The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a strong warning to the Arewa group in Northern Nigeria, urging them to desist from inciting violence against the Igbo community.
The pro-Biafran group claimed that it received intelligence regarding planned attacks on Igbo people in the North, allegedly as retaliation for the recent killing of northern hunters in Edo State.
In a statement released on Monday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, IPOB emphasised that Igbo people played no role in the reported killing of the hunters in Edo.
At least 16 northerners were lynched in Edo last week after being labelled as kidnappers.
IPOB criticised what it described as coordinated assaults by Fulani extremists, accusing them of exploiting ethnic divisions to advance their own objectives.
“We have been reliably informed that certain individuals are already issuing threats against Ndigbo in the North.
“Innocent Igbo individuals, such as Uche Abagana, have been murdered in Kano due to the incident in Edo State.
“We urge indigenous Hausas to be cautious and not allow themselves to be used by Fulani elements seeking to incite ethnic violence,” the statement read.
IPOB also called on the Igbo community in Northern Nigeria to heighten their security awareness and prepare for self-defence against any threats.
The group reiterated that Igbos are law-abiding citizens who cherish peace but will no longer tolerate attacks on their lives and property without consequences.
IPOB called for unity among all indigenous Nigerian ethnicities to dismantle what they describe as a colonial structure designed to serve Western imperialist interests rather than the people of Nigeria.
IPOB’s statement comes at a time of heightened ethnic tensions in the country, raising concerns about potential clashes and instability.
