COVER
Outrage Over IPOB Attack on Ekweremadu
-Panic Grips South East Governors
-It’s Shameful- FG
By Jude Opara, Abuja with Agency reports
Anger and outrage have trailed Saturday’s attack on immediate past Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany, by alleged members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), while participating in Iri Iji Festival of Igbo in the Diaspora.
While Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu on Sunday, described the attack as a ‘courageous act’ and ‘polite warning’, the Federal Government has condemned the attack, saying it was shameful and pathetic.
Reacting in his official Twitter page, Kanu said: “the courageous act by IPOB at Nürnberg Germany is a polite warning to those engaged in selling our collective interest to Fulani caliphate.
Nwodo, Igbo governors are warned.”Meanwhile, panic has gripped south-east governors and other politicians over the attack with some reportedly cancelling scheduled foreign trips.
In a statement in Abuja the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the incident was an embarrassment to the country.
She said: “It is also shamefully pathetic that an event, which was nobly put together by the Ndi-Igbo community whose members make up the majority of Nigerians living in Germany, ended up in such a disgraceful manner.”
Dabiri-Erewa noted that the event was to provide a forum for the Diasporans and various stakeholders to network and facilitate a better cooperation between German and Nigerian businesses.
She disclosed that some of the culprits who perpetrated the act had been apprehended.
She also appealed to Nigerians to be of good behavior wherever they find themselves as such unruly incidents tarnish the image of the country.
Also the House of Representatives says it will probe the attack when it resumes from vacation.
The Chairman, House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Buba Yakub made the disclosure in a statement he personally signed on Sunday on the heels of the attack.
Condemning in strong terms the assault, Yakub said that there were other civilized ways within a democratic setting to show grievances by any individuals or groups.
The federal lawmakers hinted the House upon resumption in September would thoroughly investigate the matter, urging the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Maitama Tugger to immediately probe the issue with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
Attackers Must Face Justice – Buba
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Yusuf Buba, said the attackers must face justice.
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Buba urged Nigeria’s Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Yusuf Tugga, to ensure the attackers are made to face justice.
Buba said given the high personality profile and the public service record which Ekweremadu parades, it was unthinkable for any individual or group anywhere in the world to attack him in such a manner.
According to Buba, his very own people in the Diaspora who ought to know better to contemplate carried out the despicable public act of shame that was brought upon a well-respected national leader.
Buba described Ekweremadu as an accomplished scholar in the legal profession and a political leader of high standing in society.
Attack unjustified – PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said Saturday’s attack is unjustified.
The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Sunday, said the attack was uncalled for, unprovoked and unjustified.
It said such assault on a leader was “completely unacceptable and does not portray our nation in proper light”.
Ologbondiyan urged the Nigerian Ambassador to Germany and the German Government to take appropriate decisive action on the matter.
“The party also urges the Federal Government, particularly, the National
Assembly, to take urgent comprehensive step to address issues leading to acts of resentment and agitations by Nigerians within and outside the country.”
Also, Chief Austin Umahi, the National Vice-Chairman, PDP South East zone, called for the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators to serve as deterrent to others.
Umahi advised any individual or group with any genuine reason to agitate to do so through the South-East Governors Forum, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other legitimate means within the Nigerian federation; rather than resort to self-help.
IPOB threats empty – Umahi
Reacting to the incident on Sunday in Abakaliki, the Chairman of the forum, Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi, said that the attack was unnecessary.
In a statement issued by Mr. Emmanuel Uzor, his Chief Press Secretary, Umahi said that the issue of insecurity in the southeast, cited by the group as its reason, was not peculiar to the zone.
He stated that insecurity was a national issue, which rested squarely on the Federal Government’s control.
He further stated that the governors of the southeast had no issues with IPOB to warrant the group’s threat to attack them anywhere abroad.
The governor described the threat as “empty,” saying that the group lacked the power to track the governors around the globe.
