Barely three
days to the 50th anniversary of Biafra struggle, the South-East and South-
South
regions of the country are now gripped by tension ahead of the planned
sit-at-home order by pro-Biafra groups, scheduled for the May 30 commemoration
of the declaration of the Republic of Biafra in 1967 by the late Dim
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
The
pro-Biafra movement gained strength and sinew with the recent release of the
leader of Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. The last few weeks
have seen allied groups such as Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign
State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) unite to drive
the IPOB-inspired May 30 sit-at-home civil disobedience action, an exercise
said to be in honour of Biafra’s heroes who lost their lives during the civil
war between 1967 and 1970 and “those who died during our peaceful rallies and
protests from August 30, 2015 till date.”
With three
days to go, anxiety thickens, as security agencies across the country raise the
red flag. IPOB further upped the ante with its extension of the sit-at-home
exercise to pro-Biafrans in cities outside the southeast, including northern
cities like Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Jos, Makurdi, Jigawa, Jalingo, Mubi, Yola and
Lafia. Similarly, Igbos in Ibadan, Benin, Lagos and Lokoja, are also enjoined
to join in observing the order.
The action
of the day is simple enough. In the 11 states of south east and south south,
“everybody, both old and young, man and woman must stay indoors, no protest, no
human or vehicular movements…from 6:00 am to 6:00pm on that day.” Those outside the regions are expected to
present written letters containing their plights as a people to the authorities
and governments of their respective countries and observe the day’s two-minute
prayer at 12 noon for the souls of the dead and for those continuing the
struggle.
MASSOB,
which considered the civil disobedience strategic to the struggle for
self-rule, urged a total shutdown of schools, markets and workplaces, but also
cautions against rash action, observing that “it’s better we stay at home to
avoid trigger-happy security agents.”
Other
groups, such as Onitsha-based Customary Government of Indigenous People of
Biafra (CG-IPOB) that has plugged into the Biafra Day Fuse with its three-day
golden jubilee celebration in which Sunday, May 28, 2017 is a day earmarked for
masses for the dead, added a dire warning. A statement, attributed to its
leader, Innocent Orji, but released by its Public Relations Officer, Ruben
Okoro, threatened that “anybody or group found going contrary or making mockery
of all our fallen heroes will be dealt with and be seen as saboteurs and
anti-Biafrans.”
It is the
hope of pro-Biafrans that a successful exercise on May 30 will send a strong
signal to the international community, especially foreign observers and media,
about the readiness of the people for a referendum for Biafra’s sovereignty.
For maximum
effect, IPOB’s leadership wrote to all governors, market, religious and
community leaders in the southeast to ensure a successful outing that will
propel the “struggle for Biafra freedom…to another level.”
However, the
unsavoury record of lethal clashes between pro-Biafra groups and operatives of
the Nigerian security agencies, raise an ominous spectre that the day could
take an unexpected twist that could end in bloodshed and further heat up the
polity.
Security
situations monitored across the region by Saturday Sun indicated that security
agencies are not taking chances, as police chiefs and commands ramp up
proactive measures even ahead of the IGP’s go-ahead. Overall, the message from
the police is unambiguous: “We will not allow breakdown of law and order.”
South East
on tenterhooks
In Umuahia,
MASSOB fiercely canvassed that “the May 30 sit-at-home order must hold,”
reports Chuks Onuoha.
This was
contained in a statement by the Umunneochi chapter of MASSOB, which urged all
to support the Nnamdi Kanu IPOB-led struggle.
The statement
by MASSOB coordinator of Umunneochi, Comrade Monday Eboro, which called on the
people and residents of Isuochi, Umuchieze, Nneato, Lokpa, Aroikpa and other
towns and villages in Umunneochi Area to commemorate the 50 years anniversary
of the declaration of Republic of Biafra, described the sit-at-home exercise as
“non violence and peaceful method of telling the International communities that
they are tired of Nigeria and her impunity against Biafra people.”
How the Abia
State Police Command will react to the situation can be read between the lines
of the statement by Commissioner of Police Leye Oyebade who said: “There is no
republic that can exist in another republic, we can not disclose our mode of
operations, I am only calling on parents to caution their children.”
In contrast,
Enugu State command of the Nigeria Police Force talked tough about its not
condoning of any civil disobedience in the state and its readiness to forestall
breakdown of law and order during the pro-Biafra groups’ instigated sit-at-home
action.
Police
Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ebere Amaraizu who spoke to Saturday Sun’s
Petrus Obi urged members of the public to disregard the order and go about
their normal lawful business as the state command, in partnership with other
sister security agencies, will guarantee their safety.
He warned
troublemakers to desist from any act capable of truncating the existing peace
in the state, as any one caught will be made to face the law.
