Protest in Abia over court pronouncement of IPOB as terror group

From Steve Oko, Umuahia
The Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Saturday, staged a protest in Aba, Abia State to register their anger over the Abuja Federal High court ruling which failed to quash the Federal Government’s declaration of the group as a terrorist organisation.
Members of the pro- Biafra group during the rally decried the court ruling insisting they are freedom fighters and not terrorists.
IPOB according to a press statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, said it would never resort to terrorism as a way of achieving independence for Biafra.
” We protest against the ruling of Justice Abdul Kafarati pronouncement of IPOB as a terror group and to tell the whole world that IPOB is not a terrorist organization and can never be”, it said.
According to the statement, the rally was also to commemorate the killing of IPOB members during the January 14, 2017 President Donald Trump solidarity rally in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
IPOB commended its members in Abia State for their courage to hold the rally despite stiff opposition by security agencies, describing it as a mark of heroism.
A number of IPOB members were allegedly killed by the security operatives during the Port Harcourt pro- Trump rally last year.
The statement further said that the rally was also to ” remind the civilised nations that we are not a terrorist organisation”.
IPOB said that despite being tagged terrorists by the Nigerian authorities, it would continue to struggle for Biafar liberation until it is fully achieved.
It promised never to abandon the families of its members killed in the course of the struggles nor forget any one arrested by the security forces.
“We remember those that died in Igweocha 20 January 2017 which must be remembered because of their efforts towards the Biafran project.
“We commend all IPOB members particularly those in Abia State and it’s environs for their boldness and unrelented efforts to remember our falling heroes and heroines who died during the solidarity rally in Igweocha last year.”