David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has assured all Igbo wishing to travel to the Southeast for the yuletide season not to entertain any fear about multiple checkpoints on their way home, saying the group is ready to defend them against any possible harassment and extortion by security agents.
The pro-Biafra group in a statement by its spokesman, Emma Powerful yesterday also warned federal authorities that security checkpoints across the Southeast would soon be dismantled. While praising the media for their courage and often unbiased reportage “in the face of unrelenting dictatorial onslaught and shrinking of civic space in Nigeria”, the group said its agitation was not just for the liberation and well-being of Biafrans alone but for the betterment of every living soul “unfortunate enough to be trapped in the cesspit of corruption, backwardness, hardship and totalitarianism that Nigeria has become.”
According to them, “We, the IPOB are warning all corrupt Lagos/Abuja politicians and groups who were involved in the conspiracy with cabals to bring RUGA and military into our land as a way of silencing IPOB, reducing our population and intimidating us into accepting this as our way of life, to retrace their steps. We caution them to stay away from anything that may cast them in bad light given that our people are highly upset and would not hesitate to vent their anger on any person or group of persons found to be a collaborator.
“It is in the interest of these traitors to stay away from Biafraland because they would bear the consequences of any move to force our land to become volatile to justify their murderous military occupation. In this season of goodwill, we call on our people who wish to come home from abroad to do so because there will be no hiding place for any criminal in uniform or their informants that may seek to bring harm to our people. Biafraland is peaceful and will continue to remain so until Biafra independence is duly and finally restored.
“Nigeria government and her security operatives will be compelled in due course to dismantle all their extortionate Police, Army, Road Safety, Customs and Civil Defense Corps checkpoints along major roads into Biafraland.
“Nigeria Army and Police should take their security checkpoints to the North where there is raging induced insurgency and soldiers are being slaughtered like animals. Also the dictatorial and lawless Nigerian government must stop their usual killing, abduction, intimidation and humiliation of commuters during this festive period as every death, disappearance or abduction of any Biafran will attract a commensurate response from the public.”