Ugochukwu Eke, Umuahia.
More than 51 adherents of the Jewish religion were Tuesday arrested by the police after breaking up a peaceful protest march in Umuahia the capital city of Abia state.
The Jewish worshippers who came out in their hundreds said they were voicing out their frustrations with the Nigerian state and embarked on the protest rally to demand a state of their own where they could practice their religion as a homogenous people.
Clad in their religious attire of white overall and caps to the protesters chanted songs in Hebrew the protesters took off from the Afaraukwu part of the capital city of Umuahia and made their way through factory road, bank road and club road before the police swooped on them.
Police public relations officer (PPRO) of Abia command, Mr. Geoffrey Ogbonna confirmed the arrests, saying that the 51 persons comprising 41 male and 10 female were picked up by police for carrying Biafra insignia during the protest.
The protest march was peaceful and commercial activities were in full swing at the city centre popularly known as Isigate before the police swooped on the protesters firing tear gas canisters to disperse them.
The effect of the tear gas fumes that filled the air was instant as it sent the protesting Jewish worshippers scampering for safety while traders abandoned their wares and took to their heels to escape inhaling the irritating gas.
Pandemonium ensued as movement to and from the city centre ceased with vehicle drivers making frantic u-turns to avoid plunging into mist formed by teargas.
An elderly man among the worshippers, who gave his name as Israel el-ibe, told journalists that the protest march was aimed at expressing their desire to have a Jewish state in Biafra land because we are Jews in Biafra land and we are tired of staying in Nigeria where nothing works”.
While the first batch of riot police men were battling to arrest the protesters who were running and regrouping to continue their march troops arrived in four Hilux vans and an armoured personnel carrier (APC) for reinforcement.
However on getting to club road the troops, who were joined by additional police men, halted and watched the protests from a distance until the police finally ended the protest before midday.
Meanwhile the chief Imam of Abia state, Sheik Ali Ukaiwo said that the Jewish religious worshippers protest march should not have embarked on the protest march at this period of the year when people engage in festivities.
“It is bad, untimely and uncalled for,” he said, adding that December is the time that Igbos do their celebrations like traditional marriages, traditional retirements and anything that could cause security agencies to disrupt business and commercial activities should be discouraged.