Special Report: Motion By Joint Labour-CS Delegation And Allies On Modalities For Implementing Conference Decisions

Introduction:

·     Whereas the National Conference of the people of Nigeria 2014 was inaugurated by President and Commander in Chief of the Armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on Monday 17^th, March, 2014.

·          

Whereas the convening of the National Conference 2014 was necessitated by the continuing crises of Nation-building and the convergence of the desire of the people and government Nigeria to take appropriate urgent steps to lay new foundation for a Prosperous, Unitedand Strong Country.

·       

  Whereas the President in his address while inaugurating the NationalConference 2014; had requested delegates to not only deliberate on solutions to our myriad of problems, but to also recommend modalities for implementing the report of conference;

·        

 And whereas the conference had upon inauguration itself adopted a work-plan including deliberations on modalities for implementing conference resolutions.

We the undersigned sponsors and co-sponsors of this motion being delegates to the National Conference of the people of Nigeria 2014, urge conference plenary to consider and adopt the following prayers:

PRAYERS:

·      That the President of the Federal Republic as Head of Government should upon accepting the recommendations of Conference, direct the MDAs to immediately take steps to implement the policy recommendations, as regards, review of existing policy, enactment of New Policy, Implementation and Enforcement of existing policies;

·     

 That the President should direct the preparation of Executive Bills accommodating the Legislative and Constitutional Reform and Amendment proposals of Conference and present same to the National Assembly such that the accepted resolutions of conference on the Constitution and Legislation will form significant parts of the legislative agenda and constitutional reform process of NASS;

AND

·     That the Executive arm of government should work with the Legislative arm to Ensure the speedy Enactment of a legislative framework for the conduct of Referendum on ConstitutionalMatters such that the constitution that emerges from the resolutions of conference processed by the NASS shall be subject to ratification via a Referendum.

Signed:

a.      Comrade Omar Abdulwaheed: NLC President

b.      Comrade BoboiKaigama: TUC President

c.       Femi Falana: Civil Society Delegation Leader

d.      Comrade Chris Uyot: NLC Gen Sec

e.      Comrade (Bar) Musa Lawal: TUC Sec Gen

f.        JayeGaskia: Secretary, Civil Society Delegation

Co-Sponsors

1.      Dr. AbiolaAkiyode-Afolabi

2.      EzenwaNwagwu

3.      Auwal Musa

4.      Festus Okoye

5.      DuduManuga

6.      Shetu Alfa

7.      Rommy Mom

8.      Steve Aluko

9.      Abdul Mahmud Aminu

10.  KyautaGiwa

11.  Dr. Isaac Osuoka

12.  Rev. NnimmoBassey

13.  Chief BisiOlateru-Olagbegi

14.  Dr. Femi Obayori

15.  ModibboKawu

16.  ZanniZoro

17.  GbengaOgundipe

18.  Prof. OlabisiAina

19.  Dr. Joe-OkeiOdumakin

20.  HauwaShekarau

21.  Kiri Mohammed Shaibu

22.  Joe Ajaero

23.  Promise Adewusi

24.  IssaAremu

25.  Lucy Offiong

26.  AyubaWabba

27.  Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson

28.  Emma Ugboaja

29.  Ibrahim Khaleel

30.  Michael Olukoya

31.  Mrs. DinatuAsibiAssani

32.  OlasanyaOyinkan

33.  Sunday OlulsojiSalako

34.  OlakunleOlanrewajuOlaitan

35.  Peter Esele

36.  Augustine Etafo

37.  Maryam Jummai Bello

38.  Hassan SalihuAnka

39.  Bede Opara

40.  Aliyu Musa

41.  IbuchukwuEzike

42.  Y.Z Yau

43.  Anniko Briggs

News Release: How 258 Northern Christians Were Massacred In Seven Days(June 23-June 29, 2014)

