Daily Independent Online.
*
Tuesday, June 22, 2004.
Kano riots: Pogrom
against Igbo, says MASSOB
By Sukuji Bakoji
Bureau Chief, Kaduna
Northern Chapter of the Movement for Actualisation of
the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has reacted angrily to media reports
that a total of 150 Igbo might have been killed in the recent ethno-religious
crisis in Kano city, describing the incident as a pogrom, which the
organisation would not longer tolerate.
The northern chapter of MASSOB, which has its
headquarters in Kaduna, was apparently reacting to the Sunday
Independent’s report that the Igbo Community Association (ICA) has
declared 150 of its members missing during the mayhem.
In a press release signed by the MASSOB’s
Executive Secretary (North), Chief Godwin Igbokwe, the group lamented that the
Igbo always bear the burnt whenever ethno-religious crisis erupts in any part
of the North in particular or in any part of the country generally.
It stated, “We have noted with disdain the
deliberate and calculated attempt by government, in connivance with her
security apparatus, at another attempt of genocide against Biafrans either in
their homeland as evidenced by the invasion of some towns in Rivers State notably
Ogbakiri amongst others where barbarians in the name of Nigerian military
freely killed people and burnt the village, leaving behind memories where
vandals in warfare left their footprint.
“And outside their homeland where in Kano,
Islamic fundamentalists in an unbridled anger and senselessness carried out
organised killing of Biafrans akin to the pogrom of the first republic, maiming
and looting them with indefinable glee and satisfaction.
“We condemn in the strongest terms this
practical expression of hatred and evil intension against Biafrans and the
determination to further a hidden and official policy of extermination of a
people who are peaceful and pursue their business undeterred of deliberate
economic policies tailored against them.”
The Northern MASSOB urged the Federal Government to
set up without further delay a commission of inquiry into the Kano mayhem so
that those who sponsored or perpetrated the dastardly act could be brought to
justice.
“Biafrans are neither indigenes of Plateau
State nor did they fight along with the owners of the land for them to be
targets of Hausa reprisal attacks.
We demand that the Federal Government set up an inquisition on Kano
mayhem so as to fish out the kingpins and prosecute them along with the
Governor Shekarau,” MASSOB stated.
