Nation
Afenifere Faults Buhari’s Shoot-At-Sight Order In S’East
Apex Yoruba association, Afenifere, has described the shoot-on-sight order given to soldiers in the South-East by President Muhammadu Buhari as a move that would further threaten the unity and ruptured peace in the country.
The order, which was given to the soldiers who are predominantly Northerners without first exploring the option of dialogue, the association maintained, had further fuelled the suspicion that Buhari did not consider the life of another ethnic group sacred but that of Fulani, his kinsmen.
The leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, stated this in a statement signed by the association’s Publicity Secretary, Mr Jare Ajayi, yesterday.
With the inconsiderate order, Afenifere expressed fear that the “fate of the people of the South-East amid clear and present animus, arising from the deeds and words coming from Buhari, now appeared to be in a certain jeopardy.
“The rising hostility against the South-East zone since the beginning of the Buhari administration has now become a matter of great concern to Afenifere, as this reality should also become a major concern of other stakeholders in the Nigerian project”.
The Afenifere leader, who described the order as “artless and heartless”, said it was targeted at protesting Igbo youths.
Adebanjo also noted that from the moment Buhari became president, his “disposition toward the Igbo, a demonstration of his own admission of 95/5%, has been against the posting of northern soldiers to kill at every opportunity, Igbo youths, his mode of engagement in the South-East zone has been this decisive, no dialogue, no civil discourse, just the gun and bullet approach.”
Apparently sensing some foul play, Adebanjo observed that the same fate did not apply to Buhari’s Fulani ethnic group.
He said the Fulani as exemplified by the herders, was the fourth deadliest terrorist group as determined by Global Terrorism Index, the international body that monitors terrorism all over the world.
“Whereas Buhari allows his Fulani people to roam freely, killing, maiming, raping, protecting, prevaricating to the Fulani herders without a restraining order, the Igbo youths he orders his mainly northern military to kill on sight.”
In what Adebanjo described as a “devious plot”, he recalled the genocide in Benue a few years back in which the Fulani killed in their hundreds the innocent citizens of that state.
“Adebanjo, as one of the leaders of Southern and Middle Belt Forum that travelled to Makurdi on that occasion, observed firsthand the positive identification of the killers by the Benue State Government and despite the incontrovertible identity of the killers, all Buhari had to say to the governor, was, “accommodate your neighbour”.
”Adebanjo decried the situation where two sets of laws exist in this country — a set of laws where the Fulani go scot-free and another, that the life of others, especially that of the Igbo, does not matter.
“Take a look at the security council, no Igbo man is a member of Buhari’s security architecture… Is that how to run a multi-ethnic multi-religious country like Nigeria? The Afenifere leader asked pertinently”.
Earlier, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, raised fresh worries over the directive to contain the tension when it condemned the “shoot on sight” order, insisting that it clearly confirmed the uneven handed way the Federal Government had been treating matters affecting the people of the zone.
Quoting an earlier report, Ohanaeze insisted that the way and manner soldiers were carrying out their duties in the zone in the guise of checking insecurity, indicated that a plot was afoot that could trigger “another pogrom and genocide in the zone.
“The pattern of deployment of northern military officers to the southeast lends credence to the above report. It was revealed that in preparation for the above, the Nigerian Army has posted Northern Muslims as commanders over its operations and brigades in Anambra, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Benue, Edo, Delta, and Rivers states.
“In Anambra, the Cantonment Commandant of the 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, is Col. Abdulsalam Sambo, a northern Muslim; in Imo, the Commander of 34 Brigade, Obinze, is Brig-Gen Ibrahim Tukura, another Muslim; in Abia, the Commander of 14 Brigade, Ohafia, is Brig-Gen M. Ibrahim, a northerner, while in Akwa Ibom, the Commander of 2 Brigade, Uyo, is Brig-Gen Faruk Mijinyawa, another northerner. This is truly worrisome”, Ohaneze had stated.
In his concluding treatise on the “shoot-on-sight order, the Afenifere leader also said, “one will assume that Nigeria is now a theatre of bloodshed as our streets are now lined with the blood of innocent Nigerians not paved with the gold Buhari promised Nigerians with his mantra of Change…
“With this draconian order, no opposition member is safe. To prevent yet another looming massacre in the South-East zone, therefore, Afenifere leader has urged other leaders in the other zones to condemn the shoot-on-sight order.
“The President must be told that if he is sincere about the peace and unity of this country, his reckless and draconian order should be revoked forthwith. Certainly, if the President has no hidden agenda, there are more civilized and democratic ways to beef up the security in the South-East.”
Rivers State University and the Otonti Nduka Foundation for Values Education jointly hosted a two-day National Conference on 8 and 9 May 2026 to examine the state of values in Nigeria.
The two days conference held at Rivers State University convocation arena brought together academics, policymakers, legal experts and education leaders under the theme _“Trends and Challenges in Upholding Values in Nigeria.”_
The gathering focused on policy gaps, curriculum reform, and the role of ethics in public service and education.
The event opened on Friday with remarks from Vice Chancellor Prof. Chief Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who stressed the need to address declining moral and civic values across Nigeria’s education and public sectors. A book of abstracts for the plenary sessions was also presented to participants.
