₦airaland Forum

PrinceOfLagos:
Police no dey take eye see sowore

See as Dem quickly surround am like fly

This Nnamdi Kanu case is a high profile one and I wish him victory , Amen.

NGpatriot:
. To date, the names of the people purportedly massacred at Lekki have not been released by those championing the #EndSARS course or families of..

One year after the #EndSARS protest during which some activists, media houses and international groups claimed that there was a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, there is still no evidence of large scale killing at the scene to qualify the raid as massacre, Daily Trust reports.

Security operatives had stormed the place and dispersed the protesters, but many videos had trended for days alleging that “dozens of people have been massacred” during the raid.

To date, the names of the people purportedly massacred at Lekki have not been released by those championing the #EndSARS course or families of the victims even as various hospitals in Lagos said they only treated injured people from Lekki and did not receive any dead body.

At the peak of the claims and counterclaims on what happened, Daily Trust had dedicated a portal on its website (www.dailytrust.com) asking families and friends of those killed to provide details so that the matter would be amplified.

Weeks after the announcement, nobody came forward even anonymously.

The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines massacre as “The killing of a large number of people especially in a cruel way; the bloody massacre of innocent civilians. Nobody survived the massacre.


Masked security operatives at Lekki Toll Gate

Wikipedia defines massacre as “The killing of multiple individuals and is usually considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when perpetrated by a group of political actors against defenceless victims.”

The federal government had repeatedly claimed that nobody was killed or shot at Lekki Toll Gate during the October 2020 #EndSARS protest.

Some people opposed to the claim of the massacre also said there was an element of propaganda being orchestrated by some people for ulterior motives.

They, however, said the federal government was also economical with the truth on the episode at Lekki Gate for claiming nobody was shot considering that many injured people were taken to hospitals from the scene.

‘CNN, Amnesty should tender apology’

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, yesterday on behalf of the federal government, demanded apologies from Amnesty International (AI) and the Cable News Network (CNN) for their ‘misleading’ reports that security agencies shot and killed some people during last year’s #EndSARS protest at Lekki Toll Gate.

He said the two organisations spurned invitations extended to them by the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry to defend the “phantom massacre” of protesters claimed by them.

The minister, who addressed journalists on Wednesday in Abuja to mark the first anniversary of the protest, said there was no evidence that anyone was killed or shot by security agencies.

He took a swipe at CNN and AI for ignoring the fate of the six soldiers and 37 policemen who died during the protests and instead trumpeting a “phantom massacre.”

The minister said the testimony of ballistic experts before the panel indicated that injuries sustained by the victims were not from gunshots fired by the military but locally-fabricated weapons.

“One year later, and despite ample opportunities for the families of those allegedly killed and those alleging a massacre to present evidence, there has been none: No bodies, no families, no convincing evidence, nothing.

“Sadly, the champions of a massacre at the Lekki Toll Gate, including Amnesty International and CNN, have continued to shamelessly hold on to their unproven stand,” he said.

No justice for victims of police – Amnesty

In a statement on Wednesday to mark the one-year anniversary of the Lekki incident, Amnesty International said “12 people were killed” at Lekki Toll Gate during the protest and that there was no justice for the victims.

The statement signed by Amnesty’s Country Director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said, “One year after peaceful #EndSARS protests ended in a brutal crackdown by Nigerian security forces in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of the country, no one has been brought to justice for the torture, violence and killings of peaceful protesters, while reports of human rights violations by the police continue.”

According to her, “An investigation by the organisation found that Nigerian army and police killed at least 12 people on 20 October 2020 at Lekki Toll Gate and Alausa in Lagos.

“Amnesty International was able to establish that pro-government supporters instigated violence at many of the demonstrations, providing cover for the police to use lethal force against peaceful protesters.

“The organisation also found that detained protesters were tortured and refused or denied immediate access to lawyers.”

Ojigbo said President Muhammadu Buhari should fulfil his promise of reforming the police to end the reign of impunity Nigerians had been protesting against for many years.

Daily Trust had replied the Amnesty International via email asking for the names, family details and possibly photos of the 12 people it claimed were killed in Lekki especially in the light of the federal government’s statement earlier on Wednesday, which denied that no one was killed on October 20, 2020, at Lekki.

