The Indigenous People of Biafra has berated the Federal Government over its role in the “purported” classification of IPOB as a terrorist group by the United Kingdom.
In a statement on Sunday, the group’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said the rush with which the Federal Government celebrated the said inaccurate information only confirmed that the government of Nigeria sponsored the “fake” news.
Powerful accused the FG of sponsoring insecurity and banditry in the South-East while linking it to IPOB in desperation to demonise the group and present it as a terrorist organisation before the global community.
He added that IPOB is a peaceful movement seeking to free the indigenous Nigerians from the bondage the government of the day put every tribe in Nigeria.
He said, “We wish to clarify that there is no iota of truth in the said malicious report planted and being peddled by the enemies of Biafra freedom and independence. Nothing more may be said about the clarification already given by the British High Commission in Abuja. The said report is untrue and should be disregarded.
“We are calling on the British government to change their minds about continuing to humiliate Biafra. They should understand that Biafrans are human beings, and they must benefit from Biafra when the time comes.
“The Federal Government has easily forgotten that the UK is not Nigeria where there is no rule of law and due process. Nigeria unilaterally proscribed IPOB and designated it a terror organisation while freeing and compensating Fulani bandits, the real mass murderers. What hypocrisy!”
The group commended the British High Commission for putting the records straight while asking it to condemn the numerous abductions, killings, and rapes by Fulani bandits and other terrorists in the South-East region, especially the killings of Agatu in Benue; Southern Kaduna; Uzouwan in Nsukka, Enugu State; Plateau; and the rest of Middle Belt Region since 2014.
The statement read, “Nigeria kills its citizens like the recent case in Imo State where an Army couple was beheaded after the woman was allegedly raped. Can you believe this, all in a bid to nail IPOB and justify the likely military invasion of our land?
“The government should hide its face in shame for sponsoring a failed international propaganda against IPOB. They have removed their evil celebrations on Twitter. They are using hoodlums to sponsor violence in our land to create the impression that our leader is leading a criminal organisation, but they will keep failing.
“The Nigeria government defends Fulani terrorists and bandits. They hardly talk about their atrocities in the media. Still, any time there is little violence in Biafra land, they will rush to blame IPOB.
“IPOB has existed long before those criminals trying to blackmail the good work of IPOB in London for a long time. Nigeria media must be objective in their reportage and ensure they investigate news before giving the public wrong information that is not true. We commend the objective media platforms and urge others to emulate them and resist any attempt by the government to be used as a propaganda tool.
“It is only proper for the ambassador to give accurate information about freedom seekers based on facts on the ground and not allegations and frame-ups by the Nigeria government.”
Copyright PUNCH.
