MALACHY UZENDU TAKES TITLE - "NWA-CHI-NA-EMERE NA ABUJA!"

He is one of the upcoming, upwardly mobile, dynamic, young and ebullient Igbo pillars of light in Abuja. A journalist extra-ordinaire and current Deputy News Editor of Champion Newspapers Nigeria, chairman Nigerian Union of Journalists Abuja chapter, a dear friend of mine and former high school classmate, Malachy Uzendu, has been recognized for his industry by his people - the Igbo people of Nigeria resident in Abuja and they have honored him accordingly. They conferred him with a chieftaincy title, "Nwachinaemere N'Abuja' - translation, 'a child whom the god helps of Abuja'. Icheoku says congratulation, Chief Malachy Uzendu!

The honoree pictured above, is seen kneeling with his wife as they received some royal blessings from the "King of Igbo people in Abuja, Igbo 1, the Eze Igbo Abuja, HRH Eze Nwosu Ibe; who placed his royal hands on Malachy's shoulders, as supporters and well-wishers look on approvingly.

We wish Chief Malachy Uzendu well and pray that the recognition bestowed on him will serve as additional wind underneath his sail, as he continues to excel in his chosen profession and carry the torch of Igbo people of Nigeria especially those resident in Abuja. Once again congratulations classmate and may the gods of Igboland continue to guide and protect you and your lolo, our dear 'Nwachinaemere n'Abuja.' Malakai is now a red-cap high chief, hurray!

ABUJA BOMB BLAST, A BLAST AIDED BY AND MIRED IN GROSS INCOMPETENCE!

Icheoku says at no other time has the truth been murdered much more by the Nigerian security operatives as was in the press conference addressed by Marilyn Ogar, assistant director public relations of the dreadful Nigerian State Security Services. While addressing a press conference to inform the world on the ongoing investigation into the Abuja independence anniversary celebration bombing, Madam Assistant Director said, "The SSS is a public service and people come here and go out at will. The vehicles used for the bombing were wired for detonation at Charles Okah’s house in Port Harcourt and driven to Abuja."

Icheoku cries holly molly and queries, since when has the Nigerian gestapo state security services shed its cloak and dagger? Since when did the Nigerian SSS become a pub where citizens freely visit for leisure and pleasure or is Icheoku loosing its mind or recollection or mistaken as to the true nature of the very SSS being referenced here? If the SSS is now a public service where people come and go at will, why did it then take Raymond Dokpesi thirteen frigging hours to make up his mind to leave after he was "invited" there, suspected of having a role in the bombing of October 1st 2010 Abuja independence celebration? Anyway previous guests of the Nigerian SSS would attest as to this unfounded claim since they know how truly free they went to the said public service and how they left on their own free will; but like the preaching goes, you shall know the truth and only the truth shall set you free. So Madam Marilyn Ogar, how truthful a witness are you with this statement as to the friendly nature of the business of the Nigeria SSS?

Now to the portion of her statement that Icheoku seriously has issue with, that "the vehicles used for the bombing were wired for detonation at Charles Okah’s house in Port Harcourt and driven to Abuja." Anyone conversant with Nigeria and what obtains therein, including the nature of the roads as well as those annoying security check points alias "road-blocks" which dot every corner of road in Nigeria knows that it will be impracticable for these rag-tag vehicles used in the bombing to have been driven unnoticed from Port Harcourt to Abuja as this woman is now trying to sell to the world. The distance from Port-Harcourt to Abuja is about 416 miles (661km) and at about the usually one security checkpoint per two miles would have roughly yielded about 350 roadblocks between the two cities. Now, how did MEND pull this feat off - driving three bomb rigged vehicles from Port-Harcourt to Abuja undetected, except they had some inside help or possibly some security operatives directing the drive or even drove those vehicles themselves with full police and/or even army escorts. If MEND as alleged could drive two or three bomb laden vehicles into the seat of government in Abuja, then no one is safe in Nigeria including the political high-ups; except that it could not have happened as this Madam Assistant Director is struggling to make the world to believe.

