Bloodbath in Southeast as gory killings spread to Enugu

CC™ Global News

•Foetus of pregnant woman removed, 7 others killed as herdsmen attack Enugu community

•Fear, suspicion pervade in Orlu as leaders flee community

•Relocate to your development areas to stem local security challenges, Ugwuanyi tells 68 newly sworn-in Administrators

•Follow round-table approach to resolve Orlu crises, PDP tells Uzodimma

At least nine persons, including a pregnant woman whose foetus was removed, were on Sunday afternoon killed by suspected herdsmen who attacked Mgbuji community in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu State.

A resident of the community, Eberechukwu Agbo, who put the figures of the dead at nine, said many others might die from injuries sustained during the attack.

Following this development, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has directed the 68 newly sworn-in development area administrators in the state to relocate to their areas to stem local security challenges in the state.

In Imo State, the return of violent and barbaric killings, particularly in the Orlu area of the state, has caused fear, apprehension and suspicion in the area, resulting in residents and leaders fleeing the community.

Also yesterday, the Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, called on the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to adopt a round-table approach to resolve the Orlu crises.

Herdsmen killings in Enugu

On the Enugu killings, it was learned that after the herdsmen allegedly killed the pregnant woman, they ripped open her stomach to remove her unborn baby which they also killed and placed on her dead mother.

Vanguard gathered that the armed herdsmen invaded the community through a border with Benue State community, attacking several farm settlers and other unlucky people caught in the farm, including those returning from a marriage ceremony.

While a source who pleaded for anonymity, said the attack came from members of a border community of Benue State who are in a boundary dispute with Mgbuji community, the Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Eha-Amufu, Rt. Rev. Daniel Nkemjika Olinya, dismissed the boundary dispute claim, insisting that herdsmen attacks had been on the increase in the area and entire state.

He also lamented that the state and local government authorities had not put enough measures in place to stop the marauders

The cleric equally stated that members of the community stopped personnel of the Nigeria Police Force who came on Monday to evacuate the corpses because they had not released corpses of victims earlier killed by herdsmen in the community for burial.

He said: “This is the third time the armed herdsmen are invading Mgbuji community this year, apart from indiscriminate kidnappings on which we have lost counts. Most of the time, they invade the community, kidnap and kill the victims. The last attack before this Sunday’s attack led to the death of six people. Five of them have not been buried and now they came again this time and killed eight persons.

“Some people said the rising attacks in the recent time could be linked to the eviction notice given to the herdsmen and other conditions of operation that are, perhaps, unacceptable to the herdsmen.

“For instance, some of the people who were kidnapped and released recently by the armed herdsmen stated that the herdsmen insisted that they would continue their criminal actions until IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, dropped his agitations for Biafra.”

Members of the community alleged that the police asked them to sign an undertaking to allocate land to herdsmen and equally agree to live with them before they could release the corpses of those killed during earlier attacks.

Vanguard also gathered that the attacks followed an eviction order on the herdsmen resident in the community by Mgbuji community due to the continued attacks, killings, and destruction of farms by the herdsmen.

All attempts to hear from the spokesperson of Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, at press time last night proved abortive as he refused to respond to telephone calls.

Relocate to your development areas to foster intelligence gathering

To stem the tide of insecurity in the state, the governor, Ugwuanyi directed that the new administrators engage all traditional rulers, presidents of town unions, religious leaders, youth and women organizations, Neighborhood Watch groups, Forest Guards, and, indeed, all stakeholders in their respective development areas, to inspire a grassroots security architecture underpinned by robust intelligence gathering and communication of same to security agencies.

The governor, who gave the directives when he swore in the administrators at Government House, Enugu, said the grassroots engagement strategy “is the only means of fully reclaiming our neighborhoods, and we expect no less”.

Harping on the imperative for this new paradigm of neighborhood-based intelligence gathering, the governor pointed out that the strategy “stares us in the face.

