Groups Vow To Celebrate Biafra’s 51st Anniversary Despite Military Presence In South-East

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.the 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 coalition of pro-Biafran groups, which agreed to speak with one voice in one accord with unity of purpose, 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 in a unique formula,” read the statement.

The Biafran Central Council (BCC) and the Biafran United Liberation Council (BULCO) insisted on an anniversary where the members and people of Biafra will interface and reflect soberly on the real issues concerning Biafra emancipation. “This year’s anniversary will be celebrated by the people of Biafra, not as a pro-Biafra group but as a mark of respect and honour to our fatherland,” they said. “It is also a reminder to the visions and commandments of our great ancestors that we are not Nigerians but Biafrans. “We enjoin our people to get ready for the celebration of this great anniversary, which we will hold to remind ourselves to continue the self-determination movement for Biafra actualization and restoration.” Calls for the recognition of Biafra as a sovereign state by the Nigerian government appeared to be regaining momentum last year — until an Army crackdown on the South-East that led to the sudden disappearance of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

BIAFRA DAY : Police, Army Dare IPOB As Group Insists On May 30 Protest

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, other Igbo quislings and agents of the oppressors in seeking to further extend Northern control and domination in Biafraland, having seen the devastation such approach has wrought on our people in the past, will pay a heavy price for it.” The group fingered the duo of Dr. Dozie Ikedife and Bishop Onubogu in the alleged plot. It said, “They allowed their names to be associated with a Nigerian government-sponsored event designed to dishonour our brave Biafran heroes.” But Ikedife has swiftly reacted and denied having any plan to do anything to that effect on that day. Ikedife said: “I have no hands whatsoever in what they are doing even though I see no usefulness in the sit-at-home order. It is neither here nor there.“IPOB just want to malign prominent Igbo people because I don’t even know Bishop Onuigbo.” Meanwhile, the Police Command in Abia on Monday led detachments of the Nigerian army and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a show of strength in Umuahia, ahead of the IPOB sit-at-home order for Wednesday, May 30. The exercise took off from the Central Police Station (CPS), Umuahia, at about 9a.m. and moved round the major streets up to Ubakala and Olokoro in Umuahia South Local Government Area back to CPS, via Bende Road. The convoy included one Armoured Personnel Carrier and about 15 patrol vans, loaded with heavily armed men. Speaking with newsmen at the end of the show, the Commissioner of Police, Anthony Ogbizi, said the joint exercise was designed to reassure residents of the readiness of the security agencies to continue to protect their lives and property. “The show of strength included men of the police command, the army and civil defence and the essence is to demonstrate our resolve to ensure that Abia residents continue to enjoy uninterrupted peace. “We are poised to continue to sustain the prevailing peace and wish to send a signal to trouble makers, especially members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which has been proscribed as a terrorist group. “We want them to know that the law will not spare them should they go ahead to disrupt the prevailing peace, which residents of the state are presently enjoying. “So we used this opportunity to instill confidence in the people that security agencies are alive to their primary duties of protecting their lives and property.” The police boss therefore urged the people to ignore the sit-at-home order and go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation. “Sitting at home for fear of any possible attack by IPOB members will give them a sense of victory.” Ogbizi further charged security operatives “to be alert and vigilant” to be able to checkmate the activities of IPOB. The Ebonyi government on Monday barred residents of the state from observing the sit-at-home order of the IPOB slated for May 30. Kenneth Ugbala, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Internal Security, announced this in Abakaliki while briefing newsmen. “The issue of IPOB’s sit-at-home order came up on May 30, 2017, causing chaos in major cities of the South East zone of the country though we were lucky in Ebonyi. “God assisted us coupled with the proactive steps taken by the government and security agencies as we maintain that IPOB activities have been proscribed by the South East states’ governors,” he said. The governor’s aide said that the government had directed that such order should not be observed in the state. “Individuals and groups are free to pursue their causes but through due processes and the Ebonyi government will earnestly protect the people’s lives and property.” The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a northern socio-cultural group, has strongly condemned the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) which has declared May 30 Biafra Day. ACF accused IPOB of calling on its members to use the day as a period of sober reflection in honour of people who were alleged to have been killed by herdsmen in 20 states of Nigeria. The group expressed this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, in Kaduna, on Monday. Part of the statement reads: “We consider such statement as destructive of our national cohesion. “It is also a negation of our national unity comprising a people who, have ended the unfortunate three years of civil war 48 years ago with no victor, no vanquished and have been working hard through the 3Rs of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction introduced by General Yakubu Gowon in order to overcome what divides us. “Our faith in one indivisible Nigeria, despite our moments of national instability and challenges, has continued to be reaffirmed by individuals and groups at different fora. “We cannot therefore jettison our collective sacrifice for primordial sentiments that would do no one any good.” According to the statement, “The Nigerian components, like all developing nations, have challenges which can be overcome through collective hard work and due democratic process. “Intimidation and threats are not viable means that give voice to people’s aspiration as it is unnecessary and unhelpful.” The group stressed that last year’s sit-at-home order by IPOB did not only infringe on the liberty and rights of innocent and law abiding citizens residing in the South – East zone of Nigeria, but that it was hijacked by hoodlums who unleashed terror on the non-indigenes. It therefore called on IPOB to listen to the wise counsel of its political elders, saying that the democratic structure provides sufficient avenue for them to voice their aspirations and express their concerns.

