The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, condemned yesterday, the reported death and detention of some members of Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, during a gathering to commemorate 22 years of the founding of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, blaming Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo governors for the development.
A statement by IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful said the incident was another atrocity in a long list of intimidation against pro- Biafra groups, adding that the silence of Ohanaeze and Igbo governors on the issue was an indication that killing members of pro-Biafra groups had become routine
He said: “There remains only two constituencies to blame for this and they are Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo governors. Their repeated silence over the slaughter of their own people makes them an accomplice.
“Those agitators romancing with Arewa politicians by night, but jump up during the day to shout Biafra must cover their faces in shame. Their duplicitous character will never endear them to the oppressor
We are asking the Nigerian government to focus its military hardware and fire power on Fulani terror herdsmen in Benue and other Northern terrorist groups active in the North Eastern part of Nigeria.
“The senseless killings of unarmed Biafra agitators must stop because it will only breed more diehard activists that may choose to abandon the non violence stance of IPOB. One day, violence will surely beget violence if this ongoing anti-Biafra persecution is not stopped.
Clampdown on agitators wont deter us –BIM
Also yesterday, BIM vowed not to be deterred by the clampdown on the group by security agencies, adding that Tuesday’s arrest of its members would spur them for the struggle to achieve Biafra.
Speaking over the arrest of over 50 Biafra agitators in Aba, BIM leader, Abia South Zone, Mr. Fred Onyenaucheya, described the arrest and detention of its members during the 18th anniversary celebration as “a sacrifice they have to make for the struggle.”
He explained that BIM founder, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike had outlined over 25 stages on which the group must undergo to actualise an independent state of Biafra and urged members of the movement to be steadfast and assured that Biafra was at hand.
Onyenaucheya stated that the detention and killing of her members, BIM would not lured into abandoning her non violent approach to the struggle for Biafra and warned security agencies to stop attacking defenceless Biafra agitators.
The BIM leader disclosed that 47 members of the group arrested in Aba, Umuahia and some parts of Abia North zone, were today granted bail by a magistrate court in Umuahia.
“In BIM, we are committed to actualizing Biafra through non violence. From Cross River to Delta to Port Harcourt to Aba, Onitsha, you can see that over 150,000 BIM members turned out to celebrate our 18th anniversary of the rededication and hoisting of Biafra by Chief Uwazuruike on May 22. We want to inform the Nigerian government that we are not afraid of arrest and detention of our members.
In fact, these arrests and intimidation has continued to spur us. It is a sacrifice we must pay in order to actualize Biafra.
“Our leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike had outlined over 25 stages which we must undergo on the process of actualizing Biafra. We are almost on the last stage of the struggle.
No matter the level of intimidation, we will not be deterred in our struggle. No number of Policemen, soldiers or State Security agents can stop us from marching forward because we are fully aware that victory is at hand.”
He urged the people of the Edo, Delta and the old Eastern region to continue to support the struggle for the actualization of an independent state of Biafra which will liberation them from oppression.