But Icheoku is not buying it and will not let her to successfully pull the wool over the world's eyes with this her account of the route travelled of these bomb vehicles. Except she is shielding some security operatives on their involvement, this investigation should be expanded to include unraveling the logistics of driving these bomb-laden vehicles hitch-free from Port Harcourt into Abuja and how it was successfully pulled off without being detected.

Those five suspects currently being held in custody and soon to be charged to court, reminds Icheoku of the military days when serving prisoners are usually brought before television cameras and paraded as suspects in some politically charged high crimes such as the murder of Pa Alfred Rewane by Abacha goons. But who are these suspects; what do they look like; or are they ghosts without names or facial identifications? Nigeria and the world demand that faces be put on these alleged bombers that they and their families be shamed for their dastardly terrorism against the people of Nigeria and on their national day of celebration. But nay, all the security services have are ghost-bombers who must be hidden from the public and used as scape-goats to solve a politically charged crime. A case especially compounded after the shot at the foot of a gaffe perpetrated by President Goodluck Jonathan whose mouth preceded his brain as he alleged that "he knew the bombers, that they are not MEND but a small group of terrorists residing outside the shores of Nigeria. Icheoku asks Mr. President, if these terrorists resided outside Nigeria, did they telepathically plant and detonate those bombs? If the terrorists resided outside Nigeria, when did they return or visit Nigeria to now be arrested and undergoing investigation? And if they reside outside Nigerians and not Nigerians, why are these Nigerians being arrested or are the arrested not Nigerians?

But as to the veracity of this Madam Assistant Director's statement, Icheoku now takes her address apart to show some missing links. First she failed or refused to disclose the type of materials used in making the bomb, whether it is TNT, plastic explosive, dynamite or even ammonia nitrate aka fertilizer? What type of detonator triggering or timing device that was used to set off the bomb; whether some accelerates were used; whether shrapnel were indicated to maximize injury; and the tonnage or strength of the bomb used. Or was the press conference the normal Nigerian official rattling-off, believing she was talking to some dumb and dumber Nigerian populace or she did not care enough to give some assuring details within a reasonable degree as would not compromise investigation but still capable of throwing some further light on what was going on with their investigation. Icheoku says the science of explosives does not support the assertion that fully wired vehicles rigged with bombs and ready to go-off, were driven through those rough pot-hole filled roads from Port-Harcourt to Abuja without them detonating en-route. We are talking about charges which gallops or uncontrolled acceleration and deceleration could have triggered causing a bang or fireworks ever before they reached Abuja.

The inconsistencies in this press conference raises further curiosity and Icheoku hereby call on the Nigerian authorities to seek help elsewhere as they try to solve the mystery of the independence bombing; as the so-far put forward scenario does not cut it. It is bogus and anyone with some modicum of the physics and chemistry at play here will laugh out loud that some wired for explosion vehicles would be driven for almost 416 miles without any explosive incident on the way. An investigative agency worth its name would trace the source or chemical coding of the explosives, using residue of the bomb and once this signature is established can then trace the makers and their sellers to know who bought what. That way a more realistic chain of forensic investigative methodology could be establish leading to a believable suspect or suspects. But to punt in this fashion expecting the world to believe the outcome of their investigation is rather hubris akin to getting a mathematical question correct but without establishing how you arrived at the answer or conclusion reached. America's Timothy McVeigh's Oklahoma City bombing is a good case in point where good forensics were fully deployed to solve one of the most heinous and callous bombing of a public place by a fringed anti-decency domestic terrorist, Timothy McVeigh. Hopefully these Nigerian scape-goats will soon have their day in court and with a good lawyer will lay to waste this rush to solve a politically charged case of the bombing of a 17 billion Naira independence anniversary celebration in Abuja.

