By Uche Iweka
Members of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB are currently on the run for the safety of their lives following the declaration of war against them by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
IPOB members have in their recent activities intensified agitations for the actualization of the sovereign state of Biafra. Unfortunately, the development was strongly condemned by the Nigerian Government, hence, the Federal Government proscribed the group as it intensified effort to silence and continued to arrest and prosecute members of IPOB anywhere they are found in the country.
Part of the group’s agitations was for the Federal Government of Nigeria to free its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kalu from detention. Also, it could be recalled that the people of South Eastern Nigeria haS for the past six decades been fighting for secession and the creation of their own sovereign country, Biafra.
Our reporters who were at the scene of the February 9, 2016 IPOB protest at National High School, Aba, Abia State, witnessed high display of violence and the exchange of firearms between Nigerian Army and IPOB members. Mostly affected in the bloody clash were youths who were subjected to torture by soldiers for refusing to quit IPOB. Eighteen persons were reported to have died in the protest.
Some of the people who spoke to Journalists said that the atrocities of Nigerian soldiers against IPOB members calls for great concern. They recalled how people were killed, houses, shops and markets burnt and destroyed by soldiers. They mentioned disclosed that the protest leaders: Ndu Chiemena, Sam Agbor, Francis Okolie, Calistus Nnaji and Rowland Igbo, felt a heavy blow from the resistance of the Nigerian Army, loosing businesses, houses and family members to the devastating attack.
Again, the aforementioned IPOB leaders have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Government.
Meanwhile, IPOB members have gradually lost their values in Nigeria as they are now seen and labelled as enemies of the country. While their safety in Nigeria have since become a serious issue, they were, according to reports, said to have been traveling out of the country in search of safety and comfort.
A respected community leader from South Eastern part of the country, Chief Timothy Igwebuike, in an interview advised IPOB members and leaders who were able to travel out of the shores of Nigeria to do everything possible not to return to the country as their safety is no more guaranteed. He appealed to other countries in the world to always accommodate IPOB members, adding that they are hardworking and resourceful.
According to Chief Igwebuike, “They have committed no crime other than agitating for a country of theirs which is also obtainable in other parts of the world. We are no more recognized in our country but treated as slaves.