“If we must secure our communities/neighborhoods and fulfill our pivotal mandate of security and welfare of our people, as enshrined in section 14 subsection 2(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), then we must necessarily understand our neighborhoods and the residents; their means of livelihood, lifestyle and networks.

“Enugu State Development Areas can no longer be superintended by absentee or non-resident Development Area Administrators,” he said.

Governor Ugwuanyi reminded the administrators that they have to also ensure that their subjects are fully enlightened on government’s policies and programmes, and mobilize for a collaborative partnership in peacekeeping as well as implementation of policies and programmes of government.

Fear, suspicion pervade as Orlu leaders flee community

Meanwhile, investigation into the crisis in Orlu by Vanguard revealed that some leaders, especially those involved in politics, have fled the community for fear of being the next victim.

A strategy adopted by many within Orlu and beyond, as observed by our correspondent, is the resolve not to be vocal in speaking about the crisis to avoid being caught on the crossfire. Those who had been vocal in the past, are now gagging themselves.

A top traditional ruler in Orlu said it is risky to speak about the killings.

A top politician contacted also declined comment. “I don’t want to be involved in that”, he interjected.

A source in the community told Vanguard that it is difficult to say for sure the people behind the renewed killings.

“I can’t say for sure the people behind these killings. Initially, we suspected ritualists. Some people have tried to link it to the issue of Biafra. We don’t just know who is responsible, and for what purpose.

“But all we pray is for peace to return. There is so much fear in the community. Nobody knows what will happen next. We are living in fear. Many people have left the village, especially those who are into politics”, the source stated.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Orluzurumee, the apex socio-political organization in Orlu, Reuben Okoro, expressed deep worry over the situation.

“I am very worried over the killings. My knees are on the ground every day praying to God to restore sanity to Orlu. If we kill ourselves, who is going to stay back? The situation pains me”, he stated.

On what he thinks could help to restore peace, Okoro said: “You know it is difficult to talk now. If you talk, if ‘A’ does not misquote you, ‘B’ will do. I will suggest elders should be assembled to see what could be done about it. I am just praying to God. God has the solution to what is happening in Orlu, Imo State, and Nigeria in general”, he posited.

A former governorship aspirant who hails from Okporo Community, Leo Okolienta said he was saddened by the killings in his community.

Okolienta, based in the United States, appealed to those behind the killings to sheathe their swords for peace to return.

“I am saddened by the killings in my community. It is very worrisome how human beings are being slaughtered. I appeal to all parties to please give peace a chance. We can’t continue to lose our people.

“Government should handle this matter carefully, we just want peace to return so that people can live without fear”, he pleaded.

It would be recalled that in the past two weeks, about five persons have been killed within Okporo, a community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State in what appears like well-planned attacks against perceived enemies. The latest was the beheading of a man suspected to be a leader in the area and the destruction of his vehicle. It happened the same day the unknown gunmen attacked Njaba police station, in which the police said they killed two, and succeeded in repelling the attack.

Follow round-table approach to resolve Orlu crisis, PDP tells Uzodimma

PDP through the State Youth Leader, Greg Nwadike, said a round-table strategy has been effective in the management of the Niger Delta crisis, adding that it should be applied in the Orlu insecurity issues.

According to Nwadike, “My stand is that the governor should approach this insecurity from a round-table strategy. He should meet with those involved and know what their problems are and look into it. This is the way to go about it. It is the approach we saw even in Niger Delta areas and it has worked well.

“It is not to be tackled with the use of gun and bullet approach. We, the leaders of Orlu are not happy about the killings in our area and we want it stopped. There is no security in Orlu and the government must be seen doing the right thing to secure Orlu.”

A source close to the series of meetings ongoing said: “We have met with some groups and the meeting is still ongoing. The traditional rulers are still meeting. This is the second time they are meeting.

“Youth groups are coming together to form alliance and protect their communities like you have seen for the past three days. They have taken over the security of the place.”

