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Tag: IPOB

  • 2023: We Don’t Have Plans to Disrupt Election in Igboland – IPOB

    2023: We Don’t Have Plans to Disrupt Election in Igboland – IPOB

    The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that it has no plan to disrupt election in Igboland in 2023.

    According to DAILY POST, The media and publicity secretary of the group, Emma Powerful in a press statement to said there is no truth in any information circulating on alleged plans to disrupt election in 2023 in Igboland.

    The group rather accused the federal government of masterminding insecurity in the South East, with the hope of causing fear and accusing IPOB of their deeds.

    A recent video of a breakaway member of IPOB, Mr Simon Ekpa recently surfaced on the internet, where he said the group would not let any election hold in Biafraland.

    But in a press release on behalf of IPOB, Powerful said: “The IPOB leadership has for umpteenth time stated unequivocally that part of our modus operandi in our agitation for freedom has never been, is not and will not be violent agitation.

    “This explains our consistent demand for the UN to organise a Referendum in the Biafran territory for the Biafran people to determine their destiny. To this effect, IPOB is neither contemplating nor will it encouraged or sponsor anyone or group to disrupt Nigeria shambolic selection process called election.

    “IPOB has constantly made it public that we have no interest in and cannot legitimise the aberration they call election in Nigeria. We are a focused, determined and disciplined freedom fighting movement not political thugs and IPOB is devoted to the cause of liberating our people from subjugation and from modern day slavery and Neo-colonialism and will not allow ourselves to be distracted from this very objective.”

    The group continued that: “IPOB is not interested and will never involve ourselves in any Nigeria fraudulent pre-election or post-election issues. Our job is to open the eyes of the blinds by the gospel of truth which our leader has delivered already.

    “Whoever that is sponsoring any group or gang tagging them IPOB is on his/her own. For those who are hard of hearing, IPOB is one indivisible family under one central command and leadership.

    “If in the future IPOB leadership decides to make further statement on the upcoming Nigeria selection process called election, we shall make such statement through our official channels.”

  • Buhari visits Imo to Commission Projects amid IPOB sit-at-home order 

    Buhari visits Imo to Commission Projects amid IPOB sit-at-home order 

    President Buhari is currently on a state visit to Imo state. The President was received by the state governor, Hope Uzodinma, and other members of his cabinet at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport.

    The President is in the state to commission some projects. His visit is coming amid a sit-at-home order in the south-east issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

  • Nnamdi Kanu: IPOB declares Tuesday Sit-At-Home

    Nnamdi Kanu: IPOB declares Tuesday Sit-At-Home

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, declared Tuesday September 13, 2022 as sit-at-home.

    The pro-Biafra, group said the sit-at-home has become necessary following the appearance of it’s leader in Court in continuation of his on going case with the Federal government of Nigeria.

    A statement by IPoB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, entitled, “IPoB declares Tuesday 13th September 2022 sit-at-home”said that all parts of Biafraland will completely be locked down on that day.

    IPoB’s statement read “The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPoB, under the command and leadership of our indefatigable liberator Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu, wish to announce to the general public especially Biafrans that Tuesday 13th of September has been declared a day of civil action in the form of sit-at-home in Biafra Land.”

    “The Tuesday 13th September, 2022 civil action is very important for two reasons:
    First, Our leader’s Appeal Court hearing that was supposed to be on October 11th, has been brought forward to 13th September, 2022.

    “As usual we call on Biafrans and lovers of freedom to demonstrate our solidarity with our leader who is bearing our yoke in detention for over a year now. IPoB never issued a new directives to Biafrans, but is simply implementing an existing order to lock down Biafra land any day the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, will appear in Court at Abuja.

    “It was based on such agreement with our leader that informed the suspension of the initial Mondays sit-at-home declared by IPoB leadership in August of 2021. It is imperative that our people understand this and go about their daily work and businesses on Monday and get prepared for Tuesday the 13th of September 2022 because Biafraland will be completely locked down.

