Two splinter groups of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, The Re-branded Indigenous People of Biafra, TRIPOD, and Renegade Indigenous People of Biafra, RENIPOB, have nominated incarcerated former militant leader, Henry Okah, to hand over the Biafra flag to Nigerian government on January 1 2017.
Both breakaway groups in a statement released on Friday by TRIPOB’s spokesperson, Chima Pillip Effiong Osuji said the original plan was to burn the Biafra flag on October 1, 2016 in Abuja but that it would now 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 new date signified the day the Nigerian Civil War ended, on January 15, 1970.
Okah, who was nominated to handover the flag is currently in Kuje prison and is standing trial for charges bordering on terrorism.
According to the statement, “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 subsequent TRIPOB/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.
“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.”
Both breakaway groups in a statement released on Friday by TRIPOB’s spokesperson, Chima Pillip Effiong Osuji said the original plan was to burn the Biafra flag on October 1, 2016 in Abuja but that it would now 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 new date signified the day the Nigerian Civil War ended, on January 15, 1970.
Okah, who was nominated to handover the flag is currently in Kuje prison and is standing trial for charges bordering on terrorism.
According to the statement, “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 subsequent TRIPOB/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.
“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.”