Members of Biafra Zionist Front (BZF), have cried out over the con­tinued incarceration of their leader, Ben Onwuka and 13 others.
They were arrested on June 5, while attempting to seize the Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) to make declara­tions on Biafra.
In a statement made avail­able to Daily Sun in Enugu, the group, through its Nation­al Publicity Secretary, Chie­merie Chibundu, expressed concern that more than two months after their members were arrested and moved to Abuja, nothing had been heard about them.
The group alleged that those arrested had been “tortured to stupor, humiliated, stripped naked, handcuffed and parad­ed for public view.
“They were bundled, taken to Police Headquarters, Abuja, and abandoned in underground cells without trial, without care and no one is allowed to see or visit them.”
The group warned against what it termed gross human rights violation against “un­armed Biafra freedom fighters as if they are common crimi­nals.” It urged the National Human Rights Commission, Human Rights activists, Am­nesty International, concerned citizens and pro-Biafra groups to ask questions on the where­abouts and condition of these men, who were arrested in Enugu in June.
The statement read in part: “We condemn their public de­humanisation and humiliation; the torture, the nakedness and handcuffs of these brave un­masked and unarmed Biafra freedom fighters, as if they were common criminals.
“We, therefore, demand the immediate release of our leader, Benjamin Onwuka and other members who were shot at and arrested at ESBS prem­ises, Enugu on June 5, 2014 and detained by the Nigeria Police, Enugu Command in the course of executing their legitimate right to peacefully announce our New Republic of Biafra.
“When the Biafra venture was aborted on January 15, 1970, we hoped that things would be better for us in Ni­geria but after such a long time, we are saddened; thus, we re-declared on November 5, 2012 our burning desire for freedom and independence of a universally recognised new Republic of Biafra; because of the same treatments and fate of 1966/67.
“On March 8, 2014 we hoisted our nation’s flag at Enugu Government House, soon to become Biafra’s State House or seat of government. We also posted a banner indi­cating our intention to pull out of 1914 Amalgamation.”

Biafra group laments continued detention of leader, members without trial