Alleging the killings, injuries and arrests to newsmen shortly after the encounter, BIM’s Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha stated that while their members gathered at Obosi By-Pass along the Onitsha/Owerri road, near Onitsha, the joint military task force including the Army, Navy, Police, Civil Defence, Department of State Services, DSS and others swooped on them with over 45 Hilux vehicles and opened fire, killing five of their members instantly.
A cross section of members of the various pro-Biafra groups that converged in Umuahia According to Mocha, the JTF also used machetes to cut some parts of the bodies of four of their members, including their skulls, adding that the four victims of the machete cuts included Chief Vincent Iloh, Ebuka Emmanuel, Innocent Okolie and Mrs Virginia Ubaezuonu in the desperate attempt of the JTF to disperse the crowd. He said the JTF arrested 206 members in Anambra.
However, as at the time of filing this report yesterday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Haruna Mohammed (SP) told newsmen on phone that he was not yet aware of such an incident, adding that he is only the spokesman of the police and not of the JTF.
Security cracks down on BIM in Ebonyi, Abia, Rivers
Officers and men of Ebonyi, Abia and Rivers State Police Commands in collaboration with other sister agencies, also arrested members of BIM, that converged at popular places in the states to celebrate Biafra Day. In Ebonyi, the Police arrested BIM members who converged at the popular Dr. Akanu Ibiam flyover and others who came from different senatorial zones for the celebration by the group in Abakaliki.
They had proposed marching through major streets of Abakaliki before they were intercepted, made to lie down on the ground before they were eventually moved to the State Police Headquarters in Abakaliki for interrogation Vanguard gathered that security agencies in the state also accosted them along Nkaliki road in Abakaliki Local Government area of the state.
As they began their peaceful march in their colourful uniforms, security personnel sprayed teargas on them and arrested some of them. The Army, Department of State Services, DSS and the Police carried out the joint operation. Speaking with Vanguard on phone, the commander of Nigerian Military Cantonment in Nkwegu, Col S. O. Sadiq confirmed the participation of the army in the incident and subsequent arrest of BIM members, noting that all the arrested persons were handed over to the Police as no member of the group was taken to the barracks for any form of interrogation or detention.
According to him, MASSOB did not notify security agencies in the state of the event in writing which necessitated the action that stopped them from embarking on such exercise that might lead to break down of law and order in the state. The group had earlier announced the event through the media and social media channels in the country. According to them, the event was meant to commemorate the declaration of New Biafra by its leader, Dr. Ralph Uwazuruike. Reacting to the development, a representative of BIM in charge of Ebonyi Central Zone of the state, Gideon Iloke accused the Nigerian government of masterminding their arrest and constant intimidation at all times.
Today, we are celebrating our first year of Biafra independence. We are happy that the world authorities have recognised Biafra as an independent state and that is why throughout the federation, south-south and south-east are celebrating Biafra independence.
As we are celebrating and jubilating, the law enforcement agencies under the government of Nigeria did not allow us to enjoy our independence. They used their ammunition and tear-gas to disperse our members. About four hundred of them have been arrested by the police in Abakaliki alone.
Some of our members who are on their way from Afikpo South were arrested. They were made to lie down on the road. They also threatened our lives.” In their separate opinions, a member of the council of elders of Ebonyi South Zone, Mr. Sunday Ezaka and the zonal leader of Ebonyi North, Mr. Nwamini Vincent wondered why the government was always after them instead of putting their resources towards curbing the menace of Boko Haram and armed herdsmen which had led to loss of innocent lives, including destruction of valuable properties across the country. They said: “We are not happy the way Nigerian soldiers are maltreating us.
We are celebrating the first independence of Biafra, the first of its kind. Before the event, we informed the whole world, Nigeria inclusive that we are celebrating our first independence but to my greatest surprise, particularly in south-south and south-east, soldiers were mobilised to come and maltreat us.
They regarded us as slaves and that is why we say we are not happy to stay in Nigeria. “We are calling on the world powers that gave us the mandate to do this today to come and get us out of this country. We are appealing to the international community and Donald Trump to come to our aid. They should intervene because we are tired of being Nigerians. We can die for our freedom instead of living as a slaves.”
Police Spokesman in Ebonyi state, Loveth Odah confirmed the incident but could not give the actual figure of persons arrested. “I don’t have the details of the actual number of persons arrested right now. When I get the details, I will let you know” she said.
