FACT CHECK: Did FG assign Abaribe to negotiate with IPOB over Biafra agitation?

A report circulating on social media claims the federal government has assigned Enyinnaya Abaribe, the senate minority leader, to negotiate with the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The report also claimed that Abaribe rejected the offer and told the federal government that IPOB only wants “Biafra”.

“BREAKING NEWS FG assigned Abaribe as a negotiator to negotiate with IPOB over Biafra agitation, Abaribe rejected the offer, said IPOB only wanted Biafra,” the post read.

Facebook groups like Biafra TV, Biafra journals, Authentic IPOB news, Biafra world news, Enugu press team and Dailymail Gist posted the claim.

For instance, in one of the groups, Biafra TV, which has over 15,000 followers, the post has garnered over 597 reactions, 101 comments and 86 shares. In Biafra Journals Facebook group, which has 177,000 followers, the post has garnered over 839 reactions, 282 comments and 142 shares.

ABARIBE’S SUPPORT FOR NNAMDI KANU

Abaribe, who hails from Abia, the same state as Nnamdi Kanu, has always shown support for the IPOB leader.

In 2017, the senator stood surety for the IPOB leader during his trial for treasonable felony. Kanu later jumped bail and fled the country. In June, the IPOB leader was arrested and brought back to the country.

In July, Abaribe said he would stand surety for Kanu if the need arises again while stressing that he did not feel betrayed that Kanu jumped bail.

The support displayed by Abaribe to Kanu has been used as a launchpad to create fake news in the public space.

DID FG ASSIGN ABARIBE AS A NEGOTIATOR WITH IPOB?

To verify the claim, TheCable did a web search to ascertain if the claim has been reported in the mainstream media. The result shows no credible news platform has published the information.

A search on the verified Facebook account of the Abia senator showed that the senator’s last post was on May 20, 2021. In other words, he has not made any post concerning the claim.

Speaking on the development, Uchenna Awom, Abaribe’s spokesperson, said his principal did not make such a claim.

“It’s not true, please ignore as there is no such thing,” Awom told TheCable in a text message.

TheCable had fact-checked a similar claim here.

VERDICT: The claim that the federal government assigned Abaribe to negotiate with IPOB over Biafra agitation is false.

This story is published in partnership with Report for the World, a global service programme that supports local public interest journalism.