The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a powerful public statement, distancing itself from the wave of violence, kidnappings, and extortion reported across parts of the South-East and South-South regions of Nigeria.
In a press release dated July 2, 2025, and signed by IPOB's spokesperson Comrade Emma Powerful, the group warned that any act of criminality or public disorder carried out in the name of IPOB or Biafra is strongly condemned and will be treated as sabotage against the movement and its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“IPOB is a disciplined movement. We do not kill. We do not kidnap. We do not burn our communities. We do not compel obedience through terror,” the statement read.
According to IPOB, recent reports of insecurity in the region—including kidnappings in Enugu and Imo States, attacks on civilians and security personnel in Abia and Anambra, and extortion of traders in Ebonyi—have no link to its activities. The group emphasized that its leadership, from the Directorate of State (DOS) to the grassroots, has never authorized such actions.
“Let no criminal hide behind the revered name of IPOB to commit evil,” the statement declared.
“Let no cultist, bandit, political thug, or state-sponsored killer parade as a freedom fighter. IPOB has zero tolerance for criminality.”
The group reaffirmed its non-violent approach to the struggle for Biafra's self-determination, which it said remains rooted in legal processes, diplomatic engagements, referenda, and mass mobilization—not violence or bloodshed.
In a direct message to individuals engaging in unlawful acts under the guise of enforcing sit-at-home orders or fighting for Biafra, IPOB said:
“Anybody enforcing sit-at-home orders without IPOB authorization is not one of us.
Anybody who abducts or kills innocent civilians, security agents, or traditional rulers is not one of us.
Anybody intimidating traders, commuters, or students in the name of Biafra is a saboteur, not a patriot.”
IPOB also accused Nigerian security agencies of orchestrating “black operations” to discredit the movement by planting violence and implicating IPOB members.
“We have taken note of state-induced violence… where government agents stage attacks or deploy counter-insurgency forces to terrorize civilians,” the statement alleged.
Reaffirming its commitment to peace and unity among Biafrans, IPOB urged supporters and members in Nigeria and the diaspora to remain calm, focused, and steadfast in their loyalty to Nnamdi Kanu.
“Any act of violence from this point forward will be treated as a betrayal of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and a direct sabotage of the Biafran cause,” the statement concluded.
Tags: #IPOB #NnamdiKanu #Biafra #SouthEastNigeria #SecurityCrisis #EmmaPowerful #SitAtHome #NigeriaPolitics #PeacefulAgitation #BiafraMovement
