The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has expressed support for U.S. President, Donald Trump’s recent actions aimed at addressing what it called ethno-religious violence and persecution in Nigeria.
In a statement released by its U.S. chapter and signed by spokesperson Emma Powerful, the group urges Nigerians living in America to resist any attempt by the Nigerian government to “mislead the international community”, following Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious freedom violations.
IPOB announced plans to organize peaceful protests against the Nigerian government’s upcoming meeting with President Trump, accusing federal authorities of trying to “hide evidence of killings, church burnings, and persecution.”
The group also highlighted the plight of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has long warned of attacks on Christians and indigenous communities, but was reportedly persecuted and imprisoned for exposing these incidents.
According to IPOB, several communities in the Middle Belt, Southern Kaduna, Kwara, and Biafraland continue to face violent attacks, emphasizing that silence in the face of such violence amounts to complicity.
The planned demonstration in Washington, D.C., is described as a “peaceful but powerful protest for justice.” IPOB is calling on all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnicity or religion, as well as human rights defenders, to join, adding that “Unity is our shield, and the world must hear the cry of the oppressed. America must stand with the victims, not their oppressors.”
