By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Against the backdrop of human rights violations against Biafrans, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has called on the the Nigeria Police headquarters, Army headquarters, and DSS headquarters in Abuja to release unconditionally, all IPOB members detained in their cells who have sustained bullet injuries or charge them to court immediately if they have case against them.
The Media and Publicity Secretary to IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful made the call in a statement he signed and made available to Sundiata Post in Abuja.
The statement reads in full:
We the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great and indefatigable liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU demand that the Nigeria Police headquarters, Army headquarters, and DSS headquarters in Abuja release unconditionally all IPOB members detained in their cells who have sustained bullet injuries or charge them to court immediately if they have case against them. Nigeria Security Agencies must stop ridiculing themselves in the eyes of the world.
Nigeria Police, DSS, and military deployed in Biafra land should stop the unnecessary harassment, intimidation, and indiscriminate arrest of IPOB members. Self- Determination is not a crime both locally and internationally. The repression of Biafra activists by Nigeria Security Forces will only radicalize this peaceful movement. For over 10 years, the Nigerian government has adopted the use of excessive force in an attempt to destroy Biafra activists. That hasn’t stopped the Biafra struggle and movement, and nothing will stop the Biafra struggle until Biafrans are given the opportunity to have a free and fair referendum to decide their fate.
Some IPOB members whom Nigeria Police shut and abducted from the East are detained in some secret detention cells in the northern part and across the Eastern region of Nigeria. This has been going on since March 2023, while some are still missing without a trace. Among the IPOB members who were abducted with bullet injuries that are either missing or in police secret cells in the North are:
(1) Apkarawo Mendia,
(2) Iroabuchi Harison
(3) Emeka Ejike
(4) Tochukwu Eze
(5) Imo Isaac
(6) Onyeocha Chibuike
(7) Christian Anobochi
The above named persons were arrested with bullet wounds, while numerous other people were murdered that day when IPOB members had a peaceful protest in Aba, Abia State. We have not seen their dead bodies, and many were detained without treatment. Many have not been seen since after that protest. We know that they were abducted.
We are calling on the Inspector General of Police to order the release of these men or charge them to court quickly. But if Nigeria Police have murdered them, they should release their corpses for proper burial according to Biafrans traditions and customs.
It is barbaric for the Nigeria Police to fire live bullets into crowds of unarmed freedom fighters (men and women), abduct, and dump them into secret cells without treatment or access to family members and lawyers.
The world must bear us witness to the level of repression,oppression, and brutality that IPOB has suffered at hands of the Nigeria Security Agencies and the Nigeria government. IPOB has remained peaceful in their quest for self- determination. Nevertheless, the Nigeria government and her security agents have applied maximum force against IPOB. Thousands of IPOB members have been illegally arrested, detained incommunicado, some extrajudicially murdered while others have been forcefully disappeared by the Nigeria security agents. It doesn’t matter how many Biafrans their federal government and her murderous Security Agents abduct or kill, Biafra must be restored in all its fullness. In the end, the Nigeria government and Police will regret all the injustices they have meted against the Indigenous People of Biafra.
We are calling Human Rights Organisations across the globe to verify our claims and caution the Nigeria government to stop these human rights violations against Biafrans.
The Nigeria police will not have peace unless they release innocent Biafran citizens in their custody unconditionally. We are aware that the Nigeria police force is shopping for evidence to hang on the detained IPOB members, but they will find none, and we shall prevail in the end.
COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL, MEDIA, AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.
