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IPOB Accuses Tony Blair Foundation Of Sponsored Blackmail

Tony Blair
December 7, 2022

IPOB said its attention has been drawn to what it described as sponsored blackmail from the organisation against it.

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has accused Tony Blair Faith Organisation, an interfaith charitable organisation established by a former British prime minister, Tony Blair, of engaging in sponsored blackmail against the secessionist group.

IPOB made the allegation on Wednesday in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, saying that the organisation now managed by Tony Blair Institute for Global Change compared it with terrorist groups posing a threat to the 2023 general elections. 

IPOB said its attention has been drawn to what it described as sponsored blackmail from the organisation against it.

The separatist organisation said, “It is a pity that a supposedly responsible foundation founded by Sir. Tony Blair, a former British Prime Minister, will stoop so low to join the league of sponsored blackmailers against IPOB in order to discredit the movement in the eyes of the international community.”

IPOB said “it's malicious for Tony Blair and his compromised Foundation to compare IPOB with the world-known terrorist organizations as those posing a threat to Nigeria's 2023 elections”.

“IPOB and ESN have never attacked any INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) infrastructure, and have never attacked anyone, yet the Nigerian government keeps sponsoring media attacks to blackmail IPOB. No member of IPOB has ever been arrested and convicted on any terrorism charges. ESN was formed to tackle Fulani terrorists like the Fulani herdsmen menace which they are doing dutifully in Igboland,” it said.

The statement reiterated that IPOB and ESN have never attacked any INEC facility and do not “have any plans in the future to carry out such attacks”.

“If the need arises, we can carry out civil disobedience which may include calling for Biafrans to boycott voting during elections and other civil disobedience strategies,” it said.

IPOB said, “Since Tony Blair and his political foundation have decided to join the league of Nigeria-sponsored blackmailers, we want them to provide answers to the following questions:

“Tony Blair was the British Prime Minister when the then President of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo bombed and massacred every living being in two communities in Nigeria (Odi and Zakibiam). Tony Blair what did you say or do about the genocide against Nigerian citizens?

“Tony Blair, you claimed to love Nigeria but under your watch and up to now the British Government is still pretending not to see the high level of corruption and killings ravaging Nigeria, especially since the coming of the current APC Government under President Muhammadu Buhari. Sir Blair, what have you said or done about it?

“Tony Blair, you claimed that you love Nigeria but the British Government laid an illegal yet free oil and gas pipeline through the bed of the Atlantic Ocean from Biafra land to Britain which you referred to as Northern oil. Is that not economic sabotage against Nigeria and particularly Biafrans?

“Tony Blair, you want Nigeria to have credible and peaceful elections come 2023 but every 4 years your British Government influences who will be the President of Nigeria to the detriment of Nigerian voters.

“If the British Government is not responsible for all the problems in Nigeria, why not allow the people of Nigeria to choose who will lead them without your British Government interference?

“Tony Blair, you claimed to love Nigeria. What have you done to boost Nigeria’s economic situation and support Nigeria to produce credible leaders that are not British puppets to help their own people instead of working like your slaves?

“Tony Blair, do you think anybody will be talking about Biafra or agitating for Biafra Independence if the British amalgamation experiment called Nigeria is working for all the trapped indigenous ethnicities?

“Sir Tony Blair, what have you done about the genocide committed by Britain and Nigeria against Biafran People between 1967 to 1970, where over 5 million Biafrans lost their lives? Does it mean Biafran lives don't matter to you and don't deserve justice?

“Tony Blair, what have you said about the illegal abduction, rendition and detention of a British citizen in Nigeria? Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who is still in the DSS dungeon even after the Nigeria Federal High Court Umuahia and Appeal Court Abuja, has discharged and acquitted him.

“Is the life of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu of no value or importance to the British Government because he is a Biafran/British or is it because he is a black man?

“Tony Blair, you claimed to love Nigeria but what has the British Government done to indict the Fulani Miyetti Allah terrorist Organization for the genocide they have been committing against Nigerians since 2015 till date?

“We wish to remind Tony Blair Institute for Global Change to conduct an independent investigation of all the accusations Nigerian Government have levelled against IPOB instead of joining forces with the Nigerian oppressive Government to malign IPOB Movement.

“We know that Britain and all the political juggernauts have interest in oil and gas from Biafra Land, but our primary interest is freedom.”

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Politics