Police arrest Biafra agitators in Jewish synagogue in Aba

www.odogwublog.com reports that public outrage has greeted the arrest and subsequent parade of Biafra activists in Aba by the Nigeria police. 

About seven Biafra activists were allegedly arrested in a Jewish  synagogue in Aba but  police said they were holding  illegal meeting in their hideout , an allegation refuted by the suspects who claimed they were only praying in the synagogue before they were arrested. 

Commissioner of Police, Abia State, Anthony Ogbizi, had while parading the suspects Monday in Umuahia, said they were arrested with IPOB and Biafra insignia, arguing that IPOB remains an outlawed terrorist organisation.

The CP said  IPOB members had  devised new strategy to further their agitation for Biafra by joining the same religious group of their leader,  Nnamdi Kanu and using their synagogue as a place of meeting in disguise.

Asked why police also paraded members of Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) since their own organization is not outlawed, the CP said if they did something contrary to the law they would also be arrested.

He said that the police would not allow any part of Abia to be used as a breeding ground for terrorists.

But irked by the development,  Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) has  called for the immediate release of the Biafra agitators, insisting they committed no offence to be paraded as criminals.

National President of OYC , Okechukwu Isiguzoro said police had no moral justification to arrest peaceful agitators seeking self determination whereas armed herdsmen have continued in their killing spree unchecked.

Isiguzoro said that the security agencies should rather go after the murderous herdsmen which are known terrorists committing genocide across  Nigerian instead of  dissipating energy on non violent agitators.

He called on the Inspector General of Police to order the immediate released of the arrested Biafra activists so as not to create unnecessary tension in South East again.

  The OYC helmsman vowed that Igbo youths will exploit all lawful means to secure freedom for the detained agitators while calling for calm.

Reacting also, the Chairman of Umuahia North Traditional Rulers Council, HRH Eze Philip Ajomuiwe said that arresting non violent agitators in their place of worship while allowing killer herdsmen to enjoy a field day portrays the security agencies as bias.

He said police had no excuse to arrest Biafra agitators unless they were found with arms, and called for their release to avoid any tension in Igbo land again.

The monarch however, advised IPOB members to stop any activity under the platform until the pending lawsuit against the designation of the group as terror organization is decided in their favour .

Reacting also, a civil rights group, foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), has strongly condemned the arrest of the Biafra activists, saying such act is capable of generating ethnic tension in the country.

Coordinator of the group, Nnanna Nwafor, called for the release of the activists and advised security agencies to channel their resources on how to contain the herdsmen menace which poses a national threat to the country.