THE RESTORATION OF BIAFRA NATION

A trader Mr. John Nwokedi said he will not come out today due for fear of the unknown as he recalled past experience where some hoodlums seized the opportunity to loot and attack people who opened their shops for business. A commercial driver Mr. Emeka Odim said: “I’m going to obey the sit-at-home order; I’m not going to bring my vehicle out tomorrow (today) because I am a Biafran, and I believe in civil disobedience to tell our leaders in this country that we are not one and they should allow us to go.” Meanwhile, the leadership of IPOB in Ebonyi State, yesterday, dared the Governor David Umahi and vowed to implement today’s sit-at-home order in all parts of the state. Deputy Coordinator of Biafra agitators in the state, Mr Ugochukwu Nweke, made the avowal while reacting to the state government’s directive on the people of the state to ignore the order. At a press briefing, on Monday, Governor Umahi’s Senior Special Assistant on Internal Security, Dr. Kenneth Ugbala, warned that sho...

In Enugu State, there was heavy security presence in all the strategic points in the state capital, while fighter jets were hovering the state. Regardless, members of the Biafra Zionists Federation (BZF) have vowed to go ahead with their planned declaration of Biafra today.  He said: “Fighter jets deployed by the Federal Government are hovering everywhere in Enugu State. The agenda is simple, to intimidate and instill fear in us and our members.  “But, we want to make it clear that we cannot be intimidated; that era is gone. Should anything happen to any of our members tomorrow (today), all those involved will pay dearly for it.  “Nigeria is already in panic. Buhari is in serious fear. You can see them flying fighter jets all over; this is what is called intimidation. They have failed.”  Meanwhile, the State Commissioner of Police, Danmallam Mohammed, has warned that the police will not tolerate any act or omission by any person or groups under any guise to dis...

My grandmother, Theresa Nsionu, told me about how she ran from town to town with her children to escape the violence during the Nigerian Civil War (Biafran War). Photo by Chika Oduah        Biafran War Memories.  Fifty-one years ago, a political decision changed the course of my life and I wasn't even born when it was made. After several bouts of ethnic hostilities in Nigeria during which thousands of Igbo people were murdered and chased out of cities, back to their ancestral communities in southeastern Nigeria, leaders from the southeast declared on May 30, 1967 that the region would breakaway from Nigeria and form the Republic of Biafra.  Diplomatic efforts to unite Nigeria failed; war spilled out and continued pouring out atrocities for three years.  The land of my birth- southeastern Nigeria- collapsed into a battlefield: Nigeria versus Biafra. Most of the Biafrans were like me, Igbo.  My mother, an Igbo woman, was a six-year-old ...

the day was observed in many parts of Enugu State, with a group even going as far as attempting to invade the state government house to fly the Biafra flag.  There had been fears that the celebration would flop due to the disappearance of Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB leader, and the heavy presence of security agencies in the geopolitical zone. A lthough this year’s celebration wasn’t as intense as last year’s, the ‘Biafra Day’ celebration was nevertheless observed in majority of south-eastern states on Wednesday in compliance with the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).  But despite this, the day was observed in many parts of Enugu State, with a group even going as far as attempting to invade the state government house to fly the Biafra flag. Aba, the commercial nerve centre of  Abia State , was on lockdown as residents observed the sit-at-home order. The streets were deserted — so also were schools, markets and private stalls. Commercial transport...

Justice Binta Nyako on Wednesday refused the letter from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN), which was signed by one Y. Cole requesting for an adjournment on the grounds that the office did not file a counter affidavit to the bail application by defence counsel in the matter.  A Federal High Court in Abuja has foreclosed the objection of the Federal Government to the bail application by four members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).  The judge subsequently fixed June 25 for ruling on the bail applications brought by Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Bright Chimezie.  Defence lawyers Chukwudi Igwe, P.A.N Ejiofor and Maxwel Okpara had cited health grounds for their application for the bail of their clients, which the prosecution failed to object to before the application was adjourned for ruling.  The defendants, whose cases were separated from the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu (who is said...

