Biafra Voice News

Twenty villages were set ablaze and at least four women burned alive, according to a Human Rights Watch report.

The alleged atrocities were part of an escalating conflict that began in late 2016 when an attempt to use English in classrooms and courts was violently repressed by the French-speaking government.

HRW identified several hundred homes across the 20 villages using satellite imagery and then collected testimony from residents who said security forces were responsible.

Its report also documented the burning of schools by armed separatists, in an apparent attempt to enforce their school boycott. Tens of thousands of Cameroonian children have not been able to attend school for the past two years.

The separatists’ numbers have increased as the violent repression continues, particularly since security forces killed dozens of protesters and wounded more than 100 others in October.

With hundreds in jail, and more than 180,000 displaced, many anglophones feel they have no choice but to fight.

In response to the HRW report, Cameroon’s government said the level of force it used remained “proportional to the extent of the threat”.

The report’s author, Jonathan Pedneault, said the government needed to “recognise the fact that its soldiers have committed severe abuses. It needs to order a stop to the abuses and ensure accountability for crimes”.

The Cameroonian military is dealing with multiple accusations of abuses. Four men were recently arrested in connection with a widely shared video showing two women and two children being killed by armed men, who accuse them on camera of being members of the extremist group Boko Haram.

The minister of communication, Issa Tchiroma, has denied the footage showed Cameroonian soldiers, while the minister of defence, Joseph Beti Assomo, has accused the writer and activist Patrice Nganang of creating the video in order to  “overwhelm” the armed forces.

Last week, as it travelled through the anglophone south-west region, although he and his six generals were travelling in an armour-plated vehicle with an armed escort, and their attackers had “homemade hunting guns”, so they escaped unharmed.

Paul Biya, who has ruled the country since 1982, has announced he is to run again for office. If he wins, he would be 92 by the end of a seventh presidential term.

Foreign companies, particularly those based in the United States of America, are complaining of pervasive corruption, poor judicial system, inconsistent regulations, and lack of transparency as hindrances to doing business with ease in Nigeria.

The complaints were contained in a report, ‘2018 Investment Climate Statements’ published by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, a copy of which was obtained by THISDAY on Saturday.

The latest report, which was released on Thursday, provided information on the business climates of more than 170 countries including Nigeria.

“Nigeria’s full market potential remains unrealised because of significant impediments such as pervasive corruption, inadequate power and transportation infrastructure, high energy costs, an inconsistent regulatory and legal environment, insecurity, a slow and ineffective bureaucracy and judicial system, and inadequate intellectual property rights protections and enforcement…. Nigeria’s underdeveloped power sector remains a particular bottleneck to broad-based economic development,” it said.

The report prepared by the US economic officers stationed in embassies and posts around the world examined matters like investment, legal and regulatory systems, dispute resolution, transparency, responsible business conduct, and corruption.

The document which acknowledged that Nigeria’s imports rose in 2017, largely as a result of the country’s gradual recovery from the 2015 economic recession, noted that US goods exports to Nigeria in that year were $2.16 billion, up nearly 60 per cent from the previous year.

While US imports from Nigeria were $7.05 billion, an increase of 68.7 per cent, it disclosed that “US exports to Nigeria are primarily refined petroleum products, used vehicles, cereals, and machinery.”

The US government further claimed: “Maritime criminality in Nigerian waters, including incidents of piracy and crew kidnap for ransom, has increased in recent years and law enforcement efforts have been limited or ineffectual. Onshore, international inspectors have voiced concerns over the adequacy of security measures at some Nigerian port facilities. Businesses report that bribery of customs and port officials remains common to avoid delays, and smuggled goods routinely enter Nigeria’s seaports and cross its land borders.”

The pointed out that corruption and lack of transparency in tender processes has been a far greater concern to US companies than any discriminatory policies based on foreign status.

It noted, “Government tenders are published in local newspapers, a ‘tenders’ journal sold at local newspaper outlets, and on occasionally in foreign journals and magazines. The Nigerian government has made modest progress on its pledge to conduct open and competitive bidding processes for government procurement.

