THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has faulted the statement credited to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, concerning the agitation for Biafra, describing as unfortunate and distasteful to Biafrans, the envoy’s position that the United Kingdom, UK, would remain firm in its support for one indivisible Nigeria.
The High Commissioner was said to have made the statement in Kogi State where he delivered a public lecture entitled, “Brexit: Lessons, Challenges and Opportunities for Nigeria.”
Analyzing the envoy’s statement, IPOB Spokespersons, Dr. Ikenna Chinaka and Mrs. Grace Ukpai, said it was surprising that a seasoned diplomat of Mr. Arkwright’s standing could display ignorance of international law and protocol concerning the right to people’s self determination.
They observed that not minding the obvious limitations and inherent defects of the1999 Nigerian Constitution, sovereignty of states under international law was not cast in iron and could, therefore, be broken, as was the case on the issue of Bakassi Peninsula.
They said: “The point IPOB is making is to the effect that, in the exercise of the sovereign powers bestowed on it, an artificial creation like the Nigerian state or indeed any other country, can limit its own sovereignty or surrender a part of same.
“The truth as it stands is that the Nigerian state has, out of its own volition, already surrendered Nigerian sovereignty over Bakassi Peninsula, which, therefore, enables any part of Nigeria or section thereof to secede when they so decide, contrary to the wishes and ambitions of the neo-colonialists like Mr. Arkwright. This is equally true and remains same for even Great Britain whom Mr. Arkwright represents in Nigeria.
“Arkwright should impress upon the Nigerian government the imperative of discharging its obligation under the UN Declaration and African Charter, to facilitate a referendum for a peaceful Biafra exit from Nigeria.
“It is our hope that Arkwright appreciates this new reality, otherwise we would be forced to draw the alternative inference that he set out to test the will and resolve of IPOB. This would be most unfortunate if it were to be so since the pervasive consequences of such an action will not spare anyone trying to subvert the will of the Biafran people.”
