MASSOB Rejects UK Asylum Offer For Biafra Activists As Ohanaeze Asks Soldiers To Leave Imo

The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has turned down the United Kingdom government’s offer of asylum for its members and instead called for a referendum to be conducted to determine the future of Nigeria.

The leader of the group, Comrade Uchenna Madu, said in a statement that, “It is part of the series of plans President Muhammadu Buhari hatched with the British government against the emergence of Biafra. We don’t need British asylum because it is a Greek gift.

“The government of Britain is the sole architecture of the political, economical and religious problems of the people of Biafra in Nigeria even till today. They have not shown any remorse or apologize to the people of Biafra. Britain killed, maimed, mesmerized and wounded our fathers, mothers and brethren through the Hausa/Fulanis. MASSOB rejects their asylum gift.

“How can the chief persecutor of the people of Biafra suddenly turn to be our pacesetter? Britain and Nigeria can no longer deceive the world again concerning the plights of the people of Biafra. Our unified resilient, resolutions and unshakable spirit of no surrender will continue to hunt down this geographical expression called Nigeria. MASSOB demands for referendum on Biafra not asylum.”

In another development, the Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Thursday, called for the withdrawal of soldiers at Ohaji Egbema and Oguta axis of Imo State to avert the ‘repeat of the 1967-70 genocide against Ndigbo’.

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Alex Chiedozie Ogbonnia, today described the arrest of youths in some parts of Imo State as ‘unacceptable’.

The national president of OYC, Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, in a statement issued by his special assistant on media and publicity, Chukwuemeka Ucheagu, entitled ‘Have You Declared War Against Ndigbo?’, said, “It’s regrettable that former IGP, former police commissioner, former chief of army staff and other security officers who conspired in Owerri prison break are still walking freely while innocent Igbo youths are being arrested arbitrarily.

“The Nigerian government is about to awaken the sleeping lions in Igbo land. The Igbo have been the foremost ethnic group that has tried to maintain peace and unity in Nigeria even with all the provocations, but our peaceful gestures shouldn’t be taken for granted. Ndigbo have provided every arsenal to build the present Nigeria right from 1960 till date, but the external force from the British government has deceived the Fulani political extraction who think they can upturn the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to satisfy their political profiteers at ‘Queen Chamber Cabals’.

“We’re not at war with the Nigerian government, but since 1970 after the end of Nigeria genocidal war against Biafrans, the Nigerian government has always provoked Ndigbo to war. The use of army and police to maim, kill, intimidate and subdue Ndigbo as it is currently going on in Ohaji/Oguta must stop immediately. Any further provocation, harassment of Ndigbo in Ohaji/Oguta will resort to self-defence by every means necessary by Igbo youths all over Alaigbo.

“I therefore advise Sen Hope Uzodinma, as the chief security officer of Imo State, to quickly intervene in this undemocratic act from the federal government going on in Ohaji/Oguta as he did in Orlu last time to maintain peace and save the lives of Igbo youths who will take over leadership mantle from him in the future.”

He further said the only way to maintain peace and adequate security in Ohaji/Oguta was to withdraw the army, and take the early advice from OYC which ‘proposed granting amnesty to members of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and integrate them into the mainstream of the newly launched Ebubeagu security outfit’.