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Tag: MASSOB

  • MASSOB begins sensitisation

    MASSOB begins sensitisation

    Thousands of people believed to be members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, (MASSOB) yesterday marched on the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State.

    According to them, they were on a sensitisation tour of their planned sit- at-home order on June 8.

    Led by the Onitsha Region 4 Administrator, Arinze Igbani, members went to five local governments to create an awareness on the need to observe the June 8 sit-at –home order.

    They converged on Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area, from where they moved to Awada, Idemili North, Onitsha North and Onitsha South and finally ended the march at Ogbaru, Ogbaru Local Government.

    Addressing reporters at the General Post Office, Igbani said the need to create awareness become necessary in view of the “I don’t care” attitude of people.

    He warned that whoever flouts the order would be seen as a prodigal son.

    The MASSOB chieftain urged those getting married on the date to postpone it.

    “We are here today to spread the news that on June 8 all should be at home in memory of the six Igbo traders killed by the police at Apo village in Abuja.”

    “Also those killed by Boko Haram and those killed and dumped at Ezu river, are being remembered.”

     

  • Police arrest four MASSOB members

    The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the police in Abia State to release its members.

    The group claimed that four of its members were arrested at its office yesterday.

    It decried the alleged brutalisation of another member, Onyebuchi Ukaegbu.

    MASSOB gave the names of those abducted as Stanley Ashiegbu, Oruonye Jacob, Ifeanyi John and Eze Michael.

    The MASSOB Regional Administrator for Umuahia North, Felix Ibegbulem Ezekwem, said the manner in which police were maltreating its members was worrisome.

    In a statement, the group warned the police not to kill the suspects in its custody.

    The statement signed by the Director of Information, Anselam Ogbonna, said the police invaded their office at Ajata Okwuru Ibeku, in Umuahia North and stole important documents and property worth N300,000.

    The group called on the police to release the four men or “we will make Abia uncomfortable for them.”

    “We are a non-violent organisation and we don’t see the reason why the police are detaining and killing our members.”

    Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna said he was not aware of the incident.

     

  • Four MASSOB members missing in Ebonyi

    Four members of Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) were on the Christmas eve declared missing while six others are currently receiving treatment at a hospital after they were attacked by over 70 youths of Okpera community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on the alleged instigation of some community leaders, who were against hoisting of Biafran flag within the community.

    However, there are reports that MASSOB had threatened to declare war against the community if they fail to produce the missing MASSOB members within 48 hours.

    The youths, who were alleged to have been armed with dangerous weapons, such as dane guns, machetes, spears, daggers and sticks, attacked unsuspecting members of MASSOB, numbering about 10, while they were hoisting the Biafran flag, an exercise, which, according to the MASSOB Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu,  was going on simultaneously throughout Biafran land.

    Among those critically injured as a result of the attack and who are still receiving treatment at MASSOB hospital at Okwe, Imo State, were Joseph Akiriko, Otuosorochi Nwoba, Sunday Nworie, Abel Mgbogo, Friday Nkwagu, Duke Oke and Maduabuchi Oke.

    Others, whose whereabouts is still unknown since the attack include Emeka

    Nwangwu, Peter Nwewo, Sylvester Nwugbala and Dan Usee.

    “We have not seen them since December 24, 2012, the villagers might have killed them, and we demand for the release of the bodies within 48 hours or Okpera will prepare for MASSOB music. Nobody has monopoly of violence. Our members had been attacked severally in Ikwo. We can no longer continue to complain to traditional rulers; our members shall not die in vain in Ikwo,”  Uchenna warned.

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP. Sylvester Igbo,  said he had not been briefed on the incident.

  • MASSOB decries alleged arrest, killing of members

    •Urges security agents to release detained members 

     

    THE Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday condemned what it called the unwarranted and insensitive clampdown, arrest and killing of its members in Onitsha by security agents.

    The group urged them to release its members who it said were allegedly being detained by security operatives, especially the Army and the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    It accused the Anambra Vigilance Services, which operates at the Onitsha Main Market, of conniving with the security agencies.