VANGUARD

Hallmarks of a dictatorship: Nigeria's DSS (Buhari's Secret Police) assault journalist at trial of Igboho's aides

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The operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), on Monday, attacked Vanguard Photojournalist (video above), Mr. Gbenga Olamikan, at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Mr. Gbenga Olamikan was attacked for taking the photos of the detained associates of Sunday Igboho, who were brought to court in compliance with the judge’s order.

An officer on mufti aggressively approached the Vanguard photographer and was later joined by DSS officials.

The phone was released after the intervention of Olamikan’s colleagues.

The operatives of the DSS also prevented newsmen from taking photographs and videos of the detainees.

The DSS operatives also barricaded the Federal High Courtroom entrance and harassed journalists during court proceedings.

PM NEWS

Nigeria’s first feature-length animated film goes global after inking a new deal

CC™ Entertainment News

By Seth Onyango

BIRD CONTRIBUTOR

Afro-Urban entertainment powerhouse, Trace, has begun distributing “Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters”—a Nigerian feature-length 3D animated film—after inking a deal with Hot Ticket Productions to distribute the film globally.

In May this year, Trace’s distribution arm inked a deal with Hot Ticket Productions to distribute Nigeria’s first feature-length 3D animated film, “Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters”, worldwide – opening the door to a potential global audience for an animation that was conceived in the home of a Nigerian geologist.

Trace markets itself as a studio and distributor that collaborates with both emerging and established talents to generate premium afro-urban content for leading digital platforms with a potential audience of 400 million fans in 160 countries.

Distributors like Trace, who hold rights for television channels, mobile operators, video platforms, aerial, and maritime video services and cinema are a critical component of Africa’s movie industry and Trace’s acquisition of “Lady Buckit” was a vote of confidence for the quality of the animation film, which has now been nominated for Annecy Festival 2021.

Trace asserted in the film’s admission that “the animation film is booming in Africa thanks to the determination of real enthusiasts for drawing and animation.”

“The release of the first Nigerian feature-length, cinematic animation film, Ladybuckit and the Motley Mopsters, opened the doors to animation in Nigeria,” Trace said.

With “Lady Buckit” gaining industry traction, the film’s executive producer Blessing Amidu is chalking up her first win in the animation industry. For Amidu, however, making the movie meant a lot more than just the production. It also meant an entire career change, pivoting from geologist to filmmaker.

“They may seem like two separate worlds but in fact, they are not. The ‘Art’ is who I am and the ‘Geologist’ was whom I had to become to survive,” she explained in an interview.

Amidu launched the groundbreaking film in December, 2020. Set in pre-colonial Oloibiri, Delta State in South-South Nigeria town where crude oil was first discovered in commercial quantities in the 1950s – a curious eight-year-old gets accidentally gets transported through time only to encounter a band of highly unusual characters who change the course of her destiny.

The movie’s premiere wowed Nigeria, and has been winning global accolades from both movie buffs and critics.

Adebisi Adetayo, who directed the movie from the story developed by Stanlee Ohikhuare says that the animation movie is proof that a great film doesn’t have to mimic Hollywood to be phenomenal.

“Lady Buckit” transcends generations, with both kids and adults able to relate with both the storyline and the characters.

Its success, despite being released in the midst of a raging global pandemic suggests a coming of age of a new genre from Nigeria’s much-touted “Nollywood” film industry.

“Lady Buckit” also came hot on the heels of backlash of Disney having very few Black characters. The animation features Black characters in their different shades of skin tones. The movie’s dialogue also proudly incorporated Nigeria’s vernaculars Ijaw, Pidgin, and Yoruba in addition to English.

The animated film featured voice actors including veterans, Patrick Doyle, Bimbo Akintola, Kalu Igweagu, newcomers Kelechi Udegbe, Awazi Angbalaga, and child actors, Jessica Edwards, David Edwards, and David Akpakwu.

Amidu narrated how one evening while watching a cartoon with her children she felt inspired to create.

