IPOB Welcomes U.S. Designation of Nigeria as ‘Country of Particular Concern,’ Calls for Probe into South-East Killings
The Indigenous People of Biafra has hailed the United States for listing Nigeria among nations of concern.
The group said the move exposed years of violence and persecution against Christians and Igbos.
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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has applauded the decision of the United States government to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged widespread religious persecution and human rights violations.
In a statement released on Sunday, IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, said the recognition by the U.S. government was a significant step toward exposing what he described as long-standing acts of violence and injustice against Christians and the Igbo people in Nigeria.
Powerful also recalled that a Canadian court had previously declared Nigeria’s two leading political parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as terror-enabling organizations. He said this latest action by the U.S. further confirmed growing international concern about human rights abuses and state-sponsored violence in the country.
The IPOB spokesman thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and American lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz, for what he described as their commitment to defending human rights and confronting persecution globally. He said the move by Washington was “a moral victory for justice, truth, and the sanctity of human life.”
“This recognition is not symbolic,” the statement said. “It reflects the courage of those who have consistently called attention to the atrocities happening in Nigeria, particularly against Christians and the Igbo people.”
According to IPOB, the decision by the U.S. government should serve as a wake-up call to Nigeria’s authorities and a reminder that the world is closely watching events in the country. The group said years of violence, kidnappings, and targeted attacks in parts of the South-East and other regions had gone largely unpunished.
While expressing gratitude to its supporters across the world, IPOB urged the U.S. and other global powers to take additional steps by launching an independent international investigation into the ongoing killings and insecurity in the South-East. It argued that such an inquiry would help identify those responsible and bring them to justice in line with international human rights standards.
The group also praised the efforts of advocacy organizations such as the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID) and other pro-freedom movements for keeping attention on what it described as “state-backed persecution” of minority groups in Nigeria.
IPOB further stated that the U.S. designation marked a turning point in global awareness about the plight of Christians, Igbos, and other affected communities, adding that it represented a “diplomatic victory” for truth and accountability.
The statement concluded by commending members of the IPOB family for their unity and persistence, saying the recognition was a result of their tireless struggle for justice and freedom. It expressed optimism that the development would pave the way for greater international support toward achieving peace and fairness for all communities in Nigeria.
