The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and Campaign for Democracy, CD, have given the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, fourteen days ultimatum to charge the Coordinator of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe to court, or release him unconditionally.
The groups jointly gave the ultimatum while addressing newsmen yesterday at Nnewi.
They described the arrest on June 7, 2016 of Mr. Onwudiwe and his continued detention without trial as barbaric and smacks of military mentality and dictatorship by the present government.
Leader of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu in his speech said, “The illegal detention of Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe, David Nwawusi, Innocent Orji, Sabastine Amadi and other activists is unacceptable, and we demand their immediate trial or unconditional release.
“The world believes that Nigeria is operating a democratic government, but in this administration, Buhari is still using military mentality to govern and direct the affairs of the country. This government does not understand what democratic government is all about.
“The way they use soldiers to infringe on people’s rights, is unacceptable to democracy, look at the way this government invaded the judges, it portrays them and them as people that are drunk with power. I am aware that the three times he wanted to be the President and the fourth time he succeeded, it showed desperation and a grand plot to enslave Nigerians.
“However we in MASSOB are okay with his style because it is justifying our struggle, if these things are not happening, people will not understand why we are in the struggle, so we want Buhari to continue with his style, so that people’s consciousness will be revived towards BIAFRA.
“We demand that all our detainees should be charged to court or released unconditionally, keeping them incommunicado will not solve the problem, the more you detain our members, thje more people are being motivated and revived.
“Today in conjunction with Campaign for Democracy we demand that all our members currently being detained should be arraigned in the court in the next two weeks, failure to do that we will still maintain our non violent posture, but we will continue to introduce certain methodology on the principle of non violence that Nigeria will not understand.”
In a related development, the CD through its National Publicity Secretary and Chairman, South East Zone, Dede Uzor A. Uzor said “it is very unfortunate, sad and idiotic for the Department of State Services DSS, to order for the arrest of Chidiebere Onwudiwe since June 7, 2016 without recourse to the rule of law or arraigning him to the court.
“This is a disgrace and insult to our democracy, the Director General of DSS should arrested and charged to court for infringements on the fundamental human rights of the detainees, we the human rights community see this as insult and affront to our struggle.
“If you arrest any suspect, the law says he should be charged to court to defend himself and not continuous detention, we are not in military rule, moreover, the DSS does not have the prosecution right and therefore cannot continue to detain people indefinitely.
“It is almost five months Mr. Onwudiwe was arrested, even Mr. Nnamdi kanu who has been granted bail is still being detained in the Kuje prison; other 23 IPOB and MASSOB members in the prison should be released without further delay.
“We are, therefore, giving DSS fourteen days to charge Mr.Onwudiwe to court or we will mobilize the citizens of Nigeria to protest this highest height of injustice; it is a slap on human rights and also to Section 4, 34, and 41 of 1999 Constitution.”
Comments