The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has criticised a global independent and non-profit think tank, Institute of Economics and Peace, IEP, for labeling it as a terrorist group.
IEP, in its, Global Terrorism Index Report of 2022 said IPOB has a place in the catalogue of terrorist organisations that have caused the deaths of innocent civilians in Nigeria.
Reacting, IPOB said the report was a blatant lie and conspiracy devised by the IEP to blackmail the Nnamdi Kanu-led self-determination group.
IPOB said this in a statement by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, on Thursday.
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The statement partly read, “The global family of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of our able Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu unequivocally refutes the Global Terrorism Index Report of 2022 as a conspiracy by Federal Government of Nigeria and some foreign Agencies to blackmail and demonize IPOB globally.
“It’s very disappointing that a reputable organisation such as Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), a USA-based institute that have been given measurable global terrorism index will descend so low to publish fictional and inaccurate accounts in their 2022 terrorism index report.”
IEP had said Nigeria has improved in Global Terrorism Index, but naming Boko Haram, ISWAP as well as IPOB as terrorist groups responsible for killing many Nigerians.
But, IPOB said, “This is a concocted falsehood. In the same report, IPOB was mentioned as the 3rd violent group that have caused civilian deaths. We challenge IEP to present irrefutable evidence where IPOB killed any person in Nigeria.
“On the contrary there are many verifiable evidences both on print and social media on the massacre and extrajudicial killings of many IPOB members by Nigeria Security Agencies since 2017.
“IPOB Lawyers, Amnesty International Nigeria, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) Nigeria, many Diplomatic Missions in Nigeria including Nigeria media have the evidences of mass killing of unarmed peaceful IPOB members in Nigeria.
“Irrespective of all these illegal arrest, detention, torture, extrajudicial killings including extraordinary rendition of our leader, IPOB have remained peaceful in the face of all these high levels of provocation.
“Nigeria Government is pushing the narrative that IPOB is the aggressors but in the reality we are the victims of oppressive Government.”
IPOB, then added, “We encourage IEP to protect their earned reputation by sending an independent investigators rather than relying on their agents in Nigeria who are under the pocket of Nigeria Government for their report.
“IPOB remains peaceful but resolute in the pursuit of Biafra liberation through UN supervised Referendum. We are not going to be distracted by sponsored blackmail and propaganda, not now and not tomorrow.”
