Anthony Iwuoma
Leader of the Movement for Sovereign State of Biafra and Biafra Independence Movement (BIM-MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has absolved Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, of blame in the military operations on Oyigbo area of Rivers State, saying the governor has no power to command the military.
Speaking in a YouTube interview., the pro-independence Biafra leader blamed Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, for the killings.
According to him, the military operation in the area was directly linked to Kanu’s order, directing his supporters to kill soldiers, policemen and burn police stations.
He added that the operations were not targeted at Ndigbo but planned to fish out those that killed soldiers and took away their rifles.
He cited instances where such operations had taken place in the past like Odi and Zaki Biam where soldiers had been killed.
“Sometimes in 2001 and 2002, the youths of Odi killed some soldiers in Odi and Obasanjo sent the military. They wiped Odi out,” Uwazurike recalled.
“At the same time, the people of Zaki Biam killed some soldiers; Obasanjo also sent soldiers and Zaki Biam was brought down.
“Nyesom Wike is not killing any Igbo man. It is not an Igbo thing. Nyesom Wike has no capacity to command the Army to kill anybody in Rivers State.
“It is only the Commander in Chief that can do so like Obasanjo did.
“The soldiers are killing those who killed their own. This thing has nothing to do with End SARS. The End SARS were doing their thing until some people went to tollgate and killed some people.
“Then someone in London (Kanu) started that minute to say kill army, kill police, burn houses. Then his supporters in Oyigbo started killing. He gave them the instruction. It was on tape.”
Uwazurike traced the origin of how Igbo communities were renamed after the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, saying: “We all knew what happened in Rivers state immediately after the war when Umuokoro was changed to Rumuokoro, Umuola was changed to Rumuola and Obigbo was changed to Oyigbo.
“It was not Wike that changed them. And it is not someone in London ranting on radio that will change them back to their normal forms now.
“You are holding some people, whatever you say they must do. You ask them to kill the army and security officials without knowing the consequences.”
