IPOB: Nigerian Army Targeting Pro-Biafra Newspapers Now

 IPOB: Nigerian Army Targeting Pro-Biafra Newspapers Presently

As vendors in Aba, the commercial city of Abia State, count their losses estimated at over N1 million, the Nigerian Army 14 Brigade Ohafia, today said only “unregistered newspapers used as instruments of propaganda” by the pro-Biafra groups were targeted in the raid by its personnel.

Solders from 145 battalion in Aba had last Monday reportedly stormed St Michaels road, the newspaper distribution zone in Aba, and carted away copies of local newspapers as well as a national newspaper, The Authority, considered to contain stories on the activities of Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB)

Speaking with journalists at Umuahia, the state capital, the army Public Relations Officer of 14 Brigade Ohafia, Major Sydney Mbaneme, confirmed the confiscation of newspapers by the army, saying the instruction given to the soldiers who carried out the raid was to seize newspapers used as propaganda tools by IPOB and other separatist groups.

He named the targeted local newspapers to include The New Republic, Freedom Journal and The Voice of South East and South South, which he brandished their copies, accusing them of publishing inciting stories detrimental to the peace and security of the nation.

While stating that The Authority was not among the newspapers targeted for confiscation, the army spokesman insisted that the seized pro-Biafra newspapers were not registered just as Radio Biafra hence the need to stop them from engaging in ‘illegal’ activities.

However, the Chairman of Newspapers and Magazine Distributors Association (NMDA) in Aba, Mr. Anthony Okeke, told journalists when contacted on phone that newspaper vendors in Aba lost over N1 million in the Monday raid by the army, adding that even unsold copies of past editions were seized.

He alleged that members of his association had been subjected to constant harassments by the army, who constantly move round Aba in search of newspapers that carry stories on Biafra. He said similar raids were carried out by soldiers last month at newsstands located at Tonimass and Flyover areas of Aba.

“They (soldiers) said they don’t want to hear or read anything about Biafra again,” the NMDA boss said, adding that the constant raids were adversely affecting their businesses. 

Okeke therefore appealed to the federal government to prevail on the army to stop the unwarranted harassment of newspapers vendors who have nothing to do with Biafra agitation but merely making their living by selling newspapers.

He wondered why the army should be chasing shadows by harassing vendors instead of going after the publishers of the newspapers they considered to be offensive.

In reacting to the confiscation of newspapers that publish its stories the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) vehemently condemned the action of the soldiers and blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for creating an atmosphere of intolerance in the country.

In a statement jointly issued by the IPOB spokespersons, Emma Nmezu and Dr Clifford  Iroanya, the group said it could not understand what the Buhari administration intended to achieve by clamping down on newspapers bearing Biafra stories, as IPOB raised some fundamental questions over the incident.

"What does Buhari want to achieve by seizing newspapers that publish Biafra stories? Which part of the 1999 Constitution is Buhari enforcing by this dastardly act? Is Buhari aware that what he did violates every aspect of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria?

"Does Buhari know that what he did is in contravention of the Seventh Schedule of the 1999 Constitution and is a ground for impeachment?” IPOB asked.