    MASSOB’s Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, yesterday sent a statement to reporters.

    The statement reads: “On December 7, 2012, some MASSOB members, numbering about 120, were on a peaceful procession on Sokoto Road, Onitsha, in readiness for the burial of Uchechukwu Ejiofor, a MASSOB member who was shot by soldiers on November 12, when they were attacked by men of the Anambra State Vigilance Services.

    “Despite the intervention of some MASSOB officers on ground to stop the men of the vigilance service, numbering about 50, they insisted that the MASSOB funeral procession should not hold and subsequently called the Army, SARS operatives and policemen from Onitsha Central Police Station (CPS).

    “This callous attack on armless MASSOB activists led to the death of Eric Nwachukwu, who was a MASSOB member, an expectant woman and two hawkers.

    “Also, eight MASSOB members were arrested with gunshot wounds and broken legs. Other MASSOB members – Basil Ogbu, Ebuka Eze, Obinna Offor and others – were abandoned at Anambra State SARS headquarters, Awkuzu, since December 7.

    “Their broken legs are decaying and smelling because the police refused to feed them and give them medication. MASSOB demands their immediate release for proper medical attention or arraignment in a competent court of law.

    “The acts of insensitivity and callousness of our Igbo brothers in the name vigilance groups are still going on. They continue to haunt for our members, secretly arresting some in their homes, shops and places of businesses, like truck pushers, Okada riders and load carriers at Onitsha Main Market.

    “They not only arrest them, but also hand them over to the soldiers at Onitsha Barracks. After some deadly and traumatic torture, they were transferred to SARS headquarters, Akwuzu.

    “We fear many are already dead. By our calculation, 27 motorcycles, four trucks, 14 wheel barrows and about N78,000 belonging to arrested MASSOB members were seized by the vigilance group.

    “We appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chief of Army Staff, President Obama Barack of the United States and human rights organisations to intervene on our behalf in Anambra State.”

     

  • Police arrest 15 MASSOB members in Enugu

    The police have arrested 15 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in Enugu.

    Those arrested included a lady.

    Police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu said detectives from the command arrested them during their meeting at Ogwofia Owa in Ezeagu Local Government, following a tip-off.

    He said: “This was as a result of a security report we received that they were holding a meeting on how to perfect their operations.”

    Amaraizu said investigation into the incident was ongoing.

    He said the suspects were helping the police in their investigation, adding that those found culpable would be charged to court.

    Over 100 members of a rival pro-Biafran group, the Biafra Zionist Movement, who were arrested about two months ago, are still being held in Enugu prison without trial.

    They were rounded up on November 5 during a peaceful march after their re-declaration of the Sovereign State of Biafra.

     

  • MASSOB chief sues Army, police

    An Otuocha High Court I in Anambra State, presided over by Justice V. N. Umeh, will begin hearing in a suit filed by a chieftain of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Arinze Igbani, against the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police.

    Igbani, the MASSOB Regional Administrator for Onitsha Region 4, sued Army officers, including the Commander of the 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, Col. Taritimiye Gagariga; the Adjutant at the 302 Regiment, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for allegedly breaching his fundamental rights.

    The MASSOB chief is relying on Sections 33, 34 (1) (a), 35 (6), 36 (5) and 41 of the 2010 Constitution, as amended, to enforce his rights.

    Joined in the suit, brought pursuant to Order 11, Rules 1,2,3,4 and 5 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009, as co-respondents, are the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

    In his statement of claims, Igbani, through his counsel, Charles Ugo, is praying the court to declare that the respondents violated and are violating the applicant’s fundamental rights.

    He is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents either by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or subordinates from further arresting, detaining, intimidating, harassing and threatening his life.

    The applicant is asking for N10million as damages against the first, second, third and fourth respondents – jointly and severally – for an unwarranted infringement of his fundamental rights as well as another N15million as damages for his medical treatment.

