The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a strong condemnation of the recent killing of Igbo youths of Ebonyi origin in Anambra State, describing the incident as a “cowardly and despicable act” meant to deepen divisions within the Igbo nation.
In a press release signed by Comrade Emma Powerful, the group’s spokesperson and Media/Publicity Secretary, IPOB mourned the victims and warned that the attack was part of a larger plot to sow discord among Igbos who share a common heritage, pain, and destiny.
"Those killed were not just ‘Ebonyi indigenes’ in Anambra. They were Igbo sons murdered on Igbo soil. We reject every attempt to fragment or provincialize Igbo identity," IPOB stated.
The pro-Biafra group placed the blame for the killings on unauthorized vigilante groups allegedly formed by state governors without community approval. IPOB claims preliminary investigations point to these groups as perpetrators of what it called a “massacre.”
The group accused the South East Governors Forum of negligence and betrayal, saying the governors have failed to defend the region and have instead prioritized political alignment with federal power centers.
“Rather than building a united security framework, they have empowered violent, untrained vigilante groups that are now turning their weapons against the same people they were formed to protect,” IPOB alleged.
The statement also issued a stern warning to individuals, politicians, and commentators accused of promoting what IPOB described as a “wicked narrative of tribal sub-categorisation.” The group said such actions play into the hands of those working against the interest of the Igbo people and would not go unchallenged.
“You are strengthening those who wish to keep Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unjustly detained and Igboland perpetually insecure. Be warned: IPOB will hold you accountable before history and posterity,” the group declared.
IPOB called for an independent investigation into the killings and demanded that all those responsible be brought to justice.
Referencing Igbo hero Dr. Akanu Ibiam, who once returned his British knighthood in protest during the Biafran War, IPOB lamented that the land of such legacy now witnesses betrayal from its political leadership.
"That heroic act was not for Ebonyi alone. It was for all Igbos," the statement read. "It is a shame that in the land of such legacy, governors now compete in betrayal while innocent sons of the soil are slaughtered."
The group concluded by calling for unity, restraint, and vigilance, urging Igbos across all regions to reject division and resist inciting narratives. It emphasized that the blood of the slain would not be in vain.
“We are Ndigbo—not Anambra, not Ebonyi, not Imo, not Enugu, not Delta—we are one family. United we stand; divided, we fall. Let us never again give our enemies cause to celebrate.”
