Yar'Adua: Release Nigera!

See the scary and scaly faces  of President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who has held Nigeria and Nigerians hostage for months on end now without apologies.

What a Non Sense! What a wickedness! Could this type of thing have happened in another clime other than Nigeria.

Immediately it was discovered the health of Prime Minister Sharon of Israel could no longer allow him to remain in office,an acting PM was appointed in his place.

What of Fidel Castro of Cuba, did he not eventually hand over power as soon as he realized he could no longer withstand the rigors of administering his country due to his ill-health?

The Monster, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who made Yar'Adua President has added his voice that Yar'Adua should resign because of his debilitating health. The national assembly has, after all the delay, asked him to throw in the letter to enable Jonathan Goodluck, Vice President, take up the mantle of leadership of this country.

One wonders if Yar'Adua and his northern mafia are now hard of hearing. They should better forget that fallacious version of the Hausa history whereby Uthman Dan Fodio, a bloody jihadist that lived in the distant centuries,threw the Holy Koran into the ocean and warned the North never to allow power to depart from their hands in Nigeria. Fodio was said to have, further, indoctrinated the north that the south has the economy (oil) while it is only the power that is their exclusive preserve in this country. But enough is enough. Whether Turai or the Katsina Maffia or their larger northern power mongers, the Nigerian constitution must be followed to the letter, and Goodluck should immediate be allowed to assume the maximum powers of the President of Nigeria. No More, No Less! Anything short of this is tantamount to courting anarchy and mayhem

Okolo: Vice Chancellor of Commotion

Subject Matter: KlinReports is calling on the authorities to, before re-opening shut down University of Nigeria, quickly remove Professor Bartholomew Okolo as its Vice Chancellor; otherwise, Okolo, if allowed to continue on the saddle, will cause more havoc in the historical ‘Lion’s Den‘.

When Professor Okolo got appointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) seven months ago, little did people know that he was on a mission to destroy the citadel-of-learning. (Photographs show VC Okolo, Vandalized vehicles in the university and the protesting students)

Okolo’s management, recently, hiked tuition fees in the Nigeria’s premier institution. The hike was to the tune of over 300 percent, and, understandably, the students went berserk, violently protesting the anomaly for two days-Saturday, January 16 and Monday, January 18 this year.

The rampaging students, in their rage, vandalized the Vice-Chancellor‘s residence, the Pro-Chancellor’s Lodge, 22 cars and buses, as well as the university’s Senior Staff Club among others.

The Saturday protests preceded the making of a mock coffin and mock burial of Vice Chancellor Okolo by the students. The students protests extended to the Enugu/Benue highway where they interred Okolo‘s mock coffin.

It was learnt that the university’s students union leaders had, on January 12, met with the VC, begging him not to increase the fees. But their pleas fell on deaf ears..

KlinReports gathered that the crisis began in the two campuses of the institution on January 15 (Friday) when Okolo’s management posted notice of the fees hike and other charges on the university website.

Fresh students were asked to pay N25,000.00 acceptance fee as opposed to the N6000.00 hitherto paid. Incredibly, students who had earlier paid N30,000.00 as school fees for the current session, are to pay an additional N50,000.00. This then brings the total fees to N80,000.00.

Hostel charges are, also, increased from N9,000 to N35,000.00.

Incoming students are said to be worst hit- they bought shopping or advert forms at a cost of N10,000.00 each. Those admitted paid acceptance fee of N25,000.00, as opposed to the earlier N6,000. By this, incoming students will, henceforth, pay N120,000.00 as school fees.

The increase, also, involved graduating students who are to pay N40,000.00 instead of N4,000 paid as convocation fee during the past administration in the university. Okolo’s management, also, inexplicably imposed a levy of N60,000.00 on every student in the university’s secondary school.

Embattled VC Okolo denied that tuition fees were hiked in the university. Rather than addressing the issues at stake to the satisfaction of everybody, Okolo started passing the bulk, accusing some interest groups in the citadel-of-learning of instigating the students against his management.

It is highly unfortunate that VC Okolo’s tenure in UNN is bringing misery rather than succor to millions of Ndigbo and, indeed, Nigerians who crave for tertiary education.

It is notable that UNN is one of the few federal universities cited in Igboland where education is, before now, affordable to the not-too-rich. It is unfortunate that Professor Okolo, an Igboman, who, perhaps, acquired western education himself, either on communal effort or government scholarship, has turned himself into a willing tool to destroy one of Nigeria’s best universities.

KlinReports is of the view that no form of fees hike should be contemplated in UNN by any management. The present regime of fees is already too unbearable for poor parents and guardians to cope with.

Our Rights are Daily Violated!

Saturday Champion’s Tony Adibe, recently, conducted an interview with KlinReports’ Publisher, Uba Aham, on the state of human rights in Southeast Nigeria. Aham, a human rights crusader and journalist himself, presently, serves as Chairman of Southeast Zone of Civil Liberties Organization, a non-government organization. We represent the interview for your delight.

How does the CLO in the south east zone of Nigeria rate the human rights situation in the zone since the present governors took over administration in their various states?

Human rights situation in the southeast has, as ever, taken a dive for the worse. In the southeast, for instance, we have a catalogue of human rights violations and abuses. In Enugu state, look at the sack of 167 staff of Enugu State Waste Management Agency by their management in one fell swoop in June last year. A worker deserves his wages, and should be free from discrimination. You must have been aware of the clamor of workers of parastatals of Enugu state that they are being discriminated against in the payment of salaries. What they mean is that two salary structures exist in the state – one for the ministry workers and the other for the parastatal workers.

At least, this practice runs contrary to constitutional provisions that a worker deserves his wages, and should be free from discrimination. In Ebonyi state, it is common knowledge that the Ezza-Ezillo community, at war with her Ezillo neighbors, have been crying out over human rights abuses meted against them by both the government of Martin Elechi in the state and soldiers deployed to the area for peace-keeping.

