IPOB demands referendum, says Igbo ready to leave Nigeria

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has sharply criticized those behind the “IgboMustGo” campaign in the South-West geopolitical zone, insisting that it is high time for a referendum to determine the Igbo’s exit from Nigeria.

IPOB expressed disgust at the South-West authorities’ dismissive attitude towards the campaign and asserted that the Igbo people were settled and unaffected by such threats.

The group alleged that influential figures in the Lagos state and federal governments were behind the “IgboMustGo” movement and warned Southerners to be wary of such acts in the Southwest.

Emma Powerful, IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, said this in a statement on Monday.

The statement read: “Following the provocative and genocidal ‘IgboMustGo’ protest planned for August 20-30, 2024, by some anonymous Yoruba groups and individuals, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) reminds these anti-Igbo groups that Ndigbo are ready to leave Yoruba land and Nigeria through a referendum. We will not be intimidated by any group or individual to leave any state or region in Nigeria.

“It is ridiculous that the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reportedly condemned the ‘IgboMustGo’ protest. The governor’s condemnation is hypocritical, as he was the first to target the Ndigbo tribe with biased demolition of their businesses and properties in Lagos State. There is a high probability that the supporters of ‘IgboMustGo’ are backed by key figures in the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government.

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“Nevertheless, Ndigbo remains firm in its stance. We are ready for any opportunity to leave Nigeria whenever it arises. However, we prefer a peaceful and democratic exit to maintain good relations. If forced out by force, it may lead to continued hostility.

“The Yoruba and their sponsors must understand that the Ndigbo are not cowed by threats. Our decision to leave Nigeria is firm, and we reject any threat or genocidal agenda associated with the ‘IgboMustGo’ protest.

“Instead of unconstitutionally and violently threatening to expel Ndigbo from Yoruba territory, they should urge President Tinubu to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and hold a referendum for Ndigbo to choose between Biafra and Nigeria. We are ready to vote and leave Nigeria and Yoruba territory peacefully. We are more determined to get out of Nigeria now than we were in the 1960s.

“The ongoing ‘EndBadGovernance’ protests, organised by the Yoruba and Fulani tribes, are seen as an attempt to lure the Ndigbo into destruction. The Ndigbo have learned from past experiences and have chosen not to participate in these protests to avoid being targeted. The risks to the Ndigbo in the North and West if they participate are clear. The Ndigbo have always suffered from being victimised in protests in Nigeria.

“Although the Ndigbo are facing economic hardships due to Tinubu’s administration, they have chosen not to protest so as not to be targeted. Conditions reminiscent of the genocide against the Biafrans in 1967-1970 have resurfaced. The Ndigbo are facing threats from the West and the North.

“We urge the Ndigbo people in the North and West to return home immediately. No threat will deter IPOB from our mission to restore Biafra.

“We call on the international community to recognize the existential threat to the Ndigbo people in Nigeria. Human Rights Organizations, the United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU), the African Union (AU), and all advocates of freedom must recognize that the Biafran people are under threat in Nigeria. Ethnic slurs and hatred against the Ndigbo people are evident in the security, political and economic spheres.

“Suppressing the call for a Biafra referendum is tantamount to supporting the genocide of the Ndigbo. Like our predecessors, we are committed to defending ourselves from those who want to wipe us out. We are not concerned with the arrest of the ‘IgboMustGo’ agitators, because they are merely tools of the powerful in Yoruba land.

“We advise that the focus should be on convincing President Tinubu to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and arrange a Biafran referendum. Threats to expel Ndigbo are a sign of weakness and cowardice. Ndigbo are ready to leave Yoruba land and Nigeria without delay.”

It would be recalled that the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu had condemned the call for the Igbo to leave Lagos and the South-West in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile.

 

IPOB demands referendum, says Igbo ready to leave Nigeria first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.