Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, otherwise called Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, warned Tuesday, in Onitsha, Anambra State, that Nigeria would not know peace until the United Nations, UN, accorded Biafra an independent status
Sounding the note of warning through her Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, the movement recalled that her leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, had met all the necessary procedures for self determination struggle, saying granting independent status to Biafra would be the only solution for enduring lasting peace in Nigeria.
“One of the procedures we met is that the first thing MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, did after his formation of MASSOB, on September 13, 1999, was to submit Biafra Bill of Rights on November 1st, 1999, to the United Nations.
“He also accompanied his request by applying for an observer status in any of the organs of the United Nations, no other group did this’, Mocha said.
Mocha hinted further that it was on the strength of Uwazuruike’s application to UN that Mr. Kofi Anan, at the period as Secretary-General of the global body, personally intervened and secured his release in the year 2000, during his arrest at the meeting of Organization of Africa Unity, (OAU), now African Union, AU, in Lome, Togo .
He revealed that Uwazuruike also depended on the Montevideo Convention of 1933, which was the more reason why Biafra was admitted into Unrepresented Nations and People’s Organization as 46th Member -Nation on July 31st 2020.
Mocha who disclosed also that Biafra was listed among the five new exiting Nations, stated that the movement from inception in 1999, had carried out its agitation for Biafra State through peaceful means till date.
He said that the United Nations having appreciated the importance of self determination struggle for independence, inserted in one of the Charters as inalienable right, right to life, right to freedom of association, among others.
Mocha expressed hope that having made several submissions to United Nations for Biafra Sovereignty, the movement has satisfied the United Nations beyond all reasonable doubt that granting independent status to Biafra would be the only solution to peace in Nigeria.
“It is imperative that through our non-violence process, we have also convinced, satisfied the United Nations through our several petitions including the genocide committed against our people by the Nigerian state that there will be no peace in Nigeria until a full fledged independent status is granted to Biafra,” he warned.