The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has strongly condemned and issued a direct warning to Senator Frank Ibezim, representing Imo North Senatorial District, as well as other senators and lawmakers from Imo State, over their alleged support of the Federal Government’s plan to establish Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the South-East. IPOB has vowed to take drastic actions against these politicians if they proceed with backing the proposal.
The warning was conveyed in a statement released on Thursday by Emma Powerful, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary. The group expressed its unequivocal opposition to the establishment of any IDP skill acquisition centers in Imo State or any part of the South-East, describing the project as a cover for a more sinister agenda. According to IPOB, the plan aims to infiltrate the Biafra region with foreign elements, particularly terrorists and bandits, which they claim is an ongoing strategy by the Federal Government to destabilize the region.
IPOB’s Position and Accusations Against Igbo Politicians
“We state categorically that this covert operation to import terrorists and bandits into Biafra land is dead on arrival,” Emma Powerful declared in the statement, indicating IPOB’s resolute stand against the project.
IPOB warned that any Igbo politician who supports this initiative will face the consequences. The group accused these politicians of collaborating with a government that has consistently marginalized the Igbo people, using the pretext of establishing IDP camps to further erode the region’s security and identity.
Emma Powerful went further to accuse Imo State politicians, especially those aligned with Governor Hope Uzodinma, of orchestrating the importation of Fulani herders and Almajiris under the guise of setting up IDP skill acquisition centers. He claimed that these politicians, blinded by political ambition and personal gain, are betraying the future of the South-East region.
“All the Imo State politicians that colluded with Hope Uzodinma to import Fulanis and almajiris using the IDP Skill Acquisition Center as a cover should be prepared for what is coming,” IPOB warned. The group emphasized that it would not stand by and watch these politicians mortgage the future of Biafran generations for personal gain.
Changing Demographics and Economic Neglect
IPOB also raised concerns about the potential impact of the proposed IDP camps on the socio-cultural makeup of the South-East. Emma Powerful argued that the initiative is a deliberate attempt to alter the demographic and ethnic homogeneity of the Biafra region by bringing in people from different parts of the country, especially the North, under the pretense of providing humanitarian assistance.
“We will not allow the importation of foreign terrorist marauders into Biafra land in their quest to change the demography and homogeneity of the Biafra Nation,” he said.
The statement also highlighted the neglect of youth employment and development in the region. Emma Powerful pointed out that while the government is keen on establishing IDP camps, it has failed to set up industries or companies that would provide employment opportunities for the youths of Imo State and the wider South-East.
“Senator Frank Ibezim and the other two senators representing Owerri zone and Orlu zone must face the consequences for handing over Imo State for IDP camps while our youths have no industries or companies in the same state to employ them,” the IPOB spokesperson added.
Warning to Senators and Politicians
The senators representing the Owerri and Orlu zones were also singled out for their alleged complicity in the project. IPOB warned that these lawmakers, who it accused of hiding in Abuja or residing in well-protected homes, would face repercussions for their involvement in what IPOB described as a betrayal of the South-East.
“These senators hiding in Abuja and in their well-fortified homes, working on importing terrorists and their informants using IDP camps, will have themselves to blame,” Emma Powerful warned.
IPOB made it clear that no part of the South-East would be surrendered for the establishment of IDP camps. The group maintained that the Northern region, where the bulk of displaced persons in Nigeria originate, has enough land and resources to accommodate its own IDPs.
“No inch of Biafra Land is available for IDP camps. The internally displaced persons in the North should be accommodated in the Northern region where there is a vast space of land,” IPOB declared.
Final Message to Politicians
In its final remarks, IPOB sent a clear message to politicians from the South-East, especially those supporting the IDP camp proposal. The group warned that any attempt to proceed with the project would result in dire consequences for those involved, urging them to prioritize the well-being of their people over their personal ambitions.
“Igbo greedy politicians should know this and know peace,” Emma Powerful concluded, emphasizing that IPOB and the people of the South-East would not tolerate any actions that threaten their security, identity, or future.
The tension surrounding the establishment of IDP camps in the South-East is a reflection of the broader concerns IPOB has raised about the marginalization of the region and the security threats posed by the infiltration of foreign elements. With these warnings, IPOB is making it clear that it intends to resist any efforts that, in its view, compromise the sovereignty and safety of Biafraland.
