News
Jailed women: IPOB comes hard on Igbo leaders
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday took a swipe on Igbo politicians based in Abuja, Igbo governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the various human rights groups in Nigeria condemning their silence on the Biafran women that were arrested and remanded in prison in Imo State days ago.
The group said that the level of ignorance and disregard for simple rules of a properly constituted court as presently being showcased in Imo State lends further credence to their assertion that a significant proportion of magistrates and judges are ignorant of the laws of Nigeria and rules governing their conduct.
A statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group opined that allowing the detention of “mothers, wives and sisters even when they pose no discernible threat to the state, showed that APC government represented by Rochas Okorocha in Imo, Igbo politicians in Abuja, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Igbo governors and countless other fronts are all in the pocket of Arewa North.”
IPOB described them as weak, saying: “They have been compromised and are incapable of speaking out against blatant injustice against their own people.
“It confirms what we have always known, that they were all appointed or rigged into office to defend the interest of their northern Fulani masters against the collective will of the Biafran people.
“We equally note with particular concern, the silence of some supposed human rights groups in Nigeria. We are aware that IPOB related cases always showcase the very worst in Nigerian judicial practice.
“Anybody in doubt as to the impotence and subservience of the Igbo political class should look no further than the treatment of our mothers in Owerri prisons. Imo State is supposedly run by a man bearing an Igbo name, the magistrate that remanded our mothers is Igbo, the prison is run by Igbo men but they still refused to give our mothers food or allow those still nursing to breastfeed their babies.
“The complete and total humiliation of the Igbo race is what we are witnessing today because even laws enacted and passed to defend the people can no longer be relied upon to save the innocent.
“Practicing and studying law in Nigeria is an utter and complete waste of time. It is either Nigeria and those charged with her law enforcing and judicial interpretation are not civilized enough to practice English Common Law or the essence of the principle of separation of powers is completely lost on them.”
The group further said that remanding innocent mothers in prison by Owerri Magistrate’s Court was the height of judicial impunity, executive overreach and abuse of power by collaborators, both in Imo State and Abuja adding that Justice was no longer based on the merits of a case but on the wish of a governor or Aso Rock cabal.
Continuing, the statement said: “The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) condemn in its entirely the ongoing judicial charade and actions of the Magistrate’s Court sitting in Owerri under the control of Rochas Okorocha of Imo State with the backing of Aso Rock and those lost Igbo politicians whose silence so far is confirmation of their treacherous nature and ambivalence to the suffering of Biafrans in general and Igbos in particular.
“The level of ignorance of the law prevalent in the Nigerian judiciary is a far greater threat to democracy than gun-wielding Fulani terrorists. By allowing themselves to be used to remand our mothers in prison today and last Friday, without any legal backing, is tantamount to political suicide and judicial illegality.
“A first-year law student knows that a ‘Holden Charge’ is illegal because the Supreme Court of Nigeria had so declared in their ruling. Why therefore is the APC government at federal and state levels using this process, that has been declared illegal, to detain Biafrans?
“Rochas Okorocha, his APC Party in Imo State and the prosecutor handling the case have all broken the law by allowing the presiding magistrate to declare lack of jurisdiction as a way of delaying the case, while at the same time ordering the detention of innocent mothers. This is the exact same thing Supreme Court ruling said should not happen.”
IPOB regretted that despite the overwhelming number of human rights groups in Nigeria, none of them could speak out against the injustice against those that are being persecuted because they are Biafran women.
The statement added: “The hatred and bias against Biafra is as much as that experienced by Jews in Europe in the days of Adolf Hitler.
“Mr Clement Nwankwo, Director of Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC); Chief Innocent Chukwuma of CLEEN Foundation; Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); Dr. Sam Amadi, former Chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission; Barr. Uche Wisdom Durueke, President, Civil Liberties Organization (CLO); Okechukwuma Nwanguma, Coordinator, Network on Peace Reforms (NPR); Dr. Joe Otteh; Dr. Jude Ohanele; Chido Onuma; Barr. Chinenye Edmund Obiagwu, Director, Legal Defense and Assistance Project (LDA); Barr. Eze Onyekpere, Director of Center for Social Justice; Dr. Uju Agomuoh, ED, PRAWA Enugu; Chilos Godsent, President, Igbo National Council (INC), have all refused to talk because money and serving Fulani interest is more lucrative than standing up for the truth. They are compromised and will never speak against injustice despite being in charge of NGOs that claim to be fighting for human rights.
“Nigeria is perhaps the only country where a Magistrate can overrule a Supreme Court judgement. Of what use is the Supreme Court if its pronouncements is not binding on a lower court. But they call themselves learned men and women. Sometimes one is tempted to ask, would it not be better for Europe to come back and recolonise Africa because rather than making progress, we are regressing with the passage of each day.”
