Biafra existed 500 years before Nigeria – IPOB

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared that Biafra existed for over 500 years before British colonialists created Nigeria, adding that Biafra would inevitably be actualised by the instrumentality of international laws.
A statement by the spokesman of the group, Mr. Emma Powerful, stressed that IPOB has the right to pursue the independence of Biafra land under international law.
Explaining that IPOB members are Nigerians by citizenship but Biafrans by indigenous identity, Powerful cited the United Kingdom where Scots, Welsh, Irish and Anglo-Saxons maintain their indigenous identities as different people, but are of British citizenship.
The statement read in part: “The ancient map of Africa in 1662 showed the three kingdoms in West Africa from where the new country called Nigeria was created by the colonial masters. The three kingdoms were the Kingdom of Zamfara in the North; Kingdom of Biafra from the East and the Kingdom of Benin in the West.”
The statement added, “The three kingdoms existed on the map of Africa for more than 500 years before Nigeria was created in 1914. The kingdom of Biafra and Benin shared common boundaries and had the Atlantic Ocean in the South with direct access to the sea, through their bays known as Bight of Biafra and Bight of Benin.”
Also, IPOB has challenged the Commissioner of Police, Anambra State, Mr. Hosea Karma, to prove the culpability of the group in the crimes being committed in the state.
In a statement signed by the spokesmen of the group, Dr. Clifford Iroanya and Bar. Emma Mmezu, the group accused the commissioner of fabricating lies against them.
The statement read in part, “Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemns the fabrication of lies against the IPOB credited to the Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hosea Karma, that the challenges he has in the state is IPOB.
“Mr. Hosea Karma wouldn’t have involved IPOB in his fabricated lies because he cannot prove to the world how IPOB was involved in any killing, maiming, raping of women, kidnapping and the destruction of farmland and properties like the Fulani herdsmen in the contraption called Nigeria.”
The group accussed Karma of “perfecting plans with the APC agents to be giving to the public, the bad impressions that IPOB was involved in an illegal activities.”
The group added, “We IPOB worldwide are now calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to remove or sack Mr. Karma in Anambra State if he wants to have clean record before he retires.”
Meanwhile, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has expressed concerns over the internal crisis rocking the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Condemning the activities of persons it described as fifth columnists, the group expressed worry that there may be enemies within the ranks of IPOB.
In a statement issued in Owerri by the MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, he noted that claims and counter claims of leadership in IPOB is creating serious tension and loss of faith in the group and diminishing the ultimate objective and focus which is the actualisation of Biafra.
Madu urged the leadership of the Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB and Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB under the leadership of Rtd. Justice Eze Ozobu, Colonel Achuzie and Dr. Dozie Ikedife to sheath their swords and stop making caricature of Biafra now that the Biafran struggle has garnered global attention.
“This lingering war of words is not healthy for our struggle. The architect of this crisis, which is the Nigeria Government, as our oppressor, will see this crisis as a viable window to launch an international diplomatic campaign of calumny against the actualisation of Biafra. This is their grand plan”, the MASSOB leader warned.
Madu recalled that a not too-similar development of this nature occurred in MASSOB years back when its former leader, Ralph Uwazuruike, sabotaged the Biafran struggle; grossly betraying trust and nearly destroying the motivation behind the Biafran self-determination struggle.
Rather than sustaining a crisis situation, Uchenna Madu urged the Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB, Uchenna Madu led MASSOB, Lower Niger Congress, Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB, Biafra Niger Delta Groups and Washington DC based Organisation of Emerging African States (OEAS) to aggregate their efforts, energies and strategies toward the release of Nnamdi Kanu, whom he described as a major arrowhead of the new Biafran struggle.
“Biafra is bigger than anybody. Until we start building serious synergies and form a common Central front among the genuine and selfless Biafran groups, Biafra actualisation may take longer period.”