CCT’s ‘Biafran Boys’ Comment Sparks Outrage From Nigerians

By Nneoma BENSON On Mar 31, 2021

Danladi-Umar-CCT-Chairman (1) — Danladi Umar, CCT Chairman (left)

Nigerians have reacted angrily to a statement issued by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) after its chairman Danladi Umar was recorded assaulting a security guard at the popular Bannex plaza in Abuja.

This website had reported how Danladi assaulted the security guard for allegedly challenging his right to park his car at a spot in the plaza, an action that prompted an attempted attack on the CCT chairman by traders at the plaza.

Ibraheem Al-Hassan, the CCT’s head of communications, had subsequently issued a press statement on the incident.

But the statement was riddled with grammatical errors and remarks considered as hate speech by some Nigerians.

Al-Hassan had referred to the traders as ‘Biafran boys’, a designation many considered an ethnic slur targeted at the Igbos from Nigeria’s South East region.

Nigerians who reacted on twitter wondered why the CCT would allow such an ostensibly error-ridden press statement get to the public without proper scrutiny.

Apart from the grammatical errors, the twitter users also asked why the CCT chairman’s aide would play the ethnicity card by describing the traders as “Biafran boys”, without acknowledging his principal’s flaws.

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They feared such expression may incite ethnic clashes between the northerners and easterners who trade in the plaza. Below are some of the reactions:

The press secretary should be the first to lose his job for such an embarrassing press release. The CCB chairman should be sued by Bannex if they are the security guard's employers. That's his office and he can very well ask you to park at the back damn it.
— Papa Ndia (@Obongowoibesik1) March 31, 2021

I've got a strong gut feeling Danladi wrote it himself. This was obviously thought of in Hausa and translated to English… Either way, woeful and embarrassingly disgusting to behold.
— OP???????????????????????????????????????????????????????? (@Omodaddy____) March 31, 2021

Wait o! Did you say this statement, is a press release from the Code of Conduct Tribunal? Lmao????

How the hell did "Biafra" got into this story?

Was the security guy even an lgbo person start with? This is ethnic profiling

Seem like for my sanity, I'll refuse to believe this
— Bruce George (@MrGeorgBruce) March 31, 2021

It's ridiculous, now NJC must remove the unruly CCT chairman and prosecute him i.a.w the VAPP ACT.
Also Ibraheem Al-Hassan the CCT Head of Press and Public Relations should be removed for this brazen assault on English Language.
Both are obvious products of our Quota system.
— UNCLE 'KUNLE (@KUNLEADEIGBE) March 31, 2021

So Danladi Umar went and beat up an ordinary security man, this is really an abuse of office, and what is the meaning of BIAFRA boys in the statement, this quoter system is really telling on ???????? look at grammar construction from a qualified press man Tueh ????????????
— Agara sariki festus (@AgaraSariki) March 31, 2021

The plaza existed before the Chairman moved to Abuja got appointed & was never profiled as "Biafran".
This is inciting the public against Traders in the mall.

Rather than regret the action & tender an apology at the physical attack on the poor Guard, this statement care less
— Alagba Ken (@AlagbaKenneth) March 31, 2021

Did he say the security guy was ‘rod’????to the chairman?Plus the policemen seen in the video ‘cliff’ ????were not chairman’s police team. Did u guys notice how many times he mentioned BIAFRANS in capital letters an called them miscreant?Whn the guy who recorded d video was Yoruba????????‍♀️
— Juliet (@julietezenwonwu) March 31, 2021

CCT CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL DANLADI UMAR