IPOB Alleges Plot to Frame It for Religious Vîolence in Southeast

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has issued a stern warning, alleging a coordinated plot involving state actors to instigate religious violence in Nigeria’s Southeast and blame it on the pro-Biafran group.

In a press statement dated January 30, 2026, the group’s Directorate of State accused certain federal government officials, the Sokoto Caliphate, and some Igbo politicians including state governors of orchestrating a scheme to plunge the region, which it calls Biafraland, into chaos. IPOB reaffirmed its foundational principles of “Peace, Unity, Freedom” and its commitment to a non-violent path to self-determination.

According to IPOB’s intelligence, the alleged plan involves staging attacks on Muslim minorities in the Southeast to frame them as religious reprisals. The group contends this would deflect international attention from what it describes as a genocide against Christians in northern Nigeria and instead shift blame onto IPOB and its Eastern Security Network (ESN). The movement insists it would be falsely implicated to discredit its peaceful campaign.

IPOB categorically denied any connection to two individuals, Ifeanyi Okolinta Eze (“Gentle the Yahoo”) and Chinonso Isaiah Onyedikachi (“Igwe Butuzor Angel Makeup”), who have recently been linked to threats against Muslims, stating neither is a member of IPOB or the ESN.

The statement highlighted conflicting accounts from the Nigerian military regarding Ifeanyi Eze. While the army announced his arrest in October 2025, a video surfaced in January 2026 showing him alive and claiming he had been poisoned in custody, which the Defence Headquarters later suggested might be AI-generated. IPOB questioned the military’s narrative, drawing parallels to past incidents where escaped convicts were allegedly used to commit violence attributed to the group.

IPOB accused the authorities of employing such tactics to tarnish its reputation, discourage investment in the Southeast, and portray the self-determination movement as violent. It further interpreted the alleged plot as a retaliatory move by the government and Sokoto Caliphate against growing international scrutiny, particularly from Western nations, over the persecution of Christians in the north.

The group called on Biafrans to remain vigilant and hold their leaders accountable, warning that any fabricated violence could be used to justify foreign intervention against the region. It concluded by reiterating its unwavering commitment to peaceful agitation, including calls for a referendum, and urged the international community to monitor the situation closely to prevent a wider religious conflict.