Detention And Killing of Pro-Biafran Activists
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Since the declaration of our intention to be independent from the Nigeria polity in May 22nd 2000, several pro-Biafra activists had been killed, maimed or even disappeared, some had been detained at various times in various Nigeria prisons without trial. As a result of the corrupt nature of the Nigeria government, members are detained and at times forced to pay through their nose to regain their freedom.
The declaration of our intention to be independent was done with a declaration speech and hoisting of the Biafra flag. The agitation for independence has been based primarily on-non-violence. No prorBiafra movements have ever engaged in carrying arms, but the government and its agents have been killing and detaining many pro-Biafra activists.
On May 23rd 2000, Mr. Gabriel Ogu of Ezinihite Mbaise, Imo State, then domiciled at 61 Ibadan Street, Aba was shot and killed by the men of Nigeria police at 175 Faulks Road Aba. is offence was that he was wearing T-shirt printed Biafra in the front. Mr. Gabriel Ogu was a member of both Eastern Peoples Congress and MASSOB.
Also on same May 23rd 2000, men of the Nigeria police shot Mr. Joseph Nzubechi Okereke of Okpala Community, Imo State then domiciled at Umuogele village in Aba. He was admitted at the General Hospital Aba, where he later died. His offence was that he was standing close to the hoisted Biafra flag. About 35 people were injured in the stampede that followed the indiscriminate "shootings among whom is, Mr. Daniel Chukwu, who suffered a broken limb and still limps on one leg till date. Also 54 members were arrested and they spent over 90 days in an overcrowded prison room. Save for the intervention of the following legal counsels Barristers- Anyadike .O. Anyadike, Victor Nwaugo, Ukpai Ukairo, and others. No section of the authority reported/investigated the incident but some of the victims lives to testify.
Okiewe, ImoState: February 2001, 21 members of pro-Biafra groups were killed and over 201 injured.
Onitsha, Anambra State: - March 2001, 23 members of Eastern Peoples Congress were killed during a pro-Biafra rally, within the town, 79 persons were injured, and 4 people are still missing till date.
Owerri, Imo State: March 2001 Mr Sampson Otuneme from Amuzari Mbano domiciled at Owerri was killed at Massob office in Owerri by men of the Nigeria police. The event took place on the eve of president Obasanjo's visit to Imo state. 7 other members were injured and 63 people were arrested. April 2001, Mr. Cephas George and native of Nsukka Emigu state, a member of Massob domiciled at Ontisha Anambra state was killed during a rally at Okigwe by men of the Nigeria police.
Nnewi, Anambra State:- November 2001, 12 EPC/Massob members were killed, 52 injured, 20 missing (never returned from detention) many displaced from their homes. (CF New Day publications, Vol. 01, No. 03 May 31,2004) page 10.
Nov. 1 0, 2001 Mr. Jerome Chima a member of Eastern Peoples Congress was shot and killed, at EPC Secretasiat at No. 2 Powerline off Faulks Road Aba. Despite all entreaties, police refused to return his corpse.
In February 23, 2003 Mr. Peter Roberts, a native of Mbano domicile at Aba, was arrested alongside Comrade Chukwudi Echesirim, both never returned till date.
December 12 2003, Mr. Vincent Ugwu a native of Enugu domiciled at Aba was arrested alongside the following people, Mr. Austin-Mary Ndukwu (a freelance journalist), ThankGod Ubani, Uche Agubata, Kingsley Oziele, Pius Ogbu, Chitos Godsent; Promise Uko, at the second annual conference of the Eastern Peoples Conference. While the others spent over SOdays in detention, Mr. Vincent Ugwu never returned till date.
On the March 29 2003, The Nigeria police from Imo state command ambushed members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) at Umulolo near Okigwe and killed over 75 members of the group. The police took both the death and the wounded members and deposited them at Federal Medical Center morgue at Owerri. On getting information that the group was preparing for the burial of their members, the police retrieved the corpse and organized a mass burial.
VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST MEMBERS OF EPC, MASSOB & OTHER BIAFRANS.
On 1 3th July 2004, Mr. Patrick Nwokedi, a native of Enugu State resident in Aba- Abia State was arrested for being in possession of Biafra regalia. He was detained, tortured and later released by the police. He was detained at Central police station Aba. See pix attached. Patrick is a member of Eastern Peoples Congress.
October 12 2004: Obinna Eze, a native of Ugwunagbor local govt. area,
a motor mechanic trainee, received a machete cut during a pro-Biafra
rally. Obinna is a member of MASSOB.
