SSS Detains 4 Ohanaeze Leaders, Others
From Francis Ugwoke in Enugu, 07.06.2007
Enugu

State Security Service (SSS), yesterday arrested four top officials of Ohaneze Ndigbo and two human rights activists in Enugu, where they had gone to address a press conference on their grievances against some policies of the Federal Government.
Those arrested at Sunshine Hotel, Independent Layout, Enugu, were Co-ordinator of Igbo National Council (INC), an affiliate of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Meshack Umeike, Mr Ndubuisi Ofondu, Mr Peter Claver Opara and Nath Eze. Others were Barrister Sam Mbah and Mr Nana Ogbodo, who may have been involved in the organisation of the press conference.
After the arrest, SSS operatives drove the suspects to Nza Street, Independent Layout, Enugu office, where they were asked to make statements.
The SSS operatives also threatened to arrest c cameraman of the Minaj Broadcasting Group (MBI), for refusing to surrender the tape used in recording the press conference.
However, Bureau Chief of Champion Newspapers, Enugu, Barrister Chukwudi Achife, said it was wrong to demand for the tape, since the SSS had the paper presented at the conference.
Although one of the SSS operatives said he was under instruction to get the tape, explaining that he had 2000 methods of effecting arrest, but he later allowed the cameraman to go.
However, Ohaneze officials at the press conference in a written speech titled, "Watering the Ground for Ethnic Cleansing in Nigeria," said the conference was called to address "the issue of the continued persecution of the Igbo nation in the Nigerian state."
In his opening speech, Umeike said, "we wish to state here that our concern in calling all of you here today is to alert you that a project is being desperately prosecuted to ensure that Igbo are completely disorganised, in a move we see as a precursor for an impending ethnic cleansing for a race that still strives to give its best for a nation that operates on bare-faced lies and predatory cannibalism. "The signs of what happened in Nazi Germany and more recently in Rwanda is there for discerning observers to see in Nigeria today," he said.
The group accused Chief Olusegun Obasanjo's regime of pursuing a policy of annihilation against Ndigbo.

Arresting them is a facist throwback and would only prepare the ground for more sinister groups worse than MASSOB.