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The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has warned against attacking Igbos during the forthcoming 2023 elections.
IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, warned that the group would reciprocate any attack on Igbos during the forthcoming elections.
In a statement, Powerful said IPOB would not stand by and allow anybody to threaten or attack Igbos during the elections.
According to Powerful: “The attention of the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU has been drawn to a threat from a small village Monarch in Yoruba Land to the effect that they will deal with non-indigenes, especially Ndigbo who doesn’t vote in the upcoming elections according to the wish of the monarch. This sort of threat tells you all you need to know about the Nigerian selection process, which they like to call an election.
“IPOB as a freedom movement do reaffirm our non-recognition and or participation of (in) the Nigerian electoral process because the results do not represent the will of the people, and this is why an idiot somewhere will have the gumption to threaten what they called non-indigenes and the Igbo nation in particular. While we Biafrans await a date for Referendum, nobody should threaten Ndigbo and Biafrans residing temporarily in other parts of Nigeria for any reason.
“IPOB want to state unequivocally that any attack in any part of Nigeria on the Biafran people or the Igbo Nation or their properties on account of the choice of individuals to participate and vote according to their conviction during this so-called election will be met with adequate and commensurate action.
“We urge men and women of good conscience in the North and West to caution their traditional rulers and politicians who want to use Ndigbo and Biafrans as scapegoats in this skewed election process to be very careful and retrace their steps. Gone are the days when Ndigbo will be threatened and intimidated during elections. As long as Biafrans have not been given the opportunity to exit Nigeria via a referendum, IPOB will not stand by and watch anyone Nigerian or non-Nigerian to threaten Buafrans or carry out such threats against us and get away with it.
“Even as IPOB do not wish to be drawn into the ZOO politics, nobody has the right to threaten Ndigbo or attempt to compel them to vote for a particular party or candidate. Any Biafran who wants to vote in this election has the right to vote for any party or candidate of his/her choice, and nobody should direct or threaten them to vote for a particular party in their community or state. If anyone threatens to attack Ndigbo and Biafrans or non-indigenes residents in your place, be rest assured that the people being attacked will not sit and watch their property and life being destroyed and will activate their right to Self Defence.
“We are urging Ndigbo, Biafrans and non-indigenes everywhere to be prepared to defend their property, family and their own lives during and after this election period. Do not allow anyone to use you or your family as a sacrificial lamb this time around.
“It is very imperative that we remind those who think highly of themselves and believe they will resort to violence and attack Biafrans that they do not have the monopoly of violence. Until Referendum is conducted and Biafrans exit Nigeria, those who have the habit of threatening and attacking Ndigbo must understand that it will not be business as usual this time around because their lives also will be in danger when they attack others.
“These nitwits believe that Biafrans are soft targets to threaten and attack at will well they should know that it will not be so this time around. These morons never threatened fulani not vote for any other party except their own party and their own person but rather directed their misguided outbursts against Biafrans and Indigbo. We dare them to attack NDIGBO and Biafrans this time around and see what will happen.”
Powerful urged Igbos to defend themselves “as long as Nigeria forced and kept us into this unwanted contraption, we are advising Biafrans to be fully ready to meet the coming challenge squarely and unwaveringly.”