Boko Haram Leaders

The leadership of International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law-Intersociety wishes to raise local and international alarm over coordinated efforts by Islamic jihadists operating under the platforms of “Boko Haram” and “Fulani Jihadists/herdsmen” to eliminate all Christian communities in northern Nigeria with a view at imposing the so called “Islamic Republic of Nigeria” or “Arewa Islamic Republic”. The ethno-religious cleansing campaigns launched in July 2009 are also targeted at forcing the federal governing authorities in the country to return the presidency to core northern Muslims. The likes of Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwamkwaso, Governor of Kano State, recently told the AFP that “the injustices meted out to northern Muslims by a Christian President fueled Boko Haram insurgency”. Other leading northern Muslim politicians have also not hidden their support and sponsorship of “Christian blood-for-northern presidency” campaigns.

It is still a part of recorded history that the “Hausa Land” and a number of other neighboring principalities were conquered in early 19^th century by a Fulani jihadist named “Shaihu Usman dan Fodio” (Usuman bii Foduye 1754-1817). As the leader of “Maliki School of Islam”, he later led a jihad that conquered strategic Hausa States starting from 1804 and became the Sultan of Sokoto from 1803 to 1815. The conquest led to forceful conversion of strategic Hausa areas to Islam and imposition of “Fulani Emirate Council” in all the Hausa States and their environs including Bornu, Ilorin and Adamawa. Till date, all heirs apparent to northern Muslim Emirates are drawn from the Fulani or Fulfulde populations. With the   mixture of politics and Islam, the minority Fulani populations have ruled and continued to rule over the majority Hausa populations in the form of “politico-religious slave-masters and slaves”. On the other hand, a good number of minority tribes sharing boundaries with their Hausa neighbours were converted to Christianity particularly those that were not conquered and converted to Islam during the “Fulani Islamic Jihad”. These minority populations are today called “northern Christians”. Sadly, these same innocent populations are in a verge of being wiped out per ethno-religious cleansing.

On 29^th and 31^st May as well as 6^th and 7^th of June, 2014, we wrote graphically grounded and expository four-part letter to President Goodluck Jonathan on Boko Haram terror and internal and external solution mechanisms available at his disposal. Part of the letter indicated that in 66 days (April to first week of June), Nigeria lost 1,296 innocent citizens to Boko Haram terror campaigns. Most of the causalities are northern Christians, followed by Igbo-Christians. Our recent checks have clearly indicated that between June 23 and June 29, 2014, a period of seven days, at least 258 citizens, mostly northern Christians, have been murdered by the Boko Haram and the Islamic Fulani terror sects. The number of Muslim victims in the attacks is too insignificant and accidental. The causality records showed that on June 23, at least eight citizens were killed in bomb explosion at the Kano State School of Health Technology. On June 19^th and 20^th June, 91 people including 60 married women and other young girls and children were reportedly abducted in Kumanza, Yaga and Dagu villages in Borno State. Though the Federal Government has denied the abduction saga but independent sources have stuck to their guns over the issue.

On June 23, 40 rural Christians in Kabamu and Ankpong villages in Sanga LGA of Southern Kaduna State were massacred by the Islamic Fulani jihadists popularly called “Fulani Herdsmen”. On 24^th June, over 123 innocent minority Christians of Kobrin, Dogon-Daji, Naidu, Kabamu, Hayin Kwanta, Kabani and Gani villages in the same Sanga LGA of Kaduna State, were butchered by the invading Islamic Fulani jihadists or “Fulani Herdsmen”. According to a local vigilante group leader quoted by various media, 38 were killed in Kobrin, 21 in Dogon-Daji, 30 in Kabamu, 16 in Naidu, 9 in Gani, 5 in Hayin Kwanta and 4 in Kabani. The Chairman of the Sanga LGA, Mr. Emmanuel Adamu also confirmed the causality figures on June 26, 2014 during the mass burial of 100 out of the over 163 deaths in an area between Gwantu Kumi and Kobin communities in the State. He added that others killed in the butchery have been retrieved by their loved ones for the purpose of giving them befitting burials and that those who were mass-buried were in a state of decomposition. On June 25^th June, bomb exploded in the Kasuwan Kuturu Market in Mubi area of Adamawa State. The causality figures were not ascertained.  

