“MASSOB has no hand in any form of violence and remains committed to non-violence agitation, which we are known for.

Members of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) (a.k.a BIM), Rivers -South Zone, have condemned the incessant destruction of oil pipelines in the Niger Delta by the new militants group, The Avengers.

They also denied a newspaper report  credited to an ex-member of the group, Uchenna Madu, that MASSOB is one of the supporters of the Avengers.

In a statement in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, by the Zonal Leader, Mr. Sunday Kalu Amuzie, described Madu’s claim as bogus, malicious and baseless.

Signed by the Zone’s Director for Information, Mrs Divine Mercy Adiele, Amuzie’s statement alleged that Madu is no longer a member of MASSOB having been expelled two years ago for misconduct. He no longer participates in the activities of MASSOB and, as result, lacks the knowledge of what the group is doing, Amuzie said.

The Zonal leader insisted that MASSOB is a non-violent group, led by a responsible and law abiding patriot, Raph Uwazurike, a lawyer, who does not wish and would not want to win his campaign for an independent state of Biafra through any violence means.”

He urged the public to disregard Madu’s statement.

He said: “MASSOB has no hand in any form of violence and remains committed to non-violence agitation, which we are known for.

“Mr. Madu was expelled from MASSOB in 2014 for misconduct and has since then stopped attending MASSOB meetings and gatherings, meaning that he no longer participate in the activities of MASSOB and therefore do not know what is going on in MASSOB.

“Instead his statement published on The Sun newspaper recently that he and his accomplice are working hand- in-hand with the Avengers, gave him away, confirmed that he is part and parcel of the Avenger group and supports their activities.

“MASSOB is a responsible and none violent group, being led by a responsible and peaceful person, is peacefully seeking for an Independent and Sovereign state, does not support violence and as a result does not support the activities of the Avengers, and the wanton destruction of properties, especially the oil pipelines. We condemn it in its entirety and will not support destruction.

“We therefore call on our members in Rivers State and all Biafrans across the world, to remain loyal, committed and firm with the vision of our Leader, Dr. Raph Uwazurike, in his efforts to actualise Biafra on a non-violent approach.”