The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has demanded that Britain and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government tell the world why they harbour much hatred against “Biafrans.”
In a statement by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group frowned at the silence of Britain over the killings of its members during the solidarity rally in honour of United States, US, President, Donald Trump in Port Harcourt, Rivers State by security agents.
The pro-Biafra group wondered why Britain had failed to prevail on the Buhari-led Federal Government to obey the court orders and respect the rule of law in Nigeria by releasing its leader, Nnamdi Kanu and other of its members held in custody.
IPOB, therefore, called on Britain to prevail on Buhari to release Kanu and other political prisoners which include, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, IMN, Sheikh El-Zakzaki and former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).
The group, however, warned that failure to release the above political prisoners, Nigeria will continue to experience “slippery slide towards abyss.”
The statement reads in part, “Another example of British bias is the events surrounding the illegal detention of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and their unwillingness to challenge the flagrant disobedience to legally binding judicial pronouncements.
“We at IPOB are compelled to ask if Britain is not aware that court after court of competent jurisdiction in Abuja has ordered the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu but the Buhari’s government still refuses to obey the law.
“Britain has never held Buhari’s Government accountable for the many breaches of court rulings in Kanu’s case. The killing of unarmed members of IPOB even during the solidarity rally in support of American president Mr Donald J Trump on 20th January 2017 in Igweocha (Port Harcourt) River state did not draw a rebuke from the British Government has not drawn any condemnation from Britain.
“It is unfortunate that Britain have steadfastly refused to hold Muhammadu Buhari to the same level of high standards expected of other heads of governments around the world. Britain should therefore prevail upon Buhari and his APC party to obey the court orders and respect the rule of law in the Nigeria they created. Detained IPOB members, Sheikh El-Zakzaki, Dasuki and other political detainees should be released immediately or else Nigeria will continue the slippery slide towards the abyss.
“The British government should come out openly to tell the whole world what the good people of Biafra did to them since they amalgamated Nigeria to warrant such wickedness. We Biafrans as a people, were the first to assimilate British culture by answering English names and adoption of Christianity as the main religion, yet Britain is never pleased with Biafra.
“Such overt expression of hatred by the civilised British Government leaves much to be desired, if we consider the media and public uproar that greeted the news of the Tinamen Square massacre and mass arrest of pro-democracy activists in China.
“Britain was also vocal in pointing out the human rights limitations of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility for Islamic terrorists. Why can’t Britain be so equally vocal in condemning human rights abuses when it comes to the issue of Biafra, or is it because Biafrans are not Muslim.
“It is shocking that a First World country of the stature of Britain have persistently refused to openly condemn the frequent public slaughter of countless innocent IPOB members by Nigerian Army.”
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