IPOB storms Onitsha, mobilises for sit-at-home

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 victims of Asaba massacre, all slain freedom fighters of Biafra IPOB, MASSOB and all victims of Fulani herdsmen and all other state sponsored killings in Nigeria.”

Some  flyers and handbills they distributed bore pictures of fallen heroes such former Biafra leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu,

 Col. Joe Achuzia, Major-General Philip Effiong and Timothy Onwuatuegwu, among others, as well as corpses of those who died during some of their rallies and protests.

Though, they did not stop anywhere to talk to anybody, one of them who did not mention his name was shouting, no market, no movement, no school, no business, no church, no vehicle on Wednesday, as directed by its leadership as an annual ritual to honour those who fought and died for Biafra and those who died in the struggle.”

BIAFRA : May 30 sit-at home destructive – ACF

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 herdsmen in 20 states of Nigeria. “It is also a negation of our national unity comprising a people who having ended the unfortunate three (3) years of civil war, 48years ago with “no Victor no Vanquish”, and have been working hard through the 3Rs of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction introduced by General Yakubu Gowon in order to overcome what divide us. “Our faith in one indivisible Nigeria despite our moments of national instability and challenges, have continued to be reaffirmed by individuals and groups at different fora. We have also demonstrated it in words and deeds in our political sojourn. We cannot therefore jettison our collective sacrifice for primordial sentiments that would do no one any good.“The Nigerian components, like all developing nations, have challenges which can be overcome through collective hard work and due democratic process. Intimidation and threats are not viable means that give voice to people’s aspiration as it is unnecessary and unhelpful.” “The sit-at-home order of last year by IPOB did not only infringe on the liberty and rights of innocent and law abiding citizens residing in the South-East zone of Nigeria, it was also hijacked by hoodlums who unleashed terror on “non-indigenes”. “We therefore cannot afford a repeat of such incidence. Given the benefit of hindsight, ACF therefore calls on the South East Governors to prevail on their citizens to ignore such acts that seek to affect our sense of oneness and could also affect the economy and political stability of not only the South East but of Nigeria as a whole,” the statement observed. The ACF urged members of IPOB to listen to the wise counsel of their elders, States Chief Executives and elected political representatives at both the National and State Assemblies and opt for due democratic process. “Our present democratic structure provides sufficient avenue for people to give voice to their aspirations and vent their concerns. “Nigerians should therefore avail themselves to this opportunity rather than pander seek to heat up the polity. ACF also calls on the Security Agencies to put in adequate measures that will ensure the safety of all citizens in every part of country,” ACF noted.  While wishing Nigerians happy democracy day, ACF appealed to the country’s political leaders to play the game by strictly obeying its rules to ensure a fair, peaceful and credible elections.

IPOB : army, insists on marking Biafra at 51

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 in a unique formula.” The groups which include the following organisations :- Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB), Eastern Peoples Congress (EPC), Igbo Youth Cultural and Restoration Initiative (IYCRI), Bilie Human Rights Initiative (BHRI), 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),  Customary Government of Biafra (CGB), Biafran Central Council (BCC) and Biafran United Liberation Council (BULCO) insisted on an anniversary where the members and people of Biafra will interface and reflect soberly on the real issues concerning Biafra emancipation. “This year’s anniversary will be celebrated by the people of Biafra, not as a pro-Biafra group. It is a mark of respect and honour to our fatherland, it is also a reminder to the visions and commandments of our great ancestors that we are not Nigerians but Biafrans. “We enjoin our people to get ready for the celebration of this great anniversary which we will hold to remind ourselves to continue the self-determination movement for Biafra actualization and restoration.”

BIAFRA : Tension mounts in South-East over May 30 ‘Biafra Day’