There was no response from Amnesty International as of the time of going to the press.

Also, CNN had last year claimed that 38 people were killed at Lekki. However, in its latest report, the cable network said it spoke to one Adesola whose son was shot at the scene.

Adesola told CNN that she was thankful because she was able to find her son’s body.

Similarly, in the eight minutes video shown by BBC Africa titled, ‘Lekki Toll Gate: Massacre without blood or bodies’, the remains of one Abouta who was purportedly shot by security operatives were seen on the ground.

It was preceded by the picture of one Olalekun Abideen (Biggie) who was displayed as another person allegedly killed during the #EndSARS protest.

According to the report, Biggie was a regular face at the protest but his family said they were not comfortable showing their faces on camera, therefore, the reporter interviewed one of them who hid and spoke from a dark place.

Our correspondents report that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had a day after the incident described the shooting at Lekki as a “dark note in the history of the state” and blamed the development on forces beyond the “direct control” of his government.

What Daily Trust did on Lekki shooting

Ten days after the incident, Daily Trust in an exclusive report titled ‘Lekki Shootings: Untold story of survivors’ published on October 30, established that some protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza were treated for gunshot wounds at both government and private-owned hospitals in Lagos State.

But there was no verifiable proof that anybody was killed at the scene.

Some of the survivors said they were treated in hospitals such as Reddington Hospital, Lekki; the Vedic Lifecare Hospital, Lagos also in Lekki, St. Nicholas and General Hospital Odan, Lagos Island.

One of the victims who spoke with our correspondents at the time was Agbeze Ifeanyi, a comedian, who was captured on one of the live videos when he was shot at 6:50 pm.

He was rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital from where he was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja for treatment.

Investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo in a special report named some of those killed at the plaza to include Olalekan ‘Biggie’ Abideen, whose death was confirmed by his mother and Abouta Solomon from Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa State whose death was confirmed by his brother Nathaniel, who had invited him to Lagos to man his car washing business.


https://dailytrust.com/endsars-one-year-after-no-evidence-of-lekki-massacre

DeltaFire:
IPOB IS A STREET GANG TURNING INTO TERRORISTS

The good people who first joined Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB have all left. They left a long time ago because they were seeking truth, and just found lies there.

Then only liars and scammers remained with Nnamdi Kanu’s IPOB, like Uche Mefor. Now that the children of devil, the supreme liar were IPOB, it began to change into a street gang.
You can tell who is IPOB anywhere because they use insults and abuse on anybody good, as that is the foundation of their virtual reality fake Biafra land.

As the IPOB street gang waxed worse, they transferred their online violence to street violence and became a terrorist group. Their members began to confess to doing fetish rituals and to killing Igbo children for rituals including to bury their terrorist commander Ikonso.

Even if they bring out Supreme Gang Leader Nnamdi Kani to court, he must remain in his cage until he dies and joins the devil who he spent his f00lish life serving.

Karma is also awaiting Uche Mefor, a killer based in London. Nnamdi Kanu will bring him down during his trial.

Simon Ekpa in Finland will also be brought to Nigeria. Marrying a White woman will not prevent him from receiving the Kenya treatment Nnamdi Kanu got. F00lish Simon thinks he can from safety in Finland command Igbos to be killed? Ndi Igbo will fight him and bring him to the land that he promotes death and destruction for.

IPOB is a street gang that has turned into terrorists.

You see, all the money you IPOB m0r0ns have given to Nnamdi Kanu for your never to come freedom is now poured into the lap of the White Jew lawyer to remove terrorist label on IPOB. Can you see karma catching up with IPOB! You m0r0ns! The word Biafra does not meet up with UN demands for freedom, so you will forever be “arrogantly ignorant”.

This is a good day to see the Supreme Gang Leader sitting in his monkey cage. This mad one who said he has power over life and death.

Grayoso:
Difficult for Igbo lives to matter to others when we can all see and discern that Igbo lives does not matter to Igbos themselves. They obsess about Tinubu malevolently 24/7 but make no make on mention of James Nwafor, the Awkuzu SARS butcher, who somehow remains at large today with his accomplices, like Obiano and Peter Obi, still 'balling'.

