THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has distanced itself from any on-going negotiation aimed at thwarting the May 30 Biafra Day remembrance.
The group said it is committed to holding the remembrance of the fallen heroes of the defunct republic, who paid supreme sacrifices to uphold the three-year republic between 1967 and 1970. IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, in a statement, yesterday, advised all Biafrans to ignore any tactics aimed at frustrating the remembrance day. The group disowned any group or persons, who claim to be Biafra agitators and who it said have been negotiating with agents of the Nigerian government to frustrate the up-coming event.
Part of the statement read: “This annual event, which is now observed by Biafrans all over the world as a mark of perpetual respect to the bravery of the few men and women who stood for three years to resist the combined murderous might of Britain, Egypt, Soviet Union and OAU is an event that cannot and should not be toyed with.
“If not for these men and women of the Biafran Army, the Biafran race, especially Igbo, would have been wiped out from the face of this earth. We owe these heroes a great debt of gratitude which can never be fully repaid. Therefore, we must honour them. “Any person working against the remembrance of our heroes deserves nothing less than death. These evil men, who are in constant meetings with agents of the government of Nigeria to frustrate the remembrance and honour of our soldiers, including IPOB and MASSOB members that fell during protests and rallies deserve a fate worse than what befell saboteurs of the civil war” Their name and that of their children will be forever be associated with infamy.
They should also be aware that posterity will never forgive their families and generations to come. As it was with Ifeajuna, so shall it be with them. Furthermore, we wish to remind these misguided elements that IPOB is the largest most powerful non-violent liberation movement anywhere in the world right now. When we set out to do something, not even death can stop us, so they better beware.
It is unfortunate that the Government of Nigeria and their collaborators in Biafraland have not observed that the resolve of IPOB family members worldwide towards the restoration of ancient nation of Biafra is unshakable. IPOB is firmly under the supreme leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and he has made it clear after his release that he won\’t settle for anything other than the total liberation of Biafra from the British contraption called Nigeria. Anybody campaigning for restructuring of Nigeria in the name of Prophet Nnamdi Kanu clearly doesn\’t know him very well because he was born to restore Biafra not to restructure Nigeria.
It was our leader that coined the phrase, Biafra or Death, and he meant every syllable of it. Every member of IPOB must reach out to the Community leaders, Market leaders, Church leaders, Transport Companies, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Women Associations, Artisans, Tricycle/ Okada Union, Luxurious Bus Association of Nigeria (LUBAN), Nigeria Association of Lorries (9Loaders/911), Park Management in all the States in Biafraland to remember and honour of our falling heroes and heroines on 30th May 2017.