Madam Assistant Director also claimed during her press conference that MEND's ambassador plenipotentiary, Charles Tombra Okah has been identified as the alter-ego of ‘Gbomo Jomo,’ and that he uses that alias to send emails on behalf of MEND including those that warned of the impending blasts which later took off the shine from an ill-advise, thoughtless, self-serving and wasteful extravaganza amidst millions of hungry Nigerians. Now a good gum-shoes would have gone a step further to inform the world on how they reached that conclusion - informing the world on the evidential steps taken to arrive at that determination. But no, she was addressing a cowered populace whose journalists have eaten of the truth-forbidden fruit and for brown enveloped transport money, would not waste their time digging deep into a developing story. The assistant director said it and that makes it true; really? There was no identity suggesting the two personalities as the same person; there was no information scooped from a hard-drive somewhere to buttress the assertion; there was no percipient witness who testified as to the dual identities; or was there any false document/s with the alias found in Okah's possession with his picture on it; yet she told the world that the SS has identified Okah as the 'Gbomo Jomo.' Icheoku asks, if it is truly Okah that is Gbomo Jomo, why then does the said Gbomo Jomo still write emails while its body-double Okah is in detention in faraway South Africa; or is he getting access to a computer as was his interview with Al-Jazeera television while in detention? If truly Okah is the Gbomo Jomo, why did another Gbomo Jomo write again just this week alerting Abuja residents of an upcoming bombing of their city? Icheoku strongly believes that political pressure is pushing state security operatives into desperately wanting to solve this problem immediately and in the process, things are being muddled up and rushed through. Just in case, a direct question to Madam Assistant Director, 'how did your agency establish that Okah is the same person as Gbomo Jomo?

Further, Icheoku asks if the arrest of Raymond Dokpesi was not in connection with the explosion, why then was he falsely detained and for thirteen long hours without access to his lawyers, friends and family? Why then was he confined and for such a long period. Icheoku queries further if Raymond Dokpesi did not 'freely walk into the SSS' in connection with the explosion, what then was his business going or being there or did he also mistake it for his new dig as the campaign headquarters of the evil-one, former maximum ruler Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. If Raymond Dokpesi was not arrested, but simply visited on his own free-will, has the SSS since apologized to him for unnecessary and unreasonably prolonging his said visit or pay him compensation for his time? Simply put, this assistant director was not leveling with or telling the world what the true state of affairs is regarding the investigation into the independence day Abuja bombing; except statements are diversionary curve balls. Whatever information these guinea pigs may have already supplied or would eventually supply was not voluntary and must have been extracted from them through unbearable torture.

Icheoku calls on the SSS to produce these suspects immediately for physical body examination for signs of torture, of battered and broken bodies, busted lips as well as black eyes. The usual broomstick insert into the phallus, the hanging on the ceiling fan, the mosquitoes, the stewing of bucket receptor of human feces as well as liver-punches are all too familiar and would make even the most hard-core terrorist confess to anything. Talk about the real cruel and unusual punishment and water-boarding becomes a pic-nic or a walk in the park. But with such a damning humiliation of a nation and her fledgling providential president, leading to the death of 16 innocent Nigerians with 67 others wounded, Icheoku can only imagine what hell on earth these detained suspects are currently going through as payment for the incident. To add that they are detained in a tomb-like underground facility without any light rays at all, a place similar to dungeons of the ancient Rome might be TMI; but hey the world should know the type of cohesive evidence of complicity this woman is bragging about.

Finally, if it is true that this week's 'Gbomo Jomo' used the same Zoom Mobile modem to send out the warning email and also sent it from Lagos as was the previous Gbomo Jomo modus operandi, then it is correct to posit that this Gbomo Jomo is capable of being more than one person? Or better still that the Nigeria SSS spoke rather too quickly that they have netted the Gbomo Jomo or a Gbomo Jomo? What if Gbomo Jomo is a call letter code-name and that it is not even a real live human-being? Based on this latest warning development, Icheoku believes that Gbomo Jomo is still out there if he/she/it exists; and that the authorities in Nigeria have the wrong Gbomo Jomo or most plausible that Gbomo Jomo is just an assumed name personality code. This latest SSS briefing that Okah is Gbomo Jomo reminds one of the emphatic exculpation of MEND by President Jonathan as not being the independence day bombers while the same MEND was vociferously stating their claim to the bombing. Here a Gbomo Jomo is saying that he truly exists and that Henry Okah is not him, yet the SSS is insisting that Okah is Gbomo Jomo; and while Gbomo Jomo is still writing his/her emails as Henry Okah, the SSS's Gbomo Jomo, is cooling-off in detention in South Africa. Like Eminem Slim Shady once asked and Icheoku hereby re-asks, could the real Gbomo Jomo please stand up!