The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has hailed the United States government’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged violations of religious freedom and human rights abuses.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, described the U.S. decision as a significant step towards global recognition of what it called “systemic persecution” of Christians and Igbo people in the country.
According to IPOB, the U.S. move aligns with a Canadian court’s earlier ruling which reportedly categorized Nigeria’s two major political parties — the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party — as organizations linked to violence.
“We welcome the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by the government of the United States,” the statement read.
“This development comes after a Canadian court’s landmark ruling describing APC and PDP as terror-enabling political platforms.”
The group expressed gratitude to former U.S. President Donald Trump, Senator Ted Cruz, and other American lawmakers and advocacy groups who it said have pushed for international attention on Nigeria’s human rights situation.
“This recognition is a moral victory for justice, truth, and the sanctity of human life,” Powerful stated.
“By calling out the Nigerian government’s complicity in ethnic and religious attacks, more lives may now be spared from orchestrated violence.”
IPOB further demanded an independent international investigation into the ongoing insecurity and killings in the South-East region.
“There is an urgent need for a transparent global inquiry into the root causes of recurring ethno-religious violence in Igboland,” the statement continued. “Such a probe would expose those sponsoring and benefiting from these atrocities.”
The group also praised the efforts of diaspora advocacy organizations, including the American Veterans of Igbo Descent and other pro-Biafra lobby networks.
“We salute the resilience of Biafrans worldwide,” IPOB said. “History will remember those who continue to speak out against tyranny, impunity, and the ongoing persecution of our people.”
It added that the designation strengthens its long-standing call for self-determination.
“Together, we have taken another step toward restoring dignity, justice, and freedom to all peoples trapped in this contraption called Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
