In a fiery statement on Sunday, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) lambasted former Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retired), labeling him a “genocidist” responsible for one of history’s darkest chapters. IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, accused Gowon of orchestrating the second most brutal genocide, surpassed only by the Holocaust, against the Igbo people during the Biafra civil war.
The uproar from IPOB comes in response to Gowon’s recent remarks regarding his handling of the Biafra conflict. Following a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Gowon recounted criticisms of his perceived sluggishness in prosecuting the war.
In a scathing rebuke, Powerful affirmed the determination of the current Igbo generation to achieve Biafra’s independence. The statement issued by Powerful emphasized Gowon’s alleged admission of igniting the genocidal conflict against Biafra, portraying him as unrepentant and devoid of remorse.
“The global family and movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have been appalled by the chilling confession of war crimes by former Military Head of State, Major General Yakubu Gowon,” the statement read.
Gowon’s purported acknowledgment of initiating the genocidal war, despite criticism, further fueled IPOB’s condemnation, portraying him as a symbol of impunity and injustice.
