Biafra: "Being Tortured Has Been The Best Experience of My Life" - Ejike Ofoegbu Narrates His Ordeal

July 6, 2017

I confronted my fears and I was glad I did. Being tortured has been the best experience of my life in this struggle for the restoration of Biafra. Torture is like running a marathon. It taught me how committed I have become in this struggle for justice; and it has fortified me in some ways, because you learn how much capacity you have in this body to resist your intimidation.

When I was arrested on July 2, 2017, I thought of running. I didn't know if they would kill me, again I thought: if I run, the people around me could be hurt. So I decided not to run, but face the whole thing, my fear, my sacrifice, an unknown fate.

At the spot, I was handcuffed by the Nigerian soldiers and was forcefully pushed into a Ford 'pickup' patrol vehicle. I was pressed down the vehicle so nobody could see me. They drove all around so I wouldn’t be able to tell where we were going.

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Finally, we came to a place where I was carelessly rolled down the vehicle; with my adrenaline at its peak, I was not feeling much of the pain. I was dragged to a dark room, locked with a big iron door. The next I heard was "what you got for me today?" Then the soldier that dragged me in replied, "oh, I’ve got a good fish for you."

In the smelling cell, I met a Biafran who cried to me about the torture they are receiving from the Nigerian soldiers since their unreported abduction. He said, "sometimes they withhold food and water and I will starve for about 3 days. I was given water once, a little tiny bit a day. They abuse me physically, slap my face, hit it so hard, and this stuff inside bleeds really easily, so there was blood, but there’s no mark.

"Another technique they use is the capucha, or hood. In some ways, it’s like waterboarding. But it’s not water here — a plastic bag with flour inside. And sometimes the powder gets inside you, and it doesn’t let you breathe right." Sometimes, a guy will hold your head backwards and someone will be hitting your face, asking you questions: Where are your leaders? Where are your leaders?

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"There was one moment that I almost died”he lamented. "I fainted and was handcuffed and stretched out. The soldiers believed I was almost dead and called in a higher officer. I heard their conversation, and they were worried because they had already agreed that they had me in their camp (thinking I was willing at the point to release information to them)."

According to him, after a Biafran is arrested, the government has 3 days "to agree they have you in their custody. For those first 3 days, they will threaten that you could be killed if they deny having you in their custody.

"Then, for the first 15 days of official custody, the hidden status quo allowed the soldiers to incarcerate Biafran agitators without considering the legal implications of it; tortured, then transferred to a regular prison.

"They would hit you to break your wrist. Lots of hits. They had learned where to hit you so that it hurts so much but will not leave a mark. They tie you up in painful positions and till you would almost lose your senses.

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"Another tactic was to leave you alone for a few days, so you start thinking that they have forgotten about you. Afterwards, they may keep you in the company of people you don’t know and who may be their informants. Most times, those informants talk nicely about Biafra and claim to be part of the struggle.

"There are psychologists behind this stuff who can read how you are responding to the torture that they are applying. They mix physical torture with psychological and physiological abuse. Our people have to be careful" he said.

After m several hours at the detention centre, they found nothing to incriminate me. I was lying down from that morning till 7:30pm at night, they requested for the muffler and other Biafran materials I had with me. They inquired about the distributor of those customized Biafran materials, and I replied them that I made them myself. They checked my phone and compromised my social media accounts.

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However, I consider it a privilege to have received a slap for the sake of Biafra; to be punished and to be humiliated for what I strongly believe in. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has shown us that no sacrifice is considered too much for freedom and I came out of the hands of the Nigerian soldiers more determined and resolute to be a part of this Biafra restoration project.

Edited By Somuadila Ugwummadu
Published By Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
Biafra Times