Police arrest 400 MASSOB members

NO fewer than 400 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) were arrested in Enugu yesterday as the police stormed the Hotel Presidential venue where Igbo gathered to honour former Biafran warlord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. advertisement The police team, including men of the Anti-Kidnap Squad, who stormed the venue in over 15 hilux vans and armed, had on arrival swooped on the MASSOB members who had thronged the occasion in their blue upon blue uniforms and hauled them into their vehicles. But for the timely intervention of Senator Uche Chukwumerije, the policemen, who nearly disrupted the event, could have also arrested Igbo leaders who were already seated for the occasion organised by the Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) in commemoration of its 12th year anniversary. IYM, led by Elliot Uko, believes in power rotation among the six geo-political zones, promotion of Igbo language and restructuring the country along true federalism in order to build a perfect country. At the event were former president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Justice Eze Ozobu (rtd), National Chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Victor Umeh, his counterpart in ANPP, Ogbonnaya Onu, Ojukwu's wife, Bianca, leader of MASSOB, Ralph Uwazuruike and presidential candidate of the National Transformation Party (NTP), John Dara, traditional rulers and other notable Igbo politicians. But the Police, which confirmed the arrest of about 200 members of the group, said the action was necessitated by a report reaching it that the group was in Enugu to cause havoc. The Police Public Relations Officer for Enugu State, Ebere Amamarizu, while confirming the arrest, said the police was interested in the mission of the group in Enugu in such large number, stressing that they stormed the state in various buses. "Yes, the members who dressed in blue uniforms are here with us. What is MASSOB? It is an outlawed group. It is not recognised by law and that is why we swooped on them because we already have information that they are in Enugu to cause havoc. That is all I can tell you for now. Though I have not counted their number, but they are not less than 200", Amaraizu said. Addressing the gathering, Ozobu had lamented the invasion of the area by the Police, explaining that it was wrong that even when the members had conducted themselves peacefully and in orderly manner, they could be subjected to such harassment by the Police. He said the event was part of the recognition of the efforts of Ojukwu in the liberation struggle of Ndigbo, stressing that the greatest thing that could happen to him now that he was alive was celebrating his person. Umeh, who was full of praises for the organisers of the event led by Evangelist Elliot Uko, attributed Igbo problem in the country to marginalization. He stressed that the people had been locked into perpetual slavery by the refusal of people in authority to review the constitution of the country. He said that for Ndigbo to find their feet in the country, there was need for the government to address imbalances in the country in such a way that an additional 40 local councils and a state should be created in the South-East zone. He warned that efforts should be made to prevent ugly development that could make the MASSOB take to arms, stressing that the APGA would partner with the group in its efforts to liberate Ndigbo and in the fight against injustice in the country. Mrs. Ojukwu called on the government to find ways to ensure justice for the six igbo traders called APO six, who were murdered in cold blood in Abuja, stressing that the development was part of the injustices being meted to the people of the zone. She said her husband was full of regret for the inability of the governors of the zone and the political leaders to honour the Biafran War veterans, explaining that there must be conscious efforts to give their souls peaceful repose by establishing war memorial in their honour. Onu urged Ndigbo not to lose hope in the project called Nigeria, urging them to further embrace education so as to play major role in the emerging world of global village. Uwazuruike, while extolling the IYM for the honour done Ojukwu, lamented that he (Ojukwu) was a hero forgotten even by his own people, stressing that despite his contributions, no honour had been bestowed on him by any government in the zone. He further said the quest by Ndigbo for Presidency in 2015 would remain a mirage if the zone fails to form an agenda and speak with one voice, noting that MASSOB was the easiest way to achieving the desire. In a key note speech entitled, "The role of Ndigbo in transforming Nigeria", Dara said that for President Goodluck Jonathan to succeed, he needs the support and cooperation of the South-East zone, stressing that he owed his election victory to the votes from the zone and that of South-South. He charged the zone to speak with one voice and form an alliance if it hopes to achieve Presidency in 2015, stressing that other zones of the federation were also interested in the position.