Secession supporters rip their Nigerian passports

fuad lawal

October 26, 2015 8:55 AM

Some Biafran supporters made videos of them denouncing their Nigerian citizenships by destroying their passports.

On Saturday 24th of October, at least three videos surfaced YouTube, showing some Igbo denounced their citizenship of the country and declared their allegiance to Biafra.

READ: "Nobody can ban MASSOB," Uwazuruike says

In one of the videos, a man who called himself Emenike Michael Nwofor, 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.”

At he subsequently brought out his Nigerian passport and tore the pages.

Another man, who did not mention his name, ripped his 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,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.

Altering existing travel documents renders the holder on conviction of a two million naira fine and/or imprisonment for a term of three years.”

According to Sahara Reporters, 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.

READ MORE: DSS reportedly arrests Nnamdi Kanu

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.

fuad lawal