MASSOB members protest

In onitsha, the entire town stood still as members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Brafia, MASSOB rehearsed for their proposed June 8 sit-at-home order.
Here is how Vanguard reported it:


Apparently to ensure the success and active participation of all Igbo citizens at home and in diaspora during the exercise, the MASSOB members, led by their Onitsha Region 4 Administrator, Chief Arinze Igbani, stormed the commercial city at about noon to carry out the exercise which took place simultaneously in five major local government areas of Anambra State, including Idemili North, Idemili South, Onitsha North, Onitsha South and Ogbaru. The demonstrators had as early as 8 a.m., converged on Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area, from where they touched Awada, Idemili North, Onitsha North and South and finally ended the sensitization match at Ogboefere market in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state at about 2 p.m.
Addressing newsmen on arrival at the General Post Office along the Old Market Road, Onitsha, at noon, the leader of the group, Igbani, said the need to create awareness had become expedient in view of the ‘I don’t care’ attitude of the people, warning that whoever that flouts the order would be seen as not being a true son of the Igbo race.
He urged those wedding on the said date to postpone such as  traders, civil servants and institutions are to honour fallen Igbo heroes and those massacred in the northern parts of the country by the Boko Haram sect.
His words, ”we are here today to spread the news that on June 8, 2013 all should be at home in memory of those six Igbo traders killed by the police at Apo village Abuja.”
“Also those killed by Boko Haram and those killed and dumped at Ezu river, Amansea, are being remembered, the sit-at–home is not to honour Uwazuruike but for those Igbo killed in various circumstances”.
“Even myself was arrested and tortured by soldiers while nursing my injury at a medical home. But this is to show you that Ndigbo have been marginalized and classified as second citizen in a country in which they are part and parcel of”.