The Ezzas who have written many petitions on this subject matter accuse the peace keeping soldiers of waylaying and sexually molesting their women-folk, of being in league with Elechi’s government, forcefully evicting them from their ancestral homes and relocating them into a barren and dangerous zone called “Egu-Echara”. In fact, one of the displaced Ezza-Ezillos, Nwode, a primary school headmaster, told me that he has lost over N35 million, including property in the crisis. Worse-still, Nwode lamented that the peace-keeping soldiers killed his only son, Ezennaya in Abakiliki metropolis.

The Ezza-Ezillo/Ezillo crisis which remains irreconcilable seems to have a tinge of politics underlying it, but the Elechi government cannot be said to have done much to bring the turmoil to an end. Thus the Ezzas have their children denied access to western education, the Ezza men and women are denied access to their farms for harvesting food crops for their survival. They allege that while they are denied free movement and association, their Ezillo counterparts enjoy all the fundamental human rights.In Abia and, indeed, some other states of the federation, local governments councilors have been denied their allowances and other entitlements. This is the current plight of members of Umunneochi local government area legislative council in Abia state.

The allowances owed to the councilors, numbering 19, include furniture (N1.1 million), transport (N1.3 million) and accommodation N1.1 million. More disturbing to the legislators is that, if at the end of their tenure by January, the transport allowance is not paid to them; they stand the risk of losing both the vehicles given to them and the allowances as a result of default in paying up the bank loans. Findings by CLO has shown that the council boss, Oliver Egeonu has, in the past 19 months of his administration of the council, received over N1 billion from the Federation Accounts Committee (FAC). The receipts include an average of N40 million monthly allocations, and N300 million excess crude windfall. Yet he was unable to pay entitlements to the law makers and, perhaps, some of the workers.

Can you explain the possible indices CLO uses in measuring the situation of human rights in the zone?

In this era of computer and internet, CLO monitors human rights abuses as reported in most newspapers and newsmagazines. The organization, also, monitors rights abuses by visiting areas susceptible to such abuses like the prisons. We, also, organize workshops and seminars; victims’ experiences are tracked and dealt with constitutionally. CLO has offices in the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Victims themselves, often times, work into our offices to report abuses against them.

Could you recall the situation in, say , between 1999 and 2002 and then compare with the period 2007 when the present administration came to power till date? What can the organization say about the period?

Although there has been this mantra of due process since Musa Yar’Adua assumed the presidency of this country, but there have been countless violations of the rights of Nigerians. There are no doubts about that. It is left to be proved if rights violations were more pronounced during the eight years administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. At least, while Obasanjo’s regime is associated with massacres at Odi, Zaki Ibiam and so on, Yar’Adua’s is not. But that is not to say that human rights violations are not prevalent across Nigeria.

How have the rights condition fared so far?

Rights condition has not fared better, because the economy is still in shambles. Sometimes, human rights situations are regulated by the robustness of the economy, and how easy it is for people to afford their means. Some people are forced into crimes because of hardship, and such people can violate the rights of their fellows if they find themselves in such a circumstance. For instance, a citizen forced into armed robbery by hardship can violate the rights of another by killing him and thereby denying him of his right to life and personal liberty.

How do you think Nigerians can ensure high respect for human rights, especially by the authorities?

The economy must be on sound footing, first and foremost. Let me tell you that a hungry man has no time to respect any law of the land, being an angry man. Second, there is actually a need for a national re-orientation towards respect for the rights of others. Professor (Mrs.) Dora Akunyili’s re-brand project would have been a right step in the right direction was the economy sustainable. Like I have stated, Akunyili herself knows that it is difficult to re-brand a pauper or hopeless person, or a worker who gets no salaries from his employers and has to live on goodwill. Let Nigeria re-brand her economy first, and then re-brand her leaders who ravel in looting of the common wealth of the Nigerian people and squander mania.

If security agents or the wealthy or the government violates a citizen’s rights brazenly, what can CLO advice?

In this circumstance, CLO advocates a redress of the injustice meted out to the victim. Recently in Enugu, a 23 year-old apprentice trader, Chukwuemerie Nze, recently, lost one of his eyes to merciless beatings by a team of policemen. Young Nze’s right eye was confirmed blinded by doctors at the Parklane Specialist Hospital, Enugu who observed that his right retina, pupil and eye ball were completely damaged during the offensive against him by the police officers.The travails of Chukwuemerie, an indigene of Isuochi in Abia state, began July 9, 2009 at his mentor’s timber shed in the Maryland area of Enugu metropolis. The policemen pulled up, and ordered him to enter inside the Peugeot 505 salon car they drove in. As young Chukwuemerie wanted to know his offence, the officers clamped down on him, and beat him mercilessly.

Amidst the beating, one of the officers, identified as Sergeant Philip Ezekiel, repeatedly slapped Chukwuemerie with a long knife. The police officers, also, operated with guns, a baton and a handcuff. The policemen only retreated when they discovered that blood was gushing out from his right eye. One of the cops smashed his right eye with the long knife.

The young man was in admission in the hospital for ten days without any of his police attackers visiting him at the hospital. His right pupil was eventually removed through surgery by doctors, a situation that has permanently reduced him to a one-eyed Nigerian. Having been abandoned at the hospital by the cops, Chukwuemerie’s family was constrained to pick his hospital bill of N162, 000.00. But as I speak, these officers are walking tall in the street, while their victim, Chukwuemerie is thrown into permanent disability. All efforts to redress this abuse have repeatedly fallen on deaf ears of police authorities.

Do you think governments at all levels are honest about respecting people’s rights? Why?

No, because, in some cases, the governments are the beneficiaries of the abuses. You know in a democracy, election is for every eligible adult to participate in. But in some cases, the masses are scarred from even coming close to the election venue, let alone of participation. And it is a right violation debarring eligible Nigerians from participating in the elections.

How can the problem be curbed?
Problem of human rights abuses should not be the responsibility of government alone, but everybody’s. While on its part, government may have a larger responsibility to ensure that such abuses are monitored and checked, the citizens themselves should imbibe the habit of self restraint in the violations. After-all, beyond extra-judicial killings and all the rest, there are other aspects of human rights violations like manslaughter where fellow citizens are involved.

Do you think there can be an end to rights violations in the zone?