September 12 2003: Mr. Emmanuel Onwukwe, a native of Ubachukwu Amala.
Imo state was kidnapped by men of the Nigeria police. He was tortured and dumped along Qkpala- Etche, picked later by a good Sameritan who took him to New-Life Hospital Okpala. He later died from injuries sustained.
March 2004:- Justin Obioha, native of Umudioka Orlu Imo State was killed during a pro-Biafra rally organized by MASSOB at Orlu.
Mr. Daniel Chukwu a native of Ishiagu in Ivo L.G.A Ebonyi State, a cobbler domiciled at Aba, suffers from injuries sustained from Police brutality. More than 500 members of MASSOB/ EPC suffers from different physical injuries sustained as a result of police brutality.
Sept. 4 2000: One Massob member was killed, 83 detained during Massob planned "Hunger strike protest" at America Embassy. See attached New Events Newspaper.
On the 29th Sept. 2004, Mr. Christian Ani of 253 Agbani Road was arrested/tortured by men of the Nigeria police at Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, Imo State for selling Biafra literature. He was arrested because of his Estern Peoples Congress. Mr. Christern Ani was detained for over 20 days before he was arrainged in the court.
VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY CONTD.
Mr. Gabriel ^wangwu of No 255 Agbani Road Enugu, was arrested 30th of January 2004 at Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia. Mr. Gabriel Nwagwu was treated as a common criminal. The timely intervention of Barr. Hagler S.O. saved his life.
Mr. Gabriel Nwagwu is a member of Eastern Peoples Congress, arrested for selling Biafra literature. See attached documents on litigations.
ASSASINATION ATTEMPTS ON PRO-BIAFRA LEADERS/BURNING OF THEIR HOMES/OFFICES.
Chief Ralph Uwazuruike of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB has survived several assassination attempts on his persons. He was the prime target during the killing on the 29th march 2003 at Umulolo Okigwe of over 75 Massob members. He lives in hiding till date.
Prince Longinus Orjiakoh leader of the Eastern Peoples Congress and Eastern Coordinator of Masssob was shot on the leg by a police officer attached to Central police station Aba during the first Massob anniversary in May 22 200 1 . The police officer later identified as Chijoke was wearing a Nigeria police mobile uniforms.
On the 5th 2001, the personal office of the Prince Longinus Orjiakoh
was destroyed while searching for his whereabouts. Prince Orjiakoh still
lives in hiding.
May 22" 200 1 . Dr. Marvin Iheonu was nearly killed by police drawn from
the Imo state command. Men suspected to be agents of the government
attacked Barr. Uche Okwukwu, Massob legal adviser and president of the
Congress for the Liberation of the Ikwerre People in his office at No 7
Igboukwu Street, Port-harcourt Rivers State. On 31st day of February
2002, He was arrested, detained and tortured on government's
instructions at Borokiri police station in Port-Harcourt Rivers State"
alongeside Prince Longinus
Orjiakoh when he went to seek the bail of arrested members. Attached
picture of Prince Longinus Orjiakoh when he was shot. Between the
November 2001 and December 2001, Massob/EPC offices in Aba, Okigwe and
Owerri were set ablaze by men of the Nigeria police. coordinator of
Massob was attacked on May 22n at Okigwe Road Roundabout. See Hallmark
Publications, Hallmark National Newspapers, June 6- June 12, 2001.
THOSE ABDUCTED AND BURNT.
The followings with enclosed pictures were abducted from their homes at
differet places and times, and later were discovered to have been
killed and their corpse burnt and dropped at strategic Junctions- by men
of the Nigeria police. The killing and burning, with later display of
their bodies were meant to serve as a deterrent to others
Mr, Longinus Ibe of Umuokpo Abajah in Nwangele L.G.A domicile at Owerri
was abducted at the residence of an EPC member while on visit in Aba.
His offence is his support/membership of a pro-Biafra group. Date July
2003.
2. Mr. Uchenna, a native of Asa okpu-aja in Aba- South Local Government
Area was forcibly abducted by members of state vigilante in
collaboration with men of the Nigeria police. He was abducted and killed
because of his membership of Massob on December 2004.
3. The burnt body in picture No 3 was taken in November 2004 at the Uratta, Aba- North L.G.A.
4. Pic. No 4. On lookers within the Uratta area watching the remains of
suspected pro-Biafra activists killed by members of the state sponsored
vigilante in collaboration with the police, Pic. No 5, two members,
Mishak Alagba of Umucheke Ideato L.G.A and one other member of MASSOB
was arrested/abducted by men of the Nigeria police at Isiala-Ngwa Abia
state. The investigating department of Eastern Peoples Congress
discovered the decomposing bodies.
