State in November.
Many residents of Awka said they were part of the reinforcement that tried to disrupt Governor Obiano’s church service at Ekwulobia. Thanks Imolites for reception given Kanu at Owerri Emma Powerful in a statement also thanked Biafrans and IPOB members in Anambra, Rivers, Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states respectively for “the overwhelming and immeasurable welcome they gave to our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, during his visit to the respective states.
“We equally thank God Almighty (Chukwu Okike Abiama) for making the outings and visits a successful one without any hiccup or breakdown of law and order despite the provocations of Nigerian Army and Police in Ebonyi State.” IPOB in its statement further stated that “since the inception of these private visits to various towns in Biafraland by our leader, we have not had any altercation, interruption or any act of misunderstanding with IPOB, the public and law enforcement agencies. At IPOB, we make it a point of duty to stream live videos across the world of our movements and events, to prevent our enemies from instigating trouble with which they can use to justify their illegal arrests and mass murder.
” Uwazuruike opens another Radio Biafra in Germany In a statement to newsmen, yesterday, in Onitsha, Anambra State, signed by Biafra Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, Uwazuruike noted that the celebration proper of 18 years of MASSOB would take place in Onitsha, Anambra State on September 13. He noted that other activities lined up for the 18 years of non-violence and non-exodus by MASSOB would also feature the official opening of Voice of Biafra International, VOBI, radio located in Germany, which would lead to the radio commencing broadcast on short wave (SW) band, this week.
The statement further quoted Uwazuruike as saying that the radio station would be the “authentic voice of the Biafran people and always educate, inform and enlighten our people on the issue of Biafra and not to spread hate messages or blackmail.” The statement maintained that “BIM would continue to play a leading role in our quest for Biafra”, assuring Ndigbo that it is only non-violence that will lead them to Biafra independence without firing a gunshot.
On Anambra State governorship election fixed for November 18, the statement added that its members would suffocate Anambra as the Ijele Ndigbo, Uwazuruike and BIM will visit Onitsha in solidarity with Chief Willie Obiano to tell him and Ndi-Anambra that the election must hold on November 18 as planned.
The headquarters of Heritage Bank at Victoria Island, Lagos, was besieged on Thursday by members of the labour union, protesting the recent dismissal of 1,000 support workers.
The National President of the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions Employees, Comrade Anthony Abakpa, led the demonstration, condemning the bank’s management for what he deemed a lack of adherence to due process in the termination of employment contracts.
Speaking during the protest, Comrade Abakpa asserted that the leadership of Heritage Bank failed to follow established protocols before executing the mass layoffs.
He emphasised the union’s commitment to pursuing justice for the affected workers, vowing to escalate their demands until the bank’s management rectifies the situation.
“We will intensify our demands for justice,” declared Comrade Abakpa, urging the bank’s management to take corrective action to address the grievances of the dismissed workers.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, clarified that Nigeria is not utilising its foreign reserves to bolster the naira, despite recent fluctuations in reserve levels.
Speaking from Washington DC, where he is attending the International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings, Cardoso highlighted the influx of $600 million into Nigeria’s reserves account within the past two days.
While the naira has experienced a notable appreciation against the dollar in recent weeks, climbing over 40% from approximately N1,900/$ to about N1,000/$1, Nigeria’s foreign reserves have been dwindling. As of April 15, reserves dropped to approximately $32.29 billion, marking the lowest level in over six years.
Cardoso emphasised that the shifts in reserves are typical for any country, where various financial obligations, such as debt repayments, necessitate withdrawals.
He stated, “What you’ve seen with respect to the shift in our reserves is normal in any country’s reserves where, for example, debts are due and certain payments need to be made. They are made because that is also part of keeping your credibility.”
Continuing, Cardoso underscored the dynamic nature of the market, advocating for a system driven by willing buyers, willing sellers, and price discovery.
He emphasised, “The shift in our reserves has really little or nothing to do with defending the naira, and that is certainly not our objective.”
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has made headlines by announcing a further reduction in the price of diesel, dropping it from ₦1200 to ₦1000 naira per litre.
The refinery’s decision comes on the heels of its recent supply at a significantly reduced price of ₦1200 per litre, which was introduced three weeks ago, signifying a remarkable 30 per cent decrease from the previous market price of approximately ₦1600 per litre.
This substantial reduction in diesel prices at Dangote Petroleum Refinery is expected to reiterate positively throughout various sectors of the economy, potentially serving as a catalyst in alleviating the persistently high inflation rate in the country.
In a statement last week, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and the owner of the refinery, expressed his optimism regarding the potential impact of the price reduction on inflation in Nigeria.
“I believe that we are on the right track. I believe Nigerians have been patient, and I also believe that a lot of goodies will now come through. There’s quite a lot of improvement because if you look at it, one of the major issues that we’ve had was the naira devaluation that has gone very aggressively up to about ₦1900,” he remarked.
As anticipation builds around the implications of this move by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, stakeholders and consumers alike remain hopeful for the positive effects it could bring to the Nigerian economy in the coming months.
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