“It all began with just spending time with my kids, just having family time…I began to discover real-time that my kids exhibited the same mannerism as the cartoons,” Amidu recalled.

“I began to have ideas just play around in my head and that is how ‘Lady Buckit’ was born.”

From a young age, Amidu had always been mesmerized by the animated fairy tales of the world like the 70s’ Voltron: The Defender of the Universe, and her favorite Bigfoot and Wildboy. To create her own was a special feeling.

But it was not smooth sailing. The film production suffered several hiccups, top being cash crunch and assembling a team to breathe life into the movie. After about two years and around $40,000 spent and no progress made, Amidu miffed but determined, considered paying American or Asian firms to produce the film, but then Adetayo emerged.

“It had two production failures. I was meant to direct the movie while it was being produced in India. But then I asked an I see the script of what I am going to India to direct…When I was showed the synopsis of the story, I told them point-blank that this movie can be produced here in Nigeria. He was cut out of the project immediately,” Adetayo recalled.

“I was told we have we have already spent cash and there was nothing to show for it and now you are telling us it can still be done in Nigeria?”

Three months later, he received a call from the director of M-Net’s Shuga series, who set up a meeting between him and the “Lady Buckit” producers, for him to demonstrate how the film could be produced in Nigeria. He did so and less than a year later, the movie was on the country’s big screens.

The movie is estimated to have cost about $1 million to produce, a negligible amount compared to “Soul”, which gobbled up $150 million.

Adetayo asserts that big budgets are well and good but don’t always translate into quality. He insists that “education is the future of the industry. Throwing money at things doesn’t solve every problem”

For Amidu, the importance of “Lady Buckit’ is also how it is able to change the narrative in and on Nigeria, with its setting in the country’s southeast.

“Every story coming out of that place [Niger Delta] has been that of violence, deprivation, suffering, and poverty for people living in that region. So coming up with this story sort of changes that narrative. Here we get to see Oloibiri in a different light. It shows that this girl despite all the challenges is able to overcome them and excel,” she said.

The animated feature also, she believes, has the power to change the narrative on Africa’s film industry.

“Coming back to Africa, no part of this production was done out of Nigeria. You can take this production anywhere and it will be able to fly. Nobody thought we could do animation, leave alone 3D animation,” she said.

Today, when Amidu picks up the remote to watch “Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters,” it is like watching tiny bits of her children’s ‘character’ displayed on the grand screen.

Following the success of “Lady Buckit”, Amidu and her new production studio are just getting started, with an idea for a sequel is already in the works.

Animation—which was projected to reach $270 billion by 2020—is still a budding industry in Nigeria.

According to UNESCO Nigeria’s Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world, with Africa’s movie industry making impressive strides as audiences on the continent increasingly choose made-in-Africa movies over foreign ones.

This, the African Report said, was made evident in 2010 when Chineze Anyaene’s film, Ijé: The Journey, became the second highest-grossing film in Nigerian cinemas, behind Avatar, the highest-grossing film worldwide.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters grossed more than Pixar’s soul in Nigerian cinemas. 

The original version of this article was published by bird-Africa.

Ethnic Cleansing, Authoritarianism and Human Rights Abuses: US Senate blocks sale of military equipment to Buhari government

Buhari (L) with former Army Chief Buratai (R) now Ambassador to Benin Republic

CC™ Global News

United States Senate has blocked the sale of weapons and military equipment to the Buhari regime, as a result of its constant abuse of human rights, one which is evident in the killing of #EndSARS protesters in Lagos, U.S. officials say.

The Nigerian government has over time relied on U.S. arms sales to help address multiple security challenges ranging from Boko Haram attacks, kidnapping farmers- herders clashes.

Foreign Policy reported that the lawmakers on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee delayed clearing a proposed sale of 12 AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters, 28 helicopter engines produced by GE Aviation, 14 military-grade aircraft navigation systems made by Honeywell, and 2,000 advanced precision kill weapon systems—laser-guided rocket munitions.

