By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Monday urged the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Southeast governors, and National Assembly members to support the move for the actualisation of Biafra.

IPOB made the remark while condemning the demolition of building structures belonging to Igbos in Lagos.

Emma Powerful, the spokesman for IPOB, said the demolition of markets populated by Igbos is an indication that they are no longer needed in Nigeria.

A statement by Powerful reads partly: “We, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), condemn the economic sabotage against Ndigbo by the Lagos State government and the silence of the governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the National Assembly members from Southeast.

“The criminal silence of Igbo leaders shows that they are either cowards or tacitly in support of the economic sabotage against Ndigbo.

“It is unfortunate that no Igbo politician nor Ohanaeze Ndigbo has publicly defended our people against humiliation and intimidation from the Lagos State Government. What has put Igbo political leaders and Ohaneze Ndigbo in this docile and cowardly situation that they can’t unanimously condemn the ethnic profiling and systemic destruction of Ndigbo’s assets by the Lagos State Government? Why are these men afraid of defending Ndigbo in the same one Nigeria they claim to be a part of and desperately working hard to protect?

“The Igbo politicians, governors, senators, representatives, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide leaders, traditional rulers, businessmen, and religious leaders should have a meeting to discuss how to secure Igbo businessmen and investments in Lagos State. Yoruba groups and politicians are together for this against Ndigbo in Lagos State. Therefore, our people must take a stand against this action against Ndigbo by Yoruba people and their collaborators.

“The same wind that blew in the 1960s that forced Biafrans to declare the Independent State of Biafra from the damnable Zoological Republic of Nigeria is blowing again. As Ndigbo in the North is systemically and silently killed, at the same time, private residences and marketplaces of Ndigbo in Lagos State are demolished and forcefully taken over by the state government. Nigeria will not survive this renewed Igbophobia and ethnic annihilation agenda against Ndigbo. As successive governments in Nigeria try hard to suffocate Ndigbo, Nigeria will gradually descend into an abyss while Ndigbo and Biafrans will continue to triumph.

“The targeted demolition of properties belonging to Ndigbo and the illegal and repeatedly locking of Igbo markets in Lagos show that Ndigbo are no longer needed in Nigeria. Therefore, to avoid another civil war in Nigeria, the international community, UN, AU, and ECOWAS should rise to the occasion and call for the peaceful separation of Biafra from Nigeria via a UN-supervised referendum.”

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