In a bold statement, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has distanced itself from the Biafra declaration made by a group of separatists in Finland, calling it a “scam” and a “sham.” IPOB, led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, emphasized that no one can declare Biafra for the second time, as it was originally declared by the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1967.
The declaration, made by the so-called Biafra Republic Government In Exile (BRGIE), led by detained Prime Minister Simon Ekpa, announced plans to re-declare the Independent State of Biafra on December 2, 2024. However, IPOB has firmly rejected this move, stating that any attempt to declare Biafra outside the territory is both illegitimate and reckless.
“The so-called Biafra second declaration is a scam,” said Emma Powerful, IPOB’s media and publicity secretary, in a statement released on Sunday. “Biafra has already been declared by Ojukwu in 1967, and no one has the right to declare it again.”
IPOB also sought to clarify that the group behind the Finland declaration were, in fact, “sponsors of violence in the South-East.” They argued that the individuals involved were part of a destabilizing force that aims to divide the people and derail the genuine struggle for Biafra’s sovereignty. IPOB has accused these individuals of causing insecurity in the region and undermining the movement’s goals.
“The people behind this Finland event are the same ones responsible for the violence in the South-East,” the statement continued. “Their goal is to create confusion and make the true Biafra struggle unattractive to our people. Their agenda is clear—they want to destabilize the region.”
The IPOB leadership made it clear that they do not support any actions that would harm the movement or mislead Biafrans. They noted that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB, had been pressured in the past by enemies within and outside the group to declare Biafra prematurely but had resisted those calls, choosing instead to pursue a peaceful path through international channels.
“Nnamdi Kanu is a brilliant freedom fighter who understands the principles of self-determination,” said Powerful. “He has always rejected calls for untimely declarations. We want to restore Biafra sovereignty through a United Nations-supervised referendum, not through baseless and reckless declarations made in foreign countries.”
While the group in Finland celebrated their declaration, IPOB pointed out that their actions were ignored by responsible media outlets and the general public. They labeled the event a “jamboree,” underscoring that it was not a legitimate Biafran declaration but rather an attempt to mislead people into supporting a false cause.
“These infiltrators, who failed to destroy IPOB from within, now seek to confuse our people with their nonsense declaration. They are criminals and agents provocateurs,” IPOB declared.
The statement also condemned the foreign media attention the event briefly garnered, warning that any attempt to interfere with the Biafra struggle would be met with heavy consequences. IPOB stressed that the struggle for Biafra’s independence is a spiritual and sacred one, built on the sacrifices of those who died during the Biafran War.
“Blood has been shed for this cause,” IPOB warned. “Anyone who stands in the way of Biafra’s restoration will pay a heavy price. The blood of our fallen heroes will hunt down those who seek to undermine our struggle.”
IPOB reaffirmed that the declaration of Biafra by Dim Ojukwu in 1967 remains the only legitimate declaration. The group’s current focus, they stated, is to restore that sovereignty through a democratic and peaceful process—a UN-supervised referendum where Biafrans can decide their future.
“The true Biafra was declared by Ojukwu in 1967,” the IPOB statement concluded. “What we are doing is to restore that sovereignty, which was taken away through genocide. Any declaration made outside the Biafra territory is not only futile but also fraudulent.”
As the December 2 date for the so-called second declaration of Biafra approaches, IPOB has called on Biafrans and supporters of the movement to ignore the misguided actions of the group in Finland. The organization reassured its followers that IPOB remains steadfast in its mission and will continue its peaceful campaign for the restoration of Biafra through legitimate means.
