ROAD TO ENUGU; BORDER CHECKPOINT ON ROAD; CARS AND BUSES CHECKED BY POLICE.




Initials PW/V/JF/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE BORDERS OF BIAFRA REPUBLIC, THE NAME ASSUMED BY THE BREAKAWAY EASTERN REGION OF NIGERIA, ARE SUBJECT TO STRICT SECURITY CHECKS AS THE REBEL STATE FACES AN ECONOMIC BLOCKADE IMPOSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THIS FILM WAS TAKEN ON THE ROAD FROM ENUGU TO WESTERN NIGERIA, WHICH IS CLOSED BETWEEN 5 PM AND DAWN. AT OTHER TIMES, TRAVELLERS ARE CLOSELY SCREENED BY POLICE AND ARMY UNITS MANNING THE BORDER POSTS.

SO FAR, NO GOVERNMENT HAS RECOGNISED THE STATE OF BIAFRA, FORMED ON MAY 31 WHEN THE EASTERN REGION MILITARY GOVERNOR, LIEUTENANT-COLONEL ODUMEGWU OJUKWU, ANNOUNCED THE SECESSION OF THE REGION FROM THE REST OF NIGERIA.

THE FEDERAL MILITARY LEADER OF NIGERIA, GENERAL YAKUBU GOWON, HAS LIMITED HIS REACTION TO THE BREAKAWAY TO THE IMPOSITION OF A BLOCKADE AGAINST THE NEW STATE AND THE FREEZING OF ITS ASSETS IN THE FEDERAL CAPITAL, LAGOS.

INDICATIONS ARE THAT GENERAL GOWON IS HOPING TO BRING THE REBEL STATE BACK INTO LINE WITH THE FEDERATION BY MEANS OF THE BLOCKADE WITHOUT RESORTING TO FORCE. BUT HIS HAND HAS BEEN STRENGTHENED IN THE PAST FEW DAYS BY TALKS WITH THE MILITARY GOVERNORS OF OTHER REGIONS, IN WHICH UNITY AGAINST THE REBEL STATE HAS BEEN EXPRESSED.

BUT INSIDE THE NEW STATE, THE PEOPLE ARE ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORTING THE MOVE. THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER HAS CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE BIAFRA SUN AND THE RADIO STATION IS NOW RADIO BIAFRA.