    “Secondly, it has come to the knowledge of the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra that Governor Hope Uzodimma led government of Imo State has decided to insult the memories of our gallant men and women and of the youths his government in collaboration with the Nigerian terrorists in Army, Police and DSS uniform have been eliminating, by inviting President Mhammadu Buhari to Oweeri the Imo State capital Tuesday the 13th of September 2022, the very same day the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be appearing in Court. What an effrontery and insult upon the land of Biafra and the people of Biafra.

    “There shall be a ,total lock down of the whole of Biafraland on Tuesday the 13th of September 2022. Buhari cannot be coming to Imo State while he continues to detain our leader Mazi Nnamdi in the DSS custody.

    “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu must be released unconditionally because he committed no crime known to law. We must warn women group, the clergy men and women, Traditional rulers, President Geberal and others who may be contemplating going to Owerri on Tuesday the 13th of September to join in this dance of shame being planned by the Imo State government.

    We want the people supporting the man occupying Ikonso House Oweeri to advise themselves properly or be ready to contend with the spirit of our ancestors, our heroes and heroines and the spirit that own and guard Biafraland. If you are in support of Buhari detaining the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, then go to Oweeri on Tuesday the 13th day of September and welcome Buhari.

    “IPOB want to remind all of you that have sold your conscience and are contemplating joining our enemies to come and mock our people and further desecrate our land that as IPOB ensured that Uzodinma did not set his foot in the UK, so we shall ensure that you will not set your cursed feet in your village or town again if you are found among the clowns in that Oweeri circus.

    “We therefore, expect all markets, schools, banks, businesses and companies including police stations in Biafra Land to be under lock and key next week Tuesday, September 13th, 2022 in solidarity with our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

    “IPOB members are peaceful. We don’t enforce sit-at-home, nevertheless we wouldn’t tolerate people flouting IPoB leadership directives. Therefore, everyone in Biafran territory must adhere to this civil action in the form of sit-at-home on Tuesday 13th September 2022. Biafrans are not known to be cowards because we stand without fear before our enemies. Almighty creator, Chukwuokike Abiama, will bless us all for abiding to this clarion call.”

  • Why are you proscribing IPOB without proscribing Miyetti Allah? – Soyinka

    Why are you proscribing IPOB without proscribing Miyetti Allah? – Soyinka

    Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has questioned the Federal Government’s handling of the farmers-herders crisis in the country.

    Soyinka wondered why the Federal Government was yet to ban a cattle group, Miyetti Allah, while it had already proscribed the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group looking for the secession of the South-East from Nigeria.

    Speaking to Channels Television’s Newsnight, a pre-recorded program, which airs every Monday, Soyinka said Nigeria must always put the country’s history in perspective so as to understand security challenges.

    “My temperament doesn’t accept that anyone should chase me out of my God-given earth. So, it is a temperamental thing as well,” Soyinka said.

    “The idea that you can unleash terror on me because you want my little patch of territory or you want my soul, that is you want to subjugate me, you want to turn me into a slave. Well, I would sort that out first.

    “And then I will make up my mind whether I want to leave. So each outrage, unfortunately, has the opposite effect. Whether the outrage is taking place in Benue, Kaduna, or is taking place in Owo. Or whether it is taking place right here on the (Ogun state) border – we have also been subjected to this lunacy, of the subjugation mentality which some minority people hold. And I find it very difficult to accept to be chased out of my own entitled portion of the earth.

    “Many people just either do not know the history or do not understand the purpose of history. And then there’s a different group also who are very selective about history; they know how to distort or misuse history.

    “Take, for instance, when the incursion of the Fulani herdsmen began, and the Miyetti Allah. Their spokesman said, I think it was in Borno. We once ruled this place, and we can take back our land anytime we want. I remember that statement; I have never forgotten it. In the midst of the trauma of these people, somebody comes gloating and then citing selective portions of history. I said this person should be arrested and locked up, who says he wants to repeat his history of conquest – he is admitting either knowledge, before or after, or support, anyway. Is not there anything like hate speech anymore? Why are you proscribing IPOB without proscribing Miyetti Allah?”