“They have no spread and power to do so because they cannot see any governor to attack,” he said.
He opined that the group’s directive to its members to attack them would add no value toward the realisation of the agitation for Biafra.
“The IPOB members abroad should come home and settle any issues they hold against the governors, instead of doing so in a foreign land.
“Attacking governors in a foreign land is a wild goose chase. We love the IPOB members because they are our children,” he stated.
Umahi further noted that IPOB could not achieve Biafra alone except it collaborated with all the critical stakeholders, including the governors.
“They don’t need to attack the governors to achieve Biafra and we warn them not to allow political opportunists to use them to destroy the zone.
“They should unite and work with the governors and Ohaneze Ndigbo to achieve a president of Igbo extraction in 2023, instead of fighting the governors.
“We want them to be close to us, instead of taking the struggle to international arena,” the governor said.
We can’t achieve Biafra like this – MASSOB
Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) condemned the attack and said Biafra cannot be achieved in this way.
MASSOB spokesman, Samuel Edeson in statement on Sunday said it was disheartening that some groups have turned the non violent struggle for the actualization of Biafra state into an abusive and systematic gestapo against the citizens of Biafra.
Ohanaeze youths call for abolition, not suspension of RUGA (Opens in a new browser tab)
It described the physical attack on Ike Ekweremadu by IPOB as not commendable, noting that Igbo culture abhors disrespect of elders and persons in authority.
The group said that if actually Senator Ekweremadu was sabotaging or has sabotaged Biafra struggle as alleged by IPOB, the Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB did not take meaningful and acceptable steps to draw the attention of Ekweremadu to the alleged degradation.
Edeson said: “MASSOB as a leading figure of current Biafra agitation advice other pro Biafra groups including IPOB that Igbo political leaders are not the major obstacle of our chances of achieving independence from Nigeria state.
“The major hurdle militating against the freedom of Biafra people from Nigeria is non cohesion and brotherhood among the leaders of leading pro Biafra groups.
“The tendency of superiority complex on ideology and the spirit of lordship over others are the detrimental tendencies grossly affecting the freedom of Biafrans.
“Ike Ekweremadu and other perceived and alleged enemies of Biafra are not our major obstacle against Biafra. IPOB can never actualize Biafra alone, neither MASSOB, LNC, BNC, BIM nor others operating individually can’t achieve Biafra alone.
“Biafra will be more achievable when a strong coalition of MASSOB, IPOB, Lower Niger Congress, BNC, BIM and others from Niger Delta regions are established under a collegiate leadership
“The tendency of grooming authoritarian leadership under any guise in Igbo land and Biafra in general will never be tolerated because the republican nature of Igbo man does not allow such authoritative and empirical rulership.
An embarrassment to Igbo nation – APC
The South-East APC Young Progressive Forum says such action was not in the character of the Igbo.
Leader of the group, Comrade Otimkpu Paschal said it was against Igbo’s core values and respect for elders for IPOB members to treat Ekweremadu that way.
He said: “This is barbaric and unacceptable. The incident was an embarrassment to the Igbo nation and the country at large.
“It is also shamefully pathetic that an event, which was nobly put together by the Igbo community whose members make up the majority of Nigerians living in Germany, ended up in such a disgraceful manner. Obviously, this is not how to repay a man, who has contributed his quota to the nation -building.
“Irrespective of political affiliation, Senator Elweremadu is an outstanding leader in Enugu and Nigeria and an unpretentious Igbo leader.
“We may not agree with him politically because of differences in parties, but this is the highest height of insult on Igbo leaders. Last time it was former Governor Rochas Okorocha at Chetham’s House London. Today, it is Senator Dr Ike Ekweremadu.
“It is most worrisome and even inconceivable that the attackers chose a great occasion where our people were celebrating and showcasing our rich cultural heritage (the New Year Festival) to exhibit such unbecoming and condemnable conduct in the name of agitation.”
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils. The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.
The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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