MASSOB Lied, We Do Not Recognize Their Passport, US, UK Authorities

The governments of 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.

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, a Punch 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 which was
sent in also said;

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.”