MASSOB: 90 members arrested in Ebonyi and others

Another interruption by the Police was observed on Monday during a peaceful rally of members of the Movement for the Actualisa­tion of the Sovereign State of Bia­fra/ Biafra Independent Movement (MASSOB/BIM) in Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra States.The rally which was organized to mark what the group called the “New Biafra”, brought about the arrest of 90 of its members In Ebonyi and Enugu states alonePolicemen positioned themselves at strategic spots in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capi­tal, as MASSOB members marched through the city with Biafra flags flooding the capital city.The pro-Biafra agitators were said to have been arrested at Ohaukwu and Onueke axes as they moved to join the rally in the state capital.The agitators marked the Biafra day by marching peacefully from the popular Spera-in-Deo junction to Presco junction in Abakaliki.The state MASSOB/BIM lead­er, Mr. John Nwifur, said that the group was guarded by a team of po­licemen to ensure that the rally was not hijacked by hoodlums.He gave assurance that those arrested by the police will be released as ac­cording to him, he had spoken with police authority on the matter.“Our rally was very successful and we didn’t have any problem despite mobile policemen that disturbed us when we were con­verging for the rally. They arrest­ed about 11 Biafra security boys at Ohaukwu roundabout, 16 in Nk­wegu and others.“I have discussed with the Commissioner of Police and he as­sured me that those arrested will be released immediately and I want to thank him for supporting our event because policemen marched with us, wherever we reached, they were with us to ensure that we had no problem with anybody and we con­ducted ourselves orderly.“We did not cause any traffic jam and everything went success­ful; 15,000 of our members par­ticipated in the rally. We marched from Spera-in-Deo junction to Presco junction to Ahia Ofu junc­tion and old timer shade and we dismissed because of the elderly ones who were getting tired. We are commemorating the new Bi­afra which Uwazuruike declared on 22nd May, 1999 and the cele­bration continues till 30th of this month when we will end it with football match”, Nwifur said.ASP Jude Madu, the Police PRO, denied full knowledge of arrests made.In Enugu State, the Police Command arrested about 40 sus­pected members of Biafra Inde­pendent Movement (BIM) for dis­playing Biafran flags in various parts of the metropolis.The Command Public Rela­tions Officer, Mr Ebere Amarai­zu, in a press statement, said that the suspects were arrested by secu­rity operatives in various parts of Enugu metropolis, based on intel­ligence information that they were about to conduct themselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace.He said that their activities were being investigated.BIM members from Nsukka axis of Enugu State, who were reported to be in a convoy of about 10 vehicles to join their colleagues in Enugu for a pro­cession, were stopped at Opi junc­tion by armed police men.Meanwhile, the leadership of MASSOB under Comrade Uchen­na Madu, has dissociated its group from the street protests embarked upon by members of BIM.“The people on the streets displaying the Biafra flags are not MASSOB members as they may claim; they are members of BIM observing their own Bia­fra Day. MASSOB under the lead­ership of Comrade Uchenna Madu will observe the 50th anniversary of the declaration of Biafra by Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu on 30th May, 2017 with a sit-at-home exercise in honour and remembrance of Biafra gallant sol­diers and civilians who laid down their lives for the establishment of the Republic of Biafra during the genocidal war against the people of Biafra in 1967-1970,” Comrade Madu expounded.