The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the federal government of sponsoring political violence particularly in the southeast ahead of the 2023 elections and turning around to blame the group.
IPOB in a statement on Sunday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful however said the pro-Biafra group is not interested in Nigeria’s election.
It said the only agenda and focus of the group is to legitimately actualize an independent Biafra nation through a referendum.
The statement added that IPOB is non-violent while urging the federal government to desist from dragging it into matters that don’t concern its members.
It urged the citizens of Nigeria as well as the international community to hold the government responsible for any violence.
The IPOB statement read, “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, led and commanded by Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is very much aware that the Nigerian government is directly and indirectly, sponsoring election violence in Biafra land, intending to internationally blackmail the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, as an anti-democratic group.
“The IPOB leadership has for the 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 organize a referendum in the Biafran territory for the Biafran people to determine their destiny. To this effect, IPOB is neither contemplating nor will it encourage or sponsor anyone or group to disrupt Nigeria’s shambolic selection process called an election.
“IPOB has constantly made it public that we have no interest in and cannot legitimize the aberration they call an election in Nigeria. We are a focused, determined, and disciplined freedom-fighting movement, not political thugs.
“IPOB is devoted to the cause of liberating our people from subjugation and modern-day slavery and neo-colonialism and will not allow ourselves to be distracted from this very objective.
“The world must hold to account the Nigerian government and the criminals it is covertly recruiting and positioning in the South East to create an environment of violence and after causing the violence, will turn around to blame IPoB.”
This article was originally published on OsunDaily News
