Members of MASSOB Under-fire Over Sit-at-home Protest

MASSOB members under fire over sit-at-home protest

Members of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) behind last Saturday’s sit-at-home protest that was partially successful in the southeast may be in for a raw deal, it emerged yesterday.
Anambra State Governor Peter Obi took exception to the mayhem perpetrated by some of the members, saying they would not go unpunished.

The Police in Aba, one of the southeast commercial centres, said those arrested while trying to mobilise for the action would face prosecution.

“Those miscreants, hooligans and touts, masquerading as MASSOB members in Anambra state, are to be dealt with,” Obi said yesterday.
He insisted that real MASSOB members would not be extorting monies and belongings from unsuspecting members of the public and destroying hard-earned property of private individuals and the public in the name of sit- at- home.

Obi spoke in response to the appeal by Bishop of Amichi Diocese , Nnewi South, Rt. Rev. Ephraim Ikeakor to champion a move to look into the activities of MASSOB to weed out the miscreants.
It was during the second session of the second Synod of the Diocese at St Peters in Amichi.

Obi assured the Bishop that his government would invite genuine MASSOB leader , Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, to dialogue and discuss the approach to be used to isolate the genuine non violent , peace-loving MASSOB members from the fake ,violent and criminal- minded miscreants parading themselves as MASSOB members.

‘’Education without morality is not enough and that is why my administration is investing in education and health and we are partnering the church. Before my administration came, there were touts everywhere harassing people in Onitsha.
“We invited their leaders and you won’t believe it, their leader walked out on us at a meeting in the Governor’s office. All efforts to negotiate for peace failed and in just one night, the drivers union became history.

‘’For MASSOB , we will visit Chief Uwazuruike for dialogue on the best way to identify genuine MASSOB members so that we can deal mercilessly with these criminals parading themselves as members. We will deal with them as criminals because what happened in Onitsha on Saturday was unacceptable and pathetic. We will deal with this matter in our way of dealing with issues but we believe in dialogue, so we will first meet with the leadership of MASSOB and separate the true, patriotic and selfless MASSOB members in peaceful agitation for a sovereign state from those using its name for crime and related matters.” He said.

Governor Obi added that he was reconsidering banning commercial motorcycles, “since they have allowed themselves to be used by the miscreants in the name of MASSOB.”

Obi insisted that Ndigbo were not and still not marginalised as claimed in some quarters. He said the Igbo were marginalising themselves . He lamented that it is only in Igboland that brothers and wives arrange kidnapping of their blood relations and spouses for money. He pointed out that degree certificate does not measure integrity and quality behaviour. He appealed to Ndigbo to support President Goodluck Jonathan.

Bishop Ikeakor who said he is a MASSOB member as everybody in the Southeast whether the person is participating in the activities of those speaking for Ndigbo in the name of MASSOB or not, lamented that violence and criminality were alien to the movement until now and appealed to Obi to convene a meeting with relevant authorities including traditional rulers to put a stop to criminality.

‘’Everybody is sympathetic to the MASSOB as Ndigbo because we all are MASSOB but MASSOB is not known for violence.

On Saturday, MASSOB members destroyed vehicles of people going about their normal businesses, some bishops coming for our Synod were nearly lynched by people said to be MASSOB members but the MASSOB we knew is not violent. Why destroying our property when you asked for a sit- at- home and everybody complied. Why not leave those who do not want to sit- at- home to go about their normal businesses.

‘’There was marginalisation of Ndigbo before President Goodluck Jonathan came on board but we have not got to the state of Biafra and our property were destroyed and people nearly got lynched. How would it be when it is actualised?

Abia State Police Commissioner Usman Tilli Abubakar said yesterday that arrested MASSOB members will be arraigned today for distributing inciting materials and threatening the peace of the state.

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Footnote:

I agree with Obi 100%. The Igbo leaders need to meet with Uwazurike and MASSOB leaders to redefine their missions and Objective. Under president Jonathan who is one of our own, we do not need any longer to fight for any secession. MASSOB's activities should be aimed towards protecting Ndigbo and assisting the security agencies weed out crime and kidnapping from the south east. They should organise symposia to promote the good qualities of the southeast. Sessession is no longer fashionable in this century. Ndigbo can live and prosper in a one united Nigeria if they join as one and stop fighting one another. My 2 cents.