The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says South-East and South-South govs. and politicians were informed before the establishment of Eastern Security Network (ESN) in the region.
This is contrary to the impressing that the South East and South-South Governors and politicians, particularly the National and State Assembly lawmakers, were taken unawares before its’ establishment, Vanguard reports.
The IPOB has also made public the letter it wrote to them, through its leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, before it established the security outfit.
The Biafra agitating group stated that it informed the Governors and politicians of the two regions on the imperative and implication of not having a security outfit before it came up with ESN when it became clear that they were not ready to protect their people.
Mazi Kanu had in a letter he personally signed, dated May 15, 2020, addressed to the South East and South-South Governors, National and State Assembly lawmakers, and Security agencies in South-East and South-South, informing them about IPOB’s establishment of ESN, to stop alleged siege on South-East and South-South communities, allegedly perpetrated by alien invaders and sponsored killer mercenaries from it said are from the Sahel.
According to the latter which was made available to newsmen through OPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, the pro-Biafra group said it decided to make the letter public because IPOB has been accused at various times of being reluctant to reach out to the elected political class in the crucial project of liberating Biafra land from the vicious and deadly grip of killer herdsmen, terrorists, religious and territorial expansionism, allegedly tacitly tolerated encouraged by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
IPOB letter reads in part, “This day May 15, 2020, we wish to inform Governors, National and State Houses of Assembly Members of Southeast and South-South States, Security of Southeast and South-South, your Excellencies and Honorables, that It is no longer news that our communities are under siege from alien invaders and sponsored killer mercenaries from the Sahel.”
‘It is also on record that IPOB has been accused at various times of a reluctance to reach out to the elected political class in the crucial project of liberating our land from the vicious and deadly grip of religious and territorial expansionism, tacitly tolerated or encouraged, by the present Nigerian Federal government.
“Even President Muhammadu Buhari had himself recently confirmed this when he pointed to foreign Fulani elements as the core culprits in this murderous campaign.
“It is against this background and at this auspicious moment that the Covid 19 pandemic lockdown is in force; and when the fault lines in the area of our collective security and protection of our vulnerable communities have all the more been in the limelight that we now feel compelled to bury the hatchet and reach out to you to bring your good offices to bear.
“I am therefore by this communication extending hands of fellowship to you while inviting you to advert your minds to your obligations to live up to your conditional duties and responsibilities in initiating laws and policies that will impact positively on our people, especially in regard to the security of lives, property and protection of our borders against those that levy terror and jihadism.
“There is an ongoing and well-planned attack by supremacists against our people and we urge you all to collaborate with IPOB in the onerous task of keeping our communities safe.
“We urge the state legislators, in collaboration with the Governors to as a matter of extreme urgency, pass legislation that will engender coordinated security outfits to tackle these menaces.
“IPOB is committed to assisting in this regard if called upon to do so. You can take umbrage in the fact that you are the ones possessing the constitutional mandate to initiate economic and social policies for our region in a way that will even encourage Biafran entrepreneurs in the diaspora to look homewards.
“Your intervention is much more urgent because of the portent existential political and economic threats to our collective existence. Though not generally known, the Constitution of Nigeria, by implication, allows us, and any cohesive group of aggrieved Nigerians to seek self-determination and autonomy as a people.
“This is specifically provided for under Articles 1 & 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, ratified and domesticated by Nigeria in 1983 at CAP A9, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“Why then are you not taking the expected and appropriate legislative measures to enforce such clear statutory provisions? Why are our lawmakers not having the appetite to see what the law says? Why are our people suffering as a consequence of this inaction?
“This is the kernel of this communication. It, therefore, requires your urgent and most serious consideration.
“In the interim, we demand answers as to why you saw fit to proscribe IPOB. While pondering, you must know that Biafran youths will remain unhappy with you unless and until you de-proscribe IPOB.
“While awaiting your response, please accept my assurances that for as long as the interest of our people remains paramount in all your official reckonings, the IPOB shall remain amenable to consulting with you, going forward.”
