The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on Igbo politicians to put aside political infighting and work together to address the root causes of insecurity in the Southeast region, which, according to the group, are well known to all.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, IPOB spokesperson, Emma Powerful listed the continued detention of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, chronic youth unemployment, and the shoot-at-sight policy employed by security forces as the primary factors contributing to the insecurity in the region.
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“IPOB urges the politicians of the Southeast to stop their political witch-hunts and backbiting and join hands in addressing the well-known issues fueling the unrest in the region,” the statement said.
“All hands must be on deck to mitigate the situation and protect our people from further violence, before enemies exploit this situation to complete the ‘holocaust’.”
Powerful also accused government-backed criminals of being behind much of the unrest in the Southeast, which he described as “restiveness” fueled by the activities of these groups.
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“Southeast politicians should wake up and work together to end insecurity in the region,” he said. “They should stop sponsoring armed robbers and political thugs to discredit IPOB’s legitimate activities.”
He questioned why Southeast governors have not followed through on their pledge to meet with President Bola Tinubu to seek the release of Nnamdi Kanu.
“They have failed in this singular undertaking because they seem to benefit directly from the violence and mayhem through increased federal security allocations,” Powerful claimed.
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“The release of our leader would bring an end to the criminal activities of these fifth columnists, so why the delay if they have no ulterior motives?”
The group suggested that some governors may be in collusion with forces opposed to the Igbo people.
They accused these politicians of working with local and foreign elements to diminish the push for Biafran independence and undermine IPOB’s role in advocating for a UN-supervised referendum.
“The Southeast was once known as the safest region in Nigeria until ethnic hatred prompted the previous administration to launch deadly attacks in our land,” the statement continued, citing the 2016 Nkpor massacre and the subsequent Operation Python Dance as examples.
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“The Federal Government, aided by certain cowardly politicians, has entrenched insecurity in Igboland.”
IPOB further criticized the reluctance of Igbo governors to push for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, calling it a tactic to weaken the movement.
“We are aware that two serving governors and one former governor have vowed to continue opposing Kanu’s release unless IPOB is irreversibly weakened,” Powerful claimed.
“They know that freeing Onyendu will immediately end the insecurity in our homeland, which they benefit from.”
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The group called for an end to political divisions among the Igbo people and urged a united front in fighting crime and ensuring the safety of the region.
“We demand that the political bickering among Ndigbo stop so that we can all work together to separate the common criminals from legitimate agitators,” the statement said.
IPOB also reiterated its commitment to maintaining peace in the region, particularly during the upcoming festive period.
“IPOB is a global peaceful movement and will ensure that peace prevails in the region,” the statement concluded.
