As the world awaits the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in the case between the federal government and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, stakeholders in the South East have said a peaceful resolution rooted in dialogue, justice, and respect for human rights remains crucial to preventing further unrest and fostering national unity.
Justice James Omotosho of the court is expected to deliver its judgment in the case on November 20.
During the trial, Kanu disengaged his lawyers and decided to defend himself in the terrorism charges brought against him by the federal government.
The stakeholders in a report titled, "IPOB, Marginalisation, and the Nigerian State, A Historical and Contemporary Overview of Conflict, Crackdown, and Calls for Self-determination", said since the end of the Nigerian Civil War, the Igbo people have faced systemic marginalisation, political exclusion, and alleged human rights abuses, that fueled the rise of IPOB and its calls for Biafran self-determination.
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According to them, despite the group's emphasis on non-violence and legal advocacy, the Nigerian government's military responses have been widely criticized for excessive force and rights violations.
The group said before his arrest, Kanu has always been a protest organizer, particularly, against the injustice of marginalisation meted out to his region by the federal government.
"The boldness of Kanu to challenge the injustice in the South East endeared the people of the region to him. Many of them look up to him before his arrest to help change the narrative of the South East people where IPOB has its stronghold," they said.
According to the report, "The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a freedom movement advocating for the independence of Biafra, a region in southeastern Nigeria primarily inhabited by the Igbo ethnic group.
The report said the Eastern Security Network, ESN, was created to fight invaders and secure the South East.
"The ESN was created solely to checkmates rape, kidnapping and murder, Fulani terrorists that attack people in their farms, so as to safeguard them."
They said its formation, ideology, and activities are deeply rooted in historical grievances, ethnic tensions, and the legacy of the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970).
"The Roots of IPOB The Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970): Biafran Agitation: The origins of IPOB trace back to the Nigerian Civil War, when the southeastern region, led by Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, declared the Republic of Biafra in May 1967.
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"This followed ethnic tensions, particularly after the 1966 anti-Igbo pogroms in northern Nigeria, where thousands of Igbos were killed, prompting calls for Biafra Sovereignty declaration. The war, driven by ethnic, economic, and political disputes, including control over oil-rich southeastern territories, ended in January 1970 with Biafra's surrender.
"The conflict caused an estimated 1-3 million deaths, mostly from starvation due to Nigeria's blockade, and left deep scars among the Igbo, who felt marginalized in post-war Nigeria. The Nigerian government's "no victor, no vanquished" policy promised reconciliation, but Igbos faced systemic exclusion, including limited political representation, economic neglect, and discriminatory policies like the £20 compensation irrespective of your millions in the bank. These grievances fueled resentment, setting the stage for continued demand for Biafra sovereignty", the report said.
They said before the IPOB movement began, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo had existed since 1976, which was formed as a socio-cultural organisation to represent Igbo interests.
According to the report, Ohanaeze advocated integration within Nigeria but failed to address radical demands for Biafra agitation, creating space for groups like IPOB and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB, which was formed in 1999.