It was alleged that residents of Chigbu Street, off Uratta junction by Port Harcourt road in Aba South local government area of Abia State had on Wednesday trooped out to mark the 30th anniversary of the defunct Biafra Republic but were resisted by some men of the Nigerian Army.  Residents of Aba, the commercial city of Abia State have accused the Nigerian Army of killing a young man identified as Nnamdi over the Wednesday’s sit-at-home order.  Argument ensued between the youths and some soldiers and the security men in the process fired shots into the air to scare the protesters away.  Nnamdi, was said to have been killed by a stray bullet from the soldiers said to be on patrol in the area.  Enyiocha, the youth leader of the community, who spoke on  behalf of the youths, claimed that the soldiers after killing Nnmadi who they said to be in his late twenties, dragged his body away and deposited it at a yet-to-be identified location.  The youth leader, wh...

Benjamin Onwuka, a lawyer and leader of the BZF, had earlier announced plans to commemorate the ‘Biafra Day’ by hoisting the flag of the defunct Republic of Biafra at the Government House. a t least 22 members of the Biafran Zionists Federation (BZF) were arrested by security operatives on Wednesday as they sought to take over the Enugu State Government House to hoist the Biafran flag.  Onwuka had gone as far as vowing that “not even fighter jets” would stop him from realising the mission. At about 7am on ‘Biafra Day’, he and scores of his followers trooped towards the Government House, Enugu, bearing Biafran flags and musical instruments with which they hoped to celebrate the success of the mission. However, they were arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS) before they could even reach the gates of the Government House. Although at least 22 were arrested, several others escaped. Confirming the development, Ebere Amaraizu, Pub...

The sit-at-home exercise ordered by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), yesterday, for Biafra Heroes Remembrance Day, turned bloody as soldiers shot dead a young man believed to be one of the members of the pro Biafra group in Aba, Abia State.         In Aba, it was gathered that soldiers had approached from Port Harcourt Road/Uratta Junction, where some IPOB members had reportedly gathered in the morning of yesterday, as part of the sit-at-home protest. This was even as a member of the pro-Biafra group was allegedly shot, following a clash between the group and a combined team of the army and police at St Mary’s Anglican Church Junction, in Nnewi, Anambra State. Eyewitnesses said the clash occurred when the IPOB members came out that early morning and blocked major roads to Nnewi from Onitsha axis, making burn fires to enforce compliance to the sit-at-home.  Reports said as the soldiers got close to the junction, they started shooting indiscriminately...

A statement issued on Monday by Uchenna Madu, MASSOB leader; Felix Anochirimonye; leader of Eastern People’s Congress; Rita Anibuogu for Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria and Innocent Amadi, for Bilie Human Rights Initiative, said the group was not shaken by the heavy presence of security operatives and that the festivity would begin on May 29 with a candlelight parade.t he Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and other pro-Biafra groups have vowed to celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Republic of Biafra on May 30 notwithstanding the presence of security operatives in the South-East. Also part of the group are the Igbo Youth Cultural and Restoration Initiative (IYCRI), Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), Biafran National Liberation Council (BNLC), Biafran Revolutionary Organisation (BRO), Biafran Liberation Crusade (BLC), Joint Revolutionary Council of Biafra (JRCB), Biafra Revolutionary Force (BRF) and Customary Government of Biafra (CGB), “A coa...

IPOB on Monday lamented that it received report that two governors had scheduled events to disrupt the Biafra Day programmes. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday insisted that its sit-at-home protest scheduled for May 30, 2018 as Biafra Day remains sacrosanct.  But the police, army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have dared IPOB, saying they are ready to tackle them headlong. In a statement by Comrade Emma Powerful, the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, “Two governors and certain unscrupulous individuals in search of money have decided to seek sponsorship from Aso Rock.”  The group said, “Any person or group of persons found outside on Wednesday, the 30th of May, 2018 will be cursed by both the living and the dead.  “The remembrance of the sacrifice of our heroes on the 30th of May supersedes any electoral or financial benefits to any individual or group. “Those seeking to follow the footsteps of now discredited Ohanaeze Ndigbo, ...

