The Deputy Chairman of
IPOB’s Supreme Council, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, who disclosure at a press conference
in Nnewi, Anambra State on Wednesday, said “Preachers of violence might be
infants or non-existent during the 30-month Nigerian Civil War.”
The Supreme Council of
Elders of Indigenous People Of Biafra has distanced itself from the activities
of the Niger Delta Avengers and the Movement for the Actualisation of the
Sovereign State of Biafra.
The elder statesman was
reacting to the claims by some IPOB and MASSOB members that the groups were
aligning with the Niger Delta militants as well as other militants in the
country.
The IPOB chief said there
was no such a thing, adding that he witnessed the Civil War and saw how
millions of people, especially from the South-East, were slaughtered and
properties destroyed.
The ex-Ohanaeze President
said, “The IPOB group I belong to is governed by the Supreme Council of Elders.
There is a faction led by Nnamdi Kanu that abuses the elders, preaches violence
and ethnic hatred.
“We do not believe in that.
The MASSOB led by Ralph Uwazuruike from its inception preaches non-violence
based on the philosophy of the late Indian leader, Mahatma Ghandi.
“If the militants have been
blowing up pipelines, I don’t see how my group that has been following legal
and diplomatic process will align with them. We have quite a different
philosophy and modus operandi towards the issue of self-determination.
“The two factions of the
IPOB and the two factions of MASSOB are all talking about self-determination of
the indigenous people of Biafra. But their approach is not the same.
“The aim may be one but the
method differs. We have not and cannot depart from dialogue, legal and
diplomatic process and of course you know we are in court with the Federal
Government over this issue of self-determination.”
On the prevailing economic
hardship in Nigeria, Ikedife said, “It is a worthy sacrifice for the citizen to
endure the hard living conditions now and enjoin a better future later.
He added, “I see the
current hardship as darkness before the break of the daylight.
“We have now discovered
that the economy was so badly managed before now that it requires some efforts,
sacrifice and patience to get it right again.”
They better these militants are thugs.
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