BY: Ikenna Oluka
The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has raised the alarm over the alleged abduction of five of its members in Ebonyi and Imo states.
The leadership of the group cried out on Thursday in a press statement signed by the National Director of Information, Comrade Edeson Samuel, and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital.
He noted that MASSOB remains a non-violent pro-Biafra movement known globally as a foremost Biafra self-determination group.
He said: “Five of our members in both Ebonyi and Imo states were secretly abducted by Nigeria security agents on different occasions. The wives of our members (Moses Nwinyinya and Cletus Nwagu) were abducted at Ishieke, Ebonyi LGA, by plain clothed Nigeria security agents because their husbands ran into the bush when the security agents drove into their compound in the night to arrest them. They arrested their wives claiming that their entire families are members of MASSOB.
“Another member of MASSOB, Peter Okorie was abducted at Ishiagu, Ivo LGA while coming back home from MASSOB National meeting. He was arrested because he wore Biafra insignia.
“In Imo State, Mazi Okechukwu Anyanwu and his wife were arrested at their house at Enyiogugu Mbaise after returning from MASSOB national meeting; they were ambushed by Nigeria security agents on their increasing search for members of non-violence MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups.”
MASSOB demanded that “our arrested and abducted members must be released now or arraign in a competent court of justice.”
It further said: “Nigeria security agents have no rights to detain our non-violence members illegally and unconstitutionally.
“This manhunt and clampdown of MASSOB members and other pro-Biafra agitators will never trample or derail our motivational spirit of Biafra, we are always consistent and resolute on our non-violence quest for Biafra actualization and restoration.
“The future, existence and survival of our people hang on Biafra restoration. Biafra remains our focus, our target and our aspiration. We shall never relent or succumb to the tyrannic Federal government of Nigeria and her vicious security agents led by President Mohammed Buhari and his Fulanistic cabals.
“MASSOB as a non-violence Pro Biafra movement is calling the International Communities, Human Rights Organizations and lovers of Justice and Freedom to intervene and prevail on Nigeria Federal government’s increasing and incessant subjections, abductions, arrest and detention of MASSOB members and other pro-Biafra agitators,” he added.