Oshodi traders to be relocated by IPOB , as IPOB mobilizes Nigerians in Diaspora to resettle them

The customary government of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) yesterday evening announced its plans to resettle traders from Igbo origin at Oshodi market Lagos state whose shops and wares were demolished by the Lagos state government.
Already IPOB announced that Ndigbo in Diaspora have started indicating interest to contribute to the relief fund to assist the traders out of their predicament.
IPOB said calls have started coming from all over the world in that regards both to assist the hapless traders and commendation as well as support for the activities of the Customary Government of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra(IPOB).
A statement from the Admin IPOB signed by Engr Aniebue Anthony further said: ‘’we wish to inform our numerous concerned indigenous people that due to our traditional compassion to the plight of our fellow Biafrans, our people have started responding positively to our request to come forward to donate land to resettle our people whose shops were demolished at Oshodi market.
‘’For some obvious official reasons, we are not going to disclose the communities that have come forward with offers of land, but be rest assured that once the process have gone unstopped to a reasonable extent, we shall immediately release the details of the land donors to our listening public.
‘’While we express the Customary Government’s happiness for the promptness by our people in offering land, we hereby reiterate our invitation to the leadership of Oshodi Igbo/Biafran traders to contact the office of the Administrator in the Customary Government of the indigenous Peoples of Biafra for the immediate commencement of actions to relocate our mentally-bruised brothers and sisters that do business in Oshodi market Lagos State,’’ the statement concluded.

Another statement by the IPOB made available to the Authority Sunday night signed by Engr Anthony Aniebue, Administrator Customary Government of Biafra adds that : ‘’The recent crisis in Oshodi market in Lagos state calls for concern by all decent-thinking Igbo people in particular and Biafrans in general. It is the Bible that quoted God as saying, ‘My people perish because of lack of knowledge’. My Igbo people are continually perishing because of their inability to comprehend what actually is the solution to their problems.
‘’In the 70s-80s, the Nnewi people were confronted with problems similar to what the Igbo people in Lagos are facing presently, and without much fanfare , unannounced relocation took place, and today the result is there for everybody to see. Nnewi today is beaming with industrialization activities that are attracting international attention,perhaps without any form of government intervention.
‘’For several years past, Igbo business community in Lagos and in most part of Nigeria outside Igbo land have been subjected to serious undeclared declaration of war of attrition by their host communities and Governments. In all these cases, Igbo business communities had always bent backwards in order to be accommodated while in actual senses millions of hard-earned resources and human capital might have been wasted. Continually and unfortunately, our Traders will continue to shift ground so as to continue to be allowed to do business in such clear hostile environments.
The statement further adds:‘’It has become a norm rather than exception that demolition and relocation of Igbo business site is now seen as a smart development strategy by host Governments. The latest demolition in Oshodi Market is a case at hand. It is cheaper for Lagos State Government to look the other way while Ndigbo embark on market development on particular area only for the said Government to suddenly realize that such Igbo community must move to a new virgin site to continue the development they are experts at.
‘’What is important today is that our people have suffered so much like a sheep without shepherd while our home Government(s) continue to pretend nothing is wrong.What is obvious today therefore is that there is now a new innovation by the recent re-enacting of our home land Customary Government of Indigenous People of Biafra. As a de facto Government of our people, it is very important to realize that problems like this Oshodi market crisis can be solved if our people can rally round her Customary Government. What is basically needed is a piece of land to be secured in Biafra land and allocated to our people displaced from Oshodi market to commence their business with little or no cost at all.
‘’As the Administrator in this Government, I am inviting the leadership of the Oshodi market traders for a discussion of how this can take place. I am also soliciting for volunteering of lands from community leaders in Biafra lands that are desirous of donating lands for our people that are facing this hardship to come forward.
‘’We are convinced that if our people are gradually accommodated down home, certain provocative programs and policies of hostile host communities against our people can be resolved’’, it concluded.