Yes, we’ll get there. One day human rights abuses and violations will be at a thing of the past, especially, when everybody gets involved and stops seeing it as government thing.

Do you think the people of the zone are as conscious of their rights as their s/west counterparts, why?
Our awareness of our rights and privileges cannot match the level of those in the South West who develop more time and resources for fighting the menace of rights abuse. The south westerners have, for a long time, attained a height where they became more informed and involved in emancipation struggle bordering on the violation of their fundamental rights.

Culled from: Saturday Champion, January 23, 2010.

Remove Nigeria from Evil Nations’ List!

The Abdulmutallab (Flight 253 Jet Bomber) effects and President Yar’Adua’s sickness have the tendency to dominate discussion(s) among Nigerians. (Picture shows Abdulmutallab)

This is due to the negative consequences (criminalization of Nigerians etc) Mutallab has caused for innocent Nigerians.

In the case of Yar’Adua, his sickness has caused serious political tension and near constitutional crisis. It is because of the above and many more that Nigerians marched under freezing cold to protest on the streets of London on January 15th.

For our folks back home, the cold here in like living inside deep freezer. This is no longer global warming, it is global warning. On the Save Nigeria Protest March; I wish to make a special appeal to Obama (United States President) to reconsider and remove Nigeria from the list of axis of fourteen evil nations.

Rather what the United States authorities need to do is to search and scrutinize every dollar coming from Nigeria either through the passengers or through the banks. President Obama should encourage the European Union to do same for every euros or pounds that comes from Nigeria.

This will be the best outcome of the Mutallab incident. Before proceeding, I want to comment on the statement (warning) from Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to some government officials etc. It appears the house (Federal Executive Council) is divided or crack has began to emerge on loyalty or otherwise of some Yar’Adua’s cabinet members. May be the Vice President has started to act as the president with full executive powers since our President is sick? If so, did he follow due process, if not? Then why not? Or the Vice President has decided to learn from Guinea experience, where their leader Moussa Dadis Camara has agreed to let the second in command led the country. Whichever, what we need is good governance in Nigeria.

However, let me remind Nigerians not to get too distracted by Farouk Abdulmutallab’s incident and President Yar’Adua’s sickness.

Let us keep one eye on the yearly budgets which various states in Nigeria are announcing. Ebonyi State announced a budget proposal of N72.6 billion; Ogun State announced a budget of N100.7 billion. Kano proposed N110bn for their budget, Kaduna proposed N196.7bn for 2010 budget, Yobe planned N62.42b for 2010 budget, and Anambra proposed N67 billion for 2010 budget.

Proper implementation of all these budgets can actually have positive impact on our economy. We need to police these budgets so as to trap all the money within the system. Moreover, the revelation by the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) should be a recipe for policing our budgets. FAAC revealed that, a total of N4.174 trillion was taken from Federation Account in 2009 and shared amongst the three tiers of government (Federal, state, and local) as allocations.

FAAC also revealed that a total of $5.5 billion was withdrawn from the foreign excess crude account in the same year and shared by the three tiers of government. If there are no leakages in the system, the amounts budgeted by various state governments and the federal government can stimulate the economy. We can try our best to block leakages in our system.

The Central Bank of Nigeria , Nigerian banks, bankers, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Customs, and Nigerians will need to work in harmony to achieve this. We will also need the assistance of our foreign partners. The Central Bank should monitor the operations of the commercial banks very well. I will suggest That Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should post at least 2 staffs each at the foreign remittance department of every commercial bank in Nigeria . Their duties amongst others should be to verify every remittances leaving Nigeria .

I will also recommend that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission post at least one staff to all finance and treasury departments of all federal, state and local government departments. I will suggest that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), State Security Services (SSS), and The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) to create a covert unit mainly to infiltrate all financial institutions in Nigeria to prevent financial crimes. Proactive measures should be encouraged rather than reactive approaches.

Let us remember that prevention is better than cure. Furthermore, I will suggest intense pressure on our law makers to pass the freedom of information bill this year (2010). It will aid the law enforcement agents to do their work and it will empower Nigerians to ask questions about government transactions. It will abolish the official secret act used to commit all sorts of government frauds. Nigerian banks and bankers have a serious role to play to prevent capital flight. They are in a better position to assist in monitoring movement of states monthly allocations and by extension monitor our budgets.

However the recent revelations about activities of some top bank executives (Mrs Ibru, Akingbola etc) does not encourage anyone to even entrust his money with these smart men and women who call themselves bankers. On this note, I will support Sanusi (Central Bank Governor) to introduce tough measures to regulate the banks and restore investors’ confidence. I also want to ask the bankers (both junior and senior staffs) not to hesitate to alert the authorities whenever there is a suspicious movement of funds. I know it sounds odd or unethical, but that might be a saving grace.

I will buttress my point using 2 examples. Recently a total of over 7,000 staffs were, sacked, retrenched, removed or dropped from various banks. But if some of these sacked bankers had alerted the authorities (EFCC, etc) as their bosses were misusing funds, may be things might have taken a different shape. When you keep quiet, be sure to be the next victim. Another example is, had the passengers on the same flight with our own under wear bomber (Farouk Mutallab) not prevented him; all of them would have died. Henceforth, we should all shine our eyes and not let few people remove food from our table or cause us hardship. It will not be a bad idea if our bankers can volunteer useful information to our authorities. It will be better for the economy and our country if banks can sack one or two people for alerting the authorities than sacking over 7,000 staffs who kept quiet. I just hope we still have patriotic bankers.

The Nigerian Customs need to be awake to their responsibilities, especially with the Farouk incident. I hope the new airport scanners to be introduced should be able to spot those taking the government money overseas. Nigerians need to keep an eye on the Customs. We need to beam our search light on them to be sure they are effectively policing our borders. I also believe there will be patriotic Custom officers who will discharge their duties without fear or favour. Every little thing we do count for or against us as a people. My concern is for the Nigerian system to trap all the money budgeted this year. My call to police our budget(s) is because our politicians can be clever with our money. Watch it, each time the monthly allocation comes, money/capital starts to fly up and down, in and out of the country and naira will start changing into euros, dollars, pounds, rand, etc. Nigerians should not hesitate to volunteer information that will prevent capital flights. This is for the interest of the economy and our people. We can gather intelligence or become intelligent agents. There is nothing wrong to spy or do enhanced surveillance.

