Leader of Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) Ralph Uwazuruike, on Sunday, December 6, 2015 rechristened the group, announcing that it would now be referred to as Biafra Independent Movement (BIM).
Speaking to newsmen in Owerri, Uwazuruike said he was changing the name of the group because of the bad image some dissidents of MASSOB had been attracting to the group.
He said: “The change in name became absolutely necessary because of the sad introduction of violence by the disgruntled dissidents and this is at variance with the non-violence stance of MASSOB over the years.”
Speaking further, Uwazuruike recalled how he recruited director of Radio Biafra and leader of Independent People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu in 1989.
“I recruited Nnamdi Kanu in 1989, when I established Radio Biafra and appointed him the director of the establishment. He started preaching hatred and brainwashing the youths. MASSOB sacked him,” Uwazuruike enthused.
