By Faruk Adejoh-Audu

Time Tested Tradition.

Notwithstanding the glory , reverence and extreme privilege bothering on deification that comes with ascending the throne of the Attah Igala, the contest for the stool has over time been devoid of the desperate, acrimonious and cutthroat competition that is often associated with the tussle for royal stools in other lands . The reason is not far fetched. In the close to 700 years existence of the stool, Kingmakers had always followed laid down traditional processes and procedures in arriving at who becomes the divine ruler of the Igala people .

The stool is to be rotated among four ruling families(houses) of the Ayegba Oma Idoko Bloodline in the order of seniority. To wit ; Aj’Ameacho, Aj’Aku , Aj’Akogu and Aj’Ocholi. Thus after the reign of our one family , the next family to assume the throne is already known. Again in each family there’s a preference for the eldest prince among the sons of the last person to occupy the stool granted that he’s screened and considered qualified and then presented by the Ruling House he belongs as their choice.

It is noteworthy that in the race for succession in the Kingdom whatever modern religion a candidate professes neither counts for nor against his chances. This is because it is assumed that the religion of the Attah is the worship of and communion with his forefathers. Beside he’s a divine priest-king. This attitude of de-emphasizing religion as a factor of interaction has permeated the entire Igala nation up to political contests with religion never determining the fortune of a candidate.

Before the commencement of the in-house family screening process, The Achadu, who is the Prime Minister of the Kingdom at the completion of the rites of passage after the death of the Attah will declare the stool vacant . The Ruling House in line is expected to immediately constitute what can be regarded as a screening committee under the headship of the oldest man in the House who will liaise with principal stakeholders of the extended family to interview and screen the eligible princes. The choice of the House will then be presented to the three other Ruling Houses, who will then jointly present the candidate to the King Makers known as the IgalaMela Council headed by the Etemahi, a First Class traditional ruler. In all likelihood, a candidate so presented is expected to become the next Attah Igala.

Spanner in the Works

But there was a major deviation in recent history, when the British Colonial Administration in 1956 ignored the time tested process that had worked smoothly for over 600 years and turbaned a prince, Aliyu Obaje, whose Ruling House was not even in contention and escorted him to Idah, the Capital of Igala Kingdom to forcefully install as the Attah. This was to all intent and purpose a coup d’etat executed by the British colonial power against the Igala Kingdom. At the time, the rites of coronation of a new Attah in the person of Late Opaluwa Oguche had all but been concluded. As a matter of fact he was only a few steps away from ascending the throne of his forefathers.

The colonial government was said to have included the requirement that whoever will be allowed to ascend the throne must have had some level of formal western education and decided that the Prince who best satisfied their requirements was the Late Aliyu Obaje.

It is believed that this interference may have been as a result of their frustrating experience with the then immediate past Attah Ameh Oboni who it was said resisted been subordinated to the powers and controls of the colonial administration’s indirect rule. The Attah by that arrangement was subordinate to the Sultan of Sokoto who is the Chairman of the Northern House of Chiefs. Oboni who would take none of that was considered cantankerous and his intransigence adjudged to be as a result of his illiteracy. After his deposition and eventual transition it was thus resolved that only an educated prince who understands and can recognize authority will be allowed to ascend the throne.

This development effectively threw spanners into the works with Opaluwa Oguche who was already an Attah in waiting rejecting the imposition and heading to court. This was the first time the contest for the stool will assume such belligerent dimension. He was equally trenchant in trying to undermine the reign of Aliyu Obaje for years until a reconciliation was finally achieved through the efforts of the stakeholders of the Kingdom in 1972 when Oguche withdrew his suit from the Supreme Court and returned to his pre-nomination position as the District Head of Ugwalawo.

Though Oguche succumbed to the pressures to let peace reign, the distortions introduced by the anomaly of imposing a turbaned Attah against tradition has continued to endure.

For instance the contest that brought in the departing Attah, His Royal Majesty, Idakwo Oboni for the first became a free for all among the four ruling houses with each of the clan presenting candidates, in some cases some individuals even made independent bids for the stool.
When eventually Idakwo Oboni of the Aj’Ocholi Ruling House was chosen on the grounds that his direct father had occupied the throne (which is a requirement), at least two ruling houses: the Ah’Ameacho who produced Opaluwa Oguche (the Attah in waiting that was supplanted by the British) and the Aj’Akogu whose turn was also compromised by development were unhappy and were believed to be spoiling for a judicial showdown.

