Nobody can stop us, Radio Biafra dares FG

EZUGWU OBINNA

“We also have a report on that. Right now the signals from Radio Biafra have been jammed successfully by the NBC. The commission is also working with security agencies to get those that are behind that radio because it is an illegal radio. It is not licensed by anybody to be on the airwaves in Nigeria,” Esan said.

But the claims have been refuted by the proprietor of the station, the self styled director, Nnamdi  Kanu, who wondered on the station’s website how possible it was for anyone to jam an internet radio station. “How can you Jam satellite and internet radio?” He went ahead to claim that the station was still on air.

To verify Kanu’s claims, Hallmark searched the signals of the station on live stream in the morning hours of Wednesday, and could confirm that it was still broadcasting. Even the followers of the station have joined Mr. Kanu to allege that the claims by the NBC were not factual.

“Nobody can stop Radio Biafra,” said David Chucks. “It is still on, in fact I am listening to it right now, call 01 440 5213 or 01 440 5217. It is still on.”

Another commenter, Josiah wrote, “Radio Biafra is live and direct, and nobody can stop it.”

Also corroborating Kanu’s side of the story, Chidi Onah wrote, “Radio Biafra is still broadcasting live right now.”

But even stranger is the amount of support Kanu is attracting on a daily basis. The suggestion by the NBC that it was working with security agencies to arrest those behind radio Biafra has for instance, been generating series of backlash by Kanu’s ever growing supporters mostly drawn from the South East and South-South zones.

“They think they will remedy the situation, but they don’t know it will worsen, because if they arrest Nnamdi Kanu, Biafrans that are more militant than him will rise from nowhere,” wrote Gil Igwe in response to the suggestion that Kanu will be apprehended.

Also commenting, Kingsley Hogbodwu dared the NBC to arrest the entire people of the South East and South-South regions. “If they like, let them arrest the entire people of the South-South and South East, our decision for emancipation is unchangeable. I can’t see a forced union with unequal benefit. Our fathers were killed for rejecting it, we are rejecting it; this will pass on from generations to generations until we have our freedom.”

Some issued apparent threats to the government. “Nnamdi Kanu is the man, arrest him and Nigeria will be history,” wrote Emma Ezema.

There are equally many unprintable remarks about the country’s President and Nigeria itself has been variously referred to as a zoo and zoo republic by Kanu’s followers on social media. Igbo political leaders who are perceived to be pro- Nigeria have not been spared in the growing verbal carnage. Foremost in this regard is the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha who is being addressed with the most uncomplimentary remarks.

These activities have not gone unnoticed by the Igbo leaders, some of whom have on various platforms expressed divergent views on the growing trend. Mr. Joe Igbokwe, the spokesperson of the APC in Lagos State in his opinion article published by Premium Times, warned that if Igbo elders do not speak up, posterity will not forgive them.

“Last week, I saw the photo of a group of people who gave the impression that they are receiving military training somewhere in Igbo land. This afternoon, I saw another photograph on Facebook, with some youths bearing guns and Nnamdi Kanu standing with them. I may not know where these pictures are coming from and what they are planning to do, but this is time to speak out and I urge anybody who is somebody and who understands where we are coming from to stand up now and be counted.” Igbokwe wrote.

“Woe betides a nation whose leaders are children. If we elders do not speak against this evil, posterity will never forgive us. Let us speak out and if these children do not hear us, then it should be on record that we spoke.”

The APC spokesman attributed the growing agitations for Biafra to the defeat of Goodluck Jonathan in the recently concluded presidential election, noting that it was since the former president lost the March 28 election that the agitation grew more intense.

This assertion was however disproved by other Igbo leaders such as Chief Udoka Udeogaranya, the president of Igbo Cultural Society of Nigeria (ICSN) and Mr. Abia Onyike, a PDP stalwart in Ebonyi State who had at various times insisted that the calls for Biafra has nothing to do with Jonathan. They noted that the calls had been on for a long time now and has been sustained mainly by the perceived marginalization of the Igbo by successive Nigerian government over the years.

Udeogaranya has also in the wake of the recent claim by the NBC to the effect that it had succeeded in jamming Radio Biafra and was going to apprehend those behind it, cautioned the government to approach the issue diplomatically in order not to create a situation where the Biafra agitators who had been peaceful would resort to violence.

“There is conflict in almost every nation today, as long as people have different views, there is bound to be conflict. All the agitations should be handled maturely and diplomatically with dialogue. The state needs to meet the fundamental rights of the people,” he said.

“The people making these agitations are not violent; there is no basis for jamming the station. The NBC should go back to the constitution and read what it said about freedom of speech, jamming the station is not correct.”

Also speaking on the development, an APC chieftain in Lagos State, chief Anselem Njoku insisted that there was nothing wrong with Radio Biafra since it is not violent.  He also encouraged the government to look into what the issues are and address them.

“The truth is that everybody should be free to agitate for what is good for them; there is nothing wrong with Biafra agitation and Radio Biafra. But Biafra can only be achieved through dialogue; I don’t see the agitations doing any harm to the government.

“It would rather make the government realize that every Nigerian needs to be treated equally. There is no doubt that the Igbo are still being marginalized in the country today. If Radio Biafra is the only way they want to address the issue, it is better than carrying arms. The NBC should legalize the station and then regulate its content if necessary.” Njoku advised.

Speaking on the claim by Radio Biafra that it is still on air despite the NBC statement that it has jammed their signal, the corporate affairs manager of NBC; Mr. Awwalu Salihu told Hallmark that in truth with the advent of technology it is difficult to catch them.

“I will admit that it is difficult to catch them but we have been blocking them here and there and gradually we will be able to corner them so they can’t be able to cause damage.

The corporate affairs manager said he is at pain over the activities of radio Biafra because they are only trying to bring disunity between Nigerians, adding that if there is problem we will all suffer for it.