Police Arrest ,Release Massob Members At Igbo Day

Abakaliki — The grand finale of World Igbo Day Celebration took place in Abakaliki Township Stadium Abakaliki, yesterday with a mild drama as the police arrested more than 100 members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biarfa (MASSOB), threat to peace.
However they were reportedly released later by the order of the State Governor Chief Martin Elechi, according to the Director of Religious Affairs of MASSOB, Bishop Chinedu Okeke, who represented the Leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuluike at the Ceremony

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Ebonyi State, Mr. John Eluu, as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) who confirmed the incident stated that the police had to effect the arrest of MASSOB members due to apprehension that if they were allowed into the venue of the event they would cause security breaches.He said that the Commissioner of Police later directed that the MASSOB members be released.

But the Director of Information of MASSOB, Uche Madu told our reporter that not all the detained MASSOB members who were arrested at various parts of the state and detained at various police stations, were released, even as he alleged that four of their members were rushed to the hospital due to beatings they received from police.

The MASSOB Director of Religious Affairs, Bishop Okeke told reporters in an interview that his members should be allowed to express their freedom of movement and association which they do peacefully saying that police would run away if they were told that Boko Haram members are coming.
Meanwhile, the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue and Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State in their separate addresses at the event called for the creation of additional state in the South East geo-political zone of the country to bring the zone which currently has five states at par with other zones that have six states.
The President-General of Ohanaeze urged the National Assembly to use the opportunity of the current move to effect an amendment in the 1999 "military" constitution to create additional state in the South Each to make for zonal equality.

He said, "The way forward for the South East, which is currently allotted the least number of states among the six zones, not out of choice by the predominantly Igbo indigenes of the region, but by blatantly, if not spitefully, discriminatory imposition by formernon-representative military rulers of our country, firstly, is to use this golden opportunity to ensure the entrenchment, among others.

Nationally important affirmative items, of the reality and equality of the six geo-political zones."Secondly, in fraternal collaboration with people of goodwill and believers in true federalism from other zones, Ndigbo, must begin now to work collectively with one mind and one voice (ofu obi, ofu olu) to secure absolute equality of the six-geo-political zones, starting with the creation of new states to bring the number of states in the zones to the same level".
Governor Elechi on his part stated that having the least number of states and local government councils was index of marginalization carrying with it the stigma of suppression of the development of the people, adding that the stigma was recognized in 2005 National Political Reform Conference when the nation spoke with one voice and recommended an additional state be created in the South East geopolitical zone.
Governor Elechi however cautioned Ndigbo not to fritter the opportunity with cacophony of voices expressed in a multiplicity of demands and agitations and to consider two factors including cultural homogeneity and affinity of the area where new state should be carved out and to bear in mind that state creation carries with it the development of physical and geopolitical space, in order words that a new state must have reasonable land mass so that more areas will be developed.zone except for Abia and Anambra state governors who were represented by their deputies.unity in the country There was remarkable absence of national assembly members and governors

Highlight of the occasion was National Prayer for departed Igbo heroes and for the  of the