Movement for Actualization of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have said that they were ready to defend Biafra territories against the menace of herdsmen attacks.
The pro-Biafra groups while condemning the killings by the suspected Fulani herdsmen in some states warned that they should not dare the Biafra land or face serious resistance, stressing that they had been in the forefront of defending Biafra territories but lacked support from the South-East Governors and leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful said that what was manifesting now was what its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu saw years back and voiced out, but the federal government through the security agents arrested him and later destroyed his home while his whereabouts remain unknown till date.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to clarify that IPOB was at the forefront of the defence of Biafraland against marauding Fulani herdsmen before the unintelligent proscription of IPOB by Igbo governors in concert with Ohaneze Ndigbo leadership. It will be recalled that prior to the release of our leader from prison in April of 2017, no South East governor had the guts to mobilize our people to confront this Fulani herdsmen menace head on.
“But as soon as our leader made his speech about the need for IPOB to end the murder and mayhem by Fulani herdsmen in our land, all the nonsense associated with Fulani herdsmen stopped. It did not stop through wishful thinking and praying for the soul of the dear departed, it stopped because our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu charged every IPOB unit, not to allow any Fulani herdsmen attacks on our soil within their area.
“We successfully repelled them on numerous occasions in Enugu State, we stopped them in Abia and met them again in Delta State. Nobody heard anything about Fulani herdsmen attack until South East governors in conjunction with Ohaneze Ndigbo connived with Aso Rock to kill our leader through Operation Python Dance in September 2017.
“It should also be recalled that the illegal banning of IPOB activities by Igbo governors and Nwodo leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo was what gave impetus to Fulani leaders to tag IPOB a terrorist organisation. Without the betrayal of South East governors and Ohaneze Ndigbo, the cabal at Aso Rock would not have the guts to seek the assassination of Nnamdi Kanu and his parents.
“Those privileged enough to have attended the World Igbo Conference of 2015 in Los Angeles California USA can now appreciate the reason behind our leader demanding for guns and bullets to defend our people. It’s ironic that those that cheered the military invasion of Abia and Rivers States under the cover or Operation Python Dance like Itse Sagay, Paul Unongo and others are now openly canvassing for weapons to defend besieged Benue people.
“What Nnamdi Kanu foresaw in 2015, anti-Biafra protagonists are now calling for in 2018. This proves that our leader is always right. Any day Nigerians wake up to the reality that there is no greater prophet or leader of men like Nnamdi Kanu, their lives will improve tremendously. Fulani herdsmen attacks will only stop the day our leader is free to lead us to meet them as we silently did in the past”, the statement said.
Also the leader of MASSOB, Mr. Uchenna Madu said that the group and other pro Biafra groups were ever and earnestly eager and ready to defend the land, lives and properties of the people of Biafra.
According to him, “We have the capacities to defend our land from the marauding Fulani herdsmen. They are successfully executing their genocidal killing spree because they were backed by the religious, political, traditional and opinion leaders of the Arewa land including their kinsmen in government.
MASSOB will succeed if our political, traditional, religious and opinion leaders will understand the efficacies and potencies of MASSOB effectiveness in Igbo activism.
“In the view of all these generational threat of annihilation against the people of middle belt and southern regions, MASSOB is not happy with Igbo political, religious, traditional and opinion leaders for their nonchalant and insensitive attitudes towards this marauding Islamist killers. Our presumed and claimed Igbo leaders are so myopic and blind that they are not seeing the hand of genocide coming to Igbo land.
“MASSOB and other pro Biafra groups represent the genuine interest of the Ndigbo which can never be denied. If Yoruba leaders can eloquently support and collaborate with Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Hausa Fulani (Arewa) leaders openly romance with Islamic fundamentals including Boko Haram terrorists and armed Fulani herdsmen for the goodness of their region and people, why are Igbo leaders afraid to support or collaborate with Biafra agitating groups for the betterment of Igbo land and her people in security and civil protection of the lives and properties of Ndigbo?
“But as history teaches us, arresting and detention of non-violence pro-Biafra agitators will not take away the demand for Biafra. You cannot beat a child and ask the child not to cry”
Speaking in the same vein in an interview with Saturday Sun, younger brother of the leader of IPOB, Prince Emma Kanu warned that it will be blood for blood if the herdsmen dared come to the South east to commit any atrocity.
Kanu said that IPOB is ever ready to curtail the herdsmen if they come to Biafra land, stressing that it was for that reason the vigilante group which he said their enemies tagged Biafra Secret Service (BSS) was formed.
“I think it is ever ready to curtail the Fulani herdsmen here if they come because that was the reason the vigilante group was formed by IPOB which of course our enemies tagged as Biafra Secret Service (BSS).”
Kanu said notwithstanding its proscription, IPOB is far stronger than it was before, adding that the group remains a very formidable structure that can never be pulled down by anybody.
“The Fulani herdsmen should not near the South East because it is not a conquered territory, so, they should not try it. If they should attempt to come into Biafra land, the action IPOB will take is not what we are going to make public, the leadership of the organization is already with the action plan and will only let it out when the time comes.
“Our vigilante group is still very intact, how we are going to curtail the herdsmen if they venture into Biafra land will not be an issue, we are just waiting for them to come. Whatever the leadership says, that’s what they do, everything is intact. IPOB remains strong anywhere anytime, we are more than capable”, Kanu boosted.
|Sun