A pro-Biafran supporter displays customised Coca-Cola cansRadio Biafra/ Facebook
People
supporting an ongoing pro-Biafran separatist movement in south-eastern
Nigeria have claimed soft drink company Coca-Cola is supporting their
cause after pictures purportedly showing some Coca-Cola cans with the
words "Nnamdi Kanu" and "Biafrans" emerged. Pro-Biafrans
are calling for the independence of the Biafran territories forcibly
annexed to Nigeria during British colonisation, which ended in 1960.
They hold regular marches across the country's south-east demanding
independence and the release of their leader Nnamdi Kanu, Radio Biafra director and head of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob). He is standing trial on six counts of treasonable felony charges.
Some Biafran media outlets claimed that several shops across Nigeria are now selling "specially customised" Coca-Cola drinks. "Many noted this as unprecedented as some also declared their interest of getting at least a few. Biafrans are exploring every available avenue to promulgate the gospel of the restoration of Biafra," said the Biafran Times. Coca Cola has not responded to a request for comment.
Kanu's
arrest in Lagos in October 2015, shed light on the independent movement
and alleged abuses by the Nigerian government against pro-Biafran
supporters. Kanu was arrested on conspiracy and terrorism charges, which were later dropped. A day after the Abuja High Court ruled he should be released, officials pressed new treasonable felonycharges against him, while President Muhammadu Buhari said Kanu would not be granted bail due to the "atrocities" allegedly committed.
Amnesty International confirmed to IBTimes UKthat Nigerian security forces have used excessive force against pro-Biafran protesters. However, in subsequent interviews with IBTimes UK, the army and police have denied allegations of violence. The
Nigerian government has always maintained that Nigeria's unity was a
priority for the country and that although peaceful pro-Biafran protests
were welcome, demanding the breakaway of the Biafran territories was
against the constitution. A Biafran Republic was
established in 1967 and re-annexed to Nigeria in 1970, following a civil
war that claimed between one and three million lives.
A pro-Biafra supporter holds outlawed Biafran banknotes during a protest calling for Nnamdi Kanu's release, in November 2015AFP/Getty
The Organisation of Emerging African States (Oeas) has warned the ongoing refugee crisis will worsen unless the Nigerian government pays attention to pro-Biafrans' "legitimate grievances". The Washington-based NGO,
which fights to achieve "true freedom" in Africa, added that Nigeria's
decision to ignore pro-Biafrans' struggle for independence might pose a
serious threat to peace and security in the African nation and might
prompt millions of people to flee. Pro-Biafrans call for the independence of the contested Biafran territories forcibly annexed to Nigeria during the British colonisation, ended in 1960. A Biafran Republic was established in 1967 and reannexed to Nigeria in 1970, following a civil war that claimed between one and three million lives. The
Eastern Region - a former federal division of Nigeria with capital
Enugu - gained independence following two coup d'etats in 1966 and 1967 IBTimes UK
Dr. Ebenezer Derek MbongoAkwanga, Oeas' secretary general, toldIBTimes UK: "Europe
has failed to realise that there are very serious internal dynamics in
Africa that will cause refugees to travel to Europe." Akwanga made the comment days after the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) announced pro-Biafrans
had "activated" their right to self-defence following alleged prolonged
violence by Nigerian forces against peaceful protesters. The
announcement was made as footage purportedly showing Nigerian security forces attacking pro-Biafran protesters during a demonstration in Aba state on 9 February was widely circulated on social media. At least 10 deaths were reported during the rally. "Biafrans
are being killed and the government is not doing anything, while the
international community only talks about Syria. Is it because Biafrans are black people?" Akwanga, who is also the leader of the Southern Cameroons Youth League (SCYL), alleged. When asked whether pro-Biafrans were acquiring weapons to "activate" their self-defence, Akwanga said: "It
is easy to buy arms in Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta region.
Nobody wants to see another civil war in Nigeria. This time, if there is
a war, Nigeria will not win because it is already dealing with BokoHaramin the north and the Niger Delta militants. Biafrans have legitimate grievances they are prepared to die for, and this is what the Nigerian government should take into consideration." Although the Biafra issue has been addressed individually by some MPs in the UK and the European Union, Oeas believes the international community has not dealt with the problem extensively. "The
international community is silent because it does not want to deal with
countries' internal issues, but the world is a global village and,
today, there is no such a thing as internal issues,"Akwanga said. "The
international community should recognise its mistakes during the colonisation ."
NnamdiKanu, referendum and reconciliation
Oeas urged the Nigerian government to release political prisoners including Ipob leader NnamdiKanu – who is standing trial on treasonable felony charges –set up a peace and reconciliation committee and let pro-Biafrans peacefully organise a referendum on independence. Solicitor and Oeas' chief administrative officer, Jonathan Levy, told IBTimes UK: "Under
the African charter, all people in Africa have a right to
self-determination both political and economic. That does not mean that
they can just declare a country, there has to be a legal means. We
suggested a referendum, such as the one held in Scotland or
Czechoslovakia. "However, Biafrans need the cooperation of the Nigerian government to hold a referendum," he continued. "We are calling on Biafrans to continue with demonstrations and civil disobedience until the federal government cooperates." Levy also added Oeas urged pro-Biafrans to "form
armed units to defend themselves" against alleged violence at the hands
of security agencies, who have always denied they are violent against
pro-Biafrans. "What we
mean by self-defence is not to attack people," Jonathan said. " No-one
expects the Biafrans to have large amounts of weapons, but they do need
to get organised and try to mitigate some of the casualities they are
suffering. If a civil war occurred in Nigeria, the ongoing refugee crisis would be 10 times worse than the crisis we are seeing in Syria."
Buhari's position
The government of Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has always maintained that Nigeria's unity is a priority for the country and that although peaceful pro-Biafran protests are welcome, demanding the breakaway of the Biafran territories is against the constitution.
The Nigerian government told IBTimes UK that it does not consider the separatist movement a threat to the current leadership, and defined pro-Biafrans as an "insignificant number of frustrated people who are not a threat to the existence of Nigeria".
In several interviews with IBTimes UK, the army and the police denied allegations of violence during
pro-Biafran protests, arguing that security forces had to intervene as
pro-Biafrans "were armed and disrupted peace in the state". IBTimes
UK contacted security forces for a comment on the video related to the 9
February protest in Aba, but has not received a response at the time of
publishing
