The leader and founder of Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has cried out over alleged security agents’ clampdown on his members.
According to him, a combined team of army and police security sersonnel have been hunting, arresting and detaining his members secretly.
He consequently called on the international community to urgently prevail on the Nigerian government to stop the ongoing clampdown on
MASSOB members stating that the movement is a non violent Biafra agitators.
Uwazuruike made this disclosure in a statement signed by the Biafra Director of Information, Elder Chris Mocha and made available to newsmen in Onitsha Tuesday.
According to him for some months now, Nigeria security agencies have been secretly arresting and detaining their members incomminicado on mere suspicion that they were members of the proscribed indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB.
He hinted that, “one of ouer leaders, Chief Maduabuchi Kalu, an illustrious son of Amaofufe community, Igbere in Abia North senatorial district, Abia State, was trailed to the Assemblies of God Church where he worshiped.
“Information reaching us has it that the Nigerian security agencies in Abia State have been trailing one of our leaders in Igbere, Abia North, to secretly arrest him and tag him a member of IPOB’s Eastern
Security Network (ESN).
“The combined team of soldiers and police have traced him to the Assemblies of God Church, at No. Ibina street, Igbere, where he worships with his families.
We want to make it categorically clear that High Chief Maduabuchi KSN, is a member of Uwazuruike- led BIM-MASSOB and never a member of IPOB’s Eastern Security Network ESN.
“Chief Maduabuchi Kalu is a titled Chief in Amaofufe community and Igbere, a member of Odinma Ebiri age grade and the President General
of Amaofufe autonomous League.
“He is also a well known member of the Agricultural community and society of Nigeria. He has never joined any violent group.”
The leader recalled that security agents suspected to be joint task force comprising of Naval officers and operatives of Directorate of state service, DSS, last month arrested five of MASSOB members in
Onitsha, Anambra state and their whereabouts still unknown.
Mocha gave their names as Mr. Akachukwu Nwachukwu, Chukwudi Okafor, Kingsley Ukachukwu, Igwe Onyekachi and Ebuka Okafor.
Mocha said the detained members were innocent members of a peaceful organization that pursued for the realization of Biafra’ through a non-violent process.
“BIM-MASSOB which practices an internal government as a prelude to achieving Biafra soveriegnty has decried the incessant harrassment and intimidation of the internationally recognized non- violent movement by security agencies in Nigeria.
“The five members of Chief Ralph Uwazuruike–led Biafra independence movement/ movement for actualization of sovereign state of Biafra (BIM-MASSOB) were arrested shortly after the commercial bus conveying them from AP filling station Owerri road, had taken off to Oraifite
town in Ekwusigo LGA to attend the group’s regional meeting, when unidentified gunmen suspected to be joint task force intercepted the bus, shot sporadically into the air forcing their driver to stop.
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”The security men came in four sport utility vehicles (SUVs) that included a Venza , 2 Lexus – 300, and a Toyota Camry as the trigger- happy officers shot sporadically into the air probably to put fear among the passengers of the commercial bus.”
