Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2016—15
Biafra: Police arrest 10 MASSOB members in C'River 7 agitators remanded In Delta As MASSOB demands release of BIM accuses police of killing 3 By Vincent Ujumadu,
Festus Ahon, Chimaobi
Nwaiwu & Emma Una
C
ALABAR—TWO weeks after the commemoration of Biafra Anniversary Day by members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, ten members of the group were, Monday, arrested in Cross River State. Okon Archibong, the spokesman of MASSOB in the state, told Vanguard that the State Coordinator of the group, Samuel Okah, along with nine others whose names he gave as Shedrack Chinelo, Chief Joseph Ekperebi, Michael Adah, James Ekeme, Adah Johnson, were arrested in Ikom and Ogoja, Monday night, and detained at the Ikom police station. “We have not had any other activity outside the May 30 commemoration of Biafra Anniversary Day, but last night, Police from Ikom Division went to the home of our State Coordinator, Samuel Okah and nine other persons and arrested them.” Archibong said the police did not give any specific reason for their arrest and that they were taken to the Ikom Police station and detained there. “I have gone to see them at the Ikom police station this morning and they are in the cell and I asked what offence they committed because during our anniversary march, we did not engage in any confrontation with anybody or group, not even with the police.” John Eluu, the Police Public Relations Officer for Cross River State Police Command said he was not to be briefed on the matter.. Raising alarm Meantime, the Biafra Independent Movement,BIM, has raised the alarm that the Ikom Division of the Nigerian Police, Cross River State might have killed three BIM members from Obubra
35 detained members
Senatorial District, Chief Samuel Okah and two others, and challenged them to release them if they had not killed them. In statement issued in Onitsha by Biafra Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, BIM, said Okah, and the two others had on Monday gone to honour the police invitation in the morning of the fateful day, but had not returned till evening before two of their members went to Ikom Police Station to make enquiry over his whereabout. “When the duo arrived there for the enquiry, the DPO ordered that they also be detained over separatist agitations in the zone, and since then, the whereabouts of the BIM members are still unknown,” he said. Those arrested according to the statement, include, Chief Rex Ekperebi, Regional Admin from Ikom Council area and Pastor Shedrach Chinwendu, Zonal Director for Finance. “They were said to have been transferred from Ikom to State Headquarters Calabar, Cross River State capital where they were detained and kept incommunicado from their relations and friends, informing our belief that they have been killed,” he said.
Demanding release of 35 detained members Also yesterday, the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, called on Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Willie Obiano of Anambra State to free 35 members of proBiafra agitators being detained in various prisons in the South East geo-political zone. In a statement in Awka, MASSOB national secretary, Mr. Ugwuoke Ibem Ugwuoke said 22 MASSOB members have been languishing in Awka and Onitsha prisons since April 2007, while 13 members of the Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM, were being detained in Enugu Prisons since the last two years over what he described as ‘frivolous charges of treasonable felony.’ One of those being detained is a cripple, while two of them were females. He said: ‘The detained MASSOB members at Awka prison are Sebastian Amadi, Ikechukwu Chikwem, Peter Igbokwe, Uchenna Nicholas, Uche Idika, Casmir Odokara, Eni Kalu, Chidiebere Ezekwem, Chima Asoh (cripple), Ojimba Anyanwu, Ndubuisi Okam, Emmanuel Orji, Micheal Okezie,
Ikechukwu Aghari, Mmaduabuchi Asika, Chinwike Irondi and Chukwuma Kalu. “The MASSOB members detained at Onitsha Prisons are Innocent Orji, Chukwuebuka Ikenwa, Amah Onu, Okwudiri Basil (female) and Onyekachi Orji (female), while the leader of BZM, Mr. Benjamin Onwuka and 12 others were being detained at Owerri Prisons. 7 agitators remanded In Delta In Asaba, at least seven persons suspected to be members of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, were, yesterday, remanded in prison by a magistrate court, sitting in Asaba for their alleged involvement in the murder of three police officers during the violent pro-Biafra agitations in Asaba on May 30, 2016. The three police officers are: ASP Genesis Akagha, Sgt. Itoro Thompson and and Cpl. Biosu Onyeka of the Delta State Police Command. Other charges leveled against the accused persons include cultism, conspiracy, membership of unlawful society and illegal possession of arms.
Insecurity: Abia govt floats rural security outfit By Anayo Okoli
U
MUAHIA—IN a bid to improve security of lives and property in the rural areas, Abia State government has floated a rural security outfit known as Abia State Community Surveillance Group, ASCSG. A total of 7,400 youths would be engaged and deployed to the 740 autonomous communities in the state to ensure proper security surveillance. The idea of the rural security outfit was mooted in the wake of the incessant attacks and destructive activities of Fulani herdsmen in rural communities in parts of the country. Already, the government had set up a six-man committee to screen and recruit the youths to be engaged for the programme. Ten ablebodied youths would be selected from each of the 740 autonomous communities in the state.
Anniversary
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EN YEARS remembrance of Mrs. Abike Oyedele and Mr. Olawale Oyedele holds today, June 15, 2016, with many activities at 5, Akoni Street, Abule-Iroko, Lagos/Abeokuta expressway, Ogun State Both died on May 6 and June 15, 2006. Until his sudden death, Olawale was a senior lecturer with Faculty of Arts, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State. Wale is survived by a Foluke (widow) and children -Ladi and Fela.
PRESENTATIONS: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, (middle), flanked on the left, by members of Integrated Infrastructure Associates led by Dr. Nkemka Jombo-Ofo, (4th left), and on the right, by Hyundai Engineering Limited delegates led by Byung Chul Moon, (3rd right), after the two groups made presentations, at Government House, Enugu, yesterday.
CAN to Northern govs: Halt the killing spree now By Francis Igata
E
NUGU—THE Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, tasked Northern governors to stop further killing of Christians in the area. Rising from a joint meeting of the Southern Nigeria Christian Elders’ Forum and the Christian Association of Nigeria, South-East zone, the Christian leaders condemned what they called “the inhuman treatment meted out on
Christians in the Northern part of Nigeria. “How can Christians be treated like cows and goats in the Northern part of Nigeria with impunity while we claim that Nigeria is a secular state? the group queried, warning that “this is a sign of total Islamization of Nigeria, which is very dangerous to the corporate existence of the entity called Nigeria.” In a communiqué after the meeting, signed by the group’s chairman, Most Rev.
David Eberechukwu, and Apostle Dr. Joseph Ajujungwa, Administrative Secretary, they called on the Northern governors to protect the entire citizens in the region as a right and responsibility. It added: ”The beheading of Mrs. Bridget in Kano and the murder attempt on Emmanuel in Kaduna should be the first and last of such because no one man or section has the monopoly of violence and we must do everything to stop
such from recuring. “That every Nigerian has the right to live anywhere in this country and as well practise his religion in any part of the country. “That all the Muslims in the South should as a matter of urgency speak to their people in the Northern part to desist because if the killings continue, it will affect everybody both in the North and in the South. If God has brought us together, then let us live in unity."
Late Mrs. Abike Oyedele
Late Mr. Olawale Oyedele