MASSOB speaks about agitation for Biafra
- MASSOB has said it will ask its members to participate in 2018 election with conditions
- The Biafra group lashed out at Uwazuruike for saying violence will not bring their desire
- It said the former MASSOB leader was trying to protect his businesses
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has lashed out at Ralph Uwazuruike for saying violence and guns cannot achieve Biafra but a non-violence approach.
The former leader of the group who left to form the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) after he was expelled had said he had learnt that arms would not bring about Biafra but MASSOB countered accusing Uwazuruike of only thinking about protecting his business rather than achieving Biafra.
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The Sun reports that the group said: “From inception of the current struggle for Biafra actualisation and restoration, MASSOB, then under Uwazuruike who was expelled on November 30, 2015 at MASSOB headquarters, Okwe, lost about 1,000 members through gunshots by Nigeria security agents including hundreds of deaths of IPOB members through the same gunshots in many cities of Biafra land. How can Uwazuruike who claimed to be championing the cause of Biafra confidently and boldly declare that Biafra will be actualised without gunshots, what other gunshots did he want or referring to?
“Is he referring to the former war of 1967-1970? He has no regard for the people that died through these gunshots, is it because his children and wife who are enjoying the comfort of his ill gotten wealth abroad have never experienced gunshots? Nigeria has already declared war against the people of Biafra, we have lost thousands of our people through gunshots by Nigeria Army, Police, DSS, armed Fulani herdsmen, Islamic fundamentalists, Customs Service etc.
“MASSOB knows that Uwazuruike will not want or like Biafrans rising in defence of themselves or engaging in a war with Nigeria because he doesn’t want to lose his numerous investments in Owerri, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Abuja. Our people are in detention, many are lost and killed by gunshots of our oppressors, yet, a forgotten person said there will be no gunshots.”
On the issue of the 2018 census, MASSOB said that unlike un 2016 when it asked its members to boycott the exercise, it would allow it on some conditions.
“It is unfortunate that Igbo misunderstood our position during the 2006 national census where MASSOB urged Biafrans to boycott the exercise which later recorded a low turnout.
“The 2006 national census exercise was part of the yardsticks for MASSOB to showcase our strength, popularity and acceptance of Igbo. Also, our primary aim of opposing the last census was to draw the attention of international communities, including United Nations, to the plight of Biafrans. Although the low turnout of South-East during the last census exercise was used by our enemies and government to undermine and shortchange the status of Igbo in Nigeria, it is part of our sacrifice for Biafra and MASSOB.”
“As every revolutionary struggle for independence has its methodology and can adapt to any opportunity that will yield positive results, MASSOB is considering allowing next year’s national census because of the intervention of some prominent Igbo leaders and with the conditions MASSOB outlined which includes inclusion of religion to ascertain the actual number of Muslims, Traditionalists and Christians. The inclusion of religion will also enable us to know the number of oriental sects and religions in Nigeria.
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“Another condition is inclusion of ethnicity which will immensely assist in knowing the total number of indigenous people in Nigeria, it will also help in putting to rest the ethnic arguments of the largest Nigerian ethnic group or the major and minor tribes.
“Every citizen residing outside his/her state of origin must be allowed to leave for his/her state for the counting, this also will enable us know the exact population of each state. Internationally, this is how census is being conducted.”
Source: Legit.ng
