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Why Simon Ekpa unlikely to end sit-at-home enforcement – Abaribe

Published

9 months ago

August 8, 2023

Why Simon Ekpa unlikely to end sit-at-home enforcement – Abaribe

Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia South of Abia State, has said a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa, will be unwilling to end the sit-at-home order its group imposed on the people of South-East, Nigeria.

He stated this in an interview with Channels Television on Monday.

Abaribe said Ekpa and his cohorts had refused to reverse the policy because they are making profits from it.

In a letter posted on Twitter in July by Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), asked Ekpa to desist from calling for further sit-at-home.

Reacting to the letter, Ekpa said Kanu could not write such a letter, adding that “it is not only a joke but an insult taken too far”.

Speaking on the development, Abaribe said the South-East leaders had agreed to meet with the Federal Government over the continued detention of Kanu.

He said, “Last week, there was a hand-written message from him (Kanu),” Abaribe said.

“Of course, the man who is profiting from it, who is far away in Finland, denounced it and put more conditions saying they will never stop it until we (South-East leaders) see him in Finland.

“We can now see that because they profit from this, they are not going to stop it because it has become a money-making venture.

“We have seen adverts on the internet asking people to contribute money for the liberation of Biafra.

“Now, what do we do? We have to engage the government because there are also some subsisting issues on the ground.

“The court had granted him his freedom and the government applied to the same appeal court for stay of execution and appeal to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has not taken any decision.

“Part of the resolution is that we are going to engage everyone. We are going to engage the government at the same time on how we can make a solution that is favourable to all.”

Simon Ekpa

Related Topics:Abaribe Simon Ekpa Sit-at-home enforcement

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Rainstorms kill seven, many others injured

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May 18, 2024

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The three new deaths occurred after Houston, the fourth-largest city in the United States, was slammed Thursday by severe rain and winds gusting up to 100 miles (160 kilometres) per hour, leaving downtown streets coated in glass from broken windows.

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Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

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May 18, 2024

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Force Public Relations Officer, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi

Police inspector dismissed, three others demoted over N29.8m theft

Adabo Mohammed, a police inspector has been dismissed over alleged involvement in robbery and kidnapping in the federal capital territory (FCT).

Announcing this on Friday, May 17, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi said Mohammed and five others were members of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the stealing of N29.8 million from a victim during a robbery operation in the Gwagwalada area of Abuja.

The dismissed officer was also part of a gang that kidnapped one Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okafor, in the Tunga Maje area of Abuja and collected N4.4 million in ransom. He further revealed that Mohammed has been charged to court.

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Breaking: Women protest against return of armed Okuama youths (+ Photos)

Published

17 hours ago

May 18, 2024

Trends Admin

Breaking: Women protest against return of armed Okuama youths (+ Photos)

The women of Okoloba community in Bomadi local government area, weekend, protested against what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South local government area, who they alleged were threatening the peace of the riverine area.

The placard carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin, and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, staged a peace protest on black attires along the coastal fringe of Okoloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath, as well as sending an S.O.S. to the federal government to come to their aid.

Some inscriptions on the placards read: ‘We say No to violence’, ‘Enough of the killings on our land’, ‘Armed Okuama youths returning in a commando style’, ‘We say No to the return of armed youths of Okuama’, ‘Resettle Okuama people among their Ewu brothers in Ughelli South LGA’, ‘We mourn the killing of the 17 soldiers’ and among others.

The chairlady of Okoloba, Mrs Goodwin, speaking to newsmen with a written address that was made available to security apparatuses, which include the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi local government council, noted that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation.

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The women’s presentations as well as the written address read in part: “First, we the women of Okoloba community sympathize with the killing of 17 soldiers and officers of the Nigerian army on a peace and rescue mission to Okuama, following the kidnap of our son. We sincerely mourn their untimely death and pray for the repose of their souls. We also pray for their families.

“However, less than 24 hours after the exit of the troops from Okuama, fresh crisis erupted with another neighbouring community, culminating in the killing of one person while three other persons were seriously injured. The person who was killed and those sustaining machete wounds were alleged to have gone there to loot.

“The latest killing showed that the people of Okuama can kill a human at the slightest provocation; the sanctity of human life means nothing to them. It also shows that neighbouring Ijaw communities like Okoloba are not safe.

“So, resetting the people of Okuama in their present location, which is in-between communities in Bomadi local government area, is an attempt to encourage further communal clashes and bloodbath.

“Just last week, youths of Okuama community came out of the Mein-toruabubor creek, which leads to Ewu, on three speedboats and all of them on camouflage. They shot sporadically in the air before proceeding to OKuama. They moved to and fro the creek three times, and at every time they shot their guns in the air at the entrance of the creek.

“We are calling on the federal government to come to our aid, and the panacea to these incessant clashes and killings is for the government to relocate Okuama to Ewu clan in Ughelli South Local Government Area, where they truly and rightly belong.