Protesters ground Onitsha,
Aba, Owerri, other
places Crowd defies military
threat
Kanu’s trial stalled Jewish
community makes case for
one Nigeria
By Nwabueze Okonkwo
Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi,
Chinonso Alozie &
Ugochukwu Alaribe
Vehement in their resolve
to get the detained Radio
Biafra boss Nnamdi Kanu
released and to actualze
their agitation for the
sovereign state of Biafra, no
fewer than 40,000 members
and sympathizers of
Indigenous People of Biafra,
IPOB, yesterday, shut down
commercial and business
activities in the South East
states as they took to the
streets to vent their spleen.
This was even as hundreds
of agitators thronged the
court located at Wuse Zone
2, Abuja, yesterday, to show
solidarity to Kanu who has
been in detention for the
past two months.
The detained pro-Biafra
leader was supposed to be
produced in court yesterday,
in Abuja but the trial was
stalled over the death of the
Chief Magistrate’s father.
In Onitsha, the commercial
city of Anambra State and its
environs of Obosi and
Nkpor, the protesters held
sway in a non-violent
procession.
Vehicular movements were
grounded by the intimidating
number of the IPOB members
and their sympathizers, who
marched from the Niger
Bridge Head to the former
Ogbunike Toll Gate to
register their anger against
the continued detention of
Mr. Kanu.
The blocking of the Niger
Bridge disrupted vehicular
movements for over seven
hours before normalcy was
restored on the bridge.
The attempt by the military to
disperse them failed because
of their number and their
resort to non-violence. The
military however showed
professionalism that had
never been witnessed in
Onitsha, under similar
situation as they carefully
implored the agitators to free
the road for other users.
Onitsha-Owerri Road was
also blocked by IPOB
protesters, who made entry
in and out of Onitsha difficult
for all road users.
Intimidating
The crowd was so
intimidating that some
businesses and markets
located along the road
including Bridge Head Market,
Onitsha Patent and
Proprietary Medicine Dealers
Market, Ochanja Market, all
in Onitsha; New Auto Spare
Parts Market and New Tyre
Market Nkpor; Building
Materials Market Ogidi and
Bakery Market, also in Ogidi
equally closed shops as a
result of the protest.
When Vanguard sought to
know why they closed their
shops, some said they did it
in solidarity, while others
said they were afraid of
being invaded by the
protesters.
Biafra protesters
The protesting IPOB members
were peaceful contrary to
allegations that the traders
were forced to close their
shops or their shops
invaded to loot their goods.
One of their leaders and
spokesman of IPOB, Mr. Emma
Powerful, who spoke to
newsmen said: “We decided
to avoid coming close to
markets, especially Onitsha
Main Market, because of the
false allegation by some
leaders of the traders, who
have been paid to destroy
our image with allegations of
looting and destroying the
traders’ goods.
“We are not protesting
against our brothers and
sisters who are doing their
genuine business of trading
and other businesses. So,
there is no reason to attack
anybody or invade their
shops, neither are we
begging anybody to come
and join in the protest.
“People whose lives and
businesses have been
destroyed by government
policies join us without
invitation, while others join
in solidarity. Allegation of
infiltration into our fold is
also false, baseless and
figments of the imagination of
those making it. We are only
protesting to secure the
release of our leader,” he
said
In his chat with newsmen,
National Coordinator of IPOB,
Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe,
who was flanked by Mr.
Powerful, said that the
protest was a result of the
detention of Mr. Kanu and
marginalization of the South
East, adding that the protest
will continue on Wednesday.
Aba also grounded
In Aba, Abia State, it was a
carnival of sort as over
20,000 members of the
group, yesterday, fulfilled
their threat to shut down
markets and other
commercial centres in protest
against the continued
detention of its leader, and
host of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi
Kanu.
The protesters who adorned
Biafra emblems and Kanu’s
portraits with speakers
mounted on motorcycles,
marched from the dilapidated
Port Harcourt Road through
Asa Road from where they
divided into smaller groups
to other areas of the city,
ensuring that all markets and
shops along the areas were
shut. There was heavy
traffic when the protest
started, but as at 10a.m., the
roads were deserted as IPOB
members marched, singing
Biafra songs and Kanu’s
praises.
Vanguard gathered that as
early as 8a.m., members of
the group had stormed
Ariaria International, Ekeoha,
Cemetery and Ngwa Road
markets to ensure that
traders did not defy the
order to shut their
businesses.
Along Azikiwe and St.
Michael’s roads by Mosque
Street junction, shop
owners, who had already
opened for business
hurriedly shut down as IPOB
members were sighted at the
area.