    The applicant also sought a mandatory order commanding the respondents to jointly and or severally tender an unreserved apology in writing to him for an unwarranted infringement of his fundamental rights, and for the the Army to sponsor his medical treatment abroad, as recommended by a medical expert who is currently treating his fractured leg which was badly shattered by the soldiers during the invasion of the hospital.

    Also in his affidavit in support of the claims, Igbani noted that he was involved in an auto accident in April and had a fractured leg and as a result was admitted in an orthopaedic hospital located at No. 3 Ezeakunne Street, Okpoko Layout within Onitsha suburb.

    Igbani noted that on September 4, 2012, a team of armed soldiers from the office of the first respondent, led by the second respondent, invaded the hospital at about 9 a.m. and started shooting sporadically in the air for a minute and half and at the same time surrounded the compound and was ready to shoot anyone who dared to move out of the hospital premises.

    He contended that the soldiers arrested six persons who came to sympathise with him, forced out his fractured leg hung and rested in an iron for medical treatment and pushed all of them into their waiting Hilux Army patrol van and drove off to Army barracks where they were flogged with ropes, kobokos, belts, planks and subjected to severe torture and humiliation, to the extent of shattering the fractured led with their boot and gun butt.

    He said they respondents who also stripped him naked, did not have any pity on him as an injured person hence they included him among those frog-jumped from time to time by different group of soldiers, until the first respondent ordered that they be transferred to Onitsha Police Area Command, from where they were moved at about 6.30 p.m. to the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Awka.

    He said they were later charged to an Onitsha Chief Magistrate court few days after for engaging themselves in an unlawful assembly called MASSOB and were granted bail.

    He contended that MASSOB is the same thing with Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the West and Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) in the North, adding that none of these bodies has been proscribed by the military or the federal government, except MASSOB which has no bad record and which does not carry arms or bomb anywhere like the Boko Haram does in the North.

     

  • Biafra: BZM is childish, says MASSOB

    Biafra: BZM is childish, says MASSOB

    The Igbo separatist group which declared Biafra Republic on Monday has been dismissed by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biarfa (MASSOB).

    MASSOB itself has been campaigning for the Southeast sovereignty.

    But yesterday, MASSOB faulted the Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM) which made the declaration in Enugu in the aftermath of which its leaders were remanded in prison and hundreds of its members arrested by the police.

    MASSOB described the declaration of the Biafra Republic as “an empty declaration, childish and not well-guided”.

    It’s leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, who spoke through Director of Information Mr. Uchenna Madu, said leader of The Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM) Mr. Ben Onwuka took the action because of his anti-MASSOB.

    The statement by Madu on behalf of Uwazuruike said: “Onwuka (Leader of BZM) was a a member of MASSOB in Lagos who was expelled because of anti-MASSOB activities and rebellious tendencies.

    Samuel Edeson (National Chairman) who was once a regional administrator in Onitsha, he was also expelled because of his rebellious tendencies.”

    Madu added: “The said BZM has no office or Biafran structures as a platform for running Biafra affairs. The Biafra declaration was done by MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike on May 22, 2000 at Freedom Square, Faulks Road, Aba after sending Biafran Bill of Rights to the United Nations.”

    He said MASSOB cannot be cowed into disclosing its diplomatic relationship with some foreign nations because of “an unguided and faceless group who wanted to capitalise on MASSOB’s struggle for Biafran actualisation to be relevant.”

    “MASSOB supports every genuine move by any group in this struggle for Biafra actualisation but we doubt the BZM leadership methodology on Biafra actualisation without resorting to violence. We fought all these years to maintain the peace and non-violent method as greatest tool for actualizing our dream”

    He added that the leader of the BZM has no valid address of no house, adding, “the group is trying to cause problem in the Southeast because the leadership consists of faceless people who have no house or anything to identify them.”

    “MASSOB urges the public to dismiss them as attention seekers; we have overgrown the era of marching the streets with Biafran flags. MASSOB is now consolidating on building structures and diplomatic negotiations with other countries, including the re-declaration of Biafra in May 22nd, 2000, submission of Biafra Bill of rights to United Nations and Chief Uwazuruike’s attendance of OAU Summit in Lome, Togo in 2000 among other achievements”.

