Pro-Biafra Groups Demand Nigeria’s Expulsion from Commonwealth Over Killing of Protesters

Pro-Biafra Groups Demand Nigeria’s Expulsion from Commonwealth Over Killing of Protesters

No fewer than eight Pro-Biafra groups have asked for the immediate expulsion of Nigeria from the Common Wealth of Nations following the shooting and killing of protesters during the celebration of the 49th anniversary of the creation of the defunct Republic of Biafra.

Members of various pro-Biafra groups clashed with the police on May 30, and at least 10 pro-Biafra activists and one policeman were killed in the violent encounters.

Members of the secessionist groups made the demand after they rose from a meeting in the Ghanian capital, Accra over the weekend.

A communique released  at the end of the conference by MASSOB and Biafra Liberation Council, BLC leaders,Uchenna Madu and Austin-Mary Ndukwu respectively on behalf of eight other pro-Biafra groups. The groups wondered why the Common Wealth has not suspended Nigeria yet over the killings as it did in 1995 following widespread human rights abuses including the execution by hanging of Ogoni nine activists, and the detention and murder of winner of the June 12 1993 Presidential election MKO Abiola.

“The conference rejects Common Wealth of Nations’ blatant and double standard on the extra judicial killings of pro-Biafra activists who were going about their daily activities or peacefully exercising their right to demonstrate. We hereby demand immediate expulsion of the Federal Government from Common Wealth of Nations in compliance with the Harare Declaration and norms and principles of respect to peoples human right.

“It is the right of Common Wealth of Nations to respect its founding principles which it did over the unjust  execution of nine Ogoni activists and which it must do now over the illegal arrest, incessant torture,detention and imprisonment of the Director of Radio Biafra,Nnamdi Kanu; leader of Biafra Zoinist Movement,BZM,Ben Onwuka and Chukwuebuka Ikenwa among others.

“We strongly warn that failure to expel Nigeria from the Common Wealth of Nations will be a ‘carte blanch’ for the Buhari administration to continue unabated pogrom of extermination of people of Biafra origin. It will also be a free pass for the forceful Islamization of Christian people of Biafra and the extermination of the members of the Christian community within the confines of Federal Republic of Nigeria and Biafraland”.