During the upcoming elections in 2023, the Indigenous People of Biafra, or IPOB, has advised against attacking Igbos.
Emma Powerful, the spokesperson for IPOB, issued a warning that the organization would respond to any attack on Igbos during the upcoming elections.
Powerful stated in a statement that the IPOB would not tolerate anyone threatening or attacking Igbos during the elections.
As stated by Powerful:
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) movement and family around the world, led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi KANU, have been alerted to a threat from a small village monarch in Yoruba Land that they will deal with non-indigenes, particularly Ndigbo, who do not vote in the upcoming elections in accordance with the monarch’s wishes. This kind of threat reveals everything you need to know about the Nigerian election-like selection process.
As a freedom movement, IPOB reaffirms its refusal to recognize or participate in the Nigerian electoral process because the results do not reflect the will of the people. Because of this, an idiot somewhere will have the courage to threaten so-called non-indigenous people, particularly the Igbo nation. Nobody should threaten Ndigbo or Biafrans who are temporarily residing in other parts of Nigeria for any reason while we Biafrans wait for a date for the Referendum. IPOB wants to make it clear that any attack on the Biafran or Igbo people or their properties in any part of Nigeria as a result of people choosing to participate in and vote according to their convictions during this so-called election will be met with appropriate and proportionate action.
We urge men and women in the North and West who are of good conscience to warn their traditional rulers and politicians who want to use Ndigbo and Biafrans as a scapegoat in this skewed election process to be extremely cautious and retrace their steps. During elections, Ndigbo people no longer face threats or intimidation. IPOB will not sit by and watch Nigerians or non-Nigerians threaten Buafrans or carry out such threats against us and get away with it as long as Biafrans have not been given the chance to exit Nigeria via a referendum.
Even though IPOB does not want to get involved in ZOO politics, no one has the right to try to intimidate Ndigbo or force them to vote for a particular party or candidate. Anyone in Biafra who wants to vote in this election has the right to vote for any party or candidate they want, and no one should tell them to vote for a certain party in their community or state or threaten them to do so. Be assured that if someone threatens to attack Ndigbo, Biafran, or non-indigenous residents in your area, they will exercise their right to self-defense rather than sit by and watch their lives and property destroyed.
We are urging Ndigbo, Biafrans, and non-indigenous people everywhere to be ready to defend their homes, families, and lives during and after this election. This time, don’t let anyone use you or your family as a sacrificial lamb.
Reminding those who think highly of themselves and believe they will resort to violence and attack Biafrans that they do not monopolize violence is very important. Until a Referendum is held and Biafrans leave Nigeria, those who regularly threaten and attack Ndigbo must realize that this time it won’t be business as usual because they risk their own lives when they attack others. These idiots think that Biafrans are easy targets to threaten and attack whenever they want, but they should know that won’t be the case this time. These idiots only targeted Biafrans and Indigbo with their misguided outbursts rather than threatening Fulani not to vote for any other party but their own and their own person. This time, we dare them to attack NDIGBO and Biafrans to see what happens.
We are keeping an eye on any and all individuals, organizations, or groups that are threatening to attack Ndigbo. We are prepared to respond appropriately and proportionately if they use the election as a pretext to attack Ndigbo and their properties nationwide. They are coming to show us that we do not belong to Nigeria, while they continue to deny Igbo, Biafrans, the right to Self-Determination, so Ndigbo nationwide must be prepared.
Every Igbo person needs to be prepared to defend themselves. We advise Biafrans to be fully prepared to face the upcoming challenge squarely and unwaveringly so long as Nigeria keeps us in this unwelcome device.