The Average Foreigner Thinks Nigeria Is All About 419 and Terrorism - Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has charged Nigeria’s ambassadors to market the positive values of the country, saying foreigners think it is all about 419, corruption and militancy.

In a statement issued by Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, on Monday, Buhari also expressed optimism that the current recession would ebb in 2017.

Speaking in Abuja while declaring open an induction course organised by the ministry of foreign affairs for Nigerian career ambassadors-designate who were recently cleared by the senate, the president said: “We are optimistic that the external factors that partly contributed to push our economy into recession will ebb in 2017. Until then, I regret that the resources available to fund our missions abroad will not be as robust as we would like.

“We are working hard to turn around our national economy by effectively reforming our macroeconomic environment through measures, some of which were outlined in my budget speech to the national assembly last week.”

Buhari, who said the prevailing economic circumstances have led to a restructuring of Nigerian missions abroad, reminded the ambassadors-designate that , “as we are all making great sacrifices at home, we also expect you to similarly make judicious use of the resources put at the disposal of your missions”.

“As heads of missions, you will be held accountable for the utilisation of all resources under your control. These are lean times, and all of us are expected to do more with less,” he said.

He specifically charged the ambassadors-designate to change the narrative of Nigeria outside the country by playing up the positive values and outstanding contributions of Nigerians in the global arena.


“I want to emphasise your duty to change the narrative of Nigeria as seen by the outside world. For far too long, we have allowed Nigeria to be defined by others, always emphasising our negatives. To the average foreigner, Nigeria evokes 419, terrorism, militancy, communal and religious clashes, insecurity, corruption and all our other faults,” he said.

“You have the duty to correct this narrative by taking the initiative to define and portray our country for what it truly is. We are a nation of 180 million vibrant, enterprising, hardworking, hospitable and peaceful people. We are a remarkable nation that has succeeded in harnessing our multiple diversities as strengths such that we are the leading country on the continent. Therefore, you will need to mobilise, sensitise and motivate all your staff so that together you engage with your host governments, the private sector and other segments of the society to explain that Nigeria is much more than the negative image portrayed to them.”

Buhari also enjoined them to leverage on the achievements of Nigerians within the country and in the Diaspora.

“Think of people like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Chinedu Echeruo who founded Hotspot application which he sold to Apple for over a billion Dollars; think of Bayo Ogunlesi, who runs over a billion Dollar Infrastructure Fund and is now Adviser to US President-elect; and Jelani Aliyu, an accomplished car designer at General Motors. Indeed, these and other hardworking Nigerian professionals in the Diaspora have never forgotten their roots and have been making significant contributions to their communities back home, and even to our economy through their huge remittances,” he said.

He urged them to sustain the “work ethic characterised by the love of country, professionalism, excellence, integrity and honour associated with the “Nigerian diplomatic tradition established in 1957 by the pioneers of the Nigerian foreign service, sometimes referred to as the ‘Twelve Apostles’ and also ‘bequeath same to succeeding generations.’”

Buhari also told them to stress Nigeria’s commitment to international peace and security through contributions “to nearly every UN peacekeeping initiative since 1960 when we achieved our independence. In addition, we are the stabilisers and shock absorbers of West Africa having helped to contain potentially de-stabilising developments in the sub-region”.

He urged the ambassadors–designate always to be mindful of the national priorities that “revolve around the economy, security, anti-corruption, good governance, agricultural transformation and infrastructural development, including rail, roads and power”, and use their roles “as principal representatives to build meaningful partnerships to attract foreign investments, new skills and technologies”.

He emphasised that “as Nigerian ambassadors, you must set the standard of putting Nigeria first in all your actions. You must show leadership, fairness and justice to all. Discipline, probity, accountability and zero tolerance for corruption must be your watchwords. You are expected to project the best image and traditions of our country in your conduct and all you do”.

-TheCable

BREAKING: Finally, Donald Trump Secures Presidency After 'Phenomenal' Win of Electoral College Vote

There were many protesters Monday as electoral voters cast their votes Donald Trump won the Electoral College vote Monday — ensuring he will become America's 45th president.

An effort by anti-Trump forces to persuade Republican electors to abandon the president-elect came to practically nothing and the process unfolded largely according to its traditions.