    The Campaign for Democracy (CD), Southeast region urged President Goodluck Jonathan to order the unconditional release of over 500 BZM members, who have been detained by the police following the Enugu rally.

    In a statement in Onitsha, CD said: “It is very unacceptable and wicked for police in Enugu to arrest defenseless activists, who are not armed with any weapon.

    “The movement was just agitating for their freedom as enshrined in Chapter 4; Sections 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38 of the amended 1999 Constitution, which provides the freedom of association and peaceful assembly,’’ it said.

    The statement condemned the “kangaroo” manner which the BZM activists were arrested, arraigned and remanded in prison custody.

    “This is very sad and acceptable to the entire Igbo-nation, going by the on-going killings by the Boko Haram religious sect in the northern part of the country.

    “The Federal Government is not doing enough to checkmate their criminal activities against the Nigerian nation.”

     

  • Splinter group: MASSOB leaders arrested

    THE Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday demanded immediate and unconditional release of its three principal officers currently being detained at the Anambra State Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Headquarters Awkuzu.

    MASSOB identified the officers as Regional Administrator for Onitsha 3, Engr. Osondu Okwarek; Regional Administrator for Onitsha 1, Mr. Omenka and National Deputy Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha.

    MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, in a statement yesterday in Onitsha alleged the detained officers were arrested last Thursday after handing over a member of the confusionist group, Biafra Zionist Movement (BZM), at the Divisional Police Station, Fegge in Onitsha.

    The BZM member, it explained, was handed over to the police because MASSOB considers the group’s proposed November 5 declaration of Biafra as a caricature of Biafra and a dent to the image of the struggle.

    But the officers were also later arrested, a development MASSOB said was uncalled for.

    MASSOB said it has nothing against any genuine group agitating for the actualisation of Biafra.

    The statement said: “It is suicidal for any Igboman to trade with the future of Biafra people. MASSOB under Chief Ralph Uwazuruike represents the genuine interest of Ndigbo and Biafrans in general, in non- violent struggle and there is no time frame stipulated to achieve the struggle,” the statement added.

    “Biafran re-declaration had already been done by Uwazuruike through hoisting of Biafran Flag on May 22, 2000 at Freedom Square, Faulks Road, Aba”, it further added.

    The Officer –in- charge of SARS, James Nwafor (SP), told newsmen to approach the PPRO for comment.

    The PPRO, Ralph Uzoigwe, promised to call back as he was in a meeting, a promise not kept as at press time.

     

  • MASSOB urges Army to treat battered member

    MASSOB urges Army to treat battered member

    The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday urged the authorities of the Nigerian Army to fly its Regional Administrator, Onitsha Region 4, Chief Arinze Igbani, abroad for treatment.

    It urged President Goodluck Jonathan and rights’ groups to come to Igbani’s aid.

    Soldiers from the 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha, the Anambra State capital, allegedly stormed a hospital where Igbani was receiving treatment after an accident in which his leg was broken and beat him up, before taking him to their base.

    MASSOB said Igbani’s leg is decaying and he has lost his sight since the attack.

    In a statement by its Onitsha Region 4 Director of Information Chima Agu and Mr. Linus Madunago, MASSOB threatened to sue the soldiers.

    It said the attacks on its members by the Army have become unbearable.

    The statement reads: “We are raising this alarm and sounding the last warning to the soldiers who stormed the hospital where Igbani was receiving treatment after an accident in which his leg was broken.

    “Igbani, who had been in the hospital for over five months, was beaten up and whisked away by the soldiers. His leg, which was just healing, was broken. The attack was against God and humanity, because there was no reason for it.

    “The soldiers forcibly took Igbani away from the hospital and subjected him to severe torture. In the process, his eyes were injured and he cannot see again. His broken leg is fast decaying. We urge the Army to sponsor his treatment abroad, so that his sight and leg can be saved.”

    MASSOB criticised the stringent condition given by the magistrate for Igbani’s bail.