The Law that Restored Sanity

However then Governor in Office Captain Idris Ichalla Wada deftly saved the situation with the enactment of Igala Area Traditional Council (Modification of Native Law and Customs)Order, 2015 Proceedure and Regulation for the Ascension to the Stool of the Attah Igala Act.
The law amended the tradition that restricts succession only to the direct sons of persons who had occupied the stool. To sustain the tradition would have meant that the Aj’Ameacho and the Aj’Akogu would have expired as ruling houses as a result of the injustice of the British in 1956. The law equally prescribes that the restoration of the rotation will commence from the Aj’Ameacho.

The law now qualifies grandsons and nephews and grandnephews of an Attah to be eligible where there are no more direct sons. This was to cure the injustice against the two ruling houses whose last Attahs were Oguche Akpa of Aj’Ameacho House, (father of Opaluwa Oguche) who reigned from 1911 to 1919 and Atabo Ijomi who ruled from 1919 to 1926. No direct sons of these Attah’s are still alive after a century of their departure.

Back to Rotation

The Wada Law has effectively doused the tension. With the rites of passage of the last Attah Agabaidu Michael Idakwo Oboni over, the Aj’Ameacho Ruling House, has been deliberating to pick its best among the qualified contenders.
Already in the spirit of unity and submission to higher family interests that had hitherto characterized the contest some major contenders like Professor Armstrong Idachaba, Harvard trained intellectual , Professor of Mass Communication and presently the Acting DG of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have against pressures and popular demand to participate withdrawn from the contest to give the direct sons of late Opaluwa Oguche , the Attah that was halted on his way to ascension, the privilege to vie.

There are speculations that each of the two sons of late Aliyu Obaje, the late King who was imposed by the British in 1956 are also individually interested in the contest and may be lobbying for the Wada Law to be jettisoned. This cannot be independently verified but many fear that such a predacious ambition at a time when the Igala Nation is reveling in the return of order and sanity to the succession process could force a review of the legitimacy of their father’s reign as Attah having never been subjected to any of the rites required of an Igala King of the Ayegba Oma Idoko Dynasty.

It’s an Aj’Ameacho Affair.

The contenders initially included James Ufaruna Opaluwa, the eldest surviving Prince of the Opulawa family; Samuel Opaluwa a retired Central Banker and an alumnus of the prestigious Kings College, Lagos, who is second in seniority; Matthew Alhaji Opaluwa. A director at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); Ocholi Opaluwa, a very Senior Customs Officer. Others are Wada Adaji Oguche, a successful business man and Dr Mike Idachaba an American trained scientist. The last two have withdrawn just like NBC’s Prof. Idachaba based on the consensus to allow the direct offspring of Opaluwa Oguche who was unjustly supplanted to remedy the injustice to their late father.

Each of the contenders of the Aj’Ameacho House are considered qualified but it is expected that the Kingmakers will equally consider the sentiments and desire of the people of the Kingdom for an agile and virile candidate capable and competent to handle the office in a manner that the interest of the Kingdom will be well protected.

However Samuel Opaluwa the former staff of the Central Bank would appear to be the favourite as James Ufaruna the eldest son has withdrawn from the contest and endorsed Samuel. The endorsement is considered a submission of his right of ascension to his younger brother. Thus this now effectively leaves three of the Opaluwa Princes in the race. Samuel, Mathew Alhaji and Ocholi.

All attention has therefore shifted to Aj’Ameacho Ruling House to know the choice of the family. Baring any last minute hitch the successful prince among the contenders will be declared in a matter of days .

▪︎ Adejoh, a former Local Government Chairman in Kogi State, sent this via WhatsApp

No fewer than nine Nigerian Americans are on the ballot in Tuesday’s general elections in the United States, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Running mostly on the platform of the Democratic Party, the candidates are bidding for different offices at the federal, state and local levels.

NAN reports that besides the presidential election, governorship polls are holding in 11 states and two territories, in addition to other state and local elections.

Congressional elections are also holding on Tuesday with all the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, and 35 of the 100 seats in the Senate up for grabs.

At the federal level, Mr Oye Owolewa, whose father is from Kwara and mother from Oyo, is aiming for a ‘shadow’ (non-voting) seat in the House of Representatives.

