“New Biafra” and a challenge of the “Zionists”

Some historical and political scholars have also said that whereas the defunct Biafra declared by Ojukwu was a historical necessity, the “Biafra” conceived and championed by Uwazuruike is a historical “misadventure” encapsulated in “one man show syndrome.” Their argument is based on the fact that Uwazuruike would not have dreamt of forming MASSOB if he […]

Some historical and political scholars have also said that whereas the defunct Biafra declared by Ojukwu was a historical necessity, the “Biafra” conceived and championed by Uwazuruike is a historical “misadventure” encapsulated in “one man show syndrome.” Their argument is based on the fact that Uwazuruike would not have dreamt of forming MASSOB if he did not have disagreement with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

 

And now another association has sprung up like a mushroom; a break-away group from MASSOB – the Biafra Zionist Movement, otherwise called BZM or the Zionists. The group talks tough and just like Uwazuruike’s MASSOB, has promised to take the Igbo people to the much-trumpeted ‘Promised Land; a land flowing with milk and honey’. The Zionists said they are ready to respond to any challenge that might come from the Federal Government after re-declaring the Republic of Biafra in Enugu on Monday, November 5, 2012 provided it will bring about the total freedom of Ndigbo from oppression and marginalization in Nigeria.

BZM boasted of having made necessary arrangements to form an interim government that would handle the affairs of the New Biafra while the ‘Ministers’ would be named later.

Led by a certain man of Igbo origin said to have trained as a lawyer in Britain, Benjamin Njoku, the Zionists threatened that come rain, come sunshine, nothing would stop them from actualizing the ‘New Biafran’ independence.

Only last week, leaders of the ‘New Biafra’ held a press conference in Enugu where they argued that all the issues that gave rise to the attempted secession by Eastern Nigeria 45 years ago, are still alive while a more dangerous dimension had been introduced. According to them, the dangerous dimesnion was the grand design by the rest of Nigeria to prevent Ndigbo from ruling the country.

According to the leader of the BZM, “The war which started about 45 years ago has not ended; and it’s for all Biafrans wherever they may be; we want to set our people free; we want to have the economic opportunity to compete with the outside world. We urge all Biafrans to come forward and support us in our campaign for Biafra Independence.”

Onwuka explained that all his group was doing was focused on the “sovereign declaration of 1967”, stressing that the November 5 declaration “will be re-enactment or the resurrection of the mandate that was given to Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu on May 30th 1967.

He further said, “Although, it is termed re-declaration, but we are standing firm on that mandate that was given to late Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu by the entire Biafran people on May 30, 1967 to declare the sovereignty of Biafran people. That sovereignty is where we are standing because upon that, over three million of our people perished and died between 1967 and 1970.”

According to him, “No matter the cost, I as the leader, I am aware of the dangers and obstacles ahead. By the grace of God, I am ready to face them for the liberation of our people and emancipate them from political and economic bondage.”

The BZM leader strongly condemned the ceding of Bakassi to Cameroun; he emphasized that when the New Biafra is actualized, the Bakassi people would be given a chance through a referendum to decide whether to continue staying in Nigeria.

He said New Biafra would embrace the people of Benue and Kogi States, adding that the two states – Benue and Kogi- were originally planned to be part of Biafran territory but were prevented by the civil war.

Beyond all the preparations for the re-declaration of the New Biafra, by the leadership of BZM, Uwazuruike and his MASSOB members laid ambush for Onwuka and his group. On Wednesday, October 30, 2012, a band of MASSOB gang picked Onwuka and four of his members in Enugu and Onitsha. Those abducted by MASSOB squad were the Zionist’s National Chairman, Samuel Edeson, Nweke O. Nweke, National Secretary and Chukwuma Orienta, a member of the group in Onitsha State. Their offence was disclosed to them in the detention camp after they were seriously tortured by their captors. Later, they were rushed to Uwazulike’s Okwe Freedom mansion in Imo State, where, they claimed they were detained and tortured for several hours. The two pro-Biafra oragnisations have been having a cat and mouse relationship since the formation of the new group.

But the spokesperson for MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said the members of BZM, which is a splinter group in MASSOB, were only invited for dialogue on their plan to re-declare Biafra on November 5 and were released after the meeting. He said that none of the four persons was tortured, insisting that Uwazuruike was not aware of their arrest.

However, in the early hours of Monday, November 5, just to make good his threat to re-declare New Biafra, Onwuka went to a remote part of Enugu, the Coal Camp area, made the re-declaration of the Republic of Biafra. When no one arrested him and his group immediately after the re-declaration, they began a long peaceful procession, walking past the Central Police Station, CPS, Enugu. But the Enugu State government order banning procession of any type in Enugu had not been lifted.

As expected, Onwuka and about 500 members of the BZM were arrested by well-armed police men during their peaceful procession in Enugu.

Many die-hard Biafran supporters attended the rally held at a football field in Mbanugo area of Coal Camp, Enugu. The supporters wore vests bearing Biafran inscription and carried different flags including those of the defunct Biafra Republic, United States and Israel as they sang pro-Biafra songs and danced around the arena.

After the ceremony that lasted about an hour, Onwuka and his members embarked on a peaceful procession from Mbanugo heading towards Ogbete Main Market area acknowledging cheers from residents and motorists along the road.

However, on approaching the Central Police Station (CPS), the Biafran supporters, who were mostly elderly men in their late 60s, who participated in the Nigerian civil war, were halted by policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Ikechukwu Mba.

At least 25 police patrol vans loaded with heavily armed men including operatives of Anti-Terrorism Squad, ATS, Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, and the Anti-Kidnap Squad led by an Amoured Personnel Carrier, APC, stormed the scene and took Onwuka and all his members to the State CID, Police Headquarters, Enugu.

A member of the group who confirmed the arrest of their leader and supporters, said a first batch of 385 persons were conveyed to the police headquarters while the second batch of 115 were also arrested and they are currently being held at the Enugu Prison.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the arrest of the BZM members led by Onwuka based on information made available to the police but he did not disclose the offence for arresting them.

Amaraizu explained that items recovered from them included 61 Biafran flags and those of other countries, 13 berets, three bands and eight BZM forms.

A civil war veteran who fought in the Biafra Air Force said what happened during the civil war was never a shooting exercise between Nigeria and Biafra, insisting that Igbo young men should not for reasons best known to them trivialise the issue of Biafra, which is supposed to be sacred to those that were involved.

The veteran, who didn’t want his name in print said, “We have seen Uwazuruike and his MASSOB, and their noise making. What have they achieved for over ten years? But I tell you, the Biafra headed by Ojukwu made impact on global map within just three years of its existence.”