Tension In Assorock , Over IPOB's International Campaign On Marginalisation Of Ndigbo

SouthEastPost Oct 29, 2019
Published On The Biafra Post 

Enugu -------------- The Federal Government is reportedly worried over international campaign against it by the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to the effect that Ndigbo were being marginalised and denied their human rights in the country.

It is also said to be unhappy over reports in the international media about massive killings of Nigerian soldiers in the Northeast by Boko Haram insurgents, giving the recent report in the New York Times about the ongoings in the theatre of war as example. It was against this backdrop that the report by the Senate Committee Chairman on Defence, Senator Ali Ndume, that 487 Nigerian soldiers were buried in one military cemetery in Borno State, was said to have ruffled feathers within the government.

The government said that the "hostile propaganda" being carried out within and outside the country by the IPOB leader that Ndigbo were being disenfranchised was aimed at hurting the image of the administration and asked the relevant government agencies ... "to articulate a robust narrative that could neutralize such IPOB's propaganda." It was gathered that the National Intelligence Community, which deliberated on the "activities of Nnamdi Kanu, in both United Kingdom and Geneva," where he reportedly traveled to raise awareness over the plight of Biafrans frowned at Kanu's request to his various audiences "to raise awareness on the plight of Biafrans in the media and schools in their member countries."

Reliable sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity told Southeast Post that "the intelligence community committee at its recent meeting deliberated on the hostile propaganda carried out by the proscribed IPOB within and outside the country. "The leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu on September 10, 2019, briefed one Web Dance of the British Labour Party and a member of the European Union, EU, parliament alleging that the people of Biafra were denied their fundamental human rights and disenfranchised by the Nigerian government. "He further requested the Union to assist in raising awareness on the plight Biafrans in the media and schools in member countries." The sources lamented that the IBOP leader also visited the United Nations Office in Geneva, UNOG, on September 17, 2019, as part of the effort to mobilise support and create on the groups secessionist agenda to the international community.

He was also scheduled to meet members of IPOB in Geneva and other EU states in front of the UN building. Kaanu's visit coincided with the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council which held from September 9 to September 27, 2019. "In view of the foregoing, it is recommended that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MOFA, Ministry of Information and Culture, MOIC, and the National Orientation Agency, NOA, should articulate and implement robust counter narrative to neutralize the IPOB propaganda." Earlier, the Ministry of Defense, had also raised alarm over negative reports about the counter insurgency campaign in the northeast by the international media, and called for the need to intensify effort to sensitise relevant stakeholders to gain popular support for the ongoing counter insurgency operations in the area.

The Defense Ministry which harped on the "Need to intensify effort to sensitise relevant stakeholders to gain popular support for on going counter insurgency operation in the north east," also asked the relevant government agencies and stakeholders to articulate efforts that could present the correct situation to the general public. According to the ministry, "the New York Times, NYT, published a story on the on going operation in the north east theater alleging low troops morale, poor equipment, and government lack of will power to prosecute the war."

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