IPOB Is Sponsored By Top Igbo Businessmen, Politicians – Niger Delta Militants

A coalition of Niger Delta militants have alleged that Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is being financed and sponsored to float the idea of secession by top businessmen and politicians from the Southeast.
This allegation was contained in a statement jointly signed by General John Duku of the Niger Delta Watchdogs and convener Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators; General Ekpo Ekpo of the Niger Delta Volunteers; General Osarolor Nedam of the Niger Delta Warriors; Major-General Henry Okon Etete of the Niger Delta Peoples Fighters; Major-General Asukwo Henshaw of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters among others.
In the statement, the coalition, which advised the President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the Igbo to have their own Biafra, warned however that the IPOB should not include Niger Delta in Biafra.
The coalition warned that Nigeria must not be allowed to go into another civil war.[myad]
It said that the same antics currently being employed by IPOB was the one employed in 1966 when Igbos masterminded the civil war and involved the South-South in Biafra map during which major infrastructures were destroyed in Niger Delta and over 15 million people from the south south were killed.
The coalition condemned calls by former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the government to negotiate with the Nnamdi Kanu, saying that the same man who ordered the destruction of Odi, in Bayelsa state cannot be talking about negotiation.
Parts of the statement read:
“We hereby call on the Nigerian government, international community and the general public to monitor the activities IPOB and her sponsors carefully as we shall resist any attempt to drag the Niger Delta region into the ill-advised secession activities of IPOB,” the statement read.
“We call on the Nigerian government to follow due process and the rule of law in declaring a group a ‘terrorist organization’ as the recent declaration of IPOB by the Nigerian Army as a terrorist organization is contrary to the tenets of our nascent democracy.
“Rather the government should allow them to be on their own, stop funding the South Eastern states with the Niger Delta money, they should be on their own, generate their funds and pay their bills. It is high time Nigeria allow Igbos to be on their own to avoid another civil war.
“We are appealing to the Nigerian government to allow Igbo to go and have their independence without the involvement of other zones since they are tire of being in Nigeria. Nigeria is not ready to go into another civil war. We therefore appeal to the government to allow Igbo to go and be on their own.
“We totally condemn the call by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the federal government should dialogue with Nnamdi Kanu. It is totally wrong that the man who destroyed Udi, Bayelsa state in Niger Delta can today talk about dialogue. During his tenure, Asari Dokubo and others were locked up for over one year without trial while he was busy siphoning Niger Delta money. Today he is talking about dialogue.
“We condemn the IPOB attack and destruction of properties in Oyibo in Rivers State. We have warned these people severally that Rivers State and the entire Niger Delta region is not and would not be part of Biafra. They rushed to Rivers state to attack Hausa community in order to involve the Niger Delta territory in the ill-advised secession agenda of IPOB.
“It will be recalled that the same antics was employed in 1966, when they criminally masterminded the Civil War and involved the South-South in Biafra map and major infrastructures were destroy in Niger Delta and over 15 million of our people were executed.
“Any member of IPOB that causes mayhem in South East and want to hide in the Niger Delta region shall be severely dealt with. We are surprised that the South East Governors Forum could not call Nnamdi Kanu to order before things got worse as witnessed today.
“All the serving Governors, Senators, House of Reps members, Ministers, Ambassadors from South East extraction should resign immediately and join Nnamdi Kanu to form Biafra government.
“Let peace reign in Nigeria. It was the agitation of Biafra that brought the last Civil war in Nigeria and we are not prepared for such. Reliable information at our disposal shows that some top businessmen and politicians from South East zone are the sponsors of IPOB.
“We want to warn IPOB and its sponsors to steer clear from Niger Delta region, we shall resist them with everything within our reach.”[myad]