The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has disassociated itself from a recent declaration of Biafra made in Finland, dismissing it as a sham and a disservice to the Biafran cause.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the proscribed group labeled the declaration as a “charade” and reaffirmed that the only legitimate proclamation of Biafra remains the one made by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1967.
“The IPOB family, under the leadership of our indomitable leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, categorically disassociates itself from the so-called second Biafra declaration by an infamous and irrelevant group. This purported declaration is a scam, a mockery of the Biafran struggle,” the statement read.
Powerful emphasized that IPOB’s primary objective is to restore the sovereignty declared in 1967, which was suppressed following a genocidal war backed by the Nigerian and British governments. He called on the international community to support a United Nations-supervised referendum to determine Biafra’s fate.
The statement continued, “Biafra was declared in 1967 by our eternal leader, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu. There is no room for another declaration. Attempts by some disgruntled elements in Finland and other places to hijack and distort this noble cause will fail.”
IPOB also accused those behind the Finland declaration of attempting to sow discord and destabilize the Southeast region of Nigeria. “These individuals have long sought to infiltrate and undermine IPOB. Their recent antics are part of a larger agenda to make the genuine Biafran struggle unattractive by associating it with insecurity and division.”
The group commended media outlets for largely ignoring what it described as “a fanfare by infiltrators” and vowed to remain focused on its mission. “We urge Biafrans and friends of Biafra to stay vigilant and reject these distractions. The restoration of Biafra is a serious pursuit, not a sideshow,” the statement concluded.