The Alleged IPOB Pipeline Vandalization: Why Buhari's Desperate Proscription Appeals Will Continually Fail

 The Alleged IPOB Pipeline Vandalization: Why Buhari's Desperate Proscription Appeals Will Continually Fail The Indigenous People Of Bia...

 The Alleged IPOB Pipeline Vandalization: Why Buhari's Desperate Proscription Appeals Will Continually Fail

The Indigenous People Of Biafra(IPOB) is a freedom movement, founded and inaugurated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu in 2012. Since then, IPOB have consistently toed the part of peace in all her agitations, despite the odds they face at the hands of the Nigeria government. Buhari's desperation, lobbying of the international bodies and medias to proscribed IPOB as a terrorist organization, just as aired in his recent interview with Bloomberg, can never hold water. IPOB is never responsible for oil theft and/or any form of pipeline vandalism anywhere. Infact, Buhari knows who the real thieves are, but is deliberately accusing IPOB because of the hate he has for the movement.

Pipeline vandalism started in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria since far back 1999 while Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was the Nigerian President. At that time, IPOB was not even a foetus in the womb. The vandalization continued until Obasanjo handed over the seat of power to Late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, who was viced by Ebele Golduck Jonathan. These two latter signed an Amnesty program on October 4th 2009 for the angry boys in the creek, whose sources of living; like water bodies and farmlands were being destroyed by oil spills from unrepaired Shell company's rusty pipelines. The amnesty was granted to these boys as a cease-fire appeal, and negotiation call, for peace to rain.

These Niger Delta militants are under the umbrella of Niger Delta People's Revolutionary Force, led by Chief Asari Dokubo who dropped out of school to lead the move. Asari was being assisted by Tompolo. 

The boys later ceased fire, but the Nigerian government and Shell company failed to repair the pipeline leakages, clean up the area and employ the youths of the community since their sources of livelihood; such as farming and fishing had been rendered impotent. Those were the contents of the cease-fire agreement, and should have been respected.

At around 2017 and 2019, majority of the boys who were under the payroll of President Buhari willingly quit pipeline vandalism, leaving only the few younger ones who were also looking for their own payroll opportunity to carry it on. Since then, fewer reports of pipeline vandalism had been made, compared to as it was between 2003-2019 when the price for petroleum products in the country was still affordable by the common masses. 

It is quite astonishing that the President of this same country, Buhari who failed the peace agreement is accusing IPOB for his failure to regulate the rate at which fuel scarcity tears Nigeria apart. He should just boldly tell Nigerians that he has failed, and not laying blames on the innocent and peaceful IPOB. The movement is only agitating  for their people's freedom. They are peacefully demanding for the sovereign nation of Biafra because they believed it to be the only way to achieved true development for the Biafra people.

Another time and money have been wasted by President Buhari. He should initiate fresh lobbying against IPOB, if he wish. As for this one, it is already futile on arrival. It does not, and can never hold water.

Written by Ifeanyi Chibueze James

Edited by Ogah C S Maduabuchi

For Family Writers Press International.

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