  • Stop Linking Us with Peter Obi, He’s not One of Us – IPOB warns Kwankwaso

    Stop Linking Us with Peter Obi, He’s not One of Us – IPOB warns Kwankwaso

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Tuesday, cautioned the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, against linking its struggle with the presidential ambition of the Labour Party’s Peter Obi.

    IPOB said Obi is not one of its members and has never supported the agitation for self-determination; hence Kwankwaso should desist from such connections.

    Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB, said the group is not interested in the process of Nigerian elections.

    A statement by Powerful reads: “The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the command and leadership of our great leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to advise the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwoso not to involve IPOB in the selection process they call an election in Nigeria.

    “The Nigerian politicians generally and Kwankwaso, in particular, should desist from linking IPOB with Peter Obi’s political ambition and campaign. Peter Obi is not an IPOB member, and never supported our agitation for freedom at any time because he pursues a totally different goal from that of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). We have no interest in the Nigerian morally decadent and fantastically corrupt political system and landscape.

    “If Kwankwaso is threatened by the Labour party & Peter Obi’s teeming support by the creative and talented but downtrodden, neglected, deceived, deprived, killed (Endsars) Nigerian youths from even the North which your generation does not have any good intentions for, then he should go forward and settle his differences and stop linking IPOB to their problem.

    “IPOB is not interested in the worthless politics you play in Nigeria, we don’t regard such daylight robbery, fraud, manipulation and selection as election. Maybe there is something Kwankwaso is not telling the world. Instead of saying the truth that because he is Fulani with the (born to rule mentality), he cannot play second fiddle to a Southern Christian presidential candidate, he has the temerity to associate our hallowed liberation movement with the shameless murky waters of the Zoo politics.

    “IPOB is not concerned with the waves of this election; we have never asked for nor said anything contrary to our goal and demand. What we need is a referendum, and a referendum we must have. There are no middle ways for us as a people as far as our liberty and freedom is concerned. There is, therefore, nothing anybody can do to change our resolve towards our stated goal, which is the restoration of Biafra.

    “If there is a region to avoid due to criminality with Terrorism, it is Northern Nigeria which sponsors several terrorist groups as joint venture partners and recycles them in the military and ministries, you should feel non – Northerners’ pulses when they helplessly tag along with you guys to ascertain the sensitivity of their irritations and pounding of hearts in silent prayers for safety.”

    Powerful reiterated IPOB’s agitation for a referendum in the Southeast as stipulated by the United Nations, UN.

    “Peter Obi is not a member of IPOB and he is neither agitating or in support of our Self Determination struggle. Why associate him with IPOB’s struggle for freedom. IPOB does not know who Peter Obi is going by our biodata bank. Our demand is our inalienable rights to self-determination and this we seek through a universally recognised and accepted political process called *REFERENDUM* as stipulated by the United Nations Charter.

    “IPOB wish to use this medium and opportunity to warn every politician in Nigeria to desist from linking IPOB with their politics and selection process because we are not politicians and have no common interest. We are freedom fighters,” he added.

  • Pipeline Vandalism: IPOB Dismisses Allegation as Buhari blames group

    Pipeline Vandalism: IPOB Dismisses Allegation as Buhari blames group

    President Muhammadu Buhari has accused a secessionist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra of vandalising oil pipelines and other infrastructure.

    Buhari, who stated this in an interview with Bloomberg, said although his regime last year began moves to remove fuel subsidy, it discovered that the moves were not tenable.

    IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, in an interview, dismissed the President’s allegation that the group was vandalising pipelines, describing the claim as laughable.

    Founded in 2012 by Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB has been agitating for the restoration of the Republic of Biafra.Kanu, a British Nigerian political activist is a fierce critic of the Nigerian government and also known for his advocacy of the contemporary Biafran independence movement.

    On June 29, 2021, the Nigerian government announced that Kanu had been rearrested. He was subsequently charged to court again and remanded in the custody of the department of state services.

    In the interview with Bloomberg, Buhari lamented that criminality was hindering oil production, adding that the country had stepped up its efforts in combating oil theft and vandalism.

