IPOB: It’s Biafra or death, there’s no middle ground

Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) has said its agitation for secession from Nigeria is non-negotiable and that the only other alternative is death.

In a statement released on Tuesday by Emma Nmezu, and Clifford Iroanya, its spokespersons, IPOB said, “It is understandable that MEND and the federal government are scavenging for relevance from their moribund status but they should not use the sacred name of IPOB or its leader as a means of survival.”

“MEND and the federal government can conveniently carry out their operation without dragging the name of IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu into that shenanigan, as we are not interested in their devilish acts.

“IPOB and their leader Mazi Kanu are in full support of any group of dedicated and hardcore freedom fighters such as the Niger Delta Avengers [NDA], as we share the same aspiration which is the liberation of our people.

“We have stated unequivocally and without any fear of contradiction that we are fully in support of the NDA as they embark on freeing themselves from the British criminality called Nigeria, a contraption led by a man that committed treason on December 31, 1983.

The group also asserted that its detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu has brought a certain degree of spirituality into the Biafra cause.

“What MEND and federal government must know is that Biafra is a spirit because Nnamdi Kanu, by the grace of God, brought spirituality into the agitation for Biafra independence.

“The fact that many people claiming to be fighting for the interest of the people have sold out in the past or that the so called elites engaged in the mortgaging of their soul to the devil does not mean the emergence of clean, conscientious and patriotic Biafrans is no longer possible.

“A lot of people thought the agitation for Biafra was dead before the emergence of Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB, one thing remains certain things can never be the same after this. We assert that IPOB is not in the business of betrayal and we would die rather than renounce Biafra.

“The restoration of the nation of Biafra is not subject to negotiation, if there should be any form of negotiation at all, it must be centered on asset sharing between Nigeria and Biafra and on the payment of reparations for money stolen from Biafrans by Nigeria through the 1970 twenty pounds deal and other subsequent acts of thievery by Nigeria against Biafrans.

IPOB further stressed that it is not involved nor in support of the ongoing dialogue between the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and officials of the federal government to end militancy in the Niger Delta and agitations in the Southeast.

“We want to make it categorically clear that MEND and the federal government are strictly on their own and do not in any way, shape or form represents IPOB or the leader of IPOB, Mazi Kanu, when we say ‘Biafra or Death’, and we meant every syllable of that phrase.

“Again, we reiterate that Nnamdi Kanu is not Ralph Uwazuruike and IPOB is not MASSOB. Therefore, anybody thinking that our leader will renounce Biafra is certifiably mad. For both IPOB and their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, it is either we get Biafra or we die getting Biafra. There is no middle ground.

“MEND and the federal government team of fake negotiators are hereby warned to desist from deceiving the public with their misinformation and betrayal of the Biafran cause.”