News Release: Personal Greed & Spiritual Forces Of Over 1000 Murdered Innocent Nigerians Behind Tukur Buratai’s Ordeal, Not Boko Haram

Burutai

The attention of leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) is drawn to unfolding circumstances trailing the criminal enrichment and illicit acquisition and ownership of multi-billion naira foreign house properties and local industrial farm by the embattled Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai (a.k.a. Buratai De Butcher). Our attention is also drawn to latest claims by the embattled COAS, to the effect that “Boko Haram Cyber Terrorists and those jealous of his “successes” against Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast are behind his present ordeal”.  The claims are totally fallacious and untrue. The truth is that the COAS, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai (a.k.a. Buratai De Butcher) is roundly haunted by personal greed and spiritual forces of over 1000 unarmed, defenseless and innocent citizens massacred under his operational and vicarious watch and directives.

News Release: Islamic Movement In Nigeria Will Never Engage In Arms Struggle

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria will never take up arms in the name of avenging the incessant killing of its members by the Nigerian Army in Zaria last December.

Article: What’s The Fuss On Dangote Gaining From Nigeria Currency Squeeze?

Dangote

By Emeka Chiakwelu

An international currency trader asked my opinion on Dangote gaining from the “Nigerian currency squeeze”. My answer was short and direct:  I’m cool with it. For those who are not aware, Reuters News agency wrote a piece titled, “African richest man got a fistful of dollars from Nigerian currency squeeze.”

Report: The Impact of ‘Brexit’ on Africa

(EXX Africa analyses the impact of an eventual ‘Brexit’ on three of the UK’s most important African markets: South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya)

News Release: Buhari Must Sack & Prosecute Buratai Or Free All Political Crimes & Corruption Detainees

Brutai

The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) comprising: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety),  Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group) are not surprised over the statement of the Nigeria’s Minister of Defense concerning the criminal acquisition and ownership of multi-billion properties by serving Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Turkur Buratai. Some of the corrupt and criminal properties have been uncovered and traced to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and North-central Nigeria by the authorities of the Sahara Reporters.

News Release: Before Dubai Criminal Properties Of Buratai The Butcher Are Swept Under The Carpet

 Buratai

The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) comprising: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety),  Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group), are deeply concerned and worried that the Buratai Dubai Property Corruption is a verge of being swept under the carpet by the Presidency of Gen Muhammadu Buhari.

Rejoinder: Intersociety Replies Buhari On Civil War Threats

The International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) is shocked and alarmed over the unrefined and Yorean utterances of President Muhammadu Buhari concerning sensitive national issues particularly the collective security of Nigeria and its Peoples. The President has since his swearing in on 29^th of May 2015 governed Nigeria as an animal kingdom where few with political might, power and authority perpetually enslave the remaining majority with reckless abandon. The Presidency of Gen Muhammadu Buhari has continuously seen Nigeria and treated same as a jungle governed by no laws except personal whimsical and capricious might and initiatives. Nigeria under Muhammadu Buhari’s
Presidency is akin to herders versus cows; where cows’ survival and welfare is dependent on their herders.

News Release: There Must Be “Biafrexit“ In Line With The Just Concluded “Brexit“

The British Government which is the closest ally of the Nigerian Government must, as a mark of exemplary leadership, guide Muhammadu Buhari and his colleagues to organize a BIAFREXIT akin to the recently organized BREXIT. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) congratulate the Government and people of Britain for organizing the BREXIT vote and applaud the British Government for respecting the wishes of her citizens. However, it  smacks of hypocrisy that the same David Cameron that initiated the BREXIT vote has been propping up the Buhari‘s Government in their murderous acts of suppressing the quest by Biafrans to exit from Nigeria. This leaves Biafrans to ask if David Cameron’s hypocrisy is because Biafrans are blacks and if black Africans are inferior to white British people?

News Release: We Condemn Bahraini Regime’s Move Against A Shia Cleric

Sheikh Isa Qassim

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria believes that the recent decision by Bahrain to revoke the citizenship of that country’s most senior Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim is a campaign of intimidation at the highest level. It is also a campaign of silencing the opposition.  This campaign is trying to legalize suppression through either verdicts or some decrees.

Article: Floating Naira Projected To Lose Up “70 Percent” Of Its Value

By Emeka Chiakwelu

The floated Nigeria’s naira that has been pegged at 197-199 to a dollar lost over 40 percent of its value on the first day of trading.  Unofficial reordered statistics on first day of naira outing  revealed that naira was traded as low as 265 to a dollar and at one point nosedived to 288 to a dollar as naira continued to devalue and losing its purchasing power.  The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has not released the official statistics of the currency trading.

