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By Oscar Okhifo
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on Thursday commended Mark Arnold and members of the United States Congress for what it described as a bold move to spotlight Nigeria’s security challenges on the global stage.
The group, which is designated as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian government, made the remarks in a statement signed by its spokesman, Emma Powerful.
IPOB said the intervention by the US lawmakers had drawn international attention to what it described as a long-ignored crisis in Nigeria, insisting it has helped amplify concerns over insecurity affecting vulnerable communities.
IPOB added that recent developments appear to validate earlier warnings issued by its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, stating that unfolding events are happening “with clinical precision.”
It urged critics and skeptics to reassess their positions as the situation continues to evolve across the country.
According to the statement, “History will record that at a critical moment, when many chose diplomatic convenience over moral clarity, you chose to speak truth to power, warning Britain and the entire world of the impending doom that awaits Nigeria if the ongoing genocide against indigenous Christians is allowed to continue unchecked.”
The group also stated that “the handwriting is no longer on the wall; it is written in the blood of thousands of defenceless men, women, and children massacred across the Middle Belt, Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and increasingly in Yorubaland,” alleging a widening insecurity crisis across the country.
IPOB maintained that areas it considers part of Biafra have remained relatively secure, attributing this to the activities of its Eastern Security Network (ESN), which it described as a “fortress” against external threats.
The group reiterated its long-standing demand for a United Nations-supervised referendum, insisting that such a process remains the only peaceful and lawful path to resolving agitation for self-determination.
“Let it be stated clearly and without equivocation: the singular demand of IPOB remains a peaceful, internationally supervised referendum for the people of Biafra to decide their political destiny,” the statement read.
It warned that any attempt to suppress this demand through force or intimidation could worsen tensions and accelerate instability, stressing that dialogue and international engagement remain essential to preventing further crisis.
The group also called on its supporters and the international community to intensify advocacy efforts, urging global institutions to pay closer attention to developments in Nigeria.
It concluded by expressing appreciation to the US lawmakers for amplifying its cause on the global stage, describing their intervention as a boost to its quest for self-determination.