The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has reacted to the comments of former President Olusegun Obasanjo over the recent pro-Biafra protests.

Speaking recently at a public discussion on Biafra organised by Nextier Advisory in Abuja, Obasanjo stated that the clamour for secession is a dead issue, that has become a money making venture.

Obasanjo had said: “Biafra as a secession issue is dead, and nobody should follow that way. I see it as a platform rather than a cause.”

“There is the commercialisation of the Biafran agitation, which is criminal – for example, the issuance of sold-called Biafran passport which takes on nowhere. Biafra agitation is as an industry; a means of making money. Biafra agitation is a hopeless and futile exercise of which nobody should embark on.”

Reacting to the former president’s statement, MASSOB’s Director of Information, Samuel Edeson on Monday said Biafra was not dead and would never die.

He said Obasanjo had tried to destroy the pro-Biafra group in the past, during his time as the country’s president.

Edeson said in spite of persecution masterminded by Obasanjo’s administration, including the killing of about 1000 MASSOB members at Umulolo, Okigwe, in Imo State, on March 29, 2003, the Biafra agitation persisted.

He also vowed that the pro-Biafra group would drag Obasanjo to the International Criminal Court for the alleged killings.

“MASSOB wishes to reply Obasanjo that Biafra is not dead and will never die.”

“Obasanjo should have known that after killing over 1000 MASSOB members at Umulolo, Okigwe, in Imo State on March 29, 2003, which he masterminded through Achike Udenwa, then governor of Imo State.”

“The killing of MASSOB members in Onitsha, Anambra State in 2006/2007, and detention of MASSOB members in various prisons in Nigeria has not stopped our agitation.”

“In 2006 while Uwazuruike was in Keffi prison, Obasanjo invited us to Aso Rock where he promised us millions of naira and to send us out of the country. Ghana-must-go bag of money just for us to forget Uwazuruike to die in prison.”

“But we rejected the offer,” Edeson said.

“Yes it is true that Uwazuruike has commercialised the struggle and that is why we expelled him from MASSOB. Obasanjo is ignorant of Biafra.”

Janeth J