The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has declared solidarity with the Hausa people and other ethnic nationalities in Northern Nigeria, calling for unity in the pursuit of freedom, justice and self-determination.
The declaration followed a reported show of solidarity with the pro-Biafra group by northern youths and the Northern Nigeria Rescue Movement (NNRM).
IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, said the decision was made in line with a directive from the group’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
In a statement, Powerful said IPOB welcomed the gesture and rejected attempts to portray its struggle for Biafran independence as hostility towards other ethnic groups.
He stressed that the pursuit of freedom by one nationality should not be interpreted as hatred for another.
According to IPOB, ordinary Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines share common concerns, including oppression, injustice, poverty and political marginalisation.
The group accused what it described as agents of the Nigerian state of portraying Kanu as hostile to northern ethnic nationalities in a bid to divide people struggling for their rights.
IPOB maintained that Kanu had consistently expressed support for the political emancipation of the Hausa people during his years of Radio Biafra broadcasts.
It said the freedom of the Biafran people and the political aspirations of the Hausa nation were compatible, insisting that one group should not remain subordinate for another to achieve self-determination.
Welcoming the reported solidarity, IPOB said northern youths were increasingly recognising what it described as the failures of Nigeria’s political structure.
The group argued that the Igbo people were not the enemy of northern communities, but that ordinary citizens across the country were victims of systemic injustice and bad governance.
IPOB also reiterated its demand for a peaceful, internationally supervised referendum, describing it as the democratic means through which indigenous ethnic nationalities could determine their political futures.
It maintained that every ethnic nationality, regardless of population size, deserved dignity, representation and the right to decide how it should be governed.
The group specifically mentioned the Hausa, Kanuri, Tiv, Berom, Nupe, Igala, Jukun, Angas, Bachama, Idoma, Zuru, Ebira, Gbagyi, Tangale and Borgu, among other ethnic communities, as groups whose interests should be respected.
According to IPOB, smaller ethnic nationalities should also have the freedom to negotiate voluntary alliances, regional autonomy or other political arrangements that protect their interests.
The organisation referenced the recommendations and restructuring debates associated with the 2014 National Conference convened under former President Goodluck Jonathan as a possible basis for discussions on regional autonomy.
It also argued that governance models inherited from colonial rule had failed to adequately address Africa’s political and social realities.
IPOB called on other ethnic nationalities across Nigeria to examine their political circumstances and demand arrangements that reflect their aspirations.
The group concluded by reaffirming its commitment to working in solidarity with oppressed communities, saying its pursuit of self-determination should be understood within the broader context of freedom, peace and mutual respect among Nigeria’s diverse peoples.
