The Directorate of State (DOS) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has urged the international community to hold Federal government accountable for what it describes as a systematic genocide against the Igbo people in the South-East region.

The call follows a detailed report released by the International Society for Civil Liberty and Rule of Law (Intersociety), documenting alleged atrocities committed by the security forces between 2015 and 2024.

Intersociety, a respected human rights organization in Nigeria, recently published a damning report titled “Ocean of Innocent Blood Flowing in the Eastern Region.” The report alleges that approximately 32,000 unarmed civilians have been killed by Nigerian security forces over the past nine years, including 22,500 in covert operations and 9,800 in open attacks.

The report details a grim picture of military operations in the South-East, including, unlawful detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings. It claims that over 6,000 civilians were forcibly taken to secret military facilities and prisons in seven northern states, including Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Additionally, the report highlights widespread destruction of property, with 6,000 homes razed, over 300 communities raided, and approximately 180,000 people displaced. Financial losses are estimated at N450 billion from property destruction and N3 trillion in alleged extortion and illegal seizures.

IPOB spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, emphasized that the Nigerian government has intentionally destabilized the South-East through state-sponsored violence and misinformation campaigns. He accused the government of attempting to blackmail IPOB and its Eastern Security Network (ESN) while justifying military crackdowns on unarmed civilians.

“The Nigerian government’s provocative actions are intended to push IPOB into armed conflict, but we have remained resolute in our peaceful pursuit of a Biafran referendum supervised by the international community,” Emma Powerful stated.

IPOB called on global powers, human rights organizations, and the United Nations to urgently address the allegations outlined in Intersociety’s report. They stressed the need for accountability for extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and widespread destruction in the South-East.

“The international community must not overlook these findings. Justice must prevail for the innocent lives lost, and the perpetrators of these crimes must face the full weight of international law,” Emma Powerful concluded.

The report serves as a critical call to action for global stakeholders to investigate and address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s South-East region. (Vanguard)