Information sent by the State Department to Congress said that the deal is worth $875 million.

The blockage is believed to be an indication that the lawmakers want the U.S. government to have a rethink on its relationship with Nigeria as Mr. Buhari gradually drifts towards authoritarianism.

Even as the country battles the Boko Haram insurgency, Western governments and rights organizations have berated the current administration for its abuse of human rights, particularly the killing of #EndSARS protesters by army personnel, corruption, and the recent suspension of Twitter operations across the country.

In June, Bob Menendez, chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for a “fundamental rethink of the framework of our overall engagement” with Nigeria during a Senate hearing with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Mr. Menendez and the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, jointly placed a hold on the proposed arms sale, multiple U.S. officials and congressional aides had disclosed to the outlet.

Details on the proposed sale were first sent by the U.S. State Department to Congress in January before Joe Biden assumed office as president.

Some experts had also advised that the U.S. pause the arms sales, pending when it makes a broader assessment of corruption, and the Nigerian military’s effort in minimizing casualties in its fight against Boko Haram insurgents and other acts of violence.

“There doesn’t have to be a reason why we don’t provide weapons or equipment to the Nigerian military,” said Judd Devermont, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

“But it has to be done with an assessment of how it will actually, one, change the direction of conflict in Nigeria, and, two, that they will use it consistent with our laws.

In both cases, it’s either a question mark or a fail.”

“There is a culture of impunity that exists around abuses by the military,” Punch quoted Anietie Ewang, the Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch, to have said.

“I’m sure it’s a difficult situation. There are so many conflicts springing up across the country now,” the newspaper quoted Mr. Ewang further to have said. “The authorities, I presume, are trying to do the best they can to save lives and properties. But this must be done in accordance with human rights standards. You can’t throw one out just to be able to achieve the other.”

Nigeria has only received six out of the 12 Tucano jet fighters purchased from the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, the UK Parliament has declared that Mr. Buhari’s actions indicate support for incessant terrorists and bandits’ attacks targeted at individuals and communities.

The lawmakers sent a protest letter to Dominic Raab, UK foreign secretary, on July 26.

“Nigerian citizens are currently at the mercy of non-state actors who have been allowed to evolve and now have the capacity to shoot down a fighter jet, as has recently occurred in Kaduna,” said the letter.

ISWAP, Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram terror: Foreign investors' interest in Nigeria plunges by 80%

President Muhammadu Buhari - Nothing to smile about

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Investment announcements in Nigeria fell to $1.69bn in the second quarter of this year from $8.41bn in Q1, indicating a decline of about 80 per cent, a new report by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission has said. 

The report said the total value of investments interests in the first half of this year fell by $1.57bn to $10.11bn, compared to the second half of last year. The figure is, however, $5.05bn higher than that of the same period of last year. 

An analysis of investment announcements by sectors revealed that the manufacturing sector attracted the highest investments with $5.9bn or 58 per cent.

The general sense of helplessness or possible disinterest in tackling the growing insecurity by the Buhari administration has not helped matters. 

Rather than focus on the murderous activities of the Fulani Herdsmen, Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists, President Buhari and his handpicked Attorney-General Abubakar Malami, a Northern Fulani Muslim, have instead focused their attention on Southern law and justice advocates like Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho.

The head-scratching focus on these Southern advocates, as opposed to the Northern-Muslim terrorist organizations, has essentially exposed Buhari as an unrepentant ethno-religious bigot, a label the latter has struggled to shake off for much of his underwhelming career both as a soldier and as a leader.

Nigeria is indeed at a cross-roads and there is no telling where Buhari's rudderless leadership might eventually lead the nation. 

The Nigerian economy can't survive without the requisite foreign direct investment and the current atmosphere is just not conducive for that.

