Biafrans’ mega protest and Police threat
By Tim Tochukwu
Nigerian Police on Saturday, October 31, boasted it would “crush” any protest by Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). The Police made the boast in reaction to reports of plans by the Biafrans to organize peaceful, but mega rallies across major towns and cities in Nigeria. The rallies were to demand the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Kanu, who is also the Director of Radio Biafra, was arrested on October 17 in Lagos as he was journeying to his homeland, Biafraland. Since then, the government of Muhammadu Buhari has been playing games with his arrest. First they denied that they did not have him in their custody. Later, they accepted they had him when Radio Biafra exposed their shenanigans, and finally they claimed the court had granted him bail. But about 18 days after, he has not been released. For this reason, his fellow IPOB members, a cross section of Biafrans have been organizing protest across Biafraland.
Protests have also been going on in the more than 86 countries where IPOB have family meetings. They have, up till now, stormed Nigerian Embassies in those countries demanding their leader’s release. Such countries include the United Kingdom; United States of America (USA); Russia; China; Japan; Hong Kong; Malaysia; and India. Others include Greece; Sweden; France; Russia; Italy; Germany; Brazil and several other foreign countries including African countries. At a time, many of them started shifting their attention from Nigerian embassies by focusing on British High Commissions in those countries. They started doing so especially when they discovered that the British government was indeed supporting Buhari’s action. A certain Grant Shapps, who is British Minister of State, had released a statement explaining that his country was in full support of Buhari’s actions as a result, Biafrans in such countries as Hong Kong and USA started protesting in front of British High Commissions. Now, Biafrans in Biafraland and Nigeria have finalized plans to organize protests in major towns, they called “Biafran Millions’ March”, among several other names. It is this peaceful protest that Nigerian Police, speaking through its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs. Olabisi Kolawole, said it would “crush”. Part of her words was: “Police everywhere (in the country) have beefed up security; the directive has been there that the police should beef up security all over. “Measures have already been put in place to ensure security, and nobody will be allowed to disturb the peace of the nation”. After reading the Police threat, one could not help but wonder why the Police would use such a language for a peaceful protest. IPOB members are not violent and they do not bear arms. Why would the Police “crush” them? Worldwide, IPOB have been having protests in the past seven years, but no violence report has been filed against them. May 30 this year, IPOB organized its Heroes Remembrance Day. Up to three million people attended it, and there was no breach of peace. Why then would the Police “crush” them? Do they bear any arm? No, they do not bear arms; they have never borne arms.
Once, during an interview, this writer asked Kanu the source of IPOB strength. His answer was prompt and direct. Without blinking an eye, and without thinking twice, he explained that IPOB’s weapon was simply truth. According to him, each time a single truth was told about “the fraud called Nigeria” by Radio Biafra (in opposition to the many lies of Nigeria), it sends Nigeria closer to its well-deserved grave. He described truth as being stronger than weapons, and as such did not see why people should associate the Biafran struggle with violence. Kanu once said that all he had ever done was tell Nigerians and the world the truth about Nigeria, which has always sent Nigerians to panic. He said it was unfortunate that Nigerians would want to bully and intimidate those who bear truth. Tomorrow, November 6, Biafrans will be stepping out into the streets of Biafraland to protest Kanu’s detention. According them, they would be doing that also with truth, and the truth would be found in the placards they will carry and the songs they will sing. They termed the protest as “the mega rally” or “The Biafran Millions’ March” to freedom. What the Nigerian government and its agents and agencies like the Police should be doing now is to start constructing answers to the truth the Biafrans will be bearing on that day. They should not bother themselves about crushing anybody because it would be a peaceful rally and not war. The Police should not bother about the Biafran agitators bearing arms because they would not. But the Police should bother about the truth the people would be bearing on that day, and how to explain it to the world. For instance, the Police will have to find explanation for James Ibori, a Biafran, being the only ex-governor that is in jail. They should find explanation to why Henry Orkah is still in prison in South Africa.
They should bother how to explain the murder of Alamieseigha, Isaac Boro, Aminosari Dikibo; Harry Marshal; Ken Saro Wiwa, Chuba Okadigbo, and several others. They should be prepared to tell the world who murdered the Biafran agitators found floating in Ezu River in 2013. They should be prepared to tell the world why they have murdered more than 2300 Biafran activists since 1999. They should be prepared to answer these questions and several others like it. Yes, it is truth they will be bearing during that protest that will commence on Friday, November 6, and not guns. After reading this article, does Mrs. Kolawole still maintain that Police will “crush” the Biafran agitators? If she does, then she should know that her case is already like that of the fabled Biafra tortoise. Tortoise had boasted it would crush a pregnant woman to death whenever there would be a race-for-life. Eventually, a race-for-life occurred, and a pregnant woman was crushed to death, and Mr. Tortoise was held responsible. Kolawole should know that if Police brutality or firing of life-bullets at protesters occurs on that day and someone dies, she would be held responsible. International Criminal Court may not bother about those in Aso Rock and Police Headquarters that gave her the assignment, but they would surely bother about her because of her threats. However, there is still time for her to get back to media and recant her threat.
