News
Buhari’s Govt Too Tribal, Corrupt -MASSOB
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), yesterday, accused President Muhammadu Buhari of running a tribal and corrupt government.
MASSOB also claimed that going by happenings in the country, President Muhammdu Buhari could be Nigeria’s last President.
The pro-Biafra group made the claims in a statement made available to newsmen by its Leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, where he said Buhari was not fighting corruption but was favouring his kinsmen against other parts of the country.
Madu said rather than work as a leader for all the sections of the country, Buhari was pursuing ethnic and religious agenda.
He said that “President Buhari have shown to the world that he is an unrepentant and resolute promoter of Islamic fundamentalism.”
He further alleged that under the current administration, “the people of Biafra, Middle Belt and Oduduwa have watched, seen and experienced the unleashing of terrorist and genocidal wars, with the backing of Nigeria security agencies manned by Buhari’s kinsmen against the armless and innocent citizens of Biafra, Oduduwa and Middle Belt.
“The consciousness for survival of the people of Biafra, Oduduwa and Middle Belt have been reawakened and charged for self-defense and self-determination.
“We insist that President Buhari shall be the last president of this geographical expression called Nigeria because 2019 will surely manifest the last doom of Nigeria,” the statement predicted.
On corruption in governance, Madu said “since the inception of democratic rule in Nigeria, the country has never been run in such high magnitude of illiterate tribal domination and corrupt tendencies.
“Records have it that President Olusegun Obasanjo sacked his IGP Tafa Balogun for corruption. He backed the impeachment of the then Senate President, Adolphus Wabara for corruption allegations. He also sacked his own ministers, Fabian Osuji, S.M. Afolabi, Hussein Akwanga, Tim Menakaya, etc for corruption cases. He also sacked Mrs Mobolaji Osomo for administrative infraction.
“The same way, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua sacked Mrs Adenike Grant as minister of health for administrative infraction.
“It is on records that President Goodluck Jonathan also sacked Stella Odua for corruption allegations, though she was one of the most powerful ministers in President Jonathan’s administration.
“President Jonathan also sacked Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina as the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reform for issues of corruption.”
“Who has President Muhammadu Buhari sacked for the reported cases of corruption and infraction in his government?”, he queried.
He added that “on the case of former SGF, Babachir Lawal, we wish to remind Nigerians that the same President Buhari wrote the Senate, defended and exonerated Babachir of all wrongdoings levelled against him. It was the cries of citizens that forced him to sack Babachir, and have him replaced with his own brother, Boss Mustapha. In other words, Babachir brought his own replacement.
“MASSOB wishes to remind the citizens that Buhari also re-appointed the sacked corrupt men as a compensation for being Fulanis after they were all sacked for corruption and violation of their oaths of office.
“Abdulrasheed Maina was the chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reform. He was secretly recalled and reinstated by President Buhari. He was even promoted to the position of director in charge of Human Resources in the Ministry of Interior. Maina was dismissed by President Jonathan in 2013 following recommendations by the Office of the Head of Service. He was accused of stealing about N100billion from the pension fund.
“Zakari Biu (CP) was dismissed following his complicity in the escape from police detention of notorious Boko Haram suspect, Kabiru Sokoto. He was reinstated and promoted to the rank of AIG by President Buhari before he was gloriously retired from active service.
“Prof Usman Yusuf (NHIS boss) was accused of squandering over N997 million from the scheme’s intervention fund. Investigation was carried out and he was dully sacked by the minister of health, but because he is President Buhari’s brother, he was recently reinstated.
“We know that President Buhari is not fighting corruption or upholding rule of law, but using the estate called Nigeria to enrich and project his Fulani kinsmen against the rest of the citizens.
“President Buhari’s government has finally exposed the fraudulent foundation of the British establishment called Nigeria,” MASSOB stated.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.