• Calls for volunteer for free transportation
From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the South East people residing outside the zone to come back home and be counted in the forthcoming census exercise.
Spokesperson of the group, Emma Powerful, in a statement, said it would justify their population and enhance amenities needed in the zone.
He said: “We will use the coming census exercise to ascertain the population and the size of amenities we needed.
“The return of our people during this forthcoming population census will help us quantify the population of the Igbos in Nigeria. Therefore, we must use the opportunity to our benefit.
“They have always told the world we are a dot with an insignificant population. Now is the time to let the world know the population of the Igbo in Nigeria as Biafra agitation is gathering international attention and speed.
“Biafra is coming, and no one can stop it. IPOB is gradually dismantling all obstacles to our freedom, and this census will provide another opportunity to collect more evidence to that effect.
“Those who disenfranchised Biafrans during the last elections should never be allowed to use us to boost their population again. They have always used the Igbo’s population for a higher allocation yet deny them opportunity to freely participate in the national issues during` their territories.
“It’s time we use our tongue to count our teeth. Therefore, IPOB is calling every Igbo resident in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria to travel back to the East and be counted in their home state,” Powerful said.
Meanwhile, the group urged the people of the zone to disregard announcement asking them to avoid the headcount.
He said: “Kindly disregard any announcement from any quarter, especially from government agencies asking people not to go back to their state of origin during the census. Don’t let them deceive you. It’s the same agenda to keep falsifying and deceiving the world that we are a small dot in the contraption.
“Should there be any reason you can’t travel to Biafra land to be counted, make sure you and your family members are not counted outside Biafra land. We must prove them wrong once and for all.”
To ensure the compliance by the people, Powerful said the group will engage transport owners so that those willing to travel would be transported for free even as it enjoined South East wealthy sons and daughters to join hand in the project.
“Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide and governors of Biafra land must show they are concerned about the humiliation our people have been subjected to in this country.
“Our people’s return during this population census to be counted among us have many benefits which includes; validating our majority population in Nigeria that has been manipulated, used, and abused for the attraction of higher allocation from the Federal Government to other states in the past, but can now help us plan for the amenities required like international markets and industrial parks. Most importantly, an accurate count of our people will help boost the Biafra Independence movement,” Powerful said.