By Tim Tochukwu
Nigerian Police on Saturday, October 31, boasted it would “crush” any protest by Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB). The Police made the boast in reaction to reports of plans by the Biafrans to organize peaceful, but mega rallies across major towns and cities in Nigeria. The rallies were to demand the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Kanu, who is also the Director of Radio Biafra, was arrested on October 17 in Lagos as he was journeying to his homeland, Biafraland. Since then, the government of Muhammadu Buhari has been playing games with his arrest. First they denied that they did not have him in their custody. Later, they accepted they had him when Radio Biafra exposed their shenanigans, and finally they claimed the court had granted him bail. But about 18 days after, he has not been released. For this reason, his fellow IPOB members, a cross section of Biafrans have been organizing protest across Biafraland.
Protests have also been going on in the more than 86 countries where IPOB have family meetings. They have, up till now, stormed Nigerian Embassies in those countries demanding their leader’s release. Such countries include the United Kingdom; United States of America (USA); Russia; China; Japan; Hong Kong; Malaysia; and India. Others include Greece; Sweden; France; Russia; Italy; Germany; Brazil and several other foreign countries including African countries. At a time, many of them started shifting their attention from Nigerian embassies by focusing on British High Commissions in those countries. They started doing so especially when they discovered that the British government was indeed supporting Buhari’s action. A certain Grant Shapps, who is British Minister of State, had released a statement explaining that his country was in full support of Buhari’s actions as a result, Biafrans in such countries as Hong Kong and USA started protesting in front of British High Commissions. Now, Biafrans in Biafraland and Nigeria have finalized plans to organize protests in major towns, they called “Biafran Millions’ March”, among several other names. It is this peaceful protest that Nigerian Police, speaking through its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs. Olabisi Kolawole, said it would “crush”. Part of her words was: “Police everywhere (in the country) have beefed up security; the directive has been there that the police should beef up security all over. “Measures have already been put in place to ensure security, and nobody will be allowed to disturb the peace of the nation”. After reading the Police threat, one could not help but wonder why the Police would use such a language for a peaceful protest. IPOB members are not violent and they do not bear arms. Why would the Police “crush” them? Worldwide, IPOB have been having protests in the past seven years, but no violence report has been filed against them. May 30 this year, IPOB organized its Heroes Remembrance Day. Up to three million people attended it, and there was no breach of peace. Why then would the Police “crush” them? Do they bear any arm? No, they do not bear arms; they have never borne arms.
Once, during an interview, this writer asked Kanu the source of IPOB strength. His answer was prompt and direct. Without blinking an eye, and without thinking twice, he explained that IPOB’s weapon was simply truth. According to him, each time a single truth was told about “the fraud called Nigeria” by Radio Biafra (in opposition to the many lies of Nigeria), it sends Nigeria closer to its well-deserved grave. He described truth as being stronger than weapons, and as such did not see why people should associate the Biafran struggle with violence. Kanu once said that all he had ever done was tell Nigerians and the world the truth about Nigeria, which has always sent Nigerians to panic. He said it was unfortunate that Nigerians would want to bully and intimidate those who bear truth. Tomorrow, November 6, Biafrans will be stepping out into the streets of Biafraland to protest Kanu’s detention. According them, they would be doing that also with truth, and the truth would be found in the placards they will carry and the songs they will sing. They termed the protest as “the mega rally” or “The Biafran Millions’ March” to freedom. What the Nigerian government and its agents and agencies like the Police should be doing now is to start constructing answers to the truth the Biafrans will be bearing on that day. They should not bother themselves about crushing anybody because it would be a peaceful rally and not war. The Police should not bother about the Biafran agitators bearing arms because they would not. But the Police should bother about the truth the people would be bearing on that day, and how to explain it to the world. For instance, the Police will have to find explanation for James Ibori, a Biafran, being the only ex-governor that is in jail. They should find explanation to why Henry Orkah is still in prison in South Africa. They should bother how to explain the murder of Alamieseigha, Isaac Boro, Aminosari Dikibo; Harry Marshal; Ken Saro Wiwa, Chuba Okadigbo, and several others. They should be prepared to tell the world who murdered the Biafran agitators found floating in Ezu River in 2013. They should be prepared to tell the world why they have murdered more than 2300 Biafran activists since 1999. They should be prepared to answer these questions and several others like it. Yes, it is truth they will be bearing during that protest that will commence on Friday, November 6, and not guns. After reading this article, does Mrs. Kolawole still maintain that Police will “crush” the Biafran agitators? If she does, then she should know that her case is already like that of the fabled Biafra tortoise. Tortoise had boasted it would crush a pregnant woman to death whenever there would be a race-for-life. Eventually, a race-for-life occurred, and a pregnant woman was crushed to death, and Mr. Tortoise was held responsible. Kolawole should know that if Police brutality or firing of life-bullets at protesters occurs on that day and someone dies, she would be held responsible. International Criminal Court may not bother about those in Aso Rock and Police Headquarters that gave her the assignment, but they would surely bother about her because of her threats. However, there is still time for her to get back to media and recant her threat.
Ana agwo Ona ere! We still remain resolute they can dare but they will not succeed Chukwuokikeabiama is with us!
ReplyDeleteLet the police be ready. A dead man cannot fear to die. We are dead, only Biafra can resurrect us. Tomorrow will count. It is FIGHT TO FINISH.
ReplyDelete