News
‘If You Want It Dirty, You’ll Get It Dirty’, Benue Diaspora DG Escalates Threat Against National Record Reporter
By Our Reporter
The Editor-in-Chief of National Record, Iduh L. Onah, has raised alarm over what he described as ‘grave threats’ issued against one of the online newspaper’s reporters, Mr. Amos Aar, by the Director-General of the Benue State Directorate of Diaspora Linkages and Investments, Professor Abraham Tartenger Girgih.
In a letter dated June 25, 2025, addressed to Prof. Girgih and made available to the press, National Record condemned what it called “unwarranted threats” following the publication of a report on the funding challenges being faced by the Directorate under the DG’s leadership since its formation in 2024.
According to Onah, while the publication welcomes robust engagement in the form of rejoinders on stories perceived to contain among other things misinformation, misrepresentation or distortion, no one has the right to issue threats.
“While it is within your right to respond to perceived misinformation or misrepresentation and distortion or outright fabrication, in any publication, it is, however, beyond that right to issue a threat as grave as “dire consequences”, Onah stated.
The Editor-in-Chief further noted that the situation escalated after the publication of a follow-up report when Prof. Girgih called the correspondent and made what the paper considers to be a further threat.
“After the publication of the threat and other claims in your rejoinder, you again went ahead to issue what we deemed to be further grave threat when you stated: “…if you want it dirty, you will get it dirty”, among other words perceived as veiled threat, in a telephone conversation you had with our correspondent shortly after you may have read our follow-up report,” stated the Editor-in-Chief.
The management of National Record expressed deep concern for the safety of its correspondent and other staff, especially given the hostile tone of Prof. Girgih in his conversation with the reporter.
The media organization said it is taking steps to notify security agencies, the Benue State Government, and professional journalism bodies about the threats, while also demanding a written assurance from Prof. Girgih that no harm will befall Mr. Aar or any member of the newspaper’s staff.
“We demand from you a written assurance of Mr Aar’s safety from harm and that of our other staff, and a further commitment to desist from harassing, heckling, intimidating or bullying us in whatever manner,” Onah wrote.
While no official response had been received from Prof. Girgih as at press time, National Record expressed hope for civility going forward and reiterated its commitment to its constitutional mandate as a stakeholder in the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
The letter reads in full:
Professor Abaham Tartenger Girgih
The Director-General
Directorate of Diaspora Linkages and investments
Makurdi, Benue State.
Dear Prof. Girgih;
THREATS ON OUR PERSONNEL AND ORGANISATION
On behalf of the Management of Contest Communications Limited, publishers of National Record, I bring you warm fraternal greetings.
We wish to express our dismay and concern over your threat on our Benue State Correspondent, Mr Amos Aar, in particular, and generally, our entire organisation, as contained in your rejoinder to a report we had published on challenges being faced by the agency which you head.
While it is within your right to respond to perceived misinformation or misrepresentation and distortion or outright fabrication, in any publication, it is, however, beyond that right to issue a threat as grave as “dire consequences”.
After the publication of the threat and other claims in your rejoinder, you again went ahead to issue what we deemed to be further grave threat when you stated: “…if you want it dirty, you will get it dirty”, among other words perceived as veiled threat, in a telephone conversation you had with our correspondent shortly after you may have read our follow-up report.
While we intend to take steps to formally note these threats before the appropriate security agencies, the Benue State Government under which you are serving, as well as our professional organisations nationally; we wish to inform you that the life of our Benue State Correspondent, Amos Aar, and our entire personnel, remains insecure in the context of your threats.
In that regard, we demand from you a written assurance of Mr Aar’s safety from harm and that of our other staff, and a further commitment to desist from harassing, heckling, intimidating or bullying us in whatever manner from carrying out our constitutional mandate as key stakeholders in the Fourth Estate of the Realm.
As we look forward to relating with you in formal, civilised manner, and prompt action on our demands, please, accept the assurances of our esteemed regards.
Iduh L. Onah
Editor-in-Chief
National Record (https://nationalrecord.com.ng)
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.
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.
‘If You Want It Dirty, You’ll Get It Dirty’, Benue Diaspora DG Escalates Threat Against National Record Reporter
PRCAN Congratulates Mrs. Bolajoko Bayo-Ajayi on Her Historic Election as President of NIMN
Obasanjo, Christ Embassy, and Eminent Nigerians Honour Pastor Sylvester Ebhodaghe at 50
LASG Acquires New Outboard Engines For Optimum Boat Performance
Elon Musk builds Hotel in Mars, Sets to launch soon at $5million per night – Photos
