Time to stop the IPOB madness

The killing of Fatima, a pregnant house wife, with her four children and other innocent people from northern extraction by the violent and outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is crude, barbaric and condemnable.

Since the arrest and detention of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, for alleged treason, IPOB through its armed-wing, Eastern Security Network (ESN) has turned to s Frankenstein monster, unleashing terror on peaceful and law-abiding people of the region.

The IPOB which is formed to promote secession agenda has deviated from its core object and resorted to violence. The frequent attacks on security formations and declaration of Monday as work-free day by the notorious group which have negatively affected the socio-economic development of the South-east states are some of their great undoing.

It is sad that igbo socio-cultural groups and political leaders have remained mute amidst continued killing of defenceless people which threatens the corporate existence of the country.

There is nothing wrong for IPOB or any other similar organisation to pursue genuine, peaceful and legitimate demand for secession, so long it’s within the ambit of laws. If IPOB respects fundamental human rights, nobody will raise an eye brow about their activities.

The inhuman nay dangerous dimension with which their agitation has taken raises suspicion on their real mission or motive. For instance, what does an agitation for Biafra have to do with guns and spilling of human blood?

The late Biafran warlord, Chukwuma Ojukwu, after he was granted pardon, regretted plunging the country into a needless civil war. He cautioned those who were promoting the idea of Biafra to be more courteous in their demand.

Sadly, the Biafra promoters threw his wise counsel into the wind. Now, Biafra has become a matter of life and death to many igbo, including the intellectuals who are supposed to guide the younger ones. There is no gainsaying the fact that the Igbo are the most successful tribe in Nigeria.

They are entrepreneurs with massive investments in pharmaceutical, automobile and other lucrative businesses. Igbo have made great fortunate in northern Nigeria, especially in states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and sokoto. With this success story, one expects IPOB to be more tolerant and nationalistic in both their outlook and agitation.

However, the violent activities of IPOB are continually becoming a source of fear and worries among the northern marketers who haul their good and services to the region. It is no longer news that trucks which carry perishable goods and domestic animals are increasingly becoming target of these urchins or vagabonds.

It is on record that IPOB members have severally attacked and set ablaze many trucks belonging to the northerners. The questions begging for answers are: what are the sins of these northerners who reside and engage in their lawful business? Has there been anytime these poor northerners opposed the realisation of the Biafra of their dream?

Do IPOB members know that these poor northerners who stay in their region, engage in menial jobs in order to eke out a living, are also victims of poor governance in the country? Some can not return back to their ancestral communities because bandits have sacked or displaced them.

Instead of unjustifiably killing them, IPOB should redirect its grievance to their respective governors. The IPOB should first hold their leaders accountable for trillions of naira received in the last two decades of our democracy.

Unless IPOB wants to plunge the country into another civil war, “God forbid”, it should stop forthwith the killing of ordinary northerners who have nothing to do with their Biafra agitation. The continued killing of northerners will attract reprisals and set the country on fire.

The igbo leaders should prevail on IPOB members to drop their murderous ideology for peace to reign. Government should employ all the necessary peace resolution mechanisms, including brute force to stop the IPOB’s madness.

Ibrahim Mustapha,
Pambegua, Kaduna state
08169056963.