‘Biafran boys’ and grammatical errors – Code of conduct tribunal under fire for offensive statement

By TIMILEYIN OMILANA

The press release read like one written in a desperate haste.

Just a few hours after the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Danladi Umar released a statement to defend his physical assault of a Nigerian man, some Nigerians – largely on social media – have condemned the “offensive and error-ridden statement.”

The 49-year-old chairman was seen in a viral video having a physical confrontation with a security guard at Banex Plaza in Wuse, Abuja.

Danladi slapped and violently kicked the guard before he was restrained and led into his car by police officers.

To justify his actions, Danladi’s office spokesman, Ibraheem Al-Hassan, in a statement on Tuesday said the security man was rude and had threatened Umar.

Al-Hassan claimed Umar was attacked and prevented from leaving the premises of Banex by persons in support of the guard despite police presence.

He also claimed the Code of Conduct Tribunal boss suffered a dislocation in one of his fingers.

Al-Hassan described “a mob in the plaza” as “miscreants” and “Biafran boys” in the statement full of grammatical errors.

Grammatical errors such as ”video cliff” instead of ”video clip”; ”packing lot” instead of ”parking lot”; ”rode” instead of ”rude”; ”fixe” instead of ”fix”; “place of visits” instead of “place of visit” characterised the statement from the agency saddled with the responsibility of dealing with complaints of corruption by public servants for the breaches of its provisions.

Danladi’s assault, his spokesman grammatical error, and offensive statement have since attracted condemnations Nigerians, especially the reference to persons who allegedly attacked Umar as Biafran Boys.

The term is an obvious condescending remarks to men from Southeast Nigeria.

“That CCT guy was never bright. But how did he get there? This is why I respect stupid people,” a Twitter user said.

Another Twitter user said, ‘Biafran Boys’…….. That’s how the people in this @OfficialAPCNg govt see people from the South East. Yet they say the word war is over.. it’s really unfortunate and shameful.”

“Biafran Boys” in an official government communication? In an official public statement? Who are these idiots?” (The Guardian)