IPOB SURRENDERS BIAFRAN TO NIGERIA

Owerri - Two breakaway factions of the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have
agreed to work together to surrender the
Biafran flag to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The original plan was to burn the Biafran flag
on October 1, 2016, but the groups — Re-
branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB)
and Renegade Indigenous People of Biafra
(RENIPOB) — have jettisoned that, and will
instead surrender “the defunct Republic of
Biafra flag on the symbolic date of January 15,
2017″ to the Nigerian government at the Eagle
Square Abuja.
The chosen date, January 15, 1970, was the
day the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the
Biafran War, ended.
The groups in a statement on Friday also
chose former militant leader, Henry Okah as
the one to surrender the Biafran flag to
President Muhammadu Buhari.
The statement read in part: “The Re-branded
Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB), gladly
and warmly welcomes into its fold, the
Comrade Emma Powerful-led breakaway
faction from theNnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous
People of Biafra (IPOB), who now go by the
name Renegade Indigenous People of Biafra,
or RENIPOB.
“Following this development, all
subsequentTRIPOB/RENIPOB statements shall
be jointly signed by Comrade Emma Powerful
and the undersigned. Any statements from
IPOB using “Emma Powerful” as its signatory
are that of an impostor.
“And following appeals by well-meaning
Nigerians across the world, especially civil war
veterans of the defunct Biafra Republic,
TRIPOB shall no longer burn the flag of the
defunct Biafra Republic as earlier planned for
October 1, 2016, a date which has also been
rescheduled.
“Replacing the burning of the flag ceremony
shall be the ‘surrender’ ceremony of the
defunct Republic of Biafra flag on the symbolic
date of January 15, 2017 at the Eagle Square
Abuja, FCT. The general public as well as all
relevant agencies of the Federal Government
of Nigeria, particularly, the Presidency is
please, advised to take note of the date.
“With a view to actualizing the January 15,
2017 “surrender” ceremony, and subject to
their acceptance, TRIPOB/RENIPOB hereby
wishes to nominate Mr. Charles Okah, an Ijaw
from the Niger Delta axis as its Leader, and Dr.
DozieIkedife as Deputy Leader.
“We strongly believe that the leaders we have
nominated shall use their respective offices to
help propagate an intense campaign of
inclusiveness, love, peace, progress, industry
and free enterprise, social justice and
democracy within and amongst our compatriots
in an indivisible, united and prosperous Nigerian
federation.”


Source :news24
Edited by DANIEL IKECHUKWU EKWUNIFE