Trump's polarizing victory Nov. 8 and the fact Democrat Hillary Clinton had won the national popular vote had stirred an intense lobbying effort, but to no avail.

Even one of Trump's fiercest Republican rivals, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, said it was time to get behind the president-elect.

"We want unity, we want love," Kasich said as Ohio's electors voted to back Trump at a statehouse ceremony. Kasich had refused to endorse Trump saying he was unfit.


Donald Trump took to his twitter page to thank the voters.


He got 302 votes surpassing the 270 votes needed to secure his presidency.

Rights Group Condemns Buhari's Planned Secret Trial Against Kanu, Says It Can Only Happen In Banana Republics

A civil rights group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has described as a monumen­tal injustice the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari through his Justice minister, Abubakar Mala­mi to use masked witnesses against Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPO and director of United Kingdom based Radio Bia­fra.

The Rights group has also criticised Justice Binta Murtallah Nyako for brag­ging that the Federal High Court room is her’s and therefore can do whatever or issue whatever order she deems appropriate. It posits that the presiding judge can’t go outside the provisions of the Constitu­tion in reaching a determi­nation of any prayer at any given stage of the subsisting matter because doing oth­erwise would be illegal and absolutely non-permissible by law.

HURIWA reminded Justice Binta Murtallah-Nyako that the global community is watching her proceedings even as generations yet unborn will judge her conducts and de­cisions which would have far -reaching implications in whatever legacies she in­tends to build.

It stressed that it is an unmitigated crime against natural law for the Federal High Court to have disregarded the constitutionally guaranteed human rights of the defendants to fair hearing and open trial just in a choreographed attempt to railroad the accused into prison.

The Rights group further stated that the ruling by the Federal High Court to shield the identities of wit­nesses who would testify against Kanu is reminiscent of kangaroo trial process used during the brutal dic­tatorships that held Nige­rians in bondage for over four decades prior to 1999 when overwhelming global pressures forced the coup plotters to vacate political offices, restored political and democratic order.


“We totally condemn Justice Binta Murtallah Nyako for granting this awkward and unconsti­tutional prayers of Presi­dent Muhammadu Buhari which will in the long run deny the defendants and the rest of the citizenry the right to witness an open, transparent, accountable and clean judicial process since the matter involving the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPO versus Mu­hammadu Buhari’s ruling elite has since become a national phenomenon in which every citizen of Ni­geria is keen to know how the entire scenarios are re­solved. The plot to present masked witnesses is both anachronistic and antithetical to moral and ethi­cal justice. This can only happen in banana republics or failed political entities whereby military might is right”. It said.

The Only Reason I Was Born Is To Restore Biafra, I Have No Regrets To Be In Prison - Nnamdi Kanu

Detained leader of the pro-Biafra group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi has insisted that his decision to restore the nation of Biafra was not his personal choice but a mandate from the Most High God (Chiukwu-okike-abiama) which was assigned to him from time immemorial.

He maintained that the restoration of the nation of Biafra is a priority and a project that must be achieved under the watchful eyes of the IPOB led by himself, an arduous task that must be accomplished in order to lead his people out of the contraption called Nigeria, without fear of death.

The Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful who disclosed in a press statement, quoted Kanu as telling some sympathizers who visited him in prison custody that he had even dedicated his life to restore Biafra, just as our Lord Jesus Christ dedicated His own life for the salvation of mankind.

According to Kanu, “the reason my mother gave birth to me was to restore and save Biafrans. I also promise that the Biafran race will be a cleaned up nation and all the people of Biafra will come back home, if they are living outside the country of the new nation. Our people will no longer wander on the road again”.

He queried: “How can I encourage the people of Biafra to work towards the upbringing of Nigeria, when we don’t speak the same language, don’t eat the same food and don’t have the same culture. In fact, if we come to their land to practice our culture and religion, we will be beheaded. Their women wear hijab, and Biafran women don’t, and on the point that our women don’t wear hijab and we don’t practice the same religion, they will see us as infidels and then, we will be beheaded. We are 100 per cent Christians. These people are Muslims who see killing as a culture.

“In Biafra where we originated from, it will be hard for our people to kill a human being, because in my language a human being is called MMANDU, which means in English language the beauty of life. Now, you can see it will never work, the only solution is Biafra.”


