67 Biafra-agitators are being held in custody by Enugu court.

As part of Governor Peter Mbah’s efforts to put an end to sit-at-home protests in the state, 67 Biafra separatists were detained in various Enugu State locations and have since been remanded in prison custody.

The State Government allegedly ordered the combined security agencies to put an end to the sit-at-home movement and all Biafra agitations in the state, and five members of the group were also allegedly murdered by these agencies.

During the state’s Biafra Day commemoration events on May 29 and 30, members of the pro-Biafra movement were detained at the Eke-Obinagu and Independence Layout areas, respectively.

They were described as being between the ages of 50 and 70, and they included seven females and 60 males.

15 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra made up the separatist group, compared to 52 members of the Biafra Zionist Federation.

The 67 pro-Biafra members were secretly arraigned before an Enugu North Magistrate Court, which ordered their remand prison custody on Friday evening by Police after a security meeting with the new governor of the State, a police officer who did not want his name published.

The elderly men and women were arraigned in court at around 6:45 p.m. after the governor, who had been briefed, had approved their transportation, and the presiding magistrate had ordered their transfer to prison custody while the case file was transferred to the department of public prosecution.

“Actually they were arrested on May 29 and 30 at Eke-Obinagu and Independence Layout area of the state capital during their so-called Biafra Day commemoration.

“Five members were neutralised during the operation. Those ones are members of IPOB during a raid in their camp in Eke-Obinagu. The operation was part of measures to end sit-at-home as directed by the state governor who has given the security agencies a marching order to crush anyone that foment trouble in the state in the name of Biafra agitations, ” the source said.

The pro-Biafra members were transported to the Center on Thursday and Friday, respectively, by 7:18 pm, according to a warder at the Enugu Maximum Custodial Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

“The members were documented on Saturday because they were brought in the night and were mainly old people in their 60s and even 70s. According to some of them, they had concluded their prayers for the repose of those who died during the 30 months of bloody civil war and were about to go home when police and soldiers swooped on them.

“Some had gone to show you we have finished and nobody was carrying arms or carrying any weapons. So, is our offence that we gathered to pray for those of our brothers that were brutally killed during the civil war. Instead of the government declaring a public holiday every May 30 to remember those that were killed by bullets and starvation, the government is still waging war on the Biafran. The new governor wants to show his absolute loyalty to those who imposed him on Enugu State people,” the warder said.

In the meantime, due to the state’s unauthorized sit-at-home order, Governor Mbah has threatened to close any markets, schools, or transportation facilities that don’t open for business today (Monday).