Biafra Day: Police arrest 137 MASSOB-BIM members in three states

No fewer than 137 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) were arrested on Monday by the Nigerian Police Force in Enugu, Ebonyi and Cross River states.

The MASSOB and BIM were arrested during their rally in the states to mark the Biafra Remembrance Day.

Forty-one of them were arrested by the police in Enugu, 50 in Ebonyi, and 46 in Cross River.

In Cross River, where the MASSOB leader in the state, Samuel Okah, was among those arrested, the MASSOB and BIM members were apprehended at Odukpani junction in Odukpani Local Government Area of the state.

They were arrested by a combined team of security agents from the Department of State Service (DSS), the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Irene Ugbo, while confirming the incident, said they were arrested “for questioning”.

“We got information about the rally at Odukpani and based on it, our men swung into action. The arrested members of the group are being
detained for questioning. This is to ascertain their mission and objective. Once that is obtained, they shall be free to go because no weapon was found on them,” she said.

In Ebonyi State, the MASOB-BIM members were arrested on their way from Ohaukwu, the path from Enugu to Abakaliki and also at Onueke, a town in the state.

The police had arrested them while on their way to join the MASSOB rally in the state capital.
Leader of the group in Ebonyi State, John Nwifuru, said those arrested would be released, disclosing that he had spoken with the police authorities on the matter.

Spokesman of the Enugu State Police command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said the agitators were earlier warned not to embark on “any violent protest.”

“No fewer than 41 persons suspected to be members of the BIM were nabbed by security operatives of the command from various parts of Enugu metropolis in the morning of Monday, May 22, based on intelligence information that they were about to conduct themselves in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace,” he said.

Amaraizu said the state command had already commenced investigations regarding the matter.

However, MASSOB-BIM leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, described the arrests as “unwarranted.”

Uwazuruike demanded the immediate release of those detained, urging the police to give reasons why they would still remain in custody.

In Enugu, The Drum Online gathered that the 17th year anniversary celebration of the hoisting of the Biafra flag by MASSOB Leader, Chief Uwazurike, gathered that members of the group across the state had planned to converge on the state capital to celebrate the anniversary.

At Opi junction in Nsukka Local Government Area, members numbering over 1000 were stopped by the police from going into Enugu to take part in the celebration.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Zonal Leader of Enugu senatorial zone of MASSOB-BIM, Mr. James Omeke, said reports reaching him had it that fifty-five members of the group were arrested in various parts of the state as they were preparing to enter the state capital to celebrate the seventeen years anniversary of the hoisting of Biafra flag by Chief Ralph Uwazurike.

Omeke stated when his members converged at Opi junction en route Enugu, men of the Nigerian Police stopped them from joining other
members of the group from other zones in the celebration.

“When they stopped us, our members numbering over 1000 were asked not to go to Enugu so as not to cause break down of law and order.

“We stayed there for over two hours telling the police that MASSOB-BIM is a group known for non-violence and peaceful conduct in all its activities but all our appeal fell on deaf hears ,’ he said.

The zonal leader said the movement anticipated that the celebration would be interrupted by security, adding they were not afraid because the movement had been non-violent since it started its agitations under their leader, Uwazurike.

“What we are celebrating today is the seventeen years anniversary of the hoisting of Biafra flag,” he said.

Omeke said that the over 1000 members were drawn from six regions that made of Enugu North senatorial zone.
“We appeal to Federal Government of Nigeria to stop harassing us since the movement is peaceful and non-violent.

“We also call on UN to expedite action towards conducting a referendum if people needed Biafra or not.

“In spite of the harassment, the struggle for Biafra continues as members will not relent until Biafra is realised,” he said.