IPOB Press Release
October 09 2023 | IPOB
Self-determination is an inalienable right of all Indigenous People according to the United Nations. When political and economic survival of the indigenous people are threatened, the United Nations charter gives them the right to chart their own political future in what she referred to as self-determination through a democratic process called referendum. This is a follow up to the press statement regarding or titled IPOB IS READY FOR DIALOGUE AND DISCUSSION WITH NIGERIA GOVERNMENT IF THEY ARE READY.
We never beg for dialogue or discussion with Nigeria, the options are left for them to decide, IPOB worldwide is ready anytime they are ready we don’t want people to see that statement as we are begging for dialogue or discussion, the Biafra referendum is sacrosanct and nothing will stop it to usher in Biafra restoration and independence.
We saw so many wrong comments from mostly those enemies from other tribes who think they can bring IPOB down. Never they think that IPOB is begging Nigeria dialogue. Some people think that IPOB is hard to believe in peaceful dialogue and discussion.
The Republic of Biafra was in existence before the British invasion and colonization of the territories of the Indigenous peoples and called it Nigeria. Out of greed and political convenience, Britain forcefully amalgamated unwilling and completely different Nations (Oduduwa, Biafra, Arewa, and others) into one bloody union, which they named Nigeria. Since the forceful amalgamation, the livelihood, political, and economic survival of Biafrans have been under severe threat.
The blood of Biafrans have been spilt to sustain the forced unity that benefits Britain, their allies, and the Nigerian criminal government. Prior to 1967-1970 genocidal war against Biafrans, the Northern pogrom, led to the slaughter of thousands of Biafrans in the Northern Nigeria. This pogrom against Biafrans forced survived Biafrans to retreat home and the then Governor of the Eastern Region, Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu demanded restructuring. Nigeria restructuring agreement reached in Accra, Ghana, widely known as “The Aburi Accord,” was rejected by the then Nigeria military government under Gen. Yakubu Gowon due to pressure from Britain.
This breach of agreement led Gen. Ojukwu and other leaders in the defunct Eastern Consultative Forum to declare the Independence of Biafra. Hell was let loose, and Nigeria and their foreign partners lunched a genocidal war, massacring millions of defenseless Biafrans, mostly women and children.
We salute our eternal leader late, Gen. Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Biafra war heroes, and heroines who fought gallantly to ensure that Biafrans were not obliterated. The ethnic bigotry and hatred against Biafrans remain unchanged to date. It is only a tree that will receive a warning that it will be cut down, and it stays at the same spot.
Biafrans are fed up with the ethnic profiling, hatred, marginalization, and our enemies’ ethnic annihilation plans. To top it off, there has been political and economic exclusion, extrajudicial executions, and arbitrary detentions in the hand of the Nigeria State. That’s why the Nigeria government must listen to the wise counsels and dialogue with Mazi Nnamdi KANU and IPOB for a way forward for a Biafra referendum.
Referendum is not new to Nigeria. For those who based their argument on that referendum is not in the Fulani military imposed 1999 constitution, we ask: Who conducted the Referendum in 1961 that made it possible for parts of Cameroon to join Nigeria?
Who initiated and conducted the Midwest region’s referendum of 1962? Whether Fulani military-imposed constitution expressly mentioned referendum or not, as long as Nigeria is a signatory to African Charter of People’s Rights and remains a member of United Nations, she is bound by law to heed to Biafrans demand for referendum.
God Almighty has given us Mazi Nnamdi KANU and this IPOB movement worldwide to champion the civil movement, and we won’t allow the Movement to see corruption until Biafrans are given opportunity to vote in a referendum.
For IPOB to engage Nigeria in any negotiations and dialogue for Biafra referendum, first Mazi Nnamdi KANU must be released unconditionally. He will lead the negotiation. Secondly, the international community represented in the UN, AU, EU, the USA government, the Russia government, and Israel must be represented at the negotiation table.
Should the Nigeria government remain adamant and refuse to obey extant laws on self-determination, IPOB and Biafrans will continue with civil disobedience within the boundaries of international laws until our demands are mate. More so, we shall continue with our diplomatic engagements to push forward our demands for a referendum. Some of our strategies will remain secret but will be rolled out in due time. For us in IPOB, every card is on the table.
As freedom fighters, we adequately harness every available opportunity for Biafra Independence. As long as Biafrans are forced to remain in a deadly union that threatens our survival called Nigeria, we shall ensure that the economic and political survival of Nigeria is under threat as well.
We can assure Nigeria that IPOB members and Biafrans will never capitulate on our self-determination struggle. On the other hand, if Biafrans are allowed to have a referendum and majority vote “YES” for us to exit, Biafra and Nigeria shall remain friendly nations. But if the majority vote “NO” for us to remain in Nigeria, then IPOB’s job will be done, and the movement will be disbanded.
Our leader, Mazi Nnamdi KANU, has always said that IPOB has crossed the Rubicon. If the Nigeria genocidal war against Biafra and policy of economic annihilation didn’t stop Biafrans from the quest for Biafra Independence, no amount of extrajudicial executions, and unlawful detentions of Biafrans will stop our march for freedom. Let this message sink into the Nigeria government and others with remote interests. Biafra or death.
COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL, MEDIA, AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.
Published by:
Chibuike Nebeokike
For: IPOB
