From: Segun Adio
Idoma people of Benue State are calling on those agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra to leave them and any part of Benue State out of their agitation.
This warning was handed down by the Idoma National Forum ( INF) in a press statement.
President of INF, Barr. Amali Adoya Amali, who signed the press statement said the Idoma want the Biafra agitators to leave the peace-loving Idoma people out of the Biafra struggle.
The statement read in part: “We the people of Benue State continue to be embarrassed every time a section of those agitating for an independent state of Biafra make claims that Benue State or some of parts of Benue State are Biafra.
“Most of these misguided elements are either completely ignorant of what transpired during the civil war or had not been born then otherwise, they will not be including Benue State in their map of Biafra. While we believe that you reserve the right to agitate, we reject any attempt to be conscripted into your agitation without our consent and without any form of consultation with our people.
“Idoma land and Benue State, by extension, have never been and is up till this moment not a part of Biafra and is not in a hurry to become one. Therefore leave us out of your agitation”.
Barr. Amali added that Idoma sons and daughters were committed to a united and indivisible Nigeria and are proud to be Nigerians.
He said ” We believe in the unity and indivisibility of the Nigerian Nation which we fought for and many of our people paid the ultimate price to keep as one. Our warm hospitality extended to Ibos in our towns and villages should not be taken for granted and abused by those agitating by lumping us into your Biafra. We have had enough of this unwarranted provocation. We see this as a joke taken too far. Henceforth ,you should desist from including Idoma people and her lands in Benue State in your Biafra”.