The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has firmly rejected the Nigerian government’s alleged plan to establish Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) rehabilitation and skills acquisition centres in various locations across Imo State, including Ehime Mbano, Ohaji Egbema, and Owerri North Local Government Areas. The group, through its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, made its position clear in a statement on Monday, accusing the government of attempting to dispossess the local communities of their ancestral lands.
In the statement, IPOB expressed strong opposition to the initiative, labeling it another form of land grabbing, following earlier attempts such as the RUGA settlement program, which the group claims also aimed to undermine the South-East region. “They have tried all forms of land grabbing techniques with different names, such as RUGA, and these all failed. Now they want to import so-called displaced persons from Northern Nigeria, a distance of thousands of kilometers from their homeland, into Imo State,” Powerful stated.
The group criticized the government for neglecting the jobless youth in the South-East, while allegedly focusing on bringing “Boko Haram foot soldiers” into the region under the guise of skills acquisition programs for internally displaced persons. According to IPOB, this is a move designed to destabilize the South-East.
Powerful further emphasized that the real intention behind the proposed rehabilitation centres is not for the benefit of the South-East people but to serve a hidden agenda. He warned that the people of the region would not allow such a project to proceed. “The Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra wants to inform the Nigerian government and Governor Hope Uzodinma that we are aware of the real intention of this so-called IDP rehabilitation centre in Imo State,” the statement added.
IPOB also raised concerns about the United Nations’ involvement, claiming that while no significant development projects had been set up in Igbo land, the UN has agreed to this IDP camp. “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 clear that it will not be accepted nor will it work,” said Powerful.
The group also accused the Nigerian government of planning to use the IDP camp as a tool for mass murder and blackmail. “This project of the Nigerian government 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,” IPOB stated.
IPOB called on the international community to intervene and compel the Nigerian government to abandon the project. The group also issued a stern warning to Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, to stop supporting federal government initiatives that are against the interests of Ndigbo.
In conclusion, IPOB vowed that it would not stand by while the region is infiltrated by what it termed “a wicked agenda,” reiterating its commitment to protect the South-East from any attempts to subjugate or intimidate its people.
