Biafra group accuses Buhari of dividing Nigeria along ethnic lines
Ikpeazu tightens lockdown measures as Uzodinma orders payment of March pensions
The Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) has accused the President Muhammadu Buhari administration of dividing Nigeria along ethnic lines amid the coronavirus disease.
Leader of BZF, Benjamin Onwuka, said at a time when countries of the world were united in seeking solutions to the pandemic and cushioning the effects of lockdown on their citizens, the Buhari government was politicising distribution of palliatives.
His words: “It is now clear that the Buhari-led government has recognised us a people who are no longer part of Nigeria. This is manifest in the way the South East people are being excluded in welfare schemes.
“First, it was the $22.7b loan, which made provisions for other geopolitical zones, except the South East. As if that was not enough, the South East has been schemed out of the COVID-19 palliatives. They are sharing money to their cronies in the North, neglecting those in the South East.
“We have seen a situation where money is being shared to people in some Northern States where there is no single case of coronavirus, but the States down here in the South are left out.
“So, following from the above, it is now clear that Buhari has recognised Biafra; he no longer sees us as part of Nigeria. For that reason, I am recalling all our people who have one thing or the other to do with Nigeria. This ranges from sports, trade and professional unions, among others.
“The Igbo ministers serving in Buhari’s government are on their own. They stand between standing for the truth or serving a government that has rejected their own people.
“We have been rejected in Nigeria and we are not going to reject ourselves.”
Onwuka also urged traders in the region to desist from jacking up prices of essential commodities, stressing, “We have an international emergency and our people are known to be their brother’s keeper.
“So, we should not inflict more hardships on our people by way of arbitrary increase in prices of food items and other essential services.
“In addition to this, as we expect schools to reopen in September, no form of fee or levy should be collected from students. Government should bear the cost as part of the social palliatives.”
Besides, Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has introduced tougher measures to the lockdown that was extended last week for another two weeks.
Under the new measures, hospitals in the state that refuse to treat sick persons would face sanctions, just as the state government urged hospitals and doctors to comply with the dictates of their professional practice to attend to sick persons in order to save lives.
Meanwhile, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has directed immediate payment of retirees’ pensions for the month of March 2020.
In a statement issued by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, the governor directed that only legitimate retirees should be paid.
The statement alleged that the use of consultants by the immediate past administration for the payment was meant to perpetuate fraud and corruption.
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