By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has told those behind the #IgboMustGo campaign that Ndigbo are ready to exit the Yoruba land as well as Nigeria, but insisted it must be through a referendum.

IPOB in a statement on Monday signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said that Ndigbo will not succumb to any threat from any group or persons to leave any state or region in Nigeria.

The group described as laughable what it called Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s hypocritical condemnation of those calling for Igbos expulsion from the South West Region of Nigeria.

The statement partly reads: “Following the provocative and genocidal “IgboMustGo” proposed protest slated to commence from August 20-30th 2024, by some faceless Yoruba groups and persons, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) wish to remind the Yoruba anti-Igbo groups that Ndigbo are ready to exit Yoruba land and Nigeria via a referendum. Ndigbo will not succumb to any threat from any group or persons to leave any state or region in Nigeria.

“It is laughable that the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was reported to have hyprocritically condemned the proponents of the “Igbo Must Go” protest. The Governor will not hoodwink Ndigbo with his hypocritical condemnation of those calling for Igbos’ expulsion from the South West Region of Nigeria.

“The governor was the first to ethnically profile Ndigbo with his biased demolition of Ndigbo’s businesses, properties, and investments in Lagos State. There are high chances that the proponents of the “IgboMustGo” are sponsored by high profile persons in the Lagos State Government and in the Federal Government of Nigeria. Nevertheless, Ndigbo are not perturbed. We have seen it all in Nigeria and are prepared for any opportunity to exit Nigeria at any time. But it will be more appropriate that we are allowed to exit Nigeria peacefully and democratically in order to maintain good neighborly relationships.

“However, if Ndigbo are forced to exit Nigeria violently, there’s a possibility that we shall remain hostile neighbors to the foreseeable future.

“The Yoruba tribal bigots and their sponsors must understand that Ndigbo are not moved by threat. We have made up our minds to exit Nigeria, so there is no basis for the threat of violence or genocide agenda tagged “IgboMustGo” protest. Instead of threatening to unconstitutionally and violently force Ndigbo out of the Yoruba region, they should tell President Tinubu their brother to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to organize a referendum for Ndigbo to decide between Biafra and Nigeria. We will gladly vote and leave Nigeria and Yoruba region in peace. We are demanding this for them to have peace after we are gone. Ndigbo are more enthusiastic to exit Nigeria than it was in the 1960s.

“The ongoing “EndBadGovernance” protest in Nigeria was organized by Yoruba and Fulani to lure Ndigbo into destruction, but Ndigbo have learned their lessons. Though, Ndigbo declined to participate in the ongoing protests, yet they are being attacked and accused of being behind the protest.

“One can imagine what would have become of Ndigbo in the Northern and Western Regions if they had taken part in the ongoing protest. Ndigbo has always been victims of every protest in Nigeria. Though Ndigbo are facing the same economic hardship that Tinubu’s government has imposed on Nigerians, however, to avoid being targeted as always, they decided to shun the protest.

“The scenario that led to the genocidal war against Biafrans in 1967-1970 is rearing its ugly head. Ndigbo are not only facing existential threats from the Western region but also from the Northern regions”

IPOB called on Ndigbo in the North and West to think home as fast as possible, noting that no amount of threat will make IPOB retreat from its divine mandate of restoring Biafra.

It also called the attention of the international community to the existential threat against Ndigbo in Nigeria, Human Right Organisations, United Nations (UN), European Union (EU), African Union (AU), and all lovers of freedom to understand that Biafrans are endangered species in Nigeria.

IPOB added: ‘The ethnic profiling and hatred against Ndigbo are glaring in the areas of security, politics, and economics in Nigeria. Silencing the quest for Biafra referendum is indirectly supporting genocide against Ndigbo and Biafrans. Just like our forebears and our heroes defended Biafra people and land, the present generation of Biafrans have decided to remove our territory from Nigeria and to defend the genocidal war superheaded by Britain in 1967.

“This generation of Biafrans are determined to defend ourselves from those who want to annihilate us. We are not interested in the calls for the arrest of the “IgboMustGo” criminal elements because we know that nothing will happen to them. They are just the attack dogs of the big masquerades in Yoruba land, led by the powers that be..

“We advise them to channel their energy in convincing President Tinubu to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and schedule a date for Biafra Referendum. Threatening Ndigbo to leave Yoruba land is a sign of weakness and cowardice. Ndigbo are ready to exit Yoruba land and Nigeria just like yesterday.”