However, the Ehere modern
market on Ikot Ekpene Road
was open as traders went
about their businesses
without molestation.
Roadblock
Some youths later mounted a
roadblock at St.Michael’s
Road by Mosque Street
junction, making it impossible
for motorists to pass
through the area, but the
roadblock was later
dismantled.
While marching along Aba-
Owerri Road, a group of IPOB
members blocked the gate of
Keystone Bank opposite the
State Polytechnic, insisting
that the Nigerian flag
mounted at the bank
premises must be removed.
It was a theatre of confusion
as some IPOB members, who
spoke to Vanguard, insisted
that the bank must comply
with the order to shut down
before they left the area.
The situation created tension
in the city as banks and
schools opened with caution.
Business centres along the
ever busy Asa Road located
at the city centre, were
deserted and later opened at
3.30p.m. when the group had
passed through the main
park area.
A cross section of members
of the group who spoke to
newsmen insisted that the
protest would continue until
Kanu regained freedom and
the actualization of an
independent state of Biafra
became a reality.
“This is just the first stage
of the protest, if they don’t
release our Director, they
will be surprised by the next
stage of our protest. We are
going to shut Nigeria. We are
not joking about it,” they
chorused.
When contacted, Abia Police
spokesman, DSP Ezekiel
Onyeke, said they were
monitoring the situation and
assured that the Police would
not fold their arms and watch
the protesters breach the
peace of the state.
Kanu’s trial stalled
The protest however became
more grievous when the IPOB
members received a
message from their
colleagues in Abuja that the
court did not sit yesterday
and neither was their leader,
Kanu produced in court.
Hearing on his case was
stalled following the death of
the magistrate’s father.
Kanu was brought before an
Abuja Magistrate’s Court by
the Department of State
Service, DSS, on allegations
of criminal conspiracy,
engaging in unlawful society
and criminal intimidation,
which violate Section 97, 97B
and 397 of the penal code.
The magistrate, Usman
Shuaibu, had on November
23 adjourned sitting till
December 1 for ruling, but
failed to appear, citing the
death of his father.
According to the court
registrar, Salisu Yinusa, the
magistrate had to travel to
prepare for the burial of his
father.
The court was, however,
considering December 16 for
ruling on the matter, but the
registrar said that date was
still tentative.
One of Kanu’s lawyers,
Marcel Dim-Udebuani, told
journalists that his client had
no problem with the recent
development, but hoped for
a favourable judgment when
the magistrate returned.
Call to release Kanu
Meanwhile, the General
Overseer of the God’s
Covenant of Christ Sabbath
Mission, High Priest Clifford
Nmenabu has called on the
Federal Government of
Nigeria, to free the Radio
Biafra Director, Mr. Kanu from
detention.
Nmenabu made the call at
Amanachi, Orsu Local
Government Area, while
addressing journalists on
the recent pro-Biafra
demonstrations in the
country.
Nnamdi Kanu
He said that Kanu had done
nothing to deserve such a
treatment for too long by the
Federal Government, adding
that Kanu was only seeking
the freedom of his people.
He also called on the
international community to
come to the aid of the
Biafrans, who, he said, had
been marginalized in the
country for too long.
On the issue of the
existence of the Radio
Biafra, he said that it was
divinely created to save the
oppressed in the society. He
said, “ Kanu was not
speaking against any person
or group of people. His
broadcast were truth-
oriented and conscience
awakening. It was a divine
arrangement for a
renaissance and liberation of
a particular sect that is
under bondage.”
A case for one Nigeria
Worried by the agitation for
a sovereign state of Biafra,
the Nigerian-Jewish
community has reiterated its
support for Nigeria as one
indivisible entity
notwithstanding
dissatisfaction raised by
some ethnic groups.
The National President, Pan
Africa Jewish Alliance, PAJA,
Most Rev. Kohen Okorie who
made the call at a press
briefing in Onitsha, Anambra
state, yesterday to usher in
a week-long centenary
celebration of Sabbaths in
Nigeria, Nigerian-Jews
disagreed with Biafra
agitators who are calling for
secession from the country..
According to him, “We so
much believe in the unity of
Nigeria. The Jewish
community in Nigeria in
conjunction with Pan Africa
Jewish Alliance PAJA
disagrees with the detained
Director of Radio Biafra, Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu, on the nation
of Biafra to secede from
Nigeria.”
Although we accept him as an
Igbo Jew and support most of
his views on Igbo nation but
we totally disagrees with him
on secession”.
Okorie, however, called on
Nigerians to always think of
how they would build and
unite the country instead of
how they would divide it.