BY GODWIN OBI
Against the prevailing killings of youths of South East extraction by the Nigerian Security forces over involvement in agitation for secession and separatist government, notable church leaders across the states of the federation have appealed to the federal government to grant Amnesty to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB).
The appeal for amnesty was coming in the wake of the incessant arrests and killings of members of the two sister South East ethnic militia by the Nigerian forces.
Bishop of Sokoto diocese, Matthew Kukah who made the appeal recently while reacting to a declaration by the Chief of Army Staff, General Farouk Yahaya, for the killings of the two Igbo leading secessionist groups, currently agitating for referendum and consequently self -determination from the Nigerian State as a result of torrents of injustice being done to the people of South east.
Frontline Reporters’ investigations revealed that active members of the two agitating groups including those who absconded from Nigeria to France, Australia, Germany, Asia and America have been allegedly listed for arrest and possible elimination.
Recall that more members of the IPOB/MASSOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police and military in addition to a set of activists that had been on the government wanted List since 2008.
The Police named some of the IPOB/MASSOB members who are declared wanted to include Simon Ekpa, Samuel Eke, Barr. Obiora Chinwike, Jude Eziagu, Azubuike Ofodil, Nnadozie Agu and Pastor Mercy Ezeh.
Others are Foster Okolie, Chika Edoziem Uchenna Madu, Sunday Obinagu among others who left the chores of the country since 2008 for safety of their lives.
According to an announcement by the Police, “The under mentioned suspected IPOB/MASSOB members are youths who participated in strategic agitations for the emancipation of the people living within the bight of Biafra in Southern Nigeria.
The two Igbo sister agitating groups and their leader, Nnamdi Kanu are campaigning for an independent country of Biafra made up of Igbo ethnic nationality.
The detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu last week had wondered why the military was still attacking and shooting at non-violent and unarmed members of his organisation.
He remarked that the offence of his members who were being killed by the military was that they were agitating for a referendum and self government, adding that some of those that were declared wanted include youths who ran away since 2007 to Europe, Asia and America.
Frontline gathered that a MASSOB Director of Fund raining, Foster Okolie, who ran away to Australia in 2008 for fear of being killed is still on the wanted list of Nigerian Security.
It was further gathered that the family of Mr. Foster who was said to have lost his parents and their sister in a military invasion in his father’s house during a meeting of MASSOB/IPOB members is currently tormented to produce the Biafra activist several years after he left the chores of Nigeria for Australia.
Note that Foster Okolie, Emma Powerful, Ernest Nwabuizu, Callistus Nwachukwu, Damian Nzomiwu, Joseph Odulukwe and several others have been active members of the IPOB/MASSOB when they were in Nigeria. These people were so determined to actualise self government for the Igbo ethnic group located in the South east Nigeria.
Since after the end of Civil war in Nigeria in 1970, the Igbos in Nigeria had been facing all sorts of hostile and inhuman treatments from Nigerian Government, resulting in successive governments treating the Igbos of South east as second class citizens.
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