Mazi Nnamdi Kanu further stated that “there is no regret in his dictionary,” adding that “he is ready to spend a thousand years in a prison.”

“And also we are not trying to secede from Nigeria. We are older than Nigeria. You can only talk about seceding if Nigeria is the one that colonized Biafra. But we are older than that contraption. So we can’t secede rather we just want to go back the way we were before the British came. It is Biafra or nothing, Nigerians know that.”

HEAVY TENSION! Pres. Buhari Ignores IPOB's Warning, Set To Storm Enugu with Obasanjo

President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo will lead other eminent personalities and delegates to the maiden edition of the South-East Economic and Security Summit holding in Enugu.

The event, being backed by the state governments of the South-East, will hold on Thursday at the Enugu State Government House, according to a statement by the organisers.

The summit is an initiative of the South-East Economic Security Summit Group, a non-governmental organisation made up of top business, military, political, religious and community leaders from the country’s South-East region.

The forum is meant to address key issues affecting the economic growth and peace of the South-East, and proffer practical solutions towards the economic advancement of the region.

A former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, who is also the Chairman, SEESS Group, was quoted in the statement as saying, “In demonstration of his interest in maintaining peace in the South-East as well as other regions, and fostering economic growth and development, President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed his participation in the maiden South-East Economic and Security Summit.”

“We are also pleased to announce that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who has been a strong advocate for the convocation of a summit not pivoted on politics but rather on the economic and developmental premise for the region and other regions, has also committed to attend.

He added, “All five governors from the south-eastern states will be participating in the summit, and they will lead other eminent personalities and delegates to discuss issues of common interest, including infrastructure, agriculture, health, tourism, security as well as financing the region’s economic programme.”

Nnaji had in a statement issued earlier by the organisers described the summit as a meeting point where specific problems relating to the region would be addressed.

“It is forum where specific problems will be defined, projects to address the problems are adopted, and what the various stakeholders roles are- including that of the Federal Government – in solving the problems are also presented,” he noted.

Delegates from the South-East, Presidency, National Assembly, state governments, the diplomatic community are expected at the event, according to the chairman.

Meanwhile, the Indigenous people of Biafra IPOB had issued a serious threat and warning to Buhari who recently planned to visit Enugu on 22nd December for Economic and security summit with other dignitaries like Obasanjo and other well meaning Nigerians.

According to the press statement by IPOB spokesperson Barrister Emma Nmezu Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya, they warned that any governor or Igbo politician that receives Buhari in Enugu will have themselves to blame.

However, the spokespersons equally said that they are ready to die with Buhari if he eventually refuses to heed to their warning.

SARS Operatives In Rivers State Beat PDP Chieftain to Death

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state has been confirmed dead following injuries he sustained from beatings by operatives of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) during the December 10 legislative rerun elections in the state.

According to The New Telegraph, the deceased, Mr. Lenee Neebani, who was the PDP chairman Ward 10, Khana local government area was arrested by SARS operatives during the elections allegedly on the orders of a top member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area.

After his arrest, the SARS operatives reportedly took the PDP chieftain to a hotel owned by the APC chieftain, where he was beaten to a state of coma and released on December 11.

But Neebani reportedly died the next day in the hospital where he was rushed to for treatment.

Similarly, another PDP member, Mr. Legborsi Azoor, who was also arrested in Khana during the rerun polls is currently in a critical condition in the hospital.

According to the leaders of the party, Mr. Legborsi Azoor, had been bleeding from his ears and nose after he was beaten up by the SARS operatives.

Chairman of the PDP in Khana, Sydney Tambari Gbaane, disclosed that that Azoor, who is the Ward 9 Secretary of the PDP in Khana, was arrested alongside others who were equally taken to the same hotel where they were beaten up by the police. .

Gbaane said security operatives during poll focused on arresting members of the PDP on the orders of the chieftain of the APC instead of providing security to the people of the area.

In a related development, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has reacted to release of an audio tape which contains recording of Governor Nyesom Wike allegedly threatening to kill an INEC official for not doing his bidding during the December 10 rerun of elections in the state.

Speaking with The Interview Magazine, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said it was curious that Etche which witnessed high level of irregularities in the legislative rerun election was mentioned in the audio recording.

