Members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and a faction of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), as well as other pro-Brafra groups, yesterday took over the streets of Owerri, the Imo State capital, crippling economic activities and vehicular movements, as they protested the continued detention of the Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu.
It will be recalled that Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, in the wake of the protests, absolved the Southeast governors and Igbo leaders of any complicity, adding that the separatists do not enjoy the support of majority of the Igbo.
The governor also stepped up security to prevent the pro-Biafra groups from holding the protest in the state.
However, as early as 6am yesterday, IPOB members, who reportedly trekked from Aba in neighbouring Abia State and Port Harcourt, apparently to beat security checks, converged at strategic positions in the state capital, from where they linked up with their members on ground to begin the protest.
Although there was heavy security presence, including battle-ready soldiers and heavily armed mobile policemen, who drove behind the protesters in their vehicles, there was anxiety among the residents, as shop owners hurriedly locked up their shops, while motorists scampered out of major roads to make way for the long procession.
Meanwhile, the protesters, numbering over 10 thousand, marched through major streets in the state capital, displaying the Biafra flag and placards with various inscriptions, such as, ‘FG free Nnamdi Kanu now’, ‘Kanu is Biafra and we are Kanu’, ‘we need Biafra now’ , among others and chanting war songs.
One of the protesters, Emmanuel Onyema, said that the protests will spread to other parts of the country and sustained until Kanu is unconditionally released by the Federal Government.
The factional MASSOB Director of Information, Uchenna Madu, said that they were in solidarity with IPOB because Kanu is a true Biafran.
According to him, “the protest will continue as a platform to send the massage across that we need Biafra, we are not secured in Nigeria, we are feeling that our future is not secured in Nigeria. Our demonstrations shall remain non violent. Today we are in Owerri and by the time we finish in the Southeast and Kanu is not released, we will match to Abuja so that we can all be detained because we are ready to die for what believe in.
“We are tired of being slaves in Nigeria, what is happening now shows that Biafra is ready to go so let them give us Biafra and release our leader immediately.”
At the Government House, there was heavy security presence apparently as part of the security measures to prevent the protesters from gaining entry.
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