The Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) has rejected an alleged proposal to camp some Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) from northern Nigeria in some locations in Imo State, namely Nsu, Ehime Mbano, Agbala, Owerri North and Amafor, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Areas of the State.
Spokesman of the group, Emma Powerful who, in a statement released to newsmen on Monday (today, September 30) said although the group commiserates with the displaced persons, the decision to camp them in the S/East is totally unacceptable.
Powerful frowned at what he described as a ‘fresh ploy to use IDP camps in Imo’ to reintroduce RUGA and other rejected open cattle grazing schemes by the federal government, through the backdoor, warning that relocation of northern IDPs to the S/East would further compound the killings witnessed in the zone.
“This smokescreen project is part of an elaborate ominous plan by the Fulani and the Nigerian Government to dispossess us of our ancestral lands and heritage but it will not work,” IPOB declared in the statement by Comrade Powerful.
“They have tried all forms of land grabbing antics with different names such as RUGA, and those all failed. Now they want to import so-called displaced persons from Northern Nigeria, a distance of thousands of kilometres away from their locality and homeland into Imo State in Biafraland.
“The systematic arrangement to bring in Fulani children into Alaigbo involving the United Nations is a covert project aimed at Ndigbo, IPOB, and Biafrans in general and Biafrans will not allow such wicked infiltration acts to go on in Alaigbo.
“The United Nations never established any project in Igbo land, but now they agree to bring an IDP camp to Imo State. We are making it precisely clear that it will not be accepted nor will it work.
“Those displaced persons should be accommodated in the North because they have a large expanse of land and must not be exported to Alaigbo,” Powerful said.
Further giving reasons for the group’s rejection of the IDP camp in the State, Powerful said: “The question that demands answers is, why is the federal government not extending railway projects into Igboland? Why are there no international airports, seaports, and other federal funded projects coming to the South East?” Comrade Powerful stressed.
“They instead chose to locate an IDP camp that will house Northerners in the South East Region? This evil covert project of the Nigerian Government in connivance with Northern terrorists is to commit mass murder of innocent Northern children in this IDP camp and then turn around as always to point accusing fingers at IPOB, in order to blackmail our genuine cause for the liberation of our land and people and turn international outrage against the Biafra struggle.
“It is imperative that we raise this alarm ahead of this project to avoid this evil agenda from happening and for the sake of history. The International Community should compel the Nigeria government to desist from this project because IPOB has already exposed their agenda.
“As much as IPOB understands and sympathizes with Nigerians genuinely displaced by the soulless State- sponsored terrorists and bandits all over Nigeria, we will not allow any federal government sponsored IDP camp in Biafra Land.
“This press release should be a warning to Ehime Mbano LGA chairman, Ohaji Egbema LGA chairman, Owerri North chairman, Hope Uzodinma, the Government of Bola Tinubu and all the sponsors of this state terrorism project called IDP center in Imo State to desist from such project.
“The building should be converted into a secondary school or skills acquisition center for Imo State youths, or the structure should be pulled down immediately. IPOB and Ndigbo globally reject importation of terrorists, bandits, and their accomplices in the name of IDP center in Imo State.
” IPOB will stop at nothing to ensure that the natural demography, safety, and security of Biafrans are not compromised using this state sponsored covert project in the name of IDP camp Skills acquisition center.
Take the IDP camp or center to the North where it is needed. Ndigbo does not have internally displaced persons clamoring for resettlement. We take care of our own.”
No northern IDP camp in Imo – govt
However, in a swift reaction, Imo State government debunked the IPOB claim, saying no IDP camp is being built anywhere in Imo State.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Orientation, Declan Emelumba, the Imo State government explained that what is being built at Nsu,Ehime Mbano Local Government is a skills acquisition training facility for the people of the South East and not for Nigerians from other parts of the country.
According to Emelumba, who alleged the rumour emanated from a former radio presenter, Mr Chinonso Uba(alias Nonsokwa), the rumour is not only false but also intended to “set the nation on fire”.
He said the “latest mischief by Uba” is intended to incite Ndigbo against Northerners as a means of making the country ungovernable for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
” This is a man who is notorious for churning out hate speeches, founded on stark ignorance of public politics and current affairs, against Northerners. He deliberately twisted the news from the Refugees commission to incite Ndigbo against other Nigerians,“ Emlumba said.
The commissioner wondered why the security agencies have not arrested Uba, who in a widely circulated video called on Ndi Imo to rise against other Nigerians, warning that by feeding the people with biased information, Uba is laying the ground for a large-scale insurrection against the federal government.