Finally, let me use this medium to commiserate with the people of Haiti and Nigerians living there over the devastating earthquake. Please let us contribute our quota towards the relief efforts to assist the people of Haiti . The world has become a global village, what happens in one part, affects the rest of the global village. I wish also to appeal to Nigerians to participate and join the fight against global warming.

Turn off your electrical appliances/lights when not in use. Plant a tree or sponsor one to plant on your behalf. Government and companies should send less paper work and do more email, telephone, and sms. May God bless Nigeria.


Chinedu Vincent Akuta. An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK akutachinedu@yahoo.com http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

Corruption Scandals Rock Abia State

It is disturbing how Abia state, under the administration of Chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji, has been swimming from one scandal to the other. (Picture shows Governor Theodore Orji, smiling and looting Abia in grand style)

Just recently, Orji’s government sweated to deny an allegation of entering into a business deal with an American lady, identified as Mrs. Miranda Nwadieyi. Mrs Nwadieyi had alleged that she was shortchanged in a contract to supply T.A Orji’s government 1, 500 units of Chevrolet cars valued at N3.3 billion after paying a contract fee of N11.8 million.

But Kingsley Emereuwa, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, in a press conference, denied that neither the state government nor any of its officials had a hand in the alleged financial scam.

Succinctly, the version of the story being hyped by T.A Orji’s government is that the so-called Mrs. Nwadieyi had, sometime ago, in the company of a man whom she claimed as her husband, approached the state government with a proposal for a supply of 3, 000 units of Chevrolet cars for a taxi scheme in the state. The proposal, claimed Emeruwa, was rejected because of non-viability of the proposal.

But the point remains that Mrs. Nwadieyi’s is just one out of numerous corruption scandals trailing Theodore Orji administration in Abia state.

On Thursday January 7, a group, Abia Elders Forum, in Aba, raised an alarm that Governor Orji intends to raise his security votes from the current N450 million to N700milion per month. Abia Elders Forum is a foremost political pressure group of eminent politicians, professionals and retired public officers from Abia state.

The Forum alleged plans on the part of the governor to get the State House of Assembly to hurriedly approve the increase through ‘a clandestine but farcical emergency session to be held inside Government House so as to evade public scrutiny‘.

Said the Forum: “At N700m per month, it means the Governor would be pocketing a princely N8.4billion per annum as security vote for which he is not accountable to anyone. It was scandalous enough that he has been taking out N400m per month since he came into office as security vote.  Raising the vote to N700m at a time the state’s economy has completely collapsed under the weight of dubious debts incurred since June 2007 and sustained and systematic looting of the treasury indicates a tragic intention to destroy the state’s economic base“.

The Forum’s Director of Publicity, Hon Uchenna Kalu, observed that by the time the increment becomes law, the state would ‘have the dubious distinction as the only state in Nigeria where the Governor’s security vote is higher than the combined capital votes for education, health and agriculture.’

It is worthy to note that this increase in security vote is against the backdrop of the fact some workers in the public service had not received their salaries since August 2009.

These corruption scandals, to say the least, are unbecoming of a governor that had gone to prison once as a result of alleged corrupt practices. Although there could be undertones of politics in the allegations, the issues being raised have not been substantially dispensed off by the T.A administration.

There are even claims that the governor himself and some highly placed officials of his government have, rather than developing the state for the common good, been buying up personal houses and properties in the Capital Territory of Umuahia.

The increase of the security vote from N450 million to N700 million means that Governor Orji smiles home with an additional ‘unaccounted for’ N250 million every month from the coffers of Abia state.

And what is the propriety of this action when a section of the civil servants in the state are owed arrears of salaries and other entitlements?

Theodore Orji should watch the corrupt tendencies of his administration; otherwise, he is likely to end up in the prison after he had served as Chief of Staff to the preceding Orji Uzor Kalu administration in the state.

It is incontestable that T.A Orji has nothing to show for his almost three years of governance of Abia state. Like in the Orji Uzor Kalu era, Abians cannot boast of pipe-borne water, good roads, housing, medicare and, indeed, other social amenities. Rather, it has been reports of looting and primitive accumulation of wealth at the expense of the good people of the state.

This situation of inactivity in the governance of Abia state must stop.

It is to this effect that KlinReports hails the alarm raised by Abia Elders Forum against the governor’s avarice. All hands must be on deck until Abians get a government they deserve.

Release Uwazuruike Now!

Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has called on the Nigeria police to immediately release its detained leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike from detention.

Chief Uwazuruike is currently in detention at the Zone 9 Police Command Umuahia, Abia State over an alleged involvement in the abduction of one Pascal Okorie, a Unitied States of America (USA)-based MASSOB member.

But MASSOB’s Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, in a chat with KlinReports, maintained that the incident leading to the alleged abduction of Okorie is an internal matter of the group, and warned the police to steer clear.

Madu disclosed that Okorie and his cohorts, including Nnamdi Kanu, Chukwuma Egemba and one Tagbo had, earlier, been expelled from MASSOB following their deviant activities. Their expulsion, he claimed, followed their threats to disrupt the forthcoming February 6 governorship election in Anambra state.

Madu denied the claim that Okorie was abducted by Uwazuruike, explaining that he (Okorie) was, rather, on information that he was in the country for his planned destabilization of the election, ‘picked up’ by Biafra Intelligent Agency.

The MASSOB’s spokesman, therefore, called for immediate release of Uwazuruike from police custody, warning that his further detention would spell doom for the country.

‘MASSOB is warning that we will not allow anyone or group using our name or Biafra to perpetrate evil in Biafra land. We demand that our leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, be released now in the interest of peace’, Madu said.

