The United States and the United Kingdom
have said they do not recognise the passports being issued by the
Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra.
This comes as Justice James Tsoho of a
Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday for ruling on a bail
application filed by leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and
founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, and two others with respect to the
charges of treason preferred against him by the Federal Government.
Justice Tsoho adjourned for ruling after
both the defence and the prosecution made counter submissions on the
bail application on Monday.
The judge had on January 20 shortly
after Kanu was arraigned along with two others – Benjamin Madubugwu and
David Nwawuisi – ordered the Department of State Service to release the
accused persons for remand in Kuje Prison.
Kanu was until January 20 in the custody
of the DSS since he was arrested in a Lagos hotel on October 14, 2015
with respect to his agitation and radio broadcast for the secession of
the Republic of Biafra from Nigeria.
The National Director of Information,
MASSOB, Sunny Okereafor, had said two weeks ago that the passport was
valid worldwide, adding that the travel document costs N5,000 while its
renewal costs N2,000
He had said, “I assure you that the
Biafran passport is valid. Except Nigeria, other countries of the world
accept Biafran passport and allow our citizens to travel with it. In
Europe, North and South America, Biafran passport is accepted. Nigeria
is the only country that seizes Biafran passport. Go to neighbouring
Ghana here, they will stamp the passport for you. Don’t be confused by
the propaganda of the Nigerian government that there is nothing like
Biafra passport.
“MASSOB appeals to Biafran citizens to
procure their passport and use it to travel. If you doubt me, get a
Nigerian passport while I have my Biafran passport; when we get to
Europe, you will see who they will welcome than the other. Many people
with the Nigerian passport have been repatriated, but have you heard of
anybody with Biafran passport receiving such ill-treatment?”
However, our correspondent sent an email
to the American consulate in Lagos to inquire from the US regarding the
claim of MASSOB.
In his response, the Deputy Public
Affairs Officer at the consulate, Frank Sellin, said, “The United States
does not consider passports purporting to be from a Biafra entity to be
a valid legal document for purposes of visa issuance.”
A similar response from the British Government was sent to The PUNCH via email.
The UK recalled that it did not support
the disintegration of Nigeria during the 1967 Biafran War and had not
changed its stance 49 years after.
A statement by the Press and Public
Affairs Officer, British High Commission, Abuja, Mr. Joe Abuku, read in
part, “The answer is unequivocally ‘no’. The UK does not recognise the
so-called Biafran passport
“The position of the UK Government
during the Biafran War is a matter of historical record. The UK
Government’s position, which reflected the Charter of the Organisation
of African Unity, was to recognise the borders laid down at
independence.
“The Biafran War caused great suffering
and the UK supported the reconciliation work that followed the conflict.
The UK supports the territorial integrity of Nigeria and the Nigerian
Government’s commitment to work for a secure and prosperous Nigeria for
all Nigerians.”
Deploring the illegal practice of
issuing dud Biafran Passport, Barrister Obunike Ohaegbu told
Elombah.com: "You collect naira from your brothers and give them a
worthless piece of paper in the name of International Passport...why
would people be this callous and mean? I hope Police would arrest the
perpetrators of this crime and charge them for fraud."
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