Obigbo-Oyigbo massacre, as real as you like, totally forgotten today. It is the fake Lekki massacre, with no known victim, they wish to die over.

Look at DJ witch Switch junketing the world trying to gain fame over fake "massacre" in Lagos, one State of the SW, yet not a word about all the atrocities, genocide and summary executions in her own regions of origin.

Forget all the online demo and pretence. Igbos themselves know fully well that their fellow men/women are monsters. This is why they are silent about the likes of James Nwafor and his gang of killers.

It is just that the hypocritical gene in all of them, coupled with their obsessions with blaming outsiders for everything, means they will happily ignore the killing of their entire family to talk about the death of the pet Cat in a Yoruba household so as to indict the Yoruba family of wrongdoing publicly.

EzeAro:
Go ask Funsho Williams, Bola Ige and a litany of assassinated prominent Yorubas who wanted to attend Dr. Akunyili's house warming ceremony!

Commentor:
So when would Dr. Akunyili attend one of the house warming ceremonies?

Commentor:
Yes.

Now back to the matter.

The East is burning, businesses have reduced hours, notable and anonymous sons and daughters are being slaughtered daily but your concern is about Yoruba and other tribes.

No worry, you go still cry.

EzeAro:
Yeribanza man can't get his d**k up to pleasure his woman, he will turn around and blame Omo Igbo for his woes

Meanwhile have you donated your kidney to save Sunday Igboho’s life in Benin Republic?

Paretomaster1:
Oh! So is not why they are not protesting again, it's why protest isn't working?

Benmob:
U just open a topic with no sense,

Trimjos:
Last time I will reply a zombie

NGpatriot:
[s][/s]

Look at this Jihadi ipobian terrorist, this is a public discussion forum, not your ipobianJihadiforum.com where you get to dictate to your fellow Jihadi ipobs what to say.

Which one are you gan sef Are you esn killer or ugm blood thirsty terrorist?


Silly ipob...

Juliusmalema:
Is it your business if they don't or is your genetic affiliation to them now in doubt.

Ipob zombies everywhere

NGpatriot:
To start with, do you really need any advice from the so called igbo hater before you stop slaughtering your own fathers, mothers, children, sons, sisters and uncles?

Do you not have sympathy or care for your own innocent population that you are slathering every day or is it because of the igboo hater that you are murdering igbo population?


SE sure raised too many cold-hearted and Stone Age mentality people..

Juliusmalema:
Good they realized that Ipob is outlawed. Today they are now full blown terrorists.

Nobody even wants to relate with Ipobs again. Bunch of illiterates killing and wasting lives.

Ipob now IPONK is a fraud.

Yobabad:
How come only local Yoruba Muslims wants to remain in Nigeria, are they coursed?

Simeony007:
How many strikers Chelsea Wan sign Na?

Paretomaster1:
Are you shamelessly lying or u just an ignoramus? A simple Google Search will show you the number of protest against the killings.

NGpatriot:
Nna, I get your point and lunatic mentality, igbo people are killing igbo people because of deaths in the North.

NGpatriot:
While many folks from all over Nigeria are out doing ENDSARS protests, how come SE folks are not protesting against all the needless deaths, killings, burnings and pillaging in the SE, students and little girls are getting slaughtered, Doctors are getting slaughtered, even Royal fathers are getting slaughtered in cold blood.?

Why? Are they not human beings or their lives doesn't matter at all?

What gives?

udele1:
I remember when Danladi Umar claimed he was attacked in Abuja by Biafran Boys. Even the IPOB members began to shout that he has insulted Igbo's.

Why should he refer to Nigerians as Biafran boys. Now ifeanyi Ubah went to campaign in the market in lagos, and he was attacked by the same Biafran Boys.

So Danladi Umar was right after all. When Danladi Umar refered to them as Biafran boys, they became Nigerians.

When ifeanyi Ubah went to lagos, they became Biafrans.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1BS0nJr85w

SlyDev:
Peter Obi have his hands on all of these, no to peter obi blood money

omenka:
Good morning.

It is no longer news the raging animosity between governor Nyiesom Wike of Rivers state and the proscribed secessionist movement, IPOB, a situation made worse by the recent events in Oyigbo/Obigbo.

