Biafra Agitation: Police Detains Widow, Vendor in Onitsha

Biafra Agitators

The Police in Anambra State is yet to release  an Onitsha newspaper vendor and  widow, Mrs Ngozi Odunze, six days she was arrested. A Joint Task Force of security operatives in the State comprising of soldiers and Police arrested the vendor at Obodo-Ukwu Road by Owerri Road, where she was selling newspapers during their clamp down on pro -Biafran activists in the area.
Odunze who was arrested along with the  people the Task Force claimed were either members of the  Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB)  Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).



 Odunze was arrested since Friday, May 22, 2019, along with his customers who  came to buy  newspapers.

Efforts by her relations and  colleagues in Onitsha Vendors Union (OVU) to secure her release have failed to yield results as the Police have remained adamant in releasing the lady.
At a time the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) said they  would move them to Awka, later turned to say they would now be moved to Zone 9 Umuahia.

Mrs Odunze was arrested for allegedly being a member of pro-Biafrsn movement and selling Pro -Biafran tabloid.
But she has vehemently denied neither being a member of MASSOB nor IPOB, rather she was carrying out her legitimate business.

His relations and colleagues have expressed dismay  that Police could detain an innocent woman for six days without charging her to Court or releasing her.

Chief Christian Ikpe, Chairman of OVA, asked the State Commissioner of Police to immediately release Mrs Odunze to rejoin her children.

He said after the end of Thursday, May 30, 2019 and Mrs. Odunze was not released, his members will cease to selk newspapers in Onitshs and its eviron, stressing that they knew Mrs. Odunze very well as their member.

He said she was never in any way a member of either MASSOB or IPOB, rather she was doing  her legitimate business.
Eforts to get the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) to comment on the matter failed as his handset was ringing but nobody picked.