Oyedepo: I warned about this evil Buhari govt in 2015, some were upset

Bishop David Oyedepo

CC™ Global News

Bishop David Oyedepo said he has now been vindicated when he warned Nigerians in 2015 that the coming Muhammadu Buhari government was evil.

He spoke yesterday in his first sermon at the Faith Tabernacle in Ota, Ogun state.

“I told this nation you were heading for trouble. Are they in trouble or in turbulence?,” he told his church members.

“I am privileged to be among the few God shows things long before they happen.

“I saw the wickedness of the wicked being forced on the land. Now no direction, no motion.

“When a Prophet speaks, He speaks the heart of God.

“I can’t believe the prophetic Word for you. You have to believe it. I can’t!

“You have to believe it if you want to see it come to pass in your life.

‘Some fellows were so upset when I was talking against this evil government. They were so upset.

“Will I ever be in a (Political) party in my life? No. Gone forever. I knew God has positioned far above, for nations when I was not above a town or a street. . I knew by divine insight”.

“Interestingly there is no devil that can stop some people experiencing their massive turnaround which has started already.

“There are some who won’t know there is turnaround anywhere because of their careless approach to the demands of the covenant, to make it happen.

“God has ordained a good old age for us: Yes”

AGENCY NEWS

‘May Your Tears Never Dry’ – Nigerians Attack American OAP, Smith, Who Denigrated D’Tigers

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By gwg.ng

Nigerians have taken to popular microblogging site, social media to excoriate, Stephen Smith, over his condescending remarks following the nation’s basketball team, D’Tigers’ victory over the USA basketball team.

Smith is an American sports television personality, sports radio host, and sports journalist who also works as a commentator on ESPN’s First Take, where he appears with Max Kellerman and Molly Qerim.

Trouble ensued after the Nigerian team scored an incredible 20 three-pointers and took control of the game. 

At a point, the team was leading the Americans, who are rated fourth globally, by 24 points.

Nigeria eventually upset Team USA 90-87 in Las Vegas that Saturday night.

As reported by Yahoo Sports, “The American men’s team — headlined by NBA stars such as Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal — fell 90-87 to Nigeria in its first of five exhibition games before the Olympics in Tokyo.”

And, while the American team featured NBA All-Stars throughout its rotation, Nigeria had the likes of Precious Achiuwa and Gabe Vincent of the Miami Heat and Chimezie Metu of the Sacramento Kings, all headlined by former Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers head coach Mike Brown.

Nigeria rode a torrent of 3-pointers to victory, making 20 attempts from deep to shock the overwhelming gold medal favorites.

It may be recalled that when the Americans met Nigeria nine years ago, it was a 156-73 USA win. The Saturday encounter was therefore stunningly shocking for pundits who had expected the match to be a stroll in the park for the American team.

Reacting to the outcome, Smith blurted in his widely circulated video embedded here: “[To lose to] some dude Gabe Nnamdi, who goes by Gabe Vincent for the Miami Heat. Or Caleb Agada. Or Nma … however the hell you pronounce his name…”

However, Smith comments drew the ire of Nigerians on Twitter who took turns to lampoon the African-American on air personality.

See the video containing the name butchering as posted by Stephen A Smith via his own verified Twitter handle @stephenasmith:

g

S-West leaders cry foul as Fulani terrorist group Miyetti Allah alleges governors hiding Sunday Igboho

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YORUBA leaders, yesterday, dismissed claims by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore that South-West governors were shielding Yoruba activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, from arrest by the Department of State Service, DSS.

They described the allegation as divisive and satanic, saying the DSS should go after marauding herdsmen and their sponsors and not Ighoho.

This came as the South West governors said they would not dignify the herders’ group with a response.

The Department of State Services, DSS, had raided Igboho’s Ibadan residence in Oyo State on July 1, detained 13 of his followers and killed two of the activist’s associates in a gun battle.

S-West govs hiding Igboho — Miyetti Allah

Spokesman of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Alhassan, in an interview, said the DSS should have raided Igboho’s house earlier than it did, just as it advised the activist to turn himself in.

