By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Leader of Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has appealed to the security agencies to decisively deal with kidnappers whenever and wherever they are caught.

Chief Uwazuruike, who spoke to vanguard in a telephone interview, also made it clear that MASSOB had never adopted kidnapping as a policy, stressing that kidnappers should be made to face the full weight of the law.

He expressed shock over the allegation leveled by one Innocent Orji, who is currently being interrogated by the police for kidnapping, that he (Uwazuruike) is one of his sponsors.

He observed that Orji joined MASSOB in 2003, but was dismissed the same year for using the organisation’s name to extort money from people, among other alleged crimes. “Since 2003, I have neither set my eyes on the said Innocent Orji nor had any communication whatsoever with him.

Upon his expulsion from MASSOB, he joined ranks with other expelled members to bring the image of MASSOB to disrepute”, Chief Uwazuruike said. Fielding questions, the MASSOB boss swore that throughout his years in incarceration, he neither called Orji nor any other person to engage in criminal activities to secure his release.

He also disclosed that the said Orji did not visit him in prison, sent any person to visit him or communicated with him in any manner, adding that the same was also the case since he regained his freedom.