22 MASSOB Members in Police Custody: MASSOB Appeals to Jonathan, Obiano to Intervene

The leadership of the progressive members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (P-MASSOB) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra state to intervene for the immediate release of 22 members of the group incarcerated since 2007 in Onitsha and Awka prisons.

They said MASSOB is none violent and should not be subjected to such ridicule and incarceration when those using weapons against the federation are pampered. 

The Group further decried the plight of the 22 members of MASSOB who have spent 7 years in police custody on frivolous charge of the treasonable felony. He said 15 needed urgent medical attention.

The names of the detained MASSOB members at Awka prison are Sabastine Amadi, Ikechukwu Chikwem, Peter Igbokwe, Uchenna Nicholas, uche Idika, Casmir Odokara, Eni Kalu, Chidiebere Ezekwem, Chima Asoh (cripple), Ojimba Anyanwu, and Ndubuisi Okam.

Others are Emmanuel Orji, Micheal Okezie, Ikechukwu Aghari, Mmaduabuchi Asika, Chinwike Irondi, Chukwuma Kalu, while those at Onitsha prison are Innocent Orji, Chukwuebuka Ikenwa, Amah Onu, Okwudiri Basil (female) and Onyekachi Orji (female).

In a release made available to the odogwublog.com in Awka and signed by the National Director of Information, for Progressive MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu said among the 22 detained members in the prison custody are a crippled man and two females.

Madu lamented that they have been abandoned in the prison yard to rot away for being MASSOB members, about 15 of them needs serious medical attention including the females and crippled member.

The release read thus,’’ Several Court adjournments, transfer of judges who wants to establish justice and systematic delay of their trails have been the calculated method to frustrate their release at Federal high court Awka and State high court Ogidi.

‘’MASSOB appeals to President Jonathan, Gov. Willie Obiano, Human Right and Civil Society Organizations and other Progressive Igbo Leaders to intervene and effect their release because of their aged parents who were subjected to psychological trauma, many of the detainees are bread winners of their families, many of their children are no longer in schools, their wives has gone back to their respective villages.

‘’They have realized that they are being deceived by Uwazurike and his false propagation of Biafra actualization using Ojukwu’s name to gain personal wealth and enhancing his political ambition.

‘’Our brothers have died, many are dislodged as a result of MASSOB activities and abandoned by Uwazuruike. They are rotting away because of Uwazuruike’s MASSOB.

‘’We appealed to Igbo leaders, Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra State to help them as they have realized their mistake of following Uwazuruike’s vain promise of better Igboland through Biafra Actualization.

The next arraignment of the 22 detained MASSOB members at Federal High Court Awka will be on 19th, 27th of Nov. 2014 and December, 8 2014 while the Ogidi State High Court will be on 17th December 2014.