Ihuoma Chiedozie, Enugu
An attempt by the members of the Biafran Zionists Federation to invade and take over the Enugu State Government House was foiled by a combined team of security agencies in the early hours of Wednesday.
Our correspondent in Enugu observed that there was partial compliance with the sit-at-home protest ordered by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra to mark the ‘Biafra Day’ on May 30, the date the breakaway state declared independence from Nigeria in 1967.
BZF, a pro-Biafran group led by Benjamin Onwuka, a lawyer, had earlier announced plans to commemorate the Biafra Day by raising the flag of the defunct Republic of Biafra at the Government House.
Having vowed that ‘not even fighter jets’ would stop him from going ahead with the plan, Onwuka and a band of his followers made for the Government House around 7 am.
However, the Zionists, who were carrying Biafran flags and musical instruments, which were to be used to celebrate the anticipated success of the mission, were rounded up before they could reach the gates of the Government House by a team of security operatives, including the men of the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services.
It was gathered that Onwuka and about 15 other members of the group were arrested during the encounter.
But several others escaped.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, told our correspondent that Onwuka and some of his members were in custody.
Amaraizu added that the BZF leader would, once again, be arraigned, and prosecuted, for the latest offence.
“He is in custody, he will be arraigned,” Amaraizu said, in response to enquiries by our correspondent.
The Biafra Zionists Federation had attempted to declare the independence of Biafra in the past.
Onwuka was detained, and tried for treason, after leading some members of the BZF to invade the studios of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service in a failed bid to announce the secession of Biafra on June 5, 2014.
A policeman was killed during the incident.
Meanwhile, the Deputy leader of the Biafran Zionists Federation, Mazi Ambrose Ugwu, has demanded the release of Onwuka and about 21 members of the group who were arrested during an attempt to take over Enugu State Government House on Wednesday.
Reacting to Onwuka’s arrest, Ugwu, who blamed the governors of the South-East states for the development, warned that the governors would face the wrath of the United States and other ‘international allies’ of the pro-Biafran group, if Onwuka was not released immediately.
He said, “Peace-loving Zionists were today treated like common criminals by the police, who were doing the bidding of the South-East governors. They beat our members, including our commander, like criminals.
“What happened today is very condemnable. We hold South-East governors responsible. There is collaboration among the five of them to crush the pro-Biafran agitators. But we are not going be cowed. We are giving them an ultimatum to release them immediately.
“Failure to do so, they will have the United States and our other international allies to contend with.”
In a related development, the sit-at-home protest recorded partial compliance in Enugu on Wednesday.
Unlike the 2017 edition, which grounded commercial and social activities in Enugu metropolis, many residents went about their normal engagements on Wednesday.
Our correspondent observed that most shops and offices opened for business, and commercial transit buses and tricycle riders took passengers to various destinations.
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