Police raid MASSOB office in Anambra

Policemen from Otuocha Division of the Anambra State Command on Tuesday, allegedly raided the office of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) at about 5p.m., and came back ostensibly to force the removal of a Biafran flag hoisted on top of a tall tree within the office vicinity.

The police team had on Monday at about 2p.m., allegedly raided the office along Oyeagu-Otuocha Road, Umudiani village, and removed the flag. The policemen also allegedly destroyed the doors and windows of the house.

They were said to have collected seven plastic chairs, one centre table, two  GSM handsets and arrested three members of the group including one Chidi Igboba, Mike Ojukwu and Uchenna Okeke.

According to a MASSOB source, on Tuesday evening, the policemen also repeated their alleged regular invasion of the Anambra North zonal office, although no person was in the office when the policemen arrived. The source said a passer-by, whose name was given as Okechukwu Udeogu, was arrested, alleging that the suspect was forced to climb a tree and remove the flag at gunpoint.

“When he (Okechukwu) could not climb the tree further, he fell down and became unconscious until the DPO ordered his men to put him inside the Hilux van and was taken to an undisclosed hospital for treatment,” the source stated.

Reacting to the invasion, MASSOB’s Deputy National Information Officer, Mazi Chris Mocha, described the incident as childish in the sense that the on-slaught on MASSOB would not, according to him, stop its agitation for Biafra’s independence.

MASSOB urged  Governor Willie Obiano to ensure early release of the arrested members “since they have not committed any offence.”