The leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph -Uwazuruike has expressed bitterness that despite the non-violent approach of his organization, that his members are still being harassed, arrested, detained without trial and sometimes killed by the Nigerian Security Forces.
The BiM-MASSOB leader insisted that in the event of Nigeria’s possible break up, the Igbo would not be held responsible.
He said he founded MASSOB on September 13,1999, to press for the realization of the State of Biafra when the Igbo tribe was excluded from the list of members of the Security Council in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.
Reflecting on the struggle so far , Uwazuruike maintained that all the activities and programmes of MASSOB have been carried out in a non-violent manner.
The BİM, MASSOB leader said that the peaceful organization has not recorded any incident where one’s death or destruction of one’s property was traced to his members, and since its inception never retaliated attacks from Nigeria security forces.
He said: “‘Despite the peaceful methods of BiM-MASSOB, the Federal Government of Nigeria has, in so many instances visited our members with brutality, resulting in casualties of over three hundred during the period under review.”
Going down memory lane, Uwazuruike recalled that on May 23, 2000 , that two of MASSOB members, Mr Joseph Okereke and Gabriel Ogu were shot dead.
“On January 7, 2001 armed mobile policemen stormed the Okigwe Secretariat of the organization at 4.am at No.153, Owerri Road., opened fire on innocent members and killed seven and arrested him with five others.
Uwazuruike said his members were later detained in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
“On July 17, 2001, the former divisional police officer for Okigwe,from Enugu state stormed the same Okigwe Secretariat with his men and shot dead six of our members
“On March 29, 2003, the mobile policemen from Owerri ambushed MASSOB’s convoy while going to Umuahia for a rally, shot sporadically and killed over two hundred persons.
“I was arrested on the spot with five of his members and taken to Abuja. The incident took place at Umulolo near Okigwe, “he recounted.
Going further, Uwazuruike in the statement made available to journalists through his Director of information, Mazi Chris Mocha said that on April 6, 2003 while demonstrating for the release of his members in Abuja, that three members of MASSOB were also killed.
“On May 2004., several members of MASSOB were arrested throughout the Eastern Region and driven to Abuja and they have been kept there despite an Abuja High Court order that the men and women should be released.
“On October 13, 2004, men of the Nigerian security services stormed my Okwe residence in Onuimo Council Area of İmo state, destroyed the doors of five houses , ransacked the houses and removed valuable items including a generator, telephone handsets, telecommunication equipment and more than three hundred thousand naira.
“The Director of State Security Service, claimed he had information that MASSOB was planning to hijack the NLC strike to advance its agitation for Biafra.
But there was no such meeting, “he added.
On the above premise Uwazuruike, according to the statement, sued the Director of SSS involved in Imo State for leading the invasion; the Commissioner of police involved in imo state for releasing his Mobile policemen to the DSS to attack him; and the inspector General of Police for the rampant detention of his members without trial.
He sought for the following Court declaration: that he (Uwazuruike) has the fundamental right to express his opinion in a democracy; and that he has the right to belong to any organization of his choice that does not pursue its objective with violence.
He insisted that the attacks, arrests and detention of MASSOB members without trial are illegal.