News Release: Afreximbank Pledges $400 Million Fund To Promote African Trade With Belarus

The Afreximbank-led trade mission with officials of Belarusbank after their meeting in Minsk

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is ready to set aside $400 million as part of a programme to finance and promote trade between African countries and Belarus, the President,  Dr. Benedict Oramah, has announced in Minsk.

Rejoinder: Barrister Obetta Was Sacked By Nnamdi Kanu For Incompetence And Unprofessionalism

Obetta

We read with shock, the lies spewed out by Barrister Vincent  Egechukwu  Obetta in his interview with Petrus Obi of Sun Newspaper on June 21, 2016. To put the records straight, Barrister Obetta was sacked by the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. For working with the DSS to indefinitely detain Nnamdi Kanu, Barrister Obetta was fired by our leader in person when Obetta visited him at Kuje prison. It is on record that you, Obetta, refused to work with other lawyers knowing fully well that this is a major international case requiring the input of more than one person (Obetta) who as it turns out is a lecturer and not actually a practising lawyer.

News Release: Nigeria National Day of Prayer

World Pastors’ Forum Commission Outreach Ministries in Lagos has declared the 9th of September of every year as Nigeria National Day of Prayer.

News Release: We Denounce The "Protective Custody" Of Our Leader

Zakzaky

People with conscience all over the world were baffled, when on Tuesday 15th June, 2016 the Directorate of State Services, DSS mentioned before a Federal High Court in Abuja that it is holding the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky "in protective custody" in order to fend him off from those who are hell bent on murdering him.

News Release: Security Forces Plot To Sabotage This Year’s Qud’s Day Procession

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria has received intelligence reports indicating that Nigerian Security agents have planned to carry out false flag operations unleashing mayhem in some unmentioned cities in the country, in an attempt to scuttle the marking of Qud’s Day celebration in the country. This annual event, the IMN had peacefully marked successively for the past three decades in solidarity with the suffering people of Palestine every last week of the Holy month of Ramadan.

Article: Naira Floats; IMF Prevails As Pending Doom Looms

By Emeka Chiakwelu
 

Here comes the big trouble, for with floating of naira comes massive devaluation, Hyperinflation and higher interest rate.

News Release: Indigenous People Of Biafra Supports The Niger Delta Avengers

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu hereby state that we support our kith and kin – the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), who are fighting for the freedom of our people from the enslaving Islamic Republic of Nigerian Government. We want to place it on record that IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has no connection with some groups who are claiming on the pages of Nigerian newspapers that they do not support our fellow freedom fighters – the NDA.

News Release: Buhari’s Recovery From Ill-Health; A Divine Opportunity To End Presidential Violence & Dictatorship In Nigeria

Buhari

The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) comprising: Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group)  have joined other Nigerians and the international community in thanking God for sparing the precious life of Nigeria’s President, Gen Muhammadu Buhari and facilitating his quick recovery from a diagnosed ill-health or sickness. Though President Muhammadu Buhari personally and vicariously has no regard for sanctity of human life and dignity of human person, but we are thankful to God for saving his precious life and providing him a divine opportunity to make amends, particularly to end his self inflicted and self invited presidential violence and dictatorship currently on rampage in Nigeria.

U-Report: South-South Monarchs Plan Emergency Security Summit On Renewed Militancy, Restiveness In The Niger Delta

Reported By A Citizen Reporter

Worried by the increasing spate of systematic destruction of oil and gas assets in the Niger Delta Region, traditional rulers under the aegis of the South-South Monarchs Forum have resolved to host a three day security summit for traditional rulers in the nine states of the Niger Delta Region with a view to mediate and devslop an actionable blueprint to resolve the crisis in the region.

Article; Re: El-Zakzaky Is Happy And Comfortable With His Detention

El-Zakzaky

By Haroun Elbinawi

I was shocked to see this headlines from the website of a Nigerian daily Newspaper “Leadership” that was a quote from the legal Counsel to the Nigerian secret police (DSS) that have been holding the Nigerian Islamic scholar Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky in detention for more than 6 months now without charge of any offense.

U-Report: “We Shall Fight Government Impunity And Lawlessness”—Imo State NBA

Reported By A Citizen Reporter

Government and its agencies have been enjoined to stop acts of impunity and lawlessness so as to avoid clash with lawyers.

This remark was made by Barr Lawrence Nwakaeti recently in the Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch wherein the lawyer was sworn in as the chairman of the Branch.

Article: The Governance Challenge, A Failed Ruling Class, And The Resurgent Call For Restructuring

By Jaye Gaskia

In recent times, in the build up to the first anniversary of the PMB regime and the Change Government in particular, as well as in the build up to the twenty-third anniversary of the annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential elections in general; and against the backdrop of the resurgence of separatist agitations in the South East [Biafra] and in the South-South [Niger Delta militancy]; there have been growing recalibrated strident calls among leading members and fractions of the Nigeria ruling class for what they call ‘Restructuring’ of Nigeria.

