By NNWANOSIKE ONU, Awka

The leader of the Biafra Independence Movement and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra BIM -MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, says the reason Igbo are clamouring for Biafra is because of intimidation, exclusion and harassment from those in power.

He said the agitations for freedom of the region started again in 1999 by his group, adding that it is time President Muhammadu Buhari listens to the people and allow them to go and have rest

The group’s leader declared that since 1970 till date, the people of Biafra of about 50 million population had been schemed out and excluded completely from anything governance in Nigeria.

“And because of this exclusion, humiliation, intimidation and maginalisation of our people in Nigeria, we started again through non-violence the process of actualizing Biafra on 13th of September 1999.”

Uwazuruike spoke during a zoom conference Wednesday at Africa – Middle East Regional Forum on conflict prevention and the protection of the Human Rights of minorities.

According to his Personal Assistant, Elder Chris Mocha in a statement made available to The Nation in Awka Wednesday, the forum was convened by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues and organized by Tom Lantos Institute, in cooperation with a number of Regional Organizations.

According to the statement, “Since then, the Biafra agitators have suffered many causalities, so many of our people have been killed.

“Up till today we no longer sleep in our various houses again because of the fact that we are still being pursued and chased by the armed herdsmen who occupied our farm lands.

“Our people can no longer go to the farm; the history is there for the global community to see what the people of Biafra are facing in Nigeria.”

Uwazuruike, therefore, urged the United Nations special rapporteur on minorities issues, His Excellency, Dr. Fernand de Varennes, to recognize Biafra as a sovereign state

He said during Olympic games and world cup tournaments, the people saw number of countries and new nations that had been granted Independence in Europe and America without according same to Biafra. (The Nation)

Update news