Ezu River corpse: MASSOB cries foul says they are our members, petitions UN, FG

Information reaching NaijaAgroNet puts credence to the story ran by us that initial investigations at the break of the news that some corpses dumped in Ezu River in Anambra State boundary with Enugu State was the handwork of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), with serious implication for upstaging epidemics in over 100 communities along the riverines.

Reports by Leadership stated that the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has identified the corpse as its members in Police custody.

MASSOB went on to list some of their names, alleging that they were in Police custody, invariably killed and dumped in Ezu River, just as the group petitioned the United Nations, Federal Government, United States’ President Barack Obama, United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), and Amnesty International to name a few.

The group also insisted they identified the corpses of those found floating in the Ezu River at Amansea community, Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State as those of their members arrested by Police on November 9, 2012.

Director of Information, MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu, maintained in a press statement made available to newsmen Friday that the controversial corpses were those of their members who were arrested by security agencies in different parts of the Anambra State last year but were never released, nor charged to court.

He contended that Police secretly executed them alongside other criminals and dumped same in the river to cover their tracks. 

“MASSOB, with a deep sense of grief and sorrow, wishes to inform Mr. Ban Ki Moon (UN Secretary General), President Goodluck Jonathan, US President Barack Obama, United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), and Amnesty International about the gruesome murder of MASSOB members by the Special Anti-Robbery Squared (SARS) of Nigeria Police Force, Awkuzu, Anambra State,” he said.

Some of the victims’ names as given by MASSOB include Basil Ogbu, Michael Ogwa, Sunday Omogo, Philip Nwankpa, Eze Ndubisi, Ebuka Eze, Obinna Ofor, Joseph Udoh and Uchechukwu Ejiofor. 

Madu further pointed out that these victims were arrested at MASSOB’s security office at Onitsha, Anambra State, on November 9, 2012, by a combined team of Nigerian security agents - Army, Police and SSS - and were later handed over to SARS’ headquarters in Awkuzu, Anambra State, where they were detained until their suspicious disappearance. 

“We got information from an insider at SARS headquarters, Awkuzu, that armless MASSOB members detained at SARS were secretly killed alongside other robbery suspects,” he alleged. 

Reacting, the acting spokesman of the Anambra State police command, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, said that it was only the outcome of the autopsy being conducted on the specimen taken from the corpses that could state whether the claims by the group were true or false.

NaijaAgroNet equally confirms that MASSOB may have visited the SARS in Awkuzu only to discover that their members in custody are missing.

Meanwhile the Anambra State government have began to build borehores to enable the affected communities have some alternative water supply, especially the Amansea town. 

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FAO expects favourable production in 2013

 The Food Price Index by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has shown optimistic favourable production for the year 2013.

The index made available to NaijaAgroNet shows that this is coming after three months of decline, while increases in oil and fats prices offset lower cereals and sugar quotations whereas dairy and meat values remain unchanged.

FAO's monthly Cereals Supply and Demand Brief  available to NaijaAgroNet indicated that the revision mostly reflects adjustments to maize production estimates in China, North America and the European CIS countries.

But even at the new level, the brief stated that global cereal output would still be 2 per cent down on record.

However, FAO early prospects for 2013 cereal production point to increase world wheat output, contributing largely to this prospect in an estimated 4 to 5 per cent increase in the area under wheat in the European Union, where weather conditions have also been generally favourable so far, but in the United States, the outlook is less favourable, which is attributed to because the condition of the crops are reported to be very poor.

FAO Senior Grains Economist, Abdolzreza Abbassia said that even with the tight supply situation, the weather still remains an important determinant of prices.

“So, cereals productions need to increase this year in order to avoid unexpectant price surges,” he said.

NNEKA ALAMAEZE/LS

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2014: FG to begin oil & gas exploration in Chad Basin

Oil and gas exploration is to begin in the Chad Basin near Borno State in Nigeria by 2014 with the government financial prospect in the region depicting optimistic outcome, reports Oil Review Africa.

This was disclosed by the Vice President Nnamdi Sambo that the government project cost  US$75 million, about N11,797,498,301 billion in 2012, with a further US$100 million about N15,729,997,734 billion, has been earmarked for this year.

“The government is committed to the oil and gas searched in the Lake Basin,” he said.

VP Sambo was quoted as saying that three blocs have been identified in the area after series of research with potentials for oil and gas exploration were found.

“Our plans is to make commercial oil and gas exploration start in the Basin by the fourth quarter 2013, or first quarter of 2014,” he said.

Mike Effiong/ED

  

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USAID, ECOWAS food security confab ends in Accra

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have concluded a three-day conference to improve food security, free movement and services in Accra.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) reports that the objective of the conference was to jump-start the actions needed to unleash the full potential of regional trade to help safeguard the region’s food security in the future.

