A Biafran who goes by the name Ukaegbu O. Ukaegbu, spoke with Biafra writers at the venue where the arrested IPOB brethren were proclaimed released. He expressed profound happiness and gratitude to God for the victory granted IPOB. He further urged every Biafran never to relent until Biafra freedom is achieved. See details of interview below.
BRIAFRA WRITERS: Good afternoon Sir, my name is Anyikwa Kelechi Cynthia of Biafra Writers, under the leadership of Nnamdi Kanu. May I know your name?
UKAEGBU: My name is Ukaegbu O. Ukaegbu from Aba, Abia state.
BRIAFRA WRITERS: What is your position in the Biafra struggle?
UKAEGBU: I am a Biafran by birth, by ordination. I also attend IPOB family meetings. What matters in IPOB today is your achievement - what you can do, not position. I dedicated myself for this Biafra restoration project. Though I'm a principal Officer of State, I don't see that as a title. The major, important thing is my impact, my contributions towards the restoration of Briafran, that is all.
BIAFRA WRITERS: Were you in court today?
UKAEGBU: Yes, I was.
BIAFRA WRITERS: Very good. Can you explain what transpired in court today?
UKAEGBU: We heard an information that the Court will be sitting today. This morning, I left Aba for Umuahia to Magistrate Court. Though we attended two court sessions. The first was in Magistrate Court 5 for the two Biafrans that were detained in Afara Prison, Umuahia.
They were arrested on the 9th of February, 2016 at Aba, but were kept in Afara Prison. Our defense counsel pleaded with the honorable Court to grant the two detained IPOB bail and discharge them today being 11th August, 2016 because the case was already fixed for the 1st of September, 2016. Their names were also among the names that were discharged today by the Attorney General of the State. The two defendants will be release tomorrow, 12th August, 2016 because the Court granted the plea of the Counsel and shifted the date from 1st September to tomorrow, 12th August 2016. They will be released tomorrow, hopefully.
After that, we now moved to Court 2, where the other 20 IPoB also arrested in Aba were discharged and acquitted after the presiding Judge read out the letter from the Attorney General of the State, after due investigation that there was no evidence to prosecute or keep detaining them, 'They should be released'. Based on that, the case was dropped, cancelled, they were discharged and acquitted. That was why nobody stood for bail, they were all asked to leave the court and go.
BIAFRA WRITERS: How many of the detained IPOB were released today?
UKAEGBU: They were altogether 20 but one had earlier been released two days ago by the family members.
BIAFRA WRITERS: How do you feel over the release of IPOB who have been in detention for months?
UKAEGBU: I feel very happy because today was their first time of being in Court and they were also released today. I'm overwhelmed and encouraged because two things happened in Court today. First, our brethren regained their freedom again. Secondly, IPOB at large as a family has been vindicated, even our leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
I know this victory will make impact in his case as well because the same charge these 20 released IPOB were facing, is also the same charge our Director, Nnamdi Kanu is facing. And today, if a competent Court of jurisdiction would come up that there is no evidence tangible to prosecute them on the charges of levying war, the Federal Government of Nigeria automatically, I know, will come up with no evidence against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, equally.
So today, I see it as a victory for justice because when looking at the whole scenario, these people never committed any crime, what they were doing was exercising their rights to self-determination, which is enshrined in the United Nations Charter on the Rights of Indigenous People, which the Nigerian government is a signatory to, that any indigenous people who are in a place and are no longer finding it comfortable, have the right to desire for freedom and it must be granted to them. That is exactly what our leader, Nnamdi Kanu came up with, and that is what all Biafrans are asking for.
Today is a victory for IPOB, it is a justification that we are committing no crime nor offence, rather what we are asking for what is legitimate, it is our right. This is 21st century, we are no longer in a stone age where people are forced to remain in a place against their will. I think people should be allowed to express their feelings, to express their minds and exercise their rights. Today's rulings have really encouraged justice and I think the Federal Government of Nigeria will also reciprocate by obeying the rule of law and follow issues from the justice point of view.
BIAFRA WRITERS: What message do you have for Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Briafra (who have also been in detention for months) over today's victory?
UKAEGBU: My message to our great leader, Nnamdi Kanu, is that what happened today automatically shows that he is right in what he is doing because God will be with you when you are on the right path, and he has been right all along. Again, he should be strong and courageous. The courage I saw on the faces of our brethren that came out of prison today including Biafrans who followed our entourage to Court shows that IPOB are ready to do anything, to go to any length, to make sacrifices to make sure Biafra is restored.
Their brevity is second to none even in the face of the tight security, they were able to speak out before everyone in the Court. This proves they are willing to lay down their lives, and also shows they have found a leader in our able leader, Nnamdi Kanu. So I say, what happened today should be a great encouragement to him, we are with him and ready to do anything because what he is pursuing is just, what he is asking for is truly his right and rights of all Biafrans.
He should be resolute knowing that what happened today will in turn replicate itself again in his own case despite delay, despite torture, despite politics, despite whatever captivity they have put him into, they will surely come out with truth that he committed no crime, that he should be allowed to go.
BIAFRA WRITERS: What do you have for Biafrans all over the world?
UKAEGBU: Biafrans should remove fear because Lion begets Lion. They should come out from their hiding and bury fear. Biafrans should be bold and say, "this is our right!", "this is what we want!". Let's be courageous because victory of today is victory for all. I appreciate those that work tirelessly towards the Biafra movement and especially to make sure our detained brethren were released. People like Mr Chinonso Nwachukwu and Nwosu Ugochukwu, I thank them because they tried seriously in making sure our efforts were crowned with success. I appreciate those that gave out money and their time to stand with their brethren in difficulties.
Lastly, the success we recorded today is not for money or for any person to take glory, the glory only goes to God who helped us. My joy today is not that our brothers were released, my joy is that "justice has prevailed". As they were released today, that is how it's going to be for our leader, Nnamdi Kanu. I'm happy because Nnamdi Kanu always say, "in the end, we must win". We never asked for war nor violence, we only said, "leave us alone, let us be on our own".
Today is a judgement to Nigeria law enforcement agencies for killing innocent defenseless Briafrans. The people they killed that day if were to be alive today would have been released too. So, because no evidence whatsoever was found to prosecute those that are alive, the same way no evidence whatsoever will guarantee the killing of those innocent people they murdered, we say, Nigeria is owing us, and they must pay. That is our promise to them. They will pay by giving us our freedom, and they will pay by facing karma.
BIAFRA WRITERS: That would be all, thanks for giving me the audience.
UKAEGBU: You're welcome.
By Anyikwa Kelechi Cynthia
Published By Nwosu C.S
For Biafra Writers
BIAFRA,A GLORIOUS LAND THAT GIVES JEHOVAH SMILES ON EARTH.WE SHALL GET THERE WITH A STEP FURTHER AS SUCH IS ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL.BIAFRA LIVES TO GOD'S GLORY!!! (FROM BIAFRAN RABBI)
ReplyDelete