The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has taken what it called the grievances of the Igbo to the United Nations (UN).
It said on Thursday that its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, vowed before the UN that Biafra’s case would no longer be ignored.
He led a delegation to a series of meetings with various UN agencies and officials in Geneva.
IPOB’s spokesman Emma Powerful said in a statement that Kanu demanded urgent action against alleged rights abuses.
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He also spoke on the need to support “Biafrans’” self-determination as enshrined in law, statute and various UN conventions.
IPOB said: “Every issue concerning our people is now before the various arms and agencies of the UN. Our case will no longer be ignored.”
The statement said Kanu was accompanied by his deputy, Mazi Uche Mefor, Head of Directorate of State, Mazi Chika Edoziem, and others.
IPOB said Kanu also raised the issue of the continued illegal detention of Omoleye Sowore, the alleged persecution of the members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria led by Sheikh El-Zakzaky, among others.
The statement said: “Every issue concerning our people as mentioned by Kanu ranges from the incessant killing of Biafrans in their own land by terrorist herdsmen to extortion and killing of Biafran motorcyclists and commercial drivers over refusal to give N50 bribe…”
It said Kanu also raised the issues of “systematic oppression and economic emasculation of the Biafran, illegal detention of unarmed agitators, flagrant contempt for court orders, and incessant abduction and extrajudicial killings of IPOB family members”.
It said all the issues form the basis of the agitation for the separate state of Biafra, “which was existing before the Lugardian amalgamation of 1914.”
The statement added: “Exploiting the rights of indigenous people to self-determination as provided by the UN charter 2007, Mazi Kanu has conscientiously pursued freedom for the oppressed people of Biafra.” Nigeria News
