MASSOB Begs Jonathan To Free Their Members From Jail Before Handover Date

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu – The Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to order the release of scores of its members languishing in prison before he hands over power to the incoming administration on May 29.

It said the outgoing president should also grant amnesty to Chukwuemeka Ezeuko, popularly known as (Rev. King) who was condemned to death by a Lagos court few years ago, in the Spirit of forgiveness.

MASSOB, urged him to equally “free members of other pro-Biafra groups who have been languishing in prison since 2007 as a parting gift to Igbo’s before he leaves office.

A statement signed by MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Enugu appealed to Jonathan, to act in line with the spirit of forgiveness, Justice, love and reconciliation being experienced among political gladiators, opponents and enemies in Nigeria.

Madu, gave the names of the detained MASSOB members at Awka prison as: Sebastian 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.

Those at Onitsha prison are Innocent Orji, Chukwuebuka Ikenwa, Amah Onu, Okwudiri Basil (female) and Onyekachi Orji (female) while those in Enugu are Benjamin Onwuka (Leader of Biafra Zionist Movement), and 12 other members detained in Enugu prisons.

The MASSOB spokesman lamented the plight of 22 members of MASSOB detained in Awka and Onitsha prisons since April 2007 and that of 13 members of the Biafra Zionist Movement detained in Enugu Prison since last two years on frivolous charges of treasonable felony.

He noted that out of the 22 detainees, one is a cripple while two of them are females.

“They have been abandoned in the prison yard to rot away for being MASSOB members. About 15 of them need serious medical attention including the females and crippled member”, he said.

According to him, several court adjournments, transfer of judges who want to establish justice and systematic delay of trial have been used to frustrate their release at Federal High Court Awka and State high Court Ogidi and Federal High Court Enugu.

MASSOB appealed to President Jonathan to intervene and order their release because of their aged parents who have suffered psychological trauma.

“Also many of the detainees are bread winners of their families, and many of their children are no longer in schools, while their wives have gone back to their respective villages.

In the case of Chukwuemeka Ezeuko (Rev. King), the group argued that he is being persecuted in Nigeria because he is an Igboman.

“His trial was quickly rushed without fair hearing just to maintain a groups’ interest of Yoruba Pentecostal Christian leadership who saw Rev. king as an obstacle to their domination of Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria” the statement stated.