Key speakers included former Attorney General Chief Dr Kanu Agabi, SAN; NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Shehu Salisu; Prof. Hauwa Imam, FNAE, of the University of Abuja; former Rivers SUBEB Chairman Ven Dr Fyneface Akah, ; former NIMASA DG Dr Hon. Dakuku Adol-Peterside; and RSU Director of ICT Prof. Sunny Orike.
Discussions centered on integrating values education into schools, tertiary institutions and public institutions, alongside the impact of technology on moral development among young Nigerians. Panel and plenary sessions produced practical recommendations for curriculum and policy reform.
On Saturday, the foundation marked its centenary with the unveiling of the book _Otonti Nduka in History_, launched by Chief Engr. Grant Offor, FNSE. The Nigerian Academy of Education held a ceremonial procession led by its President Prof. Olu Jegede and the Ikwerre Professors Forum.
In a communiqué, participants called for stronger collaboration between government, civil society and academia to mainstream values education nationwide. They recommended reviewing teacher training curricula and expanding digital platforms to promote ethical civic engagement, with the foundation pledging to share the outcomes with education authorities for implementation.
Dignitaries present included Ogbakor Ikwerre Worldwide as Chief Host, Prof. Emeritus Chief T. Uzodimma Nwala, the Ikenga 1 of Mbaise and first philosophy student of Prof. Otonti Nduka, alongside scholars and community leaders.
Amadi Akujobi
The Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, in partnership with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, has reaffirmed support for efforts to expand gas distribution infrastructure in Rivers State as part of initiatives aimed at improving access to affordable, cleaner and more reliable energy for industries across the South-South region.
The commitment was highlighted during the SNG–MAN Business Forum held in Port Harcourt, where stakeholders from the industrial and public sectors examined the role of natural gas in driving industrialisation, boosting local production and strengthening energy security.
Speaking at the forum on behalf of the Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Gas Limited, the company’s Head of Gas Distribution, Mr. Chukwuka Amos Ejesi, described natural gas as a critical component of Nigeria’s energy mix and a key driver of sustainable industrial growth.
According to him, Nigeria’s gas development agenda has reached a stage where policy direction must be matched with practical implementation capable of addressing the energy challenges confronting manufacturers.
He noted that pipeline gas offers industries a cleaner, more dependable and cost-effective energy alternative capable of supporting uninterrupted operations, reducing emissions and improving production efficiency.
“Gas is the backbone of manufacturing, and we are encouraged by the growing recognition among stakeholders of the need for cleaner and more reliable energy solutions,” he said.
Ejesi stressed the need for sustained collaboration among energy providers, government institutions and industrial stakeholders to maximise the country’s gas resources for economic development.
He added that improved gas infrastructure would strengthen manufacturing value chains, enhance productivity and promote more competitive industrial operations across Rivers State and the wider South-South region.
Participants at the forum also emphasised the importance of expanding energy infrastructure as a pathway to unlocking industrial capacity, reducing operating costs and promoting sustainable industrial development.
Representing Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Director-General of the Rivers State Investment Promotion Agency, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to partnering with private sector investors to revitalise industrial activities in the state.
He identified key projects targeted under the initiative to include the revival of the Ahoada Industrial Park, the New Port City project and the proposed Bonny Industrial Park, all aimed at stimulating economic growth and expanding industrial opportunities along the Bonny corridor.
According to the governor, the long-term vision is to position Rivers State as a leading manufacturing hub in Southern Nigeria through strategic public-private partnerships.
Governor Fubara also commended Shell Nigeria Gas and MAN for sustaining engagements geared towards improving industrial energy access, noting that gas infrastructure development remains central to the state’s economic recovery plans.
He further observed that the gas sector presents enormous opportunities for economic growth, especially as global energy systems continue to shift towards cleaner energy sources.
The governor called on stakeholders to work collectively towards developing a practical and sustainable gas framework capable of supporting the state’s industrial and energy development objectives.
Chairman of MAN, Rivers and Bayelsa Branch, Elder Vincent Okuku, described gas as indispensable to industrial operations, noting that many manufacturers continue to struggle with the high cost of alternative energy sources.
Similarly, President of the Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Chinyere Ngozi Nwoga, said the transition to natural gas had become increasingly necessary for businesses seeking stable and cost-efficient operations.
“Pipeline natural gas provides a more cost-effective and reliable source of energy for industries,” she stated.
Also speaking, former Chairman of MAN in Rivers and Bayelsa States, Mrs. Emilia Akpan, stressed the need to align energy infrastructure development with investment in human capacity.
She maintained that rebuilding the state’s economy would require not only reliable energy supply but also the development of technical skills needed to support long-term industrial growth.
By Kevin Nengia
The City Boy Movement in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers state has commended Senator Allwell Onyesoh on his victory in the APC primary election for Rivers East Senatorial District.
Chairman of the group in Etche, Dr. Fortune Uchenna Obi, spoke to journalists in Okehi Ward after participating in Monday’s direct primary. He described Onyesoh’s emergence as the party’s candidate for the 2027 senatorial election as a reflection of the people’s will.
Dr. Obi said the senator has performed well during his first term and deserves re-election. He also thanked FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, leader of the Renewed Hope Agenda and Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, for supporting Onyesoh’s candidacy. According to him, Wike’s backing was instrumental to the senator’s nomination, clearance, and victory at the primary.
He further praised voters in Etche and across Rivers East for turning out in large numbers at ward centers and urged them to sustain the support to ensure Onyesoh’s success in the January 2027 general election.
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