“Reforms have also improved transparency in procurement by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC). Although US companies have won contracts in a number of sectors, difficulties in receiving payment are not uncommon and can inhibit firms from bidding.”

It further stated that agencies created to promote industrial exports were burdened by uneven management, vaguely-defined policy guidelines, and corruption.

“Nigeria’s inadequate power supply and lack of infrastructure and the associated high production costs leave Nigerian exporters at a significant disadvantage. Many Nigerian businesses fail to export because they find meeting international packaging and safety standards is too difficult or expensive…. The vast majority of Nigeria’s manufacturers remain unable to compete in the international market,” it said.

The report berated the country’s judicial system accusing it of allowing corruption to thrive, saying: “Nigeria has a complex, three-tiered legal system comprised English common law, Islamic law, and Nigerian customary law. The Nigerian court system is slow and inefficient, lacks adequate court facilities and computerized document-processing systems, and poorly remunerates judges and other court officials, all of which encourages corruption and undermines enforcement.”

Although Nigeria’s constitution and law provide for an independent judiciary, report concluded: “The judicial branch remains susceptible to pressure from the executive and legislative branches. Political leaders have influenced the judiciary, particularly at the state and local levels. Understaffing, underfunding, inefficiency, and corruption have at times prevented the judiciary from functioning adequately.”

 
There arose a great sword of war sharpen and ready to protect the indigenous people in a great land, whose land flourishing with milk and honey is about to be invaded by Fulani herdsmen terrorist.

The sword shall checkmate every corners and cranny of the land to litter and waste every garbages of the enemies it encounters the eyes of the enemies shall be plucked off while their heads will be hacked down by the warriors of justice.

The sword shall be a sword of justice for the unpressurized people and not a sword of injustice, else it's not a sword of justice.

It shall be a sword of stranded indigenous people, not a sword for hunting unarmed and defenceless people.

The sword shall bare the blood's of foes to the podium and bury every head of Fulani herdsmen terrorist in our land.

The sword shall slaughter every Fulani herdsmen armed with sophisticated weapon's to invade our land.

It shall slaughter the terrorist nearest to us and hack the head's of those afar,the sword  is taste and hungry of blood's and flesh of terrorist causing havoc in her land's, to appeal the sword of war and justice her sword must be stain with the blood's of her enemies while her soil nourishers the flesh.

The sword of justice is knocking on your door's calling and yowling for self _defence against the murderous rampaging Fulani herdsmen terrorist in her territory.

You must be truthful and pure in heart to accept the sword of war and justice, thy heart and hand's must be hardened and strong like that of a lion to spill the blood's of your enemies and slaughter their bodies.

Arise oh you warrior's of the land put on your shield and sword of war and protect your children from the impending doom that is about to befall us.

Sharpen your sword, oh you great mother's and women of the land for the enemies is fasting approaching to slaughter your children and defile your beautiful daughter's.

The sword of mass destruction has risen in the land to avenge the death of his people, oh yes the sword shall be with you very soon but my question to you is are you prepare?

The sword is in your heart and hand's go and sharpen yours and be ready for the war ahead.

I can hear the sword saying you must spill the blood's of his enemies with impunity because without shedding the blood's of her enemies our gallant heroes and heroin's will never forgive us, the time to slaughter these terrorist rampaging our lands is now or never.

In due time the sword shall cause havoc in the camp's of our enemies, while the spirit will descend on every indigenous people in the land for the task ahead.

Biafra the might sword of war is here to redeem his people and get justice for them.

ALERT! ALERT!! ALERT!!!

Information reaching Family Writers Press news desk has it that there is a serious crisis at the moment between the people of Obudu and Bekwara near Ogoja of Cross River State in Biafra Land and Tiv people of Vandekeiya and Ushongo of Benue State of Nigeria. According an eye witness, Comrade Odey Aturuogor from the area whom Family Writers Press contacted through phone calls, the crisis is caused by land dispute between the two people. From what we gathered, Nigeria Army and police are spotted siding the Tiv people to be killing the people of Obudu instead of making peace. Another call made to a resident of Obanliku, a place severely effected by the crisis, Mr Poland Ugeche Samuel Peter, to get his own side of the account but his phone number was not connecting. More information coming from there........

