BIAFRA: IPOB vows to fight on, says Army has no right to tag it ‘terrorist group’

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Kanu Nnamdi says it will not be cowed by the recent pronouncement of the Nigeria Defence headquarters that the pro-Biafra group is a terrorist organization.

IPOB stated that the pronouncement by the Nigerian Army illegal and unconstitutional, as it lacks the constitutional right to make such a declaration.

The Defence headquarters had labeled the group a terrorist organization giving reasons for its pronouncement.

Governors of the South East region had also proscribed the activities of IPOB in the state’s of the region, stating the Kanu was losing control of its activities, hence the members had engaged in mayhem and violence.

But Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Emma Powerful in a statement on Thursday, said IPOB will ignore the declarations and continue its agitation for Biafra restoration.

He said, “We in IPOB condemn the illegal declaration made by Nigerian army labelling the peaceful freedom fighting organization IPOB as a terrorist organization. We found the statement made by Nigerian army a laughable and caricature the Nigerian Army is making of itself, we will continue doing what we are doing which is peaceful agitation for Biafra freedom.

“Whatever be the case Nigerian Army has no right or power to labelling IPOB a terrorist group whiles the case still in the court. It is the duty of Nigerian court to decide the case between the Nigerian government and IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“We urge the Nigerian government and her security operatives to stop their barbaric and unprovoked attacks on unarmed and innocent civilians who have not been involved in any act of crime or violence since the inception of this struggle for Biafra independence championed by IPOB”.

Speaking on the move by governors of the south east, he said, “It’s very appalling that south East governors will always stoop so low to allow our general enemies to continue to tele-guide them in their meeting at Enugu in collaborating with security operatives to eliminate their people whom they suppose to protect because they want re election of political office in 2019.

Read also: Looters sponsoring IPOB to destabilise Buhari’s govt – Minister Lai

“In any case we do not even regard the South East governors, as far as Biafra struggle is concerned we do not regard, and do not even know that South East Governor exist, they are not in control of the states they are Governors”.

According to IPOB “it is imperative to remind Nigerians that we are not in doubt that Nigerian government and her security operatives especially the Nigerian army cannot win this battle and don’t have the temerity to label IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu a terrorist group, while the case between the Nigerian government and IPOB is still in the Federal High Court Abuja.

“It is very clear to all sundry, that this action of the Nigerian Army which started killing innocent Biafran populations in the name of pursuing criminals in every part of Biafra land, and at the same time labelling IPOB as a terrorist group is an indicative the completion of the extermination of Igbo agendas set during the time Usman Dan Fodio. We are not surprise that the present killings and intimidations in South East particularly in Umuahia, Aba and Port Harcourt has the backing of the present caliphate in Sokoto, which has deemed it necessary to follow the steps laid down by their forefathers to wipe out Biafrans and to pave way for the islamization of South east.

“The Fulani herdsmen has been involved in killing and ravaging of South East, destroying farm crops without any record of arrest or detention of any of them since the inauguration of this present government Muhammadu Buhari, and he has always kept silent on their activities, and the solders always assist them whenever they are on mission to kill Christians, they have not be declared a terrorist group of people, what a government.

“Buhari and his soldiers cannot win this war against IPOB because it is on record in every part of Biafra land and the world over that since the inception the IPOB activities, nobody will say he has been harassed intimidated or shot by IPOB, nobody will ever come out to prove he has seen any of our member with arms like the herdsmen are clearly seen with AK 47 riffle.

“Nobody in Biafra land or in the Diaspora including foreign citizens and those strangers living in any part of Biafra land, will ever say IPOB carry arms, our weapon is peaceful protest which we have suspended for some time now, yet we are passing our message to the people while Nigerian Government continue to be jittery.

“IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wins more converts every day in spite of the attacks, killings, intimidation on the innocent civilians and peaceful members of IPOB, we cannot accept the statement credited to Nigeria Army of labelling us a terrorist group, Nigerian Army is the real terrorist group.

“We urge Nigerian government and its Army to wait till October 17 2017 when the case will come up, if they have a superior argument to challenge our leader Mazi Kanu and IPOB members worldwide they should come to the competent court of jurisdiction to table their case not parading themselves, not us as a terrorist group.

“The only constituted authority that can declare IPOB a terrorist group is a competent court of jurisdiction in Nigeria, not the Nigerian Army and South East Governors, they are only making mockery of their selves”, he stated.

 

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