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Senate President Bukola Saraki on Monday faulted the declaration by the Nigerian military that the Indigenous People of Biafra is a terrorist organisation and the ban placed on the group’s activities by South-East Governors, saying due process was not followed. “The announcement of the proscription of the group known as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by Governors of the South-east states and the categorisation of the group as a ‘terrorist organisation’ by the Nigerian military are unconstitutional and does not follow due process,” Saraki said in a statement on Monday. “Our laws make clear provisions for taking such actions and without the due process being followed, such declaration cannot have effect. I am sure the President will do the needful by initiating the right process.” The Senate President believes that “initiating the right process” will go a long way in demonstrating to the world at large that Nigeria “is a c...

Nigeria's Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has urged military officers to support the Federal Government's effort in the war against Boko Haram insurgency and other emerging security challenges confronting the nation. Vice President Osinbajo spoke on Saturday during the passing out parade of military cadets of the 64 Regular Course and Direct Short Service Course 44 at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), in Kaduna. He was the reviewing officer of the parade said the new military officers must defeat the ideologies that promote mindless killings and anarchy, adding that Nigeria is confronted by enemies whose identities and motivations are unknown. Addressing the new officers, Osinbajo, said technology has advanced to the stage whereby people can now learn production of explosive devices on the internet, hence he urged the military to be more proactive in defeating ideologies that promote mindless killings and anarchy.

Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, says the country does not require any international help to curtail any threats posed by the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). Onyeama, at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday evening, said the threat from the self-agitation group would be handled. “IPOB is as of now an internal threat and Nigeria does not need international assistance to resolve it,” the minister said. According to him, IPOB is different from the Boko Harm terrorists which main aim was to capture territory and to kill innocent people. Onyeama said that Nigeria's population were young and restless over the state of the economic system which is why Nigeria faces a migration issue. He said, "If we can get the economy right and we can get the good governance to our people, we believe that most of our problems would be taken care of."

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to summon a Council of State meeting to advise him on the crisis in the South-East. The Council of State is an advisory body which comprises former Presidents, serving governors, the Chief Justice of Nigeria and a few other prominent Nigerians. The former President said in a Facebook post that the tension across the country was unfortunate even as he condemned the burning of a police station by the Indigenous People of Biafra members. He also condemned the threat to human life by several elements across Nigeria. Jonathan said, “The reports I have received about recent developments in the country lead me to appeal to all men of good will to use whatever influence they have to push for peaceful coexistence and restraint on all sides.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to dialogue with the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, to curb the secessionist agitations instead of the deployment of soldiers to the South-East. Obasanjo said this during an interview with Newsweek Magazine. Ironically, Kanu, had in the past called Obasanjo an “evil man”. The former President said, “I don’t see anything wrong in that (Buhari meeting with Kanu). I would not object to that; if anything, I would encourage it. He said, “I would want to meet Kanu myself and talk to people like him, people of his age, (and ask) ‘What are your worries?’ Not only from the South-East but from all parts of Nigeria. Obasanjo, who led the final offensive that brought the civil war to an end in 1970, said he had seen too many wars and it was time for Nigeria to move on.

They called on the leaders of IPOB and all other aggrieved groups to articulate their position on all national issues and submit to the committee of governors, Ohaneze Ndigbo, and the members of the National Assembly from the zone through the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum. The governors of the five South-East states took the decision during a five-hour closed-door meeting at the Government House in Enugu, which was attended by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo John Nwodo, and the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lt-Gen, Adamu Abubakar. Among the resolutions made during the meeting is an appeal to the President to withdraw the military in the South East at the moment.

The Nigerian Army has described, as untrue, media reports saying it has decided to withdraw troops from Exercise Egwu Eke II (Python Dance II) across the five states of the South-East. The reports, it said, falsely quoted the Abia State governor, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu, and the General Officer Commanding 82 Division Nigerian Army as having provided the information on which they were based. In a statement signed by Brigadier-General SK Usman, the Army called on the general public to treat the reports as an unfounded rumour. "For the avoidance of doubt, the Abia State Governor in his speech stated that 'there will be a gradual withdrawal of soldiers on the streets of Aba and Umuahia from tomorrow'. This should not be misconstrued as withdrawing of troops earmarked for Exercise Egwu Eke II. The General Officer Commanding 82 Division has not said such thing," explained the Army.