Both parties have threatened fire and brimstone against one another with the leader of IPOB placing a bounty of N50 million on the head of the governor. The governor, expectedly, scoffed at the threat, given he has the backing of constitutional powers and his naturally brutish persona. But, as recent events reveal, the foot soldiers of IPOB are bent on carrying out the orders as directed by their self exiled leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. To this end, no greater evidence can be put forward than the recent bombing of a church belonging to the father of their arch enemy, Wike.

This brings me to the crux or this thread.

Who remembers Bornu, Boko Haram, how it all started and the response of the people of the region? It is my sincere opinion that South Easterners are making exactly the same mistake!

When one samples the opinion of the average Easterner, if their commentary on events as posted here are anything to go by, one would see a total absolution of IPOB from any wrongdoing, even though culprits have given confessional statements. The arguements we have seen so far are that:

1. They made the statements under duress and IPOB has got nothing to do with the alleged culprits.

2. The newspapers are owned by Yorubas (the Nation was the publisher) and it is in Yorubas' character to taint IPOB and Igbos generally.

3. Ikweres are behind the bombing and staged it to justify the brutal crackdown on IPOB/Igbos in Oyigbo/Obigbo.

4. IPOB is a nonviolent group and can Never hurt people in such manner (notwithstanding all the threats they've issued to the contrary).

5. Where is the proof they're IPOB members? Brandishing a Biafran flag is no proof of IPOB membership.

Etc.

For those who've followed developments in Nigeria, especially as the relate to security, one can see a rather eerie resemblance between what is currently happening in the East and what transpired in the North that has burgeoned into the seemingly intractable security crisis they are currently grappling with. They were in denial about the nature and depth of the problem at its infancy but today, the story is regrettably different, with scores killed in the most brutal manner just about everyday.

To this day, right from the day IPOB was born, majority of Ndigbo have been absolving IPOB of ANY wrongdoing. Not a fly has any IPOB member ever squashed. Kanu and his inflammable rhetoric is can cause NO HARM. The establishment has been disproportionately forceful in cracking down on IPOB. The zoo must burn/fall. Etc.

This same path was threaded by the people and leaders of North East years ago. Today, they're harvesting the rewards. Worst off, projections are being made the crisis may persist for another two decades- two decades of bloodletting and destruction of properties!! Let that sink in. It is a given that criminals feel secure and emboldened to carry out their acts knowing that have a huge number of people willing to deny their acts on their behalf. It's a no brainer.

Make no mistakes, war is a very profitable enterprise. There is a threshold to the breach of security that requires constant financial interventions. Once that threshold is reached, WAR INVESTORS, who aren't even necessarily from your region or even country, would start pouring little monies in to sustain the carnage which guarantees that government keeps pouring money into its drive to restore peace. And we're talking about hundreds of millions of dollars!

It takes just a few hundred thousand bucks to wreak havoc that may cost hundreds of millions and these guys wouldnt be shy to make such "investments" given the returns are humongous!!

The elites and political leaders of the East appear reticent in calling out this group because they dread the losses they might suffer in terms of popularity and political strength. The reason why someone, for instance, like Senator Abaribe is popular amongst Eastern electorates today isn't because he has or have been executing some marvelous constituency projects, nor has he secured something special from the government for his constituents, no. The reason is simply because he has openly romanced IPOB. That is the situation on ground.

It is not too late to reign in this horse, it has yet to bolt out the stables. It would be regrettable seeing things spiral out of control the way they did elsewhere in the country. It was said that "Christians" don't bomb (sometimes I am at a loss about the definition of the word Christian), but that dogma has failed alot of tests, not the least of which was that that just happened in Rivers state.

The time for the East to reign in IPOB is now!!

I know hundreds will come for my head, as usual, for DARING to raise a voice against this group. They'd tell me to rather write about Benue, herdsman, this and that. They will curse and insult me. To such persons, you will get no response from me. I am used to all that MO of yours already.

But I'd take consolation to the fact I SPOKE UP when I should. Hopefully, we don't ever cross that security threshold I mentioned. Amen.

Cc: Mynd44, Lalasticlala.

sammirano3:
Lagos police is dulling. These protesters needs force.