But the police have said there would be no bail for Uwazuruike unless a surety signs his bail bond. As it were, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Zone 9, Umuahia, Kingsley Iredibia, remarked that the MASSOB leader might be released, as preliminary investigations seem to reveal that the abduction allegation might not be unconnected with unsettled scores between Uwazuruike and the victim.

Iredibia said Uwazuruike ordered the arrest and detention of the victim at MASSOB Headquarters in Okwe, Imo State over his alleged threats through Radio Biafra that MASSOB would disrupt the in Anambra State guber poll.

Uwazuruike, Iredia said, took exception to the said inflammatory broadcast which contravened the ideals of MASSOB as a non-violent pressure group, and decided to call the erring member to order. He added that Uwazuruike, as it were, admitted subjecting Okorie to forceful detention, but denied that he was kidnapped for any financial ransom as alleged by the victim.

How Yar’Adua Died

Nigerian President, His Excellency Umaru Yar`adua is dead according to authoritative sources at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre

He died on the 10th of December at 3.30pm at an Intensive Care Unit at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah Saudi-Arabia. Sources at the Hospital say that the First lady wants to keep the news secret for the next few days for personal reasons.

At the time of his death he was surrounded by his wife, Turai and a childhood friend, Nigerian Member of Parliament.

However, when huhuonline.com contacted Tanimu Yakubu, Chief Economic adviser to President Yar`dua, he said, “U re making me to break my silence on not responding again to recurring death wishes for President Umar Musa Yar'adua.I confirm that the story in the hyper link you referred me to is yet another death wish for President Umar Musa Yar'adua.
President Umar Musa Yar'adua is alive. Watch out for a proof shortly”.

Continuing, Mr. Yakubu said, "Mr. President's friend in the National Assembly is Hon. Member of the Federal House of Representatives is Mallam Shehu Inuwa Imam representing Faskari Federal Constituency in Katsina State. This gentleman was in Nigeria on the day he was wished to have witnessed the President's death!

Once again, I confirm that President Umar Musa Yar'adua is alive, feeling much better, mentally alert and home bound very soon by the grace of the Almighty God".

Excerpts from report from American Chronicle

We'll Realize Biafra in Yar'Adua's Absence

Forty years ago today, the Nigerian civil war (also known as the Biafran War) came to an end with the formal acceptance of the Republic of Biafra's surrender documents by Olusegun Obasanjo, then a colonel, on behalf of the Nigerian government. (Picture show Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Ex-Biafran Warlord)

On the afternoon of the previous day (12 January), Philip Effiong, a general, who took over the leadership of the Biafran Government after Odimegwu Ojukwu, also a general, went into exile in Cote d'Ivoire, had announced that he was pulling his troops out of the war. "I am convinced that the suffering of our people must be brought to an immediate end. Our people are now disillusioned, and those elements of the old government regime who have made negotiations and reconciliation impossible have voluntarily removed themselves from our midst. I have, therefore, instructed an orderly disengagement of troops," Mr. Effiong said.

The war started in July 1967, when the Nigerian government invaded the Republic of Biafra, in a bid to prevent it from carrying out its vow to secede. Mr. Ojukwu, military administrator of Nigeria's Eastern region (which transformed into Biafra) had declared secession on May 30, 1967, in response to the mass killings of Igbos which started in Northern Nigeria in July 1966. By the end of the war, about one million persons, mostly Igbos, were estimated dead.

The war was also characterised by widespread starvation; with the photos of kwashiorkor-stricken children that found their way out of Biafra eliciting a significant humanitarian reaction from around the world. The founding of the humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) in 1971 by a group of French doctors who had worked in Biafra is believed to have been inspired by the war.

A story of loss

For many persons of Eastern Nigerian origin who lost family and loved ones to the war, the wounds of the war are fresh as ever, forty years on. The novelist Chimamanda Adichie, whose award-winning second novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, is set during the war, lost both grandfathers to the war. "It is a personal issue - my father has tears in his eyes when he speaks of losing his father, my mother still cannot speak at length about losing her father in a refugee camp," she recalled in an interview shortly after the novel was published.

Paris-based filmmaker Newton Aduaka recalls that the war made him "a very insecure child." Relocating to Lagos from Eastern Nigeria after the war was like "starting all over again". He also believes that the war is "a very misunderstood story... it [wasn't] about Nigerians against Nigerians, this was a very divisive war from outside of Nigeria, an extension of colonialism; we were pawns within a bigger game that we didn't understand."

The ‘small' against the ‘big'

Finnish political scientist Mai Palmberg saw the war from the outside. She was a young student then, in a region of the world (Scandinavia) with a strong awareness of the conflict, as well as a lot of sympathy for the Biafrans. "[Biafra] was seen as the Christian part (not entirely correctly, but still) of Nigeria; it was the small nation against the big and ruthless one, and those pictures of children with Kwashiorkor moved people deeply. Perhaps it also mattered that both the Soviet Union and UK supported the federal government," she wrote in an email to NEXT.

France was Biafra's biggest Western supporter, providing weaponry and relief supplies. Carl Gustaf von Rosen, the mercenary fighter pilot who gained worldwide fame flying relief supplies into Biafra, as well as leading bombing missions into Nigerian territory, was Swedish. Ms. Palmberg says von Rosen was "treated as a hero" in Scandinavia. And in 1969, a protesting Finnish priest sprayed the word ‘BIAFRA' on the wall of Helsinki's iconic Temppeliaukio Church, during its construction.

A new Biafra?

Forty years on, resentments still exist amongst many Igbos. In a 2008 interview, Ms. Adichie lamented Nigeria's attitude to the war. "You're told that a war happened and nothing else. Igbo people have a sense that we're supposed to pretend nothing happened," she complained.

In recent years the agitation for Biafra has resurfaced, amidst a wave of ethnic nationalist movements that emerged with the dawning of a new democratic dispensation in 1999. Only months after the government of Olusegun Obasanjo came into office, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) was founded by Igbo lawyer Ralph Uwazuruike.

Mr. Uwazuruike said his sister died in his arms during the war. According to him, his founding of MASSOB was "for the general interest of my people and for the emancipation of Ndi'Igbo from the slavery status in Nigeria." He has also said that President Obasanjo's failure to appoint Igbos into prominent positions in his cabinet in 1999 further inspired the formation of the movement.

