The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has told the Federal Government not to provoke Igbos.
The group frowned at what it called “purported revocation of the concession of Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, said to be managed by an Igbo businessman.
The pro-Biafra group made the call in a statement by its leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, titled, “Do not provoke Ndigbo.”
The statement was signed by its National Director of Information, Comrade Samuel Edeson where it noted that, “while being in support of the fight against corruption, we will not allow Igbo leaders to be humiliated, using the EFCC as an agent of intimidation and harassment.”
“We are piqued by the boasting of the Director General of Bureau of Public Enterprise, BPE, that the Chairman of Aulic Nigeria Limited, the management concessionaire of the Trade Fair Complex, Prof. Nick Eze, was arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over a petition by the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment.
“MASSOB as a stakeholder and a factor in the affairs of Ndigbo will continue to defend, uphold and protect the integrity, honour, good image and interest of Ndigbo in Nigeria and diaspora.
“It appears that the services of the EFCC was engaged by the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment which could not stand the superior presentations at the Federal High Court on the litigation in a civil matter involving a private company and the BPE over the concession.
“The leadership of MASSOB is particularly piqued by the boasting of the DG of BPE that Professor Nick Ezeh, the Chairman of Aulic Nigeria Limited, whose company is the Management Concessionaire of Trade Fair Complex, was arrested and detained by the EFCC on the petition by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
“MASSOB, frowns at the several publications credited to the Bureau for Public Enterprise, BPE, on the purported revocation of the concession of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, we sees that as clear illegal act of impunity and oppression against Ndigbo who are major stakeholders in the complex.
“We will not allow Igbo leaders to be humiliated, using the EFCC as an agent of intimidation and harassment. While we shall support genuine fight against corruption in the system, we will resist any attempt to deprive good people their right, mostly the selfless philanthropists whose goodwill has positively affected the citizens.”
It therefore, advised the Federal Government to “set up an independent investigation panel over the the illegal detention of an erudite scholar who honoured the invitation by the EFCC, only to be illegally detained for over 25 days without any court order.”
“We also call on President Muhammadu Buhari led government to investigate this high-level corruption and connivance of the BPE, the old Trade Fair Management Board and the officials of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, with a view to unraveling the reason behind the non implementation of the concession agreement signed since 2007.”
“This is a case of economic sabotage that must be tackled squarely to deter further illegal encroachment as there cannot exist two concessions and dual management for the complex like that.
“We are following the development with keen interest. We enjoin the Federal Government to resist all acts of coercion and follow due process in resolving conflicts associated with the concession agreement.”
