The Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF) on Tuesday gave the Federal Government a 48-hour ultimatum to withdraw military troops from the South-East and other regions within the area.

The ultimatum, followed the launching of operation Python Dance II in the South-East by the Nigerian Army, and the alleged killing of some Biafra agitators in Umuahia, Abia State on Sunday.

In a press statement issued to newsmen in Enugu, self-acclaimed President of Biafra Republic, Barr. Benjamin Onwuka said the Federal Government and the Army hierarchy would pay dearly over the lives lost in the said attack.

The military had since denied the reported death of any person during its confrontation with the agitators.

However, Onwuka, in his statement, said: “For sending armed soldiers to Biafra, it is political suicide for them and they will pay dearly for it.

“Army has nothing to do with Biafra and this intimidation will not work. Biafra is alive; Biafra has since been recognised by the US. So, it can no longer be crushed. Our back-up is the US. So, Buhari is wasting his time because the Army will not stop Biafra’s independence.

“Sending troops to come to intimidate us is not going to work. Any loss of life by any Biafran, whoever it is, is a great pain and regrettable, but they will pay very dearly.

“I am warning them. I’m giving them 48 hours that all troops in the South-East, the South-South and the Middle Belt, must be withdrawn immediately. They are going to pay a heavy price.

“My heart goes out to all the Biafrans killed and their families. These soldiers are nothing but terrorists.

“In the North, the Boko Haram and the Hausa-Fulani herdsmen are killing people in thousands. In the Middle Belt, civilians are being killed by rampaging herdsmen. How many troops have they sent there? But down here, they sent them to kill unarmed agitators.

“So, it is a terrorist attack and they will definitely face war crimes when the time comes.

"This is intimidation and that is why I’m giving them 48 hours to withdrawn these soldiers. They will pay a heavy price for this action; they will regret it.

“However, no Biafran should yield to this intimidation. They should go on and fly Biafran and Israeli flags wherever they are.”

He equally lambasted Emeka Ojukwu Jnr., son of late Biafra leader, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, for saying that his father indeed met with President Muhammadu Buhari in 2003 where they foreclosed Biafra.

While describing Ojukwu Jnr. as a liar, Onwuka said: “It is very disappointing for Emeka Ojukwu Jnr. to join Buhari in saying that his father dumped Biafra when he was alive.

“We have said it before that Buhari lied. We are saying it now that Emeka Ojukwu Jnr. is a chronic liar and a saboteur.

"Why is he supporting Buhari who is sending troops to be killing his own people if not for selfish interest, for stomach infrastructure?

“Since he said he was aware of the meeting, we demand that he should provide the date, the venue, the transcript, the signatories to the agreement and the witnesses.

“We also demand to know why he waited till now to say so. I’m saying this because I led Zionists on a condolence visit to him in March 8, 2012 after Ojukwu’s burial. Over 1,000 Zionists went with Biafra flags, a band, a cow. And in my speech, I did say that his father's legacy of fighting for Biafra will never die, to which he responded by saying ‘Amen! I agree with you’.

“Also, in 2013, I visited him in Abuja on his invitation and we discussed Biafra for almost four hours. In that meeting, he even asked me why I did not include his name in the Biafra government we formed then?

“It is now strange that the same person is saying this now. We also wonder why Ojukwu should visit Buhari in 2003 to discuss Nigeria's sovereignty when Olusegun Obasanjo, the then President, was the one holding Nigeria’s Constitution. In what capacity did Buhari receive Ojukwu to discuss Nigeria’s sovereignty? The fallacies are so glaring.”

Onwuka, who is also leader of Biafra Zionist Federation, commiserated with the United States as it commemorates the September 11 terrorist attack, noting that “we want to tell the Americans that the Biafra people are with them. We condole them and we assure them that we are ready to support them in any way to fight terrorism.

“This makes it very imperative that Biafra should be fully recognised and I’m very confident that the ex-US President, Barrack Obama and the incumbent, Donald Trump will make it happen very soon. We are asking the Biafrans to remain quiet and calm.

“The government we formed on the 31st of July remains intact. The interim government and the ministers remain as they are pending recognition by the US.”

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