NaijaAgroNet also notes that the three-day conference attended by officials of civil society groups, governments, technical partners and private institutions in West Africa had the theme: “Food Across Borders: Improving Food Security through Regional Trade in West Africa.”

Mr Salifou Tiemtore, Director of Customs, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said there were many barriers to free movement of goods including lack of understanding of legislation, high tariffs and non-compliance with products.

He said a lot of countries within ECOWAS were refusing to implement the ECOWAS regulations, saying “the lack of regional trade policy within the sub-region is also a challenge”. Read more

Nneka Alamaeze and Sherif Ayilara/LS

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FG saves 1,500 children from lead-contamination

a site at the mining in Zamfra, courtesy: HRW

The Federal Government of Nigeria has released fund for the cleaning up of lead-contaminated village in northern Nigeria.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan may have lived up to 

his promise in releasing funds to clean up lead-contaminated villages in across the country, especially to save the lives of those affected who are mostly children in the state of Zamfara, reports, Human Rights Watch.

It was also gathered that by releasing the funds would facilitate paves the way for at least 1,500 children in urgent need of life-saving medical treatment in northern Nigeria to receive treatment.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that Jonathan promised in May 2012 to allocate $4 million, about N627,999,679, for environmental remediation and safer mining practices to address what has been described as the worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history, but no funds had been forthcoming.

This week’s announcement followed a sustained awareness-raising effort by domestic and international organizations, including a joint Facebook campaign by the Nigerian Youth Climate Action Network and Human Rights Watch.
 

“President Jonathan’s decision to release the cleanup funds could be life-saving for countless children,” said Jane Cohen, health researcher at Human Rights Watch, adding that after years of living in contaminated homes, children will now be able to live and play without risking their lives.

The lead-affected villages are located in the northern Nigerian state of Zamfara, a region where artisanal gold mining is an important source of livelihood. High levels of lead in the rock ore, combined with traditional, labor-intensive mining practices have caused widespread lead poisoning, especially among children.

According to official estimates, more than 400 children have died from lead poisoning in Nigeria, and more than 1,500 have elevated lead levels and are at risk of long-term disability and death.

 Remmy Nweke/NaijaAgroNet.com.ng

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Epidemic looms in Awka-North , Anambra East and West, Anyamelum

  … 0ver 14 dead bodies dumped in Ezu River @ Ugwuoba

Apprehension best described the mood in Ugwuoba Enugu state when they woke to see over 14 lifeless bodies of human beings partly dressed floating on the Ezu River, Ugwuoba, a boundary town with Anambra state.

The Ezu River flowing down to Ugwuoba from a town called Agbaogugu is located between Ugwuoba community in Enugu state and Amansea community in Anambra state.

The lifeless bodies sighted Friday morning were already decomposing an indication that they were dumped some days back somewhere at the Ugwuoba end of the Ezu River before the bodies flew down to the bridge and where people could see them. Some wore pants, some wore singlet and others outright naked.

By Saturday evening, over 60 policemen in three patrol vehicles from Enugu State and Anambra State were there struggling to unravel the mystery behind the dumping of lifeless bodies at the Ezu River Ugwuoba , Enugu State. A boundary town to Amansea , Awka North of Anambra state.

The policemen came in patrol vehicles with registration Number NPF 117 C, with inscription Anambra Cobra squad B division; NPF 2347 C Enugu State Anti robbery squad and another plateless van written Cobra squad.

The police were not harassing anybody as they just watch and discuss on the possible actions to be taken even as more than one thousand people have visited the scene since the news broke Friday morning to have a glance of the life less bodies, especially if any is someone they know.

The leaders of Amansea and Awka North local government as well as the Anambra state Government have all visited the scene in sympathy of the Ugwuoba community and Save Our Soul cry to the Enugu state government to come to the scene for further actions. They confirmed there were no gun shots last night. 

The Awka North leaders were concerned about the epidemic the decomposing bodies will cause all those in the Ezu River bank from Ugwuoba to River Niger as many depend on the River for their daily chores and drinking.

The traditional ruler of Amansea Igwe Kenneth Okonkwo and members of his cabinet as well as Member representing Awka North in the state House of Assembly , Hon Rebecca Udoji as well as Chairman of Awka North local government area , Hon Joy Enweluzor all condemned the perpetrators of the heinous act against humanity. 

The victims are allegedly from Igbo race and too numerous questions raised by indigenes and visitors alike could not be answered by anybody at the scene.

The questions included who killed as many as over fifty or up to hundred if not more than one hundred people? Who dumped them in the only source of river for over 100 communities stretching from Enugu State to Anambra State, even up to the River Niger through Omambala (Anambra) River?

