biafra protesting
  • President can’t stop self-determination, says MASSOB
Members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday grounded commercial activities in the commercial city of Aba, Abia State. The pro-Biafran groups marched through the city in protest of the comments of President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday that Nigeria would remain one indivisible entity under his leadership.
The placard-carrying protesters in their hundreds, wielding the Biafran flag, marched from the city’s main park near the Aba Town Hall, to Aba- Owerri Road, Umungasi, Abayi, terminating at the Osisioma Junction on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. The placards had inscriptions such as, “We are tired of being part of Nigeria.” “We want to be free from Nigeria; that’s our hearts desire.”
“We want liberation.” “We want to be free and the whole world should hear us this time.” The protest was peaceful, but the consequent traffic hold up was traumatic to motorists who had to follow the protesters at their slow speed. Buhari had stated in Katsina, his home state, that he would rather die than give in to the pressure by those agitating for a separate political entity from the Nigerian nation.
He stated that the country will remain an indivisible country while he is in charge as the country’s president. Buhari said: “That boy (Nnamdi Kanu of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB), who is calling for the separation of Nigeria, he was not born when we fought for the country’s unity during the civil war.”
He said that it was quite unfortunate that over two million people were killed during the civil war, all in an effort to maintain the unity of the country.
“I am ready to fight back to defend the country from those agitating for the creation of Biafra State, even if we will get drowned,” the president stated. Irked by the comment, the agitators for a Biafran nation took to the streets to drive home their displeasure with the president’s stand, which is opposed to their expectation of a sovereign state called Biafra out of the Nigerian nation.
The protesters, who chanted songs of freedom, insisted on having a country called Biafra out of Nigeria, saying through their placards that the world should know that they are no longer interested in one Nigeria. They said that to have the nation of Biafra was their inalienable right.
As a result, vehicles entering or leaving the commercial city were caught up in the traffic jam that lasted several hours. The protesters were, however, not disturbed by security operatives, probably because of the killing in Aba last week of a butcher at Waterside abattoir, at Ogbor Hill.
“The presence of the security operatives may trigger off an unprecedented reaction from the generality of Aba residents who are still disenchanted over the unwarranted killing by that soldier. This may have informed why they kept their distance,” a protester, Godwin Igbokwe, said.
Meanwhile, MASSOB yesterday stated that Buhari cannot stop the pro- Biafran groups from their agitations. MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, urged the president to be cautious on issues that borders on Nigeria’s diplomatic relations with other strong nations. “Buhari’s statement can be described as that of a man who has lost focus on international policy regulations and charter on selfdetermination.
“He talks with military mentality of 1960 during Nigeria-Biafra war, not knowing that the methods and strategy of the current Biafra struggle for restoration differs from the old one. “The world now is a global village and autocratic and tyrannical leadership doesn’t prevail in this present world.
It is a free platform for everyone to express himself/herself. “Biafra struggle is a survival and advancement which Buhari can never stop. Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan could not stop it.
“Buhari’s system of governance openly and evidently supports, motivates and inspires the zeal of Biafra struggle because God, history and humanity are on our side. Biafra revolution is indestructive,” Madu said.