For a considerable length of time now, the activities of some members of the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for the actualisation of a Republic of Biafra have been on the increase, as its advocates keep brimming with fire and brimstone to the detriment of peace, unity and corporate existence of Nigeria.
According to an observer and analyst, “The rekindled fight for Biafra as led by Nnamdi Kanu under the umbrella of IPOB, launched in 2012 and started by Ralph Uwazuruike’s MASSOB in 2000, has now clearly reached its zenith with the provoking acts and declarations by would-be secessionists.’’
Within this period, these agitators with deep-rooted prejudice against constituted authorities of the land in the guise of marginalisation, have constituted themselves into a group with acute subversive acts against Nigeria, subjecting the peace of the country most of the time, to tyranny. As a matter of fact, some of their actions are treasonable.
Of recent, the IPOB announced it was planning shutdown of the South-East and South-South geographical zones on May 30, 2017, to mark the 17th anniversary of MASSOB and ‘’commemorate the fallen heroes of Biafran war.’’ The planned forceful sit-athome protest includes an order to close down all markets, social services and private enterprises. This was despite the fact that a similar protest last year led to the death of several innocent people in violence and counter-violence. Amnesty International estimates that more than 150 souls might have perished in the protest, from August 2015 to date.
If the temerity, guts and impunity with which the agitators dished out orders, accompanied by threats and intimidation on the defenseless civilians is a gross violation of the peoples’ right to free movement without molestation, the “siddon look or noncharlant attitude, especially of the eastern states’ government and stakeholders in the zone is suspect. This brings to attention the recent call by the Igbo for Nigeria Movement for the probe of some top government functionaries of Igbo extraction at both the state and federal levels believed to be sponsoring the secessionist group led by Kanu.
The anti-Biafra group was reacting to a shocking revelation made by a group, Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of law (Intersociety) and South-East-based Coalition of Human Rights Organisations or those funding the Biafran agitators.
Speaking at a press conference recently, the national leader of INM, Mazi Ifenayi Igwe, called on the anti-graft agencies to immediately ascertain if Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Rivers, Imo, Delta and Bayelsa State governments gave similar questionable gifts to Kanu or any other group threatening to pull out of Nigeria. According to Mazi Ifenayi, “We are raising this alarm because of the far-reaching implication of the recent revelation. The plank of the Igbo agitation is about the neglect and marginalisation of the South-East, but it appears we have never correctly situated the problem.”
He went on: “The five South-east states are not governed by Hausa /Fulani or Yoruba; they have been governed by our own blood since the return to civil rule in 1999. What the recent development is telling us is that the governors have been doling out their states’ money to Biafra agitators under different covers.
“For one, we are worried that this overbearing attitude of IPOB, MASSOB, Intersociety and SBCHROs could push other ethnic nationals to a point when they .will ask for Igbo states to go their way, knowing full well that a Biafra Republic is the fantasy of its disturbed leader, Nnamdi Kanu.”
Now the excesses and intolerable acts of the agitators of Biafran Republic threatening the stability of the nation have provoked the ire of the Coalition of Human Rights Organisations.
Arewa Northern Youths, in responding, is now calling for the ‘let go of Biafra’ with a matching order for Igbo people to vacate the northern part of the country within 90 days.
With this, the drama is playing out and the end uncertain. This situation is gradually becoming a tailor-made thing to soothe the saying, “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent one inevitable.”
WE ARE WORRIED THAT THIS OVERBEARING ATTITUDE OF IPOB, MASSOB, INTERSOCIETY AND SBCHROS COULD PUSH OTHER ETHNIC NATIONALS TO A POINT WHEN THEY .WILL ASK FOR IGBO STATES TO GO THEIR WAY, KNOWING FULL WELL THAT A BIAFRA REPUBLIC IS THE FANTASY OF ITS DISTURBED LEADER, NNAMDI KANU
However, it is very comforting that the northern governors and the stakeholders, in unison, are condemning in clear language, the ultimatum the coalition of the Arewa youths gave to the Igbo to vacate the north within 90 days. Speaking in Maiduguri, the Chairman of Northern Governors Forum who is also the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, disowned the pronouncement of the Arewa youths and directed the security agencies to act accordingly. In a strongly worded statement, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State also ordered the arrest and prosecution of the leaders of the Arewa groups that issued the ultimatum in Kaduna. Similarly, the Arewa Consultative Forum, the parent body of the groups distanced itself from the directive of the Arewa youth groups to the Igbo to leave the north. The ACF pointed out that it appreciated the frustration and bitterness of the Arewa Youths as a result of persistent demands of the MOSSOB and IPOB which threatened the peace of Nigeria, but added that two wrongs cannot make a right, pointing out that the unity of Nigeria takes precedence over other things.
Also, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, the Christian Association of Northern Nigeria and other notable Nigerians have called for caution and peace.
Certainly, the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable. However, what the present agitators of sovereign Biafra must never forget is that no group has a monopoly of violence or wisdom and that if a man is pushed to the wall, he will fight back as the present happenings depict.
Nigeria has survived a civil war. She may not survive the second one.
*Izekor, journalist and public affairs analyst, writes @thepointng.com