News Release: Kaduna State Government Behind Thugs Attack On Ramadan Food Distribution In Zaria

Food items were distributed to the needy in and around Gyellesu residence in particular and Zaria in general at the start of the Holy month of Ramadan on behalf of the leader of the Islamic movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, as has been his practice for several years. Being detained this year, it was his wish that the humanitarian assistance provided by him must be continued irrespective of whether or not the government releases him. To fulfil this wish, on Monday 6th June, assorted food items were distributed as was the practice, with families happily collecting with so much gratitude. 

News Release: The Murdered Buried In Pieces Must Be Exhumed & Rested In Peace

The leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) wishes to inform all Nigerians and international watchers that we have totally been vindicated concerning our special publication of 6^th of June 2016; titled: How Over 90 Biafran Heroes Day Activists Were Massacred By Security Forces & Buried In Military Cemetery Inside Onitsha Army Barracks. Our vindication follows the failure of the trio of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and the Government of Anambra State, which played leading murderous roles in the genocidal massacre to statistically and correctly deny or contradict findings of ours contained in the special publication. Today marks 96 hours or four days after the release of the special publication, yet the three killer establishment including the Buhari’s administration, have maintained “a conspiracy of silence” or silence of the graveyard, till date. The special publication has commendably received a very wide publicity in leading local and international media, particularly the online and social media.

News Release: Niger Delta Avengers And MEND Dialogue Team

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) had on countless occasions within the past 10 years of the group's existence, resorted to taking up arms against the Nigerian state and the International Oil Companies with a view to bringing to national and international attention, the pitiable paradox of the Niger Delta region.

News Release: Dangote Group Joins Afreximbank

The Dangote Group, Africa’s leading indigenous conglomerate, has become the latest entity to join the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) as a shareholder.

Book Review: Are We All Biafrans?

By Jibrin Ibrahim

On May 31st, my good friend Chido Onumah made a public presentation of his book, We Are All Biafrans. The book is a passionate plea to all Nigerians to work together to ensure that we stop “sleepwalking to disaster”. The discussions on the book in the media were completely overshadowed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s support for the political restructuring of the country, expressed in the same event. Chido makes the case that we need to renegotiate but it should not be done “solely on the basis of ethnic, religious or cultural affinity”. Biafra, he argues, is not an “Igbo problem” but a Nigerian one and the way forward is to build our federalism along civic lines and on the basis of “justice and equal opportunities for all”. I completely agree with the argument. Nonetheless, the discourse of marginalization has permeated Igbo consciousness, just as it is the case for other Nigerians and the issue of unpacking ethnic narratives is extremely important.

News Release: A Member Of Islamic Movement In Nigeria Is Dying In Prison

It is obvious that Nigerian government has not had enough of our blood over their heads. Even with the extrajudicial killing of over a thousand IMN members,  its attention has now shifted to ensuring that those who survived the initial onslaught in Zaria, who are at the moment being arbitrarily detained die quietly in detention through denial of medical attention.

Article: Yes, I know Muhammad Ali, The Peoples Champion

Ali

By  Emeka Chiakwelu

Muhammad Ali was a modern day hero of our time. Inasmuch the word hero has been bastardized; its true meaning resided with those that achieved uncommon things and Ali was of an exceptional personality. He was courageous, charismatic and compassionate. His life history has become an assignment to those that want to emulate and examine a life worth living. 

News Release: Genocide Across The Niger

The leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) is deeply alarmed and saddened over the rising shocking casualty figures from the last Monday (30^th of May, 2016) massacre and genocidal butchering of over 120 unarmed and nonviolent citizens of Southeast and South-south regions of Nigeria by security forces while converging in Onitsha to mark the 2016 session of the decades old “Igbo (Biafran) Heroes Day Anniversary”. The widespread State violence resulting to the genocide, was perpetrated by security forces through presidential and gubernatorial directives of President Mohammadu Buhari and Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and it was operationally led by Major C.O. Ibrahim of the Nigerian Military Police at Onitsha Army Barracks, for Nigerian Army; followed by DCP J.B. Kokomo (DC OPS, Anambra State Police Command) and DCP Makama (2i/c Anambra State Police Command) and ACP H. Ezekiel (Onitsha Area Commander) for Nigeria Police Force as well as operational heads of other members of the Anambra State Joint Security Taskforce. 

News Release: UNEP Report And Military Onslaught

Over a period of six (6) decades since the discovery of oil in commercial quantity at Oloibiri, Bayelsa State in 1958, successive civilian and military administrations in Nigeria have short-changed the Niger Delta region and pillaged the commonwealth generated from the region in association with International Oil Companies who have not done enough to protect and sustain the environment.

