A pro-Biafra group, Biafra National Guard, on Monday in Enugu, warned governors of the South-East states to order the release of its members detained in various prisons in the region or forget about conducting the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State.
BNG claimed that some of its members had been held in various prisons across the region, especially in Onitsha and Awka Correctional Centres, with some of them having spent over 15 years in detention without trial.
A statement issued in Enugu on Monday by the Head of BNG, Nsikak Akpan, in a statement, described as provocative the illegal detention of several Biafran prisoners of conscience.
The BNG said, “Under no circumstance must any harm or injury be done to these prisoners of conscience: Mrs. Onyekachi Orji, Miss Okwudiri Bassey, Uche Idikaigbo, Michael Okezie, Uchenna Nicholas, Peter Igbokwe, Ikechukwu Aghara, Chima Asor and Chinweike Irondi.
“Others are Sabastine Amadi, Casmir Odakara, Ojemba Anyanwu, Eni Kalu, Ndubuisi Okam, Ikechukwu Chikwem, Emmanuel Orji, Chukwuma Kalu, Chidiebere Chikwem and Mmaduabuchi Asika.”
The group, therefore, issued a May 31, 2021 ultimatum to the South-East governors to unconditionally release and compensate “these Biafran prisoners of conscience held in the Onitsha and Awka Prisons.
“Why should innocent women be made to suffer for the supposed crime of their husbands? Even among those incarcerated is a pregnant woman who has not set sight on her child since she gave birth in prison.
“The BNG will kick start her activities in Anambra State. We emphasise that the slated November governorship poll will not be allowed to hold and the state shall be disrupted from being governed.
“The Nigeria security forces must desist from authorising arrest, patrol, checkpoint or show of uniform in Biafra territory.”