Tensions escalated on Wednesday night as the Black Marine, the militant wing of the Biafra Nations League (BnL), reportedly carried out a rampage in the Bakassi Peninsula and Gulf of Guinea regions. The militants took to the streets to protest the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by the Nigerian government on upland Bakassi in Cross River State.
Their demonstration centered on the demand for the immediate lifting of the curfew and the restoration of unrestricted movement within the region.
Princewill Chimezie Richards, the pioneer founder of Biafra Nations League (BnL), issued a warning during a live broadcast on Sunrise Daily TV YouTube, indicating that his supporters might lose patience if the curfew persisted.
The Biafra Nations League emphasized that failure to address the curfew concern could exacerbate the existing issues within the region.
In response to the curfew imposition, the Black Marine took on the responsibility of enforcing compliance with the BnL’s demand to terminate the dusk-to-dawn curfew on upland Bakassi.
Reports from local residents detailed the situation, stating that the Black Marine militants arrived around 3:00 am, discharging sporadic gunshots as they moved towards the Ikang Jetty.
According to eyewitness accounts, “gunshots were heard last night around the Ikang waterways, believed to be from the Black Marine militants, a group aligned with the Biafran movement.”
The Biafra Nations League has consistently amplified the Biafra cause in the Bakassi Peninsula, aligning its efforts with other groups like the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The incident highlights the ongoing agitation and complexities surrounding the Biafra movement within southeastern Nigeria.