Mazi Onyebuchi Eze reporting for Family Writers Press

The foremost Biafra movement, the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra [IPOB] have labeled the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague and the African Judges at the ICC, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji and Madame Fatou Bensouda as a disgrace to the hallowed chambers of the ICC for the recent invitation extended to the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for a lecture on anti-corruption.

IPOB made this known through a press statement signed by the publicity secretary, Emma Powerful and made available to reporters. The press statement condemned the continued illegalities of the Buhari led administration in its continued detention of IPOB members, Sheikh El-Zakzaki and former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki – even after court rulings granting them bail.

According to the statement, “the family members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and it’s leadership worldwide condemn in the strongest possible terms, the statement credited to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Alhaji Mallami over the refusal of this Buhari’ administration to obey multiple court orders to release both Sheikh El-Zakzaki and former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki from extra judicial detention. The most recent ruling by Hon. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court Abuja admitting Dasuki on bail has once again been ignored, so has numerous pronouncements by the courts to set Sheik El-Zakzaki free. This flagrant disobedience of the rule of law is not only shameful but also an impeachable offence.”

“Coming at the heels of ‘Buhari’s’ lecture at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague on the virtues of rule of law and the commitment of his government to adhere to court orders, it is hypocritical and criminal for the those that invited ‘Buhari’ to address them at the Hague conference to keep silent as rule of law is being destroyed in Nigeria. The black African President of the ICC Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji and the equally black African Chief Prosecutor of the court Madame Fatou Bensouda must cover their faces in shame for inviting a man they know doesn’t obey the law to address them on the need for a government to adhere to the rule of law.”

“Should Africans be overlooked in the future for such sensitive appointments such as the ICC President or Chief Prosecutor, Afrucans should not complain of racism because such sensitive offices should be reserved for not only brilliant legal minds but also those who cannot be swayed by sentimental or material considerations. Inviting Buhari to address the ICC when he has steadfastly refused to obey the law when it comes to Col. Dasuki, Sheikh El-Zakzaky and many IPOB detainees is the greatest mistake the court has ever made.”

It doesn’t speak well of the diplomatic community in Nigeria either, especially Britain, the colonial master and creator, to maintain a deafening silence in the face of unbridled tyranny. If Britain can offer its public opinion on the probity or lack of, in the conduct of elections in Ekiti State, surely it has a moral obligation to admonish the ‘Buhari’ government on its refusal to obey the law. Refusal to obey any given court order is reaffirmation that Nigeria is only practicing paper democracy not in deed.

Anywhere on earth the government is above the law,  that society seizes to be regarded as democratic. A US president obeys court orders, so does a British Prime Minister, why not ‘Buhari’. Therefore those presently referring to Nigeria as a democracy are knowingly and wilfully misleading the public, because democracies obey the rule of law.

When an Attorney General of a country proudly stand up to defend what is in essence indefensible, one is bound to question the collective mental ability of such a society and wonder if indeed they are civilised.

Courage means standing up for what is right, especially in defence of those who cannot defend themselves regardless of ethnicity, religion or orientation. That is what IPOB was created for and what it will continue to uphold until Biafra is restored and beyond.

A race of people without conscience, as demonstrated by the two black principal officers of ICC that invited a dictator like Buhari to address them, could not possibly serve any useful purpose beyond servitude. If in the future black Africans are denied the opportunity to serve at such lofty levels, let no one cry racism.

Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji and Madame Fatou Bensouda have brought shame and dishonour to a hallowed institution like the ICC by inviting a dictator they know doesn’t obey the law, to address them. The very least they can now do, along with the diplomatic community of civilised nations resident in Nigeria, is to prevail upon ‘Buhari’ to release Col. Dasuki and Sheikh El-Zakzaky without further delay as ordered by various law courts of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Nigeria Bar Association, National Judicial Council (NJC) and the entire judicial machinery in Nigeria should consider going on strike as a way of forcing this government to obey judicial pronouncements.