From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

Women of Indigenous People of of Biafra (IPOB) and other Biafran women yesterday protested naked in Abiriba, in Abia State following the alleged arrest and harassment of their members by military men at Ohafia during their general meeting.

It was gathered that as the Biafran women were holding their meetings soldiers stormed the venue and allegedly started shooting sporadically, and later  arrested some of them and took them to the Barrack at Ohafia.

The action of the soldiers angered the women who later  stripped naked and marched to the palace of the  traditional ruler of the community protesting the soldier’s action. The traditional ruler assured them that he will make sure that those arrested would be released.

Meanwhile, the Media and Publicity  officer of IPOB ,Mr. Emma Powerful in his reaction condemned what he described as  barbaric and unprofessional conduct of the Nigerian Army officers against the Biafran and IPOB Women.

“According to information reaching us, the soldiers stormed the venue of the meeting with 20 Hilux vans and without provocation started beating, arresting and tearing the women’s clothes resulting in some of them being stripped naked before taking them to their barracks. Food, clothing and accessories belonging to some of the women were seized by the soldiers and taken to the Ohafia Barracks in Abia State” he alleged.

“This barbaric and wholly undemocratic conduct of the Army must be condemned by all civilised people. The primitive approach to civil policing adopted by the army makes a mockery of common sense and decency.”

Is it the duty of an army to be going about stripping women naked for no justifiable reason? The Nigerian Police also joined them in the manhandling, humiliation and molestation of our mothers whose only crime is to identify with the cause of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu” ? We are therefore calling on the women organizations around the globe to condemn and take this abuse of Biafra women by the Nigerian Army to the rest of the world,” Powerful declared.

However when contacted, the Deputy Director of Army Public Relations of 82 Division of Nigerian Army Col. Sagir Musa when contacted on the incident said that he was not aware of the matter as he was away at Taraba state for a conference.

 


Biafra Day: Security agencies can’t stop sit-at-home order –IPOB 

By Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has advised all Biafrans to store food and suspend travelling as there will be no human and vehicular movement on May 30, 2017 to honour of the fallen heroes during the civil war between 1967 and 1970.

The group said that no amount of sabotage and threats by Nigerian government and security operatives designed to discourage the public from sitting at home as ordered by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu would stop it.

The Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr. Emma Powerful in a statement yesterday said that all markets, motor parks, banks, schools and artisans in Biafra must shut down to honour the dead.

“The Northern Sharia government of Buhari cannot stop us from honouring our fallen heroes, because it is our inalienable right to remember and honour those who died in the struggle for Biafra independence. Their death cannot be in vain neither will IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu allow their memory to be so openly insulted by those who are incapable of appreciating the sacrifices made to ensure our survival as a race.

“We also advise Biafrans home and abroad no matter your place of residence in Biafra and Nigeria alike to make sure you terminate your journey before 12 midnight on May 29th 2017 as there would be no vehicular movement anywhere in Biafraland one minute past 12am on the 30th.

“Therefore, all markets in Biafraland, motor parks, banks, schools, artisans must shut down including Ogbo Ogonogo market and all the streets markets in Ahaba (a.k.a Asaba) and parts of Biafraland. We draw the attention of the world to Biafraland on that day. The death of our soldiers and agitators can never be in vain.

“We shall remember and honour the efforts of late General Philip Effiong, an Ibibio man from Akwa Ibom State, Col. Comrade Nwawo, Major Timothy Onwuatuegwu, Col. Facetus Akagha, Captain Ananaba, Captain Anuku from Agbor Delta State, Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu from Delta State and other non-Igbo speaking persons like Captain Akpan and many others who stood their ground to defend Biafra from the invading vandals during the dark days of the war to wipe out the Biafran people from the face of the earth.

“Again, we will not fail to honour and remember the efforts of the late Chief Michael Iheonukara Okpara, Chief Frank Opigo, Chief Akanu Ibiam, Dee Samuel Onunaka Mbakwe, Chief Gabriel Imomotimi Okara an author, poet and novelist from Ijaw land, Cardinal Rex Lawson an Ijaw man and host of others who supported our gallant soldiers to save the lives of Biafrans during the war of genocide against our people, we must honour and remember them in our prayers.

“More so, the massacre of Ahaba (now known as Asaba) Delta State capital indigenes by Nigerian soldiers led by the late General Murtala Muhammed in 1968 must be remembered during the sit -at-home order scheduled for Tuesday 30th May, 2017. IPOB leader is determined that there is no going back on this order regardless of the cost.”

“The remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines this year will prove to the entire world that the Biafrans of this present generation under the banner of IPOB led by our indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are different set of people in the history of Biafra freedom. After the 30th of May 2017 the world will know we are dead serious about restoring Biafra”, the statement read.