IPOB Accuses Nigerian Government of Ethnic Cleansing, Warns Against Forcing Armed Conflict

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed deep concern over what it describes as the covert and indiscriminate killing of Igbo youths, particularly in the Orlu region of Imo State.

In a statement released by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Ema Powerful, titled “Nigerian Government is Secretly Silencing the South East Region,” the group accused the Nigerian Army and Police of being responsible for these actions.

IPOB’s statement reads, “The Indigenous People of Biafra, under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Okwu Kanu, strongly condemns the alleged extrajudicial killings of Igbo youths across the South East, especially in Orlu, Imo State.

“The recent extrajudicial killing of youths from Obidi Ogberuru in Ihite-Owerri, Orlu, Imo State by the Nigerian Army is among the most disturbing examples of what we see as a silent ethnic cleansing against the Igbo people in Alaigbo.

“These young people were going about their daily lives peacefully when they were confronted and killed by Nigerian soldiers on patrol, without any provocation. Numerous other killings and forced disappearances of youths in the South East, particularly in Imo State, have gone unreported.

“Why is the Nigerian Army patrolling our villages? The silent genocide of Igbo youths that began under Buhari’s administration has continued under Tinubu’s government. What is the source of this animosity? Nigerian soldiers and police are the ones terrorizing the Igbo people and making Alaigbo unsafe.

“The current government is seemingly intent on provoking the Igbo to take up arms in self-defense, which would then serve as a pretext for launching a full-scale conflict against them, similar to the war waged from 1967 to 1970. However, the future cannot be predicted or controlled by these actions.

“We are calling on Igbo governors, the Igbo diaspora, the international community, and human rights organizations to be aware of the silent genocide being carried out against unarmed civilians in the South East.

“Igbo governors must take action to stop the arbitrary arrests, extrajudicial killings, and forced disappearances of Igbo youths by Nigerian security forces. The Nigerian government and its security agencies have seemingly profiled the Igbo for elimination.

“They are systematically targeting and killing innocent Igbo youths, with the intent of intimidating them into abandoning their communities, thereby making these areas vulnerable to attacks.

“The entire South East is heavily militarized and policed, making life unbearable for the Igbo people. What crime have the Igbo committed to deserve the killing of innocent youths by the Nigerian government and its security forces?

“The Nigerian government and the international community must urgently consider a referendum for Biafrans to peacefully and democratically decide whether to remain in Nigeria or to pursue self-determination. Intimidation, illegal arrests, torture, extrajudicial killings, and forced disappearances will not force Biafrans to accept the status quo.

“Rather than fostering unity, these actions will only deepen resentment against Nigeria. Forced unity is akin to slavery, and the Igbo people have a history of resisting oppression. Just as our ancestors resisted British colonial rule, and our fathers resisted Nigerian dominance, this generation will resist any attempt at silent genocide and ethnic cleansing.

“It is unacceptable for the Nigerian government and its security forces to treat innocent Igbo youths as though they were animals. However, those who kill by the sword should remember that they too may fall by the sword. The Igbo people will not be defeated or coerced into abandoning their ancestral lands, which were given to us by God Almighty, Chukwu Okike Abiama. Those who shed the blood of Biafrans should be aware that one day, they too will face consequences.”