Biafra Independence Movement starts collecting tax to help fund its proposed breakaway republic

SECESSIONIST group the Biafra Independence Movement (Bim) has launched an income tax regime aimed at raising revenue to fund its proposed breakaway republic which it wants to carve out of Nigeria.

Like many other secessionists groups, Bim wants to recreate the defunct Republic of Biafra that briefly existed between July 1967 and January 1970 during the Nigerian Civil War. Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, Bim's leader, said that the group has launched the 2018 Biafra Income Tax regime to help fund the project.

Chief Uwazuruike said the measure is part of its annual exercise aimed at achieving the independence of Biafra without violence. He encouraged Biafrans to start paying their taxes, and maintained that it was voluntarily.

Mazi Chris Anierobi Mocha, Chief Uwazuruike's spokesman, said: “The new Biafran leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, at the weekend, announced that the ongoing sale of 2018 Biafra income tax was part of its annual exercise aimed at achieving the independence of Biafra without violence. Uwazuruike who addressed his members on the significance of the new Biafra income tax, urged Ndigbo to always feel very proud that Igbo is their tribe and Biafra, their identity, also enjoined all Biafrans to visit any Bim/Massob secretariat nearest to them to pay their tax, which he said is voluntary.”

According to Chief Uwazuruike, there is the possibility of five other countries emerging out of Nigeria. He added: “Nigeria’s six geo-political zones would metamorphose into the new republics to end the killings, injustice, hardships and bad governance in the country.”