Barely three months to the 2023 general election, the founder and leader of Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, otherwise called, Biafra Independent Movement, BIM Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, Tuesday, urged Igbo living in the Northern part of the country not to return home over fear of attack but rather remain their to save guard their properties from miscreants who may capitalize on the situation to loot them.
Analyzing the coming February 2023 general elections in Nigeria, Uwazuruike recalled that since Independence in October 1,1960, it had been impossible for the country to transit smoothly from civilian to civilian rule, adding that each time Nigeria tried to transit from civilian to another civilian government, there had always been problems which some time resulted in military take over of government.
In a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Onitsha by his Director of Information, Elder Chris Anierobi Mocha , Uwazuruike stated that the killing of people in all parts of the country with impunity in order for the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC led Federal Government to retain political power at all cost, has started
“There is palpable fear and anxiety all over the country that the inevitable will happen, going by what Is happenning currently which is the jinx associated with the transition from civilian rule in Nigeria.
“A lot of members of BIM /MASSOB who live outside Igbo land are very anxious as what to do on or before the Presidential contest come February 2023. Some persons have also asked us if they are to relocate to Biafra or Southeast .
“Some of the leaders of our affiliate bodies in overseas (names with held) who are convinced that BIM /MASSOB Is the official organization speaking for the cause of Biafra in any capacity, have advised our people living outside Southeast to endeavour to relocate before the jinxed month of February 2023 .
But having studied the situation side by side with our motto of non-violence and non -exodus philosophy, we came up with the advice that our people should not run from their places of residence because it is against BIM/MASSOB’s method of non -exodus,” he hinted.
Uwazuruike recalled also that since the Islamic sect, Boko Haram and the Islamic State for West Africa Province., SWAP, and other dreaded terrorist groups issued an order that Southerners and Christians living in the North should leave or incur their wrath, their attacks in the Northern states had left many igbo as casualites .
According to Mocha, the principle of non-exodus is that no member of MASSOB or rather BIM/MASSOB should be encouraged to leave his base on account of fear or intimidation by the Hausa or Yoruba tribe in Nigeria.
He said that, “In formulating this principle for MASSOB or rather BIM/MASSOB, care was duly taken to ensure that Igbo do not risk their lives and property due to running from place to place in the event of crises in the evil country called nigeria,”
Mocha disclosed that stock was also looked into as how the Igbo had suffered untold hardship in the hands of ,Hausa and Yoruba and in some cases Edo and Middle belt people, who usually took the advantage of any crisis situation in Nigeria to block the roads against our people and dispossess them of their property and money while trying to escape for their dear lives.
‘”In most cases according to Mocha, our people wasted their lives on account of road accidents in the event of running away from the crisis area in Nigeria.
“As the official body recognised by the United Nations, UN, to speak for Biafra, we, therefore came reluctantly to the conclusion that the best thing our people should do is not to embark on wholesome exodus each time there is any crisis in Nigeria whether religious or political.
“BIM/MASSOB feels that the number of lives lost during crisis situation are more than what could actually be lost if we, ( Igbo), had remained in our places of residence in Nigeria.
“We know that if there is any fallout in the February 2023 election in Kano, the ordinary Hausa man will fight against Nyamiri not minding whether he is Yoruba, Edo or Igbo, just as if the same fight is taking place in Lagos or Ibadan, the ordinary Alaye boy will fight and declare war on the looting of Igbo property and killing the Igbo man.
East or west, it is always the Igbo man that is the casualty”, he posited.
He said that, “The answer to the February jinx Presidential election in Nigeria is not to run from our places of residence because it is against BIM/MASSOB’s principle of non-exodus”.
