IPOB ‘We must achieve Biafra,’ Nnamdi Kanu’s group says

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said that its aim to secede from Nigeria must be achieved.

IPOB also warned Nigeria’s security agents that its members would defend themselves from any further attacks.

This was contained in a statement released by the group’s Media and Publicity Officer, Emma Powerful on Tuesday, February 16, 2016.

It reads:

“We believe that some people are out to destroy IPOB name, and it is the same people who tried without success to link us with the seizure of a merchant ship last month, which the Nigerian Army confirmed the hijackers were not from Nigeria. Now, that the plan to tarnish our image has failed, they are plotting another way by saying that we want to go violent, but their plan will not work.”

“IPOB will maintain its non-violent approach. Like other responsible Biafra agitators, we will not be violent but Nigerians and the world should be rest assured that we will defend ourselves in the face of any attack by the military, police or any other security agencies because we have been pushed to the wall by the Nigerian military and the police, and we will not take that any longer.”

“There are many non-violent ways of defending ourselves. Self-defence is approved in international law, and you should not be shooting people that were praying and think that they will leave you unchallenged.”

“We are not going to involve in any kind of arms struggle. It is not our style but we must achieve Biafra. It is funny that the people that have been killing us over the years are now jittery that we said we will defend ourselves in the face of any attack.”

“So, they love their lives, they do not want to die but they are killing us. Let them try and kill our members again and we will show them how we will defend ourselves,” he added.

The group has been organizing protests nationwide to demand the release of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB also claims that about 1000 of its members have been killed by security agents in the course of its demonstrations.

Kanu has been charged with treason and is currently being held at the Kuje Prison in Abuja.