The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has moved swiftly to block the proposed sale of fighter jets to Nigeria by the Government of the United States of America. Already, the secessionist group has written to the US Congress, adducing reasons why the proposed sale should be aborted.

On the part of Nigeria, IPOB alleged monumental fraud regarding the cost of the aircraft. The letter, dated August 5, 2017, was signed by IPOB Spokespersons, Barrister Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya. Entitled AN APPEAL TO THE AMERICAN CONGRESS NOT TO APPROVE THE SALE OF THE A-29 SUPER TUCANO ATTACK AIRCRAFT TO THE GENOCIDAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA, the letter reads:

“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the Directorate of State (DOS) hereby appeal to the Congress of the United States of America not to approve the sale of the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (also called A-29) attack aircraft to the murderous and genocidal government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because these aircraft will be used for aerial bombardment and mass-murder of Biafrans. On August 3, 2017, a New-York based online news media, Saharareporters, reported that “The US State Department has approved the sale of 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos to Nigeria.” Saharareporters further stated that “The [State] Department notified the US Congress, which has 30 days to approve the deal, of the $593 million foreign military sales on 2 August” and that “the package includes the aircraft, weapons, training, spare parts and facilities to support the program.”

“Apart from the genocidal intents of the Nigerian government as the overarching reason for the procurement of the attack aircraft, the DOS is appealing to the US Congress to deny approval of the sale of these attack aircraft because of three reasons, namely; Mis-use of Technical capabilities, Legal (violation of Leahy Law), and Commercial (procurement fraud).

“The Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano (A-29) is a turboprop light attack aircraft which is designed to operate in extremely rugged terrain with aerial reconnaissance missions capability especially in low-threat environments. The aircraft is built on fourth-generation avionics and ladened with weapons systems that deliver precision-guided munitions. With an average cruise speed of 520 km/hr (323 mph or 281 knots), a range of 1,330 km (827 miles), a combat radius of 550 km (342 miles) under a maximum take-off weight of 5,400 kg (11,905 lb), and operational elevation of 10,668 m (35,000 feet), the A-29 is one of the deadliest attack aircraft in the world.

“It is not surprising that the A-29 has recorded successful missions such as in “Operation Agata” in Brazil and the Anti-FARC missions during Operations “Phoenix”, “Sodoma”, “Darien”, “Odiseo”, “Frontera”, and “Faraon”, to mention but a few. However, the part that is most worrisome to the DOS is the array of armaments of the A-29 which includes guns, rockets, and missiles all of which are delivered with precision-guided electronics and instrumentation systems. The A-29 missiles delivery capability include incendiary bombs such as BINC-300 (with Napalm warhead) and cluster bombs such as BLG-252 with devastating effects from the dispersion of its submunitions.

“The DOS wants to remind the world that within three weeks of becoming the president of Nigeria on May 29, 2015, Retired Major General Muhammadu Buhari bombed Biafraland using a low-precision and less sophisticated attack aircraft with bombs that have Napalm as the warheads. In that genocidal act which occurred from June 17 to June 19, 2015, scores of Biafrans were roasted while others had their bodies mangled by the torrents of these bombs with Napalm warheads. With the A-29, there is no doubt that Muhammadu Buhari and his genocidal government will wipe out the entire people of Biafra with ease in a matter of a few sorties. The DOS wishes to remind the US Congress that Nigeria is not among the “Fast Track” countries but a country indicted continually on human rights abuses.

“From the legal perspective, the DOS asserts that if the Congress approves the sale of the A-29, this shall constitute a violation of the Leahy Law which forbids the US Government from selling arms or providing military supports to countries that violate human rights. Nigeria is one of the countries indicted by two human rights organizations, Amnesty International and INTERSOCIETY, for gross violation of human rights. The reports of these two organizations are in the public domain for everyone to access and read. In addition, The United States District Court for the District of Columbia, through a Washington DC based law firm of Fein & DelValle PLLC, entered an order on June 2, 2017 authorizing ten (10) Biafran Plaintiffs to sue fourteen Nigerian government agents for complicity in the 2016 torture and extrajudicial killings of unarmed Biafrans. This order was made via a Civil Action No. 1:17-cv-01033 which has been assigned to United States District Judge Ellen S. Huvelle, appointed by President William Jefferson Clinton. The DOS expects the US Congress to halt the approval of the sale of the attack aircraft based on these overwhelming legal evidence and implications.

“From the Commercial point of view, the DOS is of the opinion that the procurement process/contract for this arms deal is riddled with fraud and corruption which will leave the citizens of Nigeria short-changed. This contract is said to cost $593 million for 12 units together with other support services but Chile bought the same number of units for $120 million with same support service but including advanced TOSS (Training and Operational Support System). Columbia bought 25 units for $234 million while Brazil had earlier purchased, directly from Embraer, 99 units of the same aircraft for $214 million. It is apparent that this aircraft contract was overpriced and gold-plated with the attendant corrupt enrichment typical of procurement officers in the Nigerian military. Such wasteful expenditures would be better applied to reactivating the collapsed infrastructures and moribund industries in Nigeria.

“Without any doubt, the funding for this ill-conceived and ill-advised attack aircraft will come from revenues derived from the sales of crude oil produced in Biafraland while the same aircraft will be used to bomb Biafrans out of existence. The DOS calls on the US Congress to cancel this arms deal and save the lives of Biafrans which will be wasted when these attack aircraft are used to bomb Biafraland within days of landing in Nigeria. The world is watching the US Congress and expect the Congress to do the right thing by refusing to approve the sale of the attack aircraft which will be used to carry our genocide on Biafrans.

“Now is the right time for the US Congress to act in a lawful and morally upright manner in order to save millions of Biafran lives by canceling the A-29 sales to the murderous Nigerian government.”

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