There is a police check point near the River where these bodies were found and nobody was arrested or seen committing the sacrilege against humanity by polluting water flow that many villagers drink and use for domestic chores?

Who gave the decomposing bodies machete cuts? Some were even sinister by asking was it not Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police that decongested their prisons of criminal suspects? Others were of the view but why would they dump them in the River instead of burying them?

Anambra State Government noted that although the sad event was not in their territory as it was Ugwuoba axis that it happened had sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) call to Enugu State Government and its police commissioner to come and investigate the deposit of many lifeless bodies in the Ezu River.

Governor Peter Obi represented by the Commissioner for Local government   Affairs , Hon Azuka Enemuo and a team of her local government chairmen including Awka North , Hon Joy Enweluzor whose communities from Amansea to Ugbene, Ugbenu and Awba-Ofemmili to Amanuke and Achalla even Mgbakwu and Urum will suffer the water pollution and subsequent epidemic.

Others with Azuka’s entourage to the scene included Chairman of Chairmen Hon Daza Udeozor, Onitsha South Ugochukwu Ezeani , Orumba South North Emeka Aforka among others.

Hon Enweluzor whose territory was seriously affected could not utter a word as she was surprised and speechless on man’s inhumanity against man in this age and time especially with the pollution and imminent water disease which may leads to epidemic.

The Anambra State Police Public Relation Officer, Mr Ralp Uzoigwe allegedly reported to have said his command was not aware of the dumping of lifeless bodies but efforts to get the Enugu State PPRO Ebere Amarizu to confirm whether SARS of Enugu State of the Police dumped bodies to decongest cells in Enugu State was not successful.

Filed by: Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, Awka, Anambra State capital

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Nigeria, USAID sign MoU, offers huge lending potentials in agric sector

The Federal Government of Nigeria and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), today, Thursday in Abuja, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Nigerian Incentives-based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL).

Confirming this to NaijaAgroNet, the Special Assistant on Media and Strategy to the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Olukayode Oyeleye, said that the MoU involved Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and USAID.

In his remarks at the ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, was quoted as saying the MoU will play a significant role in reformation going on in the sector, which is in line with President Jonathan’s transformation agenda and in order to make the agric sector attractive to lending.

Dr. Adesina, also said that the implementation of the MoU would address the issue of low lending rate to the agriculture sector, stressing that the effort would further get the banks to lend to the farmers as it would reduce the risk of lending.

“NIRSAL can unlock about N300 billion into the sector but we have to embark on significant reforms that can make the sector attractive to lending,” he was quoted as saying in a press statement endorsed by Dr. Oyeleye and made available to NaijaAgroNet.

Additionally, he said the MoU provides risk mitigation, financing, trading, and other strategic assistance to agribusiness, a programme which was launched in July 2011 in Abuja.

In his part, the CBN Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, said the MoU was a landmark achievement of the apex bank in its effort to ensure enhanced agricultural sector in the country.

Sanusi noted that commercial banks, with the recent development, would lend to farmers without much losses as the incentive would go a long way to reduce the risk in business.

NIRSAL,: he said, will help the banks to diversify; and the banking industry cannot develop on a sustainable basis unless it locks itself into production.

“So, we say let’s go to agriculture, manufacturing, SMEs and also into financial inclusion and development which is central to financial stability,” the CBN governor said.

Sanusi further said that the apex bank would meet with the managing directors of banks and the minister of agriculture to evaluate the implementation and the progress so far made. Pointing out that the sector had made progress as it accounts for four  per cent of banks portfolio as against one per cent in the last four years.

“We save more money with what the ministry is doing with staple crop process zones, reforms of fertiliser regime, research and development of high yielding varieties (of crops), the whole process of standardisation and commodity exchanges:  these are  critical and necessary steps to take  and pursuits to execute before banks can lend to agriculture,” Sanusi said.

He was optimistic that in the next one year, there would be revolution in the sector with the introduction of NIRSAL.

USAID Administrator, Dr Rajiv Shah, observed that the agreement would equally make agriculture a source of wealth creation in Nigeria, adding that 70 per cent of farmers in the country lack access to credit facility.

He expressed hope, however, that the MoU would provide credit guarantee of about 100 million dollars of agricultural credit to Nigerian farmers.

“We will guarantee that the agricultural sector will pay that loan back to banks. So they will have the courage and conviction to lend the loan to the farmers,” Shah said, emphasizing that the government of the United States was aware of some of the works the Nigerian ministry was doing in the agricultural sector.

As said by Shah, USAID has the markets initiative on rice, cocoa, sorghum and maize, adding the agreement could help develop their value chain programmes.

NIRSAL, NaijaAgroNet recalls, was established to spur additional financing for agriculture lending based on its experience with various guarantee programmes, including USAID’s development credit authority.

Remmy Nweke 
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