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Marginalisation: Igbo Take Case to United Nations
Nigerians of Igbo extraction yesterday took the case of marginalisation and exclusion allegedly orchestrated against them by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to the United Nations (UN).
The group urged world powers to mount pressure on President Buhari to re-write the wrongs meted against the Igbo ethnic nationality, alleging that there was a grand plot to deny the South East the nation’s presidency in 2023.
A Coalition of Southeast Civil Society Activists and Human Rights Defenders, stated this at a media briefing in Enugu, adding that they were moved to alert the world body on Ndigbo situation since the Buhari administration commenced, insisting that the unfair treatment had continued to increase daily.
A letter of protest alleging marginalisation of Ndigbo was addressed to the Coordinator, Indigenous Peoples, and Minority Section, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.
It was titled, “Protest Against Provocative Exclusion and Orchestrated Reduction of Ndigbo to Second Class Citizens in Nigeria: A Call to World Powers to Mount Constructive Pressure on President Buhari to Re-write the Wrongs Meted Out Against the Igbo Ethnic Nationality,” and dated September 9, 2019.
Also copied were embassies of the United States of America, Canada, France, Germany, British High Commission and Delegation of European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS in Abuja.
National Convener of the group, Ibuchukwu Ezike, and Secretary-General of Igbo Civil Society Coalition, Dr. Jasper Uche, among others listed the alleged infractions in lopsided appointment of security chiefs; infrastructure deficit including roads, railway, and seaports.
They also listed unfavourable allocations from the Federal Government; closure of Akanu Ibiam International Airport without contract and concentration of interventions of development partners in the North.
Others are exclusion from the commanding heights of the nation’s economy; delay in the passage of southeast Development Commission Bill; politicisation of terrorist designation and flying the kite of the 2023 presidency.
They asked the UN for active engagement and diplomatic pressures on President Buhari to address the principle of federal character in the distribution of public goods and appointive positions, especially security chiefs.
Ezike stated that addressing the lopsided appointments of security chiefs was paramount due to increasing insecurity in the South East region, stressing: “A decision may be taken one day to eliminate all Igbo without their knowledge due to lack of representation.”
They sought sustained pressure on the President to send an executive bill to the National Assembly for the creation of one additional state in the South East, to be at par with other zones as well as mobilisation of resources to ensure speedy completion of the Enugu Airport rehabilitation and expansion before the Christmas season, among other demands.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria defeated Egypt 4-2 on penalties to win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 third-place playoff on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali proved the hero of the night with two crucial saves during the shootout, including one from Egyptian star Mohamed Salah.
Ademola Lookman then calmly converted the decisive penalty to secure the bronze medal —Nigeria’s ninth third-place finish in AFCON history.
With neither side able to break the deadlock in a cagey second half, the game ended 0-0, sending the contest directly to penalties.
Despite Fisayo Dele-Bashiru missing Nigeria’s first kick, Nwabali’s immediate saved from Egypt’s first two attempts shifted the momentum.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of the son of a former Jigawa State governor, challenging the decision of the trial court, which convicted him for failing to declare $40,000 at Kano airport.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court panel dismissed the appeal of Aminu Sule Lamido, the son of former governor Sule Lamido, for lack of merit.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested Aminu on December 11, 2012, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport while preparing to travel to Cairo, Egypt.
The prosecution said Aminu declared $10,000 to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), but was found with an additional $40,000, which was not disclosed on his currency declaration form.
The EFCC charged him before the Federal High Court in Kano on a one-count offence of false declaration of foreign currency, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.
On July 12, 2015, the court convicted Aminu and ordered him to forfeit 25 per cent of the undeclared sum to the Federal government.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Aminu approached the Court of Appeal in Kaduna to overturn the conviction and set aside the forfeiture order.
In a judgment delivered on December 7, 2015, however, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has ordered that the trial of former governor Lamido, his two sons, and others, over alleged N1.35billion fraud, should continue before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A five-member panel of the apex court issued the directive in two unanimous judgments, in the two appeals filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The Supreme Court upheld the decision of the trial court, which dismissed the no-case submission filed by the Lamidos and held that the defendants had a case to answer.
Both appeals were against the July 25, 2023, judgments of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the no-case submission made by Lamido and others and struck out the 37-count charge on which they were being prosecuted, on the grounds that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.
In the lead judgments of the Supreme Court, Justice Abubakar Umar set aside the July 25, 2023 judgments of the Court of Appeal and affirmed the earlier decision by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which overruled the no-case submissions by Lamido and others and ordered them to enter their defence.
The EFCC, in the 37-count charge, among others, accused Lamido of abusing his position as a governor between 2007 and 2015, allegedly laundering sums of money received as kickbacks from companies that were awarded contracts by the Jigawa State Government under his leadership.
The other defendants charged alongside Lamido are his two sons – Aminu and Mustapha; Aminu Wada Abubakar and their companies – Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd.