OCTOBER 14,2004: Men of the Nigeria police invaded the home of MASSOB
leader in their attempt to remove Biafra flag. See Daily Sun publication
of Friday October 15,2004.
On May 19 2004 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church Kaduna, The men of the
Nigeria police obstructed the worshippers at the church and arrested 150
MASSOB members inside the church building. It is important to note that
the police authorities/governments have never bothered to investigate
several killings, detentions, kidnap and disappearance of the members
of EPC, MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups.
POLICE KILLINGS OF STUDENTS OF IGBO ORIGIN
Mr. Chibuzor Ejesimba, a student of Nike Boys Secondary School Enugu was
killed on Thursday December 16,2004. See attached paper. Daily Sun,
Friday, December 17 2004, Page 29.
INFRASTRUCTURE & PROVISION OF SOCIAL AMENITIES
The Economic neglect and deprivation of Igbo people have had visible
effects on their psyche and quality of life, which has adversely, lead
to Brain drain in Igboland and an increase in social vices.
They continue to contend all decaying infrastructure, insecurity of
lives and properties, dilapidated schools and hospitals, inadequate
provision of water, power, and communication.
Menace of erosion, landslides and their ecological disaster,
particularly worrisome is the deplorable state of roads, which are
supposed to be maintained by the federal government. Despite claims to
huge sums of money supposedly voted for their rehabilitation, evidence
on the ground remains very disappointing. This poor state of our roads,
which is deliberate by federal government of Nigeria, has led to untold
carnage, massive loss of property and heart breaking dislocation of
business of the 13 dual
carriages in Nigeria, only 2 of them are in the East. The Enugu-
Port-Harcourt and Onitsha- Enugu expressway leading to seaports, oil
flow stations, refineries or fuel depots.
The condition of the Eastern federal roads became unbearable that
sometime in 2003 the Honourable members of Abia House of Assembly
unanimously decided to embark on a hunger strike to draw the attention
of the federal government of Nigeria. The Obasanjo led Nigeria
administration in its cynical insensitivity to the Igbo problems
dismissed this serious act of the House members and described it as
unnecessary. See attached pictures of state of Roads in Igbo land.
ABUSE OF THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN;
The bribery, nepotism and corruption which now dots the landscape of
Nigeria is presently taking its toll on the rights and privileges of the
Igbo people of Nigeria. The Economic measures deliberately adopted by
the federal government of Nigeria are entrapment to further humiliate
our people and endanger the future of the people, particularly their
children. The region and the people survive by struggle, which has
produced government encourage/induced child labour, street hawkers,
child trafficking, sexual abuse
and street begging. See pictures attached.
DILAPIDATED SCHOOL STRUCTURE
Except Schools constructed by missions/missionaries in the colonial era,
all institutions of learning notably primary and secondary schools are
constructed through communal efforts. The Schools in Igboland are
constructed through communal efforts and handed over to governments to
run. But pictures show that the entire Schools in the whole Igbo areas
begs for repairs. The learning conditions of schools are so bad that
pupils usually sit on the floor to learn under open rooftops. While the
government of the federal
republic of Nigeria spends money on Nomadic education, the Igbo people
of the Eastern Nigeria pay through their nose to get education.
Nomadic Education is a process of sending tutors to follow the Hausa-Fulani through the bushes where their cattle's normally graze. The frustration often encountered by the teeming population of Igbo youths in their pursuit for education has automatically reduced the zeal to acquire education. A situation that has encouraged school dropouts.
OIL PRODUCING COMMUNITIES IN IGBO LAND.
Contrary to the widely held belief and opinion in most quarters that the
Igbo nation is part of oil-bearing region in Nigeria. The truth remains
that Igbo Nation accounts for over 60% of Nigeria oil export, but the
Nigeria governments and Shell has continued to deny the Igbo people the
rights and privileges that accrue to them.
DEFINITION OF NIGER-DELTA REGION
Niger Delta region was firstly used in 1908 to define the marshland or
area affected by the overflows of River-Niger, but today in search of
identity, the acronym has been used and reduced to the People Jiving in
the creeks particularly the IJAW Nation. Today despite that two core
Igbo States notably Imo and Abia States are members of the Nigeria,
NIGER DELTA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, NDDC, other Igbo speaking
areas/territories are oil bearing/producing communities. To further the
marginalisation of the people,
42 oils wells belonging to Abia State were ceded to Rivers State by the
present Obasanjo regime.
