The United Nations (UN) may conduct referendum to determine Biafra’s seccession from Nigeria, by the first quarter of 2016, if the information by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB is anything to go by.
This was disclosed by the new leader of MASSOB , Comrade Uchenna Madu, in an exclusive interview with newsmen, yesterday, in Umuahia .
Madu said MASSOB’s leadership was in touch “with the relevant international organizations towards achieving this”, which he added, would give the needed international legitimacy to the break- away Biafran Republic.
His words: “We are seriously working with the relevant international organizations, and by the first quarter of next year, the stage will be set for that. We are doing the necessary things needed for referendum after which we will bade final bye to Nigeria”.
The MASSOB leader also said the group was partnering with another Niger Delta group called Lower Niger Congress towards actualising self determination for the people of the older Eastern Region.
He said there was no going back on their agitation for a sovereign Biafran Republic, arguing that “many have sacrificed their lives for the struggle”.
Madu restated the non- violence stance of MASSOB in pressing home its demands for autonomy, saying that no amount of provocations by the security agents would make the group to turn violent.
He also said that Biafran agitators would not be deterred by the antics of “those who are jittery over our achievements , and we will continue to resist their attempts to make us go violent”.
The MASSOB chief said the group would continue to partner with the Independent People of Biafra ( IPOB) , and other genuine pro- Biafran groups “until Biafra is fully achieved “.
He also said MASSOB was working assiduously to secure release for the detained IPOB leader and Radio Biafra Director, Nnamdi Kanu, vowing to sustain the efforts until he was freed.
“We only have two demands: unconditional release of Kanu, and the sovereign state of Biafra”, he said.
Madu said it was regrettable that the Nigerian authorities would continue to detain Kanu who had not taken up arms against the country despite a court order for his release.
Asked if MASSOB was willing to readmit its expelled former leader, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, Madu said Uwazurike’s fate would be determined after the committee set up to investigate his alleged crimes had turned in its report.
He demanded that Uwazurike must release all MASSOB documents in his custody .
Madu also said MASSOB was making frantic efforts to secure the release of all its members allegedly abandoned by Uwazurike in various prison and police detentions, and to accord a befitting burial to others who died during the struggle.
He said adequate compensation would also be paid to the families of dead MASSOB members whose corpses are still littered in various mortuaries.
Madu appealed to all Biafran agitators to remain peaceful and committed to the struggle until Biafra was realized.
