Fellow Nigerians, please lend me two minutes of your time. I want to talk about a fundamental matter that concerns all of us — the issue of human rights violations in Nigeria with Omoyele Sowore as the subject matter.
Since August 3, 2019, Sowore was arrested by the Nigerian Department of Security Services (DSS) for alleged treason after calling for a protest tagged ‘#revolution now.’ Three months and still counting, the man is yet to regain his freedom.

A few hours ago, I spoke with Omoyele Sowore’s lead defense attorney, Femi Falana, a senior advocate of Nigeria, on learning that Omoyele is yet to meet his bail requirements.
Femi Falana ( SAN) told me (Emma Ike Agu) that Omoyele Sowore’s bail conditions had been met. I replied and asked him again why Sowore is still in government’s custody if his bail requirements have been resolved? Femi said, “call me on Monday, then I will be in a better position to tell you.”

Sowore since 1989 had always been out front. You may not like the man’s way of doing things; no one can deny the fact that Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters is an activist. What even makes me sad over this whole issue was when I heard that no one stood as his surety.
To think that Sowore, a human rights activist and a highly intelligent Nigerian, is still in detention, months after the court granted him bail is utterly shocking and hard to believe. People will say-this is Nigeria, for you”. No, this is not Nigeria, we can be far better than this!

As much as I strongly disagree with some of Sowore’s journalistic styles, his arrest and continued detention by the government is wrong. The government should release the man without any further delay. The continued arrests and detentions of journalists and media personalities remain a big stain on our democracy. Nigerians have not forgotten how Dele Giwa, a foremost Nigerian journalist, was murdered. Just as individuals have the right to sue the government and enforce their fundamental human rights, the government should not hesitate to sue journalists who publish stories the government believes are inaccurate and a threat to our democracy and national security. Every civilized government follows this simple process. You don’t throw people behind bars, simply because you have the power and authority. It is wrong and immoral.

I regularly hear how media personalities based abroad who criticize the Mohhamadu Buhari lead government become targets of the security operatives at Muritala Moahhamdu airport. It is highly disturbing and most unfortunate and should be a significant cause of concern to every Nigerian, regardless of tribe and religion.

Please release Omoyale Sowore, immediately; we are living in 2019, this is not the 80s.

Emma Ike Agu’s the founder of New York International Network & The NewsCap. He writes from New York City.

Garba Shehu: President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed the willingness of the Nigerian government to mobilize additional capital from development finance institutions for the upgrade of critical infrastructure in the country.
The President met with U.S Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin in Riyadh on Wednesday and they had positive discussions on investments in Nigeria under the new United States International Development Finance Corporation (USIDFC), which provides $60 billion for investments in developing nations.
Speaking at the meeting held on the margins of the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum, President Buhari said Nigeria will leverage on the U.S facility to address current challenges confronting her power sector as well as general upgrade of infrastructure.
The President thanked the U.S government for supporting Nigeria’s anti-terrorism efforts.
The President and Mnuchin also discussed areas of strengthening Nigeria’s ongoing collaboration with the United States on stopping terrorist financing.
Mnuchin was accompanied by Brent Macintosh, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs and Marshall Billingslea, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing in the United States Treasury Department.
The Treasury Secretary used the occasion to introduce Macintosh who was recently promoted Under Secretary for International Affairs by President Trump after the previous Under Secretary David Malpass was elected President of the World Bank.
The Nigerian leader congratulated Macintosh on his elevation and requested for his continued support to Nigeria especially in accessing the $60 billion infrastructure fund under the USIDFC.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 31, 2019

Yesterday morning, I recieved a message from Prince Emma Kanu, who informed me he lost his beloved mother. I shared the sad news with prominent Igbo leaders, including the President General Of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. Nnia Nwodo. A lot of feathers may have been ruffled in the past; however, in a moment like this, we set our pride and individual acrimonies aside to do what is right.
I wish to use this opportunity to express my profound sympathy to them. I went through this same pain last two years and knew deep inside my heart; that this irreparable loss could be too hard to bear.

The fact remains that Nnamdi Kanu and I are like day and night and without question two parallel lines. I am using this opportunity to call on President Buhari and the Federal Government of Nigeria to allow Nnamdi Kanu to visit Nigeria to bury his mother. This gesture may become a turning point for everyone.

Emma Ike Agu,
publisher, TheNews Cap/ the President of New York International Network and Long Island, Recording Studios, Jericho Turnpike, New York

Our attention has been drawn to a mendacious and incendiary interview granted to the press by Dr Junaid Mohammed purporting that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, knelt down in 2001 before a group of northern politicians to beg to be made president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The claim by Dr Junaid is as fallacious as it is a tissue of lies and a figment of his obviously distorted imagination intended to cast aspersions on the person of Chief Nwodo.
While it is true that the President General was a presidential aspirant then under the ANPP, just like the current President, Muhammadu Buhari, and went round the country campaigning like others, at no time did he condescend to kneeling down to beg for favour from any group.
Firstly, Dr Junaid and his group did not possess the singular capacity to make anybody a president. It required the collective mandate of his party then for him to emerge as their flag-bearer.
It is on record that it was Chief Nwodo who led the walk out at their national convention when the charade called election was skewed in favour of Muhammadu Buhari, against the zoning policy of the party.
Secondly, if there were parameters to determine a credible aspirant to be supported by the phantom kingmakers as Dr Junaid claimed, Chief Nwodo eminently qualified then to lead this country by stature, intellectual erudition and managerial competence.

There is no gain saying the fact that if he had been given the opportunity to lead the country when he sought for it, Nigeria would not be in the sad state it is today, because both as an astute lawyer and economist, he would have enthroned equity, good governance and a focused and thriving economy all would be proud of.

Therefore, for Dr. Junaid Mohammed to want to denigrate the impeccable record of Chief Nwodo will not diminish his stature and person before those who already know his acclaimed competence and integrity.
Dr. Junaid is an incurable irredentist and only seeking to revive a political relevance he no longer possesses.
However, he will do well not to try to sully the image of Chief Nwodo which Nigerians know remains unassailable.

Chief Emeka Attamah
S.A. to the PG on M & P.