“No going back in bid to actualize Biafra now or never” - Uwazuruike

Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, insisted that there was no going back in his bid to actualize Biafra now or never, stressing that he is in the struggle for freedom not for any other person but for his own children who he said desire a free country where their lives and property can be guaranteed for security. 

The MASSOB leader Uwazuruike, who spoke through the Deputy National Director for Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, weekend, at a special meeting of Enugu West Senatorial District, in Nachi, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, lamented that since Nigeria got her independence in 1960, it had never guaranteed security of lives and property of Ndigbo, a situation which he claimed persuaded him to seek independence of Biafra.

Army warns against felony, threatens to use force

The Nigerian Army, yesterday, said that it would not hesitate to use necessary force within its Rules of Engagement, ROE, to suppress any insurrection, if directed by President Buhari

To this effect, it warned agitators for actualisation of Republic of Biafra, saying that it would not fold its hands and watch them endanger the security of the country,

Reviewing the Nigerian Army Rules of Engagement at the 81 Division Officers Mess, Victoria Island, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Major General Isido Edet, said the Nigerian Army was constitutionally obligated to, among other things, suppress insurrection and act in aid of civil authority to restore order when called upon to do so by the President.

He said:  “It is in the public domain that certain elements are agitating for secession. Though they have been counselled by elder statesmen that such exercise is not for the good of Nigerians because we have gone through that lane before. We had a civil war and in some areas we are yet to overcome the consequences of the civil war. For people to start talking about the dismemberment of the country is the most unfortunate thing at this point in time in our country.

‘’The Nigerian Army would like to send an unequivocal warning to all and sundry, more specifically, to all those threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the country, those committing treasonable felony and arson as well as wanton destruction of lives and property that once the army is deployed, we shall apply ROE to the letter.”

He, however, wished that the present situation in the South-East region of the country would not degenerate into a situation whereby the army would be deployed, saying it could lead to the enforcement of its ROE to the fullest.

He also warned officers and soldiers not to take sides in any conflict or aid and abet any act of arson, vandalism or unprofessional conduct, threatening that anyone found culpable would face the consequences.

Major General Edet also assured Lagosians that there was no cause for alarm over report on the influx of terrorists into the country, disclosing that the 81 division was fully at alert.

Edet’s warning to the Biafran agitators was also re-echoed by the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, which in a statement  by Army Director of Public Relations, Colonel Hamza Gambo, regretted that  activities of MASSOB, IPOB and other affiliate groups have led to an increased sense of insecurity across the regions.

Also, the General Officer Commanding the 3rd Division of the Nigerian Army, Hassan Umaru, said at a press conference in Maxwell Kobe Cantonment, Rukuba, Plateau State, yesterday that “the Nigerian Army would like to send an unequivocal warning to all and sundry, more specifically to all those threatening and agitating for the dismemberment of the country, committing treasonable felony and arson as well as wanton destruction of lives and property.

“Once deployed, we shall apply the ROE to the latter. It is, however, hoped that such circumstances would not arise that we should be deployed on such operations because, within the ambit of the law, we shall apply the ROE to the fullest,” he said.