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  • Wait First: Was IPOB Responsible for Ebonyi Sit-At-Home Shooting?

    A viral video shared on different platforms, including Twitter and WhatsApp, claims that gunmen were shooting in a market in Ebonyi on July 4, 2023. In the clip’s background, a male voice says, “Destroy them, destroy them, sit at home. Nnamdi Kanu must be released.”

    On Wait First, we sort claims into three categories. If it’s true, it gets a fresh banana rating from us. A false claim is burnt dodo, and a misleading claim is cold zobo.

    So is this video true, or is it doctored?

    Background

    Nnamdi Kanu is the leader of the separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He has, however, been in the custody of the Department of State Services since his re-arrest in June 2021. He was initially captured in October 2015 but escaped. His current incarceration is happening despite a court order mandating his release. 

    According to fact-checkers at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), the IPOB first issued a sit-at-home order in August 2021. The order grinds all economic activity to a halt in the southeastern part of Nigeria. According to the IPOB, it will be held every Monday until Nnamdi Kanu is released. The order was revised to only occur on days when Kanu was due in court.

    CDD reports, “On June 14 2023, Finland-based Simon Ekpa, leader of Autopilot (a faction of IPOB), issued a statement which declared a five-day sit-at-home order in the southeastern part of Nigeria. Ekpa stated that the order would hold from 3 to 5 July and continue from 7 to 10 July.” 

    ALSO, READ: Who’s This Simon Ekpa Guy Running IPOB?

    Verification

    The CDD fact-checked the video. Here’s what they found:

    “The CDD War Room can confirm that the video emanated from Abakaliki, Ebonyi state. The video was not doctored, and investigations proved that it first surfaced online on July 4, 2023.

    Credible media agencies like Premium Times and Vanguard News have reported that the incident did occur at the Ishieke market in Ebonyi state. 

    However, it’s not certain whether the gunmen are members of IPOB or otherwise. 

    IPOB is yet to claim responsibility or deny the activities of the gunmen.”

    Verdict

    The claim that gunmen attacked and shot at a marketplace in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, on July 4, 2023, is true and, therefore, fresh banana. However, IPOB is yet to claim responsibility for it.

    Download the Citizen Election Report: Navigating Nigeria’s Political Journey

    Stephen Agwaibor

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  • Everything We Know About the Attack on INEC’s Office in Ebonyi

    One unfortunate feature of Nigerian elections that has refused to go away is violence in varying forms. It’s the kind of baggage no one wants, but everyone has to deal with it because some people still treat elections as do-or-die. 

    What’s happened now?

    On November 27, 2022, unknown people set fire to the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State. The incident happened around 10 a.m. 

    Did anyone get hurt?

    Fortunately, no one was hurt in the attack. But INEC lost some materials, including:

    • Unknown number of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC)
    • 340 ballot boxes
    • 130 voting cubicles
    • 14 electric power generators
    • Large water storage tanks
    • Office furniture

    We’ve seen this before

    On November 10, 2022, arsonists attacked INEC offices in Abeokuta South, Ogun State and Ede South, Osun State. You can’t help but notice the sad trend in these events. 

    Over the past three years, similar attacks have occurred in different parts of the country: Abia, Rivers, Anambra, and Imo. According to the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, about 50 INEC offices have been attacked by arsonists in 21 states.  

    What does this mean for the 2023 elections?

    The electoral process is sabotaged

    One of the critical things needed for a free and fair election is the availability of important things like PVCs and ballot boxes. The attack on the INEC office in Abeokuta South destroyed 65,699 uncollected PVCs. This creates a problem for INEC to reproduce new cards which we can’t say always works out. If those PVCs aren’t replaced it would deny some Nigerians their rights to vote. 

    Political apathy

    Attacks on INEC offices are designed to heighten tensions and keep voters away from polling units because they seem unsafe. Nigeria already has a big issue with low turnout of voters and apathy caused by threat of violence will only make it worse. After all, who wants to be an unwilling martyr? 

    Hopefully, the Nigerian security forces will take appropriate measures to secure INEC offices better and find a way to arrest the criminals. The fate of the country being decided at the polls depends on it.

    Tolu Omotesho

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  • This Lawmaker’s Dancing Skills Will Give Dino Melaye A Run For His Money

    Remember when our dear Senator Dino Melaye shocked Nigerians with his singing and choreography skills?

    You probably thought he was the only legislator with a future in the entertainment industry when his time chopping Nigeria’s money is finally over. But you were wrong.

    Yesterday, this Ebonyi state lawmaker served some hot dance steps that had us completely shell-shocked.

    Like, COMPLETELY.

    Maria Ude Nwachi, an Ebonyi State House of Assembly member, posted not one but TWO videos of herself dancing to KCee’s “Talk and Do” on Facebook.

    In the video, she’s doing a kind of dance move that looks like what would happen if Michael Jackson ate too much akpu and forgot how to moonwalk.

    Then at some point she came so close to the camera like she wanted to fight.

    Infact, it’s just better you watch the whole thing yourself.

    And just in case you were not completely sure or you had forgotten all about Dino Melaye’s singing and choreographic prowess, here’s a recap:

    https://zikoko.com/gist/dino-melaye-is-acting-very-weird-and-were-all-a-bit-worried/

    Ronke Otega

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