Owolewa, a Ph.D holder in Pharmacy from the Northeastern University, Boston, is seeking to represent the District of Columbia (DC) under the Democratic Party.

If elected, the 30-year-old, whose agenda include fighting income inequality in the U.S., would be the first Nigerian congressman in the country’s history.

Also at the federal level, Mr Yomi Faparusi, an Ibadan-born native of Ode-Ekiti in Ekiti State, is vying as an independent candidate to represent the state of Tennessee in the U.S. Senate.

Faparusi holds a doctorate in Medicine from the University of Ibadan, a Ph.D. in Health from Johns Hopkins University, and Juris Doctorate from the Widener University School of Law, Delaware.

This is not his first shot at the U.S. Congress. In 2014 and 2016, he vied for the Republican Party’s ticket to the House of Representatives, but lost in both occasions

Faparusi’s priorities include being a positive voice for all Nigerians in the U.S. Senate, and inspiring Americans of African or Nigerian descent to seek public office in the country.

In Missouri, a Republican controlled state, Mr Yinka Faleti from Lagos is the Democratic Party flagbearer in the election for the office of Secretary of State.

According to Wikipedia, Faleti was in the U.S. Army as an active-duty officer from 1998 to 2004. He served in Kuwait, first under Operation Desert Spring and later as part Operation Enduring Freedom.

The 44-year-old father of four holds a Bachelor’s degree from the United States Military Academy, West Point, and a Juris Doctorate from the Washington University School of Law.

His goals as a Secretary of State include protection of the “right to vote for Missouri families”, and ensuring elected officials hear the people’s voice.

Also at the state level, Mr Paul Akinjo from Ondo, is running for election to the California State Assembly under the Democratic Party to represent District 12.

Akinjo once served as Vice Mayor of Lathrop, California, and in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1982 to 1989. His priorities include housing, immigration and transportation.

In Delaware, a small Mid-Atlantic U.S. state, Adewunmi Kuforiji is aspiring to represent District 34 in the state House of Representatives.

Kuforiji, originally from Ibadan, Oyo, secured the Democratic Party’s ticket on Sept. 15 after defeating his challenger, Robert Haynes, at the primary. He holds a Bachelor in Accounting and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Delaware State University.

In the 2018 mid-term elections, he vied for the same position but lost to the incumbent, Lyndon Yearick, of the Republican Party, whom he is facing he on Tuesday.

Also at the state level, Ms Esther Agbaje, is seeking to represent District 59B in the Minnesota House of Representatives on the platform of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFLP), an affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party.

The 35-year-old daughter of an Episcopal priest and a librarian, both Nigerian immigrants, defeated longtime state Representative Raymond Dehn in the party’s primary in August.

She is one of one of four progressive greenhorns who defeated established Democratic legislators in the primary.

Agbaje has a law degree from Harvard University, a Master’s from the University of Pennsylvania, and has served in the U.S. Department of State, among others.

As a millennial, a “generation that has suffered numerous setbacks”, she seeks to bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to government.

On the ballot at the local government level are April Ademiluyi, Ngozi Akubuike and Benjamin Osemenam.

Ademiluyi, 39, is running on the Democratic Party’s ticket for Judge of the Seventh Circuit Court in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

For her part, Akubuike, a legal practitioner, is an independent candidate for judge of the Minnesota 2nd District Court Position 8.

Akubuike studied law in Nigeria, then worked in the banking sector before moving to the U.S. where she graduated from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.

She has served in several capacities, including legal manager for the state of Minnesota.

Osemenam, who moved to the U.S. in 1982, is contesting for a seat in the Brooklyn Park City Council of Minnesota to represent East District.

An engineer with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, he is vying on the platform of National Party.

He is a former president of the Association of Nigerian Engineers in Minnesota.

NAN

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is claiming there is a plot to hide behind the massive looting of government warehouses by hoodlums in the last few weeks to cover up the alleged corruption perpetrated from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development.

The main opposition party is also claims it has uncovered designs by indicted federal government officials to use the invasion of CACOVID palliative warehouses to escape investigation into the reported stealing and criminal diversion of funds and palliatives provided by the Federal Government to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PDP, in a Sunday statement, says it is appalled by the scandalous attempt by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, to create an impression that the CACOVID palliatives besieged in the aftermath of the EndSARS protest were the same federal government palliatives for which she is required to give account.