    He stated, “Criminality and terrorism in oil-producing regions hamper production, and it would help if our western allies designated IPOB as a terrorist group, given their complicity in damage to pipelines and infrastructure.”

    He said government efforts in combating oil theft were succeeding

    “These efforts are making an impact: wells that had to be closed due to criminality have now re-opened. With these efforts, OPEC has raised our quota for next month.

    “We have invested in our security forces, including the $1 billion military deal with the U.S. for the acquisition of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft.

    “These efforts are making an impact: wells that had to be closed due to criminality have now re-opened. With these efforts, OPEC has raised our quota for next month.”

    Last month, The PUNCH reported that Nigeria was unable to produce about 22.658 million barrels of crude oil valued at N1.22tn in the first quarter of this year due to its persistent inability to meet the crude oil production quota approved for the country by OPEC.

    Responding to Buhari’s allegation, IPOB spokesman, Powerful, stated that it was “funny” and “laughable.”

    He said the group’s only interest was the actualisation of the “Biafra freedom struggle” and nothing else.

    He stated IPOB’s leadership was studying Buhari’s comments and would respond to him appropriately.

    A foremost Igbo intellectual body, Akeanga, described as faulty, the demand by the President that the West should designate IPOB as a terrorist group.

  • Insecurity: IPOB Warns Kumuyi Against Planned Crusade In South-East

    Insecurity: IPOB Warns Kumuyi Against Planned Crusade In South-East

    The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, to cancel the planned crusade in Abia State due to the heightening security challenges in the South-East.

    The caution was contained in a statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, warning Kumuyi to be aware of the insecurity in the South-East ahead of a crusade scheduled in Aba, Abia State.

    The statement read, “The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to advise Pastor Kumuyi of Deeper life Ministry to take note of the security situation in the South East as he comes to Aba for his gospel crusade.

    “Let him and the organisers of the crusade make sure that nothing happens. The security of this region is not good because of political and criminal activities, therefore we advise him to stop this crusade for security reasons.

    “IPOB will not allow anyone to die because of this crusade scheduled to hold in Aba. The operation of criminals operating as unknown gunmen infiltrating the events is high and they will blame it on IPOB.

    “We ask him to pray for an end to the insecurity in Biafra land if he can. We charge Christians and men of God in Biafra land to engage God in fervent prayers to expose all those behind the insecurity in our land.”

    IPOB further urged the pastor to pray against bad leaders, adding that they had expected him to speak against the murder of Deborah Samuel, who was recently lynched in Sokoto over alleged blasphemy.

    The statement added, “Let him use the opportunity to pray against the powers holding the people captive in Nigeria in his church in Lagos.

    “We equally want them to be united against injustice. We had expected them to demand justice for the innocent Deborah Yakubu burnt alive by Muslim fanatics in Sokoto State.

    “Her killers are walking freely today and 34 lawyers shamelessly volunteered to defend her killers but Christians are just watching them.”

  • Soludo visits Nnamdi Kanu in Detention, Discuss Insecurity in South-East

    Soludo visits Nnamdi Kanu in Detention, Discuss Insecurity in South-East

    Charles Soludo, governor of Anambra state, on Friday, visited Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in detention.

    The governor, who posted pictures of the meeting on his Facebook page on Saturday, said they discussed the sit-at-home protests and killings in the south-east.

    “I visited Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, yesterday, (Friday, 13th May, 2022) to felicitate with him and also as part of the wider consultations with critical stakeholders in search of lasting peace and security in the South East,” the governor wrote.

    “He was in very high spirits and we had quality and frank discussion in a very convivial atmosphere. He expressed sadness over what he described as “sacrilegious killings” of innocent persons, kidnappings and all forms of criminalities, including the brutal enforcement of the senseless “sit at home” perpetuated by sundry groups claiming to be acting for or on behalf of IPOB.

    “He assured that if the opportunity arises, he will be glad to personally broadcast to his followers to maintain the peace.”

    Soludo had, in April 2022, called on the federal government to speed up the trial of Kanu so he may be convicted or freed instead of being kept “in indefinite detention”.

