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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned southeast residents not to join any protests against economic hardship in the country.
The group said this in a press statement issued by its spokesman, Emma Powerful, on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, saying the hardship in Nigeria should not concern Biafrans.
IPOB said anyone who organised protests in Biafraland would put the Igbo ethnic group in danger.
The statement reads in part, “Following the unprecedented hardship in Nigeria, IPOB ably led by the leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, hereby cautions the people of Biafra not to join any protest against hunger in Nigeria in any South-East territory.
“The current hardship in Nigeria should be the concern of Nigerians, not Biafrans. Biafrans are no longer interested in the affairs of Nigeria. Biafrans were abused, intimidated, beaten, and killed and denied voting rights during the election of this present government. Ndigbo were told to wait and that it was their turn to rule, not the turn of Ndigbo.
“Anyone who organises any protest against economic hardship in Biafraland will put Biafrans in danger. During the #EndSARS protest, the Federal Government accused Ndigbo of attempting to destroy Nigeria with violence. We don’t want such profiling and targeting to repeat because Ndigbo participated in any Nigerian mass protest.
The pro-Biafran group urged Ndigbos to leave the economic hardship in Nigeria for Nigerians, saying the economic crisis in the country is God’s punishment for Nigerians’ crimes against Biafrans.
The statement reads further, “Ndigbo should leave the current economic hardship in the contraption called Nigeria for Nigerians to deal with because this hardship is what God Almighty has in store for Nigeria for the crimes they have committed against Biafrans between 1967 to 1970 and up to date.
“We understand that Ndigbo is equally affected by the economic hardship arising from the reckless and thoughtless economic policies of the government, but God is still seeing Biafrans through. We are worried about the suffering of other tribes, but there is nothing we can do. The current situation is why Biafrans are fighting for freedom. Nevertheless, we must apply wisdom.”
The group said anyone who wishes to organise any protest should go to the North or the Southwest region to demonstrate their anger against the economic hardship in Nigeria.