Nigerians have begun to react to the presidency’s claim that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is spearheading a campaign to use alleged persecution of Christians to turn the US, UK and EU governments against the Nigerian government.
According to a Sunday statement reported by The Herald, the presidency stated that IPOB which claims to be Jewish has been falsely pretending to be protecting the interest of Christians to wage war on the Nigerian state.
The presidency further claimed that IPOB has been raising huge sums of money from unclear sources to wage the well-articulated smear campaign against Nigeria and has been winning some unsuspecting members of foreign governments to its side.
“Nigerians and the international community are advised to be wary of this divisive campaign, which available evidence shows is being funded with a monthly spending of $85,000 USD since October 2019, with no records of the source of this largesse,” the statement signed by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, read in part.
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However, many Nigerians who reacted to the statement said it proved that the presidency is worried about the threat posed by IPOB.
Many of the commentators accused President Muhammadu Buhari of giving life to IPOB’s agitation by making lopsided appointments since 2015.
“You guys are panicking already. You’ve seen nothing,” wrote an anonymous social media commentator.
Another commentator, Sampson Nkem disagreed with FG’s claim of a smear campaign by the pro-Biafra group.
“IPOB does not need to do that. Nigeria is doing an excellent job of discrediting herself daily from the activities (or lack of it ) of the clueless and incompetent APC government,” he wrote.
Oladapo Omogbolahan wrote, “Buhari and APC are shifting blame to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu for their monumental failure. God bless MNK and may Biafra come in our time.”
Celestine Ejike Nwaigbo wrote, ” Hmmm!! With this kind of statement coming out from Aso Rock it seems doubting Thomases like me who have never paid attention to IPOB will start doing that. Seems Nnamdi Kanu is quite influential after all.”
Abubakar Sadiq Mahmud wrote, “‘Be quick or be hit’ so they said.
“The Government is to blame for this milestone that the Biafran agitators (IPOB) have reached in their campaign to balkanise the Nation.
“They have carefully searched for a fault line to capitalise on and the Government gave them the needed advantage by ignoring the alleged incessant killings by the suspected Fulani herdsmen in some parts of the country where Christians form a substantial part of the victims.
“We have been drawing the Government attention to rise to the occasion and be proactive in taking decisive actions against the myriad of problems facing Nigeria, but we are tagged as wailers.
“You guys should carry your cross for not doing the right thing at the right time; it’s now left to you to continue the snail speed decision process or be proactive, holistic and urgently look for ways to to make amends and counter the IPOBians with more superior arguments that will forestall any eventuality.”