The killing of Harira, 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,Nmandi Kanu, for alleged treason,IPOB through it’s arm-wing, Eastern security network (ESN), has turned to 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 it’s core objective and resorted to violence.
The frequent attacks on security formation and declaration of Monday as work free day by the group which has negatively affected the socio-economy development of south-east states are some of their great undoing. It is sad that igbo social cultural groups and Political leaders have remained mute amidst continue killing of defenceless people which threats the cooperate existence of the country. There is nothing wrong for IPOB or any other similar organization to pursue geinune, peaceful and legitimate demand for secession,so long its within the ambit of laws. If IPOB respects the fundamental human rights,nobody can raise an eyes brown about their activities.
The inhuman nay dangerous dimension with which their agitation has taken raised suspicious on their real mission or motive. For instance, what an agitation for Biafra has to do with guns and splitting of human blood? The late Biafran war Lord, Chukwuma Ojukwu,after he was granted pardon, regretted plugging the country to 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 igbos,including the intellectuals who are supposed to guide the younger ones. There is no gainsaying the facts,Igbos are the most succesful tribe in Nigeria. They are entrepreneurs with massive investment in pharmaceutical, automobile and other lucrative businesses. Igbos have made great fortunate in northern Nigerian,especially in states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and sokoto. With this success story,one expects IPOB to be more tolerant and nationalist in both their outlook and agitation.
However,the violent activities of IPOB has continued to become a source of fears and worries among the northern marketers who haulage their good and services to the region. It is not longer news, trucks which carry perishable goods and domestic animals are increasingly becoming target of these urchins or vagabonds. It is on record,the IPOB members have severally attacked and set ablaze many trucks belong to the northerners. The questions begging for answers are: what are the sins of these northerners who reside and engage in their lawful business? Is there anytime these poor northerners opposed to the realization of the Biafra of their dream?
Does IPOB members know that these poor northerners who stay in their region, engage in menial jobs in other to eke out a living, are also victims of poor governance in the country? Some can not return back to their ancestory communities because bandits have sacked or displaced them. Instead of unjustifiable killing them,IPOB should redirect it’s 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 plug the country into another civil war, “God forbid”,it should stop fortwith the killing of ordinary northerners who have nothing to do with their Biafra agitation. The continue killing of northerners will attract reprisals and set up the country on fire. The igbo leaders should prevail on IPOB members to drop their murderous ideologies for peace to reign. The government should employ all the necessary peace resolution mechanism,including brute Force to stop the IPOB’s madness.
By: Ibrahim mustapha pambegua, Kaduna state.08169056963.
