Some
Biafra secessionists have torn their Nigerian passports to press home their
demand for the breakaway of the South-East from the Nigerian state.
As of
Saturday, no fewer than three videos were seen on the online video sharing
platform, YouTube, in which some Igbo denounced their citizenship of the
country and declared their allegiance to Biafra.
The
Nigeria Immigration Service has, however, warned that such act is criminal and
attracts a jail term.
In one
of the videos, the man introduced himself as Emenike Michael Nwofor.
He
said, “My names are (sic) Emenike Michael Nwaofor. I’m from Nnewi in Biafra
land; when there was Biafra, there wasn’t anything called Anambra State. I
would refuse to add that name called Anambra State to it. I am from Nnewi, the
former Enugu State.
“I am
living here in Bordeaux (France); I am an asylum seeker in Bordeaux. I have
been around Bordeaux for a year plus and we have been able to gather the
Biafran family here in France; we have been able to register with the
government of France as indigenous people of Biafra.”
After a
long speech, he subsequently brought out his Nigerian passport and tore the
pages.
In
another video, a young man, who did not mention his name, also tore his
Nigerian passport angrily.
In the
third video, the man, who spoke in Igbo and French, tore his passport while
using derogatory words on the government of Nigeria.
The
Public Relations Officer of the NIS, Deputy Comptroller Ekpedeme King, while
reacting to the development in an interview with our correspondent on Saturday,
said the service was not aware of the passport tearing.
King
said, “There is a new Act called the Immigration Act 2015 which stipulates the
punishment for any alteration or destruction of Nigerian passport; it is a jail
term with conditions.
“Those
who mentioned their names, if we find out that they tore their passports, will
be taken to court. A process has to be followed.”
Checks
by our correspondents showed that the Immigration Act 2015, among other
conditions, states, “Altering existing travel documents renders the holder on
conviction of a two million naira fine and/or imprisonment for a term of three
years.”
The
Department of State Services had reportedly arrested and detained the founder
of the guerrilla broadcasting channel, Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, at the
Murtala Muhammed International Airport Lagos on his arrival from London
recently.
The
Nigerian Police had also arrested and arraigned many members of the Movement
for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and other secessionist groups
recently.
Thousands
of members and supporters of MASSOB had last Tuesday embarked on a protest in
Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, demanding to break away from Nigeria.
In a
swift reaction, governors in the South-East and other leaders in the zone had
dissociated themselves from the protests, saying they were not in support of
the group.
A
former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), while speaking to Channels TV on Friday during his visit to Nasarawa
State, had said the resurgence of a group claiming to be Pro-Biafra would not
in any way pose a threat to the sovereignty of the country.
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