The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a stern warning to South East youths against joining the Nigerian Army, urging them to reconsider enlisting due to the dangers they could face in volatile regions.
In a statement released on Tuesday by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group claimed that the Nigerian military has shown a history of ethnic bias, often deploying recruits from the South to northern regions where terrorist groups like Boko Haram operate.
According to IPOB, many southern recruits have been exposed to grave danger and even killed, as they are sent into conflict zones without adequate support.
“The global family of IPOB once more urges Biafran youths to refrain from joining the recent Nigerian Army recruitment. Before considering joining the Nigerian Army, reflect on this: ‘What has happened to those who enlisted a few years back?’” Powerful stated.
The group also highlighted reports of Nigerian soldiers struggling with poor conditions, including inadequate allowances, food, and medical care. Many soldiers, they claimed, have been exploited as pawns in a larger political and military game, with little to no reward for their service.
Further, IPOB alleged that terrorists have overtaken military barracks and police stations in northern Nigeria, and that the Nigerian government compensates these terrorists under the guise of ‘repentant terrorists’, integrating them into the security forces. This, they argue, puts even more soldiers at risk.
Powerful appealed directly to the region’s youth, saying, “No Biafran youth ought to position themselves as instruments for the Federal Government, ECOWAS, and Western imperialists to be deployed against the Sahel nations.
“Any Igbo youth who enlists in the Nigerian Army, ‘your name will be regrettable.’ You will either be offered up to the terrorists, captured and killed by the state, or be sacrificed to the courageous Sahelian soldiers.”
The group urged young people to return to farming and other productive ventures instead of putting themselves in harm’s way by enlisting in the military.
According to IPOB, the history of ethnic bias and neglect towards Igbo soldiers shows that their service to the Nigerian Army often leads to death or serious injury, with no benefit in return.
“Rather than joining the Nigerian Army, return to your village and pursue farming,” Powerful concluded, urging young people to reconsider their choices and reflect on the risks of enlisting in the Nigerian Army.
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