The party adds, “Our party wants to inform the minister that such infantile antics cannot sway Nigerians, as the public is already aware that CACOVID palliatives came from donations from wells meaning individuals and organizations which is completely different from the N500 billion voted by the federal government, which has not been accounted for.

“If anything, this attempt by the minister to muddle-up issues and confuse Nigerians only goes to validate allegations of stealing and diversion of funds and palliatives provided by the Federal Government and placed under her purview.

“Of course, the CACOVID palliatives has nothing to do with the alleged stealing and diversion of funds in the cash disbursement of N20,000 to undocumented beneficiaries leading to widespread outcry by Nigerians that bulk of the money may have been diverted.

“The embattled minister has not explained the reason for the obvious circumventing of statutory public finance report system and appropriate documentations by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), leading to the alleged diversion of funds to private purses.

“Also, the CACOVID palliatives have nothing to do with the billions of naira claimed to have been spent on school feeding at a time the schools were shut and school children were in their respective homes in different locations across the country.

“It is revealing to state that our party had earlier gotten winds of allegations in the public space that some indicted federal officials compromised arrangements at CACOVID warehouses to trigger an invasion by agitating Nigerians, as a decoy to frustrate investigation into the alleged stealing and diverting of federal government palliatives by government officials.

“Indeed, the rush for self-exoneration by the minister as well as her forgiveness showboating, apparently in an attempt to posture a foreclosure of an investigation into the handling of Federal Government palliative funds, goes to validate the allegations.

“But Nigerians cannot be swayed by such antics as they hugely smacks of guilt and desperation to evade investigation and conceal corruption.

“Moreover, it is evident that the besieging of the CACOVID warehouses was further inflamed by bottled-up anger and frustration over the corruption that characterized the handling of Federal Government palliative funds by the Minister, who now postures for foreclosure of investigation into the manifest atrocities in her ministry.

“Our party holds that this particular attempt to cover corruption places a huge burden on the Buhari-led administration and we call on Mr. President to come clean on the handling of Federal Government funding on COVID-19.

“The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development should therefore end her unnecessary showboating and self-exoneration and get ready to give account of the allegedly diverted billions of naira provided by the Federal Government for COVID-19 palliatives instead of seeking to hide under CACOVID palliatives looting.

“The PDP standing with millions of deprived Nigerians demands that President Muhammadu Buhari immediately order an open and independent public enquiry into the handling of the funds released by the Federal Government as COVID-19 intervention fund.

“The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs should give account of how much was released to her, the specific purchases, with details of contractors; details of distribution of palliatives and agents in all states; as well as details of bank withdrawals and beneficiaries of her N20,000 disbursements.

“Nobody should hide under CACOVID to foreclose investigations into the stealing of funds meant for the poor and vulnerable in our country.

“The PDP however restates our call for calm but urges the Federal Government to end such provocative antics being played by its officials to cover corruption.”

*Calls For 2021 SAN Rank Application

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee has called for applications for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for the year 2021.

This is contained in a notice signed by Hadiza Mustapha, the Secretary of the LPPC and Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, which was made available to TheNigeriaLawyer.

The LPPC issued the notice as “a formal call for SAN applications preparatory to the award of the rank for the year 2021”, pursuant to “the combined provisions of Section 5 (2) of the Legal Practitioners Act, Laws of the Federation 2004 and Regulation 9, Guidelines of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee 2018.”

Besides, it was stated that applicants are expected to pay a non-refundable fee of #600,000 as a processing fee.

“As a corollary to the above, any submission after the deadline of January 31, 2021 at 4pm, shall be treated as a non-submission,” the notice added.

TheNigeriaLawyer recalls that LPPC had on September 23 released the first shortlist of 137 candidates who applied for the SAN rank in 2020 while the final list is to emerge after the interview of the candidates comprising 116 advocate and 21 academic applicants, among other selection procedures.

Consequently, the new call for applications is for the year 2021, as the LPPC is rounding off the process of selecting the successful applicants for the conferment of the rank for the year 2020. (Thenigerialawyer)

A convicted criminal who escaped from prison in Edo state has killed a neighbor who testified against him in court.

