The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has launched a strong criticism of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of making veiled threats against Igbo youths while presenting his remarks as a call for peace.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group described Akpabio’s recent comments in Enugu as “state propaganda, political blackmail, and a failed attempt to coerce Ndigbo into submission.”
Akpabio had earlier urged Igbo youths to steer clear of any form of armed struggle, warning that “state power will always overwhelm you.” He also hinted at the possibility of creating an additional state in the South-East as part of efforts to promote inclusion.
However, IPOB dismissed the remarks, insisting they were far from conciliatory.
“This was not a peace message. It was a threat. It was not dialogue. It was political blackmail wrapped in funeral rhetoric,” the statement read.
The group maintained that it is not involved in any armed struggle, stressing that its agitation is solely based on a demand for a referendum on self-determination.
IPOB, led by detained separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu, reiterated that a referendum remains the “most democratic expression of political will,” rejecting claims that its activities are violent or militant.
The group also accused the Nigerian government of deliberately misrepresenting its demands to justify repression.
“They frame a referendum movement as ‘armed struggle’ because the State cannot defeat its democratic legitimacy,” it said, adding that such narratives have “failed for years and will fail again.”
IPOB further revisited the circumstances surrounding Kanu’s arrest and rendition, alleging that he was “abducted in Kenya and illegally returned to Nigeria,” describing the process as a breach of international law.
According to the group, the ongoing legal proceedings against him amount to “judicial pressure and political intimidation.”
Citing provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, IPOB argued that the right to self-determination is legally protected and cannot be overridden by political authorities.
“Only the people have the sovereign right to determine their political future, whether within Nigeria or outside it,” the group declared.
The group also rejected Akpabio’s proposal for the creation of an additional South-East state, describing it as “an insult” and “a political carrot that cannot replace the demand for sovereignty.”
“Biafra is not negotiable through patronage. You do not answer a sovereignty question with local government arithmetic,” the statement added.
IPOB concluded by insisting that no level of “political theatre, propaganda, or intimidation” would compel its leader to abandon the Biafra cause, maintaining that the movement’s fate ultimately rests with the people.