LATEST TRENDS

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.

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.