File photo

 A convict who escaped from the Oko Correctional Centre in Edo state has killed his neighbor who testified against him in court. The convict killed his neighbor hours after escaping. According to Vanguard, the escapee prisoner was among over 1,993 prisoners who escaped from two correctional facilities in Edo state.  Few have been arrested while about 1,818 prisoners are still on the run and had flooded the streets launching various degrees of attacks. Addressing newsmen yesterday, Babatunde Kokumo, Edo commissioner of police, said they have arrested 126 suspected criminals and 10 amongst them were escapees. His words according to TheCable: “We have commenced actions against the criminal elements. It will interest you to know that 10 of the criminal elements who escaped from Oko Correctional Centre on Airport Road, Benin and the Correctional Centre on Sapele Road, Benin were also arrested.“One of them, after having escaped from Oko correctional centre, ran back to his village on the same day, to kill the person who stood as a prosecution witness in the case that took him to the correctional centre. He has been arrested and he is among the suspects.“Another group of three escapees from the correctional centre in Benin also went ahead to snatch a Lexus Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). Three of them met at the correctional centre and they were caught by the police.“A set of two escapees equally stole a Toyota Camry car. They also met at the correctional centre. They were arrested by Okada Division of Edo State Police Command. We have a total of ten escapees.“The guns were also recovered from the criminal elements.”

The Nigeria Labour Congress has disclosed that it is impracticable for electricity tariff to be hiked yet, following the outcry across the country against the Federal Government September 1, 2020 service reflective tariff.

Mr Joe Ajaero, Deputy President & General Secretary, National Union of Electricity Employees stated that a new tariff template had been agreed upon by government and labour unions.

“I’m not sure of any planned reversal to the old or increased tariff. The template has been touched after the first two weeks of our meeting on the tariff review.

“If you watch the new template for customers in bands A and B, there was a reduction of 10 per cent and 10.5 per cent, respectively. For those in Band C, there is a 31 per cent reduction.”

“Those in bands D and E were not increased at all. Now, that is what we could do within the two weeks and we were given an extension of about two to three months to work on some other issues”, he added.

Furthermore, he stated that because of some adjustments, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission would have to commence the implementation of the reductions later , which ought to have started two weeks ago.

“NERC is not reverting to the tariff that led to the outcry. Rather, it would commence the implementation of these adjustments that were done pending when we are going to make further findings.

“So, they are going to revert to these adjustments that we have made and not the September 1, 2020 tariff hike, which they had approved earlier. The NERC chairman’s signature is on what we agreed to during our meeting,” he said.

Meanwhile, he stated that the NLC agreed to a 3 month extension in order for other issues to be settled.

“Why are we talking about two to three months to iron out issues? It is because of the issue of gas pricing. Gas produced in this country is being sold in dollars and they now compute tariff based on the price of gas in dollars.

“We said this is wrong. So, we have to look into it and know the cost of gas for power in the country. Now, these issues have to do with the gas policy of Nigeria, which cannot be handled within two weeks.”

In addition, he stated that the new tariff templates would run for three months, “The template was presented to the joint meeting between labour and government; it was adopted there and the approval for two to three months to conclude the work was given. Within that two to three months’ period, we are going to visit the Discos and interview the customers as well.”

He also added that the power tariff would come down by the time the team secures the accurate pricing for gas and that it won’t be in dollars.

The Global Network for Human Rights (GNHR) has vowed to drag instigators of violence that led to the killing of policemen and destruction of properties during the EndSARS protests to the International Criminal Court. 

The group, at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, said these individuals must be brought to justice for their roles in inciting “massive terror on the streets”. 

Coordinating chairman, 
Adulmalik Alfa Esq, speaking on behalf of the group, said these persons exploited the socio-economic challenges of the country to prime the population for mob action.  

The human rights group said Femi Falana, Aisha Yesufu, Nnamdi Kanu, DJ Switch among others were behind this vicious act. 

Recall that the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, had said 22 of his officers were killed during the violence. 

And according to the group, Femi Falana, in particular, should be held responsible as the known face and voice of the violent aspects of the protests. 

GNHR said it has evidence to back this claim and would present it to ICC with documentary evidence of Femi Falana’s involvement in inciting those that carried out this pogrom against law enforcement officers and other innocent Nigerians. 

The rights group, however, called on the media, all Nigerians and the international community to “help us in bringing about justice for innocent security operatives that were murdered by these violent protesters”.

Read the full statement below:

Gentlemen of the press, we are pleased that you can join us for this press conference despite the massive terror on the streets that has been unleashed on the country by saboteurs. 

