Sunday’s declaration of a new Biafran Customary Government (BCG) by a former Niger Delta warlord, Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, has generated disagreement between the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).

Apart from declaring himself the leader of the new Biafra de facto government, Dokubo also announced names of three other officials who will work with him.

Whereas PANDEF expressed dissatisfaction over Dokubo’s declaration and called for the restructuring of the country instead, MASSOB lauds his action, describing it as a step in the right direction.

The spokesman for PANDEF, Mr Ken Robinson, who said the forum was not created as a secessionist group, however blamed the bias under the current regime as a contributory factor to the increasing calls for secession by some ethnic nationalities.

He stated further: “We are not aware of the ethnic nationalities in the Niger Delta region that have communicated to us where they belong. We have seen some maps of ethnic nationalities or so-called republics, where some parts of the Niger Delta are crafted into Oduduwa Republic.

“We have also seen maps that have been made concerning Biafra Republic, where some other parts of Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta States have also been crafted into the so-called Biafra Republic.

“But the Pan Niger Delta Forum is not a secessionist organisation. We believe in one Nigeria, but our concern is the way and manner the country is being governed. So, we are asking for the restructuring of the country for it to attain true federalism.”

However, MASSOB’s, through its National Director of Information, Mr Sunday Okereafor, applauded Asari-Dokubo for his courage, adding that the former fighter had been one of the pillars of the pro-Biafra body.

“We signed an agreement with them in 2004: Asari-Dokubo, Ateke Tom, Tompolo, Boyloaf and a lot of others; we signed a treaty to work together as one group. Asari said in Newswatch magazine that they were proud of the Igbo and MASSOB.

“So, we welcome Asari-Dokubo’s declaration yesterday (Sunday). It is a welcome idea. Anybody criticising him does not know about the struggle. Asari-Dokubo is one of the pillars in the MASSOB/BIM struggle. We were formerly Eastern Nigeria, and then the Nigerian government is saying it is now South-South and South-East,” Okereafor said.