On June 25, the Coordinator of the National Information Center, Mr. Mike Omeri confirmed the death of 21 innocent citizens in the bomb blasts detonated by the Boko Haram terror sect at the EMAB Plaza in Wuse, Abuja. On June 28, at least 10 innocent people were killed in bomb blast at a brothel in Bauchi State. And on June 29, between 51 and 56 innocent Christian worshippers were slain in coordinated bloody attacks carried out by the Boko Haram terror sect at a number of villages near Chibok in Borno State. In the attacks, a number of churches including Cocin, EYN and Deeper Life Bible Churches were burnt down. The attacks took place in Kwada and other villages between Biu and Chibok LGAs of the State. From the foregoing graphic account, a total of 258 innocent citizens mostly of northern Christianity origin, have been butchered in the past seven days; that is to say from June 23 to June 29, 2014.

Like we earlier observed, the ongoing ethno-religious cleansing is carefully planned and executed against Christian populations in northern Nigeria. At the beginning of the bloody campaign in 2009, many of the causalities were Igbo-Christians owing to their large numbers in northern parts of the country. When many members of the Igbo tribe resident in the north, relocated to southern parts of the country for safety reasons, the Boko Haram butchery weapons were turned on innocent minority Christian populations. The Muslim victims of the terror campaign are very minute and usually killed in bomb blasts targeted at Christian populations and government facilities. From Plateau State to southern Kaduna; from Mubi to Jalingo; from Jalingo to Sabon Gari in Kano State; and from Chibok to other rural villages in the northeast and northwest Nigeria, it is ethno-religious cleansing, coordinated by the Boko Haram and the Islamic Fulani terror sects, all targeted at wiping out the entire Christian populations in northern Nigeria.

Our alerting the local and international bodies and other people of good will on these barbarous killings is for them to come to the aid of the country, especially its innocent Christian populations. With the number of butchering going on without ceasing, the country’s minority northern Christian populations are in a verge of being wiped out. The worse is that no form of State protection is on the ground for the endangered populations. A situation whereby security forces including police and soldiers, sent to protect the vulnerable populations, reportedly go into hiding on sighting members of the murderous brigades or work hand in hand with them to slaughter and maim the innocuous populations, is a clear confirmation of failed State or formal security in Nigeria.

It is also sad that what appears to have occupied the mind of the Nigeria’s President is how to retain and hang onto office power come early 2015. If a president values his or her office seat more than lives of Nigerians, then this is considered a fundamental breach of his or her oaths of office and allegiance to the Constitution and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and if it is so, it is impeachable. The worst case appears to be that of the Inspector General of Police. As head of the country’s most populated security agency with up to 400,000 officers and men or more that consumes 30% of the country’s defense budgets annually it is a shameful thing to note the colossal failure of the force in making any impact in the fight against Boko Haram and Islamic Fulfulde terror campaigns against Nigeria and Nigerians. From the media laundering account, it appears that what occupies the mind of the outgoing IGP is to wangle his way into post statutory retirement tenure extension so as to be allowed to “conduct 2015 presidential polls for Mr. President”(see Sunday 22/6/2014 edition of the Daily Independent Newspaper).

Conduct of general polls is usually very popular among the country’s security chiefs because of fat illicit cash inflows usually doled out to them especially by gubernatorial and presidential aspirants, candidates and incumbents. It is common these days hearing or reading in the media “Mr. President, retain Mr. IGP and he will conduct your poll for you and return you as the winner”. Or “Mr. President, give the core north IGP position and get our block votes in 2015”. Two years ago, it was “Mr. President, give the core north IGP and Boko Haram will be a thing of the past”. We consider all these as promotion of personal or selfish interests or using public office or position to pursue personal interest for selfish aggrandizement all at the expense of the collective welfare and security of the Nigerian masses. They also   grievously violate the Federal Republic of Nigeria Constitution.

