The police in Ebonyi state, assisted by other security agencies, yesterday disrupted a protest by the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi state capital.
The separatists were on a peaceful march round major streets of the city when they were tear-gassed and some arrested.
The group had earlier announced the protest through the media and social media channels across the country. It stated that the march “is to commemorate the declaration of Biafran Republic” by its leader, Ralph Uwazuruike. However, security agencies in the state accosted them on Nkaliki road as they started the march, sprayed teargas and arrested some of them, it was gathered. The police were joined in the operation by the army and the State Security Services, Premium Times learnt.
The Commander of Nigerian Military Cantonment in Nkwegu, S. O. Sadiq, confi rmed the participation of the army in the incident and arrests. He said the arrested persons were handed over to the police. He stressed that MASSOB did not notify security agencies in the state of the event in writing which necessitated the action to stop the march. The police spokesperson in the state, Loveth Odah, confi rmed the incident to our reporter but could not give the actual number of persons arrested. “I don’t have the details of the actual number of persons arrested right now,” she said. “When I get the full details I will let you know.
” MASSOB is pushing for an independent Igbo country of Biafra. It is, however, separated from IPOB, another pro-Biafra group that had been dubbed a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian government.
