Police Disrupt MASSOB Peaceful Protest, Arrest 17 Members In Imo

Police operatives on Monday, May 30, 2016 arrested about 17 members of the
Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in
Owerri, Imo State during a peaceful march to mark the 50th anniversary of
Biafra and 17th anniversary of MASSOB.
According to reports, the MASSOB members staged a protest from Waterside
Primary School in the state capital from where they proceeded to Rotibi Street
and then to Oguamana Street before they moved to Douglas Road where
they met some heavily armed security men who reportedly threw teargas at
them at Ama JK end of the street and arrested some.
The state police public relations officer, DSP Andrew Enwerem, who confirmed
the arrests to newsmen, said those arrested would be prosecuted.
The spokesman for MASSOB in Owerri zone, Chief Canice Anojuru said the
group decided to hold the road show to awaken the consciousness of the
people of the defunct Biafra which was declared a republic by Ojukwu on May
30, 1966.
He stated that the march was to draw the attention of international community
to the plight of Biafra people, adding that the group had achieved a lot despite
obvious challenges.
Meanwhile, a MASSOB leader, Mr Okechukwu Nwogu, called on Igbo leaders to
arise and speak for Igbo people being unjustly treated by security forces.
He condemned the arrest of their members who were on a peaceful march to
commemorate the anniversaries of Biafra and MASSOB respectively.
Nwogu said: “What Nigeria government is doing to us is very unfair; MASSOB is
a non-violent group moving without arms in remembrance of our history.”