In Anambra
State, Commissioner of Police Sam Okuala called on the people of the state to
ignore IPOB’s sit-at-home order. He called the citizens to go about their
normal business on that Tuesday without any fear of harassment and molestation
by anybody as police is ever ready for any eventualities and will provide good
atmosphere for everybody to be secured.
Okuala
confirmed to Saturday Sun correspondent Jeff Amechi Agbodo the command will
deploy patrol teams on roads to maintain peace and order through out the day.
Like his Enugu State counterpart, he also enjoined parents to talk to their
children on the need to remain calm and ensure peaceful movement by members of
the public.
Emmanuel
Uzor, reporting from Abakaliki, Ebonyi, said Ebonyi State Police Command’s no-nonsense
stance is indicative of its readiness for a showdown with IPOB and MASSOB.
Commissioner
of Police Titus Lamode who spoke through the state Police Public Relations
Officer, DSP Jude Madu, disclosed the command’s ongoing sensitisation of people
to disregard the proposed sit-at-home and go about their normal business.
“The
sit-at-home is very unlawful because you don’t force people to
observe
sit-at- home when you are an illegal group,” the statement reads.
In
South-South, tougher stance awaits pro-Biafra agitators
In Edo,
where the state police command rated IPOB agitation low key, the force is
nonetheless on alert for any eventuality.
“The
agitation here is not so much pronounced. However, there is an operation order
in the state, we are on top of the situation,” the command’s spokesman, DSP
Moses Nkombe told Saturday Sun in Benin.
Joe Effiong
reports that the police in Akwa Ibom State have declared the state a no-go area
to IPOB members or other allied groups.
PPRO Chukwu
Ikechukwu reportedly asked people to ignore the May 30 sit-at-home order and go
about their normal businesses.
“We have
read it in papers and listened to it in the news that come May 30 all IPOB
members should sit at home especially in the South East. Here in Akwa Ibom
State, we have put security in place. They are not going to observe it here. We
are advising everybody to go about their normal business. Security for their
lives and property is guaranteed. There is nothing to fear about,” said the
police spokesman.
While
acknowledging that the police had not interacted with Igbo community leaders to
gauge their feelings towards the IPOB order, Ikechukwu disclosed the police had
been on red alert even before the Biafra’s issue since, in preparation for the
Democracy Day celebration.
The same
sentiment was echoed by the Commissioner of Police in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, Mr.
Asuquo Amba, who urged residents in the state capital to go about their lawful
and legitimate duties, and not be bothered about the civil disobedience action
being called by pro-Biafrans.
Amba told
Saturday Sun’s Femi Folaranmi adequate security measures are in place for
citizens to go about their duties without any hindrance. The Police, he
affirmed, have stepped up surveillance on all entry points into Yenagoa to
prevent troublemakers from gaining access into the state.
The command
also embarked on public education.
In Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, Saturday Sun correspondent Tony John reports the State
Police Command’s preparedness for the May 30 Biafra Day ‘sit-at-home’ order. This was explicit in the statement issued by
the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Deputy Superintendent of
Police Omoni Nnamdi: “The Police Force is established under extant law, to
protect lives and property at any given point in time. We are not shying away
from that responsibility. So, whether IPOB are organising a peaceful protest or
not, it is our duty to provide adequate security and protect lives and property
of the citizenry.”
He advised
people to go about their lawful businesses without fear of any molestation.
“We, of the Command, are on top of our game and we are going to ensure that
there is no breakdown of law and order,” he said.
IGP orders
crackdown
There was no
ambivalence in the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim
Idris. He ordered a watertight security in the southeast states of the country,
the IGP directed Commissioners of Police of affected states to deal decisively
with any group that attempts to disrupt commercial activities, vehicular
movements and safety of lives and properties in any part of the country.
A statement signed
by the force public relations officer Moshood Jimoh, said: “The Nigeria Police
Force will not hesitate to deal decisively with any group(s) and their sponsors
that attempt to cause disturbance of the peace or carry out any unlawful
demonstration, unlawful assembly/procession or gathering and public
disobedience that can jeopardise law and order and harmonious co-existence
within and amongst Nigerians throughout the country.
The fact
that freedom of expression as one of the dictates of democracy is being
observed by the Police, should not be misconstrued as liberty by any group(s)
for sectional or group interest to violate the laws and cause mayhem, confusion
and apprehension in the minds of more than about one hundred and seventy
Millions Nigerians.”
Saturday
Sun’s Molly Kilete reports that the statement which expressly put “police
personnel and police anti-riot equipment on red alert,” delegated power and
authority to police commands across the regions power and authority to “deal
decisively in accordance with the law with any eventuality from these groups,
that can disrupt commercial activities, vehicular movements and safety of lives
and properties in some States of the Federation considered to be
flash/vulnerable points which have witnessed the unfortunate disturbance of
public peace by these groups in the recent past.”
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