Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike has said that no amount of killings and destruction from the Boko Haram terrorists in the North Eastern Region of Nigeria would divide the country.
Speaking to journalists yesterday after he had reported at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) section of the Imo State Police Command in Owerri, just 24 hours after security operatives raided his private residence, the MASSOB leader said the reason the Boko Haram members would not be able to divide Nigeria was because the North had no economic value to the nation.
He added that the only group that had the capability of breaking Nigeria and causing untold hardship to the other parts of the country were the people of Niger Delta whose oil, he said was the only thing that still holds the country together and “without them we cannot realise Biafra. So, any day the oil dries up the Hausa man will no longer see any reason to be one Nigeria.
That was the reason we the MASSOB members supported President Goodluck Jonathan, but people did not know this. Now even though our candidate did not make it for second, we now have closer ties with the people of Niger Delta
Uwazuruike who voluntarily turned himself in on the invitation of the Police, was immediately whisked away to the Zone 9 headquarters in Umuahia, shortly after a closed door meeting with the State Commissioner of Police, Taiwo Lakanu.
A senior Police Officer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that the MASSOB leader was invited by the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, for a friendly chat, adding that he was not arrested or detained.
However, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, said that the separatist leader was summoned by the Police authority over the activities of his group.
According to him, “MASSOB is an outlawed group and the same thing goes with their activities so his invitation was not unconnected to that. Yes he reported at the state Command headquarters this morning from where he was moved to see the AIG in charge of Zone 9”.
Uwazuruike however insisted that “there is no going back on the struggle for Biafra”.
He said that, “I was not at home on Saturday when I got a call that Policemen have invaded my home, in the morning I got a letter from the Imo State Commissioner of Police and so I reported in the morning and he told me that he does not want MASSOB in the state but he cannot stop me. There is no going back on Biafra and I was taken to Umuahia to see the AIG.
“At Umuahia, the AIG vouched for me that he has known me and my non violent stance on the struggle for Biafra. Any one that does not want MASSOB should leave Igbo land”.
He however distanced his group from the activities of other splinter groups, that have engaged on criminal activities, “no MASSOB man has ever been caught for stealing, kidnapping, raping and other crimes. We are non violent but no one can stop Biafra”.
