The Presidency has decried a recent “alliance” between the Yoruba Nation agitators and the Indigenous People of Biafra, warning that such a treaty could not be taken seriously because of the violent antecedents of the IPOB.
In a statement signed by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, the presidency warned that the IPOB was a designated terrorist organization that had now “publicly revealed a 50,000-strong paramilitary organization”.
Shehu urged the Yoruba secessionist group to quit its association with IPOB because it “regularly murders security agents and innocent civilians, with a significant uptick of violent attacks this year.”
He further explained that the IPOB is attempting to hold Nigerian states hostage with orders to stay at home under threat of terror.
According to the presidential spokesperson, there was no doubt that “Nigerians and the entire world will judge Yoruba Nation by the company it keeps.”
He, however, emphasized that it was shocking to see “Yoruba Nation” advocates “unequivocally throw their lot in with Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).”
He said he believed no one could take the Yoruba Nation seriously if it continued its IPOB association, not “when their allies systematically trample human rights.”.l
These actions, the president’s special assistant argued, “raises sober questions about their claims to uphold the values of the UN.”
He defined the cooperation as a worrying development.
“Actions and associations speak louder than words. Yoruba Nation’s talk of human rights promotion must therefore be ignored,” Shehu said.
He assured Nigerians that the federal government would continue its work at the UN – to fight against corruption and illicit financial flows, and international cooperation.
Stay ahead with the latest updates! Join The ConclaveNG on WhatsApp and Telegram for real-time news alerts, breaking stories, and exclusive content delivered straight to your phone. Don’t miss a headline — subscribe now!