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 on May 30, the date the breakaway state declared independence from Nigeria in 1967. In 2017, the event was marked with a sit-at-home protest ordered by IPOB, which grounded commercial activities in major cities in the zone, as well as Port Harcourt, in Rivers State, and Asaba, in Delta State. IPOB has again ordered a sit-at-home protest to mark this year’s ‘Biafra Day’, but the other major pro-Biafran groups have different plans. MASSOB intends to commemorate the anniversary with lectures and a candlelight procession, while the Biafra Zionists Federation has announced plans to raise the flag of the defunct Republic of Biafra at the Enugu State Government House on that day. In a bid to avert a possible breakdown of law and order, the troops of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army have engaged in a ‘massive show of force’ by parading through major cities in the geopolitical zone in a long convoy of military vehicles. Men of the 553 Base Services Group, Nigeria Airforce, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps are participating in the show of force.The Deputy Director, Public Relations, 82 Division, Col. Sagir Musa, explained that the parade of the heavily armed troops was “purely a show of force, aimed at sending a clear message to individuals or groups who intend to cause a breakdown of law and order.” Musa added, “Law-abiding members of the public are enjoined not to worry about seeing a long convoy of military and paramilitary vehicles and equipment on selected locations across the South-East zone.” The Enugu State Police Command has also declared its readiness to engage the pro-Biafran agitators. On May 22, 32 members of the Biafra Independence Movement faction of MASSOB, who were marking their own ‘Biafra Day,’ were arrested while they were about to embark on a parade through Enugu metropolis. The activists are currently in prison custody, having been remanded after they were arraigned before a magistrate court. But the pro-Biafran groups have vowed to go ahead with their plans for the Biafra Day. IPOB has vowed that the South-East and the South-South, as well as other states marked out for the exercise, would be locked down on Wednesday, May 30th. The secessionist group said nothing would stop the sit-at-home protest.IPOB has warned the army and the police against interfering with the exercise. “It will be crass insensitivity of the highest order for any police or army officer in the South-East to intrude upon our grief,” IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, said in a statement. The Biafra Zionists Federation, on the other hand, has vowed that ‘not even fighter jets’ would stop the plan to raise the Biafran flag at the Enugu State Government House on May 30. The group, led by Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, a lawyer, had attempted to declare the ‘independence’ of Biafra in the past. Onwuka was detained, and charged with treason, after leading some members of the BZF to invade the studios of Enugu State Broadcasting Service in a failed bid to announce the secession of Biafra on June 5, 2014. A policeman was killed during the incident. In July 2017, having been released from detention, he named himself ‘Interim President of Biafra’, and appointed some prominent Nigerians, including an economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and former information ministers, Jerry Gana and Labaran Maku, as members of the Biafran cabinet. Onwuka has urged ‘Biafrans’ to ignore IPOB’s sit-at-home protest. Rather, he urged them to converge on the Enugu Government House to witness the raising of the Biafran flag. The spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, told one of our correspondents on Monday that the police had taken note of Onwuka’s comments, as well as IPOB’s declarations. Amaraizu said the police are ready for the secessionists. “We are ready for them,” he said. But MASSOB and other pro-Biafran group have insisted that despite the influx of security men into the South-East, the groups will mark the 51st anniversary of the declaration of the Republic of Biafra on May 30. The groups said that no amount of intimidation by the security agencies would deter their members from going on with the planned anniversary. join my team A statement on Monday signed by MASSOB leader, Madu, Felix Anochirimonye of the Eastern People’s Congress, Rita Anibuogu of the  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.

BIAFRANS Sit-at-home ON 30 MAY IPOB trade words

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 affairs,” as it is an inalienable right of every human and vowed to go ahead with the order as earlier planned. “All Biafrans, no matter the states they are located, must honour and remember their heroes and heroines of the 1967 to 1970 Nigeria – Biafra war and others unjustly killed over the years. “Every family, kindred, village, clan, town across the length and breadth of Eastern region, Mid-West and Middle Belt are expected to remain indoors from 6:00p.m. on Tuesday, (tomorrow) to 6:00p.m. on May 30. It is expected that a team of local and international observers will be on ground to monitor compliance and interview people. Meanwhile, the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), yesterday, gave full support to the sit-at-home order by IPOB .ECA, which spoke through its Secretary, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, called Ndigbo wherever they might be, to observer the day with sober reflection, to honour those who laid down their lives for the Igbo nation. “I would like to use this opportunity to plead with our people to remain indoors on May 30. It’s the only way we honour our dead and reminisce on our journey in the country we find ourselves.” On the Igbo summit on restructuring, held last Monday, in Awka, the ECA chief said: “I am grateful to God that the section of the Igbo elite, who, for various reasons were afraid to identify openly with the restructuring gale that has been blowing across the country for over two decades (since the Abacha days), have finally found the courage to stand up and be counted. To God be the glory. “Credit goes to leaders like Prof Ben Nwabueze and the patriots, who sustained the restructuring struggle for decades. We must also remain grateful to the great Ide, late Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who actually is the father of the six regional structure. “It does not matter that this people woke up to the truth very late, their ceremony at Awka shows they have eventually become converted to the truth. We must thank God for that and pray their conversion is real. “We must  also help them sustain the tempo until Nigeria is returned to the regional formats that saw rapid development in the first republic. Returning Nigeria to the 1963 Constitution remains the only way out of the impasse the country has found itself.” Ugochukwu-Uko restated the group’s stand that the only restructuring accelted to it was the return to 1963 Constitution, which foundation was on true fiscal federalism and regional autonomy. “Finally, we restate that the only kind of restructuring that will save Nigeria is return to the 1963 Constitution built on true fiscal federalism and regional autonomy. join my team“Any attempt by the oppressor to retain the 36 states as federating units and also sustain the unjust 774 local government areas while claiming that devolving some powers and duties to the states equals to re-+ structuring, will be resisted. Only a return to the 1963 constitution will be acceptable.”