The Biafra Nations League, BnL, has claimed responsibility for the recent blockade on the entrance “Welcome to Bakassi” and other activities in Bakassi Pennisula, and called “false” the report by Daily Trust—a Nigerian newspaper which in a publication on its website linked the recent blockade to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statement received by SAHARA NEWS on Friday, the separatist group that conducts most of its operations in the Bakassi Peninsula where it is headquartered, said its members who hoisted the Biafra flag did not intimidate residents during the border blockade last week Monday November 8, 2021.
The statement reads as follows:
We the Biafra Nations League, BnL, a self determination movement drawn from various ethnic nationals within the defunct Eastern region, with operational headquarters in Bakassi Peninsula wish to formerly react to an unverified reports making round which originated from Daily Trust, alleging that members of Indigenes people of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday hoisted the Biafran flag and blocking the entrance to Bakassi Peninsula, thereby chasing Nigerian security operatives away.
This fabricated reports is not only false but alarming, having accused the agitators of intimidating residents of Bakassi during the process of the border blockade.
We wish to inform all Biafrans and the general public that we the BnL carried out the action in Bakassi and not IPOB. The picture of what happened which Daily Trust used to dignify their falsehood was taken from our page, and other online sources that copied from us clearly indicated the source which is BnL in their publication, as we are the first to release the pictures from our verified Facebook page.
The action was carried out on 8 November and not on Thursday being 18 November as reported by Daily Trust.
We have noted alot of lies being peddled by this particular newspaper on the issues of Biafran struggle.
We affirm that we are responsible for our actions in Bakassi, and so we do not want unnecessary falsehood.
To make it clear, never a time did our members who are also indigenes of Bakassi intimidated anybody during the time we seized control of the entrance to Bakassi Peninsula, there was no clashes between our boys and Nigerian security operatives as reported, as they ran and returned prepared when our BnL faithful have departed, we admit that we have recorded clashes with Cameroonian Forces on the side ceded to Cameroon.
We stand to say that this report is aimed at limiting the struggle to a particular people, by peddling lies in away to make it look like strangers came to intimidate the good people of Bakassi.
For the avoidance of doubt, BnL is in close collaboration with stakeholders, able bodied men that matters in Bakassi Peninsula both the areas ceded to Cameroon, our people of Bakassi have registered their grievances to us, among which are failure to resettle displaced people of the Peninsula,
Failure to develop the Dayspring Island for those who do not wish to be controlled by Cameroon Forces,
Fake promises made to ex-militants of Bakassi during amnesty, neglect and breach of the Greentree Agreement ceding some of our people to Cameroon.
These are issues that should worry the government of the day, but the well-being of our people is not their concern, they’re only interested in our resources, and we say no to that, enough of this deceitful attitude of Nigerian government.
Similarly, we have seen response from some Niger Delta groups agitating against the hoisting of Biafra flag in Bakassi, we want to let them know that this is not an ethnic struggle, it is never like the Niger Delta struggle some Ijaw leaders limited to themselves,
Our struggle is for the oppressed, the abandoned, the rejected people, and they’re people of former Eastern Nigeria.
Our struggle is the same as that of IPOB, MASSOB and every other Biafran movement in the hinterland, it is also same as that of MEND, and other freedom movement in Niger Delta, but our ideologies differs, and we respect each other’s ideologies, we protect the interest of Biafran tribes, especially rejected ones, that is why we enjoy massive support from the people of the border areas at the extreme South-East.
Since 2013 we came into existence, we recently decided to increase our pressure, we have come to stay, we have come for good, and there is no going back.
Signed
Princewill Chimezie Richards
National Leader, BnL
Ebuta Akor Takon
Deputy Leader, BnL
Head of Operations, BBs Media
Godstime Ntukidem
Administrator, BnL
Linus Asuquo Essien
Chief of General Staff
BnL
Endorsed by
Head of Operations
Operational Commander
All National Officers of BnL