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Ohanaeze, Governors to lead leaders to meet Tinubu on Kanu, killings in S’East
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex decision-making body of the Igbo people is currently collaborating with the fiver Governors and lawmakers from the South East as well as leaders of thought to resolve the issue of continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Part of the moves to get the IPOB boss, who has been in the detention of the Department of State Services (DSS), since May 2022, is to send a delegation to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the matter, as part of stemming the tide of insecurity in the zone.
The stakeholders took the decision after an emergency meeting held on Monday evening at the Imo state Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, with the state Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma hosting.
Uzodimma after the meeting which reportedly lasted for over four hours said insecurity remained the greatest challenge facing the region, adding: “We have identified insecurity as the problem of South East for now and it is at the front burner and must be addressed.
“The Federal Government in the past has supported us but we think that the federal government can do more. So among other resolutions, we resolved today to make a representation to the President for his intervention to be able to bring insecurity in the region to an end. So any moment from now, we’ll be putting together an arrangement to visit the president and discuss with him. There are certain things we cannot do very well without the federal government. Security is in the Exclusive List and only the federal government can deploy as appropriate”.
President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu said the five governors were working together with lawmakers from the zone to find lasting solution to challenges facing the people.
His words: “Frankly speaking, I am not going to give you the details of what we want to do. The problem of insecurity is one that cannot be solved by the South East governors alone. We have resolved that the leadership of Ohanaeze, the governors and lawmakers to get in touch with the President. The problem in South East is too much, is too big for the governors alone. It is a Nigerian problem and the President will give support to the governors”.
Chris Ngige, former Minister of Labour and Employment, also echoed the sentiments, saying: “The new President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and members of his cabinet came to meet with us, the governors, National Assembly members, former ministers and stakeholders in the South East.
“In the main, we were discussing the issue of security of our region; security and the economy. It is the first maiden visit and we have taken some important resolutions.”
Vanguard quotes one of the sources at the meeting as saying that the issues bordering on sit-at-home, the continuous incarceration of the leader of Kanu and the self-styled Biafra Prime Minister, Simon Ekpa were discussed, adding that it was agreed that a delegation would be sent to Tinubu in the next two weeks for his intervention.
His words: “The meeting discussed about security in Southeast and everybody agreed that we will now be discussing without political party affiliation in mind and that there is government in place and the government in place should be recognised and supported.
“The issue of Nnamdi Kanu was discussed and it was agreed that we should draw up a delegation that will go and see President Bola Tinubu on security situation in the Southeast including Nnamdi Kanu and Simon Ekpa within the next two weeks.”
Other Igbo leaders at the meeting, included the Imo State governor, Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru and former governor Ikedi Ohakim, former Senate President, Pius Anyim, former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Maurice Iwu, Senators Victor Umeh, Tony Nwoye (both Senators from Anambra), former Governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu, former Deputy Governor of Abia State and Senator currently representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, former Governor of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi, former Minister of Health, Alphonsus Nwosu, former Minister of Aviation, Kema Chikwe, former Women Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Josephine Anenih, and former Chairman of the party, Okwesilieze Nwodo.
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
Slavery is a wound on the memory of the Universal Church, Pope Leo XIV, said on Monday, as he issued a fresh apology over the participation of the the Catholic Church in the centuries-long delay in condemning slavery.
The pontiff stressed the position of the church after his predecessors had offered similar apologies, said: “For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Writing in a major text that warned about “new forms of slavery” behind the digital economy, the joined John Paul II, who denounced slave trade in 1992 before issuing a sweeping request for forgiveness for historical injustices in 2000 and Pope Francis who also repeatedly denounced contemporary forms of slavery.
In his own vein, Pope Leo, pointed out that the Church owned slaves until the Middle Ages and it also advised European sovereigns on how to justify the enslavement of “infidels.”
He stressed in “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), a document focused primarily on the rise of artificial intelligence, that it was only in the 19th century that “a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated.”
Hear him: “It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery. This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached.”
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