BIAFRA : COVID-19: IPOB faults sharing formula of FG’s palliative

From Sunny Nwankwo, Umuahia

The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has faulted the ongoing federal government COVID-19 palliative sharing formula amongst the vulnerable and less privileged Nigerians.

In a release on Sunday by its spokesman, Comrade Emma Powerful, IPOB accused the federal government of paying more attention in the North in the disbursement of the National Cash Transfer exercise, than any other part of the country.

According to Powerful, the action of the federal government decision to pay more attention to the North is a clear indication that federal government has “incurable hatred” for Ndigbo and indeed other Biafrans in the Old Eastern Region.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has observed with utter shock and dismay, the criminal lopsidedness of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government in the on-going disbursement of the federal palliative to poor Nigerians to cushion the effect of the lockdown over the coronavirus pandemic. While the National Cash Transfer Office handling the disbursement has concentrated on people from the Northern zones, only few persons in one state of the South East were remembered in the largess.

A critical analysis of the information on the data base of the NCT office on the number of beneficiaries from the largess on zone by zone basis reveals that South East is at the bottom of the table just after South-South where as Northern zones come top. This is provocative and a blatant confirmation that Nigeria has incurable hatred for Ndigbo and indeed other Biafrans in the Old Eastern region.

This continued rejection and humiliation of the people of old Eastern region is a confirmation that the Fulani-led federal government does not see us as part of this concocted cage called Nigeria. Nigeria state and her agency headed by Fulani people are making it more open for those who don’t know that Biafrans are not part of Nigeria.

It baffles IPOB why NCT office limited the number of beneficiaries of the cash transfer from the federal government to paltry 3253 in South East, and 10,429 to South South respectively. This is more annoying when juxtaposeed with the number of beneficiaries from Northern zones and the South West zone.

For instance the record in the NCT office further shows the beneficiary distribution as follows: North West, 112,744 persons; North Central, 88,008; North East, 44,405; and South West, 39,134. What other information does this criminal discrimination show other that open rejection for South East and South-South zones? Can the world now see why we earnestly yell for Biafra?  Our renewed and unwavering agitation for Biafra is anchored on the truth that we have been reduced to dehumanising second class citizens in the Nigeria our fathers fought so hard to free from British colonialism. We shall not give up in our quest for Biafra until this task is achieved because that is only where our dignity, security and justice as a people can be guaranteed

We, therefore, call on our brothers and sisters who for pecuniary gains have continued to collaborate with our tormentors to wise up and join us in the great fight for our common liberation. Biafrans must fight vigorously to restore Biafra sovereignty at this point in time.

While unprovoked and barbaric killing of Christians in the most dehumanising form has continued unabated by Fulani herdsmen and Terrorists in Nigeria, Biafrans who constitute 95% of the Christian community in the country have also continued to suffer from political exclusion, criminal marginalisation and deep hatred from the Fulani led federal government of President Buhari.

If the Buhari led federal government can have the guts to discriminate against Nigerians in a time like this when there is global pandemic, at no time shall Biafrans expect love and equal treatment from the federal government.

“It’s more annoying considering the fact that the bulk of the resources that sustain Nigeria come from oil revenue in Biafra land. Again, majority of the individual donors towards the relief effort on COVID-19 pandemic also come from Biafra. What have we done to deserve this unending hatred by Nigerian

We therefore, wish to reiterate that the pursuit and agitation to restore Biafra as a sovereign nation is our prerogative right which no one has the power to stop.

“Biafrans must come together to demand for the independent state of Biafra now or be ready to receive more insults and provocative treatments from Fulani dominated federal government,” Emma Powerful said in the release.

In a related development, the leader of the Pro-Biafra group, Nnamdi Kanu has sent second batch of relief items that would be shared amongst the vulnerable in the Southeast and old Eastern Nigeria.

According to a source, the some of the relief items arrived Umuahia, the Abia State capital last week.

The source who disclosed that the third batch of the relief items; mainly food items would be delivered to a location in Anambra state, hinted that distribution of the food items to homes and families of vulnerable members of the public started on Saturday.

The source said that the sharing of the food items would continue until all vulnerable families are fed.

The source quoting Nnamdi Kanu said “I am not under any illusion that this is a very tiny drop in a mighty ocean but with the help of numerous Biafran philanthropists, few conscientious politicians and grace of God, Biafrans shall come through this hunger and pestilence stronger as a people and more united as a nation.

“We must be guided by our creed at all times and remember that our ability to defend those who cannot defend themselves is what makes IPOB unique.”