We call on the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, the Anglican Communion in Nigeria and all the Pentecostal churches in the country to take note of killings and maiming without ceasing of innocent Christian populations in the country. It is also an impeccable reality that the barbarous campaigns are carefully designed at wiping out the entire populations of northern Christianity residency or origin. Though the respected and hallowed religious bodies have spoken out, but their voices are not enough. We know as a fact that the Holy Catholic Church, by virtue of her Holy Vatican Blessed Land or The Holy See, is a noble member of the United Nations. Her voice at the UNO over the systematic killings of her sons and daughters in the country will count and prompt more soluble actions. The Holy Anglican Communion in Nigeria still has influence over the UK Government and the Pentecostal bodies in the country have strong affiliations with their brother and sister bodies in the United States of America.

The proactive collective voices of these hallowed bodies are direly needed in the ongoing butchery in Nigeria. More international proactive involvement is also needed. International pressures should be mounted on Nigeria’s governing authorities, the United Nations, the EU, the USA, the AU and the International Criminal Court so as to facilitate their prompt intervention. It is a clear evident that a number of grievous violation of the UN Charter and the ICC Statute have taken place in the Boko Haram and the Fulfulde terror campaigns against innocent Nigerian Christian populations. If President Goodluck Jonathan is found unable and unwilling to invite the ICC to the country, the hallowed religious bodies under reference, particularly the Holy Roman Catholic Church, should step up international pressures on the UN Security Council to invoke its power of “referral” under Article Seven of the UN Charter, directing the ICC, through its Chief Prosecutor to move in so as to “investigate, arrest, arraign, prosecute, convict, sentence or acquit” the suspected atrocity criminals in the Boko Haram and Fulfulde  terror camps as well as the government camps.

Signed:

Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman

International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law-Intersociety

+2348100755939 (text 24/7, call 9.30am-4.pm, Mon.-Friday, office hours)

emekaumeagbalasi@yahoo.co.uk, botchairman@intersociety-ng.org

www.intersociety-ng.org

Open Letter: Illegal Detention Of Activist Samuelson Iwuoha By The Imo State Police Command

Activist Samuelson Iwuoha

P.O Box 320,

Uniport,

Choba ,Port Harcourt,

Nigeria

Email : yahvcp@gmail.com

29/6/14

The Chairman,

Police Service Commission,

Federal Secreteriat Complex, Phase I, Shehu Shagari Way Maitama,

Abuja, Nigeria

Sir,

The Illegal Detention Of Activist Samuelson Iwuoha By The Imo State Police Command

The Youths Against Human Rights Violations And Corrupt Practices (YAHVCP)  wish to inform you of our  condemnation  in absolute terms the  detention of  an Imo State Anti Corruption Activist Citizen Samuelson Iwuoha and his wife Chioma without trial by the Imo State Police Command  since June 3rd 2014 under the instructions of the Governor Rochas Okorocha led government. Iwuoha’s detention  for close to one month now shows  the banality of the so-called rule of law of the Okorocha’s APC  government and again clearly corroborate our earlier assertion that the Okorocha’s  government in Imo  State is nothing short of fascism.

 The story of Iwuoha’s arrest and detention is well known. We wrote a complaint to the Inspector General of Police over this issue on the 12th of June 2014. Please find  our complaint to the IGP attached to this mail. Samuelson Iwuoha is the facilitator of SLAP initiative as well as a social crusader.

On the 18th of December 2014 , Samuelson Iwuoha sent a letter to the Imo State Police Commissioner  that his life was in danger and that  the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly   and  some aides to the Speaker  threatened to kill him for exposing their corruption activities. He also issued a press statement published in several media houses tagged corruption in Imo Speakers office my life is in danger. Please google  MY LIFE IS IN DANGER BY IKENNA SAMUELSON IWUOHA.

