OWERRI (Sundiata Post) – Following the ‘IgboMustGo’ proposal by some elements in the country, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has given conditions to heed their demands.
Spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful, who reacted in a statement yesterday said although Ndigbo would never succumb to threat by any region in the country on the call for the zone to exit from Nigeria, he added that it has to be after a Biafra referendum.
He said the zone would continue to demand for a peaceful resolution to exit from Nigeria in order to have continued relationship with each other after the referendum.
Ndigbo will not succumb to any threat from any group or persons to leave any state or region in Nigeria.
“There are high chances that the proponents of the ‘IgboMustGo’ are sponsored by high profile persons in the Lagos State Government and in the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“Nevertheless, Ndigbo are not perturbed. We have seen it all in Nigeria and are prepared for any opportunity to exit Nigeria at any time. But, it will be more appropriate that we are allowed to exit Nigeria peacefully and democratically in order to maintain good neighbourly relationships.
“However, if Ndigbo are forced to exit Nigeria violently, there’s a possibility that we shall remain hostile neighbours for the foreseeable future.
“Instead of threatening to unconstitutionally and violently force Ndigbo out of the Yoruba region, they should tell President Tinubu, their brother, to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and organise a referendum for Ndigbo to decide between Biafra and Nigeria.
“We will gladly vote and leave Nigeria and Yoruba region in peace. We are demanding this for them to have peace after we are gone. Ndigbo are more enthusiastic to exit Nigeria than it was in the 1960s.”
However, explaining why the South East did not join the ongoing hunger protest in the country, he said: “The ongoing ‘EndBadGovernance’ protest in Nigeria was organised by Yoruba and Fulani to lure Ndigbo into destruction, but Ndigbo have learned their lessons.
“Though, Ndigbo declined to participate in the ongoing protests, yet they are being attacked and accused of being behind the protest. One can imagine what would have become of Ndigbo in the Northern and Western regions if they had taken part in the ongoing protest.
“Ndigbo have always been victims of every protest in Nigeria. Though Ndigbo are facing the same economic hardship that Tinubu’s government has imposed on Nigerians, to avoid being targeted as always, they decided to shun the protest.
“We are calling the attention of the international community to the existential threat against Ndigbo in Nigeria. The human rights organisations, United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), African Union (AU), and all the lovers of freedom should understand that Biafrans are endangered species in Nigeria.
“The ethnic profiling and hatred against Ndigbo are glaring in the areas of security, politics, and economics in Nigeria. Silencing the quest for Biafra referendum is indirectly supporting genocide against Ndigbo and Biafrans.
“We are not interested in the calls for the arrest of the ‘IgboMustGo’ criminal elements because we know that nothing will happen to them. We advise them to channel their energy in convincing President Tinubu to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and schedule a date for Biafra referendum.