On May 22, 2000, in Aba, Abia State, he announced the creation of "new Biafra" and hoisted the Biafran flag. "MASSOB shall commence the establishment of necessary structures that may sustain the sovereignty of the new Biafra State, if after 30 days from today the Federal Government of Nigeria fails to initiate the expected negotiations," he said.

A resilient cause

This position has been echoed over the years, despite a series of government clampdowns. "Biafrans have chosen to stay on our own as an independent sovereign state to ascertain the yearnings and aspirations of over forty million Biafrans," said Uchenna Madu, the MASSOB director of information, in July 2004.

The organization marked its tenth anniversary last year with a series of civic and religious events. It has often said that its campaign is a non-violent one. During the tenth year anniversary, a senior official was quoted as saying that "kidnappers carry guns while we don't."

MASSOB's sentiments are not peculiar to the movement. Kazeem Badmus, national vice president of the Frederick Fasheun faction of the Oodua People's Congress (easily the Yoruba equivalent of MASSOB) is in full support of the decision of the Igbos to go to war. "They were fighting for their rights," he told NEXT in a telephone chat. "You cannot go to the market to buy power or independence; you have to fight for it."

The rising sun

On January 15 1970, Nigerian Head of State Yakubu Gowon, in his victory speech to the country, declared that, "the so-called Rising Sun of Biafra is set for ever. It will be a great disservice for anyone to continue to use the word Biafra to refer to any part of the East Central State of Nigeria. The tragic chapter of violence is just ended. We are at the dawn of national reconciliation. Once again, we have an opportunity to build a new nation."

Forty years on, there is no consensus on whether that new nation has seen the light of day.

Culled from: Next Newspapers

Political Tsunami in Abia State Begins

The decamp, from the ruling Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) in Abia state, to the opposition Action Congress (AC), by Prince Paul Ikonne, former commissioner for Works in the state on Saturday, January 9, is a foretaste of the political upheaval that is about to rock the state. (Pictures left, Governor Theodore Orji; Right, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and his Mother Excellency, Eunice Uzor Kalu)

Prince Ikonne who had, also, served as the state’s Commissioner in Charge of Lands and Urban Development, and, lately, Director, Abia State Transport Corporation (ASTC), took his supporters to the commercial town of Aba where he dumped PPA for the AC.

Prince Ikonne’s action was, ostensibly, informed by the goings-on in PPA, a party which former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and his Mother Excellency, evidently, runs like their private estate in Igbere, their hitherto sleepy Abia home.

KlinReports is informed that no government policy or program of any sort is executed in Abia state without the express approval of Mother Excellency and Orji Uzor Kalu. And this situation has, of course, reduced both Governor Theodore Orji and his officials to robots at the corridors of power.

It would be recalled that it was this same scenario which compelled Governor Ikedi Ohakim of Imo state to dump the party for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), an action that still generates controversies till date.

Abia state Chapter of AC, chaired by Chief Obi Aham, however, welcomed Prince Ikonne and his over 50 supporters to the party. Chief Aham presented Ikonne and his co-‘decampees’ his party (AC)’s symbolic broom with which to sweep Abia state clean, in case of future political aspiration.

Political analysts in the state and beyond, as it were, view Prince Ikonne’s ditching of AC as a political stratagem being orchestrated by supporters of Governor T.A Orji, with the implicit nod of T.A himself.

It was learnt that the mass decamp of Governor Theodore‘s supporters is an exercise meant to continue, culminating in the Governor himself eventually joining decamping party (AC).

This situation is understandable because PPA, following existing cold-war between the Orji Uzor Kalu Dynasty in Abia state and the government of T.A. Orji, has vowed not to deny him (T.A) second term governorship ticket.

And from the look of things, The PDP has no space for Governor T.A Orji, hence his AC preference. More importantly, T.A has worked so harmoniously with the AC under the leadership of Chief Aham and Hon. Obioma Iheanacho (Chomen) that he would feel at home flying the party‘s guber ticket.

It must be emphasized that Abia state, under the Kalus, has been a state in bondage. For eight whole years, from 1999 to 2007, Orji Uzor Kalu held Abia state and its people under his armpit.

It is unarguable that Kalu has nothing to show for his eight years of administration of Abia state. In fact, development at the Capital Territory of Umuahia remained at the point where the first military administrator, Frank Ajobena, and first executive governor of the state, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, left it.

Under the administration of Orji Uzor Kalu as governor, Aba, one of the commercial nerve centers, East of the Niger, not only became a national disaster, but a nightmare and death traps to motorists and pedestrians alike.

The foregoing are, indeed, in addition to the unprecedented looting of the resources of Abia state by Orji Uzor Kalu Dynasty for the dynasty’s aggrandizements and perpetuation in power in Abia. It is common knowledge that by the time Orji Kalu left office, Abia state had been hauled into serious indebtedness all over the country and beyond.

The SUN newspapers, which he set up with the funds of the Abia state, was, of course, aimed at covering his tracks. But can evil tracks, actually, be covered?

KlinReports learnt that it is after reviewing all these past atrocities of his predecessor in office that Governor T.A Orji is considering being his own man. To do this, T.A must have to take tough decisions, and this involves dumping PPA for a party where, if he wins a second term, he can serve Abians with his might, and right all the wrongs inflicted on them by the Kalus.

But the Kalus cannot go down without a bitter fight with T.A and his teeming edgy supporters. With Mascot Uzor Kalu, positioned as Chief of Staff, the Kalus will not leave any stone unturned in scuttling all the moves of Governor T.A.’s political moves.

This fight promises to be a political Armageddon, as time will reveal, but Abians must be freed from the shackles of Orji Uzor Kalu Dynasty.

Written by: Uba Aham (klinreports.blogspot.com)

Who Wants Soludo Dead?

