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Unban IPOB, delist from terror group for peace to reign- Prof Nwabueze

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Prof Ben Nwabueze, former National Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said he will no longer participate in any peace talk unless the Federal Government delists the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group as well as de-proscribe it.

He wondered why the federal government tagged IPOB a terrorist group and proscribed its activities for just agitating for Biafra restoration, while groups like Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, “who have been slaughtering people”, are moving around freely.

Nwabueze made the remark yesterday when members of IPOB, led by the African Representative, Mr. Gorge Onyibe, visited him at his country home, Atani, in Anambra State, to apologise for disrupting the summit organised by Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) at Enugu on February 27.

The group was accompanied by the Secretary-General of ECA, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko. IPOB gave the elder statesman a ram and tendered unreserved apology to him with a promise that such incident would not repeat itself in future.

Prof Nwabueze said: “IPOB cannot be asked to negotiate for peace when they remain proscribed.

“I don’t think the federal government wants peace because if they want peace, the first thing to do is to de-proscribed IPOB.

“I will not be part of any peace talk with anybody until IPOB is de-proscribed and until the declaration of IPOB as a terrorist group is removed.

“If they have the courage to do these, okay, we can talk peace. I will not participate in any kind of peace talk so long as IPOB remains proscribed or tagged a terrorist organisation.

“There are groups and associations that have done more terrible things in this country; IPOB is only agitating for Biafra and they have not done anything more than agitation, they have killed nobody, but in contrary, they are the ones being killed.

“If we talk of the people that have massacred and slaughtered people, it is the Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen, which should be declared terrorist groups and proscribed.

“The federal government used double standard in the proscription of IPOB; what standard did they use to proscribe IPOB?

“They used another standard for Boko Haram, used another standard for Fulani herdsmen, these are the people they should proscribe.

“The people who gave quit notice to Ndigbo to leave the North in 90 days by October 1, last year, you have not proscribed them.

“This is what has destroyed Nigeria over night. Arewa Youths organised hate speeches intended to bring about ethnic cleansing, yet, they are still moving about.  Nobody proscribed them, nobody declared them a terrorist group.

“But, IPOB group doing nothing, but agitation for Biafra, was declared terrorrist group.

“And those who have slaughtered and killed innocent citizens, the Fulani herdsmen, are moving about freely with AK47, still killing people.

“They turned around to castigate Gen. T.Y Danjiuma for calling on Nigerians to defend themselves, can you imagine that. In the constitution, Section 33 guarantees the right of self defence. Somebody is attacking you with AK47 and you use stick in defence. I can’t image such idiotic thing like that.”

To IPOB, he said: “You will win the cause of agitation, the agitation must continue, but, you should not make fatal mistake that will jeopardise our future, we will win.

“I will continue fighting for Ndigbo. IPOB is fighting a just fight because they are treating Igbo people as if they don’t belong to this country, injustice and nepotism everywhere.

“If I said no about injustice in 1965 at University of Lagos, you should say no today.

“If they do not want us to have Biafra, then let them stop the injustice, let them stop the inequity, let them stop all marginalisation.”

At the moment the agitation is led and spearheaded by you, young people, the old people and my generation are not featuring very much but we all share the same sentiment. (Daily Sun)

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France Urged to Address Colonial Legacy as Senegalese Activists Call for Reparations in Dakar Roundtable

Reporter: Sandra Ani

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France Urged to Address Colonial Legacy in Senegal
Babacar Dioh, representative of the Thiaroye 44 Movement, speaks during the Dakar roundtable on reparations. The movement brings together descendants of Senegalese tirailleurs and advocates for historical justice.

France’s colonial legacy came under renewed scrutiny as journalists, historians, and pan-African activists gathered at African Memorial Square in Dakar for a powerful roundtable advocating reparations and economic justice. 

The event highlighted growing demands for France to take full responsibility for its historical role in Senegal and across West Africa.

France Urged to Address Colonial Legacy - Senegal
Attribution: Babacar Dioh, representative of the Thiaroye 44 Movement – a coalition advocating reparations and justice for descendants of colonial-era African soldiers.

Organized by advocacy groups including the Association of Descendants of Senegalese Soldiers, the Front for the Withdrawal of French Military Bases (GASSI), and JIF’AFRIK, the roundtable brought together influential voices pushing for reparatory justice and structural transformation.

Among the key speakers were Babacar Dioh of the Thiaroye 44 Movement—a coalition of descendants of Senegalese tirailleurs—and Souleymane Jules Diallo, leader of JIF’AFRIK. Discussions centered on two central demands: official reparations for colonial-era injustices and the urgent renegotiation of trade and military agreements that activists say perpetuate economic dependence.

“The time for symbolic gestures is over,” said Dioh. “We are now filing an official reparations claim and taking concrete steps to hold France accountable.”

Speakers called for the dismantling of existing neocolonial frameworks, stressing the ecological, financial, and social harm that has endured beyond the colonial period. The roundtable marks a turning point in Dakar’s positioning as a hub for coordinated African-led advocacy aimed at restoring historical justice.

This event adds momentum to a growing continental movement seeking tangible reparative action from former colonial powers and reinforces the call for equity, autonomy, and acknowledgment of historical truths.

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Gov Mbah Inaugurates Committee to End Gender-Based Violence in Enugu

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The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.

The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.

The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.

Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.

Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.

“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.

“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”

He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.

“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.

“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.

In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.

“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.

“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.

“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.

“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.

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Emulate Christ’s virtues, Glo urges Christians at Easter

Reporter: Sandra Ani

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Glo and Globacom
Globacom

Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.  

The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ. 

“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added. 

The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all. 

Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.

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