Biafra: Punch newspaper and their descent into brown-envelope journalism

Biafra: Punch newspaper and their descent into brown-envelope journalism

Press Release

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have noticed that the Punch Newspaper excels in and derives its funding from brown envelope journalism. We conclude that the Punch Newspaper is now partially owned by both the State Security Services (SSS) and Raphael Lebeanya Uwazuruike. We are not surprised, therefore, that the Punch Newspaper is doing the bidding of the SSS and Uwazuruike who is also popularly known as the modern-day “IFEAJUNA“ in Biafra. For quite some time now, we have keenly noticed the outright lies reported on the pages of Punch Newspaper regarding the activities of IPOB. We overlooked these baseless and unverifiable lies until we saw the publication of January 29, 2017, in which the Punch Newspaper was forced by the SSS and Uwazuruike a.k.a. IFEAJUNA to report that IPOB is being sponsored by politicians.

To set the records straight, one of the cardinal rules in IPOB is that we don’t mingle with politicians nor do we accept any monetary gift or inducement from any politician. This is one of the greatest frustrations of certain governors who have tried everything within their powers to induce IPOB with money, but were roundly rebuffed. We call upon the public to contact their aides for confirmation of our claims. IPOB is a global mass-movement that no single individual is capable of funding because we are in over 100 countries and territories all over this earth. Who in their right mind in Nigerian politics can afford what it takes to fund IPOB we ask?

IPOB depends on monthly contributions of dedicated family members all over the world for its sustenance. We do not have moneybags nor do we have politicians among us with bags of money to sponsor our activities and never will. It will constitute an insult to the memory of our fallen heroes and departure from our principled stance should IPOB seek to accept the engagement of politicians in our activities. 

It is appalling therefore that Punch Newspaper with its decades of existence has now descended so low to the point of joining forces with a known criminal and fake lawyer, who forged a law certificate and never went to law school like Raphael Uwazuruike a.k.a. IFEAJUNA did and with the lawless murderous outfit SSS, which has violated the very laws it’s answerable to. The unconstitutional DSS which is now notorious all over the world for their flagrant disobedience to court orders and disdain for the rule of law is not an organization any reputable media house should be doing business with.

We know times are hard economically and media houses are looking, like the rest of the society, to maximize income. Such pursuit of monetary inflow should not be at the expense of proper investigative journalism. A newspaper like the Punch should not be in the business of peddling lies and gossip for discredited criminals like Uwazuruike who every Biafran knows is a traitor and the reason why the restoration of Biafra has taken so long.

The Punch Newspaper has fallen so low that the bribe money it received from SSS and Uwazuruike a.k.a. IFEAJUNA made it impossible to differentiate between a protest and a rally. For the avoidance of doubts, IPOB held a rally, and not a protest, at Igweocha (Port Harcourt) in support of the 45th President of the USA, Mr. Donald J. Trump. From 2016 to date, IPOB has had only one protest, and it was a sit-at-home protest which held on Friday, September 23, 2016. 

Before the rally of January 20th, 2017, we wrote a letter to the Rivers State Police Command and the SSS intimating them of our plans to hold a rally in support of President Trump. All media houses in Nigeria were sent a copy of the letter including Punch Newspaper. But because of monetary inducements from the SSS and Uwazuruike a.k.a. IFEAJUNA, the Punch Newspaper has suddenly developed selective amnesia and inability to tell between a protest and a rally. It is also alarming that the Punch Newspaper will report that mere holding of the American flag is now a violent act or a way of provoking the Nigerian security to shoot live bullets at unarmed and peaceful Biafrans. In essence, the Punch Newspaper is telling the entire world that Nigeria is at war with America, hence anyone holding American flag is an enemy combatant and must be mowed down with bullets.

Biafra: Punch newspaper and their descent into brown-envelope journalism

We reiterate that IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has no dealings with any politician. We throw a challenge via this press statement that if there is any politician who claims that he or she has donated a dime to IPOB funds, let that person come out and provide the evidence even in secret to Punch Newspaper. We are aware that there are mushroom organizations who append IPOB to their name in order to get gratifications from politicians. Some of them have even signified their intention to abandon the quest for Biafra restoration and venture into Nigerian politics, using the upcoming Gubernatorial election in Anambra state as a launch pad. 

In IPOB, we are cognizant of the fact that Schedule-7 of the General Abdulsalami-written Constitution is a show-stopper for any Biafran who engages in Nigerian politics. It is practically impossible to continue with Biafra restoration process with Schedule-7 still in existence in Nigerian Constitution. The reason is that every Nigerian politician must subscribe to Schedule-7 of the Constitution before assuming any office. We, therefore, warn the public to note that our name is simply Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), no additions, no subtractions. Any organization with any alphabet before or after IPOB in their name is not the same mighty IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu that the whole world is talking about. 

Uwazuruike a.k.a. IFEAJUNA instead was the person that collected money from politicians to fund MASSOB. Had Punch Newspapers ever bothered to research the drivel Uwazuruike paid them to publish, they would have discovered this YouTube video of the eternally hungry Uwazuruike accepting money from an Igbo governor that MASSOB may campaign for this PDP candidate. Click on the YouTube link to see for yourself- https://youtu.be/0cffUdSBYOY how Uwazuruike is the person collecting money from politicians but turns around to maliciously accuse IPOB of doing what he has been doing for years. IPOB is not MASSOB, the same way the great Mazi Nnamdi Kanu can never be another hungry, insatiable Ifeajuna Raphael “Lebeanya” Uwazuruike. There is a clear difference between light and darkness. 

The Punch Newspaper is at this moment warned to desist from this contract of attempting to taint the clean image of IPOB because of monetary inducements from the SSS and Raphael Lebeanya Uwazuruike a.k.a. IFEAJUNA the hotelier cum property developer. We are aware of the shame and dishonour Uwazuruike has brought to the effort to restore Biafra because of his poverty-stricken childhood and need to accumulate wealth using the sacred name of Biafra. IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu is here to lead Biafrans to freedom regardless of the human and material cost. That is the reason why we must continue to march until we are free men or we all die trying.

The fact that Uwazuruike was born poor and grew up surrounded by hardship, which led him to abandon Biafra in search of wealth, does not mean others are like him. It is on record throughout history that those brought up in abject poverty like Uwazuruike has never and can never lead a successful revolution. Freedom fighting everywhere in history is led by educated men from middle-class background by the standards of that very society, not by those who are motivated by the need to escape the psychological damage caused by childhood poverty. That is the reason why we know, with every degree of certainty, that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will lead Biafrans to freedom. 

We therefore assert that IPOB is impregnable by Nigerian politicians and we shall never accept any money from them. Collectively, we (IPOB) shall fund the Biafra restoration process until our goal is achieved. The restoration of the nation of Biafra can never be derailed by the brown-envelope journalism of Punch Newspaper. Biafra restoration is a divine project whose time has come, and Chukwu Okike Abiama has ordained that it must come to pass.

For us, it remains Biafra or Death!!!

Signed
Barrister Emma Nmezu        Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka IroanyaSpokesperson for IPOB          Spokesperson for IPOB