It is highly inconceivable that any sane person(s) should constitute themselves into a mob as to want to attack the person of Professor Chukwuma Soludo, candidate of the PDP in the February 15 governorship poll in Anambra state, as reported by Daily Independent Newspapers. (Pic shows Professor Soludo)

According to the report, Soludo, erstwhile Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), narrowly escaped being lynched on Saturday night (January 3) in Agulu where he allegedly castigated Governor Peter Obi before his [Obi’s] own people. Part of the report claim that some non-indigenes of the state, including Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, had been meddling in the electoral campaigns in favor of Soludo.

Soludo who arrived at St. Peter’s field, Agulu, at about 7pm was said to have told his audience that the incumbent Governor Peter Obi did not do enough to warrant giving him a second term in office, asking them to vote for him so that “light will shine on them”, and they would see the difference.

But the crowd reportedly went berserk at Soludo, hauling stones and other missiles at the erudite Professor. The youths even blocked the exit to the field, and if not for the timely intervention of police orderlies, would have possibly pelted the unsuspecting guber candidate with the stones and missiles.

But whatever it is worth, it runs contrary to all known political norms to have attempted to harm a politician who campaigns for a political office alongside others over his utterances. The violent attitude of the youths as, of course, supported by their elders, is bare-faced shameful and highly uncivilized.

The truth is that if Professor Soludo had defamed anybody in the course of his political campaigns, would it not have been more reasonable to report him to authorities charges with the responsibility of handling such issues rather then taking laws into one‘s hands? What, then, is the sense in deploying self-help and harming a man of Soludo’s pedigree simply because he has come to participate in fixing the intractable problems of his state of origin?

What a big shame? KlinReports hereby calls for an immediate stop to this hooliganism, not only against Professor Soludo, but against all other party candidates.

In case, the hoodlums (youths) and their sponsors don’t know, Soludo, as a Nigerian citizen, has an inalienable right to freedom of speech and association, among others, as enshrined in the Chapter 4 of Nigerian Constitution.

ENOUGH OF THIS MADNESS, PLEASE!

Written by: UBA AHAM

Publisher (KlinReports.blogspot.com)

Continued Massacre of Journalists

Reports indicate that the Philippines, Mexico, Somalia and Russia were the most dangerous countries for journalists in 2009. (Photo left shows murdered Bayo Ohu, a senior journalist who who murdered in cold-blood in his own house in Lagos last year) The only defect of this report is that it failed to mention that many Nigerian journalists were heartlessly killed in the year under review.

A global media group recently reported that, altogether, 132 journalists and support staff were killed or died while working last year.

The group called International News Safety Institute (INSI) said just three international reporters were among those deliberately targeted, the dead being overwhelmingly local journalists covering dangerous stories like high-level crime and corruption for national news media.

According to INSI which monitors statistics from around the world, 98 of the dead were killed because of their reporting activities.

“Journalists continue to die because they dare to shine a light on the darkest corners of societies. This is the shocking price we pay for our news,” INSI Director, Rodney Pinder, stated in a statement released in Geneva with the body’s annual figures.

“This unacceptable situation will persist as long as the killers of journalists walk free,” he added, adding, however, that few of them had been brought to justice.

The 2009 death total, swollen by the 31 reporters INSI said were killed in a politically motivated massacre of 57 people in southern Philippines in November, was 22 up on the group’s figure for 2008.

But it was well below the worst recent years. In 2007, a record 172 journalists died and 168 were killed in 2006, when media deaths in Iraq were high following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and amid sectarian fighting.
The Philippines, already well up on the death list in 2008, had a total of 37 last year.

Mexico was next with 11 killed, followed by Somalia and Russia with nine each. INSI said Iraq provided the one encouraging statistic for 2009 with total deaths at five to two targeted and three in crossfire, by far the lowest since the invasion.

“For five years after 2003, it was the most dangerous country in the world for media, but journalists are now benefiting from a general reduction in violence there,” said Pinder.

The INSI, which runs safety courses for journalists around the globe and is supported by many major news organizations, including Reuters and professional unions, includes accidents while reporting as well as killings in its annual totals.

Pinder said that since 2006 when the UN Security Council passed a landmark resolution demanding greater safety for journalists in conflict and calling for an end to impunity for their killers, some 400 had died while covering stories.

Religious Crisis, Terrorism, and Our Security

This must be a very difficult time for Nigerians and Nigeria itself, especially with recent events such as; Bauchi crisis (Kala Kato), the attempt to blow up flight 253 by Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, the second Nigerian who caused a security concern on the same flight no 253 to Detroit (though he was truly sick), the bomb blast at the Superscreen Television Station, our sick president, fuel scarcity, fire at African Independent Television (AIT) station and farmers/herdsmen crisis in Nasarawa State (a lot of people died while many were displaced).

These are not very good image projectors of our country. It’s simply a public relations disaster for all. Please make no mistake about it, Nigeria and Nigerians will surely pay the penalty for all these image problems. To me, image is every thing. The re-brand Nigeria Project championed by Madam Dora Akinyili (Information Minister) should now be allowed to finally rest in peace, because recent events have rubbished it.

When I wrote about Boko Haram crisis, published on national newspapers, international media and my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/2009/08/ignorance-is-disease.html), I prayed to God that, let this be the last time I will write about religious crisis. I don’t know if I should repeat that prayer here. However, I wish to express my sympathies to all the innocent Nigerians who were displaced, or who lost people or properties due to this crisis. I condemn all kinds of crisis be it religious or otherwise. I also condemn all acts of terrorism. I will ask all Nigerians to unite and condemn all acts of terrorism and all kinds of crisis (religious etc). In crisis, just like in terrorism, many innocent people die. Am sure Nigerians will agree with me that these twin evils (religious crisis and terrorism) are amongst the biggest threat to us (Nigerians) and all human races.

We have a duty to fight these menace and other societal evils. Alhaji Mutallab (father of the flight 253 bomber; Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab) has given us a clue on what all of us should be doing. Alhaji Mutallab reported his son to the American Embassy and the Nigerian Security Services when he suspected the strange behaviors of his son. This singular act should be emulated by all Nigerians. Its worthy of commendation. This approach should be used to fight other crimes in Nigeria. Please report any one you’re not sure of his or her motives. This should be applicable to all top officials in both the public and private sector. I was glad when a friend told me, that he went to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) office personally to hand in a petition about a certain government official.

