The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has condemned
the recent arrest and harassment of newspaper vendors and journalists in
Imo and other states in the South-East of Nigeria by security agents
The IPOB said it is wicked for security operatives to humiliate vendors and journalists for distributing contents related to Biafra and pro-Biafra groups.
While the IPOB urged all stakeholders in the journalism profession to
rise up and challenge the security operatives in its attempt to silence
the press, it vows that it will not stop talking about its agitation
for Biafra.
The group said this in a statement by its media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful on Tuesday.
“We
the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), ably led
by our prophet and liberator, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemn in very strong
terms, the incessant arrest and humiliation of newspaper vendors as well
as the harassment of journalists by the Nigerian security operatives
for writing or distributing Biafra, IPOB or Eastern Security Network
(ESN)-related news materials. This is wickedness and a calculated
attempt to suppress the press.
“It's a global embarrassment that
the Nigerian security agents will be hunting for newspaper vendors and
journalists in Imo State and other Biafran cities for committing no
crime other than writing or distributing news contents that affect
Biafra, IPOB or ESN. How many times have the security agents harassed
any journalist or newspaper vendor in the North for writing about Boko
Haram or Fulani bandits?
“The same hypocritical Nigerian
security agents allow viral videos and audios from Boko Haram and other
terrorists to circulate in the media but when IPOB spokesman was
featured on Channels Television, the federal government came on with N5
million fine against the station. Islamic cleric Sheikh Gumi keeps
meeting with terrorists and has turned into advocacy for them through
the media, yet journalist or newspaper vendor has been questioned over
such reports.
“The Fulani-controlled Nigeria security agencies
cannot suppress Biafra no matter how hard they try. Not even their
draconian policies and anti-press moves can stop their atrocities and
unprovoked genocidal attacks in Biafra land from being reported. The
world must read our story!
“We, therefore, challenge the Nigeria
Union of Journalists, NUJ, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Newspaper
Publishers, civil society groups and democracy lovers to take up the
fight. It's not about Biafra, it's all about free press and democracy.
After all, the victims are not IPOB members but ordinary newspaper
vendors and innocent journalists,” the statement partly read.
In
the statement titled ‘IPOB Condemns Arrest, Intimidation of Newspaper
Vendors, Journalists by Nigeria Security Operatives in Imo State,’ the
Biafra separatist group reminded people that the Nigerian government is
trying to intimidate journalists.
It also called on the international community to question the Nigerian government on why it has been hounding the press.
“The
ultimate goal of the Fulani-controlled federal government of Nigeria is
to intimidate journalists into submission so they will be too afraid to
report the extrajudicial killings and other crimes against humanity
perpetrated by the security agents against Biafrans.
"We
know their game plan: this is only a prelude so that when eventually,
they begin their proposed jihad in the Eastern region, no journalists
and newspaper vendor will be courageous enough to report or circulate
the story.
“But they must not be allowed to succeed or get away
with this tyranny. The UN, US, EU, UK and lovers of democracy all over
the world should ask Nigerian Government why it's clamping down on the
free press,” the statement added.
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