Army to South-East Residents: Ignore MASSOB’s ‘Illegal’ Memorial Order
The Nigerian Army has urged residents of the South-East to disregard what it described as an “illegal” directive by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) directing churches to hold memorial services for victims of the Nigerian civil war.
Headquarters Operation UDO KA, the joint military operation in the South-East, said the directive was aimed at disrupting the prevailing peace in the region and warned clerics, youths and residents against participating in any unlawful gathering linked to the order.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Olalekan Ayeni, said the military had taken note of the directive allegedly issued by MASSOB to churches across the South-East and parts of the South-South.
Ayeni said while the military empathised with families who lost loved ones during the civil war and acknowledged the sacrifices made to preserve Nigeria’s unity, there were already established national platforms recognised by the Federal Government for honouring fallen heroes.
According to him, occasions such as Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Nigerian Army Day Celebration and Independence Day provide lawful avenues for remembrance, reflection and national unity.
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“Operation UDO KA remembers with compassion the sacrifices of the fallen heroes which can never be forgotten. However, true honour lies in unity, peace and lawful remembrance, not in illegal directives by some irredentists aimed at sowing division and causing panic in the region,” the statement said.
The military described the directive as “illegal and provocative,” warning that any gathering or activity outside recognised national commemorations would not be tolerated.
The Army further alleged that sympathisers of MASSOB and the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra were behind the move, accusing them of attempting to create chaos and destabilise the peace currently enjoyed in the South-East.
“Clerics, innocent citizens and youths are therefore strongly advised to stay away from such plans, which are designed to destabilise the peace enjoyed in the entire South-East,” Ayeni stated.
Operation UDO KA, however, reassured churches and residents that they were free to continue their normal religious and daily activities without fear of intimidation, stressing that security agencies remained on alert to maintain law and order.
The military warned that individuals or groups found disrupting public peace or religious activities would face the full weight of the law.
It reiterated the commitment of the Armed Forces, in collaboration with other security agencies, to safeguarding lives and property and sustaining peace and stability across the region.
By PRNigeria
