•Alleges murder of 20 members
From Dom Ekpunobi Onitsha
Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), have alleged that the Nigeria Police is involved in secret killings of their members.
MASSOB and BIM alleged that the Anambra Police Command killed 20 MASSOB members.
MASSOB Regional Administrator (Anambra West), Wilfred Arinze, alleged in Onitsha that most of the members killed were those caught with Biafra insignia and motorcycle plate numbers.
“The secret killing came to light when one member, Okechukwu Joseph, was reported missing by his wife,” he said.
Arinze said early this year, 10 members were declared missing and that from the report they received, the missing members were secretly arrested by the police and allegedly killed without anybody knowing it.
“By the end of February, the number of those declared missing, which we suspected to have been secretly killed, stood at 20.”
Arinze said MASSOB members will not continue to watch as they were being killed without committing any offence.
“We are a non-violent organisation fighting for a sovereign state of Biafra and that should not mean that when we are pushed to the wall, we will keep calm.
“We went through the length and breadth of this state in search of Okechukwu Joseph including the “33” police station where he was sighted last dragging his motorcycle with the policemen. From there he was reportedly transferred to the State CID Awka.
“The DPO in-charge of “33” police station denied that Okechukwu Joseph was sighted there.
“We demand that Okechukwu and others declared missing or killed should be handed over to us, dead or alive.”
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Okechukwu Ali, denied any police killing and said MASSOB/BIM remained banned with other militant organisations.