Though the INEC boss said the commission was yet to make an official comment about the allegation against Wike, he noted that the tape provides a useful clue to what transpired there at Etche.

BOMBSHELL! Biafra: You're Not Going Anywhere, We Shall Remain In Nigeria - Says Sultan of Sokoto In Enugu

* Says Islam Does Not Support Killing To Force People To Become Muslims

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar 111, on Monday called on Nigerians to stop using ethnicity and religion to divide the country.

The Sultan, who equally condemned violent conducts by some herdsmen across the country, said the Fulanis should not be tied to such act.

While maintaining that those behind the murderous acts should be seen as criminals, he also stated that corruption should be vehemently condemned no matter who was involved.

The Sultan made these declarations in Enugu yesterday during official reception of Enugu Rangers, the Flying Antelope, for their victory at the 2016 Nigerian Professional Football League, NPFL organised by the State Government.

He said that it was erroneous for some people to attribute the armed herdsmen that have been killing people and destroying farmlands as a form of Islamising Nigeria.

He pointed out that Islamic religion never supported killing to force people to become Muslims but by persuasion and show of love.

He said: “God cannot make a mistake by putting together this country called Nigeria, he has reasons for that and that is why I tell people who say we want to go our different ways to stop.

“How do you go your different ways, don’t you read history? Please refer to history books. We have Igbo people everywhere in the country and they are industrious. We have Hausa people who have not lived anywhere else excerpt in Igboland, we have the Yoruba who are also in different parts of the country and contributing their quota

“So let’s show love because you cannot be a good person if you don’t show love to your friends, if you are a good Christian you must love your neighbor as yourself and a good Muslim must love his neighbor as himself and if the two religions teach that, why are we now fighting? It is important for us at this time to love one another for the good of the country”.

Alhaji Abubakar, who condemned what he described as “killing in the name of religion”, advocated for the arrest and prosecution of anyone that committed the act in accordance with the law, explaining that killing by herdsmen among others had endured because Nigerians have refused to confront those behind them.

“We will never support any body taken the life of another because for us as Muslims we know what the almighty Allah said about killing one single soul unjustly; a killer is to be killed but not through jungle justice but through the law.

“For anybody to kill in the name of religion that person is a criminal and should be treated as one and if we do that, definitely we are taking care of the unknown problems.

“The second part of the solution is for us to come together to tackle these challenges. There are many good people around and there are bad ones. Let us not do something that will alter our relationship”, he said.

He dismissed as unrealistic reports making the rounds that the alleged invasion of South-South and Southeast by herdsmen and the subsequent killings were part of the plot to islamise Nigeria.

“You cannot Islamize somebody by force, You Islamize somebody by showing a good relationship with him, showing that you are a nice person and he will now ask you about your religion.

“In the holy Koran, there is no force to religion. Our problem is extremism and we must come together to put it out of us”, he advised.

On the negative feelings of some people concerning President Muhammadu Buhari, he noted that Buhari was a different person.

“What the people are thinking is not what Buhari is thinking. I have spoken with him on several occasions. Justice is the bedrock of every governance,” he said.

‎Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, while presenting a cheque of N41.5million to the players and management of the club for their victory, promised to make available a piece of land for each of them at the Rangers Estate.

He said that the government would do all in her power to support the club as well as ensure they continued to maintain the victory.

Biafrans, let's go to twitter n retweet every @cliffiroanya tweets. Lets go, Biafra or death

BREAKING: 16 MEPs Write HR/VP Federica Mogherini Over 'Illegal' Detention, Trial Of Kanu, Others

* Calls for drastic action on human rights abuses in Nigeria

About sixteen (16) Members of the European Parliament have written to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission in the Juncker Commission, Federica Mogherini, asking for an urgent action to be taken on human rights abuses in Nigeria as it concerns Citizen Nnamdi Kanu and other Biafrans illegally held in detention by the Nigerian government. Read letter after the cut...

JOINT LETTER FROM MEPS TO HR/VP MOGHERINI

A joint letter from a cross section of MEPs asking HR/VP Federica Mogherini to take urgent action on human rights abuses in Nigeria.