He told the world that should any harm happens to him  and members of his  family that the Imo House of Assembly Speaker,the Chief of Staff to the Speaker Mr. Kodichi Anamekwe, the Acting SSA Media to the Speaker Mr. Emeka Ahaneku, the Special Adviser on Administration Mr. Kingsley Nkemka, the Special Adviser on Political matters Mr. Kingsley Ndubueze should be held responsible. The Imo State  police under Mr Ali  never bothered to investigate his claims.

On the 29th of April 2014, one Chioma Obi  who Iwuoha has since  exposed as the SA Media to Uwajumogu ,Mr Emeka Ahaneku released a press statement published in several media houses and blogs  tagged  Iwuoha plans to commit suicide if arrested claiming that  he has uncovered the  perfected plans by  Mr. Samuelson Iwuoha, to forcefully take away his life in the event of any arrest occasioned by his inability to produce evidence of his fraud allegations against the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu. Again the police  under Mr Ali never bothered to investigate this claim. Please  Google IWUOHA PLANS TO COMMIT SUICIDE BY CHIOMA OBI.

On the 1st of May 2014  Citizen Samuelson Iwuoha dismissed the report that he was planning to commit suicide, saying that aides of the Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, sparked the rumors as a smokescreen to pave the way for his murder. He sent copies to the Imo police commissioner but again the police under Mr Ali  did not bother to investigate this. Please Google IMO SPEAKER’S SISTER THREATENS IWUOHA.

On the 3rd of June 2014  the gunmen   who are cultists stormed Iwuoha’s residence at Plot 95, Willy Elezianya Street, Ikenegbu Layout Extension and  a young man was brutally murdered on the road facing his compound. Upon Iwuoha’s return  to his house later in the evening he was immediately arrested with his wife, tenants and passersby.

YAHVCP gathered that he was arrested, framed with murder so as to dump him in prison custody but due to the uproar from the public and the human rights community ,the plot to charge the Activist to court and remand him in  prison custody has failed but the police are still holding him claiming that they are  still investigating and awaiting forensic results.

A PHD holder in Analytical Chemistry /Environmental Chemistry  Dr Godson Iwuoha has debunked the theory that the police is waiting for forensic result. He even offered to do it for them free of charge or take them where they can do it. Samuelson Iwuoha’s   continued detention and torture at the facilities of the Imo State Police Command  without release or bail is unconstitutional and breach of his  dignity as human person and liberty as enshrined under Sections 34, 35, 36 and 41 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. Several human rights lawyers have come for his bail but the police have refused to release him because of the order from above.

YAHVCP  has  it on good authority that the government of Imo State convened a security meeting on the 5th of June 2014 to discuss  the Iwuoha issue. The State government was represented by the Chief of Staff to the Governor Sir Jude Ejiogu, SSA to the Governor on Security Barrister Okey Okorocha,Director of Imo Security Guard Chief Donatus Ejifugha, the Chief Security Officer to the Governor and others.

At the security meeting it was revealed that Samuelson was never a cultist and that an attempt was made at his life. A  demand for his released  was made by some persons present at the security meeting. A list of 5 persons who committed the murder was handed over to the government, the SSS and the Imo State police command at the meeting. But the Okorocha’s government  has vowed that the activist will stay in jail till after 2015 election saying that his release will rubbish their government. 17 persons arrested alongside Iwuoha have been released so far . It is only Iwuoha and his wife that are still being detained. Iwuoha has developed pneumonia, his wife has pains all over her body.His children are sick and hospitalized, his businesses are under lock and key.

A police source at the Imo State police Command informed YAHVCP that the Police have concluded their investigation for long and have found out that Iwuoha  and his wife are  innocent but that the order from above is preventing his release. They have done autopsy on the dead body,they have done blood test on the blood stains found in Iwuoha’s house and the blood of the slain man. It did not match in any way. They have also confirmed that Samuelson was not around when the murder took place, said the source. Another source from the Imo State police command informed YAHVCP that  the leadership of the command have instructed them to inform anyone who ask about the Iwuoha issue that the police is still investigating. Mean while the police have authorized the  burial of the murdered man and his burial has been fixed for 10 July 2014, said the source. Why are they still holding  Samuelson?