    Kanu is standing trial on a 15-count charge bordering on treasonable felony, eight of which were recently struck out by a federal high court in Abuja.

  • South-East: IPOB Declares May 18, 26 Sit-At-Home

    South-East: IPOB Declares May 18, 26 Sit-At-Home

    The Indigenous People of Biafra has declared May 18 and 26, 2022 as sit-at-home for the people of the South-East.

    The group said it declared the sit-at-home, being the court dates of its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu as part of solidarity.

    In a statement on Saturday, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, also dissociated itself from a voice note purportedly announcing different dates, saying that any other date, is not from IPOB.

    Powerful noted that the group’s core mandate is the well-being of Biafrans all over the globe, with emphasis in the homeland of Biafra.

    He said the IPOB leadership is very strategic in its actions and directives to the Biafran people, so as to avoid playing into the hands of ‘its enemies”.

    He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a purported voice note ordering Biafrans and residents of Biafraland to sit at home on a date other than May 18. This is the handiwork of paid agents and should be totally ignored.

    “Those behind the purported voice note should go inform their pay masters to stop dissipating their energy and resources on a hopeless attempt to stop the collective will and decision of Biafrans worldwide to pursue our self determination right.”

    While urging the people of the South-East to be very much on the alert, it noted that IPOB is not a faceless movement and does not announce its activities through voice messages.

    The statement read in part, “Biafrans must be very much at alert because the enemies are trying so hard to create confusion in our land in its attempt to set Biafrans against themselves and scuttle our struggle for liberation. But we assure them that Biafrans know their plans and will not fall for their evil agenda.

    “Like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu said, if you did not hear it on radio Biafra then it is not from IPOB. IPOB announce its activities and events only through official channels which are (i)Radio Biafra (ii) Press Statement from Emma Powerful (office of IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary) and (iii) Memo from the Office of IPOB Head of Directorate. To this end therefore the only Sit-At- Home order emenating and announced by IPOB leadership are the 18th and 26th of May, 2022 being the dates our leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU will appear in court.

    “Biafrans, friends of Biafra and lovers of freedom across the world and especially in Biarraland should therefore pay no heed to faceless DSS agents and impostors recruited to serve the interest of Fulani Caliphate.”

  • UPDATE: We did not Designate IPOB as Terrorist Group – UK Govt

    UPDATE: We did not Designate IPOB as Terrorist Group – UK Govt

    The United Kingdom has clarified that it did not designate the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organisation.

    The clarification comes after it emerged that the UK sought to exclude IPOB members who have committed human rights abuses from its asylum program.

    A statement signed by presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, had stated that “Nigeria welcomes the decision by the United Kingdom to proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group.”

    But the British High Commission in Abuja, in a statement on Friday, said this was not the case.

    “We are aware of inaccurate reporting circulating in the media and online that the UK Government has added the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to the UK’s list of terrorist groups or organisations banned under UK law,” the statement said.

    “These reports are untrue. The ‘Indigenous People of Biafra’ (IPOB) is not a proscribed organisation in the UK.

    “The inaccurate reporting relates to the 13 April 2022 publication by the UK Government of a revised Country Policy and Information note (CPIN) on separatist groups in SE Nigeria, including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). CPINs provide country of origin information (COI) and analysis of COI for use by UK Government decision-makers handling particular types of protection and human rights claims.

    “All asylum and human rights claims made in the UK are considered on their individual facts in accordance with our obligations under the UN Refugee Convention and European Convention on Human Rights, taking into account relevant background country information and case law.

    “The CPIN on separatist groups in the South East, including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), provides a general assessment of risks faced by individuals belonging to those groups. These assessments are based on an analysis of publicly available country information obtained from a wide range of reliable sources including media outlets; UK and other governments; local, national and international organisations; and non-government organisations.

    “This CPIN also acknowledges that the Nigerian government has proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organisation, some members of IPOB have reportedly used violence against the state and members of the public, and advises that persons who have committed human rights abuses must not be granted protection.”