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...