Alhassan said: “It is in his (Igboho) own best interest if he submits himself peacefully so that he can face justice. Why is he running? Is he not a revolutionary?

“He should submit himself before they get him because as it is now, he has been declared wanted, he should present himself to the nearest police station.”

Alleging that the South-West governors are hiding Igboho, he said: “All his (Igboho’s) actions are political; he is being used. His godfathers in the South-West should bring him out.

“The security agencies are speaking the language he understands, they will get him. I know the governors are hiding him but they (security agents) will get him.

“The (Nigerian) State has declared him wanted. He is not more than the state. The governors keeping him should produce him.

“He declared a republic; that was a rebellion. How can you be threatening the sovereignty of the (Nigerian) State and you still have the guts to be walking around and organizing rallies?”

Meanwhile, angry reactions trailed Miyetti Allah Hore’s allegations yesterday, as the Yoruba Council of Elders, YCE; the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere and leader of the Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye, said the herders’ group deserve no attention from serious-minded people.

They deserve no attention from serious-minded people —Afenifere

When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Comrade Jare Ajayi, said expletives from a spokesman of an organisation like Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Saleh Alhassan, ordinarily deserved no attention from serious-minded people.

He said the Miyetti Allah’s scribe’s position was not out of arrogance but the fact that the man in question hardly spoke sense whenever he spoke on national issues, especially issues that had any link with herdsmen.

He said: “But, we like to say the following to set the record straight so that Alhassan and his ilk would not take it that his assertion was correct.

‘There was no record that the man (Igboho) was invited but refused to honour the invitation. There was no record that he was violent in the way he goes about his agitation.

“There is no justification whatsoever, therefore, for the DSS to invade his house in the dead of the night the way they did. There was no search warrant or any civility in their approach.

“It is known that any human-run institution can make mistakes. When such occurs, remedial steps are taken in civilized climes as exemplified by the way the policeman in America was made to face justice for suffocating Floyd unlawfully.

“But what do we normally have here? When security agencies conduct inhuman actions, including extra-judicial killings, such actions are said to have been carried out by ‘unknown gunmen’.

“With that type of official cover, unscrupulous security officers engage in actions for which they ought to be reprimanded. They do this with impunity, knowing full well that they would get away with it.”

The spokesman said that it was to put an end to this type of impunity that Afenifere is insisting on restructuring.

He added that bandits among the herders and kidnappers were those security agencies ought to pursue vigorously.

“Unfortunately, they tend to expend energies on those who are carrying out peaceful rallies in the open.

“This is part of what makes democratizing the police service very imperative,” he said.

Miyetti Allah handful of ill-informed people — YCE

Also reacting, Secretary-General of the YCE, Dr. Kunle Olajide, said: “How do you give much recognition to Miyetti Allah? I feel uncomfortable when you journalists are talking about Miyetti Allah, they are just a group of people who sit in a place and churn out utter rubbish. I don’t even want to react to whatever they say but since you have asked, I will oblige you.

“Miyetti Allah is a handful of ill-informed people, who pretend to be speaking for people they don’t know and against people they don’t understand. The allegation of shielding Igboho is very elementary.

“I have repeatedly said that Igboho is my son and for me, he has to keep himself away from this administration that does not recognize and acknowledge freedom of speech, freedom of movement and freedom to express an opinion.

“The Federal Government which has refused to take action against bandits who are North, who are criminals, kidnapping and murdering people in tens and hundreds, has not used the same force, the same viciousness used in addressing and addressed Sunday Igboho to apprehend those criminals there.

“For me, our governors in South-West are too busy doing the jobs they are elected to do. We don’t want any group of ill-formed people to insult them. We voted them into office because we have found them worthy of holding that office. I would not want our governors to respond to them.

“Miyetti Allah should turn their guns to their governors in the north and presidency for accommodating banditry and unknown gunmen this far.”

