…alleges 2023 connection The leadership of the Movement for the Actualization of the African Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has condemned the killings of 21 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) last Sunday at Emene in Enugu state. The group which described the killing as ‘callous and unwarranted’ maintained that it was a premeditated execution and not a clash as the security forces want to convey to the public. It added also that the attack cannot be divorced from the 2023 election and the growing clamour for a President of Igbo extraction, noting that politicians of the South-East may after all ultimately be the real target of the attack. MASSOB’s national leader who signed the statement, Comrade Uchenna Madu said it would be ungodly to mislead the public to think that the killing of the IPOB members was caused by a clash instead of the premeditated execution it is. Madu said: “It is the worst case of barbarism and primitive reactionary mass slaughter by the combined security forces of Nigeria against unarmed civilians perceived to be enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari and his killer herdsmen kinsmen. “The venom that was unleashed on the young Igbo boys mostly of the Christian faith was a reflection of the pathological hatred of Ndigbo and Christians in general by the Buhari administration. ” This act of mass murder affirms our earlier warning of a conspiratorial plot to undermine the political emancipation of Ndigbo in Nigeria.” The MASSOB leader said it was a well-known fact that all pro-Biafra groups including MASSOB, IPOB, BIM and others are non-violent and unarmed groups. “It is also on records that none of these groups have indulged in any act of terrorism, violence or killings. Why should the Nigerian security forces embark on such murderous mission only to turn back to blackmail the unarmed members of IPOB that they engaged in shootout with agents of DSS that led to the combine security forces of Nigeria to heavily descend on them in a war-like fashion at their meeting venue at Emene, Enugu on Sunday which resulted on the death of innocent and defenceless citizens.” He continued:” What happened in Enugu on Sunday between IPOB and combined security forces of Nigeria was not a clash or a confrontation but a pre-planned acts of terrorism and brutal execution orchestrated by the presidency to inflict terror on the region and undermine the rising clamour and support for Nigeria president of Igbo extraction. “They fronted the DSS to provoke the unarmed members of IPOB to an assault but IPOB members declined to fall into their trap, but because it was already an authorized mission that must be executed, the DSS opened fire on defenceless citizens, the police, army and Air Force immediately joined them in the brutality of IPOB members and terrorized the inhabitants of Enugu city.” MASSOB also noted that the Igbo political leaders irrespective of their political party or affiliation are the main target of this latest assault. “It is against the political emancipation of Ndigbo in Nigeria ahead the 2023 general election. It is all about wounding the morale of Igbo socio-political leaders. It is about creating fears in the populace of Ndigbo towards 2023. Ndigbo must rise now in defence of our father land. An injustice to an Igbo person is injustice against all Igbos irrespective of political differences”, the MASSOB leader stressed.

Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, attacked Eyo Charles, a journalist who asked him a question at a press conference in Calabar, Cross River state, last week. The ex-minister, who began a tour of some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) states in July, visited Cross River last week. Crimefacts gathered that at the end of the tour, he held a press conference where he showered encomiums on Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River. Among the projects he inspected are the superhighway that would stretch from the Atlantic ocean in Bakassi to the boundary of Benue state and the proposed deep sea port. He reportedly showered encomiums on Ayade and called on the federal government to assist the state which has “lean resources”. Eyo, a reporter with Daily Trust, had asked the ex-minister if his recent trips were being sponsored and Fani-Kayode flew into a rage shortly after. Fani-Kayode, who described the reporter as “very stupid”, said he is not a poor man who would beg for funds. “I am saying this on live TV. What type of stupid question is that? Bankrolling who? Do you know who you are talking to? I will not take any questions from this man,” he said. “What type of insulting question is that? Which bankroll? To do what? Who can give me money for anything? Who do you think you are talking to? Go and report yourself to your publisher? Please don’t insult me here. I don’t want to take any questions from this man. “I could see from your face before you got here, how stupid you are. Don’t ever talk to me like that. Who do you think you’re talking to. Bankroll who? You think I am one of those ones you… from who, when, how? You have a small mind, very small mind. Don’t judge me by your own standards. “I have been in politics since 1990… I have been locked up many times by this government. Suffered. I have been persecuted unlike most of the politicians you follow for brown envelope. Don’t ever judge me by that standard. I spend I don’t take and I am not a poor man — I have never been and I will never be. “Bankroll how? Don’t ever suggest that to me. I am sorry that was deeply insulting. I don’t often get annoyed in press conference. I have been doing this type of thing for so many years. Don’t you ever make that kind of suggestion to me. Bankroll who? A former minister, a lawyer? Don’t ever try that with me again o, please. You see me well, don’t ever. Try it with others, but with me, don’t! I will hit you hard and if anybody sent you to ask that question and gave you brown envelope, go and tell them that you got more than they bargained for to do it. “Very rude. It is not the standard of Daily Trust at all and I will report you to your publisher. Thank you. Somebody that has been on the road for how long, you are coming to talk about that. Very stupid.” The ex-minister had asked if there were other questions but he did not entertain any other question before storming out of the hall in anger. Crimefacts gathered that despite the