The leadership of the BIM/ MASSOB, a pro-Biafra movement hitherto known simply as MASSOB (Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra) has decried the arrest of an 89-year-old man, Chief Moses Amaechi, a member of the group’s Ojukwu Memorial Day celebration Committee, for possession of BIM/MASSOB identity card.
The old man was arrested and is being detained by operatives of the Anti- Kidnapping Unit (Tiger Base) of the Imo State Police Command.
The pro-Biafra group said Chief Amaechi was arrested on 12 October, 2024 while on his way to attend the meeting of the Ojukwu memorial day celebration scheduled to hold on 26 November, for allegedly being a member and sponsor of IPOB/ ESN.
In a press release signed on Tuesday by Mazi Chris Mocha, Director of Information of BIM/ MASSOB disclosed that the alleged offense of Chief Amaechi Moses, a Senior Biafra Soldier ( SBS) was his possession of the identity card of BIM/MASSOB signed by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, leader and founder of the Group.
The statement read: “The Imo State Police command, tiger base, Shell camp, Owerrİ, have arrested an 89-year old Biafran senior soldier (SBS), Chief Moses Amaechi who has been detained since October 12.
“The police had alleged that Elder Moses Amaechi was found in possession of a membership card belonging to BİM-MASSOB.
Police also alleged that Chief Amaechi is a member of İPOB/ESN and is sponsoring Eastern Security Network (ESN) to carry out heinous attacks on its facility which is not true.”
Mocha explained that the public bus conveying Elder Moses Amaechi from Cross River State to attend a national meeting in Owerri was stopped and all the occupants in the vehicle ordered to be searched.
During the search, a membership card personally signed by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike and belonging to BİM-MASSOB was found in Elder Amaechi’s possession.
“Amechi, a veteran soldier with BİM-MASSOB was subsequently arrested and taken into custody on October 12th. He has been kept incommunicado in the Shell camp, tiger base squad, Owerrİ, the state capital,” Mocha added.
“Elder Moses was on his way from Cross River State to attend a meeting at Ojukwu library, Area G, new Owerri, preparatory to Ojukwu Day celebration scheduled for November 26, next month.
The detained Moses Amaechi is a member of BİM-MASSOB ably led by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, and not sponsoring or working for İPOB/ESN as alleged by the police.
“While we demand his release, we wish to state that nothing incriminating was found on Elder Moses Amaechi because the membership card of BİM-MASSOB is not AK-47.”