News Release: We Foresee Uprising & Retaliatory Justice

The leadership of Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs) is deeply worried that the Nigerian Security Forces and their political conspirators are dangerously pushing innocent and law abiding members of key Ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria to the wall; forcing them to learn the hard way of preserving their ethnic identities and human existence. These, if exploded, can be dicey for the country, its peoples, West African sub-region, African Union and the United Nations System. The Nigerian killer-State entities under reference are also taking the country and its people to the path of social catastrophe with uprising (intifada) and retaliatory justice as looming end product.

News Release: We Reject The Continued Silence Of The President On Zaria Massacre

The President had in his speech to mark Democracy Day touched on virtually all the challenges his administration faced in its one year in office. He however refused to make mention of the monumental disaster that visited the nation on 12-12-15, when our national Army massacred 1000+ armless and defenseless citizens in Zaria, who are members of the Islamic Movement (IMN). An event that the world was officially told involved a secret mass open shallow grave dug by the Army in collaboration with Kaduna state government containing 347 bodies, in an attempt to hide their heinous crime. How the President could still remain silent in spite of the mass outcry by respected individuals and groups over this gross miscarriage of justice still beats imagination.

News Release: Africa’s Mobile-First Status May Make Us More Vulnerable, As The Threat Of Mobile Malware Rises Globally

(Nigeria ranks as the 16th highest ranked country, moving up two places from 18th position in the preceding quarter).

Press Release: Cote d’Ivoire Backs Afreximbank’s Move To Develop Industrial Parks.

Ivorian President Allassane Ouattara (right) with Afreximbank President Dr. Benedict Oramah during their meeting in Abidjan.

Cote d’Ivoire will work with the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to achieve the implementation of the proposal by the Bank to develop new industrial parks in the country, Ivorian President Allassane Ouattara has said.

News Release: Right To Fair Wage Violated In Imo State

The Youths for Human Rights Protection and Transparency Initiative (YARPTI) is sad over the condition of workers and pensioners in Imo State. Pensioners have not been paid for so many months now as the government of Imo State continue to carryout endless re-verification exercise. Workers under the employ of the Imo State government are suffering terribly. Aside the half salaries that are paid irregularly, which has disoriented the finances of most workers, many of the workers have also been put into odious debt situation by the government, thanks to non-payment of salaries and withholding of loan payments, cooperative deductions and dues. These have seen many workers having their accounts in red even when salaries are paid. Even those who are not paying any loan cannot meet their needs and those of their families as the half salaries can hardly take them home. Some workers and pensioners have died of curable diseases, due to inability to afford basic drugs, while many others are lying critically ill due to similar situation.

News Release: Igbo Heroes Day Massacre & Wicked Regime Falsehood; The Facts As They Sacredly Are (1)

The Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs); comprising: Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC), Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights advocacy group) are saddened and shocked concerning the International Igbo Heroes Day Massacre in various locations in Onitsha and its surrounding communities in Anambra State as well as Asaba in Delta State by the Nigerian Security Forces, dominated by soldiers, navy and police. We are further alarmed by unpardonable lies and wicked regime falsehood running riot in the public media from the direction of the authorities that carried out the massacre and perpetrated the crimes against humanity.

Article: Kogi Tribunal Judgment And Assassination Fears

 By Phrank Shaibu

The recent horror testimony by a self-confessed intended assassin of former Governor of Kogi State, Captain Idris Wada is a clear demonstration that politics in Kogi State has entered a dangerous trend. The leaked information initiated by the commissioned agent is disgusting especially coming at a time that the Kogi State Election Tribunal is about giving its judgement in an electoral legal tussle involving Captain Idris Wada and others after five months of the infamous inconclusive Kogi governorship election.

News Release: International Igbo Heroes’ Rememberance Day Massacre; Buhari & Obiano At It Again!

Barely five hours after our latest scorecard on one year in office of the Buhari Administration was released, torrential calls came to us concerning the massacre of innocent and unarmed citizens in three locations in Anambra State today. The locations are Nkpor, Ifite-Dunu and Nnewi. Those responsible for the latest massacre just like those of 2^nd and 17^th of December 2015 are members of the Anambra State Joint Security Taskforce, constituted by Governor Willie Obiano in his capacity as the Chief Security Officer of Anambra State, who are answerable to Gen Muhammadu Buhari in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces. 

Article: Buhari And The Tragedy Of Politics!

Buhari

By abiodun KOMOLAFE

 "He who knows no hardships will know no hardihood. He who faces no calamity will need no courage. Mysterious though it is, the characteristics in human nature which we love best grow in a soil with a strong mixture of troubles."

- Harry Emerson Fosdick.