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CLO Decries FG’s Alleged Favouritism to MASSOB

Published

10 years ago

March 16, 2015

ZONAL Director of the Civil Liberties Organisation South East, Mr. Olu Omotayo, has raised an alarm over alleged selected justice as it concerns the advancement of Biafra activism in the county.
The group noted that while members of Movement for the Actualisation for the Soverign State of Biafra, MASSOB, that protested the removal of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chairman, Mr. Attahiru Jega, were left untouched, some of their colleagues in the same struggle, led by Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, are currently facing a treason offence.
Omotayo stated this, weekend, in Enugu, following a demonstration carried out simultaneously in Enugu, Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi and Imo states by MASSOB, calling for the exit of INEC national chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, on the ground that he was not capable of conducting free and fair polls. That protest, though peaceful, attracted a large turn-out of MASSOB members who disrupted vehicular movements in Enugu, especially on the major roads.
Reacting to the development, Omotayo, in a statement, yesterday, said: “It is no news that Benjamin Onwuka and 10 other Biafra activists are standing trial for treason before an Enugu Federal High Court presided ov- er by Hon. Justice D.V. Agishi. “It should be noted that part of the offences leveled against the activists was riasing of the Biafran flag at the Enugu State Broadcasting Corporation and the state Government House.
“The Attorney-General of the Federation had maintained before the court that the Biafra activists belong to an outlawed violent group and also maintained that Biafra flags and other emblems depicting the state of Biafra are outlawed. “The most surprising thing in Enugu city today was the full police protection accorded a faction of Biafra activists campaigning for the removal of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.
The protesters in Biafra Army uniforms, carrying Biafra flags and other Biafra emblems protested round Enugu city. “What happened today at Enugu shows that the country has actually jettisoned the rule of law which is the cardinal principle in any civilised democracy and we are now operating the Rule of the Jungle.”