The Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF) on Friday raised the alarm that its leader, Benjamin Onwuka had been killed in the custody of the Enugu Police Command barely five days after he was arrested.
Onwuka was arrested alongside his members on Monday, August 20 as they attempted to enter the Enugu Government House for the inauguration of Biafra.
But while his members were reportedly released same day, his whereabouts has remained unknown according to the BZF.
But in a swift reaction, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu dismissed the claim as false, insisting that Onwuka was still in their custody.
“He is still in our custody. We are investigating him. Anybody claiming that he is dead is simply trying to deceive the public, “Amaraizu told THISDAY when contacted.
“However, we must also decry a situation where the Nigerian Security Forces are turning their arms against harmless freedom fighters whereas armed herdsmen are walking the streets unhindered. Nobody has ever seen any Zionist with a matchet, let alone a gun.The BZF had in a press statement on Friday signed by its Deputy Leader, Mazi Ambrose Ugwu said every effort to ascertain the whereabouts of their leader had been unfruitful.
Ugwu said: “From all indications, our leader, Barr. Benjamin Onwuka has been killed by security forces.
“We have been at the DSS Enugu office for several times but they are silent on the matter. The very first day others were released, they even told us that Onwuka too was released. But it turned out to be a hoax.
“For the past four days, we have gone there to at least give him food, but they refused us entry. So, based on the above situations, we have no further doubt that he has been killed.
“We are now urging the International Community, especially the United States and Israel to prevail on the Nigerian Government to release his corpse to us for a decent burial. He deserves to be accorded such burial in the light of his struggle for the people.
“The Buhari’s Government should direct whoever is holding the corpse to release it to the Zionists’ family to enable us pay our last respect to him.
“It is, therefore, the apex of oppression that we are being subjected to this level of intimidation because we are asking for freedom, which we are doing in line with all international laws and conventions.”
“No form of intimidation will, however, make us to drop our right for self-determination. We can’t be forced to remain in a country where there is no justice and equity.
“The disparity in handling killer herdsmen and Biafra agitators is a case in point. While the former is receiving kingly treatment, despite killing thousands of Nigerians, the latter are being subjected to all manner of torture for being civil in their approach.”
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