EX-VC slams S'east governors, Army over proscription of IPOB
THE former vice chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state, Professor Ilochi A. Okafor (SAN) has taken a swipe on the Southeast governors for proscribing all activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by Nnamdi Kanu.
Ilochi also faulted the position of the Nigerian Armed forces declaring IPOB as a terrorist group.
The legal luminary took the stand in a speech he delivered at the Anambra State Judiciary Legal Year in Awka yesterday, insisting that "we cannot justify the Army subjecting defenseless youths" who are not armed to physical torture, denigrating their dignity, and forcing them to drink and eventually drown in muddy waters.
He described the military action as inhuman, barbaric and senseless and queried, which organization has been declared a terrorist group in Nigeria? Ilochi warned that no nation with the diversity and conflict that exist within Nigeria has ever survive as a nation unless in a very loose federation or confederation.
Describing himself as a scholar of constitutional Law, the former Vice Chancellor expressed the view that suppressing violently the self-determination group is likely to kill the agitation for restructuring in Nigeria.
According to him: "Nigeria is doomed as a nation sooner unless there is restructure to return the nation to loose federation.” He called on the leaders to “listen to our youths.”
He added: "The spirit of Biafra is in the soul of every Igbo man or woman, saying that the movement is an ideology which is devoid of geography.
"Despite the verbal violent and grandiose rhetoric of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, the group is not a terrorist organization. No person has been killed by IPOB. Its rallies have been heavily crowded but it has not been shown that any person carried or discharge weapons."
Earlier in his address, the Chief Judge of Anambra State, Hon. Justice Peter N.C Umeadi, disclosed that a total of 2,140 judiciary staff members were captured between June 7th and 16th 2017 through a biometrics exercise, with 42 of its members yet to be accounted for while the verification is ongoing.
He said the yet to be accredited persons could have married and follow their spouses elsewhere, they could have gotten better jobs or may have relocated to somewhere else. "As I am speaking, there are no ghost workers in the Judiciary of Anambra State. The systematic overhaul of Court infrastructure has continued. We have on record that all the 27 High Court Judges and 62 magistrates of different cadre are equipped with the highly rated law pavilion software," Justice Umeadi said.
Chinese envoy, Lagos Speaker, others laud China-nigeria bilateral ties
THE Chinese Consul General, Chao Xiaoliang, has commended the cordial relationship between China and Nigeria and the strategic partnership, which has witnessed tangible progress made by the two countries.
At a reception to mark the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China in Lagos, he noted that the partnership between the two nations has made them to enjoy a comprehensive and rapid development.
Xiaoliang said last April, President Muhammadu Buhari paid a successful state visit to China, which boosted the bilateral ties between the countries. He added that more Chinese enterprises and citizens invest, work and live in Nigeria, thereby contributing to the social and economic development of Africa’s most populous country.
The envoy, who stated that China has experienced a remarkable journey over the past 68 years, added that under the strong leadership of the Communist Party, the Chinese people have made efforts to turn the povertystricken country to the sec- ond largest economy in the world.
Noting that the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is expected to hold on October 18 in Beijing, Xiaoliang believes that with the promotion and implementation of its resolutions, the Chinese people will make efforts to create a brighter future for their nation.
Despite the sluggish world’s economy, the Chinese economy has maintained a momentum of steady and sound growth of about 30 per cent this year compared to the world’s economy, the envoy said.