From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has raised the alarm over the alleged indiscriminate arrest of their members and innocent Igbo people by security agents at Lagos and Abuja airports.
According to a statement by IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful, Igbo passengers were have been subjected to humiliating searches at the airports and later arrested if found with any Biafra paraphernalia.
“Nigeria Security Agents at the Airport have taken it as a duty to humiliate Biafrans who are departing or arriving at these International Airports because of the agitation for Biafra Referendum project,” he said.
“Any Biafran passenger who is unfortunate to have Biafra-related content in his or her phone even without Biafra contents in his or her phone will be arrested and incarcerated by the Fulani-controlled security personnel at the airport,” Powerful said.
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“Every Biafran is an Indigenous Person of Biafra but not all Biafrans are IPOB family members. IPOB agitation for the Independent State of Biafra is legal and supported by International and Nigeria laws. Arresting Biafran passangers whether they are for or against Biafra is not only wicked but unlawful too,” he added.
“Those illegally arrested at these Airports were not allowed to speak to their families and lawyers. They were also detained incommunicado in different security detentions facilities across Lagos and Abuja”.
He warned that if the indiscriminate harassment continues, IPOB will have no other option than to ask the people being harassed to resist it.
“It’s quite appalling that out of many passengers at the Airport only Biafrans especially the Igbos are profiled and made to undergo indiscriminate and unlawful searching like common criminals because of Biafra agitation.
“But one thing is certain, these humiliations and intimidation cannot stop Igbos in conjunction with other Biafrans from pursuing the divine mandate to restore Biafra freedom. The earlier the Fulani-controlled government understand that their unjust arrest, torture and killing of Biafrans will not stop the coming of Biafra the better for all of us.”
IPOB called on the international community to prevail on the Nigerian government to stop the arrests.