The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has vowed to fight back on any Igbo killed again anywhere in the country, particularly in the North.
MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike said the decision was taken after the group’s emergency meeting in its office on January 15, which had in attendance several Igbo sons and daughters.
“The Igbo nation shall no longer sit by and allow the killing of Igbo sons and daughters who trade or transit in/through northern Nigeria or indeed anywhere, nor shall we permit our sons and daughters to be in any way disturbed by threats and ultimatums to leave their place of business,” he said.
Consequently, Uwazuruike disclosed that his group had decided to take steps in that regard and would remain proactive in safeguarding and protecting Igbo lives and property.
“We insist that the murderers of our innocent men and women be unmasked and be made to face the full wrath of the law or if this cannot be guaranteed, that they be handed over to us. In the event that the security agencies are not able to fulfill this responsibility within a reasonable time, we shall have no other option but to find them ourselves and appropriate punishment meted out to them. Enough is indeed enough,” he said.
He regretted that the attack on the Igbo was coming at a time both Ndigbo at home and in diaspora were still mourning and preparing for the burial of the Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. “Even as we mourn and grieve, Nigeria is brewing in crisis, whilst the insensitivity and callousness visited on the Igbos have continued unabated even with the lopsided socio-political structure of the country,” the MASSOB leader said.
Uwazurike pointed out that while other parts of the country witnessed widespread protests and civil disturbances in the wake of the removal of fuel subsidy, the South-east was calm and still remained calm due largely to his group’s intervention. “Conversely, there has been sustained but unprovoked, unwarranted and senseless killing of innocent Igbos across the length and breadth of northern Nigeria.
“Sadly and regrettably, the Boko Haram sect has acknowledged responsibility for these cold blooded murders of our people and the same Boko Haram is indirectly being encouraged by the Borno State government with payments of huge sums of money to relatives of Boko Haram members without bothering about the Igbos who have been killed in large numbers,” he pointed out, adding that the state by the act had encouraged and rewarded violence.
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