By Nkechi Eze
Headquarters Operation UDO KA has declared as illegal a directive allegedly issued by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), directing churches in the South-East and parts of the South-South to conduct memorial services in honour of victims of the Nigerian Civil War.
According to an official signed statement by the Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations 82 Division, Lieutenant Colonel Olabisi Ayeni, the military described the directive as provocative and capable of disrupting the prevailing peace in the region.
The statement noted that Operation UDO KA empathises with families who lost loved ones during the civil war and acknowledged the sacrifices made in preserving Nigeria’s unity, stressing that the memories of the fallen remain significant in the nation’s history.
However, the military maintained that there are already legally recognised national events approved by the Federal Government to honour fallen heroes, including the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Nigerian Army Day Celebration, and Nigeria’s Independence Day.
It stated that these occasions provide lawful platforms for national reflection, remembrance, and unity, adding that honouring the dead should be done in ways that promote peace and cohesion rather than division.
Lieutenant Colonel Ayeni stated that the alleged directive by MASSOB was aimed at creating panic and destabilising the South-East region.
The statement further alleged that sympathisers of MASSOB and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) planned to use the directive to cause chaos, warning clerics, youths, and residents against participating in any activity outside recognised national commemorations.
“True honour lies in unity, peace, and lawful remembrance, not in illegal directives by some irredentists aimed at sowing division and causing panic in the region,” the statement said.
Operation UDO KA reassured churches and residents across the South-East that they should continue with their normal religious activities and lawful businesses without fear or intimidation.
The military also warned that any individual or group found disrupting public peace or religious activities would face the full weight of the law.
The statement added that the Nigerian Armed Forces, in collaboration with other security agencies, remain committed to protecting lives and property as well as sustaining peace and stability across the South-East region.