They marched through Awka Road, Old Market Road, Main Market, Sokoto Road, Haruna Street, Williams street to Creek Road and Zik Avenue, Port Harcourt Road, all in Fegge,    to Upper Iweka and terminated at Owerri Road, insisting that the people should remain indoors on Wednesday (today) or stand to be blamed in case of any eventuality. The group, comprising Lion Squad, a security outfit of the organisation and other members,  held Biafran flags and chanted freedom and solidarity songs such as  “IPOB purported proscription arrant nonsense; “Nigerian Federal Government has no power to brand IPOB terrorist group; “Biafrans, Igbo we must be proud of our own own and  “IPOB and genuine Biafra agitating group cannot be intimidated out with Army and Police, among others. The group distributed handbills and flyers with the inscription:  “May 30, 2018 is Biafra Day, celebrating 51 Biafra anniversary, we remember the fallen heroes of 1967-70, including victi...

Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, ACF National Publicity Secretary in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna Monday, said, “ACF considers such press statement as destructive of our national cohesion.”  The statement noted that the IPOB statement issued by its publicity secretary, Emma Powerful was widely published, saying that IPOB had declared May 30 this year as a sit at home day in honour of not only for Biafra State but those allegedly killed by herdsmen in 20 states of Nigeria. The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, on Monday described the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra IPOB, as destructive to the nation’s cohesion. The statement added, “The attention of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has been drawn to a press statement by Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which was proscribed by the Federal Government last year, again declaring May 30th this year as a sit-at-home day in honour of not only for a Biafra state but also for those alleged to have been killed by ...

A press statement on Monday signed by the MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, Felix Anochirimonye for Eastern People’s Congress, Rita Anibuogu for movement of Biafrans in Nigeria and Innocent Amadi for Bile Human Rights Initiative said that the celebration would start on May 29 with a candlelight procession. Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra and other pro-Biafra groups have insisted that despite the heavy presence of security men in the South East, they will mark the 51st anniversary of the Republic of Biafra on May 30. The groups said that no amount of intimidation by the security agencies would deter its members from going on with the planned anniversary.The statement read, “A coalition of pro-Biafran groups which agreed to speak with one voice in one accord with a unity of purposes met and insisted on the earlier resolutions on 18th of April after our fifth monthly meeting that the annual May 30th celebration of the Biafran people will hold this year i...

The group has urged every family, kindred, village, clan and town in the South-East and the other designated areas to remain indoors from 6 pm on Tuesday, May 29, to 6 pm on May 30. There was tension in Enugu and other major cities in the South-East on Monday over the planned celebration of the Biafra Day on Wednesday (tomorrow). One of our correspondents in Enugu observed that many residents are worried over the possible breakdown of law and order on the day.There are also concerns over possible clashes between pro-Biafran activists and security agents, a situation which residents fear could lead to the loss of innocent lives and destruction of property. Feelers from other states in the zone also indicate a similar disposition among residents. Pro-Biafran groups, including the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, called for the sit-at-home protest in order to celebrate the anniversary of the defunct Republic of Biafra ...

Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr. Garba Umar, described the group as misguided elements and urged the people in the state to disregard the order and go about their lawful normal businesses, assuring that the State Police Command is on top of the situation. “The command, with other security agencies, will not hesitate to deal decisively with any individual or groups, under any guise, who disrupts public peace.” But, in a swift reaction, IPOB, through a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said there is no going back on the May 30 sit-at-home order, describing it is as “oblation” that would take place in no fewer than 100 countries of the world. IPOB further said it is a religious obligation to its indigenes killed unjustly over the years, including victims of the 1967-70 civil war. It condemned what it called police meddlesomeness in its affairs. The police, IPOB insisted have no powers, in any law, to interfere in anybody’s “religious affa...

In the resulting riots, the imperial police stood by and watched as Igbos and Biafrans were killed in hundreds. Below is the timeline of the massacres: The violence and massacre against Igbos by their northern compatriots dates back as far as 1945.  It is a fact of history and I’m surprised that some people claim ignorance of this. It started when the civil servants most of whom were Igbos obeyed the call for strike by trade union who had the sympathy of NCNC.  The British whom the action was targeted at instigated the northern populace to move against the striking workers which quickly became a subterfuge to commit genocide against Igbo Biafrans.             1945 – Jos massacre 1953 – Kano massacre 1966 – Pogrom; 30, 000 killed (which they named Democracy Day) 1967 – 1970 (Genocide War; 2mil killed) 1980 – Kano Killings 1982 – Maiduguri Massacre 1984 – Yola Killing 1985 – Gombe Killing 1986 – Kaduna & Kafanchan...