We will like to start by clearing the air about a misconception that is making the round in terms of situating the cause of the violent protests across the countr .countrye is a tendency to tie the start of the protest to the agitation against police brutality and abuse of human rights, particularly by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which has now been christened #EndSARS. The reality, however, is that the singular incidence that provoked the protest could be described as a mere trigger for something that brewed over some time.

Before the protests ever started, there has been a systematic campaign of incitement by a well-heeled circuit, who exploited the socio-economic challenges of the country to prime the population for mob action.  They picked on the day to day challenges that are not peculiar to Nigeria as means of goading the population to rebel against the government.

We will name a few of these people, those that we consider as the arrowheads of the well-oiled propaganda machine that poisoned the minds of Nigerians to attempt destroying their own country. We believe these are the people to be held responsible by their leadership position and the inciteful contents of the messages they have put out on their social media accounts, media interviews, statements and utterances.

On the list are: Chief Femi Falana, Falz (Folarin Falana), Nnamdi Kanu, Obianuju Catherine Udeh (DJ Switch), Aisha Yesufu, Reno Omokri, Deji Adeyanju, Dino Melaye, David Oyedepo, BurnaBoy, Paul Okoye, Ayo Makun amongst others.

It is on record that all the above-named persons contributed in one way or the other is ramping up public anger much before the protests began. They then intensified the incitement of people in multiple folds in the early days of the protests such that their actions can be directly linked to the outbreak of violence. They sustained this incitement until it became clear that the violence, arson and looting of government and private property were getting out of hand.

It was observed that some of these celebrity activists and clout chasers backed down and sort of distanced themselves from the negative stance they had maintained on the protests, apparently to evade responsibility for the killings and destruction of property that they had triggered.

We noted that Chief Femi Falana has been particularly vociferous in inciting people to keep up the protests. This is even though policemen and other law enforcement personnel were being attacked and killed. It is therefore pertinent to hold Femi Falana responsible as the known face and voice of the violent aspects of the protests. We are convinced that he knows more than he is letting on because he continued to support the protests even when the fugitive leader of the terrorist Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu was coordinating the mob and identifying where and who to attack.

Consequently, we are resolute to make Femi Falana answer for his crimes against Nigeria in the course of the protests. These include:

1. Incitement of the population against the government 
2. Incitement of the population against public office holders with intent to cause them harm 
3. Maliciously spreading information known to be false with intent to incite violence 
4. Providing propaganda support for terrorist attacks through the aiding of attacks carried out by members of a proscribed terrorist group
5. Making of utterances that incited people to kill policemen on legitimate duty
6. Making of statement that incited people to kill citizens of Nigeria 
7. Making of statement that resulted in mobs destroying government-owned assets and private assets. 

Gentlemen of the press, as a result of Falana’s incitement, with specific reference to the Oyingbo incident, where BRT Buses were burnt and several policemen killed, our network has taken the bold decision to drag Falana before the International Criminal Court at the Hague in the course of the next seven days.

We have pulled our facts together as follow:

OYIGBO ATTACK SUMMARY OF INCIDENT REPORT:-

Number of Hoodlums arrested            – 21

Number of Policemen Killed                 — 3

Number of Police Stations burnt           –3

Number of Police Station Vandalised   –1

Number of Hoodlums killed                 — 4

NAMES OF POLICEMEN KILLED ARE AS FOLLOW:-

1. AP/No. 241542 Inspr. Sunday Dubon— APC Driver Attached to Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) killed and burnt to ashes.
2. F/No. 414018 Sgt. Swawale Ornan — Attached to 19 PMF on Special Duty at Oyigbo, killed and burnt to ashes.
3. F/No. 424944 Sgt. Umunna Uchechukwu—- serving in Afam Police Station, his leg and hand were cut off and burnt to ashes. 

We shall be tendering these to the ICC with documentary evidence of Femi Falana’s involvement in inciting those that carried out this pogrom against law enforcement officers and other innocent Nigerians. We shall also be drawing the attention of the ICC to the fact that Falana ran this campaign of incitement as a family business in which he was actively supported by his son, Falz (Folarin Falana) in partnership with the wanted IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

We hereby use this medium to solicit the support of the media, all Nigerians and the international community to help us in bringing about justice for innocent security operatives that were murdered by these violent protesters. 

Thank you all.