SWORD419:
We all know free food, joblessness, anarchy love and inyameeri mission to destroy lagos is the reason for this protest. im yet to see hypocritical igbos protest against the unjust killing and merciless brutality done by ESN(ugm) of biafranistan.

DeltaFire:
Eyaaa

The Biafrans will not like this truth at all at all.

They like shouting "Biafra! Biafra! Biafra!" and "Biafra land! Biafra land! Biafra land!"

However, the TRUTH is that Igbos have not rejected their name "Igbo" and have not changed it to "Biafran".

What we know is Biafrans don't care for truth. Let them be shouting and be dying.

There is audio going viral on WhatsApp where one Biafran said that they should hide themselves and not admit to their Biafra foolishness because DSS is chasing Biafrans.
No, Biafrans please keep saying you are Biafrans. Keep dying.

As for Uche Mefor ranting "Biafra land" on his one man show radio, he is safe in Britain where Oyeebo is looking after him, so from safety that coward can be shouting "Biafra".

omenka:
This here captures the essense of the current madness. People like Gidgiddi and co have found a means of livelihood and would be damned if the lost it. Imagine the meal tickets from donations made by gullible adherents.

Biafra is nothing but a money spinning ruse.

Tingotoe:
Trash to you because you're both ignorant and arrogant. Lets see how you will get your scam republic of biafra that way

DeltaFire:
THE BIAFRA PHENOMENON AND WHY IT CAPTURES THE IGNORANT
By Ndidi Uwechue
Sahara Reporters
19th October 2021

Those who continue being under the spell of the word “Biafra” remain ignorant but with an additional adjective, ARROGANT. They are “arrogantly ignorant”.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let me start by saying that everyone can be called “ignorant” under the right conditions. For example, I know nothing about weaving wool so if told to sit in front of a loom and ordered to get on with it and make a rug, I would not have any idea what to do. Similarly, if made to sit in the cockpit of a plane and told to fly it, I would not be able to. In both these scenarios, I would be “ignorant” of the task I was told to do. However, being a bit intelligent, I would seek advice and training from experts, then decide whether to give up the challenge, or do the required training.

Now holding that thought about what being “ignorant” means, let us examine what I call the “Biafra Phenomenon”. There are several groups most especially among the Igbo people, that attach the word “Biafra” to themselves taken from the horrific civil war of last century. The word “Biafra” was then laid to rest, but brought back to life nearly thirty years later, in 1999 and it gathered a following.

To ordinary people captured by the word “Biafra”, it symbolises freedom and an ideal country. Nevertheless, none of them have sat down to define it, or give it detail. It is simply the cry of a deep longing for freedom – and it is a VALID cry! However, it reveals their “ignorance” because those still crying “Biafra” are those who have not done their research. Those among them who did do some reading found that “Biafra” cannot bring the freedom they seek, so abandoned the word, and have gone for another word: “self-determination”, because they learned from their research what works. They moved from being ignorant, to being informed.

Those who continue being under the spell of the word “Biafra” remain ignorant but with an additional adjective, ARROGANT. They are “arrogantly ignorant”. It is quite easy to come to that conclusion by their manner of seeing this issue. For instance, Igbo is the name of a people and an ethnic nation, handed down over the centuries. In their arrogant ignorance, those captured by “Biafra” with no authority whatsoever shout loudly that Igbos are “Biafrans” and that Igbo land is “Biafra land”. In their arrogance, they somehow seem to believe that if they use social media and media to pour forth the words: “Biafra”, “Biafran” and “Biafra land”, that by magic Igbo Nation will surrender to those words? This Biafra Phenomenon needs to know certain facts that may cure the arrogant ignorance out of many of them. It is these:

1. If Igbos want to change their ethnic name to “Biafran” (or to anything else), it will be done in a PROPER way, using intelligence and democratic processes. Firstly, Igbos would have to agree that there is something wrong or bad with the word “Igbo”. When that consensus is reached, then all those with replacement names would come forward explaining why the word they propose is the best one. Igbos would then vote on it. Once a new name for Igbos has been democratically obtained, it would be officially communicated to the global community.

