Enugu — LEADER of Biafra Zionist Movement, BZM, Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, and about 500 members were, yesterday, charged for treason by an Enugu Magistrate Court for allegedly committing treasonable felony.
The court, however, remanded them in prison custody since the police did not have enough space to keep custody of the accused persons.
State Police Public Relations Office, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the arraignment in a statement but did not give details of the arraignment done in secret.
The suspects had earlier been arrested by heavily armed policemen near Central Police Station on Coal Camp-Old Park Road during a peaceful procession that preceded what the group called formal re-declaration of independence of the Republic of Biafra in the early hours of yesterday.
Onwuka had, after his declaration speech, announced himself as the President of Biafran Republic, saying the ministers that would pilot the affairs of his government would be announced in due course.
Hundreds of diehard Biafran supporters attended the rally held at a football field at Mbanugo area of Coal Camp, Enugu.
The supporters wore vests bearing Biafra inscription and carried different flags, including those of the defunct Biafra Republic, United States and Israel as they sang pro-Biafra songs and danced around the arena.
After the ceremony that lasted for about an hour, Onwuka and his members embarked on a peaceful procession from Mbanugo, heading towards Ogbete Main Market area, acknowledging cheers from residents and motorists along the road.
But as they approached the Central Police Station, CPS, the Biafran supporters, who were mostly elderly men in their late 60s, who participated in the Nigerian civil war, were halted by policemen, led by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, Ikechukwu Mba.
Comments Post a comment
Off course, it is a treasonable offense for one man to rise up and declare a republic within an existing country without passing through all legalities required by the Law of the land for such. While this act is highly condemnable, what can we say of the increasing Boko Haram acts that has taken the life of more than 3000 Nigerians? The fact is that many Nigerians are tired of the entity called Nigeria. From all facts available and deduced, the Boko Haram is pursuing an Islamic state within the existing Nigeria. Their offense is far more treasonable when compared to a group of non- violent individuals who wishfully say they have declared a republic within an existing Nigeria. Their action exists only within their dream -state and so far they have been able to dramatize it. All Nigerians have been waiting patiently on the Nigerian government to come up with something serious against the Boko Haram Sect. The patience of law abiding Nigerians is fast running out. The government should avoid acts capable of exploding bottled up anger arising from the provocations of the Boko Haram killings. The Enugu Magistrate court is therefore advised to release all persons arrested for this yet unsubstantiated treasonable charge against a group of people venting their resentment against state of insecurity created by the Boko Haram Sect.
all this problems happening in nigeria today is to make nigeria security grow to the level of what will make it to have sit as a nato members because what to a child is what makes him to grow strong. if men of 60s went up a street demind for separetion, that means they are angry of the things happening in the north nigeria how their kings men is killed out of terror and it is dying teeth a dog fights to live or to die. but let masob stop confusing the government to fighting terrorism facing us because if a child is carring burning fire and knife,if the fire did not burn the child,knife will cut him. lets support the president to win terrorism.