The leadership of the Indigenous
People of Biafra has lashed out at the facilitators and purveyors of the
“IgboMustGo” campaign in the South-Western part of the country, saying it was
high time they convoked a referendum for the Igbo to exit.
It said it was laughable that the
authorities in the South-West were treating the “IgboMustGo” campaign and its
proponents with a wave of the hand, adding the Igbo people were already ‘on the
ground and feared no fall’.
According to the group,
indications abound that sponsors of the “IgboMustGo” proponents were highly
placed individuals within the Lagos State and Federal Governments, urging
Southerners to be cautious of their actions in the South-Western region.
IPOB Director of Media and
Publicity, Emma Powerful, said this in a statement on Monday.
The statement read, “Following
the provocative and genocidal “IgboMustGo” proposed protest slated to commence
from August 20-30th 2024, by some faceless Yoruba groups and persons, the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to remind the Yoruba anti-Igbo groups
that Ndigbo are ready to exit Yoruba land and Nigeria via a referendum. Ndigbo
will not succumb to any threat from any group or persons to leave any state or
region in Nigeria.
“It is laughable that the
Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was reported to have
hypnotically condemned the proponents of the “Igbo Must Go” protest.
The Governor will not hoodwink
Ndigbo with his hypocritical condemnation of those calling for Igbos’ expulsion
from the South West Region of Nigeria. The governor was the first to ethnically
profile Ndigbo with his biased demolition of Ndigbo’s businesses, properties,
and investments in Lagos State. There is a high chance that the proponents of
the “IgboMustGo” are sponsored by high-profile persons in the Lagos State
Government and the Federal Government.
“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
for us to be allowed to exit Nigeria peacefully and democratically in order to
maintain good neighbourly relationships. However, if Ndigbo is forced to exit
Nigeria violently, there’s a possibility that we shall remain hostile neighbors
for the foreseeable future.
“The Yoruba tribal bigots and
their sponsors must understand that Ndigbo is not moved by threat. We have made
up our minds to exit Nigeria, so there is no basis for the threat of violence
or genocide agenda tagged “IgboMustGo” protest.
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“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 to
organise a referendum for Ndigbo to decide between Biafra and Nigeria. We will
gladly vote and leave Nigeria and the Yoruba region in peace. We are demanding
this so they can have peace after we are gone. Ndigbo is more enthusiastic
about exiting Nigeria than it was in the 1960s.
“The ongoing “EndBadGovernance”
protest in Nigeria was organized by Yoruba and Fulani to lure Ndigbo into
destruction, but Ndigbo has 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 has always been a victim of every protest in Nigeria.
“Though Ndigbo is facing the same
economic hardship that Tinubu’s government has imposed on Nigerians, however,
to avoid being targeted as always, they decided to shun the protest. The
scenario that led to the genocidal war against Biafrans in 1967-1970 is rearing
its ugly head. Ndigbo is not only facing existential threats from the Western
region but also from the Northern regions.
“We are calling Ndigbo in the
North and West to think home as fast as possible. No amount of threat will make
IPOB retreat from our divine mandate of restoring Biafra.
“We are calling the attention of
the international community to the existential threat against Ndigbo in Nigeria.
The Human Right Organisations, United Nations (UN), European Union (EU),
African Union (AU), all the lovers of freedom should understand that Biafrans
are endangered species in the contraption called Nigeria. The ethnic profiling
and hatred against Ndigbo are glaring in
the areas of security, politics, and economics in Nigeria.”
It added, “Silencing the quest
for Biafra referendum is indirectly supporting genocide against Ndigbo and
Biafrans. Just like our forebears and our heroes defended the Biafra people and
land, the present generation of Biafrans have decided to remove our territory
from Nigeria and defend the genocidal war spearheaded by Britain in 1967. This
generation of Biafrans is determined to defend ourselves from those who want to
annihilate us. We are not interested in the calls for the arrest of the
“IgboMustGo” criminal elements because we know that nothing will happen to
them.
“They are just the attack dogs of
the big masquerades in Yoruba land, led by the State and Federal Government. We
advise them to channel their energy in convincing President Tinubu to release
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and schedule a date for Biafra Referendum. Threatening Ndigbo
to leave Yoruba land is a sign of weakness and cowardice. Ndigbo are ready to
exit Yoruba land and Nigeria just like yesterday.”
Recall that Lagos State Governor
Babajide Sanwo-Olu condemned the call for Igbo people to vacate Lagos and
Southwest in entirety.
Sanwo-Olu remarked in a statement
through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gboyega Akosile.
The governor said, “The attention
of Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been drawn to a post by
LagosPedia, a social media handle on X (formerly Twitter) that calls on the
Igbo to vacate Lagos and Southwest of Nigeria and brace up for a massive
hashtag IgboMustGo protest from August 20-30, 2024.
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