APRIL 07 , 2023 | EASTERN PILOT Report By: Edward Nnachi | The Indigenous People of Biafra has urged Southern Nigerians and in particular ...
APRIL 07 , 2023 | EASTERN PILOT
Report By: Edward Nnachi |
The Indigenous People of Biafra has urged Southern Nigerians and in particular the Igbo living outside the South-East to return home for the population census slated for May 3 to 5. The group said it was imperative for Igbo to be counted during the census in order to ascertain their actual population size, adding the opportunity would equally prove to the world that Igbo are not really, “a dot” in a circle. IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful, said this in a statement, on Wednesday.
The statement read, “We, the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra, ably led by the great and indefatigable leader Nnamdi Kanu, draw the attention of Biafrans resident in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria to come back home and be counted during this forthcoming population census. We will use the coming census exercise organised by the Nigeria government to ascertain the population and the size of amenities we needed in the Biafran territory.
“The mass return of our people during this forthcoming population census will help us quantify the population of Biafrans in Nigeria. Therefore, we must seize the opportunity that Nigeria government is offering to our benefit. They have always told the world that we are a dot with an insignificant population. Now is the time to let the world know the population of Biafrans in Nigeria as Biafran agitation is gathering international attention and speed. Biafra is coming, and no one can stop it. IPOB is gradually dismantling all obstacles to our freedom, and this population census will provide another opportunity to collect more evidence to that effect.
“Those who disenfranchised Biafrans during the last fraudulent elections should never be allowed to use us to boost their population again. They have always used Biafran’s population for a higher allocation yet deny Biafrans opportunity to freely participate in the national issues in their territories. It’s time we use our tongue to count our teeth. Therefore, IPOB is calling on every Biafran resident in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria to travel back to the East and be counted in their home state.” The PUNCH had reported that the National Population Commission said Nigerians should not travel to their home states for census, but to stay in their places of residence to be counted.
The spokesperson for the commission, Isiaka Yahaya, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, said, “People should stay where they are, to be counted. They are not to move to their states of origin. It is totally against the essence of the census. You have to be counted where you reside because that’s where you enjoy the social facilities like education and health, among others. “Apart from this, when the time comes for people to be provided with infrastructure and other things you will not allow the planners to have accurate figures. People are not to move.” But IPOB, in its statement on Wednesday, told the Igbo: “Should there be any reason why you can’t travel to Biafra land to be counted, make sure you and your family members are not counted outside Biafra land. We must prove them wrong once and for all.”
The group added that it would “engage transport owners to urge them to be part of this project so that those willing to travel to the East to be counted can do so.” “We are calling on all well-meaning Igbo business men and women, entrepreneurs, senators, ministers, commissioners, House of Assembly members from the eastern states to contribute in one way or the other to ensure that our people come back home during this population census exercise,” IPOB said.
Bellow is the full press release by the indigenous people of Biafra:
IPOB PRESS RELEASE
06/04/2023
ALL BIAFRANS OUTSIDE BIAFRA LAND SHOULD RETURN HOME TO BE COUNTED DURING 2023 CENSUS- IPOB.
We, the global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by the great and indefatigable leader Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu KANU draw the attention of Biafrans resident in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria to come back home and be counted during this forthcoming population census. We will use the coming census exercise organized by the Nigeria government to ascertain the population and the size of amenities we needed in Biafra Territory.
The mass return of our people during this forthcoming population census will help us quantify the population of Biafrans in Nigeria. Therefore, we must cease the opportunity Nigeria government is offering to our benefit. They have always told the world that we are a dot with an insignificant population. Now is the time to let the world know the population of Biafrans in Nigeria as Biafra agitation is gathering international attention and speed. Biafra is coming, and no one can stop it. IPOB is gradually dismantling all obstacles to our freedom, and this population census will provide another opportunity to collect more evidence to that effect.
Those who disenfranchised Biafrans during the last fraudulent elections should never be allowed to use us to boost their population again. They have always used Biafran's population for a higher allocation yet deny Biafrans opportunity to freely participate in the national issues in their territories. It's time we use our tongue to count our teeth. Therefore, IPOB is calling every Biafran resident in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria to travel back to the East and be counted in their home state. Kindly disregard any announcement from any quarter, especially from government agencies asking people not to go back to their state of origin during the census. Don't let them deceive you. It's the same agenda to keep falsifying and decieving the world that we are a small dot in the contraption. Should there be any reason why you can't travel to Biafra land to be counted, make sure you and your family members are not counted outside Biafra Land. We must prove them wrong once and for all.
IPOB will engage Transport Owners to urge them to be part of this project so that those willing to travel to the East to be counted can do so. We are calling on all well-meaning Igbo business Men and women, Entrepreneurs, Senators, Ministers, Commissioners, House of Assembly Members from the Eastern States to contribute in one way or the other to ensure that our people come back home during this population census exercise. Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide and Governors of Biafra land must show that they are concerned about the humiliation our people have been subjected to in this country. Our people's mass return during this population census to be counted among us have many benefits which includes; validating our majority population in Nigeria that has been manipulated, used, and abused for the attraction of higher allocation from the Federal government to other states in the past, but can now help us plan for the amenities required in Biafraland like international markets and industrial parks. Most importantly, an accurate count of our people will help boost the Biafra Independence movement.
We know that our enemies will want to continue in their age-long census manipulation that they started in 1948, but we will put a strategy in place to capture our true population figure during this particular census. As usual, they will manipulate the true population figures when it gets to the National Population Council office in Abuja. But before then, our people must have captured our true population data from each village to each local government and all the levels. It's our responsibility to tell the world our population size that has been manipulated in favour of other states for many years in the past.
The 2023 population census is coming, and we encourage all Biafrans outside Biafra land to return to their home to be counted. This will be part of the mock referendum to show our international friends the true population of Biafra. All Traditional Rulers, PGs, and Village Heads should ensure that our population is counted, captured, and the population data protected for reference purposes. EVERY BIAFRAN LIVING OUTSIDE BIAFRA LAND ESPECIALLY THOSE LIVING IN LAGOS MUST COME HOME AND ENSURE THEY DID NOT COUNT HIM OR HER IN LAGOS THEY NEED US AND WE MUST GO. If you are not coming home make sure you are not counted in Lagos.
COMRADE EMMA POWERFUL, MEDIA, AND PUBLICITY SECRETARY FOR IPOB.
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