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A pan-Niger Delta group, the Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) has condemned in its entirety “the illegal arrest, detention and unconditional freedom of 114 Igbo women members of the IPOB [Indigenous People of Biafra]”.
The Convener of the group, Ms. Annkio Briggs made this known in a press release issued on Friday, shortly after the women were freed unconditionally by an Owerri Magistrate Court.
Ms. Briggs recounted that the Nigeria Police had arrested them and charged them with treasonable felony illegally, saying that “the police is not a tool of a political party to be used against another people”.
She argued that the arrest of harmless and nonviolent women for exercising their basic human rights and accusing them of treasonable felony proves that the Nigerian Government under President Muhammadu Buhari is an oppressive government.
She also recounted how “the Federal Government of Nigeria unleashed Operation Python Dance where many Igbo youths were extra-judiciously killed and buried in mass graves”.
Comparing the Operation Python Dance assault to the kid gloves deployed in fighting the Fulani Herdsmen menace, she stated “it is clear that different laws apply to different Ethnic Nationalities, States, Region and Religion”.
Mrs. Briggs stressed that “a government that is afraid of women is a government afraid of its own shadow”.
The NDSDM convener reminded her audience that the “herdsmen have killed hundreds of thousands of Christians, burnt thousands of Churches, killed hundreds of pastors, clergy and Roman Catholic Priests, in the North, Middle Belt, South East, South West and the Niger Delta”, yet “none of the marauding killers have been arrested and convicted for even one act of genocide”.
The Niger Delta Self Determination Movement, therefore, say “welcome home” to the brave IPOB Women following their unconditional release.
The group honoured them and commended their courage and determination to stand for Freedom for themselves and their people.
“Liberty, Equity, and Justice does not come easy but they surely and eventually do come, faster than we imagine,” the statement noted.
See below a copy of the press release:
THE ILLEGAL ARREST, DETENTION & UNCONDITIONAL FREEDOM OF 114 IGBO WOMEN MEMBERS OF IPOB
Exactly one week ago 114 Igbo daughters, members of IPOB, were arrested in Owerri the capital of Imo state. Imo state is an Igbo state, governed by an Igbo Governor. The ages of the women range between 66 and 22years.
The actions of these women are basic human rights and they are guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution they broke no laws of Nigeria.
The Nigeria Police Force arrested them and charged them with treasonable felony illegally. The Nigeria police is not a tool of a political party to be used against the people of Nigeria.
The arrest of harmless and nonviolent women for exercising their basic human rights and accusing them of treasonable felony proves clearly that the Nigeria Federal Government under President Buhari is an oppressive government, and is not afraid to terrorise citizens of Nigeria of the South East and Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
It is in the South East that the Federal Government of Nigeria unleashed operation Python Dance where many Igbo youths were extra-judiciously killed and buried in mass graves that are been discovered.
The Federal Government of Nigeria ought to make it clear to the citizens of Nigeria by Ethnic Nationalities, State and Region what laws apply to them as it is clear that different laws apply to different Ethnic Nationalities, States, Region and Religion.
Herdsmen have killed hundreds of thousands of Christians, burnt thousands of Churches, killed hundreds of pastors, clergy and Roman Catholic Priests, in the North, Middle Belt, South East, South West and the Niger Delta, and none of the marauding killers have been arrested and convicted for even one act of genocide.
114 Women who were within their national and international legal rights were illegally arrested, detained, abused and tortured simply because they are Igbo women asking a legitimate question: Where Is Our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu?
Let us not forget that IPOB now a proscribed movement is a non violent movement demanding for a separate Republic of Biafra for themselves.
The Federal Government of Nigeria may not want them to get a Nation of their own but it is the right of the members of the IPOB movement to ask for a country of their own.
Recalling what the Indigenous people of Igbo Nation have endured in Nigeria, during the 1966 coups, the Civil War, at different times in the North, in the hands of the Buhari lead Government one can not deny them the right to ask for what they believe is in their best interest as a people.
Herdsmen come on National Television, Radio, National papers make threats to commit genocide, give reasons for the massacre of hundreds of thousands of people in their sleep, terrorise Indigenous land owners from their homeland, take over their land, and get away with it.
Miyetti Allah threatens the Senate President Bukola Saraki and are free yet 114 Igbo women that ask nonviolently for their leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu were arrested, denied all rights and food.
The evil and wicked arrested the unarmed and nonviolent Igbo daughters, wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and friends thinking they will get away with it, but the free, fearless, good, organisations, spoke up, put on pressure and evil backed out.
Using police, guns, soldiers, masked men, herdsmen, cattle sellers, terror, Boko Haram, etc., is a sign of weakness.
A government that is afraid of women is a government afraid of its own shadow.
The governments of the civilised nations, governments of the United Kingdom, United States of America, the Member nations of the European Union, Canada, should not only deny all sorts of Visas to Ministers, Members of the Federal Executive Council, Family members and Aides of Government officials, sanctions such as boycotting Nigeria exports, especially oil and gas, and should deny the Federal Government of Nigeria sales of arms as Nigeria is abusing basic and fundamental human rights. Nigeria government deceives the world that it practices democracy, Nigeria is killing democracy.
Persecution of people for the sake of their faith is ongoing, and clearly is unwilling to protect live and property.
We of the Niger Delta Self Determination Movement (NDSDM) say to the brave IPOB Women arrested last week for their fundamental rights, we say welcome home, as their unconditional release was announced while this press release was been prepared.
We honour you, and commend your courage and determination to stand for Freedom for you and your people. Liberty, Equity, and Justice does not come easy but they surely and eventually do come, faster than we imagine.
God is never late. All glory to God.
