Youth wing of the Igbo social-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has assured the people of its readiness and preparedness to safeguard the people of the zone against invasion by almajiri or any section or ethnic group in the country.

ABN TV reports that National Publicity Secretary of the group, Osmond Nkeoma, who was reacting to the influx of Almajirai to the South East in recent times, said Igbo youths have not been quiet on the movements of the northern youths to the South East, explaining that every precautionary measure have been put in place to avert any form of attack.

Nkeoma said youths have been mobilised and sensitised to the grassroots level for the purpose, just as he urged them not to panic.

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He said he strongly believed that the northern youths flocking into the South East are not almajiri but suspected jihadists.

“We are not seeing them as almajiri, we see them as suspected trained jihadists, I have lived in the North, you cannot tell me somebody who is 34 years is an almajiri, I know almajiri to be from age of four to 17, moreover, why are they bringing them here if they are rejected in their own place,” Nkeoma said.

The Igbo youths insisted they are still waiting for the Federal Government’s statement on the influx of the northern youths especial the ones impounded by the police.

[Sun]

Hundreds of protesters are expected to converge on Thursday, June 4 (today), in Benin City to show solidarity, in response to the alleged rape and murder of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, a first-year Microbiology student of the University of Benin, UNIBEN.

The solidarity march is being organised by the UNIBEN Student Union Government (SUG), in collaboration with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) led by the National President, Danielson Bamidele Akpan.

Other bodies joining in solidarity include the UNIBEN Student Comrades Community (UCC), National Association of Edo State Students (NAESS), National Union of Benin Students (NUBS), Nigerian Students and Youth Association (NISAYA), National Association of University Students (NAUS), among others.

A statement issued late Wednesday by the UNIBEN Student SUG, called on all students, SUG senators, NANS comrades, University comrades, and other concerned individuals “that wants justice for late Miss Vera Uwaila (sic)”, to join in the “peaceful demonstration” demanding justice for the deceased.

“We want to urge everyone, that it’s important we come out in our numbers. This is because we will be pushing for Justice for the deceased, and also that such a heinous crime like this should not repeat itself in the Institution, State, Nation and Globally,” the statement issued through the Union spokesman, Destiny Uanzekin, added.

According to the Union spokesman, those expected in the solidarity march are to converge at the University main gate, Ugbowo campus, at 7 am. They are also expected to be in black, signifying mourning. The protest will also call for an end to gender-based violence; rape and murder.

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On security concerns, amid the growing security challenges in Edo, the Union said the Department of State Security Service (DSS), and the Edo State Police Command had assured the protesters of “adequate security coverage.”

“It’s pertinent to state, that there is no cause for alarm for tomorrow’s solidarity march. This is because the Commissioner of Police, has also assured us of security personnels (sic) that will be on ground. Security is beefed up since we will be having the DSS and the Police.”

The statement, while assuring of free transportation, otherwise known as mobility for students in Ekehuan campus, advised all those joining in the solidarity march to come with their nose masks as Coronavirus measures.

“In addition, we want to urge everyone to please come with their nose masks. And also the Golden Age Executives will station Buses at Ekehuan Campus by 6:30am to convey students to the venue.”

Meanwhile, some officials of the UNIBEN SUG, in company of NANS president were, on Wednesday, at the home of the late student to condole with the bereaved family, over the death of their daughter, Miss Uwa.

“The NANS President in his bid to consolidating the efforts of the Union, visited the family of Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa and on our visit, a token was given to the family to show our solidarity support.”

The newly redeployed Commissioner of Police in Edo, Johnson Babatunde Kokumo was said to have also paid a visit to the bereaved family as “his first assignment”, upon resumption of office, assuring of justice for Uwa.

“In doing this, the CP requested the leadership of the Students’ Union Government, in company of the NANS President and his entourage. On the visit to the family, the CP sympathized with the family and assured them that Justice must be served in this case soonest.”

Earlier, the SUG led by its President, Egwu Benjamin Lotana and Senate President, Benjamin Oyemwense; in company of NANS President were at DSS Benin zonal office, where security coverage assurance was secured for the planned march.

Executive Director of popular online platform Igbere TV, Emeh James Anyalekwa, has threatened to sue Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote over the influx of almajiris to the Southeast region, amid the coronavirus-imposed lockdown.

There are several viral videos on the internet, capturing moments Dangote trucks were intercepted or caught smuggling almajiris (otherwise known as Northern beggars) into Southern states, even with the ban on such travels.

But Dangote had, in a letter addressed to Igbo socio-political organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo, denied that his company’s trucks were being used to transport almajiris from the Northern part of Nigeria to the South.

In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday, however, the Igbere TV boss said he was worried over the trend, demanding explanation from Dangote over the influx of almajiris from the North into the East via his trucks, despite the ban on interstate movement.

Anyalekwa, who doubles as National President, Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN), wondered how the almajiris, with all the subsisting lockdown rules, were “still transiting into Southeast on Dangote trucks, without being detected.”

According to him, “The open-denial by Alhaji Aliko Dangote that his trucks are not involved in this ugly trend, is not only unfortunate but not surprising. We are left without any doubt that the new invasion has truly commenced.

“I can’t comprehend what’s behind this Northern desperation in exporting almajiris to southeastern Nigeria by all means. Is there something we need to know about this move before we are caught unaware?

“It is frightening. These humans (almajiris) are packed like sardines in these trucks heading to the East. The unsightly spectacle are not hidden, they are reported all over the pages of newspapers. Is it that Dangote doesn’t read or what?”

Vowing to sue Dangote if the influx is not stopped, the Igbere TV director added, “On Thursday, May 7, the Abia state government intercepted 26 people hidden in two Dangote trucks coming into the state. This was widely reported in the media; how come Dangote is claiming ignorance? Just on the 11th of the same May, two truckloads of 120 almajiris were intercepted at Gakem border in Cross River State.

“In Enugu, the state government intercepted two vehicles relocating almajiris from North; this happened on the 8. Business Day also reported the intercepting of truckload of almajiris to Abia on May 5. Again on May 13 in Enugu, 15 almajiris were caught on the floor of a trailer, as reported by The Guardian; just to mention but a few.”

Blaming Dangote for the unabated influx, Mr. Anyalekwa recalled how Northern governors threatened to totally ban the Almajiri system in the region, and relocate every almajiri back to their states of origin; wondering if the East is also one of these origins.

“The Northern governors resolved to ‘totally ban’ the almajiri system in the region because of what they termed the “risk that almajiri children are exposed to because of coronavirus” and decided to “…evacuate the children to their parents or states of origin.”

“One may, therefore, be forced to ask if the Southeast movements are the abodes of the almajiri youths’ “parents” or their “states of origin.” We demand explanation from Dangote,” the Igbere TV boss insisted.

On the increasing rate of coronavirus figures and with more confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the North, the Igbere TV boss said “more worrisome is the health challenges the influx of almajiris pose to people living in the Southern region.”

“Just recently, Kano state returned 419 almajiris to Katsina; 524 to Jigawa and 155 to Kaduna, totalling 1,098. Weeks later, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State admitted returning some 30,000 to their “own states, he said.

“No sooner had these almajiris returned from Kano to Kaduna arrived than El-Rufai disclosed that 65 out of the 169 almajiris tested positive for coronavirus. Other states announced similar findings too.

“Today, aside from Lagos, the epicentre of COVID-19, the next five biggest cases are from the North (FCT included): Kano, FCT, Katsina, Bauchi, and Borno. Obviously, the almajiris have become indeed vectors of coronavirus as feared,” the OMPAN national president lamented.