Nigerian Military Declares IPOB A “Militant Terrorist Organisation”

The Nigerian military has declared the pro-
Biafra separatist group, IPOB, a “terrorist
organisation.”




The military made the declaration in a
statement on Friday by the Director of
Defence Information, John Enenche.




Clashes between soldiers on a military
operation and IPOB members in Abia State
have left several people wounded. Although
there have been reports of deaths
particularly of IPOB members, none has
been confirmed.



IPOB and its leader, Nnamdi Kanu are
campaigning for an independent country
of Biafra made up of ethnic Igbos. Although
they had said their campaign was non-
violent, Mr. Kanu said this week that that
stance would be reviewed, accusing the
military of attacking unharmed members of
his organisation.



PREMIUM TIMES also reported how the
police in Abia State blamed IPOB for the
burning of a police station in Aba, where a
dusk to dawn curfew has since been
imposed.



In his statement, Mr. Enenche, a major
general, listed five reasons the military
considered for labelling IPOB a terror
group.


These include;


“The formation of a Biafra
Secret Service, claimed formation of
Biafra National Guard, unauthorised

-blocking of public access roads;
-extortion
of money from innocent civilians at illegal
-road blocks, and militant possession and
use of weapons (stones, molotov
cocktails, machetes and broken bottles
among others) on a military patrol on 10
September 2017.”



Read the military’s full statement below.


PUBLIC AWARENESS ON THE STATE OF
INDEPENDENT PEOPLE OF BIAFRA

1. The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB)
group which has posed to be a security
challenge in the Country, has been
metamorphosing from one stage to the
other. After due professional analysis and
recent developments, it has become
expedient, to notify the general public that;
the claim by IPOB actors that the
organization is non-violent is not true.
Hence, the need to bring to public
awareness the true and current state of
IPOB. In this regard, some of their actions,
clandestinely and actively, that has been
terrorising the general public among
others include;


a. The formation of a Biafra Secret Service.

b. Claimed formation of Biafra National
Guard.

c. Unauthorised blocking of public access
roads.

d. Extortion of money from innocent
civilians at illegal road blocks.

e. Militant possession and use of weapons
(stones, molotov cocktails, machetes and
broken bottles among others) on a military
patrol on 10 September 2017.

f. Physical confrontation of troops by
Nnamdi Kanu and other IPOB actors at a
check point on 11 September 2017 and
also attempts to snatch their rifles.

g. Attack by IPOB members, on a military
check point on 12 September 2017, at
Isialangwa, where one IPOB actor
attempted to snatch a female soldier’s rifle.

3. From the foregoing, the Armed Forces of
Nigeria wishes to confirm to the general
public that IPOB from all intent, plan and
purpose as analysed, is a militant terrorist
organisation.



Therefore, parents and
particularly unsuspecting residents of the
South East and other Nigerians should
advice their wards to desist from joining
the group.

4. The Defence Headquarters restates its
commitment to handling all the security
challenges in the Country and further
assures all Nigerians of the protection of
lives and property.