DSS should go after killer herders, backers — Akintoye

On his part, leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Banji Akintoye, urged the DSS to go after marauding herdsmen and their sponsors and not Igboho.

Akintoye, who spoke through his Communications Manager, Maxwell Adeleye, said: “Miyetti Allah is operating in another world entirely. They are acting like they are above the law because the Federal Government made them look untouchable. They have abused governors, threatened state governments, and laid claim to killings of thousands across the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria.

“Their members have raped and maimed scores of people without being made to account for their crimes against humanity.

“Now, they have taken their crass aberration to the peace-loving Yoruba Nation because our elected representatives now have chosen to speak and stand in support of their people.

“Now, I have bad news for Miyyeti Allah: This is the beginning of the end of their reign of terror and hooliganism in the South-West. Wherever they may be or hiding, they shall be crushed through the instrumentalities of law to be enacted by our governors.

“Their claim that our governors are shielding Ighoho from DSS arrest is divisive and satanic. The DSS should be pursuing the murderous members of Miyetti Allah, not Ighoho, who has not committed any offence known to Nigeria and international laws. He is not a criminal.”

We won’t dignify herdsmen group with response — Govs

But the South West Governors’ Forum said it will not dignify the herders’ group with a response.

When contacted, Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Donald Ojogo, who spoke on behalf of chairman of South West Governors Forum and governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu, said: “If what that group says is worthy and publishable to the extent that the reaction of Southwest governors are sought, the governors will rather keep quiet. Let whoever attaches importance to such publish what the group says.”

VANGUARD

Warren Buffett warned the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's CEO about the 'ABCs.' The investor has flagged those threats before

CC™ BIZNEWS

Theron Mohamed

Warren Buffett told the CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that the greatest threats to the philanthropic behemoth were cockiness, red tape, and self-satisfaction. The billionaire investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO, who has gifted a total of $33 billion to the foundation and resigned as its trustee in June, has warned about those forces in the past. 

Mark Suzman took charge of the Gates Foundation early last year, and promptly flew to Buffett's hometown of Omaha, Nebraska to have lunch with the investor and seek his guidance. 

"He told me then that my most important job was to guard against the 'ABC' risks of decay that all very large organizations face: arrogance, bureaucracy, and complacency," Suzman wrote in a recent email to the foundation's employees. 

Buffett pledged in 2006 to donate over 99% of his wealth to the Gates Foundation and four other foundations, and reached the halfway mark towards that goal in June. His advice to Suzman isn't surprising; he wrote in his 2014 letter to Berkshire shareholders that when he retires, a big part of his replacement's job will be warding off those exact threats.

"My successor will need one other particular strength: the ability to fight off the ABCs of business decay, which are arrogance, bureaucracy and complacency," Buffett said. "When these corporate cancers metastasize, even the strongest of companies can falter."

The Berkshire chief went on to highlight General Motors, IBM, Sears Roebuck, and US Steel as examples of corporate titans that once appeared to have unassailable grips on their industries. "The destructive behavior I deplored above eventually led each of them to fall to depths that their CEOs and directors had not long before thought impossible," he said.

Buffett noted in the letter that he structured his company to minimize red tape. Berkshire's decentralized web of autonomous subsidiaries, underpinned by a culture of trust, acts as the "ideal antidote to bureaucracy," he said. Berkshire also saves money and boosts efficiency by not having HR, PR, IR, legal, acquisitions, and other departments in its headquarters, he added.

The investor singled out the "B" in the ABCs again in his 2009 shareholder letter.

"We would rather suffer the visible costs of a few bad decisions than incur the many invisible costs that come from decisions made too slowly – or not at all – because of a stifling bureaucracy," Buffett said.

Given Buffett's clear disdain for the ABCs, it's no surprise that he told Suzman that his primary focus should be preventing the Gates Foundation from succumbing to them.

BUSINESS INSIDER