Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Founder of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), Ralph Uwazuruike, has accused the Federal Government of masterminding the plan by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe Air Peace Chief Executive, Allen Onyema .
Uwazuruike described the probe as not only a witch-hunt but persecution against the Igbo race.
The BIM leader disclosed this to newsmen, yesterday, while reacting to plan by EFCC to open a probe against Onyema, and the recent call by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media Loretta Onochie asking Onyema to face his charges in US.
Uwazuruike said Onochie spoke the mind of the presidency, but warned that Igbo’s will rise against any plan to humiliate Onyema.
The EFCC on Saturday set of a special panel to wade into allegation of $44.9 million wire fraud and money laundering against Onyema.
But Uwazuruike has insisted that the allegation of fraud against the Air Peace boss was a calculated attempt to persecute the Igbo race.
“I am the Ijele of Igbo land and it is my responsibility to defend Igbo, which Onyema is one of and I tell you that I have all is takes to resist FG from persecuting my people.
“We have been pushed to the wall by the Federal Government and Onyema’s case will prove a point, so he should not be intimidated and must remain fame,” Uwazuruike said.
Similarly, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) believed the travail of the Air Peace boss began when he cancelled the purchase of America’s10 Boeing 737 max airplanes after the last Ethiopian Airline crash that killed all passengers on board and opted for Brazil’s Embraer instead.
According leader of MASSOB, Uchenna Madu, “such positive and eloquent step by Air Peace triggered USA’s anger against Air Peace Airline because of the $1.17 billion loss of income to Brazil.
Madu further claimed that Federal Government’s swift response that Chief Onyema should face the criminal charges against him in the US is another proof of evidence that President Mohammed Buhari-led Federal Government is bent on destroying industrious and enterprising Ndigbo.
The MASSOB leader believed that the plan probe by EFCC has proven that the Federal Government is not happy with Onyema for his philanthropic gestures to the people of Nigeria, especially Igbo when he evacuated them freely from South Africa’s xenophobic attack.
He also accused America of blackmailing the Air Peace boss in order to destroy his global philanthropic affluence.
“The US has been doing business in the past with Chief Allen Onyema. If Air Peace boss had not cancelled the $1.17bn contract to America’s Boeing Manufacturers, would they have suddenly woken up from their deep sleep to discover that Allen is a scammer? MASSOB and other pro-Biafra organisations will continuously protect, defend and uphold the interest, dignity and integrity of Ndigbo,” Madu vowed.