The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has claimed that the bodies found floating on Ezu River, the boundary between Anambra and Enugu states, were their members arrested by security agencies in different parts of the state last year.

According to MASSOB Director of Information, Uchenna Madu, the over 30 corpses found floating on Ezu River in Amansea community were MASSOB members, who were arrested in the state, they were never released nor charged to court and secretly executed by the security agents without a proper trial.

“MASSOB with deep sense of grief and sorrow wishes to inform Mr. Ban Ki Moon (UN Secretary General), President Goodluck Jonathan, US president, Barrack Obama, United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) and Amnesty International about the gruesome murder of MASSOB members by the Special Anti Robbery Squared SARS, of Nigeria Police Force, Awkuzu Anambra State,” Madu said.

He called on them to get involved and stop more extra judicial and secret killings of MASSOB members by security agents, stating that they had remained peacefulgroup in the face of several hostilities.

Madu went on to identify some of the bodies as members; Basil Ogbu, Michael Ogwa, Sunday Omogo, Philip Nwankpa, Eze Ndubisi, Ebuka Eze, Obinna Ofor, Joseph Udoh and Uchechukwu Ejiofor who were arrested on November 9, 2012 at the MASSOB security office Onitsha, Anambra State by security agents from the army, police and the SSS. He said they were later transferred and detained at the SARS headquarters, Awkuzu Anambra State where they disappeared suspiciously .

“Some of our disguised members and family relations of the detained members were denied access to them. Efforts by our counsel to secure their bail from the police were futile. Our demands for their arraignment before a competent court of law were frustrated by SARS officers.

They claimed that the court was not sitting because of Christmas. “We got information from an insider at SARS headquarters, Awkuzu that armless MASSOB members detained at SARS were secretly killed alongside other robbery suspects. Our lawyers, who confidently waited for their arraignment in January 2013 did not believe that such barbaric, primitive and wicked act could happen because, according to them, a comprehensive police reform on Human Rights was being carried out by the new Inspector General of Police.”

“We suspect that some dead bodies found at Ezu River, in Awka, Anambra State might be our members detained at SARS headquarters, Awkuzu.

We challenge the Anambra State police command to produce Basil Ogbu, Michael Ogwa, Sunday Omogo, Philip Nwamkpa, Eze Ndubuisi, Ebuka Eze, Obinna Ofor, Joseph Udoh and Uchechukwu Ejiofor detained at SARS headquarters Awkuzu or arraign them before a court of law,” he said.