Ms Federica Mogherini

High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

European External Action Service

1046 Brussels

Belgium

19th December 2016

Dear Ms Mogherini,

We write in regards to the unlawful detention of Nwannekaenyi "Nnamdi" Kenny Okwu Kanu, a dual British-Nigerian citizen and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPO, and the continued violence towards IPOB supporters as perpetrated by the Nigerian Government.

Since 14th October 2015, Kanu has been illegally imprisoned by the Federal Republic of Nigeria, despite being acquitted of all charges brought against him.

The authorities accused Kanu and his two co-defendants, Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi, of trying to overthrow the Nigerian head of state by broadcasting secessionist propaganda on the underground media outlet Radio Biafra, which campaigns for the independence of Biafra from Nigeria. Kanu, Madubugwu and Nwawuisi deny all charges brought against them.

On 19th October in Abuja, the Chief Magistrate, Honourable Shuaibu, discharged Kanu of all criminal charges including the allegation of managing and belonging to an unlawful society, criminal intimidation and of criminal conspiracy. Shuaibu granted Kanu bail, of which all the conditions were met, but the Department of State Services refused to release him.

The charges of criminal conspiracy, engaging in unlawful society and criminal intimidation were then withdrawn on 16th December 2015, but still Kanu, Madubugwu and Nwawuisi have not been released.

On 17th December 2015, Justice Adeniyi Ademola ordered the unconditional release of Kanu from the custody of the Department of State Security Services, but this was not enacted.

Kanu’s counsel have since appealed to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to help ensure his safe release, but to no avail. A court case on 5th October 2016 was later adjourned to 8th November, which has now been amended to 9th February 2017, due to the Nigeria Department of State Services failure to bring Kanu to court. The Federal Government of Nigeria had previously warned the ECOWAS community court sitting in Abuja not to intervene in Kanu’s continued detention and trial.

It is clear that the fundamental human rights of Kanu, Madubugwu and Nwawuisi are being grossly violated. Human Rights Watch have reported of the violation of the defendants’ rights, including their right to a fair trial.

What is more, the Nigerian Government is also reportedly violating the human rights of Biafran activists. Scores of Biafrans are in detention for attempting to hold or participate in peaceful assemblies. On several occasions, security forces have used excessive force against pro-Biafran activists who have planned or attended peaceful protest marches. Amnesty International has documented cases of arrest, enforced disappearance, torture and often killing of supporters and members of various pro-Biafran groups in the region. Since August 2015, they estimate at least 150 Biafrans have been killed by Nigerian security forces. However, as no official investigations have been carried out, this figure is believed to be much higher.

The right to peaceful assembly and association, as well as the right of freedom of expression, is protected by the Nigerian constitution. International human rights standards also require that law enforcement officials must, as far as possible, apply nonviolent means. It is clear that the Nigerian authorities are not operating with respect to the Nigerian constitution or the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights.

On behalf of the European Union, especially in respect to the EU-Nigeria partnership, the Nigeria EU Joint Way Forward, the developments of the 6th Nigeria-EU ministerial dialogue and the fact that Nigeria is a recipient of EU aid, we call upon you to:

Advocate for the immediate and safe release of Nnamdi Kanu and co-defendants Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi.

Challenge the actions of the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, and the Nigerian Department of State Services in regards to the detention of Kanu, Madubugwu and Nwawuisi.

Call for an impartial investigation into the arrest, enforced disappearance, torture and killing of supporters and members of various pro-Biafran groups.

Denounce the unacceptable violence against Biafran supporters by Nigerian security forces.

Do more to push the Nigerian government to safeguard human rights in Nigeria by calling for guarantees on the freedom of expression of all Nigerian citizens, including their right to protest without harm, and the termination of violence towards Biafrans.



We look forward to your positive response.

Yours sincerely,

Julie Ward MEP

Ana Gomes MEP

Bart Staes MEP

Beatriz Becerra MEP

Brando Benifei MEP

Catherine Stihler MEP

Ernest Urtasun MEP

Eva Joly MEP

Hilde Vautmans MEP

Jude Kirton-Darling MEP

Kati Piri MEP

Miapetra Kumpula-Natri MEP

Michèle Rivasi MEP

Nessa Childers MEP

Pascal Durand MEP

Philippe Lamberts MEP

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