I remember the tenure of ex Governor Buba Marwa of Lagos State. He launched Operation Sweep (an outfit of the Lagos Police Command tasked with fighting crimes in Lagos State) he asked people living in Lagos (Lagosians) to volunteer information anonymously if they are afraid to mentioned their names. Thus people started volunteering information without their names and it helped the crime fighters (Operation Sweep). In the same manner, Nigerians should volunteer information if possible without their names. This will surely help to fight crimes. If we fail to act, we might end up being the victims. I urge Nigerians in Diaspora to volunteer information on where the wanted bank chiefs are staying in abroad. It might be helpful for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

If the other passengers traveling with Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab (flight 253 bomber) had failed to act, all of them would have died. That is the more reasons why, we Nigerians have to volunteer information that will prevent crime(s), corruption, bad governance etc. A better way to know what people are doing might be through surveillance and spying. We can borrow the techniques used by the former East German Secret Police (Stasi). In the former East Germany, people were spying each for the good of the state. Cuba used similar method at the early days of Fidel Castro’s revolution. This method has the potentials of reducing crimes drastically. No sacrifice will be too much for the security of Nigerians. “Security for few is insecurity for all” Nelson Mandela.

On this note, may I inform our people that I have concluded research and now have details of a company here that, deals on specially made security and surveillance cameras. These cameras are ideal for the following purposes; election monitoring, investigative journalism, individual/community protection, home protection, private investigators etc. I recommend these cameras for all those hoping to monitor elections in Nigeria especially the Anambra State governorship election coming up in February 2010. Also these cameras are a must for all Nigeria’s investigative journalist(s).

In August 2009, I did highlight how we can monitor elections using our cameras. Details are on my blog (http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/2009/08/digital-cameras-and-mobile-phones-with.html). Please feel free to pass this information to other Nigerians who might need the facilities mentioned above, but might not have read this piece. These devices (security and surveillance cameras) could be used to enforce accountability on the part of our rulers.

Talking about accountability and as a starting point, Dr Rilwanu Lukman (Petroleum Minister) should tell Nigerians the reasons why he should not be sacked for leaving Nigeria at the heat of the fuel scarcity. This is despite the warning given by the Vice President (Goodluck Jonathan), that the Petroleum Ministers (Dr. Rilwanu Lukman and his junior counterpart Mr. Odein Ajumogobia) should not travel for the Christmas holiday due to the fuel crisis. He (Rilwanu Lukman) violated the order given by the Vice President. By so doing, he disrespected the office of the Vice President. I suggest his removal as a minister. Fuel scarcity creates insecurity for people.

Rilwanu Lukman has truly shown his insensitivity to the plight of the suffering Nigerian masses. He and his likes should understand that Nigeria and Nigerians have changed. Insensitivity of this kind might make people take laws into their hands. Not too long ago, there was a failed attempt to kidnap the education minister (Dr Sam Egwu). One of culprits claimed that they wanted to kidnap Sam Egwu because of his inability to resolve Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike. Thank God, the strike has been called off. Remember some Nigerians hijacked a plane when June 12 1993 election was annulled. This was in protest to the annulment. Our “rulers” have to be very careful now. Times have changed. No more taking Nigerians for granted.

Finally, I wish to appeal to Nigerians to participate and join the fight against global warming. Turn off your electrical appliances/lights when not in use. Plant a tree or sponsor one to plant on your behalf. Government and companies should send less paper work and do more email, telephone, and sms. May God bless Nigeria.

Chinedu Vincent Akuta.
An activist and leader of “Support Option A4 Group” Leicester-UK
akutachinedu@yahoo.com
http://briefsfromakuta.blogspot.com/

I Will Sanitize Enugu Varsity

Chidi I. Ugwu, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, was, recently, appointed Acting Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) by Governor Sullivan Chime amidst chaos occasioned by endless strike actions by the workforce of the institution. In this interview with KlinReports, Professor Ugwu draws his blue print for the university and its workers.

You were recently appointed Acting Vice Chancellor of the troubled Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT). How do you go about your task of restoring sanity in the citadel-of-learning?

I thank God for the appointment. What I have done was consultations with the stake-holders in the university. I have had rapport with the professors in the university. I have had rapport with leaders of the unions. I have, also, had a rapport with all the workers of ESUT. These consultations and the attendant rapport is to pave way for them to know the agenda which I have.

What are the agenda?

The major problem in ESUT is rumor mongering. There are so many rumors here and there. And there are lot of other things going on which we need to correct. But the major agenda is to have peace restored the institution between management and labor. That is the first major agenda I am going to tackle.

Your predecessor, the former Vice Chancellor had fractured relationship with most segments of the university community. How do you hope to improve on his failures?

That’s what I just stated. I want management, labor good relationship.
One of the reasons for the strike action by the workers was months of indebtedness to them. How do you hope to clear the backlog of debts owed the workforce?
In ESUT, there are external problems, and there are internal ones. The external problems had to do with government because government is the owner of the university. Government has appointed me, and has given me some mandate on what I should do. And I am putting them in place, to submit the problems to the government, and I am hoping that when I submit it, they will be able to meet some of them. They cannot do everything once, but, at least, the workers will smile.
There had, also, been complaints of insecurity on campus. How do you intend to tackle this issue of adequate security in the institution?

There can never be adequate security. Everyone of us knows that, but all of us should be preventive in whatever we are doing. For now, if all of us come to work at the proper time, the tendency is that insecurity will reduce because everybody is there. But if it is just very few persons that do come to work, the tendency is that those persons could be harassed and robbed. So, my appeal is that all workers should come to work as at when due. By so doing, security will be beefed up.

One of the allegations against your predecessor bordered on admission racketeering. How would your administration handle the issue of admissions in ESUT?

It is not only admissions. Everything I will do in ESUT would be transparent enough. I will carry everybody along.

Did you envisage your appointment as Vice Chancellor?

Not at all. It came to me as a surprise because the time my predecessor was appointed, both of us applied for it. And he was nominated. So, I thank God for the appointment.