Onitsha closed down as MASSOB, BIM mark Biafra day




www.odogwublog.com reports that Onitsha, the commercial city of Anambra State, Monday, stood still in honour of the Biafra day celebration. Movement of vehicles and business activities were near-completely disrupted in the commercial city.
Thousands of MASSOB and BIM members from Nnewi, Awkuzu, Aguleri, Umueri, Nsugbe, Ogidi, Nkpor, Oba and other locations converged in Onitsha and were seen marching through the major roads in Onitsha including the Onitsha-Owerri road, Old Market road, Nkpor New Road and Enugu-Onitsha Expressway; chanting Biafra songs and praising Chief Ralph Uwazurike for reviving the Biafra struggle.
The groups waved the Biafra flags. Most of them carried placards with different inscriptions signifying Biafra struggle. Commercial motorcycle riders and commercial motorists took interest and joined the solidarity march.
The Biafra day celebration, Odogwublog.com learnt was to commemorate the 17th anniversary of re-declaration of Biafra by MASSOB and hoisting of its flag at Aba, Abia State on May 22, 2000.
However, the mass movement of MASSOB and BIM in Onitsha was not replicated in Nnewi and Awka as the two cities had their normal human and business activities.
Celebration of the Biafra Day in Onitsha did not record any casualty and  no arrest was made as at the time of sending this report. Joint Task Force of the military and the police as well as officials of the Civil Defense were seen parading the streets to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order, even as the MASSOB and BIM respected themselves as their activities did not encourage any encounter with the security agencies.
Speaking to newsmen during the march, the Anambra North Zonal leader of MASSOB, Mr. Vincent Iloh, said that May 22, was the date Chief Uwazurike re-declared the New Biafra struggle for Independence from Nigeria.
“It is exactly 17 years today. What we in MASSOB and BIM are still saying through non-violence is for the Biafrans to be granted Independence from Nigeria. That was what our great hero and the Peoples’ General, late Dim Chukwuemeka  Odumegwu Ojukwu, made efforts to do in 1967 but he was misunderstood.
“The new Biafran leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike has continued to echo it since 1999 without the use of force and, until the needful is done, we will not relent”.
Meanwhile, a statement in Onitsha by MASSOB/BIM, National Director of Information, Comrade Chris Mocha, said that many of their members were arrested by the security agencies in Cross Rivers State during the celebration.


PICTURES: Members of MASSOB and BIM celebrating their day in Onitsha
Onitsha closed down as MASSOB, BIM mark Biafra day Onitsha closed down as MASSOB, BIM mark Biafra day   Reviewed by Unknown on Monday, May 22, 2017 Rating: 5

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