Leadership of the Biafra Independence Movement and Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra have leveled allegations against the police for what they claim are indiscriminate arrests and extortion of their members in the South-Eastern region of Nigeria.
In response to recent police arrests of a cleric and seven others in Ifitedunu, Anambra State, a legal team representing the pro-Biafran groups, led by Dr. Destiny Nnagbo, has raised concerns.
A statement released on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity for the groups, Mazi Chris Mocha, accuses the Police Tiger Base of being responsible for these alleged arrests and extortions.
Mocha further asserts that the Tiger Base has turned into a “money-making machine” for the police following the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, and that innocent civilians are being detained without proper legal proceedings.
He said, “Chief Chukwueke Amadi was arrested alongside his son, Uchechukwu on April 2023, at his Ngor-Okpuala family house for an alleged membership of Indigenous people of Biafra, the allegation which both of them had denied.
“Amadi and his son, Uchechukwu were detained for about two weeks. They were released after the men at the Tiger Base Shell Camp, Owerri, the Imo State capital collected N300,000.
“Also, Jude Egwuchukwu was arrested at Orlu near the local government secretariat, Orlu, for allegedly belonging to IPOB, the charge which he also denied in a useful statement to the IPO.
“Egwuchukwu was transferred from Orlu Area Command’s cell to Tiger Base, Shell Camp, Owerri. He was also freed on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 after MASSOB had coughed out N150,000.
“In all of these detentions without trial, the investigating police officer would always confide in us that their office was not ready or willing to release our member or charge them to court.
“In Enugu, Paul Asadunwagu was arrested at Nsukka by soldiers. Nwagu was later moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department, State CID, Enugu, and the IPO, a police woman, Elizabeth Maduekwe demanded the sum of N150, 000 as the only condition to effect his release or risk prolong detention.”
The spokesman for the Anambra State Police, Tochukwu Ikenga, refuted the accusations when reached by phone for comment on the development.
“There is no such report before me and no formation known as Police Tiger Base at Akwuzu in Anambra State Police Command, please,” Ikenga added.
