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IPOB Reacts To New Terrorism Index Ranking

- March 17, 2023

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused the United State-based Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) of concocting the 2022 Global Terrorism Index report which portrayed it as a terrorist group.

The group, in a statement by Emma Powerful, described the US agency as being confused and not consistent in its report.

Buttressing its claim, Powerful said: “In the IEP’s Terrorism Index report of 2022, the current Nigerian government was cleverly portrayed as haven improved in counter terrorism while in reality, the terrorists have become more emboldened during the period.

“According to the report, the total dead due to terrorism in Nigeria for 2022 is 448.

“This is a concocted falsehood. In one state such as Benue alone, the Fulani sponsored terrorists have killed more than 400 civilians. The report as it relates to Nigeria showed a full script from Nigeria government handed over to the institute for publication.

“In the same report, IPOB was mentioned as the 3rd violent group that have caused civilian deaths. We challenge IEP to present irrefutable evidence where IPOB killed any person in Nigeria.

“On the contrary, there are many verifiable evidences both on print and social media on the massacre and extrajudicial killings of many IPOB members by Nigeria Security Agencies since 2017.

“IPOB lawyers, Amnesty International Nigeria, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) Nigeria, many diplomatic missions in Nigeria, including Nigeria media have the evidences of mass killing of unarmed peaceful IPOB members in Nigeria.

“Irrespective of all these illegal arrest, detention, torture, extrajudicial killings, including extraordinary rendition of our leader, IPOB have remained peaceful in the face of all these high levels of provocation. Nigeria government is pushing the narrative that IPOB is the aggressors but in the reality we are the victims of oppressive government.”

Powerful recalled IEP’s comment in their 2022 report thus: “They were responsible for 40 attacks and 57 deaths in 2022, an increase from 26 attacks and 34 deaths the year prior. IPOB is a separatist movement with many factions, many of which are seeking a peaceful succession from Nigeria.

“An extract above from Global Terrorism Index Report of 2022 showed a great contradiction from what supposed to be assumed as a research and investigatory group. So IEP don’t even know which IPOB is peaceful and which is violent. This is what can be referred to as hyper-confusion.

“IPOB has been peaceful and law-abiding with no trace of violence nor terrorism. For IEP to tag IPOB in their report is highly provocative and libellous and we shall challenge this report in proper perspective.

“We encourage IEP to protect their earned reputation by sending an independent investigators rather than relying on their agents in Nigeria who are under the pocket of Nigeria government for their report.

“We are here to tell our own stories to the world with facts and figures. We advise US government to stand as a global human rights defenders to defend the right of every world citizen and not join the oppressors to abuse the rights and privileges of ordinary citizens.”

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