2. The word “Biafra” is a non-starter when it comes to obtaining self-determination. “Biafra” will NOT WORK and the reasons can be found in several United Nations or International Law documents such as the “Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States”. The word “Biafra” does not meet their four requirements. There is NO DEFINED TERRITORY for “Biafra” as it means different things to different peoples. Therefore, who make up the “permanent population”? This rules out having “government” (in an acceptable sense). That also means it cannot meet the requirement of “capacity to enter into relations with other states”.
The “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (UNDRIP) is another document that shows that using the word “Biafra” when seeking self-determination is futile, and hopeless.

What is certain though is that the leaders of the “Biafra” groups know that they cannot bring freedom to their followers using the word “Biafra”. It is all pure deceit. They seek unmerited power and relevance, together with the money that those captured by “Biafra” can be manipulated to give them. The same goes for journalists and influencers who promote material linking “Biafra” with obtaining freedom. They too seek cheap popularity, and are not concerned to use their positions to spread facts and truth.

What leaders of the “Biafra” groups fear the most is being asked to SHOW EVIDENCE for the freedom work they claim to have done. Ask them for their Strategy and the logic behind it (to prevent them copying the material of others). Ask them for the names of the foreign government officials or United Nations diplomats they claim to have had meetings with. These conmen “Biafra” leaders will evade every request for evidence of their claims. Instead, they will talk about how “Fulani herdsmen are killing us” or how they are a “security outfit”. Essentially, they will try to hide their “Biafra” scamming by pretending to be addressing some existing problems in the community. Alarmingly the “Biafra restoration” group IPOB, in actual fact a street gang, has recently been condemned as a small terrorist group by a Professor and Executive Director of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore. That is how dangerously far a “Biafra” scam can get to!

The real Biafra of 1967 – 70 civil war is over. It had been promising and was the vehicle used at the time. This newer Biafra Phenomenon is a rogue one, unable to bring self-determination, and that is ruining the positive feelings that old Biafra aroused. “Biafra” has now been bastardised.

It is difficult to reach the arrogantly ignorant, because often it is a waste of time – but it must still be done. The hope though, is that articles like this one would prevent more people from joining their ranks. Any Igbo person or group, or any indigenous persons from the Middle belt or South who is serious about self-determination should avoid the word “Biafra”, for the answer lies with the NINAS Movement that declared a Constitutional Force Majeure on 16th December 2020 to Decommission the imposed and illegitimate 1999 Constitution which hijacks the self-determination of indigenous ethnic nationalities.

Ndidi Uwechue is a British citizen with Igbo heritage from the Lower Niger Bloc. She is a retired Metropolitan (London) Police Officer, she is a signatory to the Constitutional Force Majeure, and she writes from Abuja.


http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/19/biafra-phenomenon-and-why-it-captures-ignorant-ndidi-uwechue

Faithful007:
Perfect example of one who is "arrogantly ignorant"

DeltaFire:
THE BIAFRA PHENOMENON AND WHY IT CAPTURES THE IGNORANT
By Ndidi Uwechue
Sahara Reporters
19th October 2021

Those who continue being under the spell of the word “Biafra” remain ignorant but with an additional adjective, ARROGANT. They are “arrogantly ignorant”.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let me start by saying that everyone can be called “ignorant” under the right conditions. For example, I know nothing about weaving wool so if told to sit in front of a loom and ordered to get on with it and make a rug, I would not have any idea what to do. Similarly, if made to sit in the cockpit of a plane and told to fly it, I would not be able to. In both these scenarios, I would be “ignorant” of the task I was told to do. However, being a bit intelligent, I would seek advice and training from experts, then decide whether to give up the challenge, or do the required training.

Now holding that thought about what being “ignorant” means, let us examine what I call the “Biafra Phenomenon”. There are several groups most especially among the Igbo people, that attach the word “Biafra” to themselves taken from the horrific civil war of last century. The word “Biafra” was then laid to rest, but brought back to life nearly thirty years later, in 1999 and it gathered a following.

To ordinary people captured by the word “Biafra”, it symbolises freedom and an ideal country. Nevertheless, none of them have sat down to define it, or give it detail. It is simply the cry of a deep longing for freedom – and it is a VALID cry! However, it reveals their “ignorance” because those still crying “Biafra” are those who have not done their research. Those among them who did do some reading found that “Biafra” cannot bring the freedom they seek, so abandoned the word, and have gone for another word: “self-determination”, because they learned from their research what works. They moved from being ignorant, to being informed.

