Nnamdi Kanu backs out of talks with southeast governors

The headlines of mainstream Nigerian newspapers for Thursday, September 14, are focused on the continuous the clash between the Nigerian army and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Vanguard reports that the Abia state government yesterday extended the dusk-to-dawn curfew slammed on the township of Aba in wake of rising security concerns, just as it met with a broad spectrum of traditional rulers in the state. It plans more meetings with other stakeholders, especially market leaders.

This development came as leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, said he would not attend tomorrow’s meeting with South East Governors as he earlier agreed with them, citing alleged plots to assassinate him on his way to Enugu for the meeting. The Guardian reports that Some northerners have expressed support for the ongoing military operation in the south-east. But they cautioned against reprisal attacks on Igbo living in their region.

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At a press conference in Kano yesterday where they reacted to the clash between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the northerners under the aegis of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), vowed to resist any attempt by the agitators to undermine the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The Nation reports that members of separatist group, IPOB, yesterday killed a policeman during an early morning “surprise attack” on riot policemen at Oyigbo Junction in Port Harcourt. 

They took away the slain policeman’s gun, injured two other policemen and burnt down their patrol vehicle, the police said. It was the second day of their attack on policemen in the Rivers State capital. The attacks started following rumours that soldiers had killed members of the group in Abia state.

Another meeting was scheduled to hold between Kanu and the governors on Friday, September 15, but, in a statement he personally signed, which was made available to journalists, the IPOB leader said he would no longer continue with the talks.

ThisDay reports that a high powered committee set up by governors and traditional rulers from Northern Nigeria to collate the views of their constituents on the country's restructuring among other burning issues, will hold town hall meeting across the 19 states of the region. 

The 12-man committee comprising six governors, a deputy governor and five traditional rulers was set up in July by the Northern Governors' Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council to aggregate the views of northerners on the restructuring debate.


TRENDING: ASTONISHING PHOTOS AND VIDEO OF MNU QUEEN OF SEPTEMBER WHICH HAS GOT EVERYONE TALKING AND WOWING.... CANT STOP LOOKING