…As hundreds turn out to mark Biafra anniversary in Lagos, C’River, Delta

By Job Osazuwa, Lagos, Paul Osuyi, Asaba and Judex Okoro, Calabar

Members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) yesterday, converged on Lagos, to mark the 17th anniversary of agitation for secession.
A leader of the Elders Council, Western Region Zone B, Eze Calistus, told Daily Sun that Ndigbo were tired of Nigeria and said their lives were no longer safe due to killings and harassment in the hands of security agents and Fulani herdsmen.
Also, in Asaba members of Anioma region of  the group also celebrated the anniversary in the Delta State capital.
The event was, however,  low key as coordinator of the group in the region, Mr. Emeka Okafor seized the opportunity to hail the leadership style of the group’s leader, Ralph Uwazuruike for remaining non-violent in the face of provocation.
Okafor said the movement believes in non-violent ways to achieve its aim and expressed confidence that no amount of intimidation and “unnecessary detention of our members” can stop the realisation of Biafra.
Members chanted solidarity songs in Igbo to renew their quest for self-actualisation. They vowed that there was no going back in the struggle.
The leader clarified that MASSOB didn’t abandon one of its agitators, Nnamdi Kanu, in detention. He said in due course, he would regain his freedom.
Not daunted by the incarceration of its leaders, the group, yesterday morning, paraded the streets of Ikom in Central senatorial district of Cross River State to mark the 17th anniversary of its existence.
In Calabar, the group, who came from other local government areas including Ogoja, Ugep, Obubra, Obudu and Abi to attend the rally, marched round some major streets and ended at Ikom Township Stadium, chanted victory songs and rendered the Biafra anthem.
Zonal leader of the movement in the state, Samuel Okah, who led the parade said the event was to mark the 17 years of peaceful struggle for the actulisation of a nation for the people of Biafra.
“It has been 17 years of peaceful agitation by the people of Biafra, led by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike and we are making steady progress for the coming to fruition of our efforts which is a clear demonstration of the fact that peaceful efforts get more mileage than violence,” Okah said.

IPOB lied over Kanu’s health, poisonous gas –Prisons

From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

Nigeria Prisons Services (NPS) and a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), The Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB) have dismissed claims that Nnamdi Kanu is seriously ill at the Kuje Medium Security Prisons i n Abuja.
Prisons specifically described the illness claim as fallacious while TRIPOB, in a statement yesterday said it visited Kuje prisons and “found Kanu hale and hearty and as fit as fiddle.
“TRIPOB was mandated to visit and ascertain facts and condition of our leader, Charles Okah, who also happens to be an inmate with Kanu, in the same Kuje prisons.. Their findings revealed…that Kanu looked hale and hearty, received visitors and was as fit as fiddle…”
Regardless, the NPS said there was no iota of truth in the claim that the prison authority shot poisonous gas into Kanu’s cell to suffocate him.
IPOB had, in a statement signed by its spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Clifford Iroanya, raised concerns over the ugly treatment the prison authority meted out on its leader, alleging that apart from being ill presently, poisonous gas was recently shot into his cell to suffocate him.
However, reacting to the allegations, spokesperson of the FCT Prisons, Humphrey Chukwuedo, told Daily Sun on telephone that it was shocking to read such spurious allegations from IPOB, adding that since Kanu was not staying alone in a cell, there was no way he would have been targeted for suffocation.
“Kanu’s issue is really getting out of hand. The truth is that no one used any poisonous substance in Kanu’s cell because he is not the only person in the cell. If we target to kill him, will we also kill the other cell inmates,” he said.
Asked to confirm the state of his health, the image-maker of the  prison simply said: “Kanu is okay, to the best of my knowledge.”

His case can be likened to when Okah was in custody. Most of them in that category will be forming seriously ill, so as to have the opportunity to be taken to hospital.
Since we have competent medical doctors to handle their illnesses, we don’t usually allow their situation to get out of hand. His health is the normal everyday health