The group championing the secession of Biafra from Nigeria, Indigenous People of Biafra Worldwide, which owns Radio Biafra, yesterday, wrote an open letter to world leaders over the plight of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who was arrested on Saturday, October 17, 2015 by operatives of the Directorate of State Service (DSS) in Lagos.
In the letter written by one Ifeanyi Chijioke, on behalf of the group, the members said that with the arrest of Kanu, freedom of speech had received a knock of death.
The letter reads: “the world leaders must stand up to its integrity, pride, and in defence of the law they made,” the group said, adding that the UN charter on the rights of indigenous people had become endangered with the arrest of this “leader of indigenous people of Biafra”.
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“It’s on record that Nnamdi Kanu is a law abiding leader who has disciplined indigenous people of Biafra to strictly abide by local and international law.
“The gut for his arrest is nothing but a slap on the face of United Nations.
“Meanwhile, this is a gross provocation of indigenous people of Biafra and, as endangered people, would only wait shortly for due process and immediate release of her leader.
“The world should know that the arrest of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is the making of monster in indigenous people of Biafra, and to prevent and save lives, world leaders stand up to their responsibility.
“Biafrans call on world leaders to prevail on Buhari to, with immediate effect, release the leader of the people as he is charged with no crime,” the group added.
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Meanwhile, a faction of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday, called on the Federal Government to immediately release the Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu, who was arrested by the Department of State Security (DSS) in Lagos.
In a statement issued in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, the National Director of Information, MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu, threatened that any refusal by the Federal Government to ensure the release of Kanu would lead to a worldwide demonstration and protest which would endanger the already battered image of Nigeria before the international community.
The statement read in part: “MASSOB faction condemns the cowardly arrest and detention of Radio Biafra director but also accepts the fact that it is part of non-violence struggle; as no agitation is complete without arrest, detention and prosecution.
“It shapes the minds of the activist, drawing sympathy from the internal and external observers. It also shows that Nnamdi Kanu and Radio Biafra have become a factor of reckoning in Nigeria.
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“The arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu by DSS will assist immensely in reviving the consciousness and sympathy for Biafra actualization in higher dimension which was temporarily halted by Ralph Uwazuruike’s deviation and lust for wealth.
“This singular arrest will cause more diplomatic harm on Nigeria’s image than good. Before Nnamdi Kanu’s arrest, he has succeeded in propagating the Biafra struggle in about 78 countries, including Biafraland
“MASSOB warns Nigeria Government to quickly release Nnamdi Kanu now or arraign him in a competent court of justice or face an eruption of Biafra worldwide demonstration, protest which will endanger the already battered image of Nigeria before the international community and cause more diplomatic harm to Nigeria,” it stated.
(via The Tide)
