The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says it wants a referendum on self-determination for the south-east of Nigeria, not asylum offered by the government of United Kingdom.
You would recall that the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) released new guidelines on how to treat asylum applications by members of Biafran secessionist groups.
In the guidelines, asylum is to be granted to “persecuted” members of the proscribed IPOB and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
The Federal Government had on Tuesday said that the reported decision of United Kingdom to grant asylum to “persecuted” members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is disrespectful to Nigeria as a nation.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also said that the decision amounted to sabotaging the fight against terrorism and generally undermining Nigeria’s security.
However, in a statement made available to newsmen, Comrade Emma Powerful, the media and publicity secretary for IPOB stated that the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, “has noted with satisfaction the news that the United Kingdom has agreed to grant asylum to persecuted Biafra agitators resident in the UK.