Those who continue being under the spell of the word “Biafra” remain ignorant but with an additional adjective, ARROGANT. They are “arrogantly ignorant”. It is quite easy to come to that conclusion by their manner of seeing this issue. For instance, Igbo is the name of a people and an ethnic nation, handed down over the centuries. In their arrogant ignorance, those captured by “Biafra” with no authority whatsoever shout loudly that Igbos are “Biafrans” and that Igbo land is “Biafra land”. In their arrogance, they somehow seem to believe that if they use social media and media to pour forth the words: “Biafra”, “Biafran” and “Biafra land”, that by magic Igbo Nation will surrender to those words? This Biafra Phenomenon needs to know certain facts that may cure the arrogant ignorance out of many of them. It is these:

1. If Igbos want to change their ethnic name to “Biafran” (or to anything else), it will be done in a PROPER way, using intelligence and democratic processes. Firstly, Igbos would have to agree that there is something wrong or bad with the word “Igbo”. When that consensus is reached, then all those with replacement names would come forward explaining why the word they propose is the best one. Igbos would then vote on it. Once a new name for Igbos has been democratically obtained, it would be officially communicated to the global community.

2. The word “Biafra” is a non-starter when it comes to obtaining self-determination. “Biafra” will NOT WORK and the reasons can be found in several United Nations or International Law documents such as the “Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States”. The word “Biafra” does not meet their four requirements. There is NO DEFINED TERRITORY for “Biafra” as it means different things to different peoples. Therefore, who make up the “permanent population”? This rules out having “government” (in an acceptable sense). That also means it cannot meet the requirement of “capacity to enter into relations with other states”.
The “United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples” (UNDRIP) is another document that shows that using the word “Biafra” when seeking self-determination is futile, and hopeless.

What is certain though is that the leaders of the “Biafra” groups know that they cannot bring freedom to their followers using the word “Biafra”. It is all pure deceit. They seek unmerited power and relevance, together with the money that those captured by “Biafra” can be manipulated to give them. The same goes for journalists and influencers who promote material linking “Biafra” with obtaining freedom. They too seek cheap popularity, and are not concerned to use their positions to spread facts and truth.

What leaders of the “Biafra” groups fear the most is being asked to SHOW EVIDENCE for the freedom work they claim to have done. Ask them for their Strategy and the logic behind it (to prevent them copying the material of others). Ask them for the names of the foreign government officials or United Nations diplomats they claim to have had meetings with. These conmen “Biafra” leaders will evade every request for evidence of their claims. Instead, they will talk about how “Fulani herdsmen are killing us” or how they are a “security outfit”. Essentially, they will try to hide their “Biafra” scamming by pretending to be addressing some existing problems in the community. Alarmingly the “Biafra restoration” group IPOB, in actual fact a street gang, has recently been condemned as a small terrorist group by a Professor and Executive Director of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Baltimore. That is how dangerously far a “Biafra” scam can get to!

The real Biafra of 1967 – 70 civil war is over. It had been promising and was the vehicle used at the time. This newer Biafra Phenomenon is a rogue one, unable to bring self-determination, and that is ruining the positive feelings that old Biafra aroused. “Biafra” has now been bastardised.

It is difficult to reach the arrogantly ignorant, because often it is a waste of time – but it must still be done. The hope though, is that articles like this one would prevent more people from joining their ranks. Any Igbo person or group, or any indigenous persons from the Middle belt or South who is serious about self-determination should avoid the word “Biafra”, for the answer lies with the NINAS Movement that declared a Constitutional Force Majeure on 16th December 2020 to Decommission the imposed and illegitimate 1999 Constitution which hijacks the self-determination of indigenous ethnic nationalities.

Ndidi Uwechue is a British citizen with Igbo heritage from the Lower Niger Bloc. She is a retired Metropolitan (London) Police Officer, she is a signatory to the Constitutional Force Majeure, and she writes from Abuja.


http://saharareporters.com/2021/10/19/biafra-phenomenon-and-why-it-captures-ignorant-ndidi-uwechue