Hyacinth Chinweuba
Members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) are currently staging what they called the “revolution protest” in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital in defiance of the group’s ban by Governor Dave Umahi.
The protesters were seen marching through the state capital, singing and chanting words like “We’re here to defend our land, we are here to take it by force. We fear no man…we fear nobody…we are not afraid of (Governor) Dave Umahi and his native doctors…we need revolution…we need Biafra”
The protesters were led by the group’s coordinator in Ebonyi north senatorial district, Wisdom Ezike.
Some of them were seen tying red clothing and other substances that looked like charms around their bodies.
They said, “We are heading to CBS police station, where Governor Umahi has packed native doctors and Fulani herdsmen to attack peaceful protesters.”
The IPOB members said they were staging the protest in compliance with the directive issued by their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
It would be recalled that Governor Umahi had last in 2019 banned IPOB members from organizing activities in any part of Ebonyi after the group held a protest against the establishment of Ruga settlement in the state.
Umahi had said, “By that order, the IPOB has become an unlawful organisation, and all its activities become criminal within the provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention) Act of 2011.
“Members of the public are therefore warned that any participation in the activities of the organisation, under whatever guise has become an offence punishable under various laws of the country,” he said a statement jointly signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Ugbala, and the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Chief Kenneth Uhuo.