Ralph Uwazuruike, the Movement’s founder and leader for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), has charged that four of his security guards were abducted by the military.
Uwazuruike claimed that on Sunday night, armed men broke into his rural home in Imo State’s Onuimo Local Government and kidnapped the security guards.
“Some Nigerian soldiers stormed my Okwe country home and abducted four of my security details guarding MASSOB Freedom House in Onuimo Local Government,” according to a statement released by Chris Mocha, Director of Information for Uwazuruike.
“There was no provocation involved in the kidnapping, and the soldiers did not provide an explanation.”
Uwazuruike made a request for the release of his security guards to the Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade at Obinze, close to Owerri.
The BIM-MASSOB members, according to the Biafra agitator, had never been found guilty of a crime or declared wanton by security reports “because of the peaceful approach to our agitation for Biafra.”
Uwazuruike continued, saying, “The soldiers saw the MASSOB security officers in front of the MASSOB Freedom House gate as they arrived at the facility in a navy blue Sienna car. The five soldiers approached my security guards without warning or reason, and they immediately began to flog them.
“My members were beaten by the soldiers, who then blindfolded them and took them to an unidentified place.”
In response, Army Spokesman Joseph Akubo stated that soldiers only arrest men who appear to have dubious moral character.
Nonetheless, he claimed that the Air Force and Navy, two sister security services, dress in army uniforms.
Akubo added, “You should also be aware that the uniforms worn by the Navy and Air Force and the Army are identical.”
