The Department of State Services (DSS) have released four detained members of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra/Biafra Independent Movement (MASSOB/BIM) to the group leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.
The quartet, who were the detained security men guarding Uwazurike’s Freedom House, headquarters of the MASSOB/BIM at his country home,, Okwe, Imo State, were freed and handed over in the evening of Saturday, November 25, 2023.
Chief Uwazuruike confirmed their release on Saturday night when he received the Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Spain, Iyom Bianca Ojukwu and her entourage during a Gala Nite organized in memory of her late husband, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in Owerri, Imo State capital.
The BIM- MASSOB leader, who explained that the four members of his group guarding the MASSOB Freedom House at Okwe were abducted by soldiers on Sunday November 5, 2023 but were later moved to Obinze, Army Brigade Barracks near Owerri.
They include two brothers of same parents – Comrades Enoch Chukwuemeka, Goodluck Chukwuemeka and Mr. Joseph Ekpeyong and Sunday Osulor.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Director of information/Senior Special Assistant to BIM-MASSOB on Media and Publicity, Mazi Chris Mocha, Uwazuruike said MASSOB is a voluntary organization that members of his security details are prohibited from carrying firearms.
He faulted the Army personnel for keeping his security men in military confinement for 16 days without handing them over to the nearest Police station.
According to Uwazurike: “It was against democratic principles and insensitive of the soldiers at Obinze to detain the members of MASSOB for 16 days before handing them over to Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday, November 22.
‘DSS operatives, after interrogation, found no incriminating evidence against my men hence their release on Saturday, November 25.”