BIAFRA: IPOB MEMBERS WHO WERE MALTREATED BY NIGERIAN SOLDIERS ON THE VIDEO THAT WENT VIRAL; NARRATE THEIR ORDEAL

Chijindu Benjamin Ukah reporting | For Biafra Writers

September 19, 2017

Some citizens of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, who were recently molested, harassed, intimidated and forced to lay on muddy waters by the agents of the Nigeria army last week, along Aba-Umuahia express road has narrated their sordid encounter on the hands of the Army.

In this interview with Biafra Writers Correspondent, the victims narrated the firsthand experience about how they were maltreated by the murderous and high-handed soldiers.

Excerpts:

WITNESS ONE:

Reporter: What's your name sir?

My name is ONUMAJURU ONYEKACHI MC-SANTUS

R: Are you among the people who were maltreated by Nigerian soldiers?

Yes.

R: When did it happen?

It happened on Tuesday 12th September 2017.

R: Where were you traveling to, when the soldiers stopped you?

We were going to Umuahia, to answer an emergency call by the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, for some IPOB family to converge at his hometown, Afara Ukwu Ibeku.

R: Can you share your experience of what happened on that day?

Yes. As we were going, on approaching Isiala Ngwa, we met army checkpoint with over two hundred (200) Nigerian soldiers with their Lorries and Hilux vans parked by the roadside they stopped our bus and asked us where we are going, we said we are going to Umuahia, they searched us and didn’t find anything incriminating on us but one of them looked at a basket in our bus and saw a Biafra flag and shouted “na them, na them, they are all men there is no woman there, automatically they are either IPOB or MASSOB” they ordered us to come down from the bus. They started maltreating us, beating us like a cow, I myself they stabbed me with a Bonnard knife, the one on the nozzle of their AK47, you can see my back.

After beating us for about 45minutes with cable wire, plank, horsewhip, bamboo base and anything they can lay their hands on, they ordered us to go into the nearby mud/starchy water and command us to start drinking it or they will shoot at us, if you raise your head up they will hit you with any weapon within their reach and even step on your head with their boot inside that water, they made sure all of us drank it.

R: How many were you?

Actually, I cannot really say because there were other people there but in our own bus, we are nineteen (19) in number including our driver. When they stopped us, there were already two (2) dead bodies with fresh blood lying beside the muddy water, one was wearing Biafra sandals while the other one was naked, their blood was also inside the mud/starchy water the soldiers forced us to drink.

While we were still there, they were bringing more Biafrans to join us in drinking and rolling in the muddy water. They took some of our belongings including, phones, money, pieces of jewelry and other things. We came back half naked, dirty and empty.

R: Did the soldiers tell you why they were maltreating you?

Yes, they told us they are here for IPOB members, to clamp down everything IPOB is doing.

R: Where did this incident happen?

They stopped us at a checking point between Isiala Ngwa and Ntigha junction Abia State, along Aba-Umuahia expressway.

R: About what time did this incident happen?

We got to the army checkpoint around 2:30 to 3pm.

WITNESS TWO:

ELDER PAUL UZOAGA:

“They ordered us to kneel down in a single file, hold each other’s shoulder and cross the tarred road with our knees. I am 61 years old, they did not care that I am an old man, if you look at my back you will see the maps they drew on my weak body with their horsewhip. They told us that our IPOB will end today, that we are going to join those people lying lifeless, and asked us to say our last prayer, after saying our last prayer they surrounded us and cork their guns”.

One of the soldiers asked me how much does Nnamdi Kanu give? I told him that Nnamdi Kanu does not give us any money. We are fighting for our freedom and we do not need to be paid to do so, he said in pidgin English “NO!  Nnamdi Kanu de give una 1,000 naira” I said no we are only fighting for our freedom, he asked me whether we have gotten that freedom now, I answered that I have hope that we will get the freedom someday.

He said Nnamdi Kanu is in London with his family enjoying his life and we are here following him wasting our lives that they are going to end our lives here, I told him no problem. They told us that they are waiting for the command to shoot us dead; they ordered us to continue rolling in that mud dirty water.

R: How did you escape?

We kept rolling in that water until one of them received a phone call, from his reaction after the phone call there was panic among them as though someone has sabotaged them, immediately, they asked us to get out of the water, be in a single file, hold each other on the shoulder and begin to run. We thought they were going to shoot at us but by the infinite mercy of Chikwu Okike Abiama, God almighty, we were not consumed.

R: After this maltreatment by Nigerian Soldiers, are you going to abandon the struggle for the Biafra restoration?

I cannot go back from this struggle, instead of abandoning the struggle; I will rather give up my entire family. I will continue to follow Mazi Nnamdi Kanu till death because he is the one who can lead us to freedom. Biafra is my life and the hope of my children and grandchildren.

There are many Biafrans who have had similar and worst experiences; some have been killed by Nigerian soldiers while some are still undergoing all manner of inhumane and degrading treatment. However, survivors and those who escaped from Nigeria army barracks and torture camps are ready to be interviewed by Amnesty International, human right organizations, and international journalists.

Watch Video of the ugly incident

More reports coming...

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Edited and published by Charles Opanwa