attempt of Christian Ita, chief press secretary to Ayade, to pacify Fani-Kayode, he continued raining insults on the reporter outside the hall. “You can go ahead and write your rubbish. I have marked you,” a journalist who witnessed the incident quoted Fani-Kayode as telling Charles. Eyo Charles, Daily Trust Journalist speaks on Humiliation by Femi Fani Kayode The Daily Trust reporter, Mr Charles, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was “more disorganised” and had to apologise to Mr Fani-Kayode when he heard other reporters told him right there that he should not have asked the question. He said he did not expect the former minister to “suddenly jumped” at him. “The question was sir, you said you have gone round six or seven states to inspect projects undertaken by those governors, and now you are here in Cross River state, rounding off your one-week visit to Governor Ayade. Who is bankrolling you?” Mr Charles said. Mr Charles said after the incident a “security aide” to the former minister walked up to him and began interrogating him. He said he had to hurriedly leave the hotel premises. The former minister, the reporter said, later called his editor in Daily Trust and demanded his sack. The reporter said he regretted apologising to Mr Fani-Kayode over the incident. “I am 53, he is not much older than me. I am not a child, I am an adult and I have children,” he said. Daily Trust reacts The management of Media Trust Limited, publishers of Daily Trust and other titles, condemn the reprehensible actions of Femi Fani-Kayode, who in a video clip now gone viral, verbally assaulted – repeatedly – our reporter, Eyo Charles in the course of doing his job. In statement by its editor-in-Chief ,Naziru Mikailu Abubakar ,reads : “The encounter occurred in Calabar, Cross River State, in the morning of Thursday 20, August 2020 at a hotel, during a roundtable with invited journalists.” “During the roundtable, Charles asked Fani- Kayode who was bankrolling his recent trips around Nigeria, to which the ex-minister responded with a raised voice, insults, and eventually a threat to inflict bodily harm on our reporter.” “The barrage continued for some minutes, while bewildered journalists, including our reporter,looked on.” l “The video clip, also released on one of the ex- minister’s social media accounts, was conveniently edited to exclude the question asked by Charles, totally devoid of mischief, simply sought clarification and information, like good journalism should..” “Said editing paved the way for a social media lynch mob to rain expletives on our reporter, labelling him as ‘rude’. “This could not be further away from the truth, and we stand by Charles, and commend him for his calmness during

A journalist who had a sour encounter at a press briefing with a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, in Calabar, Cross River State, has narrated his ordeal to PREMIUM TIMES. A video being circulated via WhatsApp shows Mr Fani-Kayode abruptly leaving the briefing after pouring invective on the reporter, Eyo Charles of Daily Trust newspaper, whom he said asked him an “insulting” question The incident happened on Thursday at a private hotel where the former minister was briefing reporters on his tour of projects in the South-South state. The briefing was moderated by Governor Ben Ayade’s spokesperson, Christian Ita, and attended by reporters from Vanguard, Punch, NAN, AIT, and other media houses. “What type of stupid question is that? What type of stupid question is that? Bankrolling who? Do you know who you are talking to?” Mr Fani-Kayode said angrily to the reporter. Mr Fani-Kayode, in the video, turned and looked at Governor Ayade’s spokesperson, Mr Ita, who sat close to him. He said he was not going to take any more questions from Mr Charles. “What type of insulting question is that? Which bankroll? To do what? Who can give me money for anything? Who do you think you are talking to? Bankroll what? Go and report yourself to your publisher.” The governor’s spokesperson, Mr Ita, stood up and tried to pacify the former minister. “Sorry sir,” Mr Ita said to him. But it appeared he was too angry to listen. “I could see from your face before you got here, how stupid you are. Don’t ever talk to me like that,” Mr Fani-Kayode kept yelling at the reporter who was still standing and apologising — “I am sorry, sir.” “Don’t judge me by your own standards,” the former minister kept saying. “I have been in politics since 1990. I am not one of those politicians that you think will just come…. I was taken, I have been locked up how many times by this government. I have been prosecuted, unlike most of these politicians you follow for brown envelopes! “Don’t ever judge me by that standard. I spend, I don’t take and I am not a poor man, I have never been and will never be.” The other reporters appeared stupefied by the incident and did not ask Mr Fani- Kayode any further question. The minister suddenly stood up and left the room. The Daily Trust reporter, Mr Charles, told PREMIUM TIMES that he was “more disorganised” and had to apologise to Mr Fani-Kayode when he heard other reporters told him right there that he should not have asked the question. He said he did not expect the former minister to “suddenly jumped” at him. “The question was sir, you said you have gone round six or seven states to inspect projects undertaken by those governors, and now you are here in Cross River state, rounding off your one-week visit to Governor Ayade. Who is bankrolling you?” Mr Charles said. Mr Charles said after the incident a “security aide” to the former minister walked up to him and began interrogating him. He said he had to hurriedly leave the hotel premises. The former minister, the reporter said, later called his editor in Daily Trust and demanded his sack. “I am 53, he is not much older than me. I am not a child, I am an adult and I have children,” he said. Judex Okoro, the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, in Cross River state, said the journalists’ union was yet to meet over the incident. Governor Ayade’s spokesperson, Mr Ita, however, told PREMIUM TIMES that what the Daily Trust reporter said to the former minister was not a question. “The guy didn’t even ask a question. The guy said ‘even though you have not told us who is bankrolling your trips’. “When he said that the man now erupted, he was very upset,” Mr Ita said. “I was trying to pacify both sides.”