PANDEF, IPOB Clash Over Niger Delta’s Inclusion in Biafra Movement

The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have exchanged heated words over the alleged inclusion of the Niger Delta region in IPOB’s secessionist agenda.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, PANDEF’s National Youth Leader, Donben Donyegha, firmly rejected any association between the Niger Delta and IPOB’s aspirations for a Biafran state. He described the alleged inclusion of Niger Delta communities as “provocative and insulting,” warning that such actions would be met with strong resistance from the region’s youths.

“We, therefore, warn that the continued inclusion of PANDEF areas or communities into the so-called Biafra Republic is provocative. Any further attempt to disregard or belittle our leaders and fathers by claiming Niger Delta towns or territories as part of Biafra will meet strong resistance from us, the youths. Niger Delta is not Biafra,” Donyegha declared.

Reaffirming PANDEF’s commitment to a united Nigeria, he advocated for a federal system where states manage their resources while contributing taxes to the central government. According to him, this model ensures justice and equity for all regions.

In response, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful dismissed PANDEF’s concerns as baseless, attributing the allegations to misinformation spread by a splinter group known as the “Finland autopilot group.” He emphasized that IPOB does not compel any community to join its cause, reiterating its commitment to achieving independence through peaceful and democratic means, such as a referendum.

“IPOB is not part of the group forcing any community in Nigeria to join Biafra State. Those doing so in the name of Biafra are content creators from Finland autopilot group, and they are not part of IPOB,” he said.

Powerful clarified that IPOB’s vision is to allow every tribe and community the freedom to decide its future during a referendum. He also called for restraint from media outlets and groups linking IPOB to fringe elements, reaffirming the group’s original mission to achieve Biafran independence through legitimate channels.

“IPOB remains what it was from the beginning and will not shift ground until Biafra independence is fully announced by the United Nations. Every tribe and clan will have the freedom to decide their fate during the referendum,” Powerful stated.