Two breakaway factions of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have agreed to work together to surrender the Biafran flag to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The original plan was to burn the Biafran flag on October 1, 2016, but the groups — Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB) and Renegade Indigenous People of Biafra (RENIPOB) — have jettisoned that, and will instead surrender “the defunct Republic of Biafra flag on the symbolic date of January 15, 2017″ to the Nigerian government at the Eagle Square Abuja.
The chosen date, January 15, 1970, was the day the Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Biafran War, ended.
The groups in a statement on Friday also chose former militant leader, Henry Okah as the one to surrender the Biafran flag to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The statement read in part: “The Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra (TRIPOB), gladly and warmly welcomes into its fold, the Comrade Emma Powerful-led breakaway faction from theNnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who now go by the name Renegade Indigenous People of Biafra, or RENIPOB.
“Following this development, all subsequentTRIPOB/RENIPOB statements shall be jointly signed by Comrade Emma Powerful and the undersigned. Any statements from IPOB using “Emma Powerful” as its signatory are that of an impostor.
“And following appeals by well-meaning Nigerians across the world, especially civil war veterans of the defunct Biafra Republic, TRIPOB shall no longer burn the flag of the defunct Biafra Republic as earlier planned for October 1, 2016, a date which has also been rescheduled.
“Replacing the burning of the flag ceremony shall be the ‘surrender’ ceremony of the defunct Republic of Biafra flag on the symbolic date of January 15, 2017 at the Eagle Square Abuja, FCT. The general public as well as all relevant agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria, particularly, the Presidency is please, advised to take note of the date.
“With a view to actualizing the January 15, 2017 “surrender” ceremony, and subject to their acceptance, TRIPOB/RENIPOB hereby wishes to nominate Mr. Charles Okah, an Ijaw from the Niger Delta axis as its Leader, and Dr. DozieIkedife as Deputy Leader.
“We strongly believe that the leaders we have nominated shall use their respective offices to help propagate an intense campaign of inclusiveness, love, peace, progress, industry and free enterprise, social justice and democracy within and amongst our compatriots in an indivisible, united and prosperous Nigerian federation.”
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