Wrong To Tag IPOB Terrorist Group, S/East Marginalized – Edwin Clark

Elder statesman and Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clerk, has condemned the proscription of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by the federal government.

Addressing stakeholders at the south-south zonal conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital, on Friday, the south-south leader wondered why IPOB would be tagged a terrorist group when more dangerous groups in the north have not been tagged as such.

Speaking further, Clark stated that the presence of five states in the south-east is a form of “injustice” when compared to the six states in other geopolitical zones and seven states in the north-west.

He said “South-east geopolitical zone has five states, while other zones, the south-south, the south-west, the north-central, the north-east, have six states each. In fact, the north-west has seven states, what injustice against a people.

“Look at the northernisation policy going on in the country. Appointments are skewed in favour of the north, in total disregard to the feelings of other areas. Key positions in the ministries, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, customs, police, you name it, are all given to northerners.

“There are 17 security arms, 14 of them are headed by northerners. Yet one expects that there shall be national unity. Of course, it will not be possible. There must be dissatisfaction and agitation.

“For instance, look at what is happening in the south-east today. Our critical national assets are being attacked almost every day. People are killed, maimed. While one is gravely against such a method of expressing grievance, the people are pushed to the wall.

“The south-east geopolitical zone could rightly be described as the most disadvantaged. One could not understand why the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) will be declared as a terrorist organization, while similar organizations in the north have not been so declared.”