http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/21354-igbo-day-police-arrest-100-massob-members.html
Igbo Day: Police arrest 100 MASSOB members


More than 100 members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) were yesterday arrested by a team of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad over an alleged plot by the group to disrupt the grand finale of the Igbo Day celebration held at the Abakaliki Township Stadium in Ebonyi State.

They were arrested by the police as they were trying to enter the venue of the programme. The police swooped on them and took them to the police headquarters in Abakaliki for interrogation.

Some of those arrested were dressed in MASSOB security uniforms. Others displayed MASSOB flags, emblem, stickers, almanacs and other items.

Police spokeman John Eluu confirmed the incident, saying the members were trying to enter the venue of the event. He added that there was a report that the group might disrupt the programme.

"Yes, some of them were arrested while trying to

enter the Abakaliki Township Stadium where all the Igbo leaders converged for the grand finale of the Igbo Day celebration," Eluu said.

"There was fear that the group might disrupt the peace and security of the place, so the police had to arrest them to secure life and property".

Eluu said the arrested MASSOB members were released shortly after the function, adding that the Police Commissioner Adeniyi Adeola, ordered their release.

MASSOB’s Director of Religious Affairs Bishop Chinedu Okeke said the group was at the Abakaliki Township to represent its leade, Chief Ralph Uwazurike.

He said: "We are here to represent Chief Uwazurike for the Igbo Day celebration. But to our greatest surprise, we got information that our members were arrested and we had to go to Governor Martin Elechi immediately. Thank God, he ordered that they should be released. We went to the state police commissioner and found that over 100 members of our group had been arrested.

"Although we have information that some people are still being held, we will ensure that they are released since the governor had already given the directive for their release.

"The struggle for the actualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra will still continue. It is a non-violent movement. We believe that someday Biafra would be actualised. The President recognises that MASSOB is a non-violent movement.

"It is unfortunate that anytime the police see the members of MASSOB, they would want to exhibit all their powers. I don’t think it is proper."


MASSOB Director of Information Uchenna Madu said four members of the group were rushed to the hospital following the beating they received from policemen and urged government to call the police to order.

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