The Uchenna Madu-led Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday disowned Wednesday’s meeting by leaders from Southeast and Southsouth with their northern counterparts on the pro-Biafra protests. The group wants its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to lead the peace talks.
At a news conference by MASSOB’s Director of Information, Samuel Edeson and Secretary- General, Ugwuoke Ibem Ugwuoke, MASSOB said none of the leaders had its mandate to dialogue with the Federal Government.
It said any dialogue must be led by detained leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu.
“We were shocked to learn that some northern leaders met with Dozie Ikedife and Senator Godswill Akpabio and discussed our agitation.
“We disown these people; we don’t know them. Before you discuss, you must first meet with those on the streets; we don’t know Akpabio, we don’t know Ikedife as far as this matter is concerned. Ikedife is not part of our agitation; he has shown hatred for Nnamdi, so how can he meet with government to discuss Nnamdi?
“We also understand that Ikedife’s Bilie Human Right Initiative has its agenda, it believes in the Nigerian Constitution. MASSOB does not believe in Nigeria’s Constitution because it is a fraud against our people.
“MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups advise Bilie Human Right Initiative to retract its belief in the Nigerian constitution because this ties our hands to an unknown law against our people.
“In the last one month, we have been protesting peacefully against Nnamdi’s detention; if the Nigerian government is sincere on dialogue, it must meet with leaders of MASSOB and IPOB.
“It is curious that Akpabio, who disowned us by saying Akwa Ibom is not part of Biafra, now wants to negotiate on our behalf, this is fraud. We are advising the Nigerian government not to take them serious; we shall continue our peaceful protest, which we stopped temporarily.
“We have two simple demands-release Nnamdi Kanu; give us Biafra; we are not agitating for good roads or infrastructure.
“These people that claim to be Igbo leaders are not in control of the masses, we shall soon demand a referendum so that the world will know we are no longer interested in Nigeria.
“Any dialogue with the Federal Government without Nnamdi Kanu is nonsense; we demand that he be released and he will lead the dialogue.”
On Ralph Uwazuruike, who formed a new group, MASSOB said: “He is a confused person, he is propagating Nigeria’s unity; Igbo land is not landlocked, Biafra is not landlocked as he claimed. The Biafra the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu declared in 1967 is not landlocked. Uwazuruike does not know much about Biafra.
“He is a forgotten issue; nobody should take him serious; he is the greatest saboteur of Biafra. His name is a taboo.
“Similarly, there will be a revolution against the so-called Igbo leaders who are making negative comments against Biafra.”
Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has advised religious leaders in the Southeast to appeal to pro-Biafra agitators to give peace a chance.
Mohammed spoke at the Peace Conversation with religious leaders, organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Abuja. He urged them to de-radicalise those who had been exposed to violent religious views.
The minister said it was the duty of religious leaders to preach undiluted messages of their faith and make their followers see reasons why Nigeria should stay together as an indivisible entity.
“You, our revered religious leaders, have a role to play in this respect. Top on the list is the need to de-radicalise those who have been exposed to extremist and violent religious views, especially in the Northeast.
“It is important for you to highlight the unadulterated version of the two dominant faith, Christianity and Islam; to remind adherents that nowhere did any of them preach hatred and violence,” he said.
The minister said though the agitation for Biafra was legitimate, the agitators should ventilate their discontent through the appropriate channels, while allowing the government to address the issues raised. He advised religious leaders to serve as appealing voice to the aggrieved.
His words: “At this time of agitation by persons who believe their interests have not been well catered for in the federation, our religious leaders can serve as an appealing voice to these aggrieved citizens.
“They can help them understand that while they have the right to ventilate their discontent, there is the need to do so using the appropriate and established channels, while allowing the government time to address the issues, without constituting themselves a threat to the peace of their neighbours.”
Stressing the necessity for peace, the minister said the level of destruction in the Northeast was inexplicable for the government to allow others plunge another part of the country into war.
“The kind of destruction I saw in those areas convinced me, more than ever, that the perpetrators are not adherents of any religion but a bunch of mad people.
“Our religious leaders must make this point loud and clear for the benefit of the gullible ones who may want to believe that those perpetrating the heinous killings in the Northeast subscribe to any faith.”
Mohammed explained that with the effort of the military to restore peace to the troubled region, Nigerians must support the government to promote peace in the country.
“The military is doing its bit to restore peace to the affected communities. What is missing, however, is the civilian component of the war, the need for Nigerians to support the military and own the war.”
The elders from across the six geo-political zones have set up a committee to dialogue with the pro-Biafra protesters.
Led by Maitama Sule, the elders met in Abuja on Wednesday and resolved to nominate members from the zones.
A communiqué at the end of the meeting identified unemployment and poverty as the major cause of the protest, stressing the need for dialogue.
“A committee will be set up to engage the Supreme Council of Elders of the Southeast and the protesting youth, with a view to addressing their grievances and recommending solutions.
“The dialogue will be expanded to include other critical stakeholders in the search of peace and stability in the country.”
A member of the forum, Dr. Sadiq Umar Gombe, who read out the communiqué, said: “Nigeria’s unity shall continue to remain sacrosanct despite the inherent imperfections in our nation-state and as such, the dialogue resolves to continually pursue the path of peace and stability.
“The protests, being conducted under guided and peaceful atmosphere, are part of democratic expressions.”
Dr. Gombe accused some Nigerian leaders as sponsors of the protest, noting that citing lopsided appointment as a reason for the agitation was not tenable.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari had been fair in the appointments so far made.
The Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC) has urged lawmakers from the Southeast and Southsouth to intervene in the pro-Biafra protest.
A statement by the National Coordinator, Mr. Israel Uwejeyan, said the agitation was causing disaffection among youths.
“We, in Niger Delta Youth Congress (NDYC), call on youths in the Niger Delta and Southeast to rise up from mediocrity and challenge every attempt to cause chaos, dissatisfaction and disunity among Nigerians for selfish political gains.
“We urge lawmakers from Southeast and Southsouth to condemn the Biafra secession agitation.
“We want them to caution the move by some few persons and we condemn the destruction of public and private property in Onitsha, Anambra State, and the intimidation of law abiding citizens.”
Uwejeyan advised youths agitating for secession to have a rethink and join the train of rebuilding a new Nigeria, urging them to explore reasonable avenues to channel their issues.