IPOB Urges Ndigbo to Return Home for Christmas, Assures Safety Across South-East

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on Ndigbo in Nigeria and abroad to return home for the Christmas celebrations, guaranteeing adequate security throughout the South-East.

In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the group described the region as Nigeria’s “most tranquil”, claiming that security has significantly improved despite what it called “sponsored instability” over the past four years.

Powerful urged residents and returnees to ignore negative narratives about IPOB and the Eastern Security Network (ESN), insisting that both groups have played crucial roles in securing the region with strong community support.

“We encourage Ndigbo in Nigeria and abroad who plan to come home for Christmas to do so. ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers will ensure security across the entire South-East,” the statement read.

IPOB dismissed reports circulating on social media about an alleged kidnapping along the Owerri–Aba expressway, describing the footage as “old” and “false”. The group also clarified that ESN operations are discreet and that IPOB has no official social media accounts.

Powerful added that the reduced number of attacks and abductions in the region indicates that there are “Lions guarding the land”. He accused the federal government and some Igbo politicians of efforts to destabilise IPOB and ESN, insisting the movement for Biafra remains “a sacred initiative”.

The group urged Ndigbo to return home in large numbers for the festivities and invest in the region, saying insecurity narratives should not deter them.