This action of the Imo State police commissioner Mr Ali  and the  Imo state  government is a sign of moral collapse in governance in Imo State. It is ridiculous that while public officers who are expected to be above board but perpetrate brazen corruption are allowed to live like kings, activists who are demanding justice and sanity are thrown into the dungeons of injustice and repression. This again shows that despite the so-called emergence of civilian rule since 1999 and despite the struggle of the working and poor masses against dictatorship and for good governance, Governor Okorocha   who never contributed to the termination of military dictatorship is  the one throwing the masses to the gallows. That we are still witnessing a clear attack on democratic rights in Imo state , aided by the Imo State police commissioner Mr Ali, is a sign of bad omen for Imo State in the 2015 election. A police commissioner is teaming up with the APC led government in Imo State to witch hunt activists in Imo State. Which way Nigeria?

YAHVCP is demanding that Iwuoha and his wife should be released  on bail immediately or be arraigned before a properly constituted Court as required by Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and articles 4, 5 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Right. The police should explain why they have refused to go after the 5 men who according to security reports committed the murder. The police should explain why the  Chief Security Officer to the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly (Chief Omeudo) was seen discussing with  Samuelson’s IPO (Mr Obi) on Thursday 5th June 2014. When Iwuoha confronted Omeudo, he was speechless. SSA to Speaker on Media Mr Emeka Ahaneku was also seen at the CID Complex where Samuelson was being held.

Are we back to the era of military absolutism with its associated abuse of the fundamental rights of people to freedom of expression, among others? An  era where activists are being framed and send to jail?  Why is the Imo State Police Commissioner conniving with politicians in  Imo State to witch hunt anti corruption activists in Imo State.YAHVCP has  also  reliably  gathered  that the government of Imo State are also looking for Kenneth Uwadi  and to frame him  so as to jail  him. It is part of the despotic measures of corrupt politicians in Imo State  aimed at suppressing activists right to protest and resist their  mindless looting of the state and their anti-poor  policies. This characteristic despotism of the Imo State  government confirms its lack of commitment to genuine democratic culture.

The Imo State government has become so panic and grown goose pimples over the inevitable mass backlash against its mindless looting of the Imo treasury. This is why, besides the unjust arrest and unlawful detention of anti corruption  activists in the State, they  have resorted to tagging them as cultists and murderers so as to jail and silence them. Rather than arrest the corrupt politicians in the state who looted our public resources and made people impoverished, the Nigerian Police  in Imo State under Mr Ali is colluding with the same looters to repress genuine voices. It is disturbing that Police Commissioner  Ali has  turned himself  into  a yes man of the Okorocha government.

 Kenneth Uwadi is not a criminal. He is the coordinator of  placard carrying youths in Nigeria, Youths Against Human Rights Violation and Corrupt Practices (YAHVCP). He is  a blogger ,a Newspaper columnist as well as an Accountant  in Nigeria. He is  from Mmahu-Egbema  in Ohaji/Egbema  Local Government Area of Imo State. He uses his blog (FAMOUS NAIJA), his  political columns in newspapers and  placard carrying  youths to speak against corruption and human rights violation in Imo State  and in Nigeria. He has been doing so since year 2003. Please Google the name KENNETH UWADI  for  verifications.

It  is pertinent to beseech you  the  Chairman of police service commission  and the IGP  with a view to requesting you  to kindly look into this matter and  condemn the unlawful arrest and detention of Activist Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha  and his wife and demand for their  immediate release and to  call on the Imo State government to stop all victimizations of  Kenneth Uwadi and other activists in Imo

Kenneth Uwadi

YAHVCP National Coordinator

 +2348037982714

kennethuwadi@gmail.com

 Amaka Didanda

 YAHVCP Media Affairs

Copies to: The Inspector General of Police, His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha,Governor Imo State, Owerri, Imo State Commissioner of police, Owerri, The Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly ,Owerri