The leadership of the Biafra Independence Movement and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra has criticised a police invitation for its leader, Barr. Ralph Uwazuruike, calling the move a violation of democratic norms and an attempt to detain him.

In a statement issued Sunday and signed by the groups’ media aide, Mazi Chris Mocha, BIM–MASSOB said the invitation, which asked Uwazuruike to report at the police “Tiger Base” in Owerri on Monday, October 20, was prompted by alleged offences including criminal invasion, forgery, and willful damage.

The group described the invitation as a ploy to arrest Uwazuruike for no just cause and warned, “Don’t Touch Ralph Uwazuruike.”

The statement read, “The pro-Biafra groups insisted that its leader, and ?jele Ndigbo, Ralph Uwazuruike, had never committed any offence by volunteering to join a Nationwide ‘peaceful’ protest for the release of the detained leader of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

“The police summons was a ploy to arrest and possibly detain its leader, and ?jele Ndigbo, Ralph Uwazuruike.”

The development follows Uwazuruike’s filing of a fundamental human rights suit at the Owerri High Court over the weekend against the Imo State Police Command and seven others.

In the suit, he is seeking N100 million in damages for alleged rights violations and asking the court to restrain the police from arresting or detaining him over his planned participation in a nationwide peaceful protest calling for the release of detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu on 20 October.

BIM–MASSOB portrayed Uwazuruike, who holds the traditional title Ijele Ndigbo, as a peace-loving leader who, for 26 years, has pursued Biafran self-determination through non-violent means.

“Chief Uwazuruike has consistently demonstrated his commitment to peaceful dialogue and respect for the rule of law. There is no justification whatsoever for inviting him to the Tiger Base in Owerri for questioning,” the statement said. (Sunday PUNCH)