• Police arrest scores in Cross Rivers, Ebonyi, Delta, others

By Our Reporters

Thousands of members and supporters of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) yesterday grounded commercial activities in major cities in the Southeastern part of the country and the South-South as they celebrated Biafra Independence Day.

Onitsha, the commercial nerve centre of Anambra State literarily stood still for about four hours yesterday when over one million members and supporters of MASSOB and BIM, including a catholic priest, women, youths and elders from the different zones of the state converged on the Obosi–Oba flyover axis of the Onitsha –Owerri Road from where they marched in their great numbers dressed in several costumes and singing freedom songs.

Some of the elders who could not trek long distances were conveyed in vehicles and tricycles, while the greater number marched along the road brandishing Biafran flags, pictures and pamphlets, among others. Some members in their security department wore full army camouflage and regalia.

The intimidating number of the MASSOB–BIM  members even wowed the Anambra State Joint Security Task Force team, comprising Army, Navy, Police, Civil Defence, Federal Road Safety and the Department of State Services (DSS) who were patrolling in over 20 Hilux vans that at a stage, they maintained a safe distance watching the pro-Biafran groups as they kept on marching.

Addressing journalists at the thick of the carnival-like rally, MASSOB-BIM Leader for Anambra South Zone, Chief Arinze Igbani, said the day’s celebration was to mark the 17th anniversary of the declaration of a new Biafra struggle by Chief Ralph Uwazurike on May 22, 2000.

“We have been in bondage of Nigeria for the past 50 years after the civil war broke out in 1967.  Today, we say goodbye to Nigeria and welcome to Biafra.  Remember what happened in the land of Egypt when Moses was leading the Israelites out of bondage, when he told the Israelites as they were crossing the Red Sea that,  “The Egyptians you see today, you shall see no more”; that is also what is  happening today in our land.  We are marching to our land where persecution and marginalisation will be no more. We remain grateful to the United Nations Organisation (UNO) European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and the Israelites for their support to our struggle, and we announce to them that we shall not surrender anymore,” he said.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 178 members of the pro-Biafra group were allegedly arrested at different parts of the south-east and south-south zones yesterday during the groups’ celebration of Biafra Independence anniversary.

MASSOB/BIM alleged that no fewer than 50 of its members were arrested yesterday by the police during its rally in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi State. The group said its members were arrested on their from Ohaukwu and

Onueke to join the rally in the state capital.

MASSOB/BIM leader in the state, John Nwifuru, said the police assured him that those arrested by the police will be released.

“Our rally was very successful and we don’t have any problem save for the disturbance by mobile policemen early in the morning when we were converging for the event. They arrested about 11 Biafra security

boys at Ohaukwu and about 16 in Nkwegu and others.

“I have discussed with the Commissioner for Police (CP) and he assured me those arrested will be released immediately and I want to thank him for supporting our event because policemen marched with us to ensure we had no problem with anybody and we conducted ourselves orderly.

Meanwhile, the Uchenna Madu led MASSOB group has disassociated itself from the rally. In a statement issued in Abakaliki, by the National Secretary of the group, Comrade Ugwuoke Ibem, Madu said “the  people on the streets

today displaying the Biafra flag are not MASSOB members as they may claim; they are members of Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) observing their Biafra day.

“MASSOB, under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu, will observed the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra by General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu on May 30, 2017, with a sit-at-home exercise in honor and remembrance of Biafra’s gallant soldiers and civilians who laid down their lives for the establishment of the Republic of Biafra during the war against Nigeria between 1967 and1970.

In Abia State, barely 48 hours women of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and MASSOB were allegedly ‘harassed and molested’ in Abiriba, Ohafia Local Government area of the State by soldiers of 14 Brigade Ohafia, 20 members of MASSOB were yesterday arrested by soldiers attached to Ngwa High School Forward Operation Base (FOB) of the 144 Battalion of the Nigeria Army.

The 20 members of the Chief Ralph Uwazuruike led MASSOB/BIM were arrested during a rally in Aba to honour dead members and heroes of various pro-Biafra groups that died in the cause of the struggle for the emancipation of the region from present Nigeria.

 It was gathered that the MASSOB/BIM members were arrested at Osisioma junction as they attempted to join other members of the group who were holding their rally at the city centre.  “The 20 members were rushing to meet up with other members of the group who were already holding their rally at the city centre when soldiers halted them at Osisioma junction and ordered them to match into the nearby Ngwa High School FOB where they are being detained,” a source said.  Abia South coordinator of MASSOB/BIM, Opkorie Nkama, confirmed the arrest and detention of their members by soldiers attached to Ngwa High School in a telephone chat.  Nkama wondered why the soldiers would arrest people who were not armed or causing any breach of the peace in Aba.

He, however, called on army authorities to release their members unconditionally, stressing that no amount of intimidation by the government or its security agencies would stop them from the agitation for the sovereign state of Biafra.

 When contacted, 14 Brigade Army Public Relations Officer (APRO), Major Oyegoke Gbadomosi, confirmed the arrest of members of the pro Biafra groups in Aba. Gbadomosi said soldiers at Ngwa High School, Aba were directed by the Brigadier-General in-charge of the 14 Brigade to screen and allow members of the groups to go home as soon as they were through with the screening.

 In Enugu, 41 members of the  Uwazuruike led BIM were yesterday arrested by the police during their anniversary rally.

 Spokesman of the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrest, said the pro-Biafra agitators were earlier warned not to embark on any violent protest. He said the BIM members defied the warning, hence, the police had to arrest them.

Amariaizu said in a statement that “no fewer than 41 persons suspected to be members of the Biafran Independence movement (BIM) were nabbed by security operatives of the command from various parts of Enugu metropolis in the morning of Monday 22/5/15 based on intelligence information that they were about to conduct themselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace. Investigations into their alleged activities have begun.”

Earlier in a telephone conversation, leader of MASSOB/BIM, Uwazuruike slammed the police over the arrest.‎

Uwazuruike said the police  should explain why they would not release his members.

 In a swift reaction, Comrade Samuel Edeson, MASSOB’s National Director of Information, said those arrested were not their members.

 Edeson, in a statement, said “they are members of Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) observing their own Biafra day.

 “MASSOB, under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu, will observed the 50th anniversary of declaration of Biafra by General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu on May 30, 2017, with a sit-at-home exercise in honour and remembrance of Biafra gallant soldiers and civilians that laid down their lives for the establishment of the Republic of Biafra during the genocidal war against the people of Nigeria between 1967 and1970.

 “We will also remember the victims of the current struggle for the actualisation and restoration of Biafra. MASSOB is not against BIM or any other group, but warn